HOMECOMING ON THE ‘NEW QUAD’ | CASE LAB TAKES ON CLIMATE CHANGE The Magazine of the Case Alumni Association since 1921 Fall 2022 Meet the 2022 alumni award winners CASE ALL STARS
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The fall issue of Case Alumnus always marks an exciting time. The new academic year is upon us and we enjoy welcoming faculty and students back to campus. It also means that in a few short weeks, as the weather cools and the leaves change on the newly renovated Quad, some of you will make your way back to University Circle to celebrate homecoming.
I am also delighted to share that the community of Case engineers will be growing as we welcome 14 new faculty members. Each will bring expertise and leadership to our research and academicAdditionally,communities.ourfaculty continue to make groundbreaking discoveries impacting our campus and beyond, as their research is recognized nationally. One example is Burcu Gurkan, a stellar researcher featured later in this magazine. She is receiving national recognition for her important work in carbon capture and electrochemical energy storage. Over and over and in a variety of ways, the faculty, students and alumni of the Case School of Engineering are enhancing the world around them. We are eager to welcome the class of 2026 and kick off another academic year, one that is sure to be filled with continued successes. Thank you for your continued support of the Case School of Engineering.Bestregards,Venkataramanan “Ragu” Balakrishnan Charles H. Phipps Dean, Case School of Engineering …the community of Case engineers will be growing as we welcome 14 new faculty members. Each will bring expertise and leadership to our research and academic communities. “ ”
During this year’s festivities we will honor eight distinguished alumni who strengthen engineering in a variety of ways. Their leadership and service both in their fields and at this university have helped create a community where learning and research thrive. Each one of them serve as a strong example of the extraordi nary impact of Case engineers. Special congratulations go to my friend and colleague, Ken Loparo, who in addition to receiving this year’s Silver Bowl, is cele brating his retirement after 43 years of extraordinary dedication, innovation, and leadership.
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Dean’s Message To Autumn, our favorite time of the year
CASE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC. Tomlinson Hall, Room 109 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH casealum@casealum.org216-231-456744106-1712casealumni.org
Roadell Hickman Flaticon.com,PhotographyIcons We
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Initiatives Robert
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our alumni award winners and
Homecoming. They get to talk
Often, these interviews offer a window on the remarkable breadth and impact of Case talent.
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prompting,
Marla PérezDavis, PhD ’91, winner of a Mer itorious Service Award, invited us out to the NASA Glenn
The Case Alumnus is published quarterly for members and friends of the Case Alumni Association, which serves the interests of more than 20,000 alumni of the Case School of Applied Science, Case Institute of Technology and the Case School of Engineering. Established in 1885 by the first five graduates of the Case School of Applied Science, the Case Alumni Association is the oldest independent alumni association of engineering and applied science graduates in the nation.
Simulatedroomher2019.sheCenter,ResearchwhichhasledsinceWefilmedinacavernoustheycalltheLunarOperations Laboratory, or SLOPE lab. It could be called the world’s largest sandbox. It’s where engineers test rovers in material that mimics the soils of the Moon and Mars. Turns out we were interrupting the work of Alex Schepelmann ’09, MS ’10, PhD, the young roboticist who runs the lab. Later, his boss dropped in. Phil Abel, MS ’84, PhD ’86, joined Glenn soon after earning his advanced degrees in physics at Case. Under Pérez-Davis, they and their 3,000 colleagues are helping Glenn contribute to NASA’s future missions to the Moon and beyond. She’s a slight woman with a bright smile who radiates energy. She rose through the engineering ranks to become the first Puerto Rican to lead a NASA research center. She’s also the first space scientist from Adjuntas, a tiny town in the coffee growing hills of Puerto Rico. There, she alone vowed to become an engineer after reading a job description in an encyclopedia. A doctorate in chemical engineering from Case was the crowningPérez-Davistouch.retired this summer after nearly 40 years with NASA. She said she hopes to devote more time guiding young people toward careers in STEM, so that they, too, can experience the thrill of science and discovery. Like all of our award winners, she’s looking to help the next generation. As we honor these remarkable alumni, we honor a Case tradition — that drive to achieve and to share.
Robert L. Smith
Robert.Smith@casealum.orgEditor
introduce them
Case talent can be a marvel to see
Director of Development Janna Greer, Manager of Undergraduate Scholarships and Programs Abbie Murphy, Manager of Digital Content and Design Pamela Burtonshaw, Database Manager Melissa Slager, Manager, Executive Office CASE ALUMNUS Robert L. Smith, Editor Steve Toth, Toth Creative Group, Layout and Design Master Printing PHOTO CREDITS Wetzler’s
interview
OFFICERS Joe Fakult ’90, President Brian Casselberry ’95, 1st Vice President Matt Crowley ’08, 2nd Vice President Curtis Grant ‘11, MEM ’12, 3rd Vice President Frank Merat ’72, MS ’75, PhD ’78, Treasurer Hillary Emer ‘07, MSE ’07, Assistant Treasurer Steve Simmons ‘79, MS ‘82, MBA ’86, Secretary Stephen Zinram, Executive Director Thomas Conlon, Chief Financial Officer Emily Speer, Director of Gift Planning and Foundation L. Smith, Director of Communications Kelly Hendricks, Director of Alumni Engagement Strine, Photography customarily tape an with create a short film to at about themselves, with and we all get to know them better.
The Case Alumnus is a publication of the Case Alumni Association, Inc., a 501(c)3 public charity under the IRS code.
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To serve and advance the interests of the Case School of Engineering, the math and applied sciences of Case Western Reserve University and its alumni and students. FALL 2022 VISIT WWW.CASEALUMNI.ORG FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS! The best way to stay connected to the Case Alumni Association between magazine issues is to follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Please join our sites today for the latest news on alumni, students, faculty and innovative research and projects. Cover story 14 Case All-Stars Our 2022 award winners are leading scientists, technology executives, educators and entrepreneurs. Let us introduce you. Alumni Adventures 19 Playing on A former Spartan soccer star, now an engineer, is still reaching his goals as a player. 20 Urgent science Professor Burcu Gurkan’s lab is helping the Case School of Engineering address some of humanity’s biggest challenges, including climate change. 24 Home sweet dorm As former residents of Howe House were charmed to discover, more than one kind of college reunion awaits. 19 THE MAGAZINE OF THE CASE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION SINCE 1921 5 DEPARTMENTS1 Dean’s Message 2 Editor’s column 4 Letters, posts and emails 8 Around the Quad 11 Alumni Newsmakers 13 Engineering + 26 NewsBytes 28 Case Memories 30 Class Notes 35 In Memoriam 36 Long We'll Remember 20 2428 @casealum @CaseAlumniAssoc Case AssociationAlumni CaseAlumniAssoc@caselumniassoc
Professor Gary Wnek’s article in the Spring 2022 Case Alumnus and his recognition of Professor Eric Baer and the achievements of the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering brought back memories of my years as a graduate student in the Chemistry Department from 1963-67. During this time, the school transitioned from CIT to CWRU and former DuPont scientists came to Case to form the Macro Science Department, notably professors Baer and Koenig. My thesis advisor in the Chemistry Depart ment was Professor J. Reid Shelton, a wonderful man whose ties with synthetic rubber brought him close to the new polymer group. Professor Jerry Lando was on my thesis committee. Later on, in my professional career with Shell Chemical Co. as a research manager and campus recruiter, I had the pleasure of interacting with Professor Baer again. So I felt like I had one foot in each department during my Case grad school years and beyond. I want to share a photo thatCommuterinandWilloughbyhomemuted1975.inTechnologyInstituteteredcapturesIenCaseofautumnIcomfrominhungouttheCase
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Lounge in Tomlinson Hall. Case published a magazine, Engineering & Science Review, from a small, locked room at the back of the lounge. Case also had continued its student newspaper, The Case Tech. The newspaper published two “comedy” issues each year, at Halloween and in the Spring. My freshman year, the Halloween issue included a multiple page spread of photos of “Intersession Classes We’d Like to See.” For instance: A biology class called Jean Analysis, with a Case commuter with a pair of jeans in front of the chalkboards in Rockefeller; and a computer engineering class called Getting Your Money's Worth on the 1108 (a reference to the Univac 1108), with a Case commuter watching a sheet of fake money come out of the printer in Jennings. My favorite, because I was in it, was a physical education class called Phallic Frolics. The Michelson-Morley Memorial Fountain, aka the Phallic Fountain, had been drained for the winter. A group of us removed our shirts and knelt in the fountain holding beer cans, footballs, whatever we had at hand. A housekeeper from Yost Hall thought we were streaking and screamed. The photographer was laughing, and we were yelling at him to take the picture because it was chilly. My question for you is: does anyone have access to the E&S Review and Case student newspaper files? I enjoy your magazine, Paul R. Fishel, Jr. ’79 Westerville, Archives,Editor’spaulfisheljr@frontier.comOhionote:ThankstoUniversitybothpublicationsareavailable
Chris Uzelmeier, PhD 1967 Montgomery, Uzel106@consolidated.netTexas
The Case Tech has been digitized by archivists and copies from September 30, 1903 to March 7, 1980 (2,136 issues) are searchable online at https://newspapers. case.edu/. The copies of Engineering and Science Review have not yet been digitized, but you can view them in the reading room, which is open from 1 to 4:30 pm M-F. Email archives@case.edu or call 216-368-3320. the camaraderie of fellow stu dents during the 1960’s. This picture is from 1965. From left to right, it captures Dimitri Coucou vanis (with his daughter Electra), who went on to become Distin guished Professor in theChemistryInorganicatUniversity of Michigan, myself with my son Tom, Mike Kurz (with his son), who became Professor of Chemistry and department chair at Illinois State., Tony Jurewicz, who I believe joined Amoco after graduation, and Joe Levisky. Jurewicz is holding a child of fellow student Paul Caruso, not shown. Also not shown is Peter Rabideaux, who had three children while a student and went on the become Professor of Chemistry at Mississippi State. Quite an illustrious group!
Letters, posts anD eMaiLs
Keep the wonderful articles coming!
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Fall 2022 5 I learned of Tom Kicher’s death from the fine cover story and poignant remem brances of him by other contributors in the Spring 2022 Case Alumnus.
J. Frederick Stevenson PhD ’70 Blairstown, Remembrancesjfstevenson@centurylink.netNJofformerDean
Regards, Karl Goering goering@wowway.com’62 Among the fondest memories I have in my life is my undergraduate and graduate education in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department here at Case. I had the privilege of having Dr. Thomas Kicher as my mentor and teacher. Dr. Kicher was a caring individual towards ALL students. I learned a lot from him, including the proper manner of inter acting with students as human beings with integrity. Although his passing saddens us all, knowing that his legacy will remain helps soothe the pain of his absence.
Humbly, Majid Rashidi ’81, MS’ 83, PhD ’87 Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Case initially came to my attention as a splendid fit for my doctoral program through some published papers that Professor Lucien Schmit had coauthored with his some of graduate assistants. Tom Kicher was one of those co-authors. At Case I became one of Tom’s teaching assistants and subsequently one of his research assistants. The research assistantship for me (and about 10 other graduate students) was made possible by a large DARPAsponsored multi-year research project in engineered composite materials, a cutting-edge R&D area at that time. For this project DARPA required the putting together of a University/Industry R&D Team with a compelling plan of action over a number of years. This team consisted of Case, Union Carbide and Bell Aerosystems. Professor Schmit and Tom Kicher assembled this team and prepared the proposal that won this program for Case. Working closely with Tom Kicher, I witnessed his dedicated teaching at both undergraduate and graduate levels; his excellence as a researcher; his ready availability for discussion, advice, and encouragement; and his superb manage ment and leadership skills over a diversely talented group of contributors from uni versity and industry. All of those attributes made him an immensely valued member of the Case community throughout his many years of service. It was blessing for me to have known Tom Kicher and to have worked closely with him.
OR BY MAIL TO: Case TomlinsonAlumnusHall, Room 109 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland OH 44106 SEND BY EMAIL TO: Casealum@casealum.org Submit your letter to the editor
I first met him in the fall of 1958 as an incoming freshman residing on the second floor of Yost Hall as was Tom who, as a senior, resided just down the hall. We never had much direct contact at Yost, but it was always good to see him occasionally and know that the curriculum (whatever one majored in) was survivable. Tom, heading toward his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in the spring of 1959, was a good example.
Tom Kicher — “the PERFECT first person to meet in college” — arrived from far and wide in response to our stories online and in the spring issue. Here is a sample:
A few years later, in the spring of 1962, Tom got a handshake from T. Keith Glennan on the stage of Severance Hall as he received his MS degree, and I got a handshake too, receiving my BS. Through the following years it was always good to hear of Tom’s achievements and progress through the ranks at Case to more responsible leadership roles. It gave me a feeling of continued contact with the school and belief that Case was in good hands, improving continuously with his Allhelp.the best wishes … and condolences … to those who knew and worked with him through the years and will miss him, as I will. It was great to have him on the stage of life at Case, setting an example and laying plans for the future.
I was so sorry, as I’m sure were many others, to hear of Tom Kicher’s passing.
He was such a strong, stable voice on the CAA board and executive committee during the 20+ years I served on it. When ever he talked, we all listened. I am blessed to have served with him. Such a great example of a true leader.
grams. His influence reached in a direction and distance that few Case faculty have matched. He will rightfully be honored and missed by a host of members of industry.
Best, Roger Professor,QuinnMechanical and Aerospace Engineering Case School of Engineering I share the deep sense of loss felt by so many. Many of us counted Tom as a friend and as a teacher and mentor, including many beyond the University. Reading through your comments and stories, one outstanding theme is Tom’s character, his integrity, natural kindness and humanity.
Denise (Simon) Dannels, CIT ’88 denmaster3@gmail.com
When Tom was dean, the alumni association wanted the school to put together a team to compete in the Electric Car Race that First Energy sponsored in 1994 and 1995. Tom plied Ken Loparo, Wyatt Newman and me with alcohol from a buffet he kept in his office for such purpos es. Everyone knew that when Tom broke out the drinks, they were going to end up agreeing to do something. BTW: our team took 2nd place in the first race and won the series in the second year. Too bad electric cars never amounted to much. :) Playing golf with Tom was a lesson in Case history, learning cool things about solid mechanics, learning new jokes and laughing through the game. I really enjoyed it. I remember playing right through sunset one evening. Neither one of us willing to give up. It was fun to watch the ball fly away into the dark – often never to be seen again. He was not just the first dean of CSE. He was a major force in creating it and making it successful.
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Tom was a living definition of a real mechanical engineer. He was a designer par excellence. He was an expert in design and failure analyses. He was sought out by industry locally and beyond to bring his ex pertise to ortheirindustryremainedcamestudentsgraduatedirectedproblems.theirHemanywhofromorinformaster’sPhDpro
Tom was the quintessential Casie, an undergraduate, graduate, faculty member, Chair, Dean, a leader, always and ever an advocate and promoter of the school. When Tom moved to emeritus status, he deliberately chose to step away from a daily presence in the Department. He didn’t go away; he did shift his focus and energies to playing a major role in the leadership and outreach of the Case Alumni As sociation. Our faculty lost the daily access to his help and guidance, but he felt it was the better choice for the Department for him to get out of the way. He still remained only a phone call away to anyone who sought his advice or help. This was very much in character.
Dwight ProfessorDaveyEmeritus, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case School of Engineering I am saddened to hear of the passing of Professor Tom Kicher. When I arrived on campus in the fall of 1974, I found he had been assigned as my faculty advisor. I also leafed through the freshman calculus book and realized I already knew everything in it, from my high school work. I met with him to get his advice on what to do, and he of course asked why I hadn't just placed out of it through the ACT exam. The an swer: the high school in my tiny town in eastern PA didn't offer ACT exams. So, he set up a meeting with Professor A.J. Lohwater (another faculty legend), who at that time taught a freshman math course which met five times a week (at 8 a.m. no less!), and at the end of two semesters you'd get three semesters of math credit.
Professor Lohwater was dubious that I had the right background to keep up, but
There is much more I could write about Tom (including a few golf stories), but there be others who will write more eloquently of him. I am deeply saddened by his death, but I am deeply grateful for his friendship and his example as an admirable human being.
To illustrate that, my wife Judith and I encountered he and Janet at the Richmond Road Sam’s Club around 2004. He delighted in telling both ladies, with a gleam in his eye, that he had me as a student over four decades ago. I remember Judith telling me that I turned red. Yet because of him, I persisted, flour ished as a mechanical engineer and recently retired. For that, me and my family owe him a great amount of gratitude.
Professor Kicher insisted that I could (based on what, I don't know). So, I got into the class. It had about 50 students. In May 1975, when we took the second semester final exam, there were 15 of us left.Iwas grateful to have survived, but also grateful to have rewarded Professor Kicher's faith in me. This one interven tion on his part changed the entire arc of my time at Case. In my junior and senior years, some of my fraternity brothers and I helped Profes sor Kicher with STEM outreach (although it wasn't called that back then) to the area high schools. Tom Kicher was a caring educator and a truly great man. I am lucky to have known him. Steve Fossi stevefossi56@gmail.com’78
inandenjoypletetoenabledhowlythankatwhenmanyI’mscholarship.gratefulthatyearslaterIvisitedTomCase,Iwasabletohimpersonalagainandtellhimhiskindnessmetogoongraduate,commyM.S.,andaverylongsuccessfulcareertheaerospace industry in California. David Schwab ’62 Fountain Valley, Dave92708@gmail.comCalifornia Tom was the very first person I met at Case. I arrived in Cleveland a couple of days early, before orientation. I moved into Yost Hall, and the only other person in the building was Tom. Turned out, his room was next to mine. I think Tom was president of the Newman Club, the Catholic organization on campus. By the way, I’m Jewish. He invited me to go, with him, to a mixer they were having for the incoming first year nursing students from Sinai Hospital and St. Luke’s. Couldn’t turn that down, and it resulted in my first college girlfriend. Great next-door neighbor. He was a Junior, and I was a freshman, so he was always ahead of what I was doing and always ready to help. The PERFECT first person to meet at college. Saul Shulman ’57, MS saul_sandra@sbcglobal.net’58
We stayed up all night in his room while he tutored me to prepare me for the final early the next morning. Thanks to Tom’s generous help, I got an 81 on the final, passed the course with a C, and kept my
It is with sadness and regret not discov ering sooner the passing of Dr. Kicher. You see it was because of him that I was able to complete my matriculation at Case Tech. I started in 1972, stopped twice and finally graduated in 1983. You know the typical reasons: finances, children, two jobs etc. He was my advisor during those years and beyond when I went to graduate school at CIT from 1999 through 2002. I would always look forward to meeting with him, even during the dourest of times. He would give advice, that smile and chuckle, which made me know that there was a future and to maintain perspective.
Philip J. Pisczak ’83 Chagrin Falls, Ohio My father died in November 1959, while I was an 18-year-old Case sophomore. Ap proaching the end of that semester, I found myself in a very difficult place. On the day before my Statics final, my grade average in the class was 60, which was failing. My four-year full scholarship would be lost if I flunked any class, which would mean the end of my career at Case because my newly widowed mother could not to afford to help me. Tom Kicher was my dorm counselor in Pardee Hall, and I told him of my predic ament. He said that if I would come to his room after dinner that he would help me. (Of course, he was a graduate student in civil engineering and expert in Statics.)
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ALL teachers at all levels of education should aspire to be as witty, gracious, concerning and helpful as the good Doctor. He surely is missed by many and will have a place in all of our hearts.
Alumni returning for Homecoming will glimpse the first traces of what plan ners expect will be a greener, brighter, more inviting heart of campus.
The new design will result in more artfully paved, curving walkways and better pedestrian flow, some of it along a new Central Promenade between Strosacker Auditorium and Nord Hall.
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Last reconstructed in the 1970s, the Quad poses special challenges for a project planner. The Cleveland fire department insists that main walkways be able to support fire trucks, should one ever need to reach the front of a classroom building. That’s why some walkways resemble city streets, Panichi said.
The Case Rocket Team, which is supported by the Case Alumni Foundation, took 2nd place over all at the giant launch. It also placed first in its category — the 10,000-foot commercial off-the-shelf launch — attaining maybe the biggest twin wins in club history. “This is huge. I would say it’s for sure the best thing we’ve ever done,” said club Soaring high
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The Michelson-Morley Fountain is staying put, bubbling on the site of old Case Main, but the fountain will be complemented by a Quad Garden closer to Bingham. While some trees had to be removed, many more are being planted this fall, Panichi said.
By the start of fall semester, August 29, the Quad will be well on its way to its new self. That means bright new cement walkways, more shade trees, a new promenade and an outdoor event space for gatherings and small concerts. The university is taking advantage of the make over to install better Wi-Fi, more security
“It will be somewhat transformative,” said Christopher Panichi, director of CWRU’s Department of Planning, Design and Construction. He said the project has been on the drawing board for several years but was delayed by the pandemic. Plans call for most of the work to be completed by the fall, but parts of the project will continue through the school year.
A quad reborn Case Quad, the heart of science and engineering, undergoes its biggest makeover in nearly 50 years. cameras and pedestrian-friendly lighting.
The heart of the Case campus became a construction zone this summer as an ambitious renovation of Case Quad commenced. Beginning in mid-May, temporary fencing went up at the south end of the Quad, familiar walkways closed, and backhoes and jackhammers began to tear up much of what was familiar between Bingham and the Michelson-Morley Fountain.
After a successful test flight of “Lake Effect,” the team’s 10-foottall rocket soared to within 102 feet of the altitude goal of 10,000 feet, an astonishing accuracy that ranked in the top 99th percentile. The parachute blossomed above a flawless recovery. The University of Sydney (Australia) won the first-place trophy, with Case only a few points behind. Now, a team that typically entered smaller, regional competitions has its sights set higher.
“Before, our rockets worked but they didn’t win,” Lubin said. “Now that we know we can succeed at this level, we will continue to pursue these competitions.”
The Case Rocket Team took 2nd place at a prestigious competition. president Russell Lubin, a mechanical and aerospace engineering major. The competition drew schools from 16 nations to Las Cruces, New Mexico, June 21-25. This was the first year Case attended in person.
The Spaceport America Cup bills itself as the world’s largest collegiate rocket engineering competition. More than 1,300 students from 95 schools de scended on the launch complex in southern New Mexico in June, and they have reason to remem ber Case Western Reserve.
The new dorms will connect to Fribley Commons, lower right.
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The new dorms, nicknamed Murray and Hill, will rise adjacent to the newly renovated Fribley Commons, whose large windows look out on Adelbert Road. Red brick facades and front porches are meant New dorms rising in Little Italy
The Case Alumni Association’s first fully live Homecoming celebration in three years will unfold October 6-9 on and around a newly renovated Case Quad.
To accommodate growing enrollment and housing demand, the university is building two new dormitories in Little Italy that promise to bring new energy to South ResidentialWorkersVillage.started in July clearing trees and asphalt from a parking lot on Murray Hill Road. Foundation work should be underway by Homecoming in October, and plans call for the new dorms with a combined 600 beds to be ready for fall “I2024.really think it’s going to change the perception of the south village,” said Christopher Panichi, CWRU’s director of planning, design and construction. “When this is done, the students are going to want to get into this one.”
With enrollment increasing, the university invests big in South Campus housing. to reflect the ambience of Little Italy. Green space and amenities are expected to make them popular places to live. Plans call for a play lawn, a “gathering grove” with hammocks and grills, a reading and wellness garden, an event patio, and a large studentroommultipurposewhereclubsandgroupscanmeet.Althoughplansforthe dorms predate the pandemic, enrollment trends added urgency to the project, estimated to cost $110Withmillion.applications growing, President Eric Kaler has said he thinks the university can grow modestly with no diminishment in the quality of students. He envisions increasing undergraduate enrollment by about 500 students, or by about 9 percent, over the next four years.
Sounding a theme of “Refresh your memories,” organizers are inviting alumni and friends back to campus for a weekend offering fall foliage, lab tours, a dean’s reception, movie nights and more.
Case School of Engineering Dean's Reception Guests are invited to reconnect with classmates and meet some of Case’s stellar students while enjoying libations and appetizers as Dean Ragu Balakrish nan hosts a Homecoming reception: 4:45 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, in the lobby of Nord Hall. Case Alumni Association 137th Awards Ceremony (hybrid event) A short walk from the dean’s reception, eight remarkable Case alumni will be honored and University President Eric Kaler will deliver remarks at the annual alumni awards ceremony: 6:15 p.m. Fri day, Oct. 7, in Strosacker Auditorium. Coffee and Chat with the Dean (hybrid event) What’s the outlook for the Case School of Engineering? Dean Balakrishnan will share his view and answer questions at this poplar Homecoming tradition. Guests enjoy complimentary coffee, tea and cider: 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, in Strosacker Auditorium.
Homecoming 2022 features a mix of live, hybrid and first-time events. many of the events will livestreamed over the Internet, allowing people to tune in fromDetailsanywhere.onall Homecoming events can be found at casealumni.org/homecoming/ Here are four highlights to add to your calendar:
For people who can’t make it in person, Refresh those memories
Case Quad Open House Fresh walkways lead to the engineering and science labs (including the new concrete lab) that make Case Quad a world-class research center. Pick up your tour map in the lobby of Nord Hall and start exploring: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8. the QuaD
The new dorms, designed to house second-year students in mostly double rooms, will offer engineering and science students a short walk to Case Quad. The last dorm built by CWRU was the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Residence Hall, which opened in 2015 on the far north side of campus.
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Uzi Landau, PhD, a professor emeritus of chemical engi neering, served as department chair and Case’senhancedstrength in ad vanced systemselectrochemicalandprocesses.
Dean Venkataramanan “Ragu” Bal akrishnan expressed the thanks and admiration of many as the spoke of the group’s dedication and legacy.
“It is hard to overstate the impact these individuals have had on the Case School of Engineering and Case Western Reserve University,” the dean said. “Through their dedication and leadership, they have changed the lives of countless students, advanced the school's research and entrepreneurial enterprises, and added fundamental new knowledge to the field of engineering. While they will be sorely missed, I remain deeply grateful for their contributions and am delighted that they will have the opportunity for new adventures in the years to come.”
Professors who have attained emeritus/ emerita status include: Chung-Chiun “C.C.” Liu, PhD ’68, retired after 44 years at Case. A
Dave Matthiesen, PhD, an CommercializationEnergydirectorprofessorassociateemeritusofmaterialsscienceandengineering,servedasfacultyoftheWindResearchandCenter and helped make Case a leader in wind energy technology.
Ken Loparo, PhD ’77, the Arthur L. Parker Professor Emeritus of willEngineering,behonored for 44 years of service to Case and to the Case Alumni Associ ation with a Silver Bowl at Homecoming 2022. of Civil Engineering, which he chaired for 20 years. His legacy is designassured.Saadahelpedandbuild the $1.2 million Saada Family EngineeringGeotechnicalLaboratory in the Bingham Building. Meanwhile, the Saada Family Fellowship Fund, administered by the Case Alumni Foundation, provides two to three fellowships per year to out standing students pursuing a doctorate in civilSaadaengineering.receiveda Meritorious Service Award from the Case Alumni Association at Homecoming 2019. Clare Rimnac, PhD, joined case in 1996 and rose to become a Distin guished ProfessorWilbertProfessorUniversityandtheJ.AustinofMechan ical and Aerospace Engineering. She also served as associate dean for research. Rimnac’s research exploring orthopedic biomechanics was funded by medical and industrial partners for more than 30 years. In 2013, she received a Meritorious Service Award from the Case Alumni Association. Marc Buchner, PhD, an associate professor emeritus in the Department of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engi neering, joined the faculty in 1976 and became one of Case’s most innovative and servedduties,ers.academicrespectedleadAmongotherBuchnerasassociatedean for academics and director of the Virtual Worlds Gaming and Simulation Lab. Marc DeGuire, PhD, an associate professor emeritus in the Department of It’s been a summer of retirements for the Case School of Engineering. The school said goodbye to several distinguished faculty members, professors and research ers who collectively represent hundreds of years of service to Case and its students.
SensorProfessorWallacefessorUniversityDistinguishedProandtheR.PersonsEmeritusofTechnologyand Control, Liu was the longtime Director of the Electronics Design Center and helped Case hone its expertise in microfabrication andRenownedelectrochemistry.asaresearcher, beloved as a mentor, Liu received the Gold Medal from the Case Alumni Association in 2016. He was previously awarded a Meritorious Service Award and the Samuel Givelber ’23 award for promoting fellowship.
Materials Science and Engineering, celebrat ed his 35th year at Case this year with the Gutti Memorial Teaching Award — given by engineering students to the top undergraduate teacher. James Anderson, MD, PhD, served the uni versity for 44 years as a professor of and,medicalsciencemacromolecularpathology,andbioengineeringsince2012,asa Distinguished University Professor.
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Adel “Tony” Saada, PhD, joined Case Institute of Technology in 1962 and became synonymous with the Department arounD the QuaD
Fond farewells Retiring professors leave a legacy of research and academic leadership.
As director of CWRU’s Human Fusions Institute, Tyler is leading Case’s efforts to recreate human sensations. He was ‘Audacious science’ National Geographic showcases the work of a Case biomedical engineer. profiled in the Fall 2021 edition of Case Alumnus in a story titled “Uniting man and machine.” The National Geographic article lends further insight into why his successes are so “Becauseimpressive:it’sdamnably, wondrously complicated, this critical interplay of skin, nerves, and brain: to understand, to mea sure, and to re-create in a way that feels ... human. Brandon Prestwood is a case in point. Inside the Sensory Restoration Lab, as the Case Western Reserve researchers ran him through tests, there were encour aging developments; when Prestwood made the prosthetic hand close around a foam block, for example, he felt a pressure against the foam. A connection. A tingling that seemed to be coming from fingers he no longer possessed.”
Known for its coverage of the wonders of the world, National Geographic visited campus recently to view the work of a biomedical engineering team that is changing lives with smart prosthetics.
The National Geographic article, which requires a subscription, can be accessed www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine.at
After 38 years of space engineering, Marla Pérez-Davis, PhD ’91, this summer retired from NASA and the Glenn Research Center, which she has led since late 2019. She was the first Puerto Ri can to lead a NASA space center and a role model to many female science and engineering students at Case. At Homecoming 2022, Pérez-Davis will receive the Meritorious Service Award from the Case Alumni Association.
ALUMNI newsmakers
The cover story in the June issue, The Audacious Science Pushing the Boundaries of Touch, features the work of Professor Dustin Tyler, PhD ’99, whose team is using neural networks and electrical pulses to restore a sense of touch in people who have lost limbs or been paralyzed. Readers meet Brandon Prestwood, a North Carolina man who lost his hand and left forearm in an industrial conveyor belt. Preston had some sensation restored with Tyler’s experimental prosthetics, an experience he emotionally describes as helping him to “feel whole” again.
Hangar.DustinTyler confers with Brandon Prestwood.
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Tyler described an engineering challenge that fascinates him as much as anyone.
newsMakers
“There is no beginning and end to it. We’re trying to tap into that.”
“The system we’re working with” — the interplay of receptors, nerves, and brain, he means — “is always taking information in, filing it, associating it, connecting it, and creating our us,” he told the magazine.
What a ride Alumna leaves helm of NASA Glenn after nearly 40 years with the space agency. aLuMni
Upon her retirement, Cleveland’s WKYC-TV and other media outlets recounted her improbable journey from a small town in Puerto Rico to the heights of the nation’s space program. She credits her mother with pushing her toward college and a career few in her community could imagine. A NASA job fair at the University of Puerto Rico Mayaguez led her to Cleveland. She joined Glenn in 1983 as a researcher focused on batteries and fuel cells and began her climb up the engineering ranks. Pérez-Davis served as Chief of the Electrochemistry Branch, deputy director of research and engineering and deputy director of the center. She also earned her doctorate in chemical engineering at Case while working full time and raising two sons. As Glenn’s director, she led the center and its 3,200 staff and contract personnel into a new era of space travel. Major activities completed during her tenure include the construction of Glenn’s new Research Support Building and testing on the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I Moon mission.
Marla Pérez-Davis in the NASA Glenn
“Marla’s four decades of service to NASA have made a remarkable impact on critical agency goals and missions,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a statement. “Her trailblazing legacy is the members of the Artemis Generation she has inspired to believe that they, too, can work for and lead at NASA.”
Siegfried “Sig” Hecker ’65, MS ’67, PhD ’68, immigrated to America at age 13. Four years later, he was named valedictorian of Cleveland's East High School and won a scholarship to Case Institute of Technology.
Each year, the Carnegie Corp. spotlights immigrants whose contri butions and actions have enriched and strengthened U.S. society and the nation’s democracy, in the spirit of Scottish immi grant Andrew Carnegie. Hecker seems to fit all the criteria of an American success story. He lost his father in World War II and left Austria in 1956 to join family in Cleve land, which proved a good place to launch.
Thanks for coming Carnegie Corp. honors alumnus as one of America’s great immigrants.
Thetechnology.companyannounced a successful demo flight in June of a drone powered by a hydrogen fuel cell at the Kent State University airport. It was developed in partnership with Yanhai Du, a KSU professor and fuel cell specialist.
casealumni.org12 aLuMni newsMakers ALUMNI newsmakers
Taking Flight Alumni’s company is taking drones to new heights.
Jeff Taylor ’09 started his drone company 10 years ago making and selling miniature airplanes that farmers and real estate agents used to map crops or snap pictures of properties. They cost $600 and could stay aloft for about an hour.
In a 2019 interview, Hecker noted he land ed in a city teeming with immigrants. He was elected president of his high school class despite still struggling with English.
"Our customer is someone who already has two or three multi-rotor drones," Taylor said. "They say, 'I keep getting contracts for 800-acre jobs and it takes me all day to do it.'"
Today, drones produced by Taylor’s company, Event 38 Unmanned Systems, have wing spans of 10 feet or more, advanced camera capabilities and sell for close to $20,000. Thanks to fuel cell technology, they may soon stay airborne all day.The Case engineer is carving out a niche at the sophisticated end of the drone market — and drawing attention.
In 2004, Hecker was honored by the Case Alumni Association with its GoldNowMedal.aprofessor emeritus at Stanford University, he remains one of the nation’s most influential nuclear scientists.
In June, Crain’s Cleveland Business profiled Taylor and his company, noting he has succeeded in attracting federal, state and university support to advance drone
“Fuel cells are a promising power source for drones,” observed sUAS News, a newsletter covering the drone industry. “Using a fuel cell can extend a drone’s flight time by a significant margin, which is a great Taylor,advantage.”anaerospace engineer, started Event 38 in 2012 in San Diego. He soon came home to build his drones in Akron. Event 38 has since sold more than 600 drones and enjoys annual revenue in the millions of dollars, Crain’s reported. With eight employees, the company now builds its drones in Richfield. Its flagship model, the E400, has fixed wings plus four vertically mounted propellers that enable it to take off and land nearly anywhere. It comes with advanced mapping functions, multi- and hyper-spectral camera capabilities, and can fly for 90 minutes at a time.
Hecker earned three metallurgy de grees from Case, including his doctorate, on his way to becoming director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. On July 4, he was named one of Amer ica’s “Great Immigrants” by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The renowned nuclear scientist was included in an honor role of 34 naturalized Americans that incudes rock 'n' roll legend Neil Young, tennis champion Steffi Graff and Nobel laureate and physicist Syukuro Manabe.
“I have a soft spot for refugees and immigrants,” he said in 2019. “I will never forget how this country welcomed me with open arms.” After spending the early 1970s as a metallurgist at General Motors, Hecker joined Los Alamos in 1973 and rose through the ranks of materials science to become director from 1986 to 1997. With his deep knowledge of plutonium and doomsday weapons, he became the nation’s foremost nuclear weapons negotiator and nonproliferation expert. His work took him to forbidden zones in the former Soviet Union, China and even North Korea.
The best business advice I ever got actually came in business school. It’s hard to believe at first: How do you get business advice from a professor who never ran a business? The credit goes to Professor Sigal Barsade, who taught us organizational behavior at Yale. When we finished learning about motiva tion theory, organization structures, fairness theory, and much more, her parting advice for us came in three words: “Communicate, communicate, communicate.”
Many people default to text, WhatsApp or email when communicating. But if a conversation is emotionally charged, call the person. I have often found myself saying things in a completely different way when talking to Maybeface-to-face.invitethem to go out on a walk (Steve Jobs’ favorite way of having a meaningful discussion). When you walk with somebody, you’re less stuck in a specific way of thinking, more open to other scenarios, and more focused on what you’re discussing. Getting out of the meeting room and changing physical
Pick another medium
First step: Conveying the information How do you get your point across to busy people who might not have the time or band width? I often run into team members who, when asked to do a job and summarize it, send the executive team an email saying “I did my assignment, it’s attached. Thank you!” They’re proud to tell us, “Wow, I’m done!”
By Ram Fish ’95, MS ’95
Best
Communicating effectively means getting the other person to absorb the information. How do you get the right attention from the right people?
Subject lines • Short sentences
• Using tables • Attaching the information as well as pasting it into the email
surroundings helps to keep us open-minded. Communication is a two-way street. You have smart people working in the organi zation; listen and learn from them. Put your phone away — out of sight — listen to the tone of voice and observe body language. Try to absorb and understand how a person feels, not just what they say. You also have to create an environment where criticisms are welcome. I often start a meeting with “What’s today’s bad news?” to make people feel comfortable sharingWhenconcerns.brainstorming, create an environ ment where new concepts or out-of-the-box ideas are not killed on the spot but are taken into consideration. And if you are the deci sion-maker, try to explain why one option is chosen over the others or why you aren’t taking the OOB ideas. Your team will feel appreciated and learn for the future. There’s lots more to add! Plus, I would love to hear your ideas on effective communica tion. For me, this was the best business advice I ever got. Ram Fish is the founder and CEO of 19Labs and a former innovation leader at Apple, Samsung and Nokia. This essay is excepted from an essay posted to LinkedIn in September 2021. To respond, email us at casealum@casealum.org.
The more years I spend in the industry, the more I realize she was right. Some 99% of the issues organizations run into involve communi cation. Even fierce disagreements, more than anything, have to do with communication. So, I thought it worthwhile to dive deeper into her advice, share it with others, and explore my interpretation of what she meant. If you work with smart colleagues and everyone believes in the company’s mission, why would there be disagreements? First, people tend to have different facts in mind. Getting both sides to work on the same set of facts is the first step toward effective communication. But that’s not enough. Often, the goal is perceived differently. The willingness to take risks is different. Egos can play a role. Communication can bridge or narrow those gaps significantly.
Fish keyhighlightingattachmenttoenticingsuggestspeopleopenanbyfindings.
•
Except they’re not. The message is often unopened, unread, and the key takeaways/ action items have not been shared. An entrepreneur and innovator shares what he’s learned about communicating effectively.
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business advice I ever got ENGINEERING + Tools and ideas to sharpen your game
• Highlighting who has action items, or what you need from whom These are all critical elements of communi cating effectively within an organization.
Introducing our 2022 award winners
In a change from past years, the Meritorious Service Award for outstanding service to Case is now the Thomas P. Kicher ’59, MS ’62, PhD ’65, Meritorious Service Award. The board of directors acted to honor former Dean Kicher, who passed away in February after more than 60 years of service to Case.
The 137th awards program begins at 6:15 p.m. Friday, October 7, in Strosacker Auditorium and will be live streamed. Here are our 2022 award winners and a summary of why they are worthy of our thanks and admiration.
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Case’s All-Star Team
Register to attend at casealumni.org/homecoming At Homecoming & Reunion Weekend October 6-9, the Case Alumni Association will honor eight distinguished alumni for their accomplishments and their service to Case and to humanity. These awards represent the highest honors bestowed by the CAA, the nation’s oldest independent alumni association of science and engineering graduates.
Silver Bowl
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A long-time member of the board of directors of the CAA, he served as board president from 2009 to 2011. His contacts with industry helped to equip labs, fund research and lead Case students to coveted jobs. Most recently, he held the title of Arthur L. Parker Professor in the Department of Electrical, Comput er, and Systems Engineering and faculty director of ISSACS, the Institute for Smart, Secure and Connected Systems, which he helpedLoparofound.said he’s still weighing what his role will be as emeritus professor but that Case students made his memories lasting.
Gold medal Case tech Shaped by Case, Chi-Foon Chan helped build the nation’s tech industry. Chi-Foon Chan, MS ’74, PhD ’77, arrived at Case Institute of Technology in 1972 seeking a master’s degree in hishadengineering.biomedicalHesooncausetoquestionacademicdirection.Inoneofhisfirstassignments, Chan was made responsible for a cow under going an experimental heart transplant at Cleveland Clinic.
“It’s important to get recognition from your colleagues and your classmates and your friends,” Loparo said. “But this award is really important to me because the last recipient is Tom Kicher.”
A Cleveland native, Loparo came to the Case faculty from Cleveland State University in 1979 and dug in. He occa sionally fielded other offers, he said, but he and his wife, Mary, always resolved to stay. Both of his children, Joe and Jessica, earned Case degrees. Jessie even had Dad for engineering classes.
“I’ve loved teaching my whole life,” he said. “The students at Case are particularly special. They’re extremely talented, highly driven, curious. It’s a great opportunity to be with them in the classroom.”
Fortunately, he said, Case gave its student access to many academic programs and resources. He switched to computer engineering — and soon thanked his lucky stars. Case had one of the first computer engineering programs in the nation and professors well-regarded in an emerging industry. He found his niche, his career and his Chan,passion.an immigrant from Hong Kong, worked for industry pioneers like Intel and NEC Corporation before bringing his design skills and outgoing personality to Synopsys. As president and co-CEO, he helped build the Silicon Valley upstart into a world leader in semiconductor design, ultimately managing 16,000 employees and $5.3 billion in annual sales. Chan retired this summer after a 45-year career in high technology. In tribute to his contributions to the field, and the distinction he brings to the Case School of Engineering, Chan will receive the Gold Medal, the highest award bestowed annually by the CAA.
By Robert L. Smith
The peerless professor Ken Loparo will have a Silver Bowl to reflect the memories.
“I’ve been very blessed in my career and my journey,” said Chan, adding that he gives a lot of credit to Case and its interdisciplinary approach to learning.
The Silver Bowl, presented occasionally by past presidents of the CAA, was last awarded in 2018 to Loparo’s friend and mentor Dean Tom Kicher ’59, MS ‘62, PhD ’65, who passed away in February.
“By responsible, I mean wiping the blood off of scopes after I did readings,” he said, laughing. “And I realized I might not be prepared for the medical field.”
The beloved professor is to receive the Silver Bowl, the highest honor bestowed by the Case Alumni Association. The tribute recognizes Loparo’s long and dis tinguished service to Case as an educator, researcher, and champion of the Case Alumni Association.
Many of those former students say the same about Professor Loparo.
Loparo received the university’s top teaching awards: The Carl F. Wittke Award for Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching and the Gutti Memorial Teaching Award, given by engineering students. His loyalty and zeal reached all parts of campus. He chaired the CWRU Faculty Senate during the 1999-2000 school year.
It caused a sensation at the Case School of Engineering this spring when Ken Loparo, PhD ’77, retired from full-time teaching after 43 years on the faculty. His fellow alumni made sure he will leave with lasting recognition.
In University Circle, he met his wife, a student at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Rebecca Sen Chan is a concert pianist and a trustee of the San Francisco Con servatory of Music. The couple raised two children and enjoy two grandchildren.
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A desire to give back has always motivated Carlin Jackson. Carlin Jackson ’15, MBA ’16, first came to campus to compete in a science Olympiad for middle school students. He still has the gold medal that judges draped around his neck. That was one of many acts of encouragement and guidance, he says, that propelled him toward a Case degree and a rewarding career. Today, he spends a good deal of his time paying it forward. Jackson, an en trepreneur who runs his own consulting business in Cleveland Heights, will receive the Young Alumni Leadership Award. The honor recognizes his service to his alma mater as a volunteer, a student mentor, and a member of the board of the Case Alumni Association and its committees.
Meritorious Service Award Pathfinder Marla Pérez-Davis is eager to show young people a route to the stars. Marla PérezDavis, PhD ’91, has a compelling mes sage for young people
In addition to serving as an admissions ambassador, Treleaven is a member of the Visiting Committee of the Case School of Engineering and the board of the Case Alumni Association. He serves on the Spartan Club board, chairs the Visiting Committee for CWRU Athletics, and co-chaired the fundraising campaign for the Wyant Athletic and Wellness Center.
Givelber Award Jolly good fellow Jim Treleaven helps welcome the new generation to the school he loves. Jim Treleaven ’69, MS ’77, PhD ’90, is the first alumnus many students meet be fore starting classes at Case Western Reserve. For nearly 20 years, he and his wife, Cheryl, have hosted summer sendoffs at their home outside of Chicago. They did it again July 31, offering a welcome and guidance to more than 100 Chicago area members of the class of 2026.
“That was extremely unique, looking back,” he said. “Understanding all these different disciplines, and not being worried as you get into new things, was a very important educational journey.”
Samuel Givelber called the Case Alumni Association the “world’s greatest fellowship.” Jim Treleaven works hard to assure it remains so.
Case’s
Young LiftingLeadershipAlumniAwardasheclimbs
“Not only did I get a degree, I got a wife and a lifelong friend,” Chan said. Reflecting on the Gold Medal brings back memories as it adds new luster to his Case“Adegrees.recognition like this from my peers and fellow alumni is really appreciated,” he said. “I just say ‘Wow, thank you!”
All-Star Team Introducing our 2022 award winners
“These are so much fun,” he says. “There’s a lot of interaction, a lot of questions” at gatherings that illustrate a key characteristic of Case. “The quality of the students is obvious. They are really goodThekids.”sendoffs are only one of many activities Treleaven undertakes in support of his alma mater and the Case commu nity, which is why he’ll receive the Samuel Givelber ’23 Award. The award honors an alumnus or alumna who fosters fellowship in the Case tradition.
“I got a lot of help,” he said. “It is a strong, fervent passion of mine to give back to all who have helped me on my Asjourney.”founder and CEO of Theo. Wyes David, Ltd., Jackson helps businesses and entrepreneurs strategize and re-design systems, often involving finance and technology, his twin specialties. Schol arships and a job as a teaching assistant helped him to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science at the Case School of Engineering. He followed that with a degree in finance from the Weatherhead School of Management. The twin degrees allowed him to apply computer science and data analytics to financial systems, a sought-after skill when he came out of college. Soon, he was able to launch his own consultancy. He credits Case for giving him the confidence and resilience to take on new“Aschallenges.aCase-trained engineer, to me there’s no problem that can’t be solved,” he said.He’s eager to share that opportunity with the next generation.
For the outgoing Treleaven, fellowship building comes naturally. He was president of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, a Student Senator and a starter on both the football and wrestling teams at Case in the 1960s. His degree in computer engineering, one of the first in the nation, lead to a wide-ranging career with leadership roles in engineering, sales and marketing and included a stint as President of DeVryToday,University.aspresident and CEO of Via Strategy Group, Treleaven shares his insight with struggling companies as a turnaround specialist. As often as he can, he shares his time and his passion with“I’mCase.very interested in giving back. I got so much out of Case,” he said. He notes he worked full time from junior year on, so his pursuit of three degrees had him enrolled at Case for a continuous 24 years.
“Anyone who is into off-road racing is definitely an enthusiast,” he observes. “We have a passion about that.” That’s not all he’s passionate about. In tribute to his support of student groups like Baja and other worthy causes during an illustrious career, Enterline will receive a Meritorious Service Award.
“It's time for me to explore what is out there,” she said. “One thing I know, whatever I do, I want to keep giving to the community.”
Trailblazer for STEM Ka-Pi Hoh, a top scientist at Lubrizol, helps others find success in science and engineering.
Pérez-Davis will receive a Meritorious Service Award in tribute to her impact as a space engineer and her effectiveness as a role model to students, especially women and underrepresented minorities. She retired in June after nearly 40 years with NASA, the last two as director of the NASA Glenn Research Center — the first Puerto Rican to lead a NASA center.
Meritorious Service Award Vrrooom!
Ka-Pi Hoh ’84, MS ’87, PhD ’89, antic ipated earning a chemistry degree on her way to medical school — with a push from approving parents. But it was poly mer engineering that struck her fancy at Case Institute of Technology. She earned three degrees from the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering, including her doctor ate. That led to a fulfilling career as a globe-trotting scientist and shaped her message to the young people she advises and“Followmentors.a career you enjoy,” Hoh says. “Be true to yourself.”
Pérez-Davis grew up in tiny Adjuntas, where she exceled at science and math. She credits her mother for getting her to the University of Puerto Rico Maya guez to pursue her dream of becoming a chemical engineer. A NASA job fair brought her to NASA Glenn and she began as a researcher in 1983 — one of the few women and Spanish speakers at the center. She rose through the engineering ranks to become director in latePérez-Davis2019. also earned her doctorate at Case while working and raising two sons. For that, she credits mentors like Professors John Angus and Donald Feke ’76, MS ’77, her thesis advisor. “Dr. Feke and Dr. Angus hold a very special place in my heart,” she said. She is not sure what he future holds, but she is not ready to quit.
Fall 2022 17 considering a STEM career. First, she says, it’s within reach — and she should know. Her journey to the top ranks of the nation’s space agency began in a tiny coffee-growing community in the hills of PuertoSecond,Rico.she preaches, the effort is worth it. That degree in science or engi neering can lead to a career filled with challenge and discovery, especially now, with a new space age underway.
“We’re going to have a space econo my. Students are going to have options. It’s going to be a different world with endless possibilities,” she says. “More than anything, know that it can be done.”
Hoh will receive a Meritorious Service Award for her service to Case and to its students, who have much to learn from her She’sexperience.atopexecutive at Lubrizol, a specialty chemicals maker in suburban Cleveland, and a scientist with interna tional impact. Hoh served as the first female technical manager at Lubrizol’s research center in the United Kingdom. Later, she helped build and staff Lubrizol’s testing laboratory in China during a four-yearToday,posting.Hohserves as Lubrizol’s manager of process mining technology, which taps her skills in science and or ganization. She’s thankful to Case for an education that introduced her to interna tional perspectives, and to her husband, Brian Perry, MS ’85, PhD ’88. But much of her success comes from within. While she learned Cantonese from her parents, immigrants from Hong Kong, Hoh had to teach herself Mandarin to work effectively in mainland China. She shares her insights as chair of the Industrial Advisory Board for the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering and as a member of the Visiting Committee of CWRU’s Center for International Affairs. She’s also a mentor for the Women in Science and Engineering Roundtable, WISER, where she gets refueled.
He’s the former CEO of Fox Factory Holding Corp., which manufactures Fox shox and other racing products. He’s also a fan of Baja and its student racers and designers, with whom he shares an engineering spirit.
“I love to meet with students — the bright, young, energetic students at Case,” she said. “It always inspires me.”
The Georgia resident grew up racing trail bikes through the woods in western New York. At Case, he pledged Phi Kappa Tau and majored in electrical engineering.
“Case was tremendous preparation,” he said. “What stunned me, coming from a fairly rural high school, was the quality of the students. Case just had a great group of people to learn from.”
Meritorious Service Award
Larry Enterline sped off into a rewarding career and helps today’s students to follow. If you spend any time off-road racing, you’re familiar with FOX Racing Shox, the high-per formance shock absorbers for all-terrain vehicles. And if you’ve been involved in CWRU Motorsport — aka Baja — you’ve heard of Larry Enterline ’74.
A Case Studenttradition:research
Meritorious Service Award
“Women engineers just weren’t a thing,” she says, and she thinks she floundered early because of that. She also came up with a solution. While carving out a fulfilling career, Fontana resolved to be that role model she lacked.
You may have read one of her essays
Fontana thanks Case for more than her technical skills. On campus she met her husband, Ben Fontana ’99, with whom she is raising two teenagers. She fell in love with cross country running at Squire Valleevue Farm, where she led the team over hill and dale as captain. And she developed the critical thinking skills that she says help her to take on challenging roles with optimism.
All-Star
Yiwen Gao '24 in a biomedical engineering lab.
“So, I said right away, ‘I think we can make this better,’” he laughed. He and his Fox colleagues have since provided Baja teams with design help, parts, project funding, internships andEnterline,careers. happy to employ Case engineers, insists he’s gotten the better end of the deal.
Fontana will receive a Meritorious Service Award at Homecoming 2022, a tribute to her work on behalf of the profession and Case and its students.
Case’s Team
“It kind of marries my biggest interests, doing good, meaningful work through technology,” she said.
“A lot of it is just sharing my story,” she That’ssaid. the story of a long-distance runner, a cancer survivor, an IEEE influencer, and an engineer who uses technology to improve people’s lives.
Introducing our 2022 award winners or heard one of her podcasts. She’s an “impact creator” for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, showcasing emerging technologies. That was also her focus at Centric Consulting, where she led its software delivery practice for many years. Recently, she jumped to a new venture, Augment Therapy, a startup that uses augmented reality to design new therapy programs for patients — often children facing dreaded diseases.
Engineering roles at Reliance Electric and Bailey Controls lead to leadership positions and his dream job.
In 2011, Fox Factory made him CEO. Enterline soon tripled sales and took Fox Factory public. He served as CEO until 2018 and last year stepped down as executive chairman of theHeboard.remains active in the Enterline Foundation, which he founded 20 years ago to support developmentally dis abled adults — and he helps Case Baja to compete with the best.
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True believer Carmen Fontana thinks an inspired engineer really can change the world. Carmen Fontana ’00, MEM ’05, did not see many role models when she graduat ed with a bachelor’s degree in systems and control engineering.
“I still remain very hopeful that technology will help solve a lot of the biggest problems of our time,” she said.
A new video series by Abbie Murphy, Manager of Digital Content & Design for the Case Alumni Association, introduces some of these student researchers and the science they are pursuing. To hear their stories, scan the QR code or go to our YouTube page, www.youtube.com/CaseAlumniAssoc
Thanks to support from the Case Alumni Foundation, the university’s SOURCE summer research program is able to offer research opportunities to dozens of STEM majors, helping make research a signature piece of a Case education.
Enterline connected with the student group on a campus tour six or seven years ago, when he saw a Baja vehicle and noticed the team was using his competitor’s shock absorbers.
casealumni.org
The game of indoor soccer resembles outdoor soccer but it’s also a different beast. Each team has five players plus a goalie on the field while players rotate in an out in shifts. A penalty against a player can lead to a team having a oneman advantage or disadvantage, also known as a power play — almost like soccer combined with ice hockey. “I played indoor soccer growing up, but this is entirely different,” Cvecko said. “There’s a lot of tricks and tips I’m learning about from playing indoor at professional level. There’s a lot more action, more shots on goals, and fans love Besidesit.”his time playing for the Crunch, the native of Erie, Pennsylvania, also plays outdoor for Cleveland SC of the National Premier Soccer League. As part of the NPSL, Cvecko and his teammates compete against teams from across the country. In March, the team scored a 2-1 victory over Chicago FC
“After my senior year, when I had won some accolades, my coach suggested I go to a combine being held at Columbus Crew Stadium,” Cvecko said. “I held my own against Division I players and knew I could compete at a higher level and wanted to keep playing.”
United in the opening round of the annual U.S. Open Tournament. Since graduation, Cvecko has also found the time to coach. He returned to campus to serve as an assistant on the CWRU coaching staff and was the head varsity boy’s coach at Orange High School in the Cleveland suburb of Pepper Pike. Cvecko managed to balance coaching and playing while working as a systems engineer for Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems in Akron. “It was tricky with work and playing, but I really enjoyed seeing the other side of it,” he said. “I can definitely see myself getting back into coaching down the road.” For now, his focus remains on playing. As the Spartans’ midfielder in 2015, he was named the Most Valuable Player in the University Athletic Association and helped lead the team to a 13-4-1 record. Unfortunately, that team did not make it to the post season playoffs. In his post collegiate career, Cvecko has tried to erase that disappointment. He hasn’t missed the playoffs very often since.
With a little more than eight minutes left in the opening period, the Cleveland Crunch of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 held a slim 2-1 lead over the Muskegon Risers.
A lot of athletes, when their college playing days end, hang up their cleats and move on to the next chapter of life. They reflect on the wins and losses and injuries and look forward to rehashing stories at homecomings and reunions. But some decide they have more left in them — and have more to prove to themselves.
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The score changed abruptly as the Crunch’s Chris Cvecko knocked a rebounded kick past a diving Risers’ goalie. The small but passionate crowd at the Soccer Sportsplex in North Olmsted, Ohio, erupted in cheers. When Cvecko ’16, MS ’17, completed his illustrious soccer career on the pitch at Case Western Reserve, he ranked among the university’s all-time best. He finished his collegiate career as the Spartans’ sixth all-time leading scorer and fifth in career assists. But he knew he wasn’t done.
aLuMni aDventures
Former CWRU soccer star, now an engineer, is still reaching his goals as a player.
John Canale is a freelance writer in Northeast Ohio. To comment on this story, or to suggest a candidate for an Alumni Adventure profile, please email casealum@casealum.org.
By John Canale
Have an alumni adventure to share? Email robert.smith@casealum.org
The mechanical engineer is now playing for the Cleveland Crunch of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 indoor soccer league. In 2021, the Crunch were crowned the MASL2 Champions after an 11-6 win over the Wichita Wings. In April 2022, the Crunch returned to defend their title but fell 7-4 to the San Diego Sockers
Playing on in the championship game.
Burcu Gurkan in the lobby of the AW Smith Building, home of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. A TIMESFORSCIENTISTHERInherlabonCaseQuad,BurcuGurkanishelpingtheCaseSchoolofEngineering address some of society’s biggest challenges — including climate change. By Zachary Lewis Photos by Roadell Hickman
The image of a rising star applies more and more to Burcu Gurkan. In less than six years on the faculty, she has gained a national profile as a highly cited scientist who attracts coveted research grants. In 2021, for example, the National Science Foundation awarded her an Early Career Development grant, considered its most prestigious award to junior faculty. Meanwhile, much of Gurkan’s work addresses challenges of growing importance — like combatting climate change or making deep space flight feasible.
E BurcudisplaysGurkanalithiumionbatterytopostdoctoralresearcherEdaCagliandPhDstudentAidan Klemm.
The Nord Distinguished Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering also shared some good news that January evening. She told her online audience that clean, renewable sources of energy are on the rise. What’s more, there’s a plan in the works to purify the air, to filter out and “sequester” carbon dioxide where it can do no She’sharm.one of the visionaries behind that earth-changing science, which is one reason her lab on Case Quad has become one to watch.
In the Earth’s atmosphere, she said, the concentration of carbon dioxide — the greenhouse gas driving climate change — is at its highest level in 800,000 years.
arlier this year, as she addressed the Science Café, a Cleveland public forum on timely science issues, Burcu Gurkan, PhD, set the stage with two alarming statistics.
What’s more, she added, in the last 30 years alone, the concentration of CO2 has risen by 44 percent.
“Her work could impact ours and future generations,” Dean Ragu Balakrishnan said at a faculty gathering in May, as he introduced Gur kan as the winner of the 2022 Research Award from the Case School of Engineering.Gurkan’sprimary focus is carbon dioxide capture, finding new and better ways to purify air. But she’s also at the vanguard of battery research. So on one front she’s advancing renewable energy. And on the other, using related research, she’s addressing indoor environments on spacecraft and global warming on Earth.
The U.S. Department of Energy isn’t the only agency inter ested in her work. In 2018, Gurkan was one of 11 university scientists to receive a $600,000 grant from NASA for what the space agency called “transformational” solutions to “highpriority” needs in its space program.
Last year, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded Gurkan and a team she formed with scientists at other universities a three-year, $3.6 million grant to explore a radically different approach. The team wants to capture the carbon dioxide with high-performance materials, then use microwave energy to release the absorbed CO2 so that those materials can be reused.
Since her arrival at Case in 2016 — after training at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Akron — Gurkan has “carved out a really cool niche,” explained Daniel Lacks, Associate Dean of Academics at the Case School of Engineering.“Someresearchers approach these problems at the lab scale, and others at the molecular scale,” he said. “Burcu's niche is in bridging these approaches, and she is widely seen as a leader in thisShe’sregard.”not alone as she explores scientific frontiers. Her husband, Umut Gurkan, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and an esteemed researcher elected to the National Academy of Inventors in 2020. The couple met in college in Turkey and are raising two children in the Cleveland area: Maya 6, and Talya 3.
“She’s ambitious. She wants to do something important. So we all kind of feel the same way.”
Gurkan’s idea is to use ionic liquid, or salt in a liquid state, encapsulated within polymers to form hybrid materials that capture CO2. The captured carbon can be released with micro waves or converted into other fuels by electrochemical processes — without the need for heat.
It hopes through Gurkan’s research to lengthen the amount of time astronauts can spend in space, making possible journeys to more distant planets or longer stays at one location. Both hinge on the ability to recycle human exhaust — and create fresh air. Just as some scientists are looking to derive potable water from astronaut urine, so does Gurkan seek to capture exhaled carbon dioxide and turn it back into breathable air.
Solutions for space and Earth
Student researchers say Gurkan creates a family atmosphere in her lab, the Energy Lab in the A.W. Smith Building. It’s a cavernous room crowded with scientific equipment and testing apparatus. More than a dozen graduate students conduct research under Gurkan’s guidance and inspiration, many of them excited to be applying science with potentially big impact.
The challenge of capturing carbon is two-fold. First, the temperature and humidity in the great outdoors vary constantly, complicating the design of an effective process. Meanwhile, popular “scrubbing” methods — where the carbon is captured in a liquid solvent — require heating, itself an energy-intensive (and polluting) process.
NASA spies potential
“It’s very collaborative here,” said William Dean, a doctoral student specializing in energy storage applications. “She helps you get to where you want to be.”
Gurkan’s warnings at the Science Café are tempered by solutions in the works. In Iceland, the world’s largest carbon-capture plant, called Orca, pulls carbon from the air and sequesters it in that nation’s rocky substructure, modeling what might be possible all over the world. Gurkan has what she calls a miniature version of Orca in her lab, where she’s tinkering with the process.
“She’s ambitious. She wants to do something important. So we all kind of feel the same way,” said Raziyeh “Melina” Ghahremani, a postdoctoral researcher and a chemical engineer.
“We need to develop high performing materials which should be regenerable with minimum energy,” Gurkan said. “This is the main challenge – how to design to achieve both a high capacity and durability.”
“In space, you don’t want to waste anything,” she said. “You wantThesustainability.”problemisakin to terrestrial carbon conversion, with unique challenges. In space, the primary obstacle is a lack of resources — whether that be materials needed onboard or crew time for maintenance. Current methods of cleaning cabin air demand too much energy and crew time, Gurkan said. Her ionic liquid supported membrane model, by contrast, separates carbon dioxide from air and concentrates it for further use, like to make water and methane fuel.
Energy Lab team (from left), 1st row, Sanduni Wijesooriya, Akissi Yao; 2nd row, Aidan Klemm, Burcu Gurkan, William Dean, Eda Cagli, Saudagar Dongare, Drace Penley; back row, Oguz Coskun, Raziyeh Ghahremani, and Ruth Dikki
“It’s been nice seeing that growth and transformation,” he said. “She’s highly visible. For her to be leading like this at this stage of her career, it’s incredibly impressive.”
Lewis is a former award-winning reporter for The Plain Dealer and a freelance writer in Greater Cleveland. To comment on this story, please email casealum@casealum.org.
Gurkan was one of 11 university scientists to receive a $600,000 grant from NASA for what the space agency called “transformational” solutions to “highpriority” needs in its space program.
Lacks said he’s eager to see how far Gurkan, her students, and her colleagues in the field will be able to go with ionic liquids. He suspects it will be impressively far. If Gurkan keeps up the pace she’s held winning grants and producing research the last six years, he said, her impact from Case could resonate around the world.
In a double-win for the environment, more powerful and effective batteries also could be used to power the direct air carbon-capture process. In the Energy Lab, researchers led by Burcu Gurkan, center, focus on reaction mechanisms in complex solvents such as ionic liquids.
The NASA grant was to have expired last fall but has been ex tended by a year. Gurkan said she’s developed a proof-of-concept model of the system that now needs to be further optimized.
“I’m excited to see how they advance these technologies,” said Jim Reuter, associate administrator for NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, in announcing the grant. Here on Earth, Gurkan is also fighting global warming by working on batteries that do more with less. She and her lab team hope that by applying the ionic liquid concept in a different direction — with ionic liquid-like concentrated electrolytes — they’ll be able to improve the safety of lithium-ion batteries and the energy density of flow batteries, the twin energy sources of modern society.
When he put out the call for a Howe House reunion, former dormmates responded with enthusiasm. On June 23, 10 of them arrived from across the country, bringing along eight spouses. Some of the former classmates had not seen one another in 48 years.“Itwas fabulous, it really was,” said Humphrey, who retired As one group of former housemates found, there’s more than one kind of college reunion.
Howe House housemates with their spouses.
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Kelly Hendricks, director of alumni engagement for the Case Alumni Association, said dorm reunions are just one of many kinds of “affinity reunions” that are drawing alumni back to campus. She has helped organize gatherings of former lab partners and reunions for former members of student groups and sports teams, in addition to reunions for classes and Greek“Theorganizations.memoriesyou made with those you lived with, studied with or shared a common interest with created lifelong memories,” she observed The Howe House muster took root last year, when Hum phrey returned to Canton for a high school reunion and had dinner with former housemate Paul Harold ’74. They started talking about Case, their upcoming 50th college reunion, and how they had already lost some of their classmates.
There was something special about Howe House on Murray Hill in the early 1970s. Maybe it was because so many of the young men lived there all four of their college years, six to a suite. They played sports togeth er, studied engineering and science together, and graduated together in 1974. “It was truly a fraternity,” said Mark Humphrey ’74, who lived in Howe House while earning an electrical engineering degree from Case Institute of Technology. “We just developed a lot of closes friendships. We worked hard and we played hard.”
SWEET
HOME DORM
By Robert L. Smith
in California after a 34-year career with Chevron Corporation.
For Paul Harold, left, and Dave Fries, there was no domed canopy when they climbed the Elephant Stairs 45 years ago.
The group golfed at Manakiki, visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and took in a Cleveland Guardians game. They had breakfast with Dean Ragu Balakrishnan and toured the new Structures Lab in the basement of Bingham. They also toured the university’s acclaimed innovation center and maker space — a highlight.“Hands down, (Sears) think[box] was the big hit. And they gave us an incredible tour,” Humphrey said.
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The group even had lunch with Larry Sears ’69, the namesake of Sears think[box] and the former graduate assistant whom many of them had for Climactically,Circuits.theyreturned to Howe House, which now houses second-year students as part of CWRU’s South Residen tial Village. They were surprised and delighted to find that their former dorm had not changed so very much. They found their rooms and scrambled onto beds and posed for photos in familiar lounges. Several of them climbed the Elephant Stairs. Said Humphrey: “The memories just kept flooding back.”
Dave Fries '74 jumps back into a bed in Howe House. Alumni Ray Staron and Mark Humphrey in Howe House.
We’re thinking, let’s not wait for 50.
“ ”
“We’re thinking, let’s not wait for 50. Let’s do it now!” Humphrey said. With the help of Hendricks and the CAA database, they targeted about two dozen former housemates. Seventeen responded positively and a date was set--the weekend of JuneWorking23-25.
Let’s do it now!
Want to re-connect with your place at Case?
with Hendricks, Humphrey and Harold designed an itinerary that ranged from campus to downtown and back.
Contact Kelly Hendricks and get the reunion started: Kelly.Hendricks@casealum.org
Game, nationalset,title James Hopper, a biomedical engineering major, teamed up with graduate student Jonathon Powell in May to win the 2022 NCAA Division III Doubles Cham pionship in tennis. The dynamic duo claimed the 19th National Championship in the history of CWRU athletics.
The Cleveland Leadership Class of 2023 includes Nick Barendt ’95, MS ’98 — a fitting choice for a maker city. Barendt is helping lead area manufacturers into the smart economy as executive director of the Institute for Smart, Secure and Connected Systems at the Case School of Engineering.
Math whizzes
Dean Ragu Balakrishnan broke the news to Quinn’s colleagues at the spring awards program of the Case School of Engineer ing, sparking an ovation in Nord Hall.
CWRU sent three teams to the Leo Schneider Student Team Competition, Ohio’s premier collegiate math competition, at Xavier University in March. They placed first, second and third. We’d just like to observe that, mathematically, you can’t do better.
The distinguished professor Renowned roboticist Roger Quinn, the Arthur P. Armington Professor of Engineering, has a new title to add to his resume. The university has named him a Distinguished University Professor, the highest academic honor bestowed by CWRU.
casealumni.org26 NewsBytes
Lead on
Plans for new dorms in Little Italy include the news that the university would like to replace the serpentine stairway with a new option, an ADA compliant “circulation solution” that would also accommodate bicyclists. No word yet on what that could be.
Randhir Sethi ’96 just opened his seventh Choolaah Indian BBQ — on W. 25th Street in Cleveland’s hip Ohio City neighborhood. Food writers consistently credit the fast casual eatery with making Indian street food both accessible and authentic. Sethi, whom we wrote about in the winter 2020 issue of Case Alumnus, earned his Case degree in computer engineering.
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Since 1968, Case students have climbed the Elephant Stairs to reach dorm rooms high atop Murray Hill. That trek may soon be retired.
At a competition focused on underwater work, the team won 2nd place in both the Product Demonstration and Technical Documentation categories, placing 5th overall against 20 teams from around the world.
Time to retire the Elephant Stairs?
CWRUbotix, the university robotics team supported by the Case Alumni Foundation, came to the 2022 MATE world championship in June with “CWRUstacean,” its amphibious robot that learned to swim in Veale’s Donnell Pool.
Engineering great tastes
Making a splash
casealumni.org28 Case MeMories 1973 Early 1900s As Case Quad undergoes its biggest renovation in 50 years, we offer a selection of images of the Quad from past years and decades. If a scene sparks a memory, please share it with us, via casealum@casealum.org. 1953 1962
Fall 2022 29 2022 2021 2019 2018
The nuclear scientist is the former director of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and one of the world’s top nuclear security experts. Sig, whose father was killed in World War II, came to the U.S. at age 13 and earned three degrees in metallurgy at Case Institute of Technology. He received the Case Alumni Association Gold Medal Award in 2004 Chris Uzelmeier, PhD ’67 Montgomery, Texas Chris has been active in retiringplayingdistrictsmunicipalassociationshomeownersandutilityandenjoysbridgesincefromUnion Carbide Corp. His long career in the energy industry included a foreign posting to the Shell research lab in Delft, The Netherlands.
Carl A. Singer ’68, PhD Passaic, New Jersey Carl is the Passaic County Chair of Employer Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), employerprovidingoutreach on behalf of Guard and Reserve service members. He also keeps busy as “chief cook and bottle washer” at the Carl A. Singer Consultancy. Henry Sobel, PhD ’69 Irvine, California Henry received the 2021 Panofsky Prize in ParticleExperimentalPhysics, one of the highest honors awarded by the Ameri can Physical Society. He is a professor emeritus of physics and astronomy at the University of California, Irvine. Henry is renowned for shedding light on the neutrino, a subatomic particle that makes up most of the matter in the universe. He earned his doctorate in phys ics from Case Institute of Technology.
Glenn Ricart ’71, ’73, PhD Salt Lake City, Utah Glenn has been named a fellow of the Associ ation for researchintionMachineryComputinginrecogniofhisleadershipcreatingadvancedinfrastruc ture. He is the co-founder and CTO of U.S. Ignite, a nonprofit dedicated to building the foundation for smart cities. Glenn is credited with numerous technological innovations after earning one of the first computer engineering degrees from Case, including implementing the first inter connection point on the Internet. He is enshrined in the Internet Hall of Fame.
1970s
Leonard C. Uitenham, ’75, MS ’81, PhD ’85 Mcleansville, North Carolina Leonard has been appointed Professor Emeritus in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Bioengineering at North Carolina A&T State University. The title recognizes his service and contributions to the university, where he taught for 20 years and founded the first ABET-accredited bioengineering program at an histori cally black college. Leonard earned three degrees in macromolecular science and engineering at Case Institute of Technol ogy, including his doctorate. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 31 years, was a naval aviator and retired as a colonel.
CL ass notes naturalized citizens on the Fourth of July.
1950s
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Valentine Matula ’79, PhD ’86 Granville, Ohio Val is taking advan tage of retirement to serve as president of the Kiwanis Club of Granville. A computer pioneer and engineer with nearly 100 pat ents, he retired from Avaya Labs in 2021 after 33 years with the company. “I was always interested in being an active part of the community, and in trying to help oth ers,” he told the Newark Advocate. “I saw the impact Kiwanis had on the community and knew I’d like to be part of the club.”
Robert Corell ’56, PhD ’64 Arvada, Colorado Bob is a featured speaker for Sympo sium 365, a thought leader series of the Space Foundation. His most recent talk is titled “Taking Action: How the Space Industry is Adapting and Mitigating the Impacts of Climate Change.” Bob is Principal and Director of the Global Environment Technology Foundation and Co-Founder and Director of the Rising Seas Institute.
Carl C. Koch ’59, MS ’61, PhD ’64 Raleigh, North Carolina Carl reports that he has one more year of “phased retirement” but is still teaching at North Carolina State University, where he is the Kobe Steel Distin guished Professor. He is also a member of the National Academy of Engineering. 1960s
Siegfried Hecker ’65, MS ’67, PhD ’68 Santa Fe, New Mexico Sig was named to the 2022 listing of “Great Immigrants” by the Carnegie Corpora tion, which annually honors remarkable
Ludwig Keck ’58 Peachtree Corners, Georgia Ludwig retired from an engineering career that placed him at the junctures of photog raphy, electronics and computing and is now a photo enthusiast who teaches computer and camera skills to others. You can see samples of his photographs and digital art at ludwig-keck.pixels.com/
1980s Hemant Kanakia, MS ’80, PhD Washington, DC Hemant, a profiledandtechnologysuccessfulexecutiveentrepreneur,wasinthe Times of India for helping to establish mak er spaces at Indian Institutes of Technology, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He came to Case Institute of Technology for a master’s in computer engineering and received his doctorate from Stanford. An emer itus trustee of CWRU, Hemant was the founder and CEO of Torrent Networking Technology, which was purchased by Ericsson. As president of Kanakia Ventures, he invests in early-stage companies in the U.S. and India.
1990s Miguel Zubizarreta ’90 Bay Village, Ohio Miguel, the former CTO of fromaccessibleCenterMetroHealthSoftware,HylandhelpedMedicalbuildafullyhomeawayhomeforpatients with paralysis enrolled in clinical trials in Cleveland. His $1.6 million in gifts helped build Zubizarreta House, a one-story
Rebecca Williams ’79, MBA ’93 Apex, North Carolina Becky is a yearsfromsharesLeadership,tiveconsultantleadershipandexecucoachforREALMwheresheinsightsgleanedmorethan35inglobalmarket ing and business development. Previously, she was President of the Aerospace and Defense Industry Group of Lord Corp. and President of the company’s Asian Pacific Region. She earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
F. George Njoroge, MS ’83, PhD ’85 Nairobi, Kenya Frank was honored as the 2021 Outstand ing Alumnus by the Chemistry Depart ment of the College of Arts and Sciences. A pharmaceutical chemist, he spent more than three decades developing new medicines for cancer and viruses, including Victrelis, the first drug to directly target the virus that causes hepatitis C. After that, the American Chemical Society named him a “Hero of Chemistry.” Frank attained more than 100 patents while holding senior leader ship positions at Schering-Plough, Merck and Eli Lilly. He earned his master’s and doctorate degrees in chemistry at Case Institute of Technology. Phillip Abel, MS ’84, PhD ’86 Cleveland, Ohio Phil celebrated 20 years in the Tribology & Mechanical Com ponents Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center, where he is deputy chief. He joined NASA as a materials research engineer in 1985, just days after earning his doctorate in physics at Case Institute of Technology.
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Frank Feddrix, MS ’86, PhD ’89 Cleveland, Ohio Frank is Vice President of Operations and Battery Technology at Blue Spark Technologies, a Westlake, Ohio, developer of wearable medical devices, including the TempTraq®. Previously, he worked for 27 years at the Eveready Battery Co., where he started as an electrochemist and progressed through technical and managerial positions to General Manager, Innovation and R&D. Frank earned his advanced degrees in chemistry at Case Institute of Technology. Hang Loi ’88 Woodbury, Minnesota Hang received the 2022 citesEngineers.SocietyingWomenAdvocatinginEngineerAwardfromtheofWomenSWEherprofessional excellence and advocacy for women in engineering. Hang, a mentor to the SWE chapter at Case, is a chemical engineer and the Global Supplier Relationship Manager for 3M. Shampa Banerjee, MS ’89, PhD San Carlos, California Shampa joined Canela Media, a digital media company targeting the Hispanic audience, as its first Chief Product & Technology Officer. Previously, she served as an executive vice president at ViacomCBS and the Chief Product Officer for Pluto TV. Shampa earned her master’s degree in physics from Case and her doctorate in theoretical physics from Kent State University.
Thomas Botzman ’81, PhD Alliance, Ohio Tom announced he retired as president of the University of Mount Union effective June 30, 2022, ending 17 years of service to the private college in Alliance, Ohio. Tom served Mount Union as a faculty member and administrator from 1989 to 2004, then returned to the school in July 2020 as its president. In announcing his retirement, he said, “I wish to thank the board of trustees, and the entire Mount Union community, for welcoming me back to the place where my academic career started.”
Majid Rashidi ’81, MS ’83, PhD ’87 Pepper Pike, Ohio Majid has joined the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer ing at the Case School of Engineering as a professor. Previously, he was an Associate Professor of Me chanical Engineering at Cleveland State University. Majid has attained 14 patents as a researcher and innovator focused on machine and medical device design.
Anne Chaka, PhD ’92 Richland, Washington Anne is a senior re search scientist in the geochemistry group at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where she computationalappliesmeth ods to understand quantum phenomena and chemistry in complex environments. Previously, she was leader of the Compu tational Chemistry Group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and head of Computational Chemistry and Physics at the Lubrizol Corporation. Anne earned her doctorate in chemistry from Case Institute of Technology.
casealumni.org32 CL ass notes house with suites that offer separate bedrooms for patients and caregivers and amenities such as roll-in showers and motorized lifts. More recently, Miguel donated $1 million to the hospital system to help it prepare for Covid patients.
Tshilidzi Marwala ’95, PhD Thohoyandou, South Africa Tshilidzi GeneralNationsinNationsofappointedwasRectortheUnitedUniversityTokyobyUnitedSecretary-António Guterres. The university, a global think tank, supports UN efforts to solve pressing global problems with evidencebased research. Since 2018, Tshilidzi has served as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannes burg, where he’s seen as an expert in sustainable development in Africa. He’s scheduled to start his new job in Tokyo in March 2023.
Rohini Chakravarthy, MS ’95 Palo Alto, California Rohini joined Palo Alto-based NewBuild Venture Capital as a managing Capital,aPreviously,partner.shewaspartneratNGPwheresheled the Intelligent Enterprise, Edge Cloud and Mobile Technologies investments. Rohini, an accomplished technology investor, earned her master’s degree in electrical engineering at Case.
Habib Diallo ’97 Cincinnati, Ohio Habib has been pro moted to Senior Direc tor of Global Sales and Business Development at PSG, a global pump, metering and dispens ing solution company. Previously, he was its Director of Business Development. Habib earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case. Conjeevaram V. R. Rajaram, PhD ’97 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Raj is the new chief marketing officer at Meta Materials, a developer of highperformance func tional materials and intelligent surfaces. Previously, he was senior vice president of global marketing for Protective Industries and led strategy, business development and marketing functions at Honeywell and Lubrizol. Raj earned his doctorate in Macromolecular Science and Engineering at Case. Doug Meil, MS ’98 Cleveland, Ohio Doug, founder of the Cleveland Big Data Meetup, reports becoming busy with hobby writing during the pandemic. He started writing for the Association for Computing Machin ery (ACM) blog site and since May has published 13 posts on a variety of software engineering topics. Three of the articles were reprinted in Communications of the ACM magazine. Doug’s articles can be found at publications-doug-meil/linkedin.com/pulse/ 2000s
Deji Akinwande ’00, MS ’00, PhD Austion, Texas Deji is an Associate Professor in the De partment of Electrical
Melissa (Smrdel) Holler ’92, MS ’97 Denver, Colorado Melissa has been named president of Hexagon Digital Wave, a manufacturer of ultrasonic examina tion cylinder testing equipment for the compressed gas and pressure vessel indus tries. Previously, she was vice president of digital business at FLSmidth and a global vice president at Emerson Automation. A Case-trained computer engineer, she also held leadership roles at Siemens Energy & Automation and Rockwell Automation.
Glenda Gillaspy, PhD ’91 Madison, Wisconsin Glenda has been named Dean of the College of Agricultur al and Life Sciences at the University AWisconsin–Madison.ofplantscientist,she arrives from Virginia Tech, where she is a professor and head of the Department of Biochemistry. Glenda earned her doctorate in biochemistry from Case Institute of Technology. She assumes her new role August 4. Ganesh Raman, PhD ’91 Irvine, California Ganesh is the theresearchleadsofResearchVice-ChancellorAssistantforattheOfficetheChancellorandthe23-campusenterpriseinCaliforniaState University system. He also serves on the board of directors for the California Council on Science and Technology, California Life Sciences, and the Long Beach Accelerator. Previously, he was Deputy Vice Provost at the Illinois Insti tute of Technology. Ganesh earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering at Case Institute of Technology.
Jennifer has been named a principal of the NRP Group, a housing.agerdeveloperCleveland-basedandmanofmultifamilyShe’samong the first of two women to join the part nership ranks at the 18-year-old firm.
Jennifer, who earned her master’s degree in environmental engineering at Case, is executive vice president of design and entitlements at NRP. Lisa Lufkin ’03 Solon, Ohio Lisa joined SaintGobain Life Sciences as Operational Excellence Director. Previously, she was America,Director,OperationsNorthforSaintGobain Crystals, a supplier of advanced engineered materials for the medical, aerospace and other industries. Lisa earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Case.
Gregg Gillis ’04 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Gregg, an entertainer known as Girl Talk, began a nationwide tour in March with a sold-out concert at Cleveland’s House of Blues. The DJ and music innovator earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at the Case School of Engineering.
2010s Bryan Weinstein ’12, PhD Cambridge, Massachusetts Bryan is a lead modeling researchatesCorp.,forsimulationandengineertheMITREwhichoperfederallyfundedanddevelop ment centers to advance U.S. technology. He was recently profiled in the alumni newsletter of Harvard University, where he received master’s and doctorate degrees after earning his bachelor’s degree in engineering physics at Case. “It’s about advancing the public good,” he said of his job. “The fact that I can know going to work each day that I’m trying to advance the public interest makes it a place worth working at.” Sarang Bhutada, MEM ’16 Redwood City, California Sarang has taken his financial technology skills to Square as a product Previously,manager.hewas on the product strategy and operations team at Azibo. Sarang earned his master’s degree in engineering management at Case.
2020s Nathaniel Braman, PhD ’20 Cleveland, Ohio Nate is the head of AI for cancer.detectAIstartupHealth,PictureaClevelanddevelopingtoolstobetterandtreatPreviously he was a computer vision scientist for Tempus Labs. Nate received the 2020 Doctoral Excellence Award in Biomedi cal Engineering while earning his PhD at the Case School of Engineering.
Monica Khare ’20 Peachtree Corners, Georgia Monica has been promoted to Lead Materials Engineer at engineeraswhereKimberly-Clark,shestartedamaterialsafter earning her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Case. As a member of the CWRU Women’s Swimming and Diving Team, Monica was part of a four-person 400-medley relay team that broke a university record in 2019.
Fall 2022 33 and Computer Engineering at The Univer sity of Texas at Austin, where he is known for groundbreaking research into nano materials, sensors, devices and flexible technology. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering and applied physics at the Case School of Engineering, where he pioneered the design and development of near-field microwave probe tips for nondestructive imaging and studies of materials. Deji earned his doctorate at Stanford.
Shilpa Ramakrishnan, MEM ’17 San Francisco, California Shilpa has started a new position as manager of sales operations at Axtria–Ingenious Insights, a provider of cloud software and data analytics to the life sciences industry. She earned her master’s degree in engineering management at Case. Zhen Li, PhD ’18 Danville, Illinois Zhen has started a new position as a materials test engineer at Thys senkrupp Dynamic Components. Previously, he was a post-doctorate researcher at the Universi ty of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Zhen earned his doctorate in materials science and engineering at Case.
Jennifer Baus, ME ’01 South Euclid, Ohio
Cloay Maier ’19 Cleveland Heights, Ohio Cloay has started a new position as Soft ware Engineer II at MIM Software, where she specializes in developing medical image processing and analysis tools. Cloay earned her bache lor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the Case School of Engineering, where she was a Peer Advisor for the school and an event coordinator for Design for America.
Phi. He also taught archery as a summer camp counselor.
Ben has joined Lilac Solutions, a lithium hisEngineer.Fieldcompany,miningasaOperationsHeearnedbachelor’sdegree in chemical engineering at Case.
Kshama Girish ’22 Fremont, California Kshama has joined Tesla as a process engineer on its vision automation team. She earned her bachelor’s degree in engineeringelectricalwitha concentration in computer hardware at Case. Along the way, she volunteered at the Cleveland Sight Center and raised funds and designed a solar water heater for the Mathru Blind School in India.
Noah Gottlieb ’22 Madison, Wisconsin Noah has joined Epic Systems as a Technical Solutions Engineer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biomed ical engineering at Case, where he was a member of the student group Design for America and a brother of Delta Sigma
Matt has started his career as a metallur gist at whichJohnHePrecisionConsolidatedProducts.receivedthe2022F.WallacePrize,isawarded annually by the Case Alumni Association to students who best embody the late Professor John Wallace’s spirit and dedication toward metallurgical engi neering and metal casting. Matt earned his bachelor’s degree in January in materials science and engineering.
Will has started a research fellowship at the NASA Glenn Research Center, where he’ll be exploring sodiumion battery active materials that could allow for additive manufacturing on the Moon. He earned his doctorate in materials science and engineering at Case.
Margaret Sereika ’22 Evanston, Illinois Margaret is continuing her studies at North western University as a doctoral student in biomedical engineer ing. She earned her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering at Case, where she was a chemistry teaching assistant.
casealumni.org34 Akincan Basar ’21 Cleveland, Ohio
Akincan joined the Analysis Group in New York City as an analyst focused on litigationconsultingeconomicandsupport.
Benjamin Hall ’21 Oakland, California
He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Case and practiced his engineering skills automat ing a hydroponics system as a volunteer at Community Greenhouse Partners.
CL ass notes
Matt Pukansky ’21 Cleveland, Ohio
Greer Donnalley ’22 Lima, Ohio Greer has joined Procter & Gamble at its manufacturing plant in Lima as a manufacturing process engineer. She interned at the plant while earning her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a concentration in envi ronmental engineering. On campus, Greer served as president of the Case chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engi neers and was a university tour guide.
Colin Crago ’22 Stanford, California Colin is off to Stanford University this fall to pursue a doctorate in chemical engineer ing. He earned his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at the Case School of Engineering, where he received the Outstanding Sophomore Award and the Outstanding Junior Award. He also played violin for the Case Camerata Chamber Orchestra.
Hannah Olivares ’22 Chicago, Illinois Hannah joined the Chicago offices of Deloitte as bachelor’sSheProgramApplicationanandAnalyst.earnedherdegreein biomedical engineering at Case, where she was a sister of Kappa Alpha Theta.
William Huddleston, PhD ’21 Cleveland, Ohio
Alexis has accepted a position with Dell Technologies as a software engineer in its IT herProgram.DevelopmentSheearnedbachelor’degree in computer science at Case, where she was treasurer of the engineering fraternity Theta Tau and a member of Students for Refugees.
Bridget Powers Beggs ’22 Albany, New York Bridgett joined Na tional Grid’s recentprogramflagshipgram,DevelopmentGraduateProthecompany’spipelinetargetingcollegegradu ates. She earned her bachelor’s degree in materials science and engineering at Case, where she co-founded the startup STARS Sensors as a ThinkEnergy Fellow with the Great Lakes Energy Institute.
Alexis John ’22 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Tommy L. Broadwater MS ’65, PhD ’68; Denver, NC; Robert1-31-22C.Durbeck PhD ’65; Los Gatos, CA; 4-21-22
Richard “Dick” Bidwell ’61; Corbin, KY; 4-16-22 James B. Breckinridge ’61; Pasadena, CA; 6-12-22
Harry L. Rubenkoenig ’61; Farmersville, OH; 1-30-22
Carl C. Koch ’63; Cleveland, OH; 10-18-20
Larry J. Forney ’66; Atlanta, GA; 5-3-22
David R. Seidman PhD ’63; Wheaton, MD; date HerbertunknownWeinstein PhD ’63; Silver Springs, MD; Douglas4-28-22M. Cameron ’64; Mansfield, OH; 1-17-22
Gerald R. Cappo ’71; Midland, MI; 6-13-22 David M. Bayer ’73; Chapel Hill, NC; 7-2-19
John T. Trinter ’61; Vermillion, OH; 2-6-22
Aman Shankardass ’22 Somerville, Massachusetts Aman joined Life Canvas Technologies in June as a Junior Research Associate. He earned his bachelor’s degree in engineeringbiomedicalfromthe Case School of Engineering, where he was a research assistant in the lab of Professor Zheng-Rong Lu.
Mark R. Phelps ’80; Roanoke, VA; 5-7-22 Michael A. Linne ’81; Annadale, NJ; 3-25-22 Keith T. Sullivan ’86; Cranberry Twp, PA; 7-19-22 Yolanda L. McClease MS ’94; New Haven, CT; Jonathan3-24-22G. Rudick PhD ’00; Smithtown, NY; 1-1-22
Francis J. Shaker MS ’67, PhD ’73; Warren, OH; George6-30-22W. Groninger ’68; Charlotte, NC; 1-15-22
Nicholas A. Lulos ’59; Fort Wayne, IN; 3-22-22 Richard J. Quigg PhD ’59; Oro Valley, AZ; 4-19-22 James A. Ramsey ’59; Hood River, OR; 12-30-21 David F. Curtis ’60; Stow, OH; 4-3-22 David E. Kisner, MD ’60; Champaign, IL; 8-22-20 Stanton G. Robboy ’60, MS ’67; Cherry Hill, PA; William9-2-19C. Thompson ’60, MS ’62, PhD ’68; Cambridge, OH; 12-29-21
Jane E. Hawkins ’73; Seattle, WA; 1-7-22
D'Juan Taylor ’22 Rocky Mount, North Carolina D’ Juan has accepted a position with Pfizer as a Global Sterile Injectables Rotational Engineer. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engi neering at the Case School of Engineering.
Frederick A. Schmidt, Jr. ’61; Kent, OH; 6-10-22
Craig H. Wright ’68; Edmond, OK; 8-10-13
Joel G. Bernstein ’62; Steubenville, OH; 12-26-21
Dr. Terrence J. Fagan ’61; Williamsburg, VA; 6-18-22
Walter E. Cowan, Jr. MS ’62; Columbus, OH; John11-10-21S.Serafini, PhD ’62; Westlake, OH; 4-12-22 Jere F. Simonson ’62; Lagrange, OH; 3-16-22
Class Notes are generated by personal submissions as well as by news releases, public announcements, and LinkedIn postings. If you have news to share, please send your professional and personal updates to caselum@casalum.org.
Fall 2022 35 in MeMoriaM
James A. Dudick ’74; Collierville, TN; 12-1-21
Thomas C. Royer ’67; Dover, NH; 9-23-20
Cornelius A. De Kluyver ’73, PhD ’75; Claremont, CA; Walley3-7-22G.Francis ’73; Syracuse, NY; 3-27-22
Richard D. Matty ’65; Marshallville, OH; 1-13-22
Lieng-Huang Lee MS ’54, PhD ’55; Burlington, MA; 4-29-20 William A. Hehs ’55; Bloomfield Hills, MI; 12-2-21 James Baldwin ’56; Broadview Hts., OH; 8-28-21 James J. Feldkircher ’56; Mayfield Hts., OH; 1-18-22 William J. Schirmer ’56; Ashland, OH; 6-21-22 Eugene A. Stecca ’56; Hockessin, DE; 6-1-22 Donald C. Theis ’57; Loveland, OH; 2-26-22 George J. Martin ’58; Oceanside, CA; 4-5-22 Robert C. Garver ’59; Massillon, OH; 3-24-22
Charles F. Pervo ’66; Avon, OH; 4-26-22 Gary J. Goetz ’67; St. Petersburg, FL; 11-18-18
Albert Gordon ’41; Beachwood, OH; 3-20-22 Richard H. Stokes ’42; Missoula, MT; 2-21-20 Bernard I. Florey, Jr. ’48; Raleigh, NC; 4-29-22 Eugene R. Gasser ’48; Rockville, MD; 1-2-22 Henry W. Gilbert ’48; Aurora, CO; 1-12-22 Richard G. Schuerger ’49, MS ’53; Westlake, OH; Clifford3-10-22C. Brainard ’50; Sun City, FL; 11-21-20 Lloyd H. Groth ’50; Syracuse, NY; 4-21-22 Richard W. Newell ’50; Indialantic, FL; 6-27-22 Richard S. Varga ’50; Cleveland, OH; 2-25-22 Eugene J. Bucur ’51; Stamford, CT; 2-24-07 Bernard H. Coleman ’51; Long Beach, CA; 1-22 Raymond A. Day ’51; Broadview Hts., OH; 4-22 Robert L. Moss ’51; Wadsworth, OH; 12-22-21 Robert W. Olmsted ’51; Mt. Pleasant, SC; 3-2-22 James J. Reyman ’51; Wellington, OH; 6-14-22 Richard H. Swiers 51; Louisville, KY; 7-12-22 Robert E. Vidal ’51; Cincinnati, OH; 4-21-22 James A. Antil ’52; Tipp City, OH; 2020 Robert J. Denington ’52, MS ’56; Columbia Station, OH; 4-27-22 Alan H. Gepfert ’52, MS ’53; New London, NH; Alan1-18-22J.Punkar ’52; Venice, FL; 7-1-21 William J. Cobb ’53; Stow, OH; 1-6-20 Carl E. Kirchner ’53; Charlotte, NC; 9-10-13 Wendell V. Peterson ’53; Willoughby, OH; 1-19-22
Antony E. Champ PhD ’63; Crozet, VA; 6-30-22
Case Round 2
An entrepreneur’s journey
Once at the top of my high school class, I now found myself surrounded by elite students from across the country. I mean dered and held on through sophomore year before I finally broke and took a leave of absence.
My college experience was far from normal — and I was far from being a star student — but every experience has led me to a career that I would not have been able to design or dream of when I started my journey.
By my last semester, EcoSpinners was on the brink of folding, and I had no idea what I was going to do next. I had acquired a lot of skills and experience in the 10 years since I first stepped on campus, but I felt lost without the company that I had built with my sweat and tears. I spent the next five years in different consulting jobs in corporate America, until I finally landed my dream job at the beginning of this year – as Director of Entrepreneur Programs at BRITE Energy Innovators. We are an energy tech incubator providing startups the support, guidance, and connections they need to start and scale their business in Ohio. This role brings together everything I learned from my degree as a chemical engineer, my journey founding my startup, and even my consulting experience.
The second time around at Case was no easier. I would never be the ideal student, but this time I was on a mission to get to the finish line. As I continued to struggle through my course load, I pursued my dream of building EcoSpinners. Organizations like the Great Lakes Energy Institute and Blackstone LaunchPad (now CWRU LaunchNet) helped me develop my idea from con cept to prototype to a company that could actually raise money. Along the way, there were many long days in both the basement lab of the chemical engineering department and the basement workshop of think[box] – when it was still located in the Sears Building.
Once at the top of my high school class, I now found myself surrounded by elite students from across the country.
casealumni.org36
Jing Lyon, known as Jean Zhao while a student, earned her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Case School of Engineering. Reach her via jing@brite.org
It took two attempts to earn that Case degree, but Jing Lyon’s resilience led to her dream job.
Feeling like a total failure as a college dropout, I bounced around part-time jobs with no clear direction for a year, until I landed a position with a local battery startup – Stratum Energy Systems. Little did I know on that fateful day, when I first walked onto the factory floor, I had found my calling. I started on the ground floor, absorbing every new skill like a sponge, from welding to electrochemistry. I excelled at understanding the technology and developing new products and processes. After three years, I launched EcoSpinners –a novel electric bicycle that leveraged the battery and fuel cell technologies that I had helped develop. The battery was a lithium-ion polymer chemistry which gave the bike the power needed to accelerate while the fuel cell used a novel liquid fuel to provide wasmytoIfoundingShortlyrange.aftermycompany,decideditwastimegobackandcompletedegree.Thistime,IsurethatIwantedto become an electrochemist and would spend my career in battery and fuel cell research and development.
I started my journey at Case certain that I was going into healthcare, even if I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant. I took classes across different departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, trying to find my “calling.” I had always excelled in school, and I expected nothing less at college. It only took a couple semesters to realize I was in for a rude awakening. Not only was my calling not appearing, I was struggling just to keep up.
By Jing (Zhao) Lyon ’16
Jing Lyon and her EcoSpinner made the cover of Case Alumnus in 2013
For every student and recent graduate out there who isn’t sure if they can make it over the next hurdle, or what their next step should be, know that you will get through your current challenge. And if you learn and grow from your experience, you might just find your dream job when you least expect it.
Use Your Will to Give
2. Make an appointment with your estate planning attorney to create your will. If you already have a will, your attorney can draft a codicil to add your gift to the existing document.
3. Notify the Case Alumni Foundation of your intention. It would be our honor to thank you and recognize you as a member of the 1885 Legacy Society. Plus, your generosity may even inspire others to follow in your footsteps. (Wishes of anonymity will be honored, of course.)
Your will is one of the most important documents you will ever create. It formalizes your wishes as to how your assets and possessions will be divided after your lifetime. A will ensures your loved ones are financially protected should something happen to you and provides peace of mind for you and your family.
GivinG Corner
4. If you are willing, share the page of your will that details your intent with the Case Alumni Foundation. This allows us to know if you’d like your gift to support student scholarships, faculty, laboratories or any other areas that are important to you. If you aren’t comfortable sharing your will, consider simply sharing the general information regarding your plan with us.
Create Your Legacy When you include the Case Alumni Foundation in your will, you create a legacy of giving and ensure we can continue our work to support students, faculty and staff well into the future. Contact Stephen J. Zinram at 216.368.8841 or stephen.zinram@casealum.org to get started.
Use Your Will to Make a Lasting Impact
To make a gift in your will:
1. Contact the Case Alumni Foundation to request sample language, or find information on our website at casealumni.org/foundation/gift-planning/.
A will can also be the first step in creating the philanthropic legacy you want to leave.
In addition to caring for loved ones, you can also use your will to extend your support of the organizations you care about most, like the Case Alumni Foundation. A gift in your will is simple to make — all it takes is one sentence. You can also update your wishes as life changes to ensure your will meets your needs. Plus, planning to leave a gift in your will doesn’t require you to part with assets today, but it allows you to make a big impact on our work in the future.
Disclosure Statement: The information in this article is not intended as legal or tax advice. For such advice, please consult an attorney or tax advisor. Figures cited in any examples are for illustrative purposes only. References to tax rates include federal taxes only and are subject to change. State law may further impact your individual results.
CASE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Tomlinson Hall, Room 109 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44106-1712 CLEVELAND,ORGANIZATIONNON-PROFITU.S.POSTAGEPAIDOHIOPERMITNO.2120