Marlborough's Derek McMaster Returns from Intensive Research Project

From WPI: Derek McMaster of Marlborough, Mass., a member of the class of 2017 majoring in computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research project in Silicon Valley. The project was titled Predictive Shipping. In their project outline, the students wrote, "Endicia, our sponsor, did not have a tool that could accurately predict when first class packages would deliver. This project produced a validated prototype that forecasts delivery time distributions using conditional probability."

At WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a research-driven, professional-level project addressing a challenge in their major field of study. About two-thirds of students complete a project at one of the university's more than 40 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 into the real world to apply their knowledge to solve problems," said Professor Kent Rissmiller, interim dean of the WPI 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 valuable contributions to a problem in their field; and gain a competitive edge for any resume, or graduate or professional school application."

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