V.J. proudly presents...

Lab Researchers and Technologists (the Lab RATs)

The Lab RATs are a highly-talented and appropriately-caffeinated group of students and advisors working in V.J. Manzo's research lab on various projects related to music technology including work done through the Electric Guitar Innovation Lab (EGIL) and the Interactive Music Systems Lab (IMSLab), both of which are known collectively and colloquially as "the RATLab". The RATLab is at WPI.

Learn More
RAT Logo

What do RATs do?

RATs work on music technology projects in the lab as their availability allows—and the lab is theirs: they can use and borrow everything in the lab (equipment, musical instruments, tools, amps, pedals, weirdo prototypes, etc.) and the adjacent studio for all projects including personal ones. RATs hang out in the lab pursuing all sorts of awesomeness at the convergence of music and technology and are encouraged to continued to stay on as RATs as long as they’d like in consecutive semesters or moving in and out of the position on a semester-by-semester basis as needed to accommodate other academic scheduling, but there are no open-ended non-terminating committments expected.

An overview of the RATLab as told through an AI-generated podcast

All RAThood efforts are voluntary (more on that here)—no pay, no course credit: instead, we all help eachother with everything and we all win when one of us wins. There are, however, some projects and opportunities that do involve pay, course credit, cool gear, and unique mentorship experiences and these are offered exclusively to RATs. We experiment fearlessly, fail regularly, and persevere through resilience—that’s what it takes to be innovative, and that’s what we're all about.

a group of rats is called a mischief

WPI Students Interested in Joining Our Mischief Can Learn More & Apply Here