Environment and
Sustainability @WPI
Presented by Dr. Rob Krueger
Assistant Professor of Geography
Director, Worcester Community Project Center
Director, Environmental Studies Program
During Our Time Together
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Programmatic
– Environmental studies
– Global project centers
• IQPs and MQPs
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Campus and community initiatives
Questions and comments
A Definition
Sustainability
Sustainability is an integrated, threepart approach for achieving the goals of
environmental preservation, economic
prosperity, and social equity for all
members of society.
Academic Programs
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Environmental studies
Global project centers
– IQP and MQP programs
Environmental Studies Major
Global Project Centers
Bangkok Project Center
Bangkok Project Center
 Addressing
livelihood issues in the tsunami
affected area of Thailand
The Worcester
Community Project Center
Community Based Research that Matters
Tracking Worcester’s Diminishing Green Space
The Center’s Goal
WCPC Core Competencies
The goal of the Worcester Community Project Center (WCPC) is to
assist organizations in Worcester in addressing and solving policy
issues where contributions from WPI’s scientifically-oriented students
and faculty are especially helpful. Through carrying out projects
involving both technological and societal dimensions with Worcester
sponsors WPI students will develop a better understanding of how
their professional practice will affect community structures and
We have extensive experience
and interest in the following areas:
Environmental Conservation
Community Development
Technology Assessment
Economic Development
Green Building Design
Environmental Justice
Renewable Energy
Urban Planning
Social Equity
Brownfields
.
values
Partnering with our Community Schools
Past and Current Community Partners
ArtsWorcester
Friendly House
City of Worcester
Pride Productions
Centro Las Americas
Arts District Partnership
Worcester Public Schools
Benoit Reardon Architects
Worcester Common Ground
Greater Worcester Land Trust
Massachusetts Biotech Initiative
Regional Environmental Council
United Way of Central Massachusetts
Broad Meadow Brook Audubon Sanctuary
Pleasant Street Neighborhood Network
Center
Helping Plan for Our City’s Future…
…and Creating Tools So All Can
Participate
Percentage of Households that Pay More Than 30%
of Their Income Towards Rent
50%
Worcester
Cambridge
Lowell
Springfield
Providence
45%
40%
35%
30%
1
EP A listed facilities in
01607
0.2 mi
Water
dischargers
Superfund
Hazardous
waste
Toxic
releases
Air emissions
BRS
Multiactivities
Streets
Water Bodies
Value to the Community
For local charitable, educational and civic organizations, the WCPC
will provide student and faculty teams to define and research a
specific problem. Typically, each project team of four students will
devote 1000 hours to producing their project reports, usually working
full time for two months. These projects will result in professionallevel reports that propose alternative solutions to the problem that are
financially, technically and socially acceptable. The sponsoring
agency will obtain proposed solutions to a problem of direct concern
to them, the value of which will result in part from their own resource
investment to support the student team. Thus the WCPC provides
the community with efficient and very low cost professional-level
research and problem-solving services to address issues that require
both societal and technological skills to produce useful results.
Zipcodes
Counties
0.2 miles
LEGEND
Water dischargers
Superfund
Hazardous waste
Toxic releases
Air emissions
BRS
Multi-activities
Streets
Water Bodies
Zipcodes
Counties
Rob Krueger, Ph.D.
Director, Worcester Community
Project Center
Interdisciplinary and Global Studies
Division
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA 01609-2280
Holy Name High School
Wind Energy Project
London Project Centre
The London Project Centre
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The Merton Rule
Namibia Project Center
Namibia Project Center
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Providing safe & affordable energy
Developing low cost water catchment
President’s 2007 IQP Award Winner
President’s Sustainability
Task Force
 How is WPI Advancing the
principles of sustainability?
Electricity Consumption
Recycling Initiative
Climate Protection Efforts
Grounds Services
Green Buildings

East Hall & the Admissions
Building
Zip Car Program
Sustainability @ WPI
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Commitment to education
Our community, global and local
Our facilities
Our faculty and staff
Questions
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????