Class Notes

Did you get a promotion? Get married? Receive an award? Expand your family? Write a book? Meet a personal goal? Chat with a fellow alum about the good old days? We want to hear from you and your WPI classmates do, too! Tell us your latest news and it may appear in Class Notes—it’s a great way to reconnect with your fellow alumni: classnotes@wpi.edu.

Bill O’Neil reports, “My wife, Adele, and I have recently permanently relocated to our home in Naples, Fla. Just in time for hurricane Ian! All is well.”

Bill Krein writes, “I have finally learned to row a single shell at Duxbury Bay Marine School. If only we’d had crew back in my day!”

Joseph Mancuso reports that he has published his 13th book, CEO Smiles, on Amazon.com and Ali Baba, in both English and Chinese. He is the founder of CEO Clubs (www.ceoclubs.org), with members in 80 percent of the world’s countries, including India, the United States, and China.

Ed Polewarczyk was elected to the Maine House District 47. Before the election he was featured in an article in the Wiscasset Newspaper. He served in the U.S. Army as a first lieutenant, and retired from the Space Shuttle program after a 34-year career. He has been an active member of various budget committees since relocating to Maine and is a member of several local clubs and organizations. He told the reporter that the most pressing issues for his campaign were the economy, education, and business/industry.

Greg Barnhart writes, “As part of a 7,000-miles, cross-country road trip, my wife, Karen, and I stopped by WPI, as I hadn’t been back in over 40 years due to living on the West Coast. Although I avidly read the WPI Journal, seeing the campus and having a very gracious tour by Lynne Feraco from Advancement’s Alden Society was awe-inspiring. Wow! We met impressive students and the director of the Innovation Studio. Highly, highly recommend to all alumni to obtain the latest history of WPI, True to Plan. It is well written, informative, ‘behind the scenes,’ and a compelling read for all of us who were there.”

Ashok Kheny spoke with Business News This Week about his work in development over his 40-year career. He is currently the managing director of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise in India. Before moving back to India from the United States, his first company, SAB, laid fiber-optic cable networks across various regions of the United States and implemented various transit and infrastructure projects. His current company focuses on roadways and rail infrastructure development.

Barry Braunstein writes, “After a long and successful career in high tech sales and marketing, I’ve started a headshot/portrait photography business. I studied (virtually) with the world’s top headshot photographer and achieved a level of proficiency that only 175 photographers worldwide have achieved. My studio is in Wellesley, Mass., and I also go on location for my larger clients. Check out my website: www.barrybraunsteinphotography.com. I’m also proud to be part of a nationwide organization of great headshot photographers providing free headshots to military veterans transitioning to civilian life (PortraitsforPatriots.org).”

Roland Moreau was elected to the Society of Petroleum Engineers as a distinguished member. Before his retirement, he worked at ExxonMobil for 34 years, serving as safety, security, health, and environmental manager for their upstream research, gas, and power marketing and upstream ventures business units. He is currently on the Board of Trustees for the United Engineering Foundation and serves as vice chair for the National Academies’ Gulf Offshore Energy Safety Board. He has also been recognized with the 2022 Offshore Technology Conference Heritage Award.

Gary Loeb reports that he is enjoying retirement with his wife, Denise, in Peoria, Ariz., outside of Phoenix. Gary retired from Exelon Generation in 2016, where he was a corporate engineer in Kennett Square, Pa. He is enjoying serving as the secretary of Masonic Sun City Lodge #72, as well as being the captain of a bocce ball team.

John Moulton writes, “Back in 2017, I wrote in Class Notes that I was retiring and hoped that my Alpha Tau Omega brothers would visit me in South Carolina. Several of them saw the note and reached out to me. After a delay due to COVID, one of my brothers came to visit me at my home on Lake Keowee in upstate South Carolina on Oct. 5. We had an awesome time together boating, swimming, sharing stories, and having good food and drinks. Even though we had not communicated since my wedding 43 years ago, it was an amazing feeling of brotherhood to be back together again and catch up. A lot older, a little wiser, in good health, and a commitment to get back together annually.”

Bob Hart was named Los Angeles Philanthropist of the Year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). He is the founder and CEO of TruAmerica Multifamily, an investment firm focused on acquiring, renovating, and managing multifamily housing in the Los Angeles area. He is also involved with a variety of charitable and academic organizations, helping to raise tens of millions of dollars. He is a member of the board of directors for Chrysalis, an employment readiness program. Bob was presented the award at AFP’s 37th annual National Philanthropy Day luncheon this past October in Los Angeles.

Peter Simonson writes: “I retired from BAE Systems in November 2021 as the technical director for the space systems product line, responsible for internal technology investment and supporting new business creation. My career of 42 years was principally in the synthesis, system design, development, and integration of signal processing systems for communication, control, sensing, and self-protection. Despite a few forays into organizational management, not all voluntary, I preferred to stay technical, focusing on how the team could solve systemic problems. No doubt studying communications signal processing and executing my MQP while at WPI has served me well. Since retirement, I have stepped up the pace of repairing our old farmhouse in southern New Hampshire. I suspect my love of old houses can be traced to living at Sigma Pi fraternity. That house is an 1890s early Colonial Revival structure. One of my hobbies is fly tying (for fly-fishing), with a particular interest in flies from the late 19th and early 20th century. I am a demonstration fly tyer at various fly-fishing shows in the Northeast. My work studying the unnamed, unknown, and unusual streamer fly patterns by Carrie G. Stevens was featured in the Autumn 2022 issue of Fly Tyer magazine, and my dressing of one of those streamer flies appears on the cover of that issue.”

Fran Boucher finished a 23-year career with National Grid as a leader in commercial and industrial energy efficiency. He says, “My passion for this career field was ignited during my very first semester at WPI and later with my MQP. I went on to truly enjoy opportunities to innovate and educate in this field locally and nationally. I continue to be busy raising my two teenagers!”

Marc Hildebrant says, “I have been writing a book that describes my engineering life from before college to my retirement. The purpose of the book is to help the new graduate as they start a career in engineering by learning from my experiences in an electrical engineering career.”

Mark Lefebvre writes, “I’m pleased to announce that I have published my first book, A Place in Time: Youth, Community & Baseball, which chronicles the incredible three-year run of consecutive state championships for Leominster, Mass.—Babe Ruth in 1971, 1972, and 1973—and the role that community played in that success. Until that three-year period, no city or town had ever accomplished this feat. This story is about the players and coaches. But it is perhaps, most important, a story about the role of the Leominster community, its neighborhoods and schoolyards, where kids had safe places and opportunities to thrive. It is about sports and other recreational activities that provided kids with the opportunity to develop the necessary skills to cope and succeed as adults. But sadly, this story is also about the erosion of those very things at a time when we, as a society, perhaps need them most.”

David Jacobs and Vida Afumwaa married in Accra, Ghana. He also retired from the uniformed services of the United States. David and Vida report they are happy and living in Florida.

George Oliver, a WPI trustee, was part of Business Roundtable’s Responsible Artificial Intelligence (AI) CEO video campaign that featured America’s top CEOs. In the video, he describes the benefits of responsible AI and why it is critical to the building industry. His company, Johnson Controls, was named to the 2022 Fortune Change the World list. This list recognizes companies “that use creative tools to address society’s unmet needs and is evaluated based on measurable social impact, business results, and degree of innovation,” according to the announcement.

Patrick Guida writes, “I left industry in 2012 after 30 years of design, manufacturing, and management, and joined WPI working full-time in the Office of Online & Corporate Education. I retired last September while continuing my long-time assistant coaching with the Women’s Rowing program. 2022 was a very special year—after the disappointments and challenges of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols, the team had a great spring 2022 season, earning a bid to the NCAAs in Sarasota, Fla., at the end of May. The women’s Varsity 8 then surprised the world of NCAA DIII rowing by winning the national championship! Let me tell you, it was unbelievable!! If you are a rower and have not seen the 2022 NCAA video of the DIII Varsity 8 grand final race, I urge you to watch it. It was a stunning victory and an amazing accomplishment for this crew and for WPI; it shows what can be accomplished when you simply believe in yourselves. I am privileged to be a part this team and humbled by the persistence and commitment that these women possess. In June, we took two eights to England to compete in the Henley Women’s Regatta for the fourth time since 2011. Our boats did very well, with strong performances against very fast international crews in the storied setting of Henley-on-Thames.”

David Kent’s Framingham Makerspace was featured in an article for the MetroWest Daily News. This space is designed to explore “the intersection of art, technology, and community,” according to the article. It is designed for crafters and artists of all types to have the space and the right equipment to create. The Makerspace works like a gym membership, with members paying a monthly fee to use the various resources. The location has wood, metal, and welding shops, a 3D printer, an etching press, and more—including a quilting machine.

Jason Macari has purchased Phantom Farms in Cumberland, R.I. According to the article in The Valley Breeze, he hopes to expand upon the farm’s offerings, including adding a café and garden center, planting more apple trees for pick-your-own, and opening a seasonal outdoor restaurant. “I’m super excited about Phantom Farms. It’s a really beautiful farm,” he said in the story, “and I feel blessed to be able to get involved with it, make it better for everyone involved.”

Olatunji “Tunji” Taiwo was named president and CEO of Junia Holdings, a provider of digital, non-contact optical inspection systems in the specialty metal fabrication industry. “I am very excited to be joining the Junia Holdings team and I look forward to working with the talented management team to innovate, grow our Oasis Inspection Systems brand, strengthen distributor partnerships, and continue to improve our George Products business,” he said in the company’s announcement.

Richard Wronski was a guest speaker for an Aerospace & Defense Technology webinar, which covered topics relating to advances in unmanned aircraft—threats, solutions, and opportunities. He is vice president of sensing, perception, and applied robotics at Charles River Analytics, leading a team of scientists and engineers who are developing a product portfolio that stems from research focused on sensing and perception, both for autonomous robotics and for human physiological assessment. He has more than 30 years of program leadership experience for a wide range of both government and commercial customers, including various agencies within the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense, as well as numerous international clients.

Casey Grant spoke at the Boston Public Library about the unsolved mystery of the 1942 Cocoanut Grove Fire. His presentation reviewed the background and details of the tragic fire that claimed almost 500 lives in the Boston nightclub. He is the executive director of D&S Research Associates & Engineers, an independent professional consulting firm with a focus on the design and implementation of research for the fire protection and emergency response communities.

David Wright joined Syska Hennessy Group as associate vice president, senior practice area leader for health care. Syska Hennessy, based in Richmond, Va., is an international engineering firm. His role will focus on health care projects in Virginia and North Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience in health care engineering and project management.

Karen Tegan Padir, a WPI trustee, was named chief product officer at ESG Global, a software engineering company for energy customers in North America, the United Kingdom, and Japan. “I am honored to have been given the opportunity to lead a strong team of market specialists focused on keeping ESG as the market leader of energy retail software and services, helping customers with the digitization of their businesses, and supporting the energy transition,” she said in the company’s announcement.

John Kirwan was appointed president of Hobbs Medical, a global manufacturer and direct supplier of high-quality, low-cost accessories for the flexible GI and pulmonary endoscopy markets. He is also president and founder of Spark Medical Device Consulting of Wilbraham, Mass. He has served in various leadership roles throughout his career including his time as vice president of Blackstone Medical, Biologics Division, where his group “launched the first commercially available stem cell product for spine surgery,” according to the announcement. He said, “I’m excited to begin my new role at Hobbs Medical. I’ve been working with their team as a consultant and I’m ready to hit the ground running in a full-time capacity.”

Herman Purutyan, a board member of the Armenian Assembly, traveled to Armenia to meet with the country’s former president, Robert Kocharyan.

Tricia Fitzmaurice was named vice president of sales by Rancher Government Solutions (RGS), a company that addresses the unique security and operational needs of the U.S. government and military. She has 27 years of government IT leadership experience and spent eight years at Red Hat as director of National Security Programs, Federal Law Enforcement, and Justice. Before joining RGS, she held numerous positions that worked closely with government executives to build their strategy for enterprise-wide automation adoption.

Greta Boynton, MD, was appointed chief medical officer and senior vice president of Waterbury HEALTH network. She has held successively expanding leadership roles in the medical field, including chief of hospital medicine at Eastern Connecticut Health Network and the national medical director for the National Clinical Innovations Council for Sound Physicians.

Colleen Wade, director of Fire Research Group, spoke at the Fire New Zealand Conference on fire safety engineering in mass timber buildings. She was interviewed by Defence Security New Zealand about her book, Fire Safe Use of Wood in Buildings: Global Design Guide. After earning her master’s degree from WPI in fire protection engineering, she returned to New Zealand to earn her PhD and cofounded Fire Research Group, specializing in fire research and advisory work.

Natalie Grace, a co-founder of Gardella Grace, was selected as a 2022 IAM 1000-recommended individual in the area of patent prosecution. IAM highlights outstanding work by those in the field of patent law. Her firm was also honored with an IAM 1000 recommendation in the area of patent prosecution and was listed as one of the best law firms in the country by U.S. News.

Que Nguyen became the acting president of the Assemblies of God Vietnamese Fellowship. She’s been a clinical pharmacist for 15 years and works as a full-time pharmacist for the Department of Veterans Affairs in Worcester.

Anu (Henna) Karna has been named to the Essent Group Ltd. Board of Directors. Essent Group is a Bermuda-based holding company, headquartered in Radnor, Pa., that offers private mortgage insurance for single-family mortgage loans in the United States. She has more than 25 years of experience leading digital, data, and analytics innovation across high-tech consumer packaged goods, risk management, and insurance industries, according to the announcement. She has held various high-level positions in the risk management and insurance industry, including with AXA and American International Group, Inc.

Deepthi Bathina was named to the advisory board for the Kerry Murphy Healy Center for Health Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Babson College. In this advisory role, she will help guide the center’s “focus on global programs to help organizations all over the world achieve health and economic value simultaneously,” according to the center’s announcement. She is president, CEO, and founder at HealthTech Ventures.

Max Liberman was interviewed by Yole Group about the automotive radar market and his work as vice president at Uhnder, a company focused on “revolutionizing automotive and automated mobility with the world’s first digital imaging radar-on-chip (RoC) to enable safe mobility for both people and goods as well as to make roads safer for all users,” he said. He oversees global sales and marketing for Uhnder’s digital imaging radar-on-chip, having previously served for 19 years at Analog Devices as director of sales for automotive businesses across the world.

Brian Fenton was named to the Board of Directors for Odylia Therapeutics, a nonprofit biotechnology company focused on the development of treatments for people living with rare diseases. He has 30 years of experience in the biotechnology industry, having previously served as chief business officer at Translate Bio.

Liz Hitchcock spoke at Worcester’s Historic New England Summit this past October. She joined other preservation leaders who spoke on topics that explored “critical, transformative issues in building more livable, resilient communities in the 21st century,” according to the organization’s press release. She represented Orbit Group, a business that supports economic development initiatives, urban planning, and creative place making in New Hampshire.

Brooke Tropf was featured in an article by the Midland Daily News that discussed her efforts to test the United States’ ability to address the threat of space objects, such as asteroids. Her research work with Johns Hopkins and NASA helped launch the Double Asteroid Redirection Test mission. This technology is aimed at redirecting large asteroids to avoid a devastating collision with Earth. The article stated that “she feels lucky to have a job that she loves. She acknowledged her work contributes to important science, while adding there are a lot of things happening on Earth.” She said, “It also gives us a chance to turn around and say, ‘Okay, we’re going to protect ourselves from out there (space). How can we also protect ourselves from things that are happening to us already on the earth?’”

Keri Sicar was a speaker at a UMass Lowell Lunch and Learn workshop called “Leadership & IP Management—Pitfalls to Avoid.” She discussed pitfalls to avoid in organizational leadership and intellectual property management, along with business strategy and patent law. She is a patent attorney and owner of Virtual IP Law, with 20 years of experience in the field of intellectual property law. She has also served as vice chair of the Intellectual Property Law section of the New Hampshire Bar Association since 2016.

Greg McHale presented at the International Manufacturing Technology 2022 Conference in September. His presentation discussed using machine learning to understand production—from tools to finished parts. His panel covered “software and hardware solutions that provide more data and actionable insights into everything from toolpath optimization to overall production intelligence in real time,” according to the announcement. He founded the company Datanomix that offers automated production intelligence for precision manufacturers.

Sanjayan “Sunny” Manivannan started as CEO of ManyChat, a social media marketing company, which is currently hiring for entry level positions in New York City. His previous position was senior vice president and general manager at Global SMB. He says, “To the ManyChat team and community: I am excited to work with all of you to help brands and customers interact with each other in new, meaningful ways.”

Charlie Pasquariello was named to Business Observer’s 40 under 40 list. He currently serves as senior product manager of Watts Water Technologies in Fort Meyers, Fla., which develops instruments to help produce clean drinking water for municipalities, marine ballast water systems to help keep oceans clean, and water managements solutions for health care settings.

Ryan Norman (PhD) joined Sidney Resources Corporation’s board of directors. He earned a PhD in physics from WPI and was a recipient of the NASA Graduate Student Research Program Fellowship, 2005-2008. He has served as a research professor of nuclear engineering and physics. Having co-authored over 60 research articles, he has presented at numerous international conferences.

David Willens was named to Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty list for 2022. He is the director of research and development at Kinefac Corp in Worcester, where he has worked for the last 17 years. He also sponsors engineering student projects at WPI and Northeastern University and guest lectures for an introductory course on manufacturing science at WPI. He co-authored a chapter on the rolling process in the McGraw-Hill Manufacturing Engineering Handbook in 2015. He says the key to his success is “building a strong foundation of education, mentors, hands-on experience, and networking relationships, and staying in tune with current and future technological needs and exploring innovative ways of developing it and applying it.”

Vishal Sunak has been appointed to the WaterIQ Technologies Board of Directors. He is the founder and CEO of LinkSquares, a software development company. Businesswire’s announcement notes that as part of the board, he will help guide company strategy, operational excellence, and best practices. The board will also provide guidance on the technical and commercial aspects of WaterIQ’s digital offerings.

Ryan Brown was named to Worcester Business Journal’s 40 Under Forty list for 2022. He is the founder of a program called “Go Hard or Stay Home,” which teaches children basketball skills along with “respect, confidence, teamwork, and helping others,” according to the article. Thousands of children engage with this three-year-old program in the Greater Worcester area.

Quontay Turner’s business, Emerald City Plant Shop in Norwood, Mass., was featured in a CBS News article as New England’s first Black-owned plant shop. Turner also teaches people how to care for their plants and will make house calls to help customers.

Sahag Voskian’s MIT team, Verdox, was featured in an article by DesignBoom, “MIT ‘verdox’ effortlessly captures and removes carbon dioxide using electricity.” Verdox uses electrochemistry to capture carbon almost effortlessly from the air. According to the article, “The invention is kind of a battery that naturally attracts carbon dioxide under certain conditions and does not do anything when these conditions are not triggered. When a low-level electric current flows in the device, the battery charges and the carbon dioxide that goes inside rises to the surface … The team is now planning to commercialize its device to help ease climate change.”

Samantha Fontaine wrote an article for the Analog Devices website, “Turning the Tide on Climate Change: ADI, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute & OCIA.” This technology company focuses on providing solutions to their customers’ problems in the instrumentation, automation, communications, healthcare, and automotive industries. She is currently the director of technology for social impact at ADI and has held various positions in product marketing and engineering in precision and high-speed technology groups.

Kevin Griffin is a project manager at Leggat McCall Properties, a real estate development company in Boston. His role “focuses on planning, budgeting, construction, and closeout activities for various projects. He has experience with demolition, renovation, and ground-up construction projects as well as the permitting and design phases. Kevin has worked on projects at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Worcester’s CitySquare, as well as mixed-use office and research laboratory projects. He has also assisted in real estate consulting assignments for healthcare clients,” according to the company’s announcement.

Aaron Birt and Sean Kelly, who founded Solvus Global, celebrated the company’s joining the Inc.com 2022 list of “America’s Fastest Growing Private Companies.” This manufacturing technology firm was also named No. 3 in manufacturing and No. 1 in the Worcester area. Inc.com reports that the company has seen 1,927 percent growth within the last three years.

Denis Kole (PhD) was a speaker at Cell & Gene Therapy Insights’ Live 30 webinar roundtable discussion in September, “Successful suspension-based viral vector manufacturing scale-up, from process development to clinics.” He is the director of Accelerator SM Process Development Services at Pall Corporation in Westborough, Mass., having served in other roles at Pall. Before that he spent nine years in the biotech field with several positions at large pharma and contract research organizations.

Randi Isenhart was named a 2022/2023 Penn Center for Innovation Fellow. According to the announcement, only 12 fellows were admitted from a large application pool. PCI Fellows is an experiential education program open to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior research staff at Penn. PCI Fellows get exposure to a wide range of emerging technologies and commercialization opportunities in the life sciences, physical sciences, nanotechnology, and more. Randi worked as a research technician in a cancer genetics lab before beginning her PhD in genetics at Penn. She currently uses state-of-the-art microscopy techniques to elucidate answers to basic biology questions in the field of genome organization.

Jaclyn Rogacz is founder and CEO of Firepoint Consulting, a third-party plan reviewer and fire protection consultant for municipalities. She has worked as the sole Worcester fire protection engineer for the last five years and is responsible for reviewing plans for construction submitted to the city and ensuring compliance with all Massachusetts codes, standards, and laws.

Elzani van Zyl (MS ’19) is a PhD student in the Functional Biomaterials (Coburn) Lab. She helped establish GROW: Graduate Organization for Women in STEM, worked with the Belmont Street Community School in Worcester, and helped support the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. She has won several awards for leadership and academic excellence at WPI, has published a first-author paper and patent application, and has presented at several conferences.

Basliel Demessie is assistant project manager at Colantonio in Holliston, Mass. According to the announcement, “His four years of construction experience include work as a field engineer and assistant project engineer on large-scale residential and office building projects with former employers Mill Creek Residential Trust and John Moriarty & Associates.”

Bryan Hughes was appointed president of Western Builders, a general contracting company in Granby, Mass. While at a partner company, O’Connell Companies, he held numerous project management roles for multimillion-dollar construction projects on several college campuses in the Northeast.

Benjamin Shaffer is a research engineer at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. His area of expertise is machine learning, algorithm development, adaptive optics, tracking, and laser weapons systems. In this role, he works to develop advanced beam control technologies.

Grant Zahorsky presented at the International Manufacturing Technology 2022 Conference in September. His presentation discussed the process of using automation to reduce labor costs. At Canon USA, his position focuses “on the progression of the Canon RV-series machine vision system. This system uses Canon’s high-end consumer and professional cameras to globally assist companies by automating their facilities, thereby creating a more efficient and safer workplace,” according to a company announcement. He also has experience in robotic welding in the automotive industry, in artificial intelligence, and in machine-vision systems.

Tyler Morris was featured in American Household News for his work as a musician and on the business side of music. According to the article, he’s played guitar since he was a child and his music crosses between blues and country. He performed his newest show, “Cathedral, a Tribute to the Music of Van Halen,” in Salisbury, Mass. Many of his performances are featured on his YouTube page and he has been regularly featured in YouTube promos for Vintage Guitar magazine. He has earned two Grammy nominations for his recordings.

Christian Tweed was hired as a full-stack engineer at OnCorps. He joined the Derivatives Confirmation Team, which uses AI as part of an end-to-end workflow to manage unique and complex contracts, according to OnCorps’ announcement.

Justine Davids is an associate at Carbon Direct Capital Management. According to her profile on the company’s website, she “was drawn to this position due to her passion to make carbon dioxide removal and reduction an accessible topic to people of all backgrounds.”

Zachary Goldblatt (PhD) received the Sigma Xi Graduate Research Award for his dissertation, “Mechanical Regulation of Cell Death.” The Society of Sigma Xi and the Committee on Graduate Studies and Research honors students with this award for outstanding research at the doctoral and master’s levels.

Nathan Jackson presented at the International Manufacturing Technology 2022 Conference in September. The panel, “How can I be certain that my Automation System Process will work … BEFORE I buy it?” covered how to use proof-of-concept systems to make sure your automation system works. He is also a graduate of FANUC Programming School for FANUC Industrial robots.

Gabriela Chong and Brian Desjardins were hired by Jensen Hughes, a fire protection engineering company. Their roles “support the company’s fire and life safety practice with a focus on industrial process safety,” according to the announcements.

Luca Ialong was hired by Jensen Hughes as associate fire protection consultant. He will work in the Warwick Fire & Building safety team, according to the announcement by the company.

Justin Moy will attend Boston University to pursue a PhD in bioinformatics. He is a Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) National Ambassador who also lives with Congenital Muscular Dystrophy. His time as a WPI student was featured in an article in MDA’s Quest magazine.

While taking on this role, I am also a behavioral therapist for children with autism and have been since October 2019 and through most of the pandemic. I want to focus on working with individuals with disabilities and mental health disorders to help increase the quality of their lives and happiness, allowing them to find innovative, non-traditional ways to solve challenges through continuous improvement. Thank you so much to all the WPI faculty and staff who made this a possibility and taught me everything I know to get to this point in life. Also, thank you to my family and friends who have been super supportive through my journey!”

Delaney Tedtsen, a design engineer at the civil engineering firm McCrone, joined the company’s Public Works Department. The role will focus on bringing clean water to the community by tackling various public water and sewer system challenges. The announcement notes how she wanted to make an impact in her engineering career: “She finally discovered a passion for environmental engineering in college and knew this was her way to help make the world a better place.”