President's Report - Wentworth Institute of Technology

2 ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS
The reach of the Wentworth faculty extends well beyond the classroom. Faculty members continue to educate
themselves and others through community involvement and projects, attendance and presentation of papers at
conferences, and the creation of learning programs; all experiences that benefit their teaching outcomes and the
learning opportunities for students. With almost 145 celebrated faculty members at Wentworth, it is not possible to
include all of their achievements in this report. The following is a sampling of highlights across academic departments:
Applied Mathematics and Sciences
In January 2008, Stephen Nodvin was appointed department
head, bringing a wealth of experience and expertise to the position.
He has been involved in environmental education for more than
35 years and has taught classes on global climate change for
nearly 20 years. Al Gore’s Climate Project, the Encyclopedia of
Earth, and the Union of Concerned Scientists, are a sampling
of organizations that enhance understanding of important
environmental issues with which Nodvin is involved.
In spring 2007, Assistant Professor Amanda Hattaway was
one of 12 national grant recipients to receive a Tensor-SUMMA
grant which funds the new program she founded “Students
Loving Adventures in Math” (SLAM). SLAM is a year-long math
enrichment program focused on strengthening math achievement,
especially among women and underrepresented minority youth.
In fall 2007, Hattaway received an Alpha Kappa Education
Foundation Grant for a graphing calculator proposal which
enabled her to purchase these calculators for the SLAM students.
Associate Professor Jack Duggan was named chapter director
of EnvironMentors for the Colleges of the Fenway. The first
and only university-based Boston chapter of this organization,
EnvironMentors is a national program that prepares high school
students from underrepresented minorities for college degree
programs in environmental and related science fields.
Architecture
Department Head Glenn Wiggins spearheaded Institute efforts
for drafting and submitting materials for a Master of Architecture
program, which may result in Wentworth’s first graduate program.
For the second time in his career, Professor Manuel Delgado
coordinated a course for 18 students and four faculty members
from the urban master design program at Universidad Central de
Venezuela (UCV). The UCV delegation visited Boston between
July and August 2007 initiating a site analysis and urban design
diagnostic of a case study that will be used as the subject in the
fall Housing and Community Design Studio class.
Assistant Professor Andrew Johnston, with assistance from a
colleague from Laval University, planned and managed a threeweek
summer field trip in 2007 to the Gaspe Peninsula Communities
in Quebec. Wentworth and Laval students undertook an intensive
cultural landscape study of the religious heritage of the local
aging and dwindling communities. Their work will have on-going
relevance for the communities and will serve as a tool of historical
memory and evidence for Canadian policy decision makers.
8