This spring, five students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), one of the top technical universities in the United States, came to Bucharest to collaborate with the Pur și Simplu Verde team on a project dedicated to environmental education in Romanian schools. The project is part of their academic program, the Interactive Qualifying Project (IQP), through which 95% of WPI students go abroad to work on real-world challenges with social impact.
For their term in Romania, the students chose to develop an interactive educational tool for 5th to 8th grade students to be used during Green Week. Working closely with our team, they interviewed students and teachers from three schools in Bucharest, assessed the current curriculum, and designed an educational app that uses satellite data and interactive games to help children explore key environmental topics such as water, waste, desertification, and biodiversity.
Colby Batchelder is a chemical engineering student who chose Romania for its diverse landscapes and is passionate about sustainability. Caleb Cotoia, double majoring in mechanical and robotics engineering, has a strong interest in education and climate awareness. Miki Yasuda Ikeda, a biomedical engineering student from Brazil, was raised with a deep sense of environmental responsibility and is committed to sustainable development. Kellan Lane, studying mechanical engineering, was drawn to Romania’s history and nature and is active in promoting sustainability. Grace Venagro, majoring in biomedical engineering, has experience in environmental education and is deeply involved in extracurricular initiatives focused on protecting the environment.
We are grateful to these talented young people for their valuable contribution and for the energy they brought to advancing environmental education in Romania. We are proud of this collaboration and hope it will inspire other students, teachers, and organizations to help make Green Week truly transformative.