2024 Graduate Ceremony Program

Graduating students walking on campus
The One Hundred and Fifty-Fifth
COMMENCEMENT
GRADUATE CEREMONY
Five O’Clock – Thursday the Ninth of May
Two Thousand Twenty-Four
DCU Center
WPI Seal
GRADUATE CEREMONY PROGRAM
Prelude
WPI Brass Ensemble
Douglas Olsen, Conductor
Fanfare for the President
WPI Brass Ensemble "Limitless,"
Composed by Robert Oleynick '24
Processional
Led by the Honorary Marshal
Call to Order
Jamal Yagoobi, Honorary Marshal
National Anthem
Anna Musteata ’26
Grace Audette ’25
Krish Shah-Nathwani ’24
Jared Lasselle ’24
Charge from the President
Grace J. Wang, PhD
Student Remarks
"Cultivating Curiosity, Creating Impact,"
Hitanshu Shah
Recognition of Faculty Award Recipients
William A. Fitzgerald, Chair,
WPI Board of Trustees
Conferring of Honorary Degrees
Grace J. Wang, PhD
Commencement Address
Greg Tucker ’92
Presentation of Candidates for Degrees
Terri Camesano,
Dean of Graduate Studies
Conferring of Degrees
Grace J. Wang, PhD
Remarks from the Alumni Association
Pamela (Giasson) Lynch ’05,
President
Recessional
WPI Brass Ensemble
At the conclusion of the ceremony, family and friends are invited to join their student on the concourse to continue the celebration.

Graduating students standing. One student waves at the camera
CEREMONY NOTES

A Few Notes about the Commencement Ceremonies

Graduates walking in the Processional and Recessional

Processional & Recessional

Serving as honorary marshal for the Graduate Ceremony and leading the processional is Jamal Yagoobi, George F. Fuller Professor of Mechanical and Materials Engineering in the Department of Chemical Engineering and winner of the 2024 Trustees’ Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship.

The baton he carries is the walking stick of WPI founder John Boynton. President Grace Wang wears the Presidential Medallion, with the WPI seal cast in silver and the names and years of service of all 17 presidents engraved on small silver plates that form links in the chain. Interim Provost Art Heinricher carries the Academic Mace, a 42-inch staff made from fluted cherrywood and topped with a circular silver pedestal on which sits a large silver medal with the WPI seal on each side. 

At the end of the ceremony, graduates will recess up both sides of section 117 and into the main level concourse. 

Preview Female Graduate showing Diploma

Dissemination of Diplomas

Each student will be awarded a diploma cover from the President. Students will receive an electronic diploma the week of Commencement, and a hard copy diploma will be sent to their registered mailing address in May.

Preview Photographer Taking Photo or Video at Commencement

Photos & Video

A professional photographer (Island Photography) will take two photos of every graduate: once as they cross the stage to receive their diploma and once upon leaving the stage. The second photo will be taken using green screen technology featuring signature WPI backgrounds. Photo proofs will be sent to students by email and USPS for purchasing consideration. For more information about the photo service, call (800) 869-0908 or email custserv@islandphoto.com. 

WPI TRADITIONS, SIGNIFICANCE OF ICONOGRAPHY

earle bridge icon

Crossing Earle Bridge

Since it was built in the 1930s, Earle Bridge has played a symbolic role at the start and end of students’ WPI careers. New students cross Earle Bridge heading east during Convocation, while graduating students traditionally have crossed the bridge heading west as part of the Commencement processional. This year grads participated in a separate bridge-crossing ceremony to kick off Commencement week events and celebrations.
The Quad Seal

The Quad Seal

Legend says that students who step on the WPI seal in the center of the Quad won’t graduate on time, so students intentionally around the landmark whenever they cross the Centennial Walkway. This is most visible when snow covers the ground. After years of avoidance, each student traditionally walks directly over the seal as part of the Commencement processional. This year a carpet was crafted using a digital scan of the seal. Graduates will step on the carpet as they recess out of the arena.
Gompei statue on the Quad

Patting Gompei

During Commencement ceremonies on the Quad, graduates pat the statue of Gompei, WPI’s beloved goat mascot, for good luck as they march toward the stage. Today students will pat a 3D-printed replica instead. It is a symbol of our community’s creativity and resolve. When health concerns kept the Class of 2021 from patting Gompei, students and staff scanned the bronze statue outside the Bartlett Center, then 3D printed the pieces and glued them together. That figure watches over today’s ceremony.

INFO AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

two students taking a selfie

Stay Informed

One of the best ways to get the information and news you’re looking for about Commencement week is to download the WPI Mobile App to your smartphone or tablet. You will find items to help navigate the campus, including campus maps noting dining and more. You can get a front-row seat to the various ceremonies by watching our live video streams.

Android Apple iOS
WPI Featured Speaker at Graduate Commencement

FEATURED SPEAKERS

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT

Preview Grag Tucker

Greg Tucker '92

ENTREPRENEUR, FOUNDER, VICE-CHAIRMAN, AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF PROAMPAC 

Doctor of Engineering 

Greg Tucker is both a talented leader and a dedicated team player. His résumé highlights how he has navigated between leading and collaborating throughout his career. But what is remarkable about Greg is that he was already accomplished in both these areas long before his professional life took off.  

When Greg was a WPI student, he was a proud and active member of the soccer team, serving as a captain and leading the team to a second-place finish in the Eastern College Athletic Conference. More than 30 years later, WPI records he set for goals scored and points amassed remain unmatched. When he was inducted into WPI’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007, longtime coach Whit Griffith said, “Greg was the most gifted athlete I was associated with at WPI, with absolutely no ego.” 

 

He was also a member of WPI’s chapter of Alpha Tau Omega, a fraternity that prioritizes leadership development. Even among leaders, Greg stood out: In 1991, his fraternity brothers elected him president. As a recognition of his many contributions to the WPI community, he was honored with the Varsity and Poly Club awards, and he was tapped at the end of his junior year as a member of Skull, WPI’s secret honor society.  

Greg graduated with distinction in 1992 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He went on to complete a two-year management program at General Electric, where he stayed for a decade, steadily climbing the ladder from operations engineer to manager of global manufacturing systems.  

More recently, he founded and is now chief executive officer of ProAmpac, a privately held company that manufactures and sells flexible and sustainable packaging materials. ProAmpac operates 46 facilities and employs 6,200 people worldwide. 

In addition to leading this successful global company, Greg gives back to his local community in many ways. He and his wife have created foundations to support children’s education and development and to provide opportunities for athletes of all ability levels. He is also a member of multiple boards, including the University of New Hampshire Athletic Board, the Northeast Passage Futures Board, and Paragon Films.  

For his leadership of a successful global company that relies on innovative materials science; his generosity to young learners and aspiring athletes; and his unwavering commitment to WPI—both on and off the soccer pitch—WPI is pleased to confer on Greg Tucker the degree of Doctor of Engineering, Honoris Causa.  

 

 

HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENT

Preview Portrait Chartsiri Sophonpanich

Chartsiri Sophonpanich '80

PRESIDENT, BANGKOK BANK PUBLIC COMPANY LIMITED

Doctor of Business

As president of Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited, Chartsiri Sophonpanich has dedicated his career to developing Thailand’s financial sector and finding new ways to develop knowledge and increase access to education.

Mr. Chartsiri earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering with first class honors from WPI in 1980. He also earned master’s degrees in chemical engineering and in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 1986 he began working at Bangkok Bank, was appointed as an executive director in 1992, and then as president in 1994. He is also the chairman of Bangkok Bank (China) and president commissioner of PermataBank in Indonesia.  

A respected leader, he served as the president of the Thai Bankers’ Association, a director of Visa International – Asia Pacific, and chairman of the Southeast Asia and South Pacific Regional Council of UnionPay.  

Mr. Chartsiri has been the driving force behind Bangkok Bank’s initiatives to train science teachers across both Southeast Asia and South Asia, to support communities, and to play an active role in many social development and educational initiatives. His commitment to learning can also be seen through the partnership he helped to establish in 1993 between WPI and the faculty of science at Chulalongkorn University, which continues to this day. In 2008, the Joint Interactive Qualifying Project – Interactive Science and Social Project Collaboration was developed with WPI and has been supported by Bangkok Bank since its inception. 

He has received many honors and awards, including Financier of the Year award from Money & Banking magazine in 2001 and 2019, the Asian Banker Achievement Award in 2005 for Leadership in Thailand and Best CEO in Thailand in 2022 from The Asian Banker magazine, and the Robert H. Goddard Alumni Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement from the WPI Alumni Association. Under his management, Bangkok Bank has been recognized as the Best Bank in Thailand from The Banker magazine and Euromoney magazine as well as Bank of the Year awards from Money & Banking magazine, most recently in 2020.  

For his outstanding leadership in the financial and education sectors, and the positive impact he continues to make in communities throughout Thailand and Southeast Asia, WPI is pleased to confer on Chartsiri Sophonpanich the degree of Doctor of Business, Honoris Causa.

2024 STUDENT SPEAKER

Preview Grad-Portrait-Student-Speaker-Hitanshu-Shah

Hitanshu Shah

ROBOTICS ENGINEERING

"Cultivating Curiosity, Creating Impact,"

Hitanshu Chandresh Shah is graduating with a Master's in Robotics Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Originally from Mumbai, India, he served as Vice President of the Graduate Student Government, where he helped improve student life and academics. Hitanshu is passionate about exploring new ideas and making a difference through innovation. His work in robotics and as a leader shows his commitment to his field and community.

Graduating student walking in a line

STUDENT NAMES

Graduate Candidates

Click below to view Student Names PDF:

Note: This list is updated with the most up-to-date information available. 
You may need to refresh your browser to view the most recent version.

Click to View Graduate List (PDF)
Smiling graduating student

GRADUATE HONORS AND AWARDS

2024 Board of Trustees' Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship

Preview

Jamal Yagoobi

GEORGE F. FULLER PROFESSOR OF MECHANICAL AND MATERIALS ENGINEERING & FOUNDING DIRECTOR, CENTER FOR ADVANCED RESEARCH IN DRYING

In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the fields of heat and mass transfer, and his profound impact on academia, industry, and the global research community, we proudly present Professor Jamal Yagoobi with the 2024 Board of Trustees' Award for Outstanding Research and Creative Scholarship.

Professor Yagoobi has made significant contributions to understanding the physical and theoretical mechanisms of drying and thermal processes. He has documented his legacy by an impressive number of publications, accomplishments, and high caliber research. In the words of Professor Yagoobi’s peers - his research and teaching abilities are unparalleled.

An innovator in research, Professor Yagoobi's pioneering work in non-mechanical heat transfer technologies and drying solutions has revolutionized industries critical to our nation's energy and sustainability goals. His establishment of the NSF Industry University Cooperative Research Center, "Center for Advanced Research in Drying" (CARD), exemplifies his collaborative spirit and dedication to bridging the gap between academia and industry. This innovative testbed is actively assisting large and small companies in developing commercial dryers with a zero-carbon footprint. Not only does this facility contribute to the advancement of industrial practices, but it is also an invaluable resource in Professor Yagoobi's teaching activities, providing students with hands-on experience in understanding the energy dynamics of commercial drying processes. Also under Professor Yagoobi's guidance, the Multi-Scale Heat Transfer Laboratory at WPI has emerged as a hub of innovation, yielding groundbreaking research published in top journals and securing patents that have been successfully transitioned to industry.

His unwavering commitment to knowledge dissemination is evident in his prolific keynote presentations and important roles in organizing international conferences. As Head of one of the largest departments at WPI for 11 years, his visionary leadership has propelled departmental enrollment and external research funding to unprecedented heights. During his time as department head, he oversaw the development and spin-out of two new departments, Aerospace Engineering and Robotics Engineering.

Additionally, Professor Yagoobi's pioneering spirit extends beyond the confines of terrestrial research, as evidenced by his remarkable endeavors in space exploration. Collaborating closely with NASA Goddard Space Research Center, he organized an experiment onboard the International Space Station for over 18 months, pushing the boundaries of scientific inquiry beyond Earth's atmosphere.

It is our great honor to recognize Professor Jamal Yagoobi in acknowledgment of his outstanding scholarly achievements and service to WPI. He is a true embodiment of the values of excellence, innovation, and collaboration that define the Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In recognition of his unwavering commitment to advancing knowledge and innovation, we honor Professor Jamal Yagoobi with this prestigious award, celebrating his profound impact on academia, industry, and society at large.

GRADUATE RESEARCH INNOVATION EXCHANGE AWARDS

BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY

Jean-Yves Ekra

“Genetic Diversity of Trypanosome in Cattle from Savannah District in the North of Cote D’Ivoire”.
Advisor: Jagan Srinivasan

COMPUTER SCIENCE

Reza Saadati

“Multimodal Neural Networks for Chronic Wound Decision Support”.
Advisor: Emmanuel Agu.

CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY

Rebecca Gilchrist

“Why so Stressed? Adverse Health Effects of Stress Granule Accumulation in C. elegans”.
Advisor: Suzanne Scarlata

ROBOTICS ENGINEERING

Fangzhou Lin

Hyperbolic Chamfer Distance for Point Cloud Completion”.
Advisors: Haichong (Kai) Zhang, Ziming Zhang

CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY

Madison Rennie

Why so Stressed? Adverse Health Effects of Stress Granule Accumulation in C. elegans”.
Advisor: Suzanne Scarlata.

ROBOTICS ENGINEERING

Aabha Tamhankar

Image Guidance for Safe Needle Insertion in Lumbar Puncture using Ultrasound Images”.
Advisor: Christopher Nycz.

THREE-MINUTE THESIS AWARD

DATA SCIENCE

Kathleen Cachel

“St Technologies for Fair Consensus Decision Making”
Advisor: Elke Rundensteiner

WPI Seal
The One Hundred and Fifty-Fifth
COMMENCEMENT
GRADUATE CEREMONY
Five O’Clock – Thursday the Ninth of May
Two Thousand Twenty-Four
DCU Center