As a proud Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) alumna, Meredith Platt ’01 couldn’t help but be excited to see a fellow female engineer at WPI engage in real-world applications and seeing firsthand how globalization is more than a term in a textbook. “It’s encouraging to see that the research I experienced as an undergraduate continues to inspire the next generation of engineers and that the program has been nationally recognized,” says Platt, Director of Product Marketing and Sales for Instron’s Electromechanical Business.

The video that Platt saw highlights WPI’s applied learning and international study opportunities:

The Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) honored WPI for their pragmatic teaching techniques, which focuses on solving true business needs, preparing students for long-term success.

Athena Casarotto, shown in the video, is a senior undergraduate studying mechanical engineering. Her senior project involves testing the viscoelastic properties of ice cream to determine if the end user will experience ice cream as they deem “just right”—not too crystalized or too cold. This testing data is used to advise food engineers how to appropriately manufacture and package ice cream.

In talking with Athena, she understands the true impact of her research project. “It’s amazing to know that the research and project work I do here at WPI can be applied to real-world business needs. WPI always speaks of theory and practice together, and this is a perfect case of this mantra in action.”

As an international company supporting a wide variety of industries, Instron is delighted to see the next generation of engineers ready to advance the quality of world businesses.