FROM THE
PRESIDENT
CONTENTS
Big Picture Each of us influences the world in large and small ways. As an artist, I think of these changes as small splashes of color on a canvas. Inches away from it, you can’t see the beauty of the big picture. It’s only when you step back and refocus that you begin to see how each individual stroke joins with its neighbors to form something compelling. Harvey Mudd is a lot like that. Each of us, in our own way, strives to do something positive with the gifts we’ve been given. Taken individually, these may seem like very small things. However, when you step back and look at everything this College and its graduates have achieved since our founding, the result is incredible. Take, for instance, the impact of our extraordinary friend and longstanding trustee Norm Sprague III, who passed away on March 14. The grandson of our namesake, Harvey S. Mudd, he had served as a board member for 35 years. Although he never attended the College, Norm, through his many years of service, had a lasting impact. In 2010, the Alumni Association honored him with its Lifetime Recognition Award. At the time, he said that Harvey Mudd wasn’t an easy place from which to graduate, but that “those of you who have done so have earned something really special.” He was right. Norm witnessed firsthand the positive impact this College has on its students. He also saw the impact our students and alumni have on the world. In this issue of the magazine, we profile three alumni who are making their own special mark upon the world. Andrew Lees ’76 helps explore new, lower-cost vaccination options, while Elizabeth Johansen ’01 helps design innovative medical devices—both are working to bring better treatment options to the developing world. Mahesh Kotecha ’70 helps find secure development capital for African countries to power infrastructure and other improvements. Learn more about their stories beginning on Page 20. To ensure a steady stream of STEM leaders like Andrew, Elizabeth and Mahesh, Harvey Mudd launched the public phase of its comprehensive fundraising campaign— Harvey Mudd is on a mission—with an aggressive goal to raise $150 million toward supporting key priorities identified in our strategic vision. We celebrated the public launch with a wonderful event that included a panel of faculty, trustees and students discussing the impact the College has had on their lives and their work. We continued the launch with regional celebrations in cities across the country (see our Flickr site for event photos, hmc.edu/flickr-sets). We are proud to announce that in the last two years, the College has quietly raised $103 million toward its campaign goal. Your generous gifts have made a tremendous impact on Harvey Mudd’s ability to carry out its mission. Through campaign support, we have expanded our engineering program by hiring Kash Gokli, who specializes in manufacturing (see Page 8). More recently, with the support of our alumni and friends, we have created two new endowed faculty chairs— one in humanities, social sciences and the arts and a second in computer science. Learn more on Page 10. Harvey Mudd remains committed to its founding mission to educate scientists, engineers and mathematicians who are well versed in the liberal arts and who understand the impact of their work on society. This commitment drives our strategic vision and continues to fuel our ambitious goals, both colorful and compelling.
Maria Klawe, President, Harvey Mudd College
Features
20
Watch Out World Armed with strong technical experience and training, supportive mentors, passion and determination, three Mudders make a difference.
26
Engineering Art An artist at heart, Erika Adams ’95 designs for the mind and soul.
Departments 04
COLLEGE NEWS
14
STUDENT NEWS
08
FACULTY NEWS
18
SPACE STUDY
11
COLLABORATION
28
MUDDERINGS
12
MY MUDD LIFE
32
CLASS NOTES