Harvey Mudd College Magazine, summer 2018 by Harvey Mudd College

SUMMER 2018

CHOREOGRAPHY IN THE SKY Madeleine Ongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career is looking up | 22

DANCE AND THE DIASPORA

WINE AND SPIRIT

FINALLY, FULL MUDDERS

SPACE STUDY

Artistic Foundation Sprague Gallery

The Caryll Mudd and Norman F. Sprague Jr. Gallery occupies a prominent location on the lower level of the Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning. It’s actually one of two spaces—the other being the Parsons building hallways—hosted by the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts where displayed artwork emphasizes the breadth of ideas being explored at Harvey Mudd College. Rotating exhibits in Sprague Gallery’s welcoming indoor/outdoor space have featured alumni, faculty and student artists. During Alumni Weekend in April, the gallery housed the Spring Semester Exhibition, a collection of images from Art 33, a photography course taught by Ken Fandell, the Michael G. and C. Jane Wilson Professor of Arts and the Humanities.

“Art 33 is an art class that uses photography (as opposed to a photography class),” Fandell says. The emphasis is on using photographic tools to frame conceptual and formal issues. The class is equal parts reading of history and theory and making art.” The exhibition comprised work from two assignments: “Sequence/Series/Structure” and “Big.” Students worked on both assignments at the same time and were asked to think of them in conjunction. “Sequence/Series/Structure” tasked students with creating a series of photographs to be presented in book/magazine format, paying special attention to the sequence of the images and how they function as a whole.

For “Big,” Fandell gave this direction: “Think big. I am not talking only about size here (although that is one thing I am talking about), but think in big ideas, too. Like the-meaning-of-life big. What you’re going to eat for lunch is also sometimes a big deal.” Students chose an image from their “Sequence/Series/ Structures” project that they felt represented big thinking and created a large-scale print. “I like how hard all the scientists work on their projects,” Fandell says of his student artists. “They are very dedicated. The hardest part is getting them to let go of preconceived notions of their work and just let the process take them where it may.”

1 Along with the large-format photographs on the walls, each student also displayed a hardcover book of their work, accompanied by descriptions, prose, poetry and other musings. 2 This image by Sophie Burns SCR ’18 called Broccoli on the Dance Floor (featuring Brother Nature) is accompanied by a dialogue about, well, broccoli on the dance floor. It was a big hit. 3 Portraits by Grant Murray ’18 tells the story of a group of friends who accidentally stepped on an anthill, then immediately felt bad about it. They made reparations by offering the ants a sliced pear. Then they imagined the ants’ personal stories and used photographs to tell them.

4 Investigating whether or not posters of inspirational slogans, popular décor in doctors’ offices and elementary school classrooms actually inspire people, Kimberly Joly ’18 created The Inspiration Book. “I explore my own reactions to inspirational signs to understand what truly inspires me,” she writes. 5 The Significance of the Instrument by Marina Knittel ’18 included photos of 10 musicians and their instruments in separate rooms. The musicians featured were asked to try to convey which instrument they played without mimicking playing it. The book includes a solution key.

6 For The Seeker, an extreme closeup image of a chocolate chip cookie, John Lee ’19 describes using a magnifying glass to symbolize both the process of searching and learning as well as the confusion and distortion that can come from looking at things too closely. “Eventually, nothing makes sense anymore, and the world slowly decays into chaos,” he writes. 7 Moira Dillon ’18 included photos made with a flatbed scanner in her work, Lemons: part one. “I was surprised by the projects that really pushed materiality and the recording of the subject,” says Fandell. “Specifically Moira’s book; images of some flowers that were manipulated on a scanner with the artist’s ghostly face in the background.”

FROM THE PRESIDENT

Here’s What We Did This Summer I BELIEVE THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE

summers for the College since I arrived 12 years ago. Since May, when we celebrated the College’s 60th Commencement with 172 graduates and the highest-ever percentages of women physics and computer science majors, we’ve been working on a series of campus improvement projects. Among them, roofs were replaced on Parsons and Kingston halls, improvements were made to several dorms, work began on Phase 2 of the Jacobs/ Keck renovation project and Platt Boulevard received a refresh and some added parking spaces through a joint project between Harvey Mudd and Scripps College. Through all of the detours, yellow tape, dust and noise, over 150 students engaged in summer research projects in close collaboration with HMC faculty. Among the hands-on, cutting-edge multidisciplinary research projects: studying quantum entanglement in optics and advanced physics lab, determining the effects of skin stretching on drug skin absorption and studying the role that proteins play in the stress responses of 14 strains of bacteria. This work and more will be displayed at the annual Summer Research Poster Session on Sept. 27 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. We’re absolutely thrilled that we have received gifts and pledges in excess of the $17.2 million goal that was necessary to allow the Board of Trustees to greenlight the final design and construction of HMC’s newest academic building, which is set to house the Computer Science Department as well as a full-scale, multidisciplinary makerspace (see page 5 for more on AB1). We’re also excited that AB1 now has an official name: the McGregor Computer Science Center. This recognition is a result of a generous gift from Trustee Laurie J. Girand and her husband, Scott A. McGregor. I could not be more grateful to Laurie and Scott, as well as the alumni, parents, foundations and many members of our board, whose generosity allowed us to meet and exceed this goal in just over three months! While $17.2 million is the minimum amount we needed to raise, our plans are to continue to raise funds so we can free up additional debt resources for future facility projects that will quickly follow the new building’s completion. We hope to receive formal approval from the board in September to begin this project. Committee members tasked with reviewing the Core Curriculum continued their work over the summer (more on page 9) with a series of collaborative workshops to assist faculty members preparing proposals for consideration in the fall. Associate Professor of Computer Science Ben Wiedermann, who assumed the role of Core Curriculum Director in July, will facilitate

this process along with a multi-constituency Core Review Committee. During the academic year, the campus will vet proposals with the goal of piloting any elements of a revised curriculum in 2019–2020. This work is possible because all community members—faculty, students, alumni, trustees and staff—are cooperating on this Core assessment. You can learn more about the ongoing process at hmc.edu/core-review. Speaking of community, we are thrilled to welcome new colleagues. In August, our new vice president for student affairs and dean of students arrived. Anna Gonzalez joins HMC from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, where she served as dean of students and chief student affairs officer (see page 9). We’ve also added five new faculty members to three academic departments. Read more about these talented scholars on page 11. A strong faculty is a hallmark of our College. Not only are they well-regarded in their respective fields, our students have high praise for them, as evidenced in the The Princeton Review’s 2019 edition of The Best 384 Colleges, a survey of students from top U.S. colleges. Harvey Mudd ranked high in several categories, including “Most Accessible Professors” and “Professors Get High Marks.” An HMC student respondent remarked that HMC professors are “truly dedicated to undergraduate teaching.” We’re proud of this tradition and its results: leaders who have a clear understanding of the impact their work has on society. Our new and returning faculty and staff will soon greet the Class of 2022, another exceptional group of students that includes a budding mathemagician, a founder of a nonprofit computer learning center, a motivational speaker, a student who trains with professional opera singers, a bagpiper and so many more talented individuals. We’re excited to nurture and educate this group of 235 multi-faceted Mudders. This whirlwind, amazing summer was made possible in part by our dedicated supporters, many of whom helped us to meet and exceed our $150 million campaign goal last December—a year ahead of our campaign closing in December 2018. As of June 30, the Campaign stands at $165,766,927 in gifts and pledges. While our efforts remain focused on securing gifts toward campaign priorities, like the new academic building, we are thrilled with all that we have been able to accomplish together to benefit Harvey Mudd College.

Maria Klawe President, Harvey Mudd College

SUMMER 2018 | VOLUME 16, NO. 3 The Harvey Mudd College Magazine is produced three times per year by the Office of Communications and Marketing. Director of Communications, Senior Editor Stephanie L. Graham Art Director Janice Gilson Senior Graphic Designer Robert Vidaure Assistant Director Sarah Barnes Contributing Writers Amy DerBedrosian, Daniel F. Le Ray, Abigail Meisel, Elaine Regus Proofreaders Sarah Barnes, Kelly Lauer Contributing Photographers Chuck Barry, Webb Chappell, Adam Decker, Shannon Cottrell, Elisa Ferrari, Keenan Gilson, Jeanine Hill, Cheryl Ogden, Deborah Tracey Vice President for Advancement Dan Macaluso Chief Communications Officer Timothy L. Hussey, APR

MAGAZINE.HMC.EDU The Harvey Mudd College Magazine (SSN 0276-0797) is published by Harvey Mudd College, Office of Communications and Marketing, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711. Nonprofit Organization Postage Paid at Claremont, CA 91711 Postmaster: Send address changes to Harvey Mudd College, Advancement Services, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711. Copyright © 2018—Harvey Mudd College. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in the Harvey Mudd College Magazine are those of the individual authors and subjects and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College administration, faculty or students. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the express written consent of the editor. The Harvey Mudd College Magazine staff welcomes your input: communications@hmc.edu or Harvey Mudd College Magazine Harvey Mudd College, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711 Follow Us!

CONTENTS

Features

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Choreography in the Sky

Madeleine Ong’s career is looking up. Written by Amy DerBedrosian

Wine and Spirit

Volunteers like Chris Strieter ’10 help restore Sonoma County communities deeply affected by wildfires. Written by Abigail Meisel

Departments 01

SPACE STUDY

Charlie Matlack ’04 20

CLINIC PROGRAM

COLLEGE NEWS

MUDDERINGS

FACULTY NEWS

CLASS NOTES

I appreciated the update on the magazine survey and the Core curriculum, and found the article "Life After ITR" to be very informative. Some thoughts and requests: First, some quantitative thoughts and pedantic feedback: My greatest cause for concern came from the elevated relative ITR rates of minorities and especially those underrepresented in STEM (these stats could have benefited from two significant figures!). What does HMC plan to do to address this? The article also stopped short of making an informative quantitative comparison of HMC’s retention rate with peer institutions. Though I didn’t approach ITR status, I received a few low-grade notices, and thought the request (requirement?) to meet with the class instructor was powerful in pushing me to ask for help when I may not have been willing to. What’s even harder to ask for is mental health help. I would love to hear more about mental health resources being offered by HMC with Dean Chresfield on board, and respectfully suggest a policy of putting students in academic jeopardy through some standard counseling. On the topic of reporting on campus controversies, student issues and opinions, why isn’t there an op-ed column in the magazine with editorial authority in the hands of ASHMC?

ALUMNI PROFILE: BARB MCNAUGHTON ’72 AND JOANNE SHORE ’72

STUDENT NEWS

I just wanted to congratulate you and your team on an absolutely excellent issue of the HMC Magazine. It took me a week to read the whole thing, but I loved it cover to cover. It makes me want to figure out how to move back to L.A. (despite hating L.A. :p) and be a bigger part of the community. Insanely well done! Dan Halperin ’06

P.S. I am still a huge fan of the large format! ;) 18

STUDENT RESEARCH

REUNION CLASS PHOTOS

HEARD ONLINE

Twitter, June 20, 2018 Gregory P Donaldson @gp_donaldson Looks like science fiction. M. Donaldson-Matasci @MatinaDonaldson Unfortunately the ant does not get teleported by the laser beam.

CO N VER S ATI O N S O N S O CI AL M ED I A

Naim Matasci @nmatasci Does she get super powers at least? M. Donaldson-Matasci @MatinaDonaldson How about the super power of magically opening tiny doors?

Learn more about biology Professor Donaldson-Matasci’s research on page 12.

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Harvey Mudd physics graduates

Herstory in the Making THE CLASS OF 2018 MADE A MEMORABLE IMPRESSION

at the 60th Commencement ceremony May 13. Harvey Mudd College graduated its highest-ever percentage of women physics and computer science majors: 58 percent of physics majors and 56 percent of computer science majors were women. The College conferred bachelor of science degrees upon a total of 172 students at the spring ceremonyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;89 men and 83 women. According to the results of the Office of Career Services senior survey, 67 percent of the Class of 2018 are headed into the workforce. Almost a quarter of the class will attend graduate school. To view the commencement addresses, including that of astrophysicist Nergis Mavalvala, go to youtu.be/KLyXNFpmhfg. Computer science graduates Danny Gorelik (CS/math), Doren Lan, Amberlee Baugus, Pratyush Kapur, Lee Norgaard, Kevin Bengtsson and David Chu.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

New Academic Building Planned for 2021 The past two years, Harvey Mudd and its board of trustees completed the initial planning phase for a three-story, 36,000-square-foot academic building (initially referred to as AB1) to be located on the southwest corner of campus. With the critical first phase of funding secured, the College is moving toward making the new academic building a reality. The top two floors of this new building will be home to the rapidly growing Computer Science Department. The space will be designed with room to accommodate up to 25 faculty members and will include Clinic and project studios, teaching and research laboratories, and collaboration spaces. The two floors dedicated for computing will create a more contiguous CS space, bringing together currently fragmented elements, such as student project space, Clinic work areas and computer labs. The first floor will house HMC’s multidisciplinary Makerspace, accessible by all faculty and students from HMC and across The Claremont Colleges. Users can gather, create, invent, tinker, explore and discover a variety of tools and materials. The engineering machine shops will be

Growing Interest in CS

repositioned in Libra Complex to be adjacent to and linked with this highly functional space, establishing the main level of the building as an integrative, collaborative hub of activity. In April, HMC received a $5 million challenge gift from a family foundation, which provided momentum to initiate a focused fundraising effort to secure the remainder of the $17.2 million goal. Due to the incredible generosity of many members of the board—including the gift from Laurie J. Girand and Scott A. McGregor to create the McGregor Computer Science Center—and other foundations, alumni and parents, HMC surpassed that goal in just over three months. The College will now move ahead with schematic design, permitting and construction, with plans to break ground in summer 2019 and complete construction in early 2021. There are still many opportunities to invest in this exciting project so that additional debt resources can be freed up for facility projects that will quickly follow the new building’s completion. Naming opportunities are available, and more information about other ways to participate will be provided soon. To learn more, visit hmc.edu/building.

At Harvey Mudd, the Computer Science Department has been building capacity over the last several years through a number of improvements, including growing the faculty from nine in 2007 to 18 planned by the beginning of 2019, augmenting staff support and expanding support for “grutors.” Many students from the other four contiguous Claremont Colleges campuses—majors and non-majors alike—are taking CS courses on the HMC campus. On top of the roughly 230 first-year HMC students, the number of off-campus students taking an introductory CS course at HMC each year has grown from 17 to 336 over the past 10 years. HMC students majoring in CS at HMC as well as demand for upper-level CS courses from non-majors also continues to grow. In fact, the off-campus demand is so great that Claremont McKenna College has funded two additional CS faculty positions at HMC to help meet the increasing

demand and to further invest in HMC’s work to meet the growing need for training in computing competencies and analytical thinking for non-CS majors. Possible future policy changes could potentially tighten access to elective courses to ensure all CS majors could access ample electives to graduate on time. The College is exploring longer-term responses for this issue, including increased teaching resources, development of additional CS resources at the 5Cs and temporary revisions to Core staffing requirements for CS faculty. This summer, the academic deans from each of the seven Claremont Colleges held a CS Summit to explore ways to further collaborate to better balance demand. Lisa Sullivan, dean of the faculty, has prepared a list of frequently asked questions: hmc.edu/parents/parent-faqs/ cs-department-faq/

Sustainability STARS Improving building operations. Reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Teaching sustainability and promoting it in leadership and innovation. These are some of the metrics that feed into the comprehensive Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) used by more than 450 colleges and universities worldwide to establish benchmarks and measure their progress toward becoming sustainable institutions of higher education. Recently, Harvey Mudd College received its first rating—a bronze certification. Led by the Hixon Center for Sustainable Environmental Design, the work encompassed

compiling data on more than 68 indicators and relied on input from virtually all functional units of the campus. Louis Spanias, sustainability program manager, guided the work. The bronze rating reflects past sustainability efforts made by the College as well as an opportunity for the College to commit to reaching important sustainability milestones, including zero waste and integrating sustainability into strategic planning and administration. “The STARS bronze rating is a real accomplishment achieved through the dedicated efforts of students, faculty, staff and trustees who make sustainability a

top priority every day,” says President Maria Klawe. “As a signatory of the Presidents’ Climate Leadership Commitment, Harvey Mudd is committed to increasing our sustainability as a campus as well as developing solutions for a sustainable future.” The Hixon Center will celebrate the STARS rating at the fall Biennial Conference for Sustainable Design and Solutions.

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Aeronautical Library Special Collection Up Close Over the past two years, Bates alumni Bruce Worster ’64, Walt Foley ’69 and John Norin ’90/91 have worked to raise funds so that professional librarian Michael Palmer could work alongside Instructor of Aeronautics Emerita Iris Critchell to preserve the College’s collection of aero history, which includes historic books, photographs and other items. Last year, they raised $67,000 to move Palmer from part time to full time, and this past December, Bates alumni

and friends responded generously to a $50,000 matching gift challenge by Eileen SCR ’67 and Jude Laspa ’65, and Bruce and Susan Worster to raise $144,383 to continue supporting Palmer’s work. This treasured Bates Library Collection is well on its way to being properly preserved and will remain readily accessible to students, faculty, aviation historians and enthusiasts well into the future. Here are a few gems from the collection.

Bates Legacy

Does Compute

One of more than 5,000 photos in the collection, this image shows Isabel Bates by her plane at St. Etienne Airport, France. She established the Bates Foundation for Aeronautics and Flight Training program at HMC in 1962. The Bates Program provided flight instruction to hundreds of HMC students for 28 years.

This computer was conceived, designed and produced by Richard Hartman ’67 to perform flight computations, such as true airspeed and fuel consumption, among other information, and to be “rapidly available in the practical situations where the owner’s manual is virtually useless.”

Love in Space This flight helmet was worn by physics/Bates Aeronautics alumnus and NASA astronaut Stanley G. Love ’87, best known for being a mission specialist on Space Shuttle flight STS-122 (2008).

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

History of Flight

A page from Danish author C.J.L. Krarup-Hansen’s The Flight of Birds, Bats and Insects (1869)—the oldest book in the Bates collection—shows his human-powered flight machine.

Grit and Glutz The Herman Glutz Trophy, named for a fictitious WWI pilot “who had much understanding and a soft spot in his heart for the student pilot who made mistakes,” was awarded to selected Bates graduates for “exploits and humorous happenings” they experienced during their learning stages.

Workload and Wellbeing Just how much time are Harvey Mudd College students spending on coursework outside the classroom? And what impact are those cumulative hours having on their wellbeing? In response to concerns over work-life balance at HMC, the Teaching and Learning Committee (TLC) designed and conducted the Workload and Health at Mudd (WHAM) study to gain a more accurate estimate of out-of-class workload, satisfaction and wellness. Results will inform policies and practices around student wellbeing and will provide valuable information for the faculty-led review of the Core Curriculum. “The data will be incredibly informative as the faculty continue to work on possible revisions to the Core,” says Lisa Sullivan, vice president and dean of the faculty. Some 301 Mudders or 36 percent of the student population participated in the semester-long study in Fall 2017. Laura Palucki Blake, assistant vice president for institutional research and effectiveness, helped conceive and design the study along with computer science Professor Jim Boerkoel, chair of the TLC, and HMC alumni Emi Reed ’17 and Kharisma Calderon ’18. Participation was evenly distributed across class levels, with a strong response (two-to-one) from women. At the same time each week, participants received a brief survey via email asking how much time they spent outside of class on each of their courses, a few questions to gauge whether they had adequate time and resources to perform the required work and whether they felt they had time for things like sleep, recreation, reflection and career planning. Finally, an open-ended question offered respondents the opportunity to comment on the week’s workload. Preliminary results of the WHAM study provide some key findings about Mudders’ study habits. Excluding October break and Thanksgiving break,

Entering Class of 2022

The College exceeded its fall target of 225 first-year students and will welcome 234 students to campus.

respondents spent an average of 27.2 hours a week on classwork outside of the classroom, which is well within the standard Carnegie Unit recommendation of two hours per unit or 24–36 hours a week. However, assuming a full course load—which represents between five to seven courses, depending on class year—respondents are spending more time on their studies (45.5 hours per week) than they might at a full-time job. Add the cognitive effort of engaging with multiple different courses and faculty plus co- and extra-curricular obligations and the potential for feelings of anxiety and overwhelm increases. “Students have in-class time and out-of-class time, and together you’re looking at some very busy students before they’ve even started to undertake anything that isn’t academically related,” Palucki Blake said. Both Palucki Blake and Boerkoel were thrilled with the large number of students who volunteered for the study (36 percent of the student body). Boerkoel attributed the heightened interest to events on campus in spring 2017 that raised concerns about work-life balance issues at the College. “The fact that the conversation had already started definitely helped,” Boerkoel said. “Our campus community cares about solving questions scientifically. We like data, so I think that was also compelling. WHAM will provide extra context, extra data, so we can make more informed decisions.” Palucki Blake said she believes students are intrinsically motivated to make Harvey Mudd a better place. “My hope is we have better and deeper conversation about how to move from surviving to thriving.”

Further findings show ... • First-years spent slightly fewer hours per week (24.0 versus 27.8 for sophomores; 29.0 for juniors and 28.0 for seniors) on coursework outside the classroom, which may be due to many factors, including the amount of time they are spending in required labs, or the pass/no credit nature of the first semester. • Female students spent slightly more hours a week than males (27.5 versus 26.4 respectively) on coursework outside of class. • Students who are not traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields on average spent more hours outside of class (27.5) than students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields (25.9). The campus community will be able to explore the results by other relevant dimensions, including the Core Curriculum and by department using a data visualization tool provided by the TLC. Responses to qualitative questions relating to overall health and wellbeing will be grouped into three categories: physical wellbeing, mental wellbeing and social wellbeing to protect students’ privacy.

he TLC, working with the Faculty Executive Committee, has created a webpage to share information and all findings from the T WHAM study: hmc.edu/wham.

26 STATES BY P ERM ANENT RESID ENCE

14 COUNTRIES BY P ERM ANENT RESID ENCE

48% 52% MEN

WO MEN

For a profile of the first-year class, see hmc.edu/admission/discover.

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Stellar Staff Gamiz is Woman of the Year Director of Community Engagement Gabriela Gamiz was one of those honored by U.S. Congressional Representative Judy Chu (CA–27) during the annual Women of the Year Awards to honor local women in the San Gabriel Valley who have contributed to the community through service, organizing or leadership. Gamiz and the other recipients—including volunteers, community activists, school board members and civil-rights activists—were nominated by constituents of their respective cities for their contributions to the district. Gamiz (representing Claremont) received seven nomination letters, more than any nominee had received in the event’s nine-year history. A first-generation college student, Gamiz finds fulfillment in working to improve the experience of people in similar situations through programs like

the Upward Bound Math and Science Center. “As a daughter of immigrant parents, whose first language was not English, I saw each family’s life story as my life story,” she says. “It meant a lot to me to share my story and encourage other students who faced similar situations to continue their educational journey despite adversities.” Since joining the staff at Harvey Mudd in 1995, Gamiz has held a variety of positions, including directing the Upward Bound program and serving as administrator for Homework Hotline. Gamiz says she is guided by a personal mission, “to listen to and work with community members to nurture and grow native leaders who then take ownership and leadership of programs, services and initiatives that bring resources to our community.”

Gabriela Gamiz

Leadership Awards

Pleased as Punch

Harvey Mudd recognized outstanding examples of leadership at its sixth annual Leadership Awards ceremony, which celebrates students, faculty and staff for their contributions on campus and beyond. Outstanding Staff Member awards went to Joyce Greene, administrative assistant, Department of Computer Science, and Patricia Wang, student accounts manager, Office of Student Accounts. Both were recognized for their positive contributions to the campus as well as for their leadership and willingness to make a difference in the lives of students.

Berenice Cortez, catering lead in the Hoch-Shanahan Dining Commons, received the 2018 Binder Prize, which honors a member of the College’s support staff who combines a record of exceptional service with a helpful and friendly attitude toward College community members. Recognized for her dedicated, patient and adept service, Cortez has helped provide catering services for many events during her 18 years at the College. She is also the creator of the much-loved citrus punch you’ll find at most campus gatherings. She agreed to share the recipe, scaled down to serve smaller gatherings (about 12 servings). Berenice’s Citrus Punch • 48 oz guava, orange and passion fruit juice blend (We used Hawaii's Own frozen concentrate) • 32 ounces (1 can) pineapple juice • 3 cups Sprite • 3 cups club soda • 1/2 cup lemon juice ombine all ingredients. C Stir. Enjoy.

Chris Sundberg congratulates Patrica Wang and Joyce Greene

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Gonzalez to Lead Student Affairs Anna Gonzalez became the College’s vice president for student affairs and dean of students on Aug. 1. She comes to the College from Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon, where she served as dean of students and chief student affairs officer. Stay tuned for more about Gonzalez in the fall/winter magazine.

TRUSTEE UPDATE

Changes to the board effective July 1. New to the board Vicky Colf ’95, chief technology officer, Warner Brothers Entertainment Sergio Monsalve, venture partner, Norwest Venture Partners Rajesh “Nat” Natarajan P21, executive vice president for product and technology, Ancestry Jessica Parisi, president and CEO, BTS USA Ed Zimmerman, partner and chair, Tech Group, Lowenstein Sandler LLP

Returning to the board John Benediktsson ’01 Michael Blasgen ’63

Advisory Trustees Deborah Byron P07 Michael Wilson ’63

Core Proposals Work continues on the College’s Core Curriculum. After last year’s review, the Faculty Executive Committee has approved a process for submission of Core proposals in keeping with the goals for the Core that were identified by the faculty last December. These Stage 1 proposals were submitted over the summer, and some will be selected to proceed to Stage 2, where longer and more detailed elements, such as resource requirements, grading processes and the impact on majors, will be added. Physics professor Tom Donnelly led the work over the last year as chair of the Core Review Planning Team and as Core Curriculum Director. This summer, Ben Wiedermann, associate professor of computer science, assumed leadership of the committee as the new Core Curriculum Director. He led workshops in May and June, where faculty members discussed the Core review process as well as curriculum design and ideas and received feedback on proposals.

Young Alumni Trustees Sheldon Logan ’06 Autumn Preskill ’09

AABOG Representative Glen Hastings ’93

Departing the board Mike Angiulo ’93 Elaine Hart ’06 John Norin ’90/91

For the latest information about the Core review, see hmc.edu/core-review.

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Fulbright en Español IN HIS LAB AT HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE, CHEMISTRY

professor David Vosburg seeks to make medicinally useful molecules in new ways, especially biomimetic ways, using chemistry that imitates how such molecules are believed to be formed naturally in plants. This fall, Vosburg will continue his research with a new layer of complexity: He’ll do it in Spanish. The beneficiary of a Fulbright Scholar grant, Vosburg will spend the 2018-2019 academic year in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Guanajuato, Mexico. He will join the lab of Professor Rocío Gámez-Montaño, an expert in green, multicomponent reactions, and the two will work to develop environmentally friendly methods of producing new molecules for medicinal, agrochemical, optical and educational applications. Vosburg, his wife and their three children arrived in Guanajuato in July and wasted no time getting to know their new neighborhood. “We’ve

walked around the city a lot, exploring various neighborhoods and some of the extensive tunnel network below the city. Soon we’ll visit one of the famous silver mines,” Vosburg says. Over the last year, the Vosburgs tried to incorporate Spanish into their daily lives as much as possible. Now in Mexico, the family is taking Spanish classes through the summer in preparation for full immersion when they start work and school in the fall. Vosburg made a point to study scientific Spanish as well, on top of the usual verb conjugations and conversational phrases. “I found a Spanish translation of an American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute magazine, which has helped me work on my scientific Spanish,” he says. “I knew that a successful Fulbright application would also involve a Skype interview in Spanish, but I did not realize until just before it happened that it would be with five

Mexican chemists and would include very technical questions. That interview was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, but somehow I did well enough to be selected for a Fulbright.” Vosburg anticipates developing friendships and partnerships between Harvey Mudd and the University of Guanajuato, as well. “I am certain that my sabbatical in Mexico will lead to personal renewal and professional flourishing,” he says, “and that it will greatly benefit both Harvey Mudd College—which has a growing Latino student population—and the University of Guanajuato beyond the duration of my own stay. My work on green, multicomponent reactions in the GámezMontaño group will contribute to our global society as we develop new applications for bis-heterocycles and green chemistry in medicine, agrochemicals, optics and chemical education.”

Chemistry professor David Vosburg and his children take a break from exploring their neighborhood in Guanajuato, Mexico. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its colonial architecture and its annual International Cervantino Arts Festival.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

If you weren’t pursuing your current career, what would you be doing?

New Faculty, Fall 2018

Harvey Mudd College added five faculty members to its academic team.

“ B eing a physics professor has been my

dream since I was in grade 10. So if I was no longer in my current career, I would probably have a brief existential crisis before going on to run city bike tours. I love exploring new places by bike, and sharing that experience with people from around the world would be amazing.

”

Mark Ilton, assistant professor of physics Research area: the dynamics of energy release in elastomers and impulsive biological systems

“ I f I was not a computer science

professor, I would probably be writing science fiction or possibly working as a T-shirt graphic designer.

”

Lucas Bang, assistant professor of computer science Research area: software verification and formal methods for security

“

I’d be coaching Division 1 college basketball.

”

Alfred Flores, assistant professor of Asian American studies, Intercollegiate Department of Asian American

“

I would likely be a builder of some sort: either an architect, contractor, engineer or carpenter. I love making and creating things. The reason I build things in software is that bits are easier to work with than bolts.

”

George Montañez, assistant professor of computer science Research areas: computer science, algorithmic search and mathematics

Studies Research area: race, settler colonialism and U.S. militarization on the island of Guahan (Guam)

“ I would have probably spent

several years playing softball before transitioning into a career in coaching or sports journalism.

”

Alyssa Newman, Hixon-Riggs Early Career Fellow Research area: the intersections between race and reproductive technologies

Promotion and Tenure Based on recommendations from the Academic Affairs Committee (formerly the Educational Planning Committee), the board of trustees unanimously approved Sharon Gerbode, assistant professor of physics, for continuous tenure and promotion to associate professor.

Nancy Lape, associate professor of engineering and director of the Patton and Clare Lewis Fellowship in Engineering Professional Practice, was promoted to the rank of full professor. She also received the 2018 Outstanding Faculty Member award.

The AAC also approved reappointments for Albert Dato, engineering; Matina DonaldsonMatasci, biology; Jae Hur, biology; Julie Medero, computer science; and Beth Trushkowsky, computer science.

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FAC U LT Y NE WS

NSF Grants CS/Math

A shortage of highly effective mathematics and computer science teachers in secondary schools is a major factor contributing to unequal access to quality mathematics and computer science education in high-need school districts. Computer science professors Colleen Lewis (McGregor-Girand Associate Professor) and Zach Dodds (Leonhard-Johnson-Rae Professor), mathematics professor Darryl Yong ’96 and Karen Gallagher (USC) believe they have an answer to this issue, in the form of meaningful support and training for secondary school math and CS teachers. The team’s project “Math for America Los Angeles: Elevating Mathematics and Computer Science Instruction through Teacher Leadership,” recently received National Science Foundation (NSF) funding and seeks to accomplish three goals: Improve access to high-quality mathematics and computer science instruction in secondary schools in the greater Los Angeles area; cultivate teacher leaders through intensive professional development; and conduct research on the relationship between teachers’ participation in communities of practice and their development of teacher leadership.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Biology Fans of the HMC Bee Lab Blog (hmcbee.blogspot.com), produced by biology professor Matina Donaldson-Matasci and her students, will have an exciting project to read about over the next several years. Donaldson-Matasci and collaborators in England and at George Washington University have received NSF funding for their project “Dynamic Ant Networks.” The central objective of the project is to develop a general theory for how environmental constraints and opportunities shape dynamic transport networks. This theory will emphasize how network structure and function dynamically influence one another and how ecological context shapes this process. Potentially, the research will illuminate the rules by which ant colonies operate to dynamically change their networks in response to disturbance, generating better and more generally applicable advice on control and elimination of these

indomitable pests. By focusing on the role of environmental constraints on network structure, the theory may also yield insight into the environmental conditions likely to produce invasive supercolonial ants. The model will also generate broad predictions about efficient and robust network design of relevance to other dynamic transport systems, particularly human transportation networks. How to Keep Track of Your Ants One aspect of the turtle ant networks research is keeping track of individual ants. Researchers in the Donaldson-Matasci Lab use tiny radio frequency identification (RFID) tags attached to each ant’s thorax. How do they do that? Computer science major Celine Park ’20 illustrates the process.

Step 1. Anesthesia Ant is anesthetized with nitrogen gas.

Mandible Antenna Eye

Step 2. Stabilization Ant is gently sandwiched in foam disk with its thorax showing.

Thorax

Step 3. Epoxy A tiny drop of epoxy is applied to the ant’s thorax with a wire-tipped tool.

Abdomen

Step 4. RFID Tag RFID tag is affixed to the ant’s thorax.

Step 5. Scan The tag is scanned with a laser, activating a circuit on the tag that broadcasts a unique number.

Step 6. Show Off!

Not Your Garden-variety Leader

Jon Jacobsen

The Henry T. Mudd Prize is awarded each year at Commencement to a member of the Harvey Mudd community whose service to the College and its mission is deemed exemplary. Henry T. Mudd (1913– 1990), the son of Harvey S. Mudd and a founding trustee, was instrumental in the creation and early development of the College named for his father. President Maria Klawe presented the 2018 Henry T. Mudd Prize to Jon Jacobsen, professor of mathematics and former vice president for student affairs and dean of students, at the College’s 60th Commencement ceremony May 13. Awardees receive $6,000, half of which is designated for use within the College at the discretion of the recipient. Jacobsen chose student affairs to receive a portion of the prize. Jacobsen served as associate dean for academic affairs from 2010 to 2015, then became vice president for student affairs and dean of students, a position he held until 2018. He was lauded for strengthening and growing the Division of Student Affairs and providing improved services for students, especially in areas of

Testing Bell’s Inequalities

Visible Figures Mathematics professor Talithia Williams remembers few math role models. “Growing up in Columbus, Georgia, I didn’t know any women who looked like me did math. It wasn’t until I got to Spelman College that I first met an African American woman with a PhD in math. And even though I spent three summers researching at NASA, I had no idea about the women of Hidden Figures until the movie came out,” says Williams, associate dean for research and experiential learning and associate professor of mathematics. Her research area is statistical models that emphasize the spatial and temporal structure of data. Through her new book Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics, Williams hopes everyone can become better informed about influential women in her field. Eminent mathematicians, including Hidden Figures subjects Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan, astronomer-philosopher Hypatia, theoretical physicist Emmy Noether and rocket scientist Annie Easley come to life within the pages. Not only is Williams shedding light on women

diversity and inclusion, community engagement, health and wellness, and leadership. In his academic role, Jacobsen researches nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations and their applications, including wave movement; water flow in streams and its effect on ecosystems; and creating flat surfaces efficiently. He is also active in K–12 math education outreach programs and co-founded the Pathways Program, which facilitates visits from professional mathematicians to elementary, junior high and high school classrooms. In accepting his award, a visibly surprised Jacobsen approached the podium amid enthusiastic applause. He thanked his colleagues and congratulated the Class of 2018, adding, “At times like this, I am reminded of a Lord Buckley quote: ’People are the true flowers of life.’ And it has been the most precious pleasure to have temporarily strolled through your garden.”

Talithia Williams

of mathematics’ past, she is a role model for future generations as host of the PBS series NOVA Wonders, which premiered in April. Renowned for her popular TED Talk, “Own Your Body’s Data,” she has delivered speeches nationally and internationally on the value of statistics in quantifying personal health information. It’s all part of her strategy to get students, parents, educators and community members more excited about the possibilities inherent in a STEM education.

“Astronomical random numbers for quantum foundations experiments,” published by Physical Review A, describes the unique design requirements of an “astronomical random number generator” and its applications to two tests of quantum foundations. Calvin Leung ’17, Amy Brown ’17 and their co-authors, including physics professor Jason Gallicchio, characterize the instrument and validate its performance, confirming that it can be used to test Bell’s inequalities. Built in 2016 by Leung and Brown, the instrument is a box which contains photon detectors, a camera lens and mirrors and is able to turn photons from distant astronomical sources into an unpredictable binary sequence that can be used to improve several tests of the foundations of quantum mechanics. Leung and Gallicchio have used the instrument in several experiments, including taking it to the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory observatory on Table Mountain near Wrightwood, California, where they observed light from far-off sources, including stars and quasars.

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Dance and the Diaspora

During his year as a Watson Fellow, Lam Huynh ’18 will seek commonalities among Vietnamese dance communities around the world. Written by Sarah Barnes

on his iPhone: “In this country, no one will describe you as American when they first see you. The first thing they will notice is your yellow skin; and your Asian face. You don’t have white skin, you don’t look like them. They won’t treat you as one of their own. In some ways they are right. You are not fully American; you are, at heart, Vietnamese. You look, live and speak Vietnamese. Vietnamese blood runs through your veins, and Vietnamese culture is embedded in how you walk this world. … Your roots are the foundation of who you are.” For Huynh, human experience, formed as it is by nature and nurture, geography and history, also includes membership in the Việt Kiề u: the vast diaspora of Vietnamese people living outside of Vietnam. “I was raised not feeling as conflicted about my identity as other people,” Huynh says. “My mom raised me wanting me to take in everything that’s great about American culture and also Vietnamese culture. Her stories got me thinking a lot about the Vietnamese refugee experience.” Huynh’s parents met in Southern California. His father, Loc, came to the United States from Vietnam before the end of the war in 1975. Huynh’s mother, Huyenco Pham, arrived in 1992, one of 800,000 refugees who fled Vietnam by boat to settle abroad. “A lot of her family and friends escaped by boat in the first or second wave, but she couldn’t escape right away,” Huynh says. The eldest of seven children, Huyenco Pham had to care for her siblings. Their father had been taken as a prisoner of war. “She went through over a decade of starvation and nearly died many times. She sees herself as a refugee. They came because they had to escape and ended up here. That played into how she raised me. She reminded me not to forget my roots.” If Huynh wondered, as a child, how his experience as an American fit with his Vietnamese

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

MAXWELL MALENO ’20

LAM HUYNH ’18 KEEPS A QUOTE FROM HIS MOTHER

roots, he likely wouldn’t have had a way to express that verbally. But in his freshman year in high school, he discovered an interest that, even without words, would become a way to understand himself and others like him: He found street dancing. “I was watching this TV show called America’s Best Dance Crew,” he says. “It was all hip-hop and street dancers. I noticed that half of one group’s members were Vietnamese. I felt like I had role models.” Huynh and his friends became obsessed with street dance, studying YouTube videos and practicing whenever they could. “I started breaking,” Huynh says, “but I didn’t stay as a breaker because when I was practicing I made too much noise in my house. My parents would freak out.” So, he began to learn other styles of dance, like popping, tutting and waving. “I was like, wow this is also cool, and it’s quiet!” Huynh continued dancing through high school, but it wasn’t until college that he found a real community of dancers. The summer after junior year, Huynh did summer research at Northwestern University. Living alone for the first time, away from family and his

community at Harvey Mudd, he looked online to find dance communities in the area. “I went alone, and there were just people dancing,” he says. “They welcomed me. It was kind of scary at first, but I decided to just jump in and dance.” When he returned to Harvey Mudd, Huynh joined more dance communities in the area. He also joined the Asian Pacific Islander Sponsor Program at Mudd (APISPAM). That’s when thoughts he’d been unable to formulate about the connection between dance and the experience of Việt Kiề u became clearer. “The Vietnamese/dance connection was in the back of my mind, but I didn’t have the vocabulary to dissect it and think about it. Why are there so many Vietnamese in these dance groups? Being in APISPAM allowed me to have access to other spaces where I could be in communities that talk about race with extensive vocabulary,” he says. “Asian-American identity, perceptions of mental health in Asian-American communities, loss of language, intergenerational trauma. It clicked for me that this vocabulary can be used to think about why Vietnamese people dance. We had extensive conversations about what it’s like to be the children

of refugees. Where do we stand now, given our parents’ experiences? Where are we as part of this diasporic community? All these conversations are happening, but no one is talking about dance.” Interested in exploring the topic further, Huynh applied for and was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship. Huynh will spend a year studying the Vietnamese diaspora—which spans the world—in France, Germany, Netherlands, Japan, South Korea, Australia and Vietnam. His project, “Vietnamese Diaspora: Counterspace Through Dance,” will explore how intergenerational trauma led the second generation of overseas Vietnamese toward dance, specifically hip-hop, street and urban dance. “For me, I really think this is about intergenerational trauma,” he says. “I’ve talked to people about this. There’s a common theme of dance being healing. It gives people a community of

support that’s not available at home.” Though he hasn’t worked out all the details of his year abroad (Huynh isn’t exactly sure where he’ll stay in each country), he’s confident he’ll find his community of dancers wherever he is. “The dance community is really close-knit. I have a dance friends in the Netherlands; I have friends from Boston who are now in South Korea, waiting for me. I have an aunt in France whom I’ve never met, but potentially, I could stay with her.” One thing he’s sure of is that he’ll spend the longest time in Vietnam, perhaps three months. “There are huge dance communities in Vietnam. I feel like I’ve been looking from the lens of the diaspora. I want to see what the difference is, if there’s a commonality with the diasporic community. I want to see if I can find myself in communities around the world.” Lam and his parents, Huyenco Pham and Loc

ICEX Diary For the third and final year of a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, Harvey Mudd rising juniors Makoto Nara, Russell Bingham, Samantha Ting and Nandeeka Nayak traveled to Malta with engineering professor Christopher Clark and literature professor Ambereen Dadabhoy. This work, a collaboration with research teams led by Professor Zoe Wood from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and Professor Timmy Gambin from University of Malta, aims to develop new technology for finding undiscovered shipwrecks, mapping them and visualizing them with 3-D reconstructions.

More Maori June 21, 2018, by Samantha Ting ’20 Today the team revisited the HMS Maori once again. As always, our goal was to try and get more footage and better footage of the wreck. What made today different were some new approaches to mission planning. First, we re-ran prior missions created using Sam’s and Russell’s planning software, but using a new rough bathymetry map which allowed us to plan for the AUV to reach greater depths. This allowed us to get a closer look at the Maori and capture previously unseen angles. Afterwards we tried Mitchell Keller’s

Russell Bingham ’21 and Prof. Zoe Wood deploy an autonomous underwater vehicle.

new prototype planner, which attempts to best enable photogrammetry by working out AUV paths by approximating the shape of regions of interest. Additionally, we tried mounting one camera right facing in the hopes of capturing better data of the sides of the ship, which have previously been difficult to make out due to poor visibility and the higher depth AUV paths. Sam’s and Russell’s plans worked excellently, and the added depth allowed us to see portions of the ship in wonderful detail. Likewise, Mitchell’s alternative planner also performed very well, and it resulted in

several clips that show the Maori from previously un-captured perspectives. It’s too early to tell exactly how this will change the final reconstruction, but the results are very encouraging. Unfortunately, it seems that none of today’s missions went deep enough for the right facing camera to get good footage, however I think with a little tweaking we can capture some great data and fill in a lot of blanks on the reconstruction.

More on the ICEX 2018 Malta blog, icex2018-malta.blogspot.com

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Future Doctor and Cancer Researcher Theo Hansel ’19, a chemistry major, won an American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Undergraduate Scholar Award and will use the award to support his research and to attend AACR Annual Meetings, prominent among cancer researchers. He’s one of 10 college students chosen from the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico to win the award, which aims to inspire science students to enter the field of cancer research. Hansel’s interest in the field is personal: He was diagnosed with cancer at age 3. “I had stage four neuroblastoma, which is termed high-risk neuroblastoma,” he says. “At that time, the five-year survival rate was 30 to 40 percent. It’s been almost 17 years for me with no evidence of disease now, and the long-term survival rate is about 40 to 50 percent. So, we really haven’t made as much of an improvement in the two decades since I was sick as we might hope. My personal goal after Mudd is to do an M.D./PhD and then become a pediatric oncologist and a physician/ scientist, then use my experiences as a cancer survivor to help children who are still fighting cancer.” Hansel has been focused on this goal since high

school when he began working in the research lab of Dr. Yael Mossé, one of his doctors. “She really inspired my passion for research and love of science and my desire to really train myself as a scientist, in addition to wanting to become a doctor,” he says. At Harvey Mudd, he’s done research on campus with chemistry professor Mary Van Vleet ’12, learning the fundamental physics of intermolecular interactions and the tools of scientific computing and molecular modeling. During summers at the University of California San Francisco, he’s tested different treatments for neuroblastoma with Dr. Clay Gustafson and studied “cancer more generally” with Dr. William A. Weiss. He returned to Gustafson’s lab this past summer on a grant from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Being able to attend AACR conferences that are now supported by his award is icing on the cake for Hansel. At the conference in April, he met up again with Mossé, whom he hadn’t seen in three years, and got a sense of what is happening in the field of cancer research. “The really cutting-edge research is in pediatric oncology, which is what I’m most interested in.”

Theo Hansel ’19

Glee for Gee After singing in choirs for four years and being one of the most enthusiastic singers in the vocal and choral areas, mathematics major Marissa Gee ’18 was named the first recipient of the Paul R. Bishop Memorial Award in Choral and Vocal Music at The Claremont Colleges. The award recognizes an outstanding student participating in the choirs of the Joint Music Program of Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer and Scripps colleges and in voice lessons in the Scripps College Music Department. The award commemorates the legacy of Paul Bishop, who served as the staff performance accompanist for the Scripps College music department and the Joint Music Program from 1975 until his death in June 2017.

Gee, who is now pursuing a PhD at Cornell in applied math, comes from a family of musicians—her grandfather was a music teacher, her mother and grandmother singers—and steadily progressed as a musician throughout her college career. My specialty is voice, especially classical voice. I am a soprano. Some of the pieces I have most enjoyed singing are French and German art songs, and contemporary English art songs. I’ve improved in all kinds of vocal technique relating to choral and solo singing, and I’ve gotten much better at reading music, which especially helped me in choir. I have always enjoyed the pieces that the Joint Music Program choir

and orchestra perform together. The Dona Nobis Pacem cantata, by Ralph Vaughn Williams, has stayed with me since my first year, with its powerful message about the impact of war. There is nothing like performing with an orchestra; it is always exciting and impactful. Musically, I have learned a lot from my vocal instructor, Susannah Zaidel, and the choir director, Charles Kamm. They both helped me improve tremendously. During my first performance at a voice recital, I was extremely nervous, but before the performance Paul Bishop was as calm and collected as ever. After we got off stage though, he laughed a little and gave me a big hug. He said that he had been nervous too, Marissa Gee ’18

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

but that I had done great. His gesture and encouragement meant so much to me at the time, and have helped me deal with nervousness during performances since then. He truly was an irreplaceable presence in the music department and will be greatly missed.

Accolades NSF Graduate Research Fellowships

Goldwater Awards Leah Stevenson ’19, an aspiring chemist, received a Barry Goldwater Scholarship, the most prestigious national award for undergraduate STEM researchers. The award for undergraduate U.S. sophomores and juniors covers college expenses up to $7,500 per year. Her interest lies in the area of alternative fuels, and she’s making the most of related research opportunities. “The conversion of biomass into liquid fuels is of interest as a source of sustainable energy, and it is important to understand the chemical composition of these mixtures and the effects of their composition on properties relevant to their use as fuels,” says Stevenson. She received the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship granting her the opportunity to explore the development of novel alternative fuels with Thomas J. Bruno, group leader of the Experimental Properties of Fluids Group of the Applied Chemicals and Materials Division. She studied the phase properties of biofuels via NIST’s composition-explicit distillation curve, a technique that provides an energy content channel in addition to the volatility of a fuel. This fellowship helped her hone her skills in gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and other analytical techniques. During summer 2017, Stevenson worked with Dr. John Cort at Pacific Northwest

Leah Stevenson ’19

National Laboratory to improve the characterization of complex bio-oil mixtures using heteronuclear NMR spectroscopy. Her research at Harvey Mudd with Gerald Van Hecke ’61 (Strauss Professor of Chemistry) and Kerry Karukstis (Ingwersen Professor of Chemistry) involves studying the self-assembly process of chromonic molecules, a class of soluble aromatic compounds that stack via intermolecular interactions to form column-like aggregates in solution. Stevenson uses static light scattering in conjunction with refractive index measurements and fluorescence spectroscopy to learn more about this stacking process in chromonic systems. Stevenson says her goal is to obtain a PhD in physical chemistry and pursue a career in basic chemical research. Among the 281 nominees named as Goldwater Honorable Mentions was Havi Ellers ’20, who plans to attend graduate school in pure mathematics and go on to become a math professor and researcher at a university.

“ T hat’s where the skills from our classes and Clinic really

Jessica Lupanow ’18 and Kemper Ludlow ’18 were granted National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships. Ludlow, a physics major, will attend Cornell University and conduct research in experimental soft matter physics combined with biophysics. Lupanow, an engineering major, will pursue a PhD in computer science at the University of Southern California. Four classmates—Jane Wu ’18 (computer science, math), Adam Shaw ’18 (physics), Sarah Hale ’18 (physics) and Zachary Evans ’18 (chemistry)—were awarded honorable mentions. Harvey Mudd alumni Allison Lim ’16 (chemistry, Colorado School of Mines), Caitlin Lienkaemper ’17 (math, Pennsylvania State University) and Amzi Jeffs ’16 (math, University of Washington), were granted fellowships.

Computing Research Association Daniel Johnson ’18 was named a runner up and Jordan Haack ’19 received an honorable mention in the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award competition. The prestigious program recognizes undergraduates at North American universities who demonstrate outstanding potential in an area of computing research. Harvey Mudd College is the only non-PhD-granting institution to have more than one student among CRA’s 2018 top selections.

MCM/ICM In the 2018 International Mathematical Contest in Modeling (MCM) and Interdisciplinary Contest in Modeling (ICM) three Harvey Mudd College teams competed. In ICM competition, Colin Adams ’19, Rachel Barcklay ’20 and Carla Becker ’18 earned the ICM Honorable Mention, and Nelll White ’19, Marina Knittel ’18 and Mackenzie Kong-Sivert ’19 earned Successful Participant. In the MCM, Xingyao Chen ’20, Nick Koskelo ’20 and Tyler Sam ’20 earned Successful Participant.

help. We were able to analyze the data, make sound decisions, provide strong solutions and then tell a good story with a presentation that helped us win the competition. Winning against so many teams, including MBAs in supply chain analytics, was very rewarding to us.

”

Anjaneya Malpani ’18 remarking about his participation in the regional APICS (American Production and Inventory Control Society) student case competition with classmates Bohan Gao ’19, Ramita Kondepudi ’18 and Peter Leung ’19 (Pitzer). The team, advised by Kash Gokli, professor of manufacturing practice and Engineering Clinic director, heads to Chicago in September to compete in the final round during the APICS annual conference.

SUMMER 2018

STUDENT RESEARCH

Research Says With environmental issues demanding our attention and action (pollution, fragile ecosystems and more), we decided to highlight a few projects that investigate or seek solutions to these concerns. Student researchers worked with faculty or staff advisors during the year on their projects then shared results during the annual Presentation Days, a celebration of student projects.

Phase Phase separation separation (indicated (indicated byby the the multiple multiple grey-tones) grey-tones) shows shows MgSc MgSc does does not not stabilize stabilize the the desired desired single-phase single-phase solution. solution.

Upon Upon adding adding small small amounts amounts ofof yttrium, yttrium, the the desired desired MgSc MgSc phase phase is is stabilized, stabilized, even even atat room room temperature, temperature, asas indicated indicated byby the the monochromatic monochromatic grey. grey.

MG80Sc20

Mg Mg Sc Sc

Yan’s goal is to demonstrate that this diagram commutes.

2. Phase Energetics and Stability in Multi-Rare Earth Mg-Alloys

Advisor: Weiqing Gu, mathematics Student: Cynthia Yan ’18

Advisors: Lori Bassman, engineering; Gregory Pomrehn ’04 and Aurora Pribram-Jones ’09 Student: Adam Shaw ’18

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Mg Mg Sc Sc YY

80 20 20experimentally that fine-tuning the ratio of80 80 earth 15 15 55 Shaw has80shown rare elements in magnesium alloys can promote the stability of certain desired phases, as is the case for the MgSc shown in these scanning electron microscope images.

1. Mathematics of Emergent Gravity Based on Quantum Entanglement

In an effort to deepen her knowledge of the problem of emergent gravity from a mathematical perspective, Yan focused on understanding the mathematics behind a notation that gravity comes from the mathematical connection between gravity and quantum entanglement entropy in Matrix theory.

MG80Sc15Y5

While traditional structural materials like steel are strong and easily manufacturable, they fall short of the low-mass densities required to make a rocket fly. A new class of metals based on magnesium and the rare earth (RE) elements are strong, workable and low-weight, but only exist stably at high temperatures. Using quantum mechanical simulations, Shaw tests the phase behavior of these Mg-RE alloys and finds they can be stabilized at room temperature, given the right choices and ratios of REs. These results theoretically confirmed his existing experimental findings and allowed him to begin experimental development of new alloys in the lab, research he continued during the summer.

3. Experimental Analysis of Heavy Metal Update in Soil and in Citrus Trees from Irrigation Advisors: Hal Van Ryswyk, chemistry, and Tanja Srebotnjak, environmental design Student: Ailin Zhang ’18 Using simulated oilfield-produced water (OPW), Zhang irrigated 23 potted mandarin orange trees over 16 weeks. The water contained three separate concentrations of the OPW metals: Cr, Pb, Ag and Ba. After collecting and analyzing soil and leaf samples and the oranges, she found accumulation of all four species in the soil, leaves and oranges, with a predominance of Barium.

#10

FRF Model Performance on 08-Dec-2017 11:25:57

Measured Concentrations Predicted Concentrations

Median PM Concentration (counts/cm 3 )

2.5

1.5

0.5

Coordinate Bin Number

Data showing measured (blue) versus predicted (orange) values for one 10-minute sampling period along Indian Hill Boulevard in Claremont. Particulate matter concentrations were removed within the yellow region (the algorithm had no knowledge of them). Despite their exclusion, the algorithm was able to accurately predict both the magnitude and spatial trend of the measured data.

4. Host Specificity of Invertebrates Associated with Corals and Sponges in the Greater and Lesser Antilles Transition Zone and Northern Gulf of Mexicoo

5. HMC Greenhouse Project (Shanahan Student-Directed Project)

Advisor: Catherine McFadden, biology, and Andrea Quattrini, biology Student: James Adams ’18

A new greenhouse sits between Case and Atwood residence halls and will provide space for students to garden and de-stress. Beginning this fall, new clubs— Gardening and Botany—along with campus wellness peers will be charged with maintaining it. Guerrero, who will lead the Gardening Club, and Wang hope the greenhouse will foster “mental and spiritual wellness.”

Home for benthic invertebrates (crustaceans, mollusks, etc.) is typically corals and sponges. The degree to which they form obligate symbioses with their three-dimensional habitats is yet to be understood. Video footage analysis of these invertebrates located in the Anegada Passage and the Gulf of Mexico allowed Adams to study their specificity toward certain substrates: In the Anegada passage they leaned toward biotic substrates, and in the Gulf of Mexico the invertebrates showed high levels of specificity toward corals.

Advisor: Michelle Harrison, assistant dean for health and wellness Students: Siena Guerrero ’19 and Julia Wang ’20

6. Improving Pollution Mapping with Autonomous and Semi-Autonomous Vehicles Advisors: Lelia Hawkins, chemistry, and Chris Clark, engineering Student: Jason Casar ’18 Increasing the resolution and scope of pollution maps can help quantify the inequitable distribution of disease burden in the U.S. Autonomous vehicles provide a reliable way to gather the spatiotemporal data necessary to reveal important socioeconomic distinctions but require powerful filtering algorithms to build an accurate map from an incomplete data set. By combining statistics and engineering with atmospheric chemistry, Casar implemented a statistical method for rapid, large-scale spatiotemporal data filtering called fixed-rank filtering. After implementing the code, he tested its ability to predict real-world pollution values at unsampled locations then demonstrated low root mean squared errors between measured and predicted pollution values at high spatiotemporal resolution.

SUMMER 2018

CLINIC PROGRAM

Local, International, Extraterrestrial THE 55TH PROJECTS DAY WAS A SHOWCASE OF RESULTS FROM 48 CLINIC

projects in the disciplines of engineering, computer science, mathematics and physics. A total of 260 students contributed more than 50,000 hours seeking solutions to problems for corporate, national laboratory and agency sponsors. Areas of focus ranged from creating 3-D sound systems to improving photovoltaic panels to producing surface treatments for aircraft engines and more. Here are details about a few of the projects. 2

COMPU T ER SCI E N CE C L I N I C

M ATH EM ATI CS CLI N I C

E N GIN E E R IN G C L IN IC

Better Driving Through AR

Experiencing Sports

Aerospace Wear Coatings

Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America Liaisons: Mark Poguntke, Kavita Saney, Jeff Bertalotto Advisor: Professor Geoff Kuenning Students: Julio Medina ’18, Drew Summy ’18, Aman Raghuvanshi CMC ’18, Meredith Simpson POM ’18

Intel Sports Liaisons: Cody Gabriel, Peter Sankhagowit, Steven Xing Advisor: Weiqing Gu Students: Daniel Johnson ’18, Daniel Gorelik ’18, Ross Mawhorter ’19, Kyle Suver ’18

Meggitt Control Systems Liaisons: Leo Leyanna, Mark Abrams Advisor: Professor Gordon Krauss Students: Kristin Lie ’18, Jacob Knego ’18, Briana Liu ’19, William Teav ’19, Alex Ravnik ’19, Zach Goland ’19, Fernando Fernandez ’18

This project explored the possibility of using augmented reality (AR) while driving a car. The team compared various AR headsets, and built a functioning prototype to address a moving car use-case. The headset comparison involved testing devices in a stationary and moving vehicle and understanding their respective development experiences. The resulting prototype application attempts to help drivers park more safely and precisely and serves as a starting point for the Mercedes-Benz team for an extendable AR headset prototyping framework.

Football and basketball fans are familiar with Intel's TrueView technology, which reconstructs three-dimensional video using multiple video recordings. However, this system doesn't extend to audio. Students were tasked with devising an approach to reconstruct game audio at any location based on microphone recordings to combine with the current volumetric video system. After exploring existing algorithms for sound source separation and localization, the team developed a prototype system called auVVio that extends these techniques to interactively reconstruct game sounds in 3-D.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Meggitt Control Systems produces a variety of products for extreme environments. The Clinic team was tasked with researching, testing and characterizing low-cost, environmentally friendly surface treatments to reduce wear on a butterfly bleed-air valve. These valves are used in aircraft engines and must withstand high temperatures while experiencing as little wear as possible over 50,000 cycles.

GLO B A L C L IN IC

Green Infrastructure Solutions for Urban Flooding in Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya Kounkuey Design Initiative Liaisons: Chelina Odbert, Joe Mulligan, Vera Bukachi Advisor: Professor Ziyad Duron ’81 Students: Isabel King ’18, Camille Croll ’18, Manu Kondapi ’18, Andrea Vasquez ’18, Eric Contee II ’19, Eliana Goehring ’19

ENGINEER I NG C LINI C

EN G I N EER I N G/P H YS I CS CLI N I C

Let There Be Light Shows

Local Hot Spot

WET Liaisons: Scott Winslow, Helen Park, Markos Okihisa Advisor: Professor Matthew Spencer Students: Elijah Carbonaro ’18, Kimberly Joly ’18, Hamza Khan ’18, Trevor Fung ’19, Gabriel Quiroz ’19, Shiv Seetharaman ’18, Lydia Sylla ’19, Felipe Borja ’19

Claremont Locally Grown Power Liaisons: Kent Kernahan, Devon Hartman Advisors: Professors Qimin Yang, Tom Donnelly, Peter Saeta and Dick Haskell Students: Jonathan Kupfer ’18, Florence Walsh ’18, Quentin Barth ’18, Dallon Asnes POM ’18, William Lamb POM ’18,

The WET Clinic team built a fleet of small aquatic robots to perform light shows. The shows are choreographed via a computer vision system that can precisely localize the pods and a multilink Bluetooth low-energy system to communicate with the pods. The fleet of pods uses multi-robot trajectory planning algorithms to move in a choreographed sequence.

Kibera is a large, informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, where annual flash flooding causes significant health, economic and structural problems. Current drainage infrastructure consists of informal channels that are not designed to handle the volume of water that falls during large rain events. The objective of this project was to work with the community to develop practical design improvements for the existing drainage channels that can be implemented in Kibera, to improve quality of life for residents. In March 2018, the students and engineering professor Matthew Spencer visited Kibera. The team hosted a community workshop and consulted with Kounkuey Design Initiative employees to develop successful experiments with implications for the design of future channels. The experiments would be carried out later, once the team returned home. “The community workshop that the team ran was one of the high points of my Clinic experiences,” says Spencer. “It was a really good opportunity to learn about community-centered design by participating in it. The Kounkuey Design Initiative team was awesome, and their investment of time really helped the students navigate the site visits.”

The Clinic team sought to help Claremont Locally Grown Power achieve its goal of outfitting lowerto middle-income households with cheaper, safer and more efficient solar panels. Students performed lab research, physics-based mathematical modeling and prototype comparison field studies intended to provide third-party verification and testing of the underlying idealPV technology in panels.

SUMMER 2018

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

CHOREOGRAPHY IN THE SKY Madeleine Ong’s career is looking up Written by Amy DerBedrosian Photography by Seth Affoumado

THE INTEL® SHOOTING STAR™ DRONE IS A BIT HEAVIER THAN A

volleyball, its plastic frame flexible enough to feel flimsy to the untrained handler. Yet when a remote pilot at a single computer sends hundreds or more of these drones into flight, their LED lights capable of generating more than 4 billion color values fill the night sky with spectacular digital fireworks. Madeleine Ong ’11, a licensed drone pilot and member of Intel’s drone light show team since its formation in 2016, has done this many times over. Even after working on more than 100 show flights, first as a project manager and more recently as the execution lead for Intel’s drone light show services, the Harvey Mudd College engineering graduate remains as enthralled by their kaleidoscopic pageantry as a first-time viewer.

SUMMER 2018

Putting on a show: Ong has been

instrumental to drone light show performances that include the Super Bowl, Wonder Woman home entertainment release, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, and the Opening and Medal Ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games held in PyeongChang, Korea. The show at the Winter Olympic Games broke a world record, with 1,218 drones in a performance made more challenging by the frigid temperatures and harsh winds. Ong’s team nonetheless executed successfully, delighting viewers around the globe. Getting the details right: Intel built the hardware and software for the drone light shows from scratch, enabling Ong and other pilots to observe drones in 3-D and monitor and diagnose their performance. But her work begins long before the show and calls for close coordination with in-house teams—legal, finance, marketing, engineering and others—as well as external customers and public agencies.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

She also attends to the small details—a power plug location, the drone storage area temperature—essential to a seamless show. Creating joy worldwide: Ong focuses on technology and logistics but also on how viewers respond to a drone light show. She explains, “I watch people’s faces as they react to it for the first time. A show is mesmerizing. We’re bringing a completely new experience to people around the world. It’s like seeing fireworks for the first time, but with a new dimension of aerial entertainment we can control and customize. Our animator tells our customer’s story with light, and the drones perform their choreography in the sky with the pilot as the show’s conductor.” Choosing Intel: The company wasn’t on

Ong’s radar until her senior year of college, when Professor of Engineering Design David Money Harris encouraged her to attend a lunchtime visit by Intel’s vice president of human resources. That

INTEL CORPORATION

ultimately led Ong to Intel’s Rotation Engineering Program after graduation, enabling her to explore three different areas before settling into systems engineering and then platform architecture. She says of Money Harris, whom she assisted with integrated circuit design research while a student, “He’s the reason I get to work here now!” Applying what she learned: The breadth of Harvey

Mudd’s engineering program as well as involvement in dorm leadership, blues dancing, Mudders Making a Difference and the then-new Autonomous Vehicles course for first-year students influenced what Ong does today. She explains, “As a Mudder, you gain technical knowledge—that’s how I was able to go into platform architecture—but you also dabble and grow. I learned I like coordinating different pieces, working with people, and solving complex problems. Because of my education, I was able to do my first rotation in the laptop battery division and adapt to different roles as I rotated around Intel. Now I’m applying that work to drones.” Diving into drones: After a couple years as a platform architect, Ong knew she wanted to expand her operations and execution skills and jumped at the opportunity to be part of Intel’s drone team. Her knowledge of drones was limited, but being a project manager would involve interacting with teams across a multitude of departments within Intel, draw on skills she gained organizing professional networking events for Girl Geek Dinner’s Bay Area chapter and accelerate her exposure to operations. She also recalled the example of Sarah Harris, the former Mudd professor who taught a chip design course for students with no prior background required. Ong says, “She was a strong technical female who made me realize there were no limitations.” Exceeding expectations: Working on drone light shows has been even better than Ong anticipated. She says, “My role is not characterized as engineering, but it’s not strictly operations nor marketing either. It’s a mix of creative, technical, and management. I thrive when I can look at different aspects. It’s rare as a technical person to have so much visibility and exciting to be part of the changing face of Intel.” Relying on team spirit: Ong describes the drone light show operation as a “small startup with the resources and brand of a large company behind it.”

Intel Corporation flies 2,018 Intel Shooting Star drones over its Folsom, California, facility, in July 2018. The drone light show set a Guinness World Records title for the most unmanned aerial vehicles airborne simultaneously.

Her team has grown over time, the challenges along with it. Ong explains, “No one has done what we’re doing before; Intel is the first to scale drone light shows. But we’re a really tight team with amazing camaraderie. Everyone is extremely passionate and completely invested. We do this because it’s an intensely satisfying experience.” Staying grounded: After traveling the globe for

shows throughout 2017, Ong finds herself at Intel’s headquarters more often now that she has become the lead for light show services, contributing to strategy and overseeing project managers. Her job remains far from 9-to-5 or stress-free; however, it definitely makes Ong appreciate the support her husband and former Mudd classmate Michael Leece ’11 provides. Ong says, “He reminds me why I do this and is extremely encouraging. As a sounding board, he’s indispensable to my not just surviving, but thriving.”

Striving for bigger and better: Intel’s 50th anniversary

celebration that occurred this past July allowed Intel’s drone team to reclaim the world record for the most drones in a single show: they launched 2,018 drones in celebration. But that was just a short-term goal. Ong explains, “We always want to push the envelope, to do something new. Now it’s a matter of how we perform light shows at more places and for more people and introduce our innovative ideas to make the shows even more mind-blowing. There are a lot of directions we can grow.” Looking ahead: As for where work on the drone light show team might lead her career next, Ong says, “I’ve never been able to predict my next job description; instead, I focus on the skills I want to grow. I just started doing management, and that’s a whole new adventure.”

SUMMER 2018

Volunteers like Chris Strieter â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 help restore Sonoma County communities deeply affected by wildfires. Written by Abigail Meisel Photography by Adam Decker

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

SUMMER 2018

NE MONDAY MORNING LAST

October, Chris Strieter ’10 woke up in his San Francisco apartment and checked his smartphone, the start of a typical workweek. Instead of the usual messages from his business partners, friends and family, though, he saw a barrage of urgent texts asking him if he was safe. “There were a ton of messages saying ‘Are you OK?’ and I was confused at first because I had no idea what had happened. That’s how I found out about the fires,” says Strieter, referring to the wildfires that ravaged California’s Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Lake and Mendocino counties last fall, some of which took 20 or more days to contain. The evening before, Strieter—a Sonoma County native—had spoken to his sister, who is married to a firefighter and reported that blazes were starting, as they generally do every fall. But nothing prepared him for the charred ruins he saw as he poured over messages and Facebook posts from his friends across the area. “Some of them had only a few minutes to evacuate, and they barely escaped with the clothes on their back,” he says. “I knew that a lot of people would need help urgently.” Born and raised in Sonoma County and a founder of a premium Sonoma Coast winery, Senses Wines, Strieter felt compelled to help. He immediately tapped into his extensive personal and professional contacts, mostly in the wine and food industries, to organize emergency assistance. An entrepreneur with a gift for management—he serves as vice president of business development at Senses Wines—Strieter created online resources to share updates and bring together evacuees and resources such as temporary places to stay. “Everyone, locally and globally, was asking me how they could help,” Strieter says. His relief efforts quickly snowballed. The digital resources sparked a YouCaring crowdsourcing campaign that by the end of the week had raised $50,000. Building on that success, Strieter launched Senses Wines’ Rebuild Wine Country, a charitable effort comprising of North Bay wine and food industry professionals, that works in partnership with Habitat for Humanity. Together, these groups help individuals directly impacted by the wildfires repair and rebuild their homes in Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Lake and Mendocino counties.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

“ Everyone, locally and globally, was asking how they could help.” – C HRIS STRIETER ’10 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, REBUILD WINE COUNTRY

SUMMER 2018

Strieter, who is the executive director of Rebuild Wine Country, says that to date it has more than $1 million from individual donations, corporate partnerships and fundraising events, including a 5K race last March that drew approximately 1,000 participants from across the region. Their goal is to raise $5 million. “There was a lot of shock,” he recalls of that fateful Monday when he first learned about the extent of the damage. “We didn’t know where the fire was going or who was in its path. It was clear that pretty soon that we would need a long-term effort, and we used social media to get the story out there and raise funds.” Every dollar collected by Rebuild Wine Country goes to local Habitat for Humanity affiliates. Working with Habitat, the board of directors at Rebuild Wine Country allocates funds to the organization, which distributes the money to teams in the five affected counties. The most pressing need, of course, is housing. More than 210,000 acres and nearly 9,000 structures burned, including 5,000 homes, displacing tens of thousands of people. “There is an estimated $3.3 million in damages for the insured losses—and the uninsured losses are probably higher,” says Tim Leach, chair of the Rebuild Committee for Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County, with whom Strieter works closely. “It was an expensive place to live and a tight housing market before the wildfires. Now many families have nowhere to return, and they cannot afford to.” “This fund is about the bigger picture in the weeks, months and years to come, protecting economic recovery for those without a roof over their head,” Strieter says. According to Leach, the losses are compounded by uninsured and underinsured homeowners who “are short as much as $100,000 and cannot rebuild,” he explains. Those who were lucky enough to have adequate home insurance became the priority of insurance companies seeking shelter for their clients. The insurers offered landlords exorbitant amounts for monthly rent, effectively gouging the market. Landlords seeking to earn a quick profit evicted current tenants, most giving only a month’s notice or less, and created a new homeless population across the region. “Most are agricultural and service workers, and there’s a fear they will leave the area. The families

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Fundraising event for Rebuild Wine Country

“ This fund is about the bigger picture in the weeks, months and years to come, protecting economic recovery for those without a roof over their head,” says Strieter. most affected by the fires are the backbone of the workforce,” Leach says. “In fact, we’re going into a labor shortage because we’re losing the very construction workers we need to rebuild.” To address the housing crisis, Habitat is broadening its usual mission of organizing volunteers and partnering with people in their own community to help them build or improve homes. With the financial support of Rebuild Wine Country, Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County launched a pilot project, the Sonoma Wildfire Cottage Initiative, in early June. The cottages, which measure between 500 and 600 square feet, are constructed from state-of-the-art materials, and

intended to house fire survivors for up to two years. The project takes its inspiration from a Habitat initiative created after Hurricane Katrina to move people from FEMA trailers to more sustainable structures. “It’s heartwarming to see the outpouring of support in the wine industry,” Strieter says. “A lot of people think—wrongly—that all the residents of Sonoma, Napa and surrounding counties are wealthy, and the people there can rebuild on their own. Nothing could be further from the truth, and that’s why we’re passionate about helping to restore our community.”

On land donated by Medtronic, Habitat for Humanity of Sonoma County will build up to 10 temporary, state-of-the-art cottages for families who lost their homes directly or indirectly due to the October 2017 wildfires.

SUMMER 2018

Gorgeous Galápagos TRAVELING TO A BUCKET-LIST DESTINATION WITH LIKE-

minded travelers. Check. A group of 27 Harvey Mudd alumni, parents and friends experienced a 10-day (March 28–April 6) journey to the Galápagos Islands, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They saw Ecuador’s Andes Mountains and cruised aboard the first-class small ship Santa Cruz II staffed by certified naturalists and equipped with gear to explore the scenery up-close. “While snorkeling, a seal came within a couple feet of my face,” says Achintaya Bansal ’17. George Innis ’74 and Pam Boyle were among the group that enjoyed an additional six-night exploration of Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley and witnessed the historic procession of El Señor de los Temblores (Lord of the Earthquakes). “The level of Inca craftsmanship in Machu Picchu and elsewhere in Peru was simply astonishing,” says Innis. “The story of the intricate culture behind those creations was equally intriguing. But, as a scientist, nothing quite matches going to the Galápagos and seeing first-hand the puzzle that Darwin had to unravel to come up with the theory of evolution.” Here are some of the many incredible photos from the trip.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

GEORGE INNIS ’74 AND PAM BOYLE

PAT ’66 AND PENNY ’67 BARRETT

METROPOLITAN TOURING

MUDDERINGS

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GEORGE INNIS â&#x20AC;&#x2122;74 AND PAM BOYLE

METROPOLITAN TOURING

MUDDERINGS

The Tigresses’ Air Race Classic Tale

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

AIR RACE CLASSIC

THE 2018 AIR RACE CLASSIC IS IN THE HISTORY

books as one of the most difficult races due to weather. A huge low-pressure area parked itself in the Midwest, blocking the racers from flying legs three through eight under visual flight rules (VFR) conditions. Physics alumnae Barbara Filkins ’75 and Nancy Smith ’76 (aka The Flying Tigresses) used a combination of skills and experience to navigate the course and complete the race. The longtime friends and graduates of the College’s former Bates Aeronautics Program were sponsored by the HMC Alumni Association. Smith, a retired environmental engineer, sea plane enthusiast and flight instructor is on the faculty of Lake Superior College’s Center for Advanced Aviation in Duluth, Minnesota. Filkins was a Bates instructor for 10 years and is a certified flight instructor with multi-engine commercial and instructor ratings and a “strong taste for aerobatics.” But there were no stunts this voyage. The weather was tricky enough. “We ended up with a three-leg race (legs 1, 2 and 9), with only 75 percent of the teams completing the race,” says Filkins. The duo took turns supervising each other, with Filkins doing most of the flying (the 1975 Grumman Tiger AA-5B is her airplane) and Smith doing most of the radio work (she’s the chatty one). After an impressive conga line of 56 airplanes launched from Sweetwater, Texas, Smith says they were “greeted with high hoopla” at the first stop in Alva, Oklahoma, where “The blueberry muffins were homemade, and the sugar cookies with airplane decorations were especially fun.” Then the weather started to deteriorate in Beatrice, Nebraska. Most racers, including Filkins and Smith, decided to spend the night in Beatrice. Those who ventured on toward Faribault, Minnesota, had to land out or land under instrument conditions and were disqualified (visual flight rules are a requirement for the race). In order to avoid the thunderstorms, the race committee decided to change the third leg from Faribault to Galesburg, Illinois. “Some pilots flew in the clouds, on instrument flight plans (legal because the race was suspended for the move), while others chose to stay low and go under all the clouds so they could see and avoid the rain showers,” says Smith. After landing in Galesburg, Filkins and Smith assessed the weather at their next stop, Auburn,

Indiana, and decided to stay put. Teams who chose to go on to Auburn made a gamble, but they all arrived safely and secured a spot ahead of those who stayed behind. “It’s a very interesting exercise in aeronautical decision-making and risk management,” says Smith who, as an active flight instructor, sees the race as a good object lesson with a lot of material to teach her students about aeronautical decision-making, specifically flight safety. “Watching [fellow racers] making decisions was interesting.” Among the 56 teams (121 women pilots), The Flying Tigresses came away with lots of swag, about 45 flying hours, fond memories (including almost landing on the wrong runway at Alva, Oklahoma) and a placement of 27th out of 38 finishers. “We flew a clean race,” says Filkins. The judges complimented their prowess and awarded them the SOS Claude Glasson “Turtle” Award (lowest score with no penalties). The Flying Tigresses prefer to focus on the “no penalties” rather than the “slow” part of the award. Asked if they will do another Air Race Classic, there’s a long silence. Then laughter. “We’re talking about it. Maybe we’ll return as the Golden Turtles!”

Something to Shell-abrate The Flying Tigresses helped boost fundraising efforts for the Iris and Howard Critchell Aeronautical Annual Scholarship. Just over $19,000 was raised from their Air Race Classic-related appeal, which brought the scholarship’s 2017–2018 fiscal year total to $55,235, a 59 percent increase over last year.

HMCEN Activities As interest grows in entrepreneurship, HMC’s Entrepreneurial Network is expanding its reach. At its spring meetings in Seattle, Huntington Beach and Santa Monica, alumni, students and faculty members met to share news and information about their latest activities. Those making presentations included David Coats ’08, who pitched his drone-based, rust-detection technology, and Harry Cooke ’17, who pitched Thea Health (theahealth.com), an eConsult platform that streamlines care coordination between primary care practitioners and specialists. Following the success of the first round of startups, Santa Monica-based HMC INQ moved into the new incubator season by selecting five new companies from 15 applications. Selected startups receive funding, guidance and office space August through November, when several Demo Days are held. HMC INQ, established by Josh Jones ’98 and Professor Gary Evans, requires all companies that apply have at least one HMC graduate as a co-founder (with at least 20 percent equity).

HMCEN events bring Mudd entrepreneurs and fellow enthusiasts face to face. Above, Allen Iseri '67 and Gary Evans, Ruth and Harvey Berry Professor of Entrepreneurship, chat at the Huntington Beach event, also attended by Bobby Berger ’94 (far left). Harry Cooke '17, who pitched his startup, meets with Colleen Lewis (McGregor-Girand Professor of Computer Science) and Ginny Bruno in Santa Monica.

Explore Planned Giving Vehicles The Office of College Advancement is excited to announce the launch of a new planned giving website to help you explore options that will benefit you and your loved ones while providing critical support for Harvey Mudd's students and faculty. Whether you are curious about how to include the College in your estate plans or you want to investigate giving vehicles best for your age, gift amount and/or

desired benefits—including receiving income for life or reducing capital gains taxes from appreciated securities— please visit hmc.edu/plannedgiving. For more information on supporting Harvey Mudd College in creative ways, please email plannedgiving@ hmc.edu or call Dan Macaluso, Matt Leroux or Jessica Berger at 1-844-GIVE-HMC (844.448.3462). We look forward to partnering with you.

SUMMER 2018

MUDDERINGS

Rick Simon ’76, Michael Blasgen ’63, Amanda Simpson ’83. Jon Mersel ’75, Jon Jacobsen, Patricia Sparks, Barry Olsan.

Alumni Association Awards THE HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE ALUMNI

Association Board of Governors Selections Committee selected Amanda Simpson ’83 to receive the 2018 Outstanding Alumni Award, recognizing sustained and effective commitment to improving society while exemplifying the HMC mission. Simpson, a physics graduate, served under President Barack Obama as deputy assistant secretary of defense responsible for worldwide military use of energy and is America’s first openly transgender presidential appointee. She also served as the executive director of the U.S. Army Office of Energy Initiative, where she was tasked with overseeing the Army’s various efforts to implement cost-effective, large-scale renewable energy projects. Prior to government service she was a program manager, test pilot and the director of flight operations at Raytheon Missile systems. In June, Airbus Americas appointed Simpson as vice president, research and technology, responsible for establishing the strategic direction and funding

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

opportunities for partnerships with scientific and research communities in North America. Ardent supporters Michael Blasgen ’63 (engineering/HMC trustee) and the late Sharon Walther Blasgen SCR ’64, and longtime director of corporate relations Barry Olsan received Lifetime Recognition Awards for their outstanding dedication to the College. The Blasgens are supporters of Harvey Mudd and Scripps Colleges, providing scholarship support at both institutions and funds supporting Scripps’ art collection. Olsan worked in the business office before spending 11 years coordinating Harvey Mudd’s hallmark Clinic Program. AABOG members Jon Mersel ’75 and Rick Simon ’76 also received Lifetime Recognition Awards, and Jon Jacobsen received a Certificate of Recognition for his service as vice president for student affairs and dean of students. The 2018 Honorary Alumni are longtime physics professors Patricia Sparks and John Townsend.

AABOG Leaders Members of the Alumni Association Board of Governors partner with staff, faculty and students to strengthen ties and increase alumni engagement with and support of the College. Elected to three-year term Marissa Lee ’18 Brian Maul ’00 Dan Newman ’85, P20, P22 Elizabeth Orwin ’95 Gautam Thatte ’03 Brooke Basinger ’01 (re-elected) Gerald R. Van Hecke ’61 (re-elected) 2018–2019 AABOG Officers David Sonner ’80, P18, president Dee West ’65, P92/93, vice president Kathy A. French ’97, secretary Matthew D. Dharm ’98, treasurer Full AABOG roster at alumni.hmc.edu/BOGmembers

Thank you, HMC Volunteers! HMC volunteers make staying connected to Harvey Mudd easy and fun. AABOG and HMC Advancement offered 13 events during 2017–2018, many hosted by alumni, that catered to a variety of interests (camping, finance, mini golf, board games, magic, baseball and more). Have an idea for an event? Want to volunteer to plan activities for alumni in your area? Contact the Events Committee of the Alumni Association Board of Governors (aabog-events-l@g.hmc.edu) or email the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations at alumni@hmc.edu.

Santa Cruz Island Camping, Aug. 4

Urban Putt mini golf in San Francisco, Oct. 10 Hosted by Janet Komatsu ’09

Boston Red Sox Game, April 8 Hosted by Demetri Monovoukas ’15

Pottery Class in San Francisco, June 30 Hosted by Kacyn Fujii ’13

#HMCAlumniWknd Alumni Weekend 2018

Family Weekend Feb. 8–9, 2019

Alumni Weekend images bit.ly/AWpics2018

Alumni Weekend video bit.ly/AWvideo2018

Plan to attend Alumni Weekend 2019 (May 3–5)

Family Weekend video: bit.ly/FWvideo2018

SUMMER 2018

CLASS NOTES

1962

1970

Steven Murov (chemistry) received the 2018 Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach presented at the fall ACS National Meeting in Boston on Aug. 21. The award recognizes outstanding achievements in the field of public outreach by a member of the ACS who improves public recognition and appreciation for the contributions of chemistry. Steven has given hundreds of presentations—many as his alter-ego Dr. Al Chemist—involving chemistry demonstrations to turn kids on to science and make people aware of the fun, excitement and importance of science. Read the spring 2015 HMC Magazine feature about Steven at magazine.hmc.edu/ spring-2015/organic-reactions/.

Lawrence Livermore National Lab (LLNL) retiree Bruce Cohen (physics) is the recipient of the 2018 IEEE Nuclear and Plasma Sciences Society’s Charles K. “Ned” Birdsall Award for “contributions to the numerical simulation of plasmas, particularly multiple time-scale methods, and to their application to diverse plasma physics problems, from laser-plasma interactions to tokamaks.” The Birdsall Award recognizes outstanding contributions in computational nuclear and plasma science. This is the fourth year this award has been presented and the second time an LLNL researcher has won. Bruce Cohen worked with Ned Birdsall both during his PhD studies (1970–1975) and after he joined LLNL. Many of Birdsall’s fusion students studied at LLNL with Bruce, a theoretical and computational plasma physicist with general interests in plasma physics, fluid mechanics and hydrodynamics, statistical mechanics, and electromagnetics. Bruce’s work in computational plasmas applied to fusion includes many innovations, and he has over 160 refereed publications.

1966 Robert Charrow (physics) was

sworn in Jan. 2 as the General Counsel of the Department of Health and Human Services. Most recently, he was a principal shareholder in the Washington, D.C., office of Greenberg Traurig LLP, where he specialized in litigation arising under the Administrative Procedure Act, the federal regulation of healthcare (e.g., FDA, CMS, OIG), and federal appellate litigation. While in private practice, he represented academic and research institutions, hospital systems, learned societies, pharmaceutical companies, health care providers and insurers, with respect to a broad range of issues arising under federal laws affecting or regulating the delivery of health care and research. He also counseled clients on campaign finance and government ethics issues. From 1985–1989, he served as the deputy and then principal deputy general counsel for the Department of Health and Human Services and, as such, supervised the chief counsel for the various agencies within the department. For many years, Robert was a full-time law faculty member, last serving as an associate professor of law at the University of Cincinnati. He has authored or co-authored three legal texts, one in its fifth printing, and over 100 articles in various journals. He received his law degree from Stanford University.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

1983 Roger Cliff (physics) was

one of four panelists who participated in an American Enterprise Institute event in June to discuss the changing nature of the Asia Pacific security environment, the role of adversarial and rising powers, and what the U.S. can to do deter our adversaries in the space between war and peace. In a moderated discussion, Roger, an expert in East Asian security affairs and senior research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, discussed Beijing’s regional and global ambitions, which include a modernized military, reclamation of lost territory and strengthening of its economy. His recent research topics include Chinese military modernization, China’s aerospace industry and foreign policy, and U.S. strategy toward Asia. He is the sole or lead author of seven books and monographs, including China’s Military Power: Assessing Current and Future Capabilities (Cambridge University Press, 2015). Before joining CNA, Cliff

was a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council and the Project 2049 Institute and a senior political scientist at Rand Corporation. He holds a PhD in international relations from Princeton University and an M.A. in Chinese studies from the University of California, San Diego. He is fluent in spoken and written Mandarin Chinese and spent four years living in China and Taiwan.

1986 Steven Woo ’86/88

(engineering), vice president of systems and solutions and distinguished inventor at Rambus, gave a keynote speech March 3 at the Chinese American Semiconductor Professional Association Spring Symposium. He discussed some of the recent trends in AI and neural networks and described the impact on memory systems for current and future silicon designed for these applications. “Improved voice recognition, natural language processing and image recognition are just a few examples of areas where AI and neural networks have greatly improved user interfaces, processing and, ultimately, the utility of data itself,” he told Rambus Press. “As the world’s digital data continues to grow at unprecedented rates, the need for technologies that can make sense of it all is greater than ever before.” Steven has over 30 patents in the areas of memory, memory systems and neural networks.

1996 Matthew Evans (physics) was granted tenure by

MIT. He focuses on gravitational wave detector instrument science, aiming to improve the sensitivity of existing detectors and designing future detectors. In addition to his work on the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, Matthew explores the physical processes that set fundamental limits on the sensitivity of future gravitational wave detectors. Of particular interest are the quantum and thermal limitations, which have the strongest impact on ground-based detectors like LIGO and also play a role in the related fields of ultra-stable frequency references and macroscopic quantum measurement. He received a PhD from Caltech in 2002. After postdoctoral work on LIGO at Caltech, Evans moved to the European Gravitational

ALUM N I P ROF IL E

Finally, Full Mudders Class of 1972 alumnae describe their part in making Harvey Mudd dorms co-ed Written by Stephanie L. Graham

WITH THE FEMALE POPULATION AT HARVEY MUDD

College now at 48 percent and with 99 percent of students living on campus, it may be difficult to imagine a time when women were few and were not allowed to reside here. Two women who do remember such a time are Barb McNaughton ’72 (IPS/systems engineering and applied math) and Joanne Shore ’72 (physics). They were among the eight female students in their entering class who were required to live at Scripps College, the women-only college across the street from Harvey Mudd. With the knowledge that a new on-campus dorm would open at the start of their sophomore year and emboldened by protests happening around them (Vietnam War, Civil Rights), they decided it was time for a change. McNaughton recalls she and the other first years were placed in four different Scripps dorms. Not ideal. “In fact, we were probably in dorms that were about as far away as they could be,” she says. She and Shore became roommates during their second semester and began talking about why they should change their living situation. “We often had projects that were designed to be group projects, and Scripps had a curfew,” recalls Shore. “Now, if you were a Scripps student, that curfew wasn’t quite as critical. But we had to be back from HMC and in our room at Scripps by 9 p.m., and that made it difficult when working on group projects. Most of us were not always able to get everything finished and wrapped up by 9 p.m. So, this was one of the aspects that was obnoxious. “Also, there was the more general issue of not being fully integrated with the school. A lot of what goes on, goes on with dorm life and with being able to mix with your fellow classmates. So, we were feeling isolated by living at Scripps.” As Scripps residents, they also were expected to be at dorm dinners at least a few times a week. McNaughton remembers that some of the Scripps dorms included upperclass Mudd women, but others did not, which limited interaction to their

Barb, Joanne and other South Dorm residents, 1971

own roommate or to one’s own age group. It also wasn’t an arrangement most of the HMC women were used to since they had grown up attending co-ed schools. Most of their classmates agreed that a move to the HMC campus would be welcome and encouraged McNaughton and Shore to push for a co-ed dorm. McNaughton began to research the issue. She discovered that the arrangement with Scripps was not binding and that it would not cost HMC money to reduce the number of its students residing there. Scripps was short on dorm space, so it had no concerns. McNaughton and Shore presented their argument to William Swartzbaugh, dean of students from 1968 to 1971, who, they say, was not at all receptive. “At one point in his conversation,” Shore says, “he was still digging his heels in, and we said, well, we are just going to have a sit-in in front of your office until you can make your mind up.” McNaughton adds, “I think we literally said we were going to sit in front of the administration building—you know, the overnight campout thing—until this was done. He was not too pleased with that.” After conferring with other members of the administration, Swartzbaugh agreed to their request, and by the next year (fall 1969), the newfangled idea of a co-ed dorm became a reality in Marks Residence Hall (aka South Dorm). Ten women occupied three of the four suites in one wing, with the fourth suite being faculty office space. (“It was quite clear they didn’t want to have a boy-suite on our wing. At least they didn’t put any bars on the stairways,” says McNaughton, laughing.) “It was a good move. No regrets,” says Shore,

who has enjoyed careers in nuclear design (Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory) and in the energy field (including Gulf Oil). “I think it worked out exactly as we hoped it would. We had complete privacy and never felt like that was an issue. And we were able to interact with our classmates, get our projects done and not worry about curfews. Dorm life at Scripps didn’t include the occasional pranks, so we could finally enjoy this part of HMC life. On one occasion, our suite’s inner hall was stuffed with wadded newspapers, floor to ceiling. We reciprocated by stapling paper cups together over the entire carpeted room and filling the cups with water.” By their senior year (1972), the dorms were available to all HMC students, though there were no intermixed bathrooms. Today, Harvey Mudd’s nine residence halls are co-ed throughout, bathrooms included. While McNaughton and Shore appreciated their time at Scripps and the friendships made there (many of which they maintained), they have no regrets about their co-ed housing crusade. McNaughton, who spent her career working as an engineer and project manager for G.E. and IBM, believes it’s important to share their story. “Even the guys in our class didn’t realize how big a step forward this was.”

Women Hours In Harvey Mudd College: The First Twenty Years, Founding President Joseph Platt makes reference to the housing situation for women: “’Women Hours’ (the times when women students are permitted to visit in male dormitories) were a sore point for HMC women over the years they were housed at Scripps College. Under the Harvey Mudd College Honor Code, students are permitted to study together unless a specific assignment is to be done alone. When we had relatively few women students, and they lived in separate dormitories, the advantage of cooperative study was effectively denied many of them. Students everywhere chafed about the social regulation implied in ‘women hours;’ for our women these hours also constituted an educational disadvantage.”

SUMMER 2018

CLASS NOTES

Observatory to work on the Virgo project. In 2007, he took a research scientist position at MIT working on the Advanced LIGO project, where he helped design and build its interferometer. He joined the MIT faculty in the Department of Physics in 2013.

1997 In June, Kathy French (engineering) hosted alumni and friends for a short tour of a St. Louis chocolate factory followed by a happy hour at Fitz’s Root Beer. The group saw production lines in action, toured the Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Company and enjoyed being official taste testers.

1998 Rombauer Vineyards has appointed Matthew Owings (engineering) as chief financial officer. He will oversee the financial operations of the family-owned Napa Valley winery based in St. Helena, California. Matthew has a broad finance background that includes responsibility for long-term strategic planning and corporate development as well as day-to-day financial operations. He joins Rombauer after nearly 10 years with Jackson Family Wines where he served most recently as vice president, finance. At Jackson Family Wines, Matthew led and managed the company’s domestic treasury operations, devised and executed strategic projects to improve long-term company performance and managed corporate development projects including acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures. Prior to Jackson Family Wines, he worked for Bain & Company, based in San Francisco and in Sydney, Australia. Earlier in his career he spent six years at Agilent Technologies in product management, strategic planning and manufacturing roles. A native of Washington State, he holds an MBA from the Walter Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, where he was first in his class and won the MBA Academic Achievement Award. He was a recipient of the 2005 Mayfield Fellowship.

2002 Eric Toberer (chemistry) is co-leading the effort at Colorado School of Mines to raise the profile and create new pathways for undergraduate research there. The school held its first-ever Undergraduate Research Symposium in April. Eric, an associate professor of physics and one of the inaugural Ben

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

2006

L. Fryrear Endowed Chairs for Innovation and Excellence, joined Mines in 2011. He’s dedicated his three-year Fryrear Chair term to undergraduate research and catalyzing a distinctive program on campus. In a Mines news release, Eric says, “I wouldn’t be where I am today had it not been for some really superb mentorship when I was an undergrad. I had a mentor who gave me three years of good advice and let me work in her lab despite not necessarily being a competent scientist. She sent me to Greece to work for a summer. She sent me to Los Alamos to work for another summer. She showed me what a world-class mentor can be. Mines students should have the same opportunity to have someone really stand up for them.” Eric is hoping to position Mines to be a national player in the field of undergraduate research. Among the initiatives under consideration are creating a new researchfocused campus tour for prospective students and establishing a dedicated fund for on-campus summer research positions for undergraduates. A new undergraduate research website is under development, and he and colleagues Lakshmi Krishna and Sarah Hitt are working to launch an undergraduate research journal.

Teresa Pineda (engineering) is a cost engineer at Nike, where she helps improve the cost-effectiveness and sustainability of its products. She worked previously as a senior development engineer at Oregon Biomedical Research Institute under Dr. Kenton Gregory (who had served as industry sponsor for her two Clinic projects). The institute’s cutting-edge work ranged from stem cell research to using wound detoxification technologies to save the lives of military personnel. During her time at biotech company RevMedX, Teresa used her Clinic expertise to become an industry liaison, and she helped guide the students’ development of XStat, an injectable blood clotting system that uses chitosan. An avid yogi (she leads weekly Ashtanga yoga classes for her office colleagues), Teresa is the busy mom of two-year-old son, Locky, and she’s due with her second child in November. She’s also working on a master’s in nutritionand serving a three-year term as an HMC Young Alumna Trustee.

2004

2008

Melissa Banister (mathematics) married Shamik

wedding party on both sides. Melissa is now head of the math department at Marlborough School, where she’s worked since 2007.

David Coats (physics) pitched his company Mining Exploration Technologies (real mining in real rocks, not crypto) at a Santa Monica HMC Entrepreneurial Network meeting this past spring. See his project at minexweb.wordpress.com.

2005

2010

After completing a PhD in physics at Princeton and then studying phenotypic stochasticity as a postdoc at the University of California, San Francisco, David Liao (mathematics) became a full-time physics, calculus and linear algebra tutor in New Jersey. David wrote an article on solving physics problems in The Physics Teacher (doi.org/10.1119/1.5028250) and shares his teaching handouts at davidliao.com. Members of the Mudd community interested in teaching techniques are invited to contact David.

Jonathan Simkin (engineering) was named one of

Maitra ’02 (engineering) in May. Mudders were in the

the 30 Most Inspiring Entrepreneurs of 2018 by Inc. Magazine. Jonathan co-founded a mobile app, Swyft, to provide his fellow riders with better transit schedules backed by GPS data and crowdsourced reporting. He and his co-founders eventually realized that their data could also be used by transit agencies directly, and Swyft became Swiftly, inc.com/profile/swiftly.

2011 Sarah Loeb (mathematics) begins work this fall as a

mathematics professor at Hampden-Sydney College. She resides in Farmville, Virginia, with her fiancé whom she plans to wed next summer.

2014 Sorathan Chaturapruek

(computer science and mathematics), a graduate student in computer science at Stanford, presented new findings that suggest that academically competitive college students actually perform worse when they have access to digital course-planning platforms that show how previous students performed. Sorathan is the lead author on the study that was presented in June 2018 at the ACM Conference on Learning at Scale in London. Sorathan built and researched Carta, a data-driven web application for course planning and exploration, used by a majority of Stanford undergrads. He says, “By making this process in higher education more data driven, online and designed, we make visible the invisible undercurrents of student decision-making, and make it possible to nudge behavior (e.g., in exploring out-of-major courses) in measurable and generalizable ways.” Sorathan has been a data science research intern at Adobe Research, an Accel Scholar at Stanford University, a crime modeling student researcher at UCLA, a search software engineer intern at Yelp and a study abroad

student at Budapest University of Technology and Economics. This summer, he interned at Robinhood in the Data Science team.

2017

to a user’s emotions, to be used in educational tools and social skills training for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. In June 2018, I presented some of my preliminary work at the Doctoral Consortium of the International Conference for Intelligent Tutoring Systems in Montreal, Canada.”

At an AABOG-sponsored event in April, alumni learned about careers at Ursa Major Technologies from engineering alumni Rachel O’Neill and Michael Reeve. Their company is an aerospace startup in Colorado that develops liquid propellant rocket engines. Veronica Rivera (computer science and mathematics)

is beginning the second year of her PhD in computational media at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is a member of the Assistive Sociotechnical Solutions for Individuals with Special Needs Lab (the ASSIST Lab), which focuses on creating software and new technologies to help individuals with disabilities and special needs have a better quality life. Her research is in humancomputer interaction and assistive technology, focusing on applications in education. She says, “My work is highly interdisciplinary and incorporates ideas from affective computing, machine learning and computer vision as well. I am currently working on creating software that can detect and respond

Have you changed jobs? Retired? Celebrated a milestone? We want your news! We compile information from a variety of public sources: campus event notices, academic departments, newspaper and magazine articles, press releases and Google alerts. Please submit updates to alumni@hmc.edu.

In Memoriam Alan Latham ’61 (chemistry) passed away on March 26, 2018, in Mesa, Arizona, after a brief illness following hip surgery. Al attended Harvey Mudd College as a member of the Founding Class, on a full scholarship. Loving science and math, he continued his education on a fellowship to Rockefeller University, New York, earning his PhD in chemistry in 1966. While in college, he fell in love with Alaska after working summers for the Good News Bay Mining Company, a remote platinum placer mine in Southwest Alaska. After graduation, he became professor of chemistry at Alaska Methodist University in Anchorage. He earned an Excellence

in Teaching award, Outstanding Young Man of America and Outstanding Educator of America. He also served as the business manager for the university. In 1975, Al worked for the Alaska State Legislature’s Research Division as a senior policy analyst, authoring foundational legislation establishing the state’s revenue-sharing severance tax module for the North Slope oil discoveries. In 1978, he married Audrey Jill (Eckroate) Sewell, who had a 3-year-old son, Jason, and they added another son, Brian Alan Latham. In 1985, after serving a few years as the business manager for Capital Office Supply, Alan relocated with his family to Seattle, where he joined the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as a health physicist and became the director for radiation health and environmental safety programs. He spent 14 years of his career

in senior-level management positions over environmental and radiological laboratory services, working for Reynolds Electrical & Engineering Company at the Nevada Test Site, as well as Bechtel and Teledyne Brown in New Jersey and Tennessee. After retiring in 2002, Al spent his time cooking gourmet holiday feasts, watching sci-fi movies and vacationing in Sequim, Washington. Al was a generous and devoted family man, as comfortable making fine wine, preparing a gourmet meal or hanging sheet rock as he was discussing the loftier aspects of astrophysics and string theory. He is survived by his wife, Jill, his sons and six grandchildren. Abridged from Alan’s memorial program.

SUMMER 2018

REUNION CLASS PHOTOS

Class of 1963

Michael Blasgen, Ken Kuskey, George Diehr P90, Pat Hildebrand

Class of 1968

Front: Walter Howard, Dennis Holeman, Fred Hazard, James Granger, Michael Harwood, Robert Johnson, Robert Fraley, Michael Malcolm, Jay Labinger, Talbot Smith, David Wilbur Back: Kim Vandiver, Roger Ray, Richard Morris, Jefferson Tilley, Thomas Norris, Gary Fick, David Egelston, James Bangsund, John Bagby, Dennis Glenn, Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill, Kennon White, Richard Hertzberg, William Sharp

Class of 1973

Front: Thomas Halpenny, Bill Sherzer, John Moe, Ellen Moe, Bob Peak, Wilson Hom, William Frost, Paul Yin Back: Richard Cline, John Halas, Michael Hughes, William Lang, Dean Johnson, Craig Von Bargen, Mark Allen, Larry Yujiri, Wayne Raymond, Gene Nelson

Class of 1978

Front: Steven Rockey, Patrick McLaughlin, Elizabeth Johnson, Ruth Festini P06 P09, James Reed, Maria Zevallos, Larry Handa, Frederick Benz, Jean Toner-Webb, Katherine Reader, Yoshinobu Kawamura, Kathleen DeWitt Newell, Wyatt Luce, Michael Kopp, John Hooker Back: Patrick Figge, Michael Leung, Lindsay Resner, Michael Von der Porten P07, Kirk Cassidy, Christopher Marble, Joseph Kriek, Bryan Webb, Mark Rentz, Michael Hayashi, Jeffrey Guild, Gary Pinkerton, Gregg Evans, Steven Bentley, Rush Manbert

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Class of 1983

Front: Joseph Anderberg, Amanda Simpson, Christopher Curzon, Alan Teruya, Martha Vance, Sharon Lunt, Grace Nakayama, Ronald Smith, Linda Miller, Phillip Wolf, Wendy Magras, Michael Magras, John Graves Back: Kevin McLaren, Allen Nelson, Frederick Streitz P13 P13, Wendy Streitz P13 P13, Geoffrey Kulik, Emily Greene, Maxwell Adofo, Suzanne Schafer, Ross Watkins, Lance Clifner P21, David Overoye, Peter Wolff, G. Simmel, David Dunaetz

Class of 1988

Front: Michael Grimwood, Marc Sugiyama, David Tanenbaum, Bradley Bohnert, Shawn Smith, Steve Roth, Julia Goldstein P18, Sherry Wiens P21, Lawrence Chai, George Park, Craig Byrnes, Kris! Neifeld Back: Kevin Quick, Eric Joham, David Goebel, Ira Feldman, Michael White, Thomas Diffely, Jeff Shepherd, David Rowe, Scott Samarel, Michael Harding, Marilyn Hanesworth, Keith Hall, Paul So, Judson Cohan

SUMMER 2018

REUNION CLASS PHOTOS

Class of 1993

Front: Julio Loza, Ellen Heian, James Heaps-Nelson, Luke Chen, Kevin Gilbert, Melissa Aczon, Michelle Mann, Jon Roberts

Class of 1998

Class of 2003

Front: Jonathan Grant, Heather O’Brien, Paul Paradise, Molly Waring, Jonathan Nadel, Gigi Au, Joseph Friesen Back: Jonathan Faul, Trevor Gile, Benjamin FrantzDale, Stephen Friedman, Justin Schauer, Galway O’Mahony, Noah Philips, Nathaniel Eldredge

Front: Joel Uejio, Thaddeus Ladd, Benjamin Ver Steeg, Bibianna Cha, Shiao-Yan Fang, Paul Berry, Brian Johnson, Justin Busch, John Hartono, Danielle Michaels, Dawn Strahler, Tarah Helliwell, Stephanie Sours, Carrie Wu, Solveig Sieberts, Sharon Ungersma, Rachel Lane Back: Philip Hilmes, Jeffrey Clark, Brandon Hadland, Andrew Hutchings, John Dennis, Brooks Davis, Brock Gilbertson, Justin Barnes, James Campbell, Matthew Dharm, Geoffrey Finger, Dylan Helliwell, John Larkin, Carrie Sundra, Eugene Wu, Zachary Benz, Josh Anderson

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Class of 2008

Front: Christopher Pong, Jonathan Chen, Elton Wong, Peter Scherpelz, Philip Miller, Thomas Barr, Shelley Stanphill, Jennifer Du Mond, Eric Burkhart, Caitlin Furjanic, Kevin Byram, Rocio Ruelas, Abbygail Palmer, Gena Urowsky, Paula Lipka, Mutiara Sondjaja, Kenn Tevin, Ellen Kephart, Martin Hunt, Karen Morrison, Meredith Rawls Middle: Hyung Joo Park, Kathleen Wang Swana, Matthew McKnett, Alexander Korn, David Coats, Benjamin Stanphill, Samuel Eisenberg, Sarah Rogstad, Zachary Rogstad, Michael Kimbrell, Howard Chen, Alexandria Kealey, Tracy Backes, Richard Priddell, Matthew Weiner, Nathaniel Pinckney, Michael Mayeda, Morgan Conbere, Michael Crockett, Parousia Rockstroh, David Morrison Back: Andrew Stewart, Alexander Lynch, Jason Fennell, Andrew Giles, Mike Chan, Anthony Weerasinghe, Andrew Kuntjoro, Maxsim Gibiansky, Michael Buchanan, George Tucker, Austin Rutledge, Christopher Alvino, Charles Clapper, Philip Amberg, Jay Markello, Kelly Markello, Sean Meenehan, Samuel Sobelman, David Gross, Matthew Hoss

Class of 2013

Front row: Cheng (Julie) Zhang, Brianna Posadas, Paula Ning Tian, Stephanie Porter, Maria Morabe, Alyssa Siegman, Aaron Atzil, Diana Chen, Tiffany Liu, Abigail Korth, Lisbeth Santana, Max Friefeld, Meredith Murphy, Kacyn Fujii, Ashley Kretsch, Laura Maguire, Ellery Walsh, Michelle DeRienzo, Guillermo Esparza, Taylor McAdam, Sarah Johnson, Elizabeth Schofield Row 2: Chet Corcos (blue shirt), J. Brill, Rebecca Streitz, James Anderson, Matthew Prince, Alexander Eng, Beryl Egerter, MR Stimson, Braden Neufeld, John Wentworth, Edward Ruan, Scott Rayermann, Bethany Okada, Carl Walsh, Christopher Gage, Hannah Groshong, Tracey Luke, Max Zhvanetsky, Michael Earnest Row 3: Jonathan Schwartz (sunglasses), Andrew Hilger, David Ersek, Anne Clark, Lucas Brady, Joshua Oratz, Bradley Jensen, Charles Brayton, Bradley Perfect, David Marangoni-Simonsen, Katie Hauser, Erik Littleton, Tyler Smelt, Brett Burley, Jake Fish, Maxfield Korbel, John Buyco, Hannah Kastein, Kenny Huang, Michael Loy, Adam Brown Back Row: Matthew Johnson, Alexandra Schofield, Megan Wheeler, Jordan Ezzell, Matthew Toal, Corinne McElwain, Jordan Librande, Jessica Peck, Jessica Hester, Peter Loftus, Andrew Loeb, Gabriel Rubin â&#x20AC;&#x2122;18 (red shirt), Robert Kealhofer, William Ferenc, Christopher Cotner, Michael Morton

SUMMER 2018

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Galápagos Up Close The Galápagos Tortoise (Chelonoidis nigra) is the longestliving of all vertebrates, averaging over 100 years, perhaps due to its plant-based diet and long naps (nearly 16 hours a day). They’re also the largest tortoises, up to 5 feet long and over 500 pounds. These creatures were among the many incredible sights enjoyed by participants during a 10-day, spring HMC trip to the Galápagos Islands, where 30 percent of the plants, 80 percent of the land birds and 97 percent of the reptiles are found nowhere else on Earth. More on page 32.

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