Ballston Lake resident takes part in water research project
WORCESTER, MASS. >> Evan Karl of Ballston Lake, a member of the class of 2021 majoring in mechanical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in Boston.
The project was titled “An Analysis of Cyanobacteria Harmful Algal Blooms in Massachusetts and Methods of Prevention and Event Response.”
In their project summary, the students wrote, “Through the completion of this project, we made a historical overview of cyanobacteria events in surface drinking water supplies in Massachusetts since 2015, identified and compared the prevention and response methods for cyanobacteria events, and developed informational materials for MassDEP and PWSs.”
At WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a researchdriven, professional-level project that applies science and technology to addresses an important societal need or issue. About twothirds of students complete a project at one of the university’s 50-plus off-campus project centers, which are located around the world.
A signature element of the innovative undergraduate experience at WPI, the project-based curriculum offers students the opportunity to apply their scientific
and technical knowledge to develop thoughtful solutions to real problems that affect the quality of people’s lives-and make a difference before they graduate.
“The WPI project-based curriculum brings students out of the classroom and their comfort zones and into the global community to apply their knowledge to solve real problems,” said Professor Kent Rissmiller, interim dean of WPI’s Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division. “Students are immersed in a new setting, solving open-ended problems and working with people of different backgrounds-all valuable perspectives for surviving and thriving in today’s global marketplace.
“They also learn the meaning and magic of teamwork; make a real and meaningful difference in their host community; and gain a competitive edge for any resume, or graduate or professional school application.”