WORCESTER, Mass. — The following local residents were among 1,424 students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute named to the university’s Dean’s List for academic excellence for the fall 2016 semester.

• Abigail Doyle of Kennebunk, is a member of the class of 2019 majoring in biomedical engineering.

• Andrew Gelinas of Saco, is a member of the class of 2018 majoring in management information systems.

• Joseph Lombardi of Kittery, is a member of the class of 2018 majoring in robotics engineering.

• Jeffrey Martin of Buxton, is a member of the class of 2018 majoring in computer science.

• Kyle Morrison of York, is a member of the class of 2017 majoring in biochemistry.

• Matthew Piazza of York, is a member of the class of 2018 majoring in computer science.

• Cote Taylor of Lyman, is a member of the class of 2018 majoring in mechanical engineering.

• Jacob Wilson of Wells, is a member of the class of 2019 majoring in aerospace engineering.

The criteria for the WPI Dean’s List differs from most other universities as WPI does not compute a grade point average (GPA). Instead, WPI defines the Dean’s List by the amount of work completed at the A level in courses and projects.

“WPI’s academic programs are rigorous and require a level of independence beyond what is required in traditional courses. WPI students go beyond the classroom to work on open-ended problems in and for communities around the world. The problems are important and the impact is real,” said dean of undergraduate studies Arthur C. Heinricher.

“Some of this nation’s best and brightest students come to WPI to study engineering and science and business and the humanities,” he said. “Those named to the Dean’s List have excelled in all of their work, and we are exceptionally proud of these outstanding students.”

Founded in 1865 in Worcester, Massachusetts, WPI is one of the nation’s first engineering and technology universities.

Its 14 academic departments offer more than 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science, engineering, technology, business, the social sciences, and the humanities and arts, leading to bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees.

WPI’s talented faculty work with students on interdisciplinary research that seeks solutions to important and socially relevant problems in fields as diverse as the life sciences and bioengineering, energy, information security, materials processing, and robotics.

Students also have the opportunity to make a difference to communities and organizations around the world through the university’s innovative Global Projects Program.

There are more than 45 WPI project centers throughout the Americas, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.