Homecoming Message

Hello, and thanks to all of you who have welcomed me as your new director of alumni relations. There are so many of you whom I have not yet had an opportunity to meet. I’m hoping that will change soon—maybe at Homecoming? When was the last time you visited campus? Have you dined in Uptown, toured think[box], or walked the new Greenway to the Maltz Performing Arts Center? Homecoming 2018 is an easy way to experience campus and reconnect with former classmates and faculty.

Homecoming this year also offers an opportunity to meet our new dean, Venkataramanan “Ragu” Balakrishnan. He’ll be at the 133rd All-Classes Celebration Friday, October 12, at Sears think[box]. You can meet the dean, tour the innovation center and interact with students as they share their cutting-edge projects.

There’s a lot to see and do at Homecoming, but I hope you make it to these highlights, all sponsored by the Case Alumni Association:

• FRIDAY, OCTOBER 12

o 10 a.m., Coffee and Chat with Dean Balakrishnan in the Tomlinson Hall lobby o 3 to 5 p.m., Mixer at The Jolly Scholar for CIT and CSE alums o 5 to 8 p.m., 133rd Annual All-Classes Celebration at Sears think[box]

• SATURDAY, OCTOBER 13

o 9:30 a.m., Brunch and Parade Watch with CAS and CSE deans at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens’ Woodland Hall

o Noon to 1:30 p.m., 1968 50th Reunion and

CIT Grand Classes Lunch in the Tomlinson Hall lobby

Registration is open and details can be found on our website at www.casealum.org.

If you have questions leading up to Homecoming, please don’t hesitate to contact me at 216-368-0635 or Kelly.hendricks@casealum.org.

I hope to personally connect with you soon,

Kelly Hendricks Director of Alumni Relations

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 casealum.org

OFFICERS Marvin Schwartz ’68, PhD ’73, President Ronald Cass ’84, 1st Vice President Sunniva Collins, MS ‘91, PhD ‘95, 2nd Vice President Joe Fakult ’90, Secretary Nick Barendt ’95, MS ’98, Treasurer Brian Casselberry ‘95, Assistant Treasurer

STAFF Stephen Zinram, Executive Director Thomas Conlon, Chief Financial Officer Emily Speer, Director of Gift Planning and Grants Compliance Robert Smith, Director of Communications Kelly Hendricks, Director of Alumni Relations Ryan Strine, Director of Annual Fund Janna Greer, Manager of Donor Relations and Grants Pamela Burtonshaw, Database Administrator Melissa Slager, Executive Assistant

CASE ALUMNUS Robert L. Smith, Editor Steve Toth, Toth Creative Group, Layout and Design The Watkins Printing Co., Printing

PHOTO CREDITS Wetzler’s Photography Hilary Bovay 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.

8 Case Champions

Nine outstanding alumni, including a Silver Bowl winner, will be honored at Homecoming 2018.

Cover Story

12 The New Case. You might not recognize the place

Billions in investments have added sparkling additions to campus and University Circle in recent years. Why now is the time to see it.

Features

18 Q&A with Cleveland’s data-driven entrepreneur

Explorys cofounder Doug Meil ’98 is taking questions.

20 All That Jazz

Between lectures and labs, Case students create the soundtrack of their college years.

22 Welcome Dean Ragu

A nationwide search nets the leader of a top-ranked engineering program at Purdue. SUMMER 2018 • vol. 31 • no. 1

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DEPARTMENTS

1 Dean’s Message 2 Homecoming Message 4 Letters, posts and emails 6 Around the Quad— news from campus 23 Class Notes 30 In Memoriam 32 Long We’ll Remember Keeper of the keepsakes

On the cover:

The $65 million Uptown development transformed a once-desolate stretch of Euclid Avenue at the east edge of campus. (Photo by Hilary Bovay)

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