Robert E. Dempski

Professor

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Neuroscience Program

Interactive Media and Game Development Program

Education:

BS, Bucknell University (1997)

PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2003)

Postdoc, Max Planck Institute of Biophysics (2009)

Rob Dempski is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Rob received his B.S. in Biochemisty/Cell Biology from Bucknell University. In 2003, Rob was conferred his Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under the direction of Professor Barbara Imperiali. Rob continued his career as a postdoctoral fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Biophysics in Frankfurt am Main, Germany conducting research with Professor Ernst Bamberg. Since 2009, Rob has been on the faculty at WPI, where he is now Full Professor. At WPI, Rob maintains an active research group which includes work focused on enhancing learning outcomes using extended reality programs.

Rob has been excited to be an active participant in the KEEN Foundation’s Engineering Unleashed Program. Rob has taken part in multiple national meetings. He has presented results from his group on how to use augmented reality programs to increase entrepreneurial mindset in his classes. This includes increasing curiosity, creating value and connections across campus.

As an attendee of the inaugural ICE 2.0 workshop, Rob, along with George Pins, built a pilot program to help first-year students improve connectivity on campus. WPI is grateful for pilot funding of this project and has implemented this pilot on campus during the 2022-2023 academic year.