Editor’s column

We customarily tape an interview with our alumni award winners and create a short film to introduce them at Homecoming. They get to talk about themselves, with prompting, and we all get to know them better.

Often, these interviews offer a window on the remarkable breadth and impact of Case talent.

Marla PérezDavis, PhD ’91, winner of a Meritorious Service Award, invited us out to the NASA Glenn Research Center, which she has led since 2019. We filmed her in a cavernous room they call the Simulated Lunar Operations 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 crowning touch.

Pérez-Davis 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 Editor Robert.Smith@casealum.org

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.

The Case Alumnus is a publication of the Case Alumni Association, Inc., a 501(c)3 public charity under the IRS code.

CASE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION, INC. Tomlinson Hall, Room 109 10900 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, OH 44106-1712 216-231-4567 casealum@casealum.org casealumni.org

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

STAFF Stephen Zinram, Executive Director Thomas Conlon, Chief Financial Officer Emily Speer, Director of Gift Planning and Foundation Initiatives Robert L. Smith, Director of Communications Kelly Hendricks, Director of Alumni Engagement Ryan Strine, 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 Photography Roadell Hickman Photography Flaticon.com, Icons

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.

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.

5 19

20

1 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

28 24

VISIT WWW.CASEALUMNI.ORG FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND EVENTS!

@casealum @CaseAlumniAssoc Case Alumni Association

@caselumniassoc CaseAlumniAssoc

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.