Worcester Polytechnic Institute1 Academic Planning Committee

Foisie Innovation Studio

Update: Academic Programming

November 6, 2014

Eric Overström, Provost

Worcester Polytechnic Institute2

Foisie Innovation Studio

Development Timeline: 3 years

Development through collaboration among six teams of faculty, staff, students, administration

Guiding Principles for Academic Programming:

• The FIS will be focused on our STUDENTS, both current and alumni.• Programming will support distinct degree requirements defined by The WPI

Plan including GPS, IQP, MQP, and distinct interdisciplinary programs• Space will be functionally integrated, flexible and adaptable.• Space will support both new and existing academic programming needs.• Key supported academic programs will initially include:

1. Collaborative Student Project Space2. Makers Space3. Great Problems Seminars4. Innovation & Entrepreneurship5. Interdisciplinary Programming – Robotics Engineering Laboratory6. Atrium Showcase

Worcester Polytechnic Institute3 Level 1

Interdisciplinary

Robotics EngineeringME,ECE,CS

Teaching Laboratory

Capacity:

• ~72 students• 10+ class sections wk

Foisie Innovation Studio

Worcester Polytechnic Institute4 Level 2

Foisie Innovation Studio

Great Problems Seminar

Problem-Based, Interdisciplinary Group Learning

• Two 65 seat Classrooms

Presentation & Viewing Gallery

Worcester Polytechnic Institute5 Level 3

Foisie Innovation Studio

Maker Space

Open, flexible space for creative

prototyping and testing

Center for Innovation &

Entrepreneurship

Space for students, alumni, entrepreneurs

to collaborate

• Six 8-12 seat flexible meeting rooms

Worcester Polytechnic Institute6 Level 4

Foisie Innovation Studio

Collaborative Studio Space for Student

Project Work

• Two 24-seat classrooms• 35 adaptable workspaces• 8 Tech Suites• Capacity to

simultaneously support ~200 students

Worcester Polytechnic Institute7

Foisie Innovation Studio

Impact Summary: New Capacity to Support Academic Programming

• Approximately 8% increase in instructional space (4 classrooms, high tech laboratory, capacity 20+ new courses)

• More than doubling defined project space capacity (Collaborative Project Studio)

• New Tech Suites that greatly expand capacity • New “home base” for first year Great Problems Seminars

program• Defined suite committed to institutional Innovation and

Entrepreneurship initiative• New, dedicated Maker Space to facilitate student creative

prototyping, modeling and testing of new design concepts/ideas