Hopkinton’s Elisabeth Christ, a junior at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, was a member of a student team that recently completed an intense, hands-on research through the WPI project center in China. The project was titled Smart Technology. At WPI, all undergraduates are required to complete a research-driven, professional-level project that applies science and technology to addresses an important societal need or issue. About two-thirds of students complete a project at one of the university’s 50-plus 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. …

Amanda Gollaher earned the dean’s award with distinction at Colgate University for the spring semester.