Finally Ready to Graduate and Making Judgments That Effect Students’ Careers Get a Job,” He Says, with His Characteristic Dry Humor

engineering

Across Disciplines. Across the World® // spring 2018

USINGUSING ARTIFICIALARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCEINTELLIGENCE TOTO SOLVESOLVE REAL-WORLDREAL-WORLD PROBLEMSPROBLEMS

inside Martin Arthur 18 // Women & Engineering 22 // Jeff Nelson 32 From the dean //

Dear friends, their careers and to be change agents both for WashU Engineering and for the entire field. Staff, Those of you who have been following the students and alumnae coordinate activities that school’s progress during the past year have provide mentoring connections, opportunities learned about our strategic planning efforts to explore difficult career and social questions, and the resulting goals that emerged. If you and leadership development. Additionally, look through the document — it’s online! — you we are working to connect current women will notice that diversity is not a single explicit student groups, including the Society of Women objective. Rather, woven throughout the goals Engineers and Women in Computer Science, with you will see diversity as being critical to educating prospective women students; our goal is to not insightful engineers, producing thought-leading only encourage them to choose engineering as a research, and providing a working and learning field of study but also to show them that WashU environment that inspires excellence. provides a unique supportive environment in In Engineering at WashU and indeed around the which to pursue their passion. country, we face a gender diversity challenge. I want to take this opportunity to thank many In the United States, women represent of you, our alumni, who have explicitly helped somewhere between 10 percent and 20 percent support this effort. We invest in the program in a of the engineering workforce, depending upon variety of ways, from hosting leadership summits domain. And while more women are enrolling as and subscribing to mentoring platforms to undergraduates in engineering — approximately enabling more students to attend conferences 20 percent of engineering students nationally such as the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in and 30 percent at WashU are women — there are Computing. These efforts make a difference — and additional challenges, such as women leaving the promote the diversity of thought and perspective field after starting their careers. Business as usual that is essential to be a truly world-class is not likely to make significant inroads in changing engineering institution. these statistics.

Our school’s Women & Engineering program, described in this edition of the magazine, is a critical effort to support women students and Aaron F. Bobick alumnae in their efforts to not only become Dean & James M. McKelvey Professor engineers in school, but to be successful in [email protected]

PODCAST

Snapshot //

Undergraduate students in Biomedical Engineering work on a Available on iTunes and SoundCloud senior design project that was later showcased at the annual BME Day.

// Engineering Momentum devon hill spring 2018 1 In this issue // At a glance //

spring 2018 THE 19 Feb 2018 @JonSilva_StL #WashUengineers Congratulations to Wandi Zhu on winning a BUZZ Biophysical Society Student dean Research Achievement Aaron F. Bobick 22 18 Langsdorf Scholars Summit Award! @WashUengineers senior associate dean & @SilvaLabWustl #BPS18 executive editor New year, new #WomenInScience Nick Benassi professor. Meet senior writer & editor Beth Miller Kimberly Parker Parker studies organic director of communications chemical reactions in & senior designer E. Brook Haley natural and engineered systems. communications specialist Suzanne Bremehr More than 60 Langsdorf Scholar alumni and students gathered April 20-21 for an inaugural 12 Mar 2018 @The_Lake_Lab web developer Vince Ruppert summit to network and share ideas. The We’re enjoying #ors2018 summit was started by two current and catching up @fffionafei cover Langsdorf students, Sydney Katz, ’18 Steve Edwards (left) and Kailin Baechle, ’18 (right). contributors Erika Ebsworth-Goold 26 Sofia Joison Diane Toroian Keaggy Why WashU? “I love being here!” Stephen Ornes Julia Evangelou Strait Judy H. Watts PhD Candidate Weimin

Zhou received the Cum 16 Nov 2017 @washuengineers Engineering Momentum is cover story published by the School of Laude Poster Award Cheers to the champion Engineering & Applied Science 12 // Artificial Intelligence (first place) at the 2018 of WashU engineering at Washington University in SPIE Medical Imaging scholarships. Bill Tao’s St. Louis. Unless otherwise noted, Conference for his paper. legacy will impact WashU articles may be reprinted without faculty feature Zhou is a member of the engineers forever! permission with appropriate Computational Imaging credit to the publication, school 18 // Martin Arthur Science Laboratory and and university. in every issue a PhD candidate in the correspondence 1 // From the dean student feature Department of Electrical School of Engineering & Systems Engineering. & Applied Science 3 // The buzz 22 // Women & Engineering @laptopsofwashu Washington University in St. Louis #washuengineers edition Campus Box 1163 4 // School news One Brookings Drive alumni feature Read more about the Leadership Summit on p. 22 St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 6 // Faculty news 26 // Tony & Andy Nocchiero email Women & Engineering Leadership Summit [email protected] 33 // Last word phone special feature 314-935-6350 30 // Strategic Plan website engineering.wustl.edu young alumni feature 32 // Jeff Nelson

photos by whitney curtis 2 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 3 School news // campaign gift WashU Engineering launches master’s in Computer science student Garg family’s $1 million gift cybersecurity engineering degree ‘broke’ Facebook during her WashU Engineering launches internship Alumna Gretsch pushes Engineering over High-profile cyberattacks and data breaches have made cybersecurity PhD in imaging science Grace Egbo, a computer science student, learned a takes two gold $150 million in campaign engineering one of the fastest-growing lot about Facebook during her first summer there as medals at careers in the world, yet demand for an intern. Paralympics highly qualified leaders exceeds supply: Mark Zuckerberg really does wear gray Experts predict a shortage of 3.5 million hoodies. The free cafeteria serves killer nachos. cybersecurity professionals by 2021. And “move fast and break things” is not just the To meet that demand, the School company motto; it’s a mode of operation. of Engineering & Applied Science is “During orientation, they told us to test new launching a master of science degree in faculty and experienced industry ideas and take risks,” said Egbo, now a junior in the cybersecurity engineering to train new professionals, include developing School of Engineering & Applied Science. “On the experts for this high-profile field. secure technical environments and day I broke Facebook, I realized they meant it.” Kendall Gretsch, who earned The full-time master’s program, defending against the spectrum of To be clear, Egbo didn’t actually break a bachelor’s degree in which begins in Fall 2018, is specifically cybersecurity threats. biomedical engineering in 2014, the globe’s largest social crafted to provide students with Students will learn in a robust The field of imaging science — marked by rapidly won the first-ever biathlon Venture capitalist and alumnus Gaurav Garg networking platform. the skills, knowledge and expertise technical environment in which they changing and improving technology — plays a Olympic or Paralympic gold and his wife, Komal Shah, have made a Facebook’s roughly medal for a U.S. athlete when needed to secure jobs in designing and will evaluate cyberattack vectors, critical role in applications ranging from cancer $1 million gift to the School of Engineering & 2 billion users could still she won the sitting biathlon engineering cybersecurity technology. assess cyberdefense methods, conduct Applied Science. The gift allows the school to post, like and share. diagnosis to virtual reality. With the aim of sprint March 10. She also Together Core principles throughout the research, and design and develop new training the next leaders in imaging, the School won a gold medal in women’s surpass $150 million in Leading : The But Egbo’s experiment curriculum, taught by computer science methods, protocols and techniques. of Engineering & Applied Science is offering an 12-kilometer cross-country Campaign for Washington University. crashed the company’s interdisciplinary doctoral program in imaging skiing. She also competed in Garg is managing partner of Wing Venture employee site for more the 12.5km individual biathlon, sciences beginning in the 2018-19 academic year. Capital in Silicon Valley, which builds early- than an hour. a 5km sitting and a 4x2.5km stage business technology companies. Wing Empowering high school students “I knew it was bad Designed to prepare students for careers relay mixed cross-country focuses on companies with the potential to in academic research or in industry, the skiing event. The School of Engineering & Applied Science recently when my friend in the New York interdisciplinary doctoral program will incorporate define new categories in cloud computing, hosted two unique groups of middle and high school office called and said, ‘Were you the one who broke students to empower them to pursue degrees and careers the latest imaging technologies, including mobile and big data and to provide Facebook?’ And I was like, ‘Oh my goodness! It went in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). entrepreneurs with the financial and strategic national,’” Egbo recalled. biomedical, satellite, seismic, sonic and light Alums Brimer, Frank Wilson, who earned a master of construction backing to build successful companies. The Fellow employees jumped in to help Egbo, and detection and ranging (LiDAR). Cohen named management from Engineering in 2010, coordinated the More than 35 faculty experts in Engineering will firm invests over the life of each of its portfolio events with Joseph O’Sullivan, professor and dean of the the site was back up in an hour. Still, Egbo feared her train students in quantitative and computational to Forbes 30 companies, which include FireEye, Jasper, University of Missouri-St. Louis/Washington University in boss would chastise her for her mistake. principles of image formation, analysis, Under 30 Nimble Storage and Cohesity. St. Louis Joint Undergraduate Engineering Program and “The exact opposite happened,” Egbo said. the Samuel C. Sachs Professor of Electrical Engineering. understanding and quality assessment. Such Garg and Shah’s $1 million gift will help “He said, ‘Hey, how are you? Heard you broke Wilson, who owns BFW Construction Co. and is an fund annual undergraduate scholarships, long- Facebook. Did you learn anything?’ I came away faculty members represent a broad cross section adjunct professor in the UMSL/WashU Joint Program, of engineering, including those from the graduate range capital needs, an endowed lectureship, and O’Sullivan brought 100 high school students in foster understanding it really is OK to break things. It’s OK program in biomedical engineering and from an annual lectureship and other school needs. care to campus March 15, where they heard from alumni, to fail at things, as long as you don’t settle into that electrical & systems engineering and computer The university will name the department chair’s motivational speakers and entrepreneurs. On March 16, and feel like a failure. What mattered is that you nearly 170 students from seven area high schools took part science. Others involved in the program include suite in the future James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall in tried something new.” recognition of the gift. in a STEM Youth Empowerment and Leadership Summit. Arts & Sciences faculty in physics, applied math, Written by Diane Toroian Keaggy Andrew Brimer, who earned biology and chemistry and School of Medicine a degree in mechanical faculty in radiology, radiation oncology, and cell engineering, and Abby Cohen, biology & physiology. who earned a degree in The doctoral program in imaging sciences — biomedical engineering, both East End one of only two in the country — is part of a $25 in 2013, turned their Discovery Competition idea into Sparo Transformation million initiative recently launched by the School Labs, which has continued to Ten months into construction of the east end, and of Engineering & Applied Science and School of grow by leaps and bounds in Medicine, one of the highest ranked in the country. four short years. The company the buildings are coming out of the ground. Over The initiative supports university researchers has raised $2.7 million in Spring Break in March, crews removed masonry developing innovative imaging technologies aimed funding since it was founded. and part of the exterior wall on the third floor of Whitaker Hall in preparation for the bridge at transforming clinical research and the practice of connection to Jubel Hall. medicine around the world. December 2017 February 2018 April 2018

4 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 5 Faculty news // Wang elected to WashU startup SentiAR Inc. Lake receives early Simplifying samples National Academy career award from of Engineering awarded $2.2M NIH grant Inexpensive, novel method to transport blood, Lihong Wang, ASME urine samples without refrigeration developed at a former Spencer Lake, associate Washington University professor in professor of mechanical the School of engineering & materials Engineering & Applied science, has been awarded Science for the Y.C. Fung Early Career more than Award from the American 10 years, has been elected Society of Mechanical Engineers to the National Academy of (ASME), the highest award for young Engineering. He is renowned Researchers discover investigators in bioengineering. Lake for his innovative work in high-resolution imaging for higher environmental was chosen for his pioneering work in biomedical applications. SentiAR is developing augmented reality software for use musculoskeletal biomechanics and impact from cookstove mechanobiology. He will receive the in cardiac procedures. Through a holographic headset, the WashU engineer emissions SentiAR platform converts outputs from CT, MRI and catheter award, which recognizes an individual Jerina receives mapping into a real-time hologram of the heart that “floats” for outstanding contributions to wins IEEE Signal Using nanotechnology, a team of researchers Cookstoves are a central part of millions of Coffin-Manson above the patient. Within this sterile field, cardiologists can the field of bioengineering through Processing Society at Washington University in St. Louis has eliminated homes throughout Asia: Families often use view, measure and manipulate the holographic heart model research, in July at the 2018 Eighth Best Paper Award the need for refrigeration by developing a new Fatigue readily available and cheap biofuels — such in real time in the operating room. The real-time aspect of World Congress of Biomechanics in low-cost technique that creates a protective shield Achievement as crop chaff or dung — to prepare the food Ulugbek SentiAR’s technology is key: While other companies have used Dublin, Ireland. Kamilov, around protein biomarkers in the sample. With this Award needed to survive. holographic technology for training simulations, SentiAR is Lake’s research focuses on soft assistant method, the samples maintain 95 percent of their Ken Jerina, Previously, numerous research groups one of the first to offer a live, real-time view of the patient’s tissue biomechanics, with an emphasis professor of purity and the information on which important senior worldwide have shown, mostly based on computer actual anatomy in the operating room. The goal of the on orthopedic tissues, such as health care decisions are based. professor of laboratory experiments, smoke emitted from science & SentiAR technology is to reduce operating time and exposure tendons and ligaments. His research The team is led by Srikanth Singamaneni, mechanical stoves used for both cooking and heating engineering engineering to radiation while improving accuracy. Another advantage: uses a multiscale experimental and associate professor of mechanical engineering & have a definite, detrimental environmental and electrical & materials Using multiple headsets, more than one clinician can view the computational approach to evaluate & systems engineering, materials science in the School of Engineering & impact, particularly in India. Despite advances science, has heart at the same time. the in vivo loading environment, received the IEEE Signal Applied Science; and two scientists at Washington been awarded in technology, many people are reluctant or Processing Society 2017 Best The platform uses technology developed by founders tissue properties, and microstructural University School of Medicine in St. Louis: Jeremiah the Coffin-Manson Fatigue unable to adopt the newer, cleaner cookstoves. Paper Award for his paper (and husband-and-wife team) Jennifer Silva, MD, and structure-function relationships J. Morrissey, research professor of anesthesiology; Achievement Award from the For several years, a collaborative team from titled “Message-Passing De- American Society for Testing Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor Jon Silva at of tissues that function in complex and Evan D. Kharasch, MD, PhD, the Russell D. Washington University in St. Louis has studied Quantization with Applications and Materials International Washington University in St. Louis. physiologic environments. to Compressed Sensing.” and Mary B. Shelden Professor of Anesthesiology (ASTM). The award recognizes the issue and potential solutions. Now, new and professor of biochemistry and molecular individuals who have made research gives them a clearer picture of the biophysics. They used a nanoporous material outstanding contributions in topic’s true scope. to essentially shrink wrap protein biomarkers the field of fatigue of materials. “Our project findings quantitatively show Cooling method could of mechanical engineering & materials in blood and urine samples by growing crystals that particulate emissions from cookstoves in science, is the first approach to around the molecules. Then, they transferred the India have been underestimated,” said Rajan relieve heat woes in retaining liquids using microfabricated shrink-wrapped molecules onto standard lab filter Agarwal receives Chakrabarty, assistant professor of energy, micropillar structures. His theoretical, data centers, electric computational and experimental paper. Once dry, the paper can be shipped at any ASME’s highest environmental & chemical engineering in the temperature to a lab for testing. School of Engineering & Applied Science. vehicles analyses are published in the March 15 honor print issue of the Journal of Colloid and “Once you are ready to analyze the sample, you The research, published in Atmospheric Electronic systems, such as electric Ramesh Interface Science. extract everything from the paper back into liquid,” Chemistry and Physics, was the culmination vehicles and large data centers, generate Agarwal, the While a postdoctoral researcher at Singamaneni said. “We showed that this method of field studies conducted in India by faculty a lot of power, which creates tremendous William Palm Stanford University, Agonafer developed maintains the integrity of the biospecimens.” Professor of members at the School of Engineering & heat. An engineer at Washington a method to mitigate high heat-flux The research, recently published in Chemistry Engineering Applied Science and the Brown School. In University in St. Louis has developed generation using water. However, water of Materials, is the first published work that uses an in mechani- December 2015, the researchers spent 20 days a unique evaporative cooling system cal engineer- cannot be used safely in electrical emerging class of nanomaterials known as metal- running a series of tests in Raipur, a city in using a membrane with microscopic ing & materi- applications, so Agonafer uses dielectric organic frameworks with biospecimens such as central India where more than three-quarters pillars designed to remediate the heat, als science, received ASME liquid, such as refrigerant, an electrical blood, urine, serum and plasma. Honorary Membership at the of the families use cookstoves to prepare ultimately improving performance. insulator in high voltage applications ASME 2017 Honors Assembly their meals. The method, developed by that has low surface tension. ceremony in Tampa Nov. 6. Written by Erika Ebsworth-Goold Damena Agonafer, assistant professor

6 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 7 Trap, contain and convert Research team developing New research by scientists at Washington $3.9 million supports University in St. Louis sheds light on what new pediatric neuroimaging happens underground when CO2 is injected research to turn into basalt, illustrating precisely how effective technology bacteria into biofuel the volcanic rock could be as an abatement A team of scientists is agent for CO2 emissions. The research, led developing a new producers by Daniel Giammar, the Walter E. Browne way to look inside Professor of Environmental Engineering, was the brains of the conducted in collaboration with researchers littlest patients at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and previously injected a thousand tons of Arthur named — a technique CO2 gas deep underground into a basalt that will Philip Skemer, associate professor of earth Outstanding and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at flow. He placed the rocks in small reactors provide precise Washington University. that resemble slow cookers to simulate Professional measurements To obtain a clearer, quantifiable underground conditions, and then injected Engineer develops Engineer in without requiring look at carbon trapping rates in basalt, CO2 to test the variables involved in the Education children to stay perfectly Giammar collected samples of the rock carbonization process. enabling technology Martin Arthur, still or the use of ionizing radiation. from Washington state, where researchers Written by Erika Ebsworth-Goold interim “The methods we are developing are brand new for emerging gene chair of the and state of the art,” said Mark Anastasio, professor of therapies Department biomedical engineering. “This is cutting edge.” of Electrical The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently Researchers at Washington University Brent elected to For years, researchers have attempted to & Systems 3-D mapping babies’ brains awarded Anastasio and former Engineering colleague have received a $3.9 million grant from AIMBE College harness the full potential of gene therapy, Engineering Lihong Wang, professor of medical engineering and the Department of Energy (DOE) to of Fellows a technique that inserts genes into a and the Newton R. & Sarah Louisa electrical engineering at the California Institute of develop bacteria that manufacture patient’s cells to treat aggressive diseases Michael renewable biofuels — energy sources Glasgow Wilson Professor Technology, a five-year, $2.96 million grant to develop Brent, such as cancer. But getting engineered DNA of Engineering, has been made from plants or microbes. their novel imaging approach. It involves photoacoustic the Henry molecules into cells is not an easy task. selected as the Outstanding computed tomography (PACT), which is a hybrid The researchers seek to make Edwin Sever J. Mark Meacham, assistant professor Professional Engineer (PE) in imaging method that combines the advantages of biofuels whose production would not Professor of of mechanical engineering & materials Education-2018 by the St. Louis Engineering, optical and ultrasound imaging. compete with the food supply. For science, leads a team of researchers Chapter of the Missouri Society example, ethanol is an alcohol-based has been of Professional Engineers. Written by Erika Ebsworth-Goold elected that has developed a method enabling fuel typically made from corn or sugar to the American Institute effective insertion of large molecules — cane. Instead, the researchers will for Medical and Biological such as DNA, RNA and proteins — into cells engineer microbes to make biofuels from Engineering (AIMBE) College and propels them into the cell nucleus. By Engineers uncover the design principles a toxic waste product of papermaking of Fellows — Class of 2018. combining a technique known as Acoustic of cellular compartments called lignin. During the third trimester, a baby’s brain undergoes Shear Poration (ASP) with electrophoresis, The grant supports research in rapid development in utero. The cerebral cortex the approach uses ultrasound waves New research from the School of five WashU labs, including those led Anastasio to chair dramatically expands its surface area and begins to fold. and focused mechanical force to create Engineering & Applied Science, published Previous work suggests that this quick and very vital by co-principal investigators Gautam NIH biomedical nanoscale holes, or pores, in the cell in the journal eLife, uncovers the principles Dantas, an associate professor of growth is an individualized process, with details varying underlying the formation and organization imaging technol- membrane that are big enough for large pathology and immunology; Tae Seok from infant to infant. macromolecules or nanoparticles to pass of membraneless organelles. ogy group Moon, associate professor of energy, Research from a collaborative team at Washington into the cell’s interior. “If our theory and modeling are environment & chemical engineering; Mark University in St. Louis tested a new, 3-D method that could So far, ASP has achieved greater correct, we ought to be able to design Marcus B. Foston, assistant professor Anastasio, lead to new diagnostic tools that will precisely measure the than 75 percent delivery efficiency these organelles in the way we want professor of of energy, environment & chemical third-trimester growth and folding patterns of a of macromolecules. DNA insertion, to,” said Rohit Pappu, the Edwin H. biomedical engineering; Yinjie Tang, associate baby’s brain. Murty Professor of Engineering in the engineering or transfection, which is of most The findings, published online March 5 in PNAS, could professor of energy, environment & and of interest in gene therapy, is significantly Department of Biomedical Engineering. chemical engineering; and Fuzhong electrical help to sound an early alarm on developmental disorders more challenging. Yet the combined Protein molecules that drive the Zhang, associate professor of energy, & systems in premature infants that could affect them later in life. application of mechanical and electrical formation of membraneless organelles engineering, has been environment & chemical engineering. “One of the things that’s really interesting about forces pioneered by Meacham and are like pearl necklaces. They consist together by physical crosslinks among the appointed chair of the National Hector Garcia Martin of Lawrence people’s brains is that they are so different, yet so similar,” of multiple sticky domains (the pearls) sticky domains. The number of domains Institutes of Health Biomedical colleagues yields roughly 100 percent Berkeley National Laboratory is another said Philip Bayly, the Lilyan & E. Lisle Hughes Professor of Imaging Technology B Study improvement in transfection versus pure connected by flexible linkers (the necklace). within a molecule contributes to the collaborator. Section (BMIT-B) for a two-year Mechanical Engineering. mechanoporation. Results of the research These so-called multivalent proteins come number of crosslinks that are realizable. Written by Julia Evangelou Strait term beginning July 1. Written by Erika Ebsworth-Goold are published in Scientific Reports. together to form networks that are held Written by Erika Ebsworth-Goold

8 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 9 In the media // Pathak receives Cancer immunotherapy seed grant from target of WashU CEMB mechanobiology research Amit Pathak, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, Stop talking about the need for computer has received a one-year, science and start teaching it $37,500 seed grant from the Center for Engineering Genin named inaugural Aaron F. Bobick, guest column for Fox News MechanoBiology (CEMB) for Flu warfare may look a project titled “Mechanical Faught Professor of The “nice-to-have” or “competitive advantage” memory in collective cell different next year skill is no longer an option; it’s now a requirement. migration through nuclear- Mechanical Engineering Professor Pratim Biswas shared This is because any domain in which people make Insects are revealing cytoskeletal crosstalk.” Guy Genin, an internationally renowned expert in how aerosol technology can decisions, monitor situations or take action based mechanobiology, was installed as the Harold and how AI can work in capture and kill infectious flu One of the latest treatments for cancer is Kathleen Faught Professor of Mechanical Engineering on information has been dramatically impacted society particles in the air. immunotherapy, which involves genetically Academy of Feb. 12. by advances in computing. Assistant Professor Silvia Zhang, modifying a patient’s own immune cells to Science- Genin studies interfaces and adhesion in nature, Not only does the air guest column for Venture Beat fight tumor growth and spread. An engineer St. Louis honors physiology and engineering. His research focuses purification technology and an immunology researcher at Washington While there is an researchers on mechanobiology and aims to understand and capture potentially University in St. Louis are collaborating to find a harness the role of force in living systems. His group abundance of AI software Raj Jain infectious particles better way to prepare and treat these immune works on pathologies whose underpinnings have an startups, the design, cells to maximize their effectiveness in patients. received “with extremely high the James important mechanical component, including cardiac assembly and fabrication Amit Pathak, assistant professor of efficiency,” it kills them. B. Eads fibrosis and pathologies of interfaces in the body. of hardware components mechanical engineering & materials science in Award, which The professorship was made possible through for AI, in addition to the the School of Engineering & Applied Science recognizes an a bequest from the late Harold Faught. He was individual for power consumption of who specializes in mechanobiology, and a longtime friend and volunteer for the School Eynav Yafit Klechevsky, assistant professor outstanding hardware systems, are far achievement in engineering or of Engineering & Applied Science, serving on the of pathology & immunology in the School of technology, at a dinner April 5. National Council for nearly a decade. from cheap. Medicine, have received a three-year, $610,000 Trailblazer Award from the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering. Noninvasive brain tumor biopsy on the horizon In immunotherapy, researchers extract Taking a biopsy of a brain tumor is a T cells — immune cells that fight infection in complicated and invasive surgical process, A new way to the body — from a patient’s blood, manipulate but a team of researchers is developing a way ‘see’ cancer them in a lab to recognize cancer cells, then to detect tumor biomarkers through a simple Quing Zhu, professor of From cancer to crops: return them to the patient to destroy the blood test. biomedical engineering, engineering small cancer cells. Hong Chen, a biomedical engineer, and Scientific American solutions for the world’s Concussions originate The Story Of for Pathak, who studies how cells’ Eric C. Leuthardt, MD, a neurosurgeon, led a big problems behavior and properties can be modified team of engineers, physicians and researchers from ringing deep Aerosols (Science Preliminary findings in a by the type of material the cells sit on, or its that has developed a groundbreaking, proof- inside the brain, Friday) pilot study suggest that, Pratim Biswas & Ramesh Raliya, guest contributors to Forbes microenvironment, will work with Klechevsky of-concept technique that allows biomarkers modeling suggests Aerosols do play a role in after just a couple of weeks, to modify the microenvironment in which T from a brain tumor to pass through the tough blood-brain barrier into a patient’s blood the technique can show From drug delivery and energy Professor Philip Bayly climate change, but not cells are manipulated in the lab to mimic the using noninvasive focused ultrasound and some tiny bubbles, potentially eliminating the the one you might think. how a patient’s breast sources to agriculture and water biomechanical properties of dendritic cells, need for a surgical biopsy. It’s the low frequencies Assistant Professor Rajan tumor is responding to a treatment, some of the world’s which are Klechevsky’s focus of research. Chen, assistant professor of biomedical engineering and of radiation oncology in that dominate, and you Chakrabarty joined Ira particular chemotherapy largest and most complex Dendritic cells are found in most of the body’s the School of Medicine, said while researchers have already learned how to get a drug can simulate the brain Flatow to discuss the regimen, based on the problems can be solved today with tissues and process foreign substances or through the blood-brain barrier into the brain via the bloodstream, no one — until now with just a few low- complex chemistry of the amount of vascular activity the smallest, simplest structures toxins known as antigens and present them to — has found a way to release tumor-specific biomarkers — in this case, messenger RNA frequency modes. particles in our air. and changes. using principles of aerosol science T cells to promote immunity. (mRNA) — from the brain into the blood. and technology.

10 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 11 Cover story //

USING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO SOLVE REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS

Written by stephen ornes Illustrations by steve edwards

ast fall, pet lovers rejoiced when Around the turn of the 21st century, Google unveiled a new feature for its machine learning began to take off. A subfield L photo storage application. Thanks of computer science, machine learning uses to cutting-edge technology, users large datasets to train a computer to make who want to find images of their cats or dogs, or predictions and decisions independently. It is the pictures of themselves with their pets, no longer success of machine learning that has made AI so have to scroll through thousands of photos. ubiquitous that most people interact with AI on Instead, they can search the images using only the a daily basis. Voice-recognition programs built pet’s name. The software does the rest. into smartphones and computers, such as Siri The feature runs an algorithm, a and Alexa, use AI to determine how to respond mathematical recipe, that teaches the device to spoken requests. Netflix uses algorithms to how to recognize the faces. Facebook, Apple and recommend movies. Online stores such as Amazon Google incorporated human facial recognition use AI to set prices and suggest items to shoppers. software into their photo software years ago, so The technology isn’t perfect. Self-driving cars this app may have been inevitable. aren’t ready for all public roadways, as evidenced Facial-recognition software represents yet by the self-driving Uber striking and killing a another sign that artificial intelligence is steadily pedestrian in Arizona in March. Amazon shoppers infiltrating daily life. have been baffled by the program’s purchase suggestions at one time or another. Those flaws The term “artificial intelligence” broadly show that there’s a lot of work to be done to make refers to ongoing efforts by computer AI useful. scientists and others to develop At the same time, the goal of AI isn’t a system machines that can not only perform that’s perfect, but one that can learn from its tasks that seem to require intelligence mistakes, get better and heal its virtual wounds. but also can learn to improve their At the School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis, researchers performance: AI algorithms get smarter are leveraging the power of AI to address the the more they are used. And recent challenges of making this technology useful in the developments have been inspired by the real world. They’re collaborating with colleagues Computational structures of the human brain. on a range of interdisciplinary projects, from the Facial recognition software imitates the brain’s best way to help the homeless to programming hardwired ability to identify patterns; the more drones that can monitor farmers’ fields or find photos a program studies, the more accurate it survivors in disaster-stricken areas. gets. And while the goal of many AI projects is to “AI really captures the imagination Connections get machines to do things that humans ordinarily regardless of your familiarity with computing,” do, some say it may be most useful when it says Aaron Bobick, dean of the School of automatically does the things that humans Engineering & Applied Science and the James don’t want to do. M. McKelvey Professor. “It challenges the notion

12 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 13 that intelligence is predominantly a human characteristic, which makes it both startling and From helping the sometimes alarming.” At the same time, for the of different kinds of interventions on different technology to mean something, “it has to be homeless to saving people and to use that understanding to useful in the human world.” improve resource allocation. disaster survivors Working with psychologist Patrick Fowler, associate professor in the Brown School, Das The eyes of a The work of Sanmay Das, associate professor developed algorithms to predict whether homeless of computer science & engineering, shows people were likely to return to the homelessness computer that kind of collaboration. Das trained as a system after receiving help. The algorithm aims to computer scientist, but most of his projects As a graduate student at MIT, Bobick grew find optimal ways for a city to deliver aid. William Yeoh find him exploring the intersection of AI and interested in computer vision and focused his “Who are the kinds of people who would social science. With researchers in the finance research career on how to teach a computer benefit from one type of homeless service or industry, he’s developed machine-learning tools to perceive human behavior and act on those another?” Das asks. observations. We want to designed to help credit card companies and survivors in need of help. Those devices need regulatory agencies identify individuals at risk to talk with each other while flying to avoid As research into AI and robotics grew, leverage the Bobick later founded Georgia Tech’s School of of making late payments or defaulting on debt. Such research will be a part of the university’s new Division collisions and to cover the most area in the least Interactive Computing, a department that focuses growth in AI He’s looking at ways to scale those tools up so of Computational and Data Sciences aimed at training amount of flying time. on understanding how computing can change they might be used to analyze the economic students interested in applying data and computing to some Yeoh points to another situation that with the areas may seem unrelated, but actually poses a very the way people interact with information and the performance and risk of banks. Many of his of today’s important societal problems. The new division, projects involve using AI approaches to help similar challenge: the “smart home.” People world. Fundamental to those questions are how at WashU in which will offer a doctoral degree, will be led by faculty robots engage with people in the human world. systems distribute scarce resources. are increasingly buying household appliances which we have from the Brown School, the School of Engineering & Applied Bobick said he thinks AI can help robots and On another project, he’s been analyzing and other devices connected through a wireless Science, and Arts & Sciences. people interact in a meaningful way. deep strengths. homelessness as a data science problem. More router. This is the Internet of Things, a vision than half a million people may live on the of a world where anything can be programmed “Right now, most robots exist in worlds that Das sees thematic parallels between — aaron bobick streets in the United States. City governments to respond to the world around it. Smart are designed for robots,” he says. that type of research and precision medicine, offer programs including shelters and clinics refrigerators can help one achieve a healthier At car manufacturing plants, for example, which uses a patient’s genomic data to identify to help this population, but Das says there is diet; smart garage doors can open with a swipe robots do the heavy lifting, including assembling the optimal treatment for a disease. He has an opportunity to use vast amounts of data on a smartphone. Yet for all of their smarts, the car’s body. But those robots are kept behind been studying kidney transplant systems with on people, their interactions with the system these gadgets don’t know about each other. fences and interact with human workers only colleagues at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. When a and their outcomes to understand the effects “They don’t really interact,” Yeoh says, but when they’re deactivated. person experiences organ failure, neither kidney they could. AI could be used in algorithms that “What we really want to be able to do is to works, and the person needs a replacement. In unify all these devices and teach them how to have humans and robots integrated much better,” roughly one-third of cases, a kidney is donated respond to the homeowner. Bobick says. “To do that, robots have to be able to by a compatible living donor. But sometimes the In Yeoh’s vision of a smart home, a short anticipate what people are going to do.” donor and the recipient are incompatible. statement such as “I want to watch something” When Bobick arrived at WashU in 2015, he In those cases, they might enter a kidney triggers a chain of events: The lights dim, the found a research environment primed to push the exchange where the donor gives a kidney to temperature lowers and a show begins. And usefulness of AI forward. another patient in need, and that patient’s this connectivity arises organically: The system “We want to leverage the growth in AI with donor gives a kidney to the original patient. This becomes more intelligent because the devices the areas at WashU in which we have deep idea has given rise to chains of donors, Das says, Sanmay Das talk to and learn from one another. strengths,” he says. but he suspects those exchanges could be more efficient. He is building AI algorithms to optimize those cycles of donations and produce more matches, with the goal of getting kidneys to the people who need them. William Yeoh, assistant professor of computer science & engineering, also says he’s motivated by the intention of using AI where it is most beneficial. Recently, he has built AI systems to enable communication among groups of connected devices. Imagine a cluster of small flying drones that use cameras to monitor a farmer’s fields for signs of drought or scan a disaster-ridden city for

14 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 15 The future

AI now touches nearly every aspect of existence The late scientist Stephen Hawking once in modern societies and provides data on our said that AI would be either the best or the bodies through wearable trackers, energy usage, worst thing ever to happen to humanity, road usage and our social networking behavior. but it was too early to tell which. All of this has brought some to call for AI to be regulated, including Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla. “I think whenever something is — whenever there’s something that affects the public good then there does need to be some form of public oversight,” Musk said on CBS News on April 11. “I do think there should be some regulations on technology useful. There also are theoretical Bugs, subs AI. I think there should be regulations on social hurdles, like understanding how an algorithm media to the degree that it negatively affects the works in a particular situation, and design and vital signs public good.” challenges, such as developing new materials Das said with the availability of this data When Xuan “Silvia” Zhang, that incorporate AI. WashU researchers are comes the opportunity to learn more about assistant professor of electrical working on these fronts as well. ourselves as well as to make better decisions. & systems engineering, thinks Vijay Ramani, the Roma B. & Raymond “I expect, in the future, to see a society about how to make AI useful in H. Wittcoff Distinguished University Professor in which many more decisions, both at the the real world, she looks to nature. of Environment and Energy, works at the individual and societal level, are taken by Insects provide a ruthlessly efficient intersection of electrochemical engineering combinations of humans and intelligent model: What they lack in cognition they and materials science. He and his collaborators agents, from decision-making about medical make up in unmatched agility. Zhang and her have designed batteries and fuel cell systems interventions, to traffic routing and eventually students have been building insect-inspired, for autonomous submarines and other driving, to the allocation of societal resources,” autonomous flying robots that use AI to zip submersibles that might be useful for military Das said. “The development and validation through the air like bugs. Small devices require and research use. And Brandon Juba, an of AI algorithms that can participate in such less power and less money to build and offer a assistant professor who teaches AI classes in decision-making in an economically efficient and cheap and efficient way to increase the reach computer science & engineering, works on the equitable manner, respecting human judgments of AI. But they pose some challenges, like theoretical development of algorithms that not of morality and ethics, will be a major area of integrating AI algorithms into small spaces and only learn, but can reason using common sense. research and development.” designing systems of miniature batteries and When Bobick came to WashU, one of his While there are benefits to AI, Yeoh says sensors. In her lab, Zhang develops systems goals was to foster projects where humans and there are risks — as with any technology — such of sensors and batteries that can store and computers interact in a way that builds on the as the self-driving vehicles and Facebook’s distribute power in devices, including AI- university’s research strengths. AI, he says, sharing of data of 50 million of its users with powered robots. can be used to make effective systems that The development and validation of AI Cambridge Analytica, the British political Yixin Chen, professor of computer science benefit humankind. Its ultimate goal isn’t to consulting firm that used data mining to target & engineering, is looking for ways to extend take over the world, but to help people make algorithms that can participate in such Facebook users with political posts. AI’s reach into the hospital setting. Last fall, good choices. decision-making in an economically efficient “AI researchers are very cognizant of these Chen launched a project with anesthesiologist “You end up with decisions that get made risks and are actively looking into incorporating Michael Avidan, MBBCh, at the School of better because they’re based on models, and equitable manner, respecting human ethics in AI education and training, such as at Medicine. In a pilot study, they are using AI to supported by a lot of data,” he says. “We want judgments of morality and ethics, will be a conferences dedicated to ethics in AI,” Yeoh monitor the vital signs of patients undergoing computers to be partners with people.” said. “We also will need to do a better job at surgery in all 48 operating rooms at Barnes- As part of that initiative, in 2019, WashU major area of research and development. reaching out to the general public to inform and Jewish Hospital. The data, displayed on will join such prestigious universities as — sanmay das educate them on the strengths and limitations screens in a nearby room, is monitored by a Stanford, Princeton, Boston, Carnegie of AI techniques. That way, the general public clinician. Green lights indicate normal vital Mellon, Simon Fraser and the University of will better understand how their data might signs, yellow suggests trouble and red lights California, Berkeley, to host AI4All, a summer be used and take steps toward ensuring that flag an urgent problem. education program that emphasizes using AI they are only rightfully used; they will also have Identifying real-world applications for for social good for high school students from reasonable expectations of AI technologies AI isn’t the only challenge to making the underrepresented groups. instead of hype-driven inflated ones.”

16 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 17 Faculty feature // hen R. Martin Arthur arrived at that personal computer made all the difference — it Martin Arthur Washington University in St. Louis in gave many here the ability to do things that weren’t 1969, “Get Back” by The Beatles was possible before that technology existed. Since then, the W among the top hits and Neil Armstrong university has built on that initiative.” became the first person to walk on the Arthur began teaching courses to first-year moon. Over the course of his unprecedented 50-year students almost immediately. As he moved through career in the School of Engineering & Applied Science, the ranks up to full professor, and eventually became he has made a difference in the education, careers and the Newton R. and Sarah Louisa Glasgow Wilson lives of thousands of Engineering students, all while Professor of Engineering in 2004, he has taught more carrying out his research in health care diagnostics, than 150 courses, touching the lives of two generations starting several companies and serving as department of Engineering students. chair three times. Arthur’s long-standing place in the Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering will come to an Arthur has taught more than end later this year when he leaves the university to 150 courses, touching the continue working on his health care startup, ATM Cardiac Diagnostics LLC, which he formed with lives of two generations Jason Trobaugh, professor of the practice in electrical & systems engineering, and Scott Marrus, of Engineering students. MD, a Washington University cardiologist at Barnes- Jewish Hospital. “It’s a huge responsibility,” he says. “You’re “After 50 years, I’m finally ready to graduate and making judgments that effect students’ careers get a job,” he says, with his characteristic dry humor. because you’re evaluating their work. It’s a huge WashU was a different place when Arthur arrived responsibility evaluating the performance of faculty for as a postdoctoral researcher to work with professors promotion and tenure, as well. I take it very seriously.” Martin Arthur Russell R. Pfeiffer and Charles Molnar on peripheral During his three stints as department chair, auditory mechanisms: James M. McKelvey Sr. was providing a high-quality and balanced curriculum dean; Urbauer and Bryan halls were new (Lopata to the department’s undergraduate and graduate and Jolley halls were yet to be built); and Jerome students is something else Arthur, who was named the R. Cox Jr. and his team had brought the room-sized, 2018 Outstanding Professional Engineer in Education then-revolutionary Laboratory Instrument Computer by the Missouri Society of Professional Engineers – St. ‘FINALLY (LINC) — often considered the first personal computer Louis Chapter, has taken seriously. — from Massachusetts Institute of Technology only “In my class, we were talking about five years prior. communication theory, and I said they could get the “To me, that was the start of the university basic information online, but you don’t have a group READY TO becoming world-class and put the medical school to help you assimilate that information, understand GRADUATE’ on the map,” Arthur says. “Having the ability to have what it means, and be able to create new intellectual

Written by beth miller

washu archives whitney curtis Arthur, left, with Daryl Beetner

18 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 19 property based on that experience,” he says. “That’s for medical ultrasonic imaging for cancer using what keeps the brick-and-mortar universities going, ultrasound to monitor temperature during heating because people like to work together, and it’s the way and ablation therapy. He has been named a fellow people are most productive.” Arthur, says the time has gone of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Not only has Arthur had a tremendous impact Engineering for these activities. on the many students he has mentored in his lab, but by quickly, attributing that to After he leaves WashU, he will focus on the with colleagues as well, including Michael E. Cain, company he co-founded with Trobaugh and Marrus MD, vice president for health sciences and dean of the his focus on three things: to get its two products from the lab into the market Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences and the clinic. The company makes MiDetect, a at the University of Buffalo. device designed to detect ischemia, a shortage of “Martin was instrumental in opening my eyes in COMPETENCE, oxygen, in patients who come to the emergency the 1980s to the value as an individual investigator, department with chest pain more quickly than can be as well as to cardiology broadly, of collaborations CHARACTER done with current bioassays, then help to determine between physician-scientists and engineers,” Cain if the patient needs cardiac catheterization; and Martin Arthur is a fan of said. “Martin made it easy because the added and AND FUN. NICE, a full-body surface map for noninvasive symphonic metal that needed value he brought to our research program cardiac evaluation. The team has a license from the he listens to after lifting was obvious and because he was such a welcoming university’s Office of Technology Management and is weights. champion of collaboration. His direct impact on my working on a provisional patent. work made me an advocate for further medicine/ While 50 years with one employer is nearly engineering partnerships at Washington University unheard of today, Arthur says the time has gone by and now at the University at Buffalo.” quickly, attributing that to his focus on three things: In 1970, Arthur co-founded Aspen Signal with his competence, character and fun. mentors, Pfeiffer, who was chair of the Department “If I’m not having fun, forget it,” says Arthur, of Electrical Engineering from 1971-75, and Don who lifts weights almost daily and has a penchant for Snyder, department chair from 1976-86. Pfeiffer died symphonic metal music. unexpectedly, and the team closed Aspen in 1980. While Arthur does have fun with his students and In 1984, he co-founded a company with William colleagues, his competent and caring character shines (Dave) Richard, professor of computer science & through. He recalls a student who had some personal engineering, called Ultrasonics in Health Care, which problems that were negatively affecting his academic develops computer architectures to support real-time performance. Arthur and a few colleagues gently ellipsoidal backprojection imaging. encouraged the student to withdraw and return later His other research was aimed at identifying to finish the degree. adults who have had a heart attack and are at “He appeared at my office door a few years later,” increased risk of having another. Arthur and his Arthur says softly. “He was carrying a picture that colleagues identified small changes in different his mother had made to thank me, and it’s now over characteristics of electrocardiograms from at- my mantle at home. He understood that we were all whitney curtis risk patients. In addition, he devised algorithms campus in focus trying to help him. That’s the good stuff. That’s what it’s about.”

About Martin Arthur 1953 1960s ouch! 73 2015 Arthur broke his refereed journals Arthur co-founds a Arthur testing his PhD, University of arm after hang company with Jason engineering skills by Pennsylvania, 1968 gliding in 1979. Trobaugh (left) and making a homemade MS, Rice University, 1964 After he retires, he Scott Marrus, MD cart. Even at a 6 plans to go back to book chapters young age, he knew BS, Rice University, 1963 paragliding. Arthur receives he already was an BA, Rice University 1962 Faculty Award for engineer. 49 Extraordinary Service refereed conference from Engineering Martin Arthur with the LINC computer presentations

20 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 21 Student feature //

Women & Engineering

Denise Bobick at the Women &

washu archives washu archives Engineering Leadership Summit

ot long ago, a successful woman engineering the goal of establishing a community for students and student or career professional had to be not only alumnae and enhancing the resources WashU offers them. Nbrilliant but brave. At a recent conference, alumna It also works with and helps support student-led groups Building the Future for Michele Liebman was dismayed to learn from a woman populated with women: the National Society of Black presenter that in the 1960s, her engineering professors Engineers (NSBE), Women in Computer Science (WiCS), told her she “was taking some man’s place.” And beyond the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) and Alpha Omega academe, strongly male-dominated workplaces were Epsilon (AΩE), an international technical science and Written by judy h. watts notoriously challenging for women engineers. engineering sorority for women. “Things have changed,” says Liebman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering in 1986 and was a One of the reasons frequently principal at Edward Jones before she retired. “But we WOMEN haven’t yet come all the way in achieving equality.” attributed to lower female graduate At the School of Engineering & Applied Science, rates in the engineering fields is a progress that will have far-reaching effects is rapid and ongoing, driven by a dedicated community comprising lack of woman engineer role models Aaron Bobick, dean and James M. McKelvey Professor; — something Women & Engineering ENGINEERSPhotos by whitney curtis Denise Bobick, JD, the dean’s wife; Engineering alumni, faculty, staff and students. These stakeholders was created to address. enthusiastically support the school’s pivotal support organization for students, Women & Engineering (W&E). “It is important to provide the opportunity for our Originally, W&E was a networking resource for students to have development and support in addition to engineering alumnae, including Jan Holloway, who earned what they get at the university,” Holloway said. “My hope a master’s degree in applied mathematics and computer is that our students and alumnae continue to benefit from science in 1983 and is now senior vice president and chief of some great connections and relationships.” staff at Monsanto Co. In 2016, W&E opened to undergraduate Haley Nichols, a senior from Memphis majoring in women, and Liebman and Holloway launched a fundraising mechanical engineering, is chapter president of NSBE. In challenge for the group. In recognition of their work, both February, NSBE and W&E co-hosted an event offering the received the Dean’s Award at the Engineering Alumni opportunity for black and Latino students to connect with Achievement Awards April 26. industry representatives. An umbrella and omnibus organization, W&E At an earlier W&E networking event, Nichols secured connects and supports students and alumnae by hosting an internship as a process engineer at General Motors, myriad events, including networking opportunities with where she will work full time after she graduates.

22 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 23 From left: Cheryl Perlmutter, Polly Shrewsbury, These women students Katie Johnson, Mariah Gratz and Emily Boyd plan to become alumnae “It is important to provide the mentors to a future opportunity for our students to A small sampling student. Without doubt, they, their peers and have development and support of W&E’s trove of the school community are closing in on the day in addition to what they notable offerings for when, to paraphrase Sanders, positive get at the university.” women engineering numbers about women — jan holloway students: in engineering are not news but the norm.

The public faces of W&E are co-leaders Emily Boyd, teaching professor in mechanical engineering & materials science and faculty adviser; and Empress Sanders, assistant dean and academic adviser in Engineering Student Services. “When Dean Bobick arrived in July 2015, he made Many-faceted supporting our female and other minority students a support: top priority,” Boyd said. “The rate at which things are accomplished here is truly inspiring.” The Leadership WiCS President Saron Leadership Sanders, who helps the leadership of the student Society: Belay, a senior majoring Society Summit groups with organizational development, budgets and in computer science, Expert advising: Boyd initiated this Women & Engineering hosted succession planning, says W&E has made a noticeable often consulted Sanders A first-generation organization, which its first Leadership Society impact on women students in a very short time. but had no trouble American from Dallas, Summit in April to strengthen “The women feel valued,” Sanders said. “They matches junior and relationships and to provide the getting on the dean’s Sofia Joison, a senior have talked with company executives about the many senior women with opportunity to form new ones. calendar to discuss WiCS majoring in computer possibilities that come with an engineering degree. They compatible alumnae The summit, held April 7 funding. When 15 women science, credits guidance are increasingly confident. They are getting fantastic mentors, dubbed Bear Expanded at the Knight Center, hosted students flew to Orlando and advice from Boyd about 70 students, alumnae, internships and jobs. They realize that they do have Pairs. The connections mentoring: for the 2017 Grace and Sanders with faculty, staff and guests for a a place in the industry, so when they talk about their are maintained with the St. Louisan Jackie Wong, day-long series of presentations, Hopper Celebration, the helping her become aspirations, they’re owning that reality. The field remains a sophomore majoring workshops and breakout sessions “It was inspiring to help of the Mentorship male-dominated overall, but they’re certainly making world’s largest gathering a better president of with alumnae designed to share a space with Collective, an online in computer science and headway.” of women technologists, SWE and get hired as present a variety of perspectives such empowering platform for mentors a member of AΩE and on entrepreneurship, engineering “The word about W&E is out,” said Denise Bobick, funds from Dean Bobick a program manager at women and be able and mentees. Student- WiCS, will intern this careers and other topics. who helps to facilitate events, supports the group’s and Roch Guérin, chair Microsoft’s Redmond, Wa. to focus on the unique centered events are held summer with Mastercard The alumnae speakers were: members and co-hosts W&E gatherings at her home. of the Department of headquarters. challenges facing throughout the year to on a cryptocurrency »» Abby Cohen, BS ’13, “Alumni elsewhere in the country want to support it, and Computer Science & women in STEM fields, help prepare the women team. She has met with co-founder and co-CEO of now Kansas City has its own W&E alumnae group.” Engineering and the how to succeed despite for their future careers her mentor twice. Sparo Labs; Boyd said Denise Bobick has been a constant Harold B. & Adelaide these challenges and advocate of W&E, promoting it to prospective students as and bond as a group. »» Katie Johnson, BS ’10, G. Welge Professor of senior user experience how affect change to well as with alumnae and donors. The Society also hosts Computer Science, researcher, EchoUser; the system that creates “Denise has been tremendously supportive and an annual Leadership covered their trip. »» Cheryl Perlmutter, BS ’00, these challenges.” helps W&E in any way she can,” Boyd said. “She facilitates Summit, which was held PMBA ’05, senior manager of meetings and events and is always looking for ways to April 7 and brought the sourcing at Edward Jones; Michele Anderson, a junior grow W&E and do what is best for students.” Bear Pairs and other majoring in mechanical »» Polly Shrewsbury, BS ’95, female students and COO of FourLeaf and founder engineering of Pollyseon; alumnae together for a day of networking, »» Mariah Gratz, BS ’02, CEO of Weyland Ventures. workshops and speakers % % dealing with personal 50 31 and professional of current undergraduate of current WashU development. biomedical engineering undergraduates studying majors are women computer science are women

24 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 25 Alumni feature //

Tony and Andy Nocchiero

ony and Andrea (Andy) Nocchiero know personally how a helping hand can change someone’s life. Offering T Both received full scholarships to attend Washington University in St. Louis. Without them, neither would have been able to earn undergraduate degrees from WashU that influenced the direction of their lives. Now, it is their turn to provide that helping hand. a helping The Nocchieros, of Evanston, Illinois, have made a gift to support need-based scholarships to students in the School of Engineering & Applied Science and in the College of Arts & Sciences. “We think the Washington U. experience is hand unique and wonderful,” said Tony, who earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 1973. “We want to help others, regardless of Written by beth miller means, to be able to have it, too.” Together, they have sponsored annual scholarships in the School of Engineering & Applied Science and in the College of Arts & Sciences for the past five years. The new gift, the Nocchiero Family Scholarship, will continue those We applaud the university’s and add endowed scholarships in both Arts & increasingly robust outreach to Sciences and in Engineering. The Nocchieros said they feel that the students with greater financial need, university is stronger and better when students and we want to support it.” come from a variety of backgrounds and means. “We applaud the university’s increasingly — andy nocchiero robust outreach to students with greater financial need, and we want to support it,” Andy said.

matthew gilson

26 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 27 Andy was involved with the dedication festivities Tony for SUPAC (Student Union and Performing Arts Center) in 1973. The building was renamed Education: Mallinckrodt Center in 1976. BS, Chemical Engineering, Washington University, 1973

MBA, Northwestern University, 1975

Andy Education:

BA, English, secondary teaching certificate, Washington University, 1974

MA, English Literature, University of Michigan, 1975

Andy speaking at the Arts & Sciences Scholarship Dinner in 2017 washu archives danny riese

Both describe WashU today the same way they is working with the Arts & Sciences Honorary Scholars she was the speaker at the 2017 Arts & Sciences did when they first visited the campus as high school Program alumni, and both are active members of the Scholarship Dinner. seniors. Chicago Regional Council. The Nocchieros enjoy traveling. Their favorite “WashU just felt so warm and encouraging As much as he loved studying chemical WashU just felt so warm and destinations are the Colorado mountains and Italy, and inclusive from the very beginning,” Andy engineering, Tony realized after a summer internship where they have relatives. Their visits inspired Andy said. “Whenever we’re on campus, it still has that at a Texas oil refinery that a career in business or encouraging and inclusive to learn to speak Italian, which she has studied for same feel, which is a testament to the university’s research would be a better fit. He earned an MBA at from the very beginning. a dozen years. In addition, they volunteer in local commitment to building and preserving that culture.” Northwestern University in 1975 and joined Amoco and national politics, including at the national Tony grew up in The Hill neighborhood in St. Corp., where he worked for 27 years in various finance Whenever we’re on campus, it headquarters of Barack Obama’s presidential Louis and was the first in his family to finish high roles, ultimately as chief financial officer of BP still has that same feel, which is campaigns. They have two adult sons, Daniel school, let alone go to college. Chemicals after the companies merged. and Peter. “The scholarship gave me time to sample A few years later, Tony became vice president and a testament to the university’s “We are paying the university back for its more of the WashU experience, and I think that’s CFO for Merisant Worldwide Inc., then returned to the commitment to building and kindness to us, but also ‘paying it forward,’ as they important because you also learn so much outside the chemical industry as senior vice president and CFO preserving that culture.” say, helping someone after us who needs the same classroom,” he said. of CF Industries Inc. He retired from full-time work in help we did,” Andy said about their motivation for As students, Tony and Andy were part of the 2010, though he occasionally does some consulting — andy nocchiero the gift. “We probably shouldn’t have been surprised, first freshman orientation committee in which and is a director of Callon Petroleum Co. but we are also having so much fun getting to know students designed all of the programming for the Andy was in the second class of George ‘our’ students.” incoming class. Tony also was co-chair of the student E. Mylonas Scholars in Humanities, part of the “We missed our active connection to the committee that ran the Assembly Series, and Andy Honorary Scholars Program. She earned a degree in a nonprofit that mentored teen mothers and university during the hectic years of career and kids,” led the committee for the opening gala for what is English and a secondary teaching certificate in 1974. promoted early literacy. Now, she reads to Tony said. “Our reconnection to WashU and being a now Mallinckrodt Center. They remain very involved She earned a master’s degree in English literature kindergarteners in Chicago, continuing her interest small part of the important work of the university has with the university: Tony is a member of the School of from the University of Michigan in 1975 and then in early literacy. In addition to helping to re-engage been wonderful — an unexpected result of creating Engineering & Applied Science National Council, Andy taught high school English. In 1991, she co-founded other recipients of the Honorary Scholars Program, our scholarships.”

28 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 29 Special feature // summary of objectives strategic planning committee co-chairs I. Provide an undergraduate education experience that promotes independent inquiry, is grounded in fundamentals, »» Rohit Pappu, Edwin H. Murty Professor, strategic plan affords opportunities for innovation and leads to successful Department of Biomedical Engineering career outcomes. »» Jessica Wagenseil, associate professor, Department II. Achieve internationally recognized contributions in both of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science Leadership Through Excellence fundamental and translational research. »» Nick Benassi, senior associate dean & chief of staff, III. Develop world-class researchers. School of Engineering & Applied Science The School of Engineering & Applied Science vision IV. Through research and education, create a positive impact on the local community, the country and the world. committee undertook a strategic planning process, beginning The School of Engineering & Applied Science with an internal assessment in spring 2016 and then V. Promote an environment where all faculty and staff are »» Mark Bober, manager of computing services, in earnest that fall. A strategic planning committee at Washington University in St. Louis will be encouraged, empowered and incentivized to pursue excellence. Engineering IT of 20 faculty, students and staff was formed to »» Emily Boyd, teaching professor, Department of recognized as a leader in providing scientific VI. Ensure the financial stability and health of the School. Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science shepherd a more organic process of ideation insights and enabling technologies critical to and refinement than is typical in many strategic »» Alex Carr, director of development, Engineering Alumni & Development planning efforts. The committee developed a “call solving fundamental research challenges of what have we accomplished so far »» Sanmay Das, associate professor, Department of for ideas” — an invitation to all our constituents the world today and in preparing students for »» Launched new academic programs Computer Science & Engineering to provide suggestions and ideas about possible the rapidly changing world of tomorrow. • PhD in Imaging Science opportunities. Students, faculty, staff and alumni, »» Ramona Durham, undergraduate student, • PhD in Data Science Class of 2017 along with partners in industry, government and • MS in Cybersecurity Engineering other organizations, were all invited to provide input mission »» Cathy Freesmeier, associate dean, Engineering • BS in Business & Computer Science Graduate Student Services through a variety of channels, including email, web The mission of the School of Engineering & • BS in Math & Computer Science forms and even personal communication. The goal of »» Kelsey Haddad, PhD student, Department of Applied Science at Washington University in »» Building on strengths in key research areas with additional Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering the committee was to gather these ideas and then to investments, including new centers and faculty growth distill the important thematic efforts identified. Once St. Louis is to promote independent inquiry »» Tao Ju, vice dean for research & professor, »» Created Office of Graduate Student Services Department of Computer Science & Engineering these efforts were refined, the resulting documents in engineering research and education with an could be considered and from those initiatives a »» Created Office of International Relations »» Young-Shin Jun, professor, Department of emphasis on scientific excellence, innovation Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering set of objectives and goals articulated; likewise, the »» Created new position for career engagement and collaboration without boundaries. »» Laura Kraus, director, Financial/Operations mission and vision would be self-evident. »» Improving workplace culture for teaching faculty Planning & Analysis »» Building Jubel Hall and McKelvey Hall »» Ron Laue, assistant dean, Engineering read all 19 white papers: engineering.wustl.edu/strategicplan Undergraduate Student Services »» Vijay Ramani, Roma B. & Raymond H. Wittcoff Distinguished University Professor of Environment & Energy, Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering

»» Srikanth Singamaneni, associate professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science

»» Jay Turner, vice dean for education & associate professor, Department of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering

»» Patricia Widder, senior lecturer, Department of Biomedical Engineering

»» Lan Yang, Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner Professor, Department of Electrical & Systems Engineering

»» Quing Zhu, professor, Department of Biomedical Engineering

30 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2018 // Engineering Momentum 31 Young alumni // Last word //

Sofia Joison is a senior majoring in computer science. She will graduate J f in May 2018. e f Synerg y

Nelson Written by sofia joison

could tell you some staggering statistic about the lack of women in the engineering field, but you already know Written by beth miller that. The conversation, while not new, is still not over. courtesy photo Engineering isn’t easy (any engineer reading this can Iattest to that), and if it were, it wouldn’t be so rewarding. Having support and people to fall back on is crucial within rom the time he was a child “What that means to me is surveying WashU students to describe how black this field. That’s when I thought of synergy and how the selling candy to neighborhood my surroundings, my community, the students gravitate toward each other. coming together of entities generates a greater value than kids and writing a neighborhood organization or company of which I’m a “Being at WashU was the first time I was being apart. This word really struck me because there is newspaper, Jeff Nelson has been part and really figuring out how I can make in an environment where everyone wasn’t a certain power in an embracing community of women an entrepreneur. That longtime things more efficient, how I can make black,” said Nelson, who was Student Union within engineering. That’s exactly why WashU’s Women & f entrepreneurial spirit, combined things more productive, and how I can president his senior year and represented Engineering initiative is so important. with a degree from the School of Engineering understand problems and come up with scholarship recipients in the $150 million Mentoring is critical to the success of women and & Applied Science at Washington University solutions,” he said. university scholarship initiative. “What I minorities across engineering industries. This is not just in St. Louis, prepared him for his current learned was how different black people intuitive, but also backed by research that states that role as a founder and co-founder of several were. With Blavity, we wanted to celebrate “The hardest and most female engineers feel more motivated and self-assured companies all aimed at solving problems. the diversity within the black culture and when they have a strong female mentor. Think about a Nelson, who earned a degree in applied fascinating part of being create this platform where black people can mentor you’ve had. How did they define the trajectory science in 2010, now spends his time a software engineer is gravitate toward it.” of your career? One of the goals of WashU’s Women & running Cinchapi, an Atlanta-based startup In the past year, Blavity has acquired trying to build a solution Engineering seeks to connect past, present and future that helps companies and organizations use two companies, launched a brand for female engineers to provide the support needed to rocket the data they create to best optimize their to a common problem and women’s empowerment called 21Ninety, (for some, quite literally!) your career forward. businesses. The company’s name, a blend of building an architecture that and hosted two conferences: EmpowerHer As a future computer scientist, I often found myself the word cinch, meaning easy, and API, a set for black women in technology and can scale and is secure.” looking around the classroom wondering if I fit in. Do I of tools used to build programs, is designed AfroTech for black entrepreneurs and really have what it takes to be a software engineer? Am to show power in simplicity. — jeff nelson technical professionals. I talented enough to make it in the tech industry? These “Engineers tend to complicate things To get ahead in computer science, fears and doubts were abated through my time as president because we live in a very technical world, Nelson advises current students to of Society of Women Engineers and working with the and we are so consumed with details that In addition to being founder and CEO contribute to open-source projects. members and staff of WashU’s Women & Engineering. I am sometimes we don’t come up to see the big of Cinchapi, Nelson is co-founder and “The wonderful thing about computer incredibly grateful for the courage and wisdom I have gained picture,” he said. “Because data is changing CTO of Blavity, one of the fastest-growing science is that there are very few barriers to through this experience, and I know that I’m better for it. in real time, people can’t understand it media and tech startups aimed at African- experience,” he said. “If you are privileged The mentors, advice and support I have received through and use it quickly enough to have it make a American millennials with more than 10 enough to have access to technology, this program drive me to start and continue a career in difference in their businesses. We’re solving million visitors a month. Founded with you can get experience and contribute to engineering and pay it forward to future female engineers. that problem by giving people real-time fellow WashU alumni Morgan DeBaun (Arts open-source projects. When you go for insights on their data with the power to act & Sciences, 2012); Jonathan Jackson (Arts an internship or a job, you’re going to be on what matters.” & Sciences, 2013); and Aaron Samuels competing against people already doing Nelson said he thinks of himself as an (Business, 2011), Blavity grew out of a those things, so make sure you’re doing optimizer. term the group developed while they were those things.”

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The southeast view of the new academic building, James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall. The building will open in 2020.

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