Partners

The purpose of the IQP is for students to better understand the impacts of technology and policies on relevant stakeholders; most projects involve students analyzing how various groups will be affected by the implementation of a particular technological system, or working with local stakeholders to determine an appropriate solution to a particular problem. The MQP is a capstone design experience, directly related to a student’s field of study. For either project, the students receive a valuable educational and cultural experience while the project partner can receive additional assistance on a project that they do not have the time or resources to tackle themselves. We are always looking for new project partners – interested parties can contact the Site Directors using the contact menu above. Some of our past project partners include:

Panama Canal Authority

The Autoridad del Canal de Panama (ACP) was crated after the dissolution of the Panama Canal Commission in 1999, when American occupation of the Canal Zone ended. It is a financially autonomous agency of the government of Panama and has the exclusive responsibility for the operation, administration, management, preservation, maintenance, and modernization of the Panama Canal. Since its creation, the ACP has efficiently and profitably operated and maitnained the Canal, and oversaw the bidding, construction, and inauguration of the $5 billion expansion program that was completed in 2016.

Copa Airlines

Established in 1944, he Compañía Panameña de Aviación, which everyone simply calls Copa, is the national carrier of Panama. Its main hub is at Tocumen International Airport. It flies among 31 countries in Latin America, North America, and the Caribbean. With a fleet of 100 aircraft, it is currently one of the fastest-growing companies in Panama. Since July 2013, Copa has flown non-stop from Boston to Panama City.

Technological University of Panama

The Technological University of Panama, established in 1981, is the second largest institution of higher learning in the nation. It has six faculties across seven campuses and several branches across Panama. WPI Students have worked at the primary Dr. Victor Levi Sasso Campus in Panama City on a variety of projects focusing on sustainability, energy use, and the local environment.

Senacyt

The Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología, e Innovación aims to develop science and technology in service to the sustainable development of, and reduction of inequality in, Panama. As a government organization, SENACYT supports a wide variety of both research projects and professional development programs for Panamanian students and professionals.

National Innovation Office

Created in 2009, the Autoridad Nacional para la Innovación Gubernamental (AIG) is the government office that is responsible for the modernization of Panama’s telecommunications networks. This includes deploying computers in hospitals, classrooms, and the penal system, as well as running the nation’s 311 information network. Much of the research performed by AIG is focused on the societal effects of technological change, particularly the effects of information accessibility on reducing inequality.

City of Knowledge

In 1999 the United States completed the process of returning Canal Zone assets, including Fort Clayton, to the Panamanian government. The Panamanian government rehabilitated the physical infrastructure of Fort Clayton to create the Ciudad del Saber, a university-style campus that supports education, research, and innovation. Under the direction of a non-profit organization bearing the same name, the Cuidad del Saber has housed WPI students in LEED-certified dormitories since 2014. Ciudad del Saber, however, has much more to offer – it supports its own research activities on promoting the integration of academia and business within the unique Panamanian social context. It also provides a forum for exchange with groups such as SENACYT, UNICEF, the Red Cross, Balboa Academy, Isthmus University, and a variety of corporations, all of whom perform research at the Ciudad del Saber.

Footprints Possibilities

Affiliated with Engineers Without Borders, Footprint Possibilities strives to improve basic health conditions through community outreach and the supply of healthy foods and vitamins to those unable to afford them. Access to clean water and disposal of waste water are other key focuses. Footprints Possibilities finds and supports local community centers and meeting centers with technical support, funding, and coordination for infrastructure improvement in order to enhance general health and provide sustainable platforms for increased educational and cultural opportunities.

Oteima University

The mission of Universidad Tecnológica Oteima is to prepare leaders, entrepreneurs, and those committed to the sustainable development of Panama through the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge in areas of teaching, intensive research, and production. In particular, the university is committed to improving economic opportunities in the western part of Panama, near the Costa Rican border, that sees little of the profits generated by the Panama Canal.

Fundesteam

Fundesteam is a non-profit, non-governmental organization committed to the promotion and development of STEAM education across Panama. By working to eliminate the circumstances in which children from lower income backgrounds are not able to access the 21st century education necessary for well-paying jobs, Fundesteam hopes to change the equation of poverty in Panama.