mckelvey engineering

Across Disciplines. Across the World® // spring 2021

Racial justice in Engineering The road ahead for McKelvey Engineering

inside Neal Patwari 18 // Virtual becomes reality 22 // Libby Allman 26 From the dean //

The Long Road Ahead

I write this letter as we are wrapping up what will be remembered as the most unusual academic year in living memory. The COVID-19 pandemic, which last spring was a crisis requiring an immediate response to launch online learning, grew into an ever-present constraint that impacted teaching, research and all aspects of operations across the university. For the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, McKelvey Engineering needed to embrace new paradigms of teaching and learning, to develop new modes of managing and sharing research spaces, and to conduct business operations almost exclusively through remote interactions. In the pages of this issue of Engineering Momentum, you will read about some of the efforts it took to rise to the occasion. Given the enormity of the task, one might expect responding to COVID-19 to be the cover story of this issue of the magazine.

It is not.

Instead, the summer of last year saw the emergence of an awareness of a challenge that has been with us for centuries and whose destructive power is not amenable to being controlled by a vaccine. While the most visible event of the summer was the video-captured death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers, there was a washu photo litany of such tragedies and travesties. These incidents energized a Black Lives Matter Aaron F. Bobick movement that is supported by persons of all backgrounds. Fundamental to the Dean ​& James M. McKelvey Professor conversation is the declaration that these occurrences are neither new nor particularly [email protected] more severe than those experienced by Black members of our community in every corner of society. There arose a demand that the time for true action has arrived.

That demand for action has made its way to McKelvey. As I mentioned in a short message released last summer, I was hesitant to simply offer words of sympathy and understanding. I was concerned that words could ring hollow and believed the school would need deliberate and sustained action that could, over time, make a difference: actions that would begin by uncovering some very uncomfortable truths and then seeking common ground to address them; actions that would identify sources of toxic climate and eliminate them; actions to inform and education all members of the McKelvey Engineering community.

Snapshot // This is hard work. It is not work that will be finished this semester, this year or this decade. Rather, it is work that will be ongoing. In our cover story, you will read about some initial efforts along with individuals who are stepping up to help McKelvey Research in Amit Pathak’s lab focuses on understanding how normal and establish a sustainable plan to combat systemic racism within our School, our cancerous cells sense and remember university, and our profession. We have tried to be as forthright as possible in our varying biomechanical cues present in coverage. You may dispute some of the observations made in the story — that’s ok. the tissue microenvironment. The image One of the things I have learned in the short time since we have begun this effort in represents a merge of vimentin (green) earnest is the deep variation in perspectives among members of our community. expression in MCF10A breast epithelial cells monolayer after 72H of cell culture In fact, one of the first important steps in this process is to learn about other people’s on collagen coated soft polyacrylamide perspectives. I hope this story at least accomplishes that goal. gel, actin cytoskeleton (red) and cell nuclei (blue). As always, I welcome your thoughts. And in this matter, maybe more than ever. Image by Florence Flick Jaecker, a postdoctoral associate in the Pathak Lab.

spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 1 In this issue //

spring 2021 22 Alumna Patterson THE BUZZ addresses Women We are McKelvey! & Engineering dean Engineering alumna Anna Aaron Bobick Patterson gave the keynote Alumna address at the Women & senior associate dean & BEIJING Ilic elected executive editor Engineering Leadership Society Nick Benassi to National Summit held March 6. Patterson is Academy of the founder and managing partner senior writer & editor at Gradient Ventures and oversees Beth Miller Engineering the fund’s global activities. Marjia Ilic is a senior director of communications & senior designer research scientist E. Brook Haley at LIDS at MIT and professor emerita of Electrical & Computer Engineering and integrated marketing Engineering & Public Policy at Carnegie manager Mellon University. Danielle Lacey communications 18 specialist McKelvey Engineering alumni and Suzanne Bremehr Engineering alumnus admitted graduate students gathered for Bateman elected to digital content manager lunch Friday, Dec. 4 in Beijing. National Academy Logan Short Inspiring Black Scientists web developer of Medicine Vince Ruppert The National Academy of Medicine McKelvey Engineering faculty New seminar series members Princess Imoukhuede cover design 26 selected Randall Bateman, MD, for E. Brook Haley his work in discovering the causes of (left) and Alvitta Ottley have been Alzheimer’s disease, developing the first named among the 1,000 inspiring contributors cover story highly specific blood test for Alzheimer’s and Black scientists in America by Leslie Gibson McCarthy initiating the first Alzheimer’s prevention trial. Cell Mentor. Brandie Jefferson 12 // Racial justice in Engineering Danielle Lacey Hannah Smith faculty feature Engineering Momentum is McKelvey Engineering published by the McKelvey School in every issue 18 // Neal Patwari of Engineering at Washington launches new website University in St. Louis. Unless 1 // From the dean otherwise noted, articles may student feature The “Education, Engineering & Race” seminar be reprinted without permission McKelvey Engineering launched 3 // The buzz series, which began July 30, featured faculty with appropriate credit to 22 // Virtual becomes reality a redesigned website that offers experts in various aspects of racism and the publication, school and a cleaner reading experience 4 // Student news education who presented their research so that university. and more flexibility for users alumni feature participants could better understand practices and keeps up with the latest correspondence 6 // Research news and policies in STEM education and engineering McKelvey School of Engineering 26 // Libby Allman technological standards. that support systemic racism. Washington University in St. Louis 36 // Faculty news Campus Box 1163 special feature One Brookings Drive 38 // School news St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 30 // Inside McKelvey Hall “I wanted to develop medicines email 41 // Last word The most important work: [email protected] and vaccines. I thought being Creating a vaccine for COVID-19 special feature at Pfizer might give me that phone Alumnus Tatenda Shopera went to work as a senior scientist at 314-935-6100 34 // The McKelvey Challenge opportunity”. Pfizer in June 2019. The first case of the novel coronavirus was website — tatenda shopera reported six months later. Three months after that, he was pulled engineering.wustl.edu young alumni feature into a COVID project. As a process scientist, he worked to fine-tune the conditions in 40 // Frank Bergh the environment to ensure the quality and consistency of the final product, a medicine or a vaccine.

2 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 3 Student news // Student-led nonprofit Nine McKelvey wins international Engineering students Project Covid aims to spread facts about road safety prize novel coronavirus named inaugural Chancellor’s Career LFR International, During the early days of the COVID-19 the virus and disease from a select a nonprofit Fellows organization pandemic, Will Hunter, a junior in the list of credible sources, including Nine first- and second-year students in the co-founded by a McKelvey School of Engineering, knew he the Centers for Disease Control and McKelvey School McKelvey School of Engineering are among wanted to do something to help. Prevention, the Associated Press of Engineering the inaugural members of Chancellor Andrew Hunter understood that misinformation and the World Health Organization. student, was recently D. Martin’s Career Fellows Program to Eisner about the virus could spread just as easily The app aggregates information, awarded the Prince increase career access for WashU students. as the disease, so when he learned about an including real-time statistics, Michael International Road Safety The program is part of the university’s overall Award by Prince Michael of Kent. opportunity to build an app to educate users testing center information and effort to increase and support the number of Co-founders Zach Eisner, who about the novel coronavirus, he took action. news, and localizes the content to first-generation college students and those earned a bachelor’s in biomedical “There were a lot of rumors spreading, the user’s state. from families with lower incomes. engineering in 2020, and Peter and we wanted to make sure that we could Serving as the lead product The McKelvey Engineering students Delaney, who earned a bachelor’s in project’s lead engineer and worked closely answer questions, as well as track the manager, Hunter managed the team are among the 61 students selected for the anthropology from the College of Arts with Katie Lund, a junior computer science & Sciences in 2018, were recognized spread,” said Hunter, who is majoring in of 12 developers and 10 researchers, many inaugural class of the Chancellor’s Career for their work improving emergency major, to develop the app’s front end. Giorgio Fellows Program, designed to provide low- students more focused on the pathways and computer science with a second major in of whom had backgrounds in public health, response, treatment and transfer of Guttilla, a senior computer engineering income and first-generation students with social networks leading to the world of work entrepreneurship. medicine or health literacy. Hunter also people injured in traffic accidents. major, served as the lead mobile app career planning and coaching and funding to and graduate school and to provide similar Hunter, along with co-founder Satvik brought additional engineering students from Eisner and Delaney are among the developer, overseeing its user experience cover a summer professional development coaching for post-university life that students Sethi, a recent alumnus of Binghamton WashU onto the project. youngest recipients of the award in its and interface. experience. The program is designed to get with more resources have. 33-year history. University, developed Project Covid, a For example, Michael Ginn, a junior mobile app that gathers information about computer science major, served as the Written by Danielle Lacey Student athlete Andrew New student organization aims to Whitaker juggles life in build community among LGBTQIA pandemic while giving back students in STEM Andrew Whitaker has spent his undergraduate career at Washington Dean Oken, a master’s student studying University in St. Louis giving back. data analytics & statistics, decided to bring A biomedical engineering major in a chapter of oSTEM, which stands for Out the McKelvey School of Engineering, he in Science, Technology, Engineering, and has danced and played with kids who Mathematics, to the McKelvey School of have cerebral palsy so they can put on a Engineering, a move that was made even more vital thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic. dance recital through Dance CPSR (Cerebral Palsy Sports He currently serves as the president of the Rehabilitation). “And as a senior on the football team, as a captain WashU chapter. A two-sport athlete in football and track, he has spent on the track team, I now feel like if I can inspire “I had an idea to build a community weekends with kids on the autism spectrum, guiding them around STEM and LGBT+ representation,” From left, Keya Nagula, oSTEM secretary, and Dean Oken, oSTEM president, through exercises to improve coordination and social skills someone, I should. If I can share my experiences Oken said. “I saw other groups such as SHPE, plant flowers during an event that will later be given to students during through the Bear Cubs running program. about being Black and get my teammates to look oSTEM’s May social event. NSBE and SWE, and, one year prior, Proud An Annika Rodriguez Scholar, he has traveled to at things through a different lens in terms of the Network came to campus and increased chapters throughout the country that offers “I knew that I felt passionate about this Honduras for a week helping doctors assist patients with LGBT+ representation at Olin. I thought it was social injustices going on, I will.” similar opportunities to LGBT students and idea, and if I was passionate about this idea, basic medical needs through a program called Global the perfect time to start something.” their allies who are interested in STEM. there were certainly others who would be Brigades. He also has been involved in the McKelvey — andrew whitaker Groups such as the Society of Hispanic “When like-minded individuals are passionate about it,” Oken said. “I would Takes Responsibility Campaign and WU BLAC. Engineers (SHPE), the National Society of put together in a space where they’re more have been happy with four or five interested Yet when Whitaker — who recently was selected as Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of into a project near and dear to this defensive back’s comfortable, they can achieve more because people, but once I took that step, the interest Women Engineers (SWE) help members of one of 22 college football players from all three NCAA heart. With the help of the Gephardt Institute for Civic & they can focus more on the task at hand and was overwhelming.” groups traditionally underrepresented in divisions for the prestigious Allstate American Football Community Engagement, for which he also serves as a not have to worry about feeling judged,” The group now claims more than 90 STEM to network and find support among Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team — is asked Bob and Gerry Virgil Civic Scholar, Whitaker spearheaded Oken said. “oSTEM provides that community members since it began in August 2020. others with similar experiences. oSTEM is a what, if any, of these experiences had the most meaning for like-minded people to come together for a project to send medical supplies to every school national organization with more than 100 Written by Danielle Lacey for him, he responds, “Whatever I’m doing now.” professional, activist and social events.” district in the St. Louis area. What began as an internship last year has turned Written by Leslie Gibson McCarthy

4 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 5 Research news // Researchers devise Fine-tuning device Imoukhuede named COVID-19 new method to get lead performance with swarms Modeling can help balance economy, AIMBE Fellow out of filters, better of swimming cells health during pandemic Princess Mark Meacham, assistant professor of Using mathematical modeling, new interdisciplinary research measure amount in Imoukhuede, mechanical engineering & materials science, from the lab of Arye Nehorai, the Eugene & Martha Lohman associate tap water professor of used Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a single-cell Professor of Electrical Engineering, determines the best course Researchers in biomedical green alga that swims with two cilia, or whip-like of action when it comes to walking the line between economic engineering has structures, to test the efficacy of bulk acoustic stability and the best possible health outcomes. the McKelvey been named wave devices created in his lab. These devices use The group — which also includes David Schwartzman, a School of a fellow of the piezoelectric materials to translate an electrical business economics doctoral student at Olin Business School, Engineering American Institute for Medical and signal to mechanical vibrations, which then and Uri Goldsztejn, a doctoral student in biomedical engineering have devised Biological Engineering (AIMBE). generate ultrasonic standing waves in the fluid- — published their findings Dec. 22, 2020, in PLOS ONE. a new method According to AIMBE, its College of filled channel of a device. Meacham and Minji on a Chip Feb. 9 and are featured on the back cover The model indicates that of the scenarios they consider, that allows them Fellows is limited to the top 2% of Kim, a doctoral student in his lab, design these of the print journal. communities could maximize economic productivity and medical and biological engineers. to extract the lead devices to operate at multiple resonant frequencies “The goal of this work is to use these cells to minimize disease transmission if, until a vaccine were readily She uses computational models from these “point-of- to generate strong acoustic waves with maximum characterize the acoustic field, to find resonances available, seniors mostly remained at home while younger and quantitative measurements to use” filters, providing a clearer picture of better understand several aspects energy transfer. Efficient operation is critical and to assess field strength, and eventually to people gradually returned to the workforce. what’s coming out of the faucet. of vascular signaling. because inefficient devices generate heat that can calibrate device performance using the cells as And they can do it in less than an hour. She is one of 174 engineers to kill biological cells. our measurement tool,” Meacham said. “We know Their research was published this receive this honor in 2021. She was It is the first reported work to provide this how much power is put in. The cells give us a way to inducted during a virtual ceremony Kill switch could keep past summer in the journal Environmental functionality in real time and for a variety of device evaluate how much of that power is useful.” March 26. genetically engineered Science: Water Research & Technology. geometries. Results of the work are published in Lab Written by Beth Miller The problem with just collecting a bacteria at bay one-liter sample is that “We don’t know The USDA has recently awarded Tae how long it was in contact with that lead NSF CAREER Award Zhang seeks ways Seok Moon, associate professor in the pipe or if it just flowed through quickly. to stop sneaky Department of Energy, Environmental & Everyone’s water use patterns are Bai to study dynamic attacks on computer Chemical Engineering a $498,771 grant different,” said Daniel Giammar, the Walter heterogeneities in hardware in an effort to develop a “kill-switch” for E. Browne Professor of Environmental Malicious attacks genetically engineered bacteria. lithium-ion battery Engineering in the Department of Energy, on computer For this project, Moon will be working Environmental & Chemical Engineering. electrodes hardware and on a self-destruct mechanism for bacteria A better method would be to collect embedded Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have that will be genetically engineered to destroy pathogens in the gut of livestock. Once the the lead from a filter that had been in use systems, such as revolutionized the way people cloud servers, bacteria have completed that task in the gut, the switches will turn on and they will kill long enough to provide an accurate picture live, by enabling transformative smartphones and themselves. of household water use. electronic devices, portable Internet-of-Things Written by Brandie Jefferson Written by Brandie Jefferson power tools and electric vehicles. devices, are a constant threat. Xuan ‘Silvia’ Zhang, assistant professor They are popular choices of of electrical & systems engineer- energy storage technologies, received a five-year, $503,025 CAREER Award NSF CAREER Award Additive manufacturing, high-speed ing, plans to conduct fundamental wherever high energy density, high power from the National Science Foundation. research on building a detec- imaging focus of Weisensee’s CAREER Award density and system simplicity are required. “We have been focusing on reaction tion framework that would spot However, elusive safety accidents, especially heterogeneities in batteries because they are these attacks with a nine-month, Patricia Weisensee, assistant professor dynamics, heat transfer and liquid-solid life-threatening fires and explosions, have the birthplace of safety hazards,” Bai said. Here, $300,000 grant from the Air Force of mechanical engineering & materials interactions of droplets and other multi- Research Laboratory and the De- become a major and urgent concern. Failures the reaction heterogeneity refers to a local hot science, will look at the effects of additive phase systems, said additive manufacturing fense Advanced Research Projects spot that has a much higher reaction current manufacturing process on the material is frequently used to build complex structures of LIBs and other high-energy batteries always Agency (DARPA). properties of the printed medals with a without having to use screws or welding originate from microscopic heterogeneities, than the neighboring regions. The difference Zhang and Huifeng Zhu, a five-year, $557,000 CAREER Award from the or to make repairs without having to case which, however, are difficult to be monitored, between the local current density over the hot doctoral student in her lab, recently received the Best Paper Award from National Science Foundation. CAREER awards new pieces. The process uses fewer parts, is whether the outcome will be a good quality analyzed and predicted by existing spots and the apparent current density can the IEEE Asian Hardware Oriented support junior faculty who model the role of generally lighter in weight and lower in cost or not while it’s printing,” she said. “Because electroanalytical methods. become huge, potentially leading to everything Security and Trust Symposium teacher-scholar through outstanding research, and requires less human labor to construct. additive manufacturing is a fairly complex Peng Bai, assistant professor of energy, from inefficiency to deadly accidents, depending (AsianHOST) for their paper titled excellence in education and the integration of However, the quality of the products is process that requires frequent reheating environmental & chemical engineering, has been on the nature of the electrode and the operating “PowerScout: A Security-Oriented education and research within the context of inconsistent, which has limited its more of the materials, the reheating changes the preparing to better understand the dynamic condition of the battery. Power Delivery Network Modeling the mission of their organization. widespread use. microstructure, and that influences the heterogeneities in the electrodes of lithium- Written by Brandie Jefferson Framework for Cross-Domain Side- Weisensee, whose research focuses “Because metals are not transparent, mechanical properties. We want to learn how ion and other high-energy batteries, and now Channel Analysis.” on understanding the interplay of fluid we don’t have ways of being able to tell these influence each other.”

6 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 7 Research news // Center for Water New tech can get Innovation to oxygen, fuel from NSF CAREER Award Lee seeks to boost speed on cloud platform showcase, connect Mars’ salty water apps with CAREER Award WashU water research If oxygen and hydrogen could be directly I-Ting Angelina Lee, assistant professor of coerced out of briny water, that brine computer science & engineering, plans to electrolysis process would be much less develop software infrastructure that can improve complicated — and less expensive. programmer productivity and increase the speed Engineers at the McKelvey School of of interactive applications running on cloud Engineering have developed a system that platforms with a five-year, $500,000 CAREER does just that. Their research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Award from the National Science Foundation. Sciences (PNAS). CAREER awards support junior faculty who model Washington University in St. Louis has long been a leader in water research Colored light The research team, led by Vijay Ramani, opens the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding with world-class faculty in both the the Roma B. and Raymond H. Wittcoff up the research, excellence in education and the investigated to control McKelvey School of Engineering and Distinguished University Professor in the oceans as integration of education and research within the Department of Energy, Environmental & a viable oxygen automatically,” Lee said. “Existing task-parallel in the College of Arts & Sciences. irregular heartbeat context of the mission of their organization. One- To bring this research together and Chemical Engineering, didn’t simply validate and fuel source.” platforms have been demonstrated to work noninvasively third of current McKelvey Engineering faculty have to promote additional collaboration, its brine electrolysis system under typical “Our novel brine electrolyzer efficiently for high-performance scientific received the award. Zhen (Jason) He, an internationally With a four-year, $2.08 million grant from terrestrial conditions; the system was incorporates a lead ruthenate pyrochlore applications in practice.” Lee studies task parallelism, a parallel recognized water researcher, will the National Institutes of Health, Chao examined in a simulated Martian atmosphere anode developed by our team in conjunction programming paradigm designed to program Lee said task parallelism falls short head the newly launched Center for Zhou, associate professor of biomedical at -33 ⁰F (-36 ⁰C). with a platinum on carbon cathode,” Ramani shared-memory multicore machines. in supporting modern interactive parallel Water Innovation (CWI). engineering, will lead a multi-institutional “Our Martian brine electrolyzer radically said. “These carefully designed components coupled with the optimal use of traditional “Task parallelism can improve programmer applications commonly run on cloud platforms, The CWI will facilitate team that will apply optogenetics, a changes the logistical calculus of missions to Mars and beyond,” said Ramani. “This electrochemical engineering principles has productivity because it provides high-level however, because it is mainly designed to target collaboration among the technique that uses light to control the technology is equally useful on Earth where it yielded this high performance.” language abstractions to allow the programmer to high-performance scientific applications that use university’s water resources from opening and closing of ion channels, to various departments to address express the logical parallelism of the computation specific parallel patterns and has throughput as help the heart achieve regular beating. major water quality and water and let an underlying runtime system to the main performance criterion. Zhou will collaborate with Abhinav Diwan, technology research questions. perform load balancing and synchronization Written by Beth Miller MD, professor of medicine, of cell biology In addition, its member faculty Quantum and physiology and of obstetrics and will perform educational outreach gynecology; Jeanne Nerbonne, professor tunneling pushes to K-12 schools, promote water of medicine and of developmental The research, from the lab of sustainability to the public, and the limits of biology and director of the Center for Srikanth Singamaneni, the Lilyan assist area governmental and self-powered nonprofit organizations in making Cardiovascular Research; and Kenneth & E. Lisle Hughes Professor in the policies related to water and Schechtman, professor of biostatistics and sensors Department of Mechanical Engineering wastewater management. of medicine, all at Washington University & Materials Sciences, was published M. Green Department of Electrical & Systems “We expect that this will be School of Medicine. He also will work with online Jan. 22 in the journal Nature Engineering, was published online Oct. 28, a bridge to connect WashU water Airong Li, MD, PhD, assistant professor of 2020, in the journal Nature Communications. Biomedical Engineering. resources with industry, government neurology at Harvard Medical School, and The roadblock that inspired this research In addition to the low cost and agencies and investment Rudolph Tanzi, the Joseph P. and Rose F. is the threshold effect. ease of use, these microneedle companies,” said He, professor of Kennedy Professor of Child Neurology and “Imagine there is an apple hanging from patches have another advantage energy, environmental & chemical Mental Retardation at Harvard University Shantanu Chakrabartty’s laboratory has been a tree,” Chakrabartty said. “You can shake the over blood draws, perhaps the most engineering and a fellow of the and Massachusetts General Hospital, both working to create sensors that can run on the tree a little bit, but the apple doesn’t fall. You important feature for some: “They are International Water Association. No more needles least amount of energy. His lab has been so suc- have to give it enough of a tug to shake the Initially, research at CWI will experts in human and fruit fly genetics. entirely pain-free,” Singamaneni said. cessful at building smaller and more efficient apple loose.” That tug is akin to a threshold focus on sustainable wastewater The team will use the light beams on Finding a biomarker using these sensors that they’ve run into a roadblock in the energy. “It’s the minimal amount of energy management, safe drinking water the fruit flies at different developmental microneedle patches is similar to form of a fundamental law of physics. needed to move an electron over a barrier.” If Engineers at the McKelvey School of Engineering and the nexus of agriculture and stages, from larvae to adult. The motiva- blood testing. But instead of using a solution Sometimes, however, when you hit what you cannot move the electron over the barrier, have developed a microneedle patch that can water, all critical needs in research tion behind the work is to investigate an to find and quantify the biomarker in blood, appears to be an impenetrable roadblock, you cannot create current. be applied to the skin, capture a biomarker and practice, and strengths of option for pacemakers, which control the the microneedles directly capture it from the you just have to turn to quantum physics and But naturally occurring quantum of interest and, thanks to its unprecedented WashU faculty. The center aims to heart rate in patients with rhythm irregu- tunnel through it. That’s what Chakrabartty mechanical phenomenon move electrons sensitivity, allow clinicians to detect its presence. liquid that surrounds our cells in skin. Once demonstrate the strength of the larities, but also affect surrounding tissues and other researchers at the McKelvey School across barriers all the time. The research team The technology is low cost, easy for a the biomarkers have been captured, they’re university’s researchers, create and require periodic invasive surgery to of Engineering did. took advantage of this to build a self-powered clinician or patients themselves to use, and it detected in the same way — using fluorescence opportunities for collaborative replace the batteries. The development of these self-powered device that, with a small initial energy input, could eliminate the need for a trip to the hospital to indicate their presence and quantity. proposals to federal funding agencies quantum sensors from the lab of Chakrabartty, can run on its own for more than a year. and to attract attention from Written by Beth Miller just for a blood draw. Written by Brandie Jefferson the Clifford W. Murphy Professor in the Preston potential industrial members. Written by Brandie Jefferson

8 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 9 NSF CAREER Award Chan Zuckerberg Yang named 2020 Deep learning Solved: The mystery of toxic Initiative names two AAAS fellow investigated to fracking byproducts WashU groups Frontiers Lan Yang is improve imaging Research from the lab the Edwin H. of Imaging grantees of Kimberly Parker, & Florence techniques assistant professor G. Skinner in the Department of Professor in Fluorine found as possible the Preston Energy, Environmental substitute for lithium in M. Green & Chemical Engineering, Department rechargeable batteries shows that underground of Electrical & Systems presence of halogen Engineering. AAAS is honoring Materials scientists have found a potential cyclability — that is they tend to degrade radicals is a key to the her for groundbreaking alternative for lithium in fluorine, a relatively rapidly with charge-discharge cycles. formation of these contributions to the fields of photonics, particularly her abundant and light element. Interestingly, Washington University researchers halogenated organic pioneering experimental studies fluoride ion is the mirror opposite of lithium Steven Hartman and Rohan Mishra have compounds, which are dangerous for human health and on non-Heritian photonics, ion, having the strongest attraction for adopted a new approach to fluoride-ion damaging to the environment. optical sensing and light- electrons, which allows it to easily carry out battery design, identifying two materials When getting an MRI scan, a patient is The research was published Jan. 15 in the journal matter interactions in optical Imaging of proteins, cells and tissues is electrochemical reactions. Researchers in which easily gain or lose fluoride ions while told to lie as still as possible because Environmental Science & Technology. resonators. critical to understanding health and disease. Japan also are testing fluoride-ion batteries undergoing small structural changes to any movement will create errors in the Many of the high-tech devic- “For a long time, we didn’t really know where they were In December 2020, the Chan Zuckerberg as possible replacements for lithium-ion enable good cyclability. Mishra, assistant scans. An engineer at Washington Uni- es we use in our day-to-day lives coming from,” Parker said. “We knew that they weren’t being Initiative (CZI) announced $2 million in batteries in vehicles. They say these batteries professor of mechanical engineering & versity in St. Louis is proposing a novel are electronic devices — they rely could allow electric vehicles to run 1,000 materials science, said that the new battery put down into the system on purpose. It seemed clear that on the movement of electrons funding for research led by faculty at way to correct errors in MRIs and other kilometers on a single charge. However, materials are both layered electrides. they were being generated under the ground.” to transmit information. Yang’s Washington University in St. Louis. The types of images using deep learning. current fluoride-ion batteries have poor In addition to knowing where they were coming from, research focuses on silicon- support is part of nearly $32 million in funding Written by Beth Miller Ulugbek Kamilov, assistant profes- researchers had a pretty good reason to suspect halogen chip-based, ultra-high-quality from CZI to support biomedical imaging sor of computer science & engineering micro-resonators and their radicals — molecules with an unpaired electron — were researchers. and of electrical & systems engineering, applications for sensing, lasing, Pappu, driving the generation of these compounds. Two multidisciplinary groups headed Aerosol particles naturally plans to develop a framework that ulti- nonlinear optics, environmental collaborators, monitoring, biomedical research by faculty from the McKelvey School of mately would lead to algorithms to cor- Written by Brandie Jefferson form over the open sea and communication. Engineering will be homing in on the brain, awarded $7.5 New results from an rect these errors and enhance imaging where currently, imaging techniques can million MURI atmospheric study over the capabilities with a five-year, $486,000 penetrate about the depth of a couple of NSF CAREER Award award eastern North Atlantic CAREER Award from the National Sci- Artificial intelligence, algorithms focus human hairs. Rohit Pappu, reveal that tiny aerosol ence Foundation. CAREER awards sup- Jung-Tsung Shen, associate professor of Juba’s NSF CAREER Award the Edwin particles that seed port junior faculty who model the role in the Preston M. Green Department of H. Murty Brendan Juba, assistant professor of computer clouds can form out of of teacher-scholar through outstanding Electrical & Systems Engineering, is principal Professor of research, excellence in education and science & engineering, will take a closer Engineering, next-to-nothingness investigator of a research team with co- the integration of education and re- look at the relationships and generalization is part of a over the open ocean. PIs Lihong Wang from California Institute in artificial intelligence and develop new multi-insti- This “new particle search within the context of the mission of Technology and Junichiro Kono from algorithms with a five-year, $543,000 CAREER tution team formation” occurs of their organization. Rice University. The team is developing a Award from the National Science Foundation. to receive a highly competitive when sunlight reacts with Kamilov, whose research is in com- quantum photonic-dimer laser, a light source 2020 Multidisciplinary Univer- Juba, who studies algorithms for integrated molecules of trace gases in the putational imaging, said the demand that produces a special class of entangled sity Research Initiative (MURI) learning and reasoning in artificial intelligence, marine boundary layer, the atmosphere within about for more advanced imaging technology pairs of photons known as photonic dimers. award from the Department of said researchers have recognized for a long Defense. the first mile above Earth’s surface. The findings will is increasing, leading to the need to Song Hu, associate professor of biomedi- time that relational generalization is necessary The five-year $7.5 million improve how aerosols and clouds are represented in remove artifacts, noise or other errors, cal engineering, will be working with co-PIs for artificial intelligence, but it has been grant is shared with three other models that describe Earth’s climate so scientists can which cannot be done by hand. That’s Lan Yang, the Edwin H. & Florence G. Skinner universities and is aimed at difficult to solve. So far, there have been two “I will take both the learning and planning understand how the particles — and the processes that where deep learning, which simulates Professor in the Preston M. Green Depart- uncovering the fundamental human brain functionality by using a types of approaches. problems together — both the data that I would design principles that will en- control them — might have impacted the planet’s past ment of Electrical & Systems Engineering, and neural network, comes in. “On one hand, you might have a solution have used for learning and questions I want able researchers to design and and present and better predict the future. Adam Kepecs, BJC investigator and professor that would do the right thing, but you don’t to answer with that data,” he said. “We’ve engineer novel, synthetic and The research, a collaboration led by principal “In MRI scans, you scan patients of neuroscience and psychiatry in the School know how long it will take,” Juba said. “Or you seen in the past that by not having to hand membraneless organelles. investigator Jian Wang, professor of energy, then feed their images to a neural of Medicine. The team is developing a new may produce something quickly, but it doesn’t off something that is learned to this second This research will lead to environmental & chemical engineering and director network to learn the patterns we want photoacoustic technology that will enable the ability to control biochemi- necessarily have the quality. It’s not known problem of producing a plan or an answer, you of the Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, to eliminate,” he said. “We then use cal pathways and synthesize cellular-resolution molecular imaging deep those trained neural networks to fix the how to do both, so our focus is to try to get both can do much better and guarantee that it’s high-value compounds in yeast was published Jan. 22 in the journal Nature inside live tissue. and to find a feasible method that gives good going to work in some cases.” cells. Communications. errors in subsequent scans.” Written by Brandie Jefferson answers in a reasonable time.” Written by Beth Miller Written by Brandie Jefferson Written by Beth Miller

10 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 11 Cover story // Redoubling equity efforts mid the weight of the global pandemic “It’s not enough to just generally in 2020 came a renewed and intensified focus on racial justice in the United be supportive: we have to be A States after numerous unjustified active. Passive support is not the killings of Black Americans at the hands of white law enforcement officers, including George Floyd same as active consideration and Breonna Taylor — six years after Michael Brown and active efforts. Engineering was killed in Ferguson, Missouri — as well as others who did not become household names. After Floyd’s has always been a participant death in May, as thousands of Americans took to the in what other parts of the streets to express their outrage about the killings, Washington University in St. Louis Chancellor Andrew university are leading, but we’ve D. Martin reaffirmed the university’s commitment to never organized what we’re support all members of the university’s community going to do until now.” and to redouble efforts for equity. In the McKelvey School of Engineering, Dean Aaron — Dean Aaron Bobick F. Bobick also has committed to involving the McKelvey Engineering community in efforts to achieve racial equity within the school, as well as supporting racial justice Racial justice efforts on campus, in St. Louis and around the world. In As the school’s first director of diversity the latter half of 2020, Bobick, with support from school initiatives, Imoukhuede will chair the 16-member leadership, faculty, staff and students, implemented committee and ensure that it engages with the several new initiatives to address diversity, equity and entire McKelvey community to identify and address inclusion within the school. DEI issues. The committee’s mission is to exemplify, “Our 2018 strategic plan wove racial equity goals encourage, facilitate and nurture a culture of inclusive in Engineering throughout the various objectives,” Bobick said, “but it excellence at the McKelvey School of Engineering did not explicitly call out racial equity as a fundamental through the identification and implementation of best objective in and of itself. This is one of the reasons practices in recruitment, retention and climate for The road ahead for McKelvey Engineering that we have been talking about changing things and students, postdoctoral researchers, faculty and staff of addressing diversity, equity and inclusion for a long Black, Indigenous and Latinx populations. In addition, time, but little has changed. This lack of progress Imoukhuede will serve as the school’s liaison to gives rise to frustration and anger on the part of our the university’s various organizations focused on Black and people of color members of our community. diversity, equity and inclusion, including the Center It is telling that it took the violent events of the past for the Study of Race, Ethnicity & Equity; the Academy summer, and in particular, a video of a Black man being for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; and the Center for killed by a policeman kneeling on his neck for us to Diversity and Inclusion, as well as connect with the decide that we have fallen short. Our challenge is to Office of the Provost. Editor’s note: In Engineering Momentum, harness that dissatisfaction and anger into steps that As vice dean, Wagenseil will work with the we frequently tell you about the strengths and opportunities in McKelvey might actually make a difference. Frankly, this is very department chairs to assess and monitor faculty School of Engineering and the progress hard work, and we should only undertake these efforts mentoring and career development, to develop Written by beth miller toward new goals. We do this because if we have the will to establish sustainable approaches faculty leadership training opportunities, and to we are proud of what we do, and we to increasing racial equity within our School.” coordinate nominations for faculty awards in support want you to be proud as well. However, this story takes a different tack: Here As one of the first steps, in Fall 2020, Bobick of the full range of faculty career progression. She also we address the challenges we face as a appointed the McKelvey Committee on Diversity, Equity will work with Bobick to coordinate the tenure and school in addressing diversity, equity and and Inclusion (DEI) to provide structure and oversight promotion process. inclusion, as well as where we have fallen short and how we plan to improve. to the school’s efforts to address these issues. The Wagenseil and Imoukhuede were part of a committee is chaired by Princess Imoukhuede, associate precursor faculty committee that organized a new professor of biomedical engineering, with associate chair virtual seminar series, titled Education, Engineering Jessica Wagenseil, professor of mechanical engineering & Race, that features academic speakers from around & materials science. Coupled with forming the the country sharing how their research applies to racial committee, Bobick appointed Imoukhuede the school’s justice in engineering education. Three seminars were inaugural director of diversity initiatives and Wagenseil held in summer 2020, each followed by moderated the inaugural vice dean for faculty advancement. breakout discussion groups in which participants

12 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 13 shared ideas and concerns, many of which were adamant that any DEI efforts we launch be sustainable, recorded on shared documents for future reference. we are purposely being quite deliberate in developing Three additional seminars are being held in the spring our strategies and practices. The amount of new work 2021 semester. faculty, staff and students can take on right now is “We’ve always had a modest effort on diversity, limited, and we want to ensure that all efforts receive but very little on equity and inclusion,” Bobick said. the investment of time and energy required. Much of “It’s not enough to just generally be supportive: we what the committee is doing now is preparing us to do have to be active. Passive support is not the same as the work we need to do.” active consideration and active efforts. Engineering And, he recognizes that these efforts may not be “Give it the recognition it has always been a participant in what other parts of successful immediately. the university are leading, but we’ve never organized “We are trying to adopt best practices, mold deserves, don’t marginalize what we’re going to do until now.” them to our culture, and mold our culture to some racial justice in STEM, and Bobick acknowledges that the challenges of 2020 of those things and see where we are,” he said. “We have slowed efforts. have reason to believe that by being proactive we can allow faculty to use STEM as “Because of the pandemic, faculty and students become better than we are, but this does not turn a tool for decreasing racism are working under extreme circumstances, and around quickly.” quite frankly, are exhausted,” he said. “Because I am McKelvey Engineering also has committed to and anti-blackness in STEM.” launch new recruitment efforts for faculty, staff and students from various racial and ethnic backgrounds — Ebony O. McGee “I think it’s important for as well as for more women, first-generation and low- income students. The School will recruit two new society that we don’t want coming to our school. I want them to feel welcome and of those thousands of black doctoral faculty members as part of the Danforth Campus-wide for them to be part of a larger community.” grads? It’s because they didn’t go to top to create elite universities cluster hire of 12 new faculty members researching the Leading up to 2020: In conjunction with opening the doors wider, universities like University of Chicago, MIT manifestations of race in our society. that cater only to elite McKelvey also said he is committed to increasing or Georgia Tech. If you keep looking at the » Targeted student This follows with the desire of James McKelvey recruitment activities and students. I think we want diversity in the school. same 35 institutions, you’re going to get the Jr., who provided the gift to name the school, to open communications “I think it’s important for society that we don’t same results.” McKelvey’s doors to a wider audience. to have as much diversity want to create elite universities that cater only to elite McGee says the STEM retention » Supported student “I want to see WashU, engineering in particular, but in thought and age and students. I think we want to have as much diversity in messages and marketing need a makeover. organizations such as NSBE, the institution in general, as a talent magnet and talent thought and age and everything as possible.” “STEM will have to find a greater SHPE and others everything as possible.” creator for St. Louis and the world,” McKelvey said in a In Fall 2020, 21% of first-year students in McKelvey appreciation for racial justice that goes 2019 interview. “One of the things that motivated me » Building the pipeline Engineering were Black, Indigenous, or from other beyond considering racial justice in STEM through programs — Jim McKelvey Jr. to give the gift was the potential to open the doors of racial or ethnic backgrounds, and 37% are women. a service project,” she said. “It is part of including WUSEF, CS4All WashU to people who would probably never consider More than 60% of graduate students are international people’s core research and professional and and Studio: Tesla students. Among full-time faculty, 25% are women, personal identities. Give it the recognition » Research, such as bias in and 50% have international roots. it deserves, don’t marginalize racial justice artificial intelligence “I’m often asked why we are not hiring more in STEM, and allow faculty to use STEM Black faculty,” Bobick said. “Along with every other as a tool for decreasing racism and anti- Engineering dean, I am desperately trying to hire more blackness in STEM.” Black and Brown faculty, as well as more women – a McGee’s work promotes an equity ethic, the challenge more pronounced in Engineering than concept that people in the STEM fields from diverse other parts of the academy. To do so requires looking groups gravitate toward empathic social causes and beyond the traditional sources of graduating doctoral racial justice efforts to eliminate disparities both within candidates and to surface as many applicants of color their STEM field and beyond. as possible.” “Black, LatinX and Indigenous folks come to But Ebony O. McGee, an associate professor of their engineering faculty positions with an embedded diversity and STEM education at Peabody College equity ethic as part of their own racialization and at Vanderbilt University and author of “Black, experience,” she said. “Maybe it’s because those who Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education are seen as smart in STEM in their younger years Stifles Innovation,” says the pipeline is a broken and are volunteering, speaking and are really engaged simplistic metaphor when it comes to groups of color. in community, but those things aren’t valued or “There are enough black faculty for each of the appreciated in STEM. They have to cut off part of their 350 engineering institutions to hire one black faculty professional identities — the part that cares about member, but 37% of engineering institutions have social, environmental and racial justice, and just do

whitney curtis no black faculty,” she said. “Why don’t they hire one STEM because that’s what’s valued.”

14 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 15 Dean Bobick meets Students call to action regularly with students from NSBE, SHPE and McKelvey Engineering students say there aren’t The call to action written by undergraduate other student groups. structures within the school that support students students, led by students in the National Association of of color and are seeking change. In summer 2020, Black Engineers (NSBE), calls for changes that would two student groups — one comprised of graduate improve the McKelvey Engineering environment for student groups and one of undergraduate student current and future Black students to feel included, groups — presented call-to-action statements to the wanted and safe among professors and peers. The School leadership calling for change. Partly inspired document, titled #McKelveyTakesResponsibility, calls by social media movements #BlackintheIvory and for six high-level initiatives. #ShutdownSTEM, these student groups seek to improve the environment in McKelvey Engineering for #McKelveyTakesResponsibility: students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the STEM fields. » Increase Black and Brown faculty Dinal Jayasekera, a fourth-year doctoral student » Develop an Engineering course to address in biomedical engineering, was one of the leaders of racial inequity and intersectionality the graduate student group that drafted a 12-page document outlining actions it wants to see within » Accountability in faculty the school. » Diversify study abroad options Jayasekera said the George Floyd protests last summer opened his eyes to pervasive systemic » Develop civic engagement courses “If [the dean and chairs] New for 2020-2021: and programs racism in the United States, but as an come out in support of » Appointments of Princess international student, he didn’t feel it » Implementation and initiatives toward Imoukhuede and Jessica whitney curtis was his place to bring it up. After a group these initiatives, there High-level goals from the future Wagenseil and forming of students wrote a call to action to the McKelvey Committee graduate students: will be more students and inclusion training for faculty and staff. Chancellor Andrew D. Martin in the spring, Hannah Smith, the In response to the two student-led on Diversity, Equity and » Adopting a zero-tolerance McKelvey graduate students decided to 2020-21 president of willing to help out and call-to-action statements, McKelvey Inclusion (DEI) policy toward harassment, present goals they wanted the school to McKelvey Engineering’s voice their concerns and Engineering launched a page on its » Launching the Engineering, discrimination and address in a school-specific call to action, NSBE chapter, said the website dedicated to its diversity, Education & Race seminar unprofessional behavior; he said. students have other point out issues that need equity and inclusion efforts. The page, series » Reforming personnel In all, 10 graduate students wrote the requests, including having engineering.wustl.edu/diversity, includes to be addressed.” » Recruiting faculty from practices to support Black call to action, and 110 additional graduate school administration 11 action items for change, many of which diverse groups and others from diverse students and 12 engineering graduate publicly denounce all hate — Dinal Jayasekera are well underway, including appointing groups traditionally student groups signed on in support. and racism proactively, the committee headed by Imoukhuede » Enhancing the bias underrepresented in “The school’s strategic plan wasn’t rather than reactively to a particular incident. and Wagenseil; increasing recruitment reporting system engineering; very transparent about the goals they “They are willing to meet with us, have a the discipline or punishment that faculty received, it efforts for faculty, staff and students from » Resources: engineering. had met and what was in progress,” conversation with us and listen to what we want, but » Cultivating an inclusive makes us feel like we aren’t heard.” groups underrepresented in STEM; and wustl.edu/diversity culture that respects Jayasekera said. “These initiatives weren’t they won’t always implement what we request even if When Smith meets with potential students or continuing the Education, Engineering individuals for their unique given the attention they deserved because it does seem simple,” said Smith, a senior majoring in speaks on panels for prospective Engineering students, & Race seminar series. Additional action contributions and expertise; the pandemic took up a lot of their time. applied science in electrical engineering. “I do realize it she is often asked about the climate for Black students items include improving the bias reporting We want to use the attention that was is a process. Administrative actions are behind closed at WashU. system; improving retention of women and faculty » Diversifying and innovating brought to DEI as a result of the Floyd doors, and every day students don’t see the results of “I feel like I am sometimes put in a position of members from groups underrepresented in the STEM the curriculum. protests to enact the changes that we, the those negotiations because they are navigating classes being an expert on diversity, equity and inclusion,” fields; and working with the Brown School to develop students, want to see.” and homework.” she said. “My experience being a woman and Black in new community partnerships. Jayasekera said more than half of graduate Smith and Jayasekera, along with two other Engineering is an isolating experience — you won’t see “We are all very delighted with the progress students who answered a survey said they were not students are members of the DEI Committee which a lot of people like me,” she said. “I’m candid about we’ve seen so far,” Jayasekera said. “Many students comfortable publicly acknowledging support of DEI should provide greater transparency to the student my experiences, but I tell them that college is what you have come forward to voice concerns, and there have initiatives because they feared backlash. body. make of it, and it’s hard no matter where you go.” been committees created that hopefully will do what “This drives our point that the dean and the chairs In addition, the group requested a McKelvey Both Jayasekera and Smith said the appointment they were created to do. We hope that we’ve inspired need to be transparent that they are supportive of this Engineering-specific hate and bias reporting system. of Imoukhuede is a step in the right direction, but they more people to speak out about these topics and cause,” he said. “If they come out in support of these “When we say something is wrong, we rarely want to see more. Smith said undergraduate students move forward, and we realize there shouldn’t be any initiatives, there will be more students willing to help hear back, and we don’t hear anything about the would like a full-time staff member who has experience backlash for speaking about these topics that not out and voice their concerns and point out issues that process,” Smith said. “Survivors welcome information within critical race theory and DEI in general to be just affect them, but the entire WashU and St. Louis need to be addressed.” about these things, and when we don’t learn about dedicated to racial bias, as well as mandatory diversity community as a whole.”

16 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 17 Faculty feature //

Neal Patwari Sensors, sensors everywhere

While some engineers work to develop new technologies, Prototype device (right) and antennas (below) re-purposing others work to find applications low-cost wireless sensors for non-contact breathing and of existing technology. That is pulse rate monitoring. what has brought Neal Patwari success in his work, both in academia and in industry.

Written by beth miller

atwari, who holds a years at the University of Utah, and his team dual appointment as a were working on a project using radio waves to professor of electrical determine which rooms were occupied in a home &P systems engineering and of so that lights could turn on and off automatically computer science & engineering, in response to motion. A student alone in the lab is an expert in using radio waves, saw changes in the measurements of radio waves the signals used by wireless although there was no movement in the lab. On a devices, to develop sensors that can be used in hunch, he held his breath, and the measurements applications including medical devices or to detect stayed constant — the device was detecting the motion in a home. He and his lab, the Sensing and radio waves from his breathing. Processing Across Networks (SPAN) lab, use the “We just happened on to it,” said Patwari, a same range of frequencies used in cell phones and native of Cleveland, Ohio. “It was rare to observe other wireless devices to create these sensors. that on lab equipment, so we had to take some time Nearly eight years ago, Patwari, who joined to figure out how to make a commercial device that the McKelvey School of Engineering at Washington would reliably record breathing no matter what your Photos by whitney curtis University in St. Louis in January 2019 after 12 position was or what else was going on.”

18 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 19 The idea is that when people are making the next-generation developments for 5G or 6G, they can test their idea in the real world rather than in a lab.

— neal patwari

one for the NSF- and PAWR-Industry-Consortium- algorithms then contribute to further inequities in Aarti Singh runs tests using wireless sensors funded Platform for Open Wireless Data-driven policing, criminal justice and real estate. All of these like this UWB prototype to predict and avoid Experimental Research (POWDER), a testbed for inequities are visible in St. Louis, so it is the perfect collisions between autonomous robots. experimenting on the future of wireless networking place to teach this material.” in a living laboratory composing 10 square Patwari also is chairing a faculty recruiting kilometers in Salt Lake City. There are fixed stations committee for the university’s race and ethnicity Patwari and students in his lab as well as buses and utility vehicles that carry cluster hire initiative, which seeks to hire 12 also are developing sensors programmable wireless devices around the city. new faculty members engaged in research on for football and other sporting “This testbed allows users to log on to a base the manifestations of race in society. Patwari’s helmets that might warn the station and user device from home, write code committee is seeking a faculty member engaged wearer of an impending collision. to program them and have them operate as their in data science and racial equity who will have code describes,” Patwari said. “The idea is that an appointment in the Division of Computational when people are making the next-generation & Data Sciences and in McKelvey Engineering’s developments for 5G or 6G, they can test their idea Computer Science & Engineering department. in the real world rather than in a lab.” Patwari’s new course has been developed At WashU, Patwari designed a graduate-level with consultation from his spouse, Cassie Based on this, Patwari’s lab has developed Motorola Labs, which obtained several patents for course for the Fall 2020 semester titled “Equity Power, associate director for faculty & academic sensors to measure breathing and pulse rate that his work. In all, he has a hand in 14 patents, some of and Fairness in Estimation and Classification,” engagement with the Gephardt Institute for Civic & do not need to be connected to the body. Their which have been licensed by Vita Sensors, Xandem about fairness in machine learning. The course has Community Engagement, who earned a doctorate Neal Patwari sensors can be placed on opposite sides of a bed Technology and Texas Instruments. given Patwari the opportunity to have meaningful in women’s studies and social psychology and has to determine changes in the radio waves due to Patwari and students in his lab also are discussions with students about issues of race, 12 years of experience in teaching with a critical Highlights breathing changes and determine a pattern over developing sensors for football and other sporting gender, class and disability, and how algorithms framework. Her contribution has ensured that the » Number of patents: 14 time. Now, he and his lab are working on wireless helmets that might warn the wearer of an have undesirable and unfair effects on society. course provides the necessary critical race and “We are looking at how machine learning feminist theory to be able to see algorithms in the » Peer-reviewed protocols for a router that would secure that impending collision. He and his team are working publications: 131 breathing and pulse rate data. with mechanical engineers and biologists to test algorithms learn from society’s inequities,” he said. larger societal context in which they operate. » NSF CAREER Award “The encryption and security technologies it out. “They might be trained using a set of data that “I’m really fascinated by all of these topics and received: 2008 that have emerged for Wi-Fi and cell phones don’t “The idea is if someone is going to get hit includes only the dominant group or has labels to learn the kinds of tools I can use in engineering to » Current number of help at all because they encrypt the data being from behind, they should get a warning,” he said. generated by a biased world, and these biased make some contribution,” he said. PhD students: 2 sent,” he said. “Vital sign sensing doesn’t require “Maybe it’s not long enough to change the game, » PhD students who have the data because it observes changes occurring to but enough that they would tense up their muscles Equipment being deployed as graduated: 12 the radio waves. We think that by having an access and reduce the angular acceleration to the head. If part of the Powder Wireless Patwari Lab members point insert random changes into its transmitted we can achieve that goal, it could reduce traumatic testbed in Utah Education & training signal we can allow people near that access point brain injury.” » PhD and postdoctoral to keep information about their vibrations and Over the course of his career, Patwari has research, electrical health private.” been awarded, together with his collaborators, engineering: University of Michigan Patwari also is working to get his sensors into more than $24 million in research grants from such » BS and MS, electrical the market through his association with startup agencies as the National Science Foundation (NSF), engineering: Virginia Tech Vita Sensors, which has made a prototype medical including a CAREER Award given to promising breathing monitor. He also was director of research early-career investigators; the National Institutes for Xandem Technology from 2010-2019. Before of Health; the Army Research Office; and the Caleb Martin Allison Todd Jie (Jemma) Wang Aarti Singh earning a doctorate from the University of Michigan, University of Utah Research Foundation. The Doctoral student Undergraduate student Doctoral student Doctoral student he also spent two years as a research engineer at largest grant he and his team are working on is in Electrical Engineering

20 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 21 Student feature //

Online classes n March 11, 2020, while Washington While the school was executing emergency remote University in St. Louis students were instruction during the Spring 2020 semester, a planning on spring break, Chancellor Andrew D. committee, which included Crandall; Ben Geers, senior Martin told the WashU community that director of computing & IT services; Joe Scherrer, executive O the remainder of the spring semester director of professional education & program director; and would be conducted remotely due to the COVID-19 Jay Turner, professor of energy, environmental & chemical pandemic. McKelvey School of Engineering students had engineering and vice dean of education, focused on the Virtual to quickly adjust their learning styles from in-person Fall 2020 semester. to online, and faculty had to convert their courses to a “We laid out numerous scenarios and looked at our virtual format without causing too much disruption or strengths and vulnerabilities under these scenarios so that losing momentum. if the university pivoted in a certain direction, we wouldn’t becomes During the extended two-week spring break, 239 be caught blindsided,” Turner said. McKelvey Engineering instructors and staff members As a result, Crandall and Meghann Pytka, one of two prepared 203 unique courses to be taught remotely. They instructional specialists hired to help with the transition also trained 16 staff members to serve as moderators to virtual learning, created an online summer course for for classes taught on Zoom. Thanks to some foresight by faculty to help them convert their courses from in-person reality school administration, there had been some preparation to a hybrid or all-remote course. that made the transition smoother. “That course was the cornerstone of our support to Jason Crandall, who joined the school in 2016 as instructors,” Turner said. “It gave instructors interesting director of learning design and innovation to incorporate insight into what it’s like to be an online student. There Written by beth miller technology that would enhance the student learning were a lot of aha moments, discovering the opportunities experience, co-chaired a university search committee that and challenges the new teaching modalities provided.” selected Zoom and Kaltura for video conferencing and In a survey at the end of the spring 2020 semester, learning management systems, respectively. students reported being mostly to very satisfied with quality of teaching both before and after the transition to emergency remote instruction, with only a 2% decline “We had been encouraging in satisfaction after the transition. In Fall 2020, students faculty to include more reported difficulties with the lack of personal interaction with classmates and faculty, time management and an technology in how they taught, increased workload. In many cases, Turner said, many and because we already had exams were replaced with more frequent quizzes or a policy in place that required projects, keeping students in test-mode all semester. For the Fall 2020 semester, final exams were held after every course to be on Canvas, the New Year and were fully remote. Some were conducted we were far more ready. It was synchronously with video conferencing to simulate the class- room environment, while others were “take-home” exams. very prescient of Dean Bobick Some instructors took advantage of online testing applica- to have that focus in place and tions, such as Respondus, to assist with exam proctoring. to provide the supply before the Students have mostly taken the change to remote learning in stride while acknowledging its opportunities demand was there.” and challenges. “Logging into an online lecture has been very — jason crandall convenient, especially when the weather is poor,” said Kelechi Achilefu, a junior majoring in mechanical “If those tools hadn’t been available before the engineering and president of EnCouncil for 2020-2021. pandemic, I’m not sure we could have weathered it the “However, with hybrid learning, a common problem I way we did,” said Crandall, director of learning design and hear about is establishing boundaries for when to work. innovation. “We had been encouraging faculty to include Oftentimes, I find myself working for much longer than more technology in how they taught, and because we I need to simply because the work always appears to be already had a policy in place that required every course to there. For people like me, it is much easier to experience be on Canvas, we were far more ready. It was very prescient things like burnout when approaching school without of Dean (Aaron) Bobick to have that focus in place and to taking time to separate from work, so it is something I provide the supply before the demand was there.” focus on every week.”

22 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 23 As EnCouncil president, Achilefu said the Executive Board decided to keep all of its programming remote for this academic year to keep members safe, which led them to be more creative. “Although I personally miss the programs we typically Engineering courses Spring 2021 hold, like Vertigo and Cheap Lunch, having time to focus % on getting to know the members of EnCouncil is invaluable moving forward,” he said. Rosie Dutt, a doctoral student in imaging science, said 77of undergraduate students were she preferred the remote format because it allowed her % taking at least one in-person to work on her own schedule and to get involved with a 52 course (Spring 2021) variety of groups, including joining the national leadership of undergraduate- team for 500 Women Scientists and The Journal of Science level courses % Policy and Governance. had in-person 39 Logan Press, a senior majoring in computer science, opportunities of graduate level- courses had in-person % Kelechi Achilefu described his virtual learning experience as rigorous. “I’d of undergraduate students have to be inventive in how I went about learning, which opportunities were remote only (Spring 2021) then empowered me to excel. 23 “Nearly all my classes are online, so it’s very taxing being inside the majority of the time,” he said. “I make sure “I had to restructure my whole curriculum in technical to give myself time get out and bike through Forest Park or “I had to restructure my whole writing to only meet once a week, with half in class and take a walk on campus to de-stress.” curriculum in technical writing half on Zoom,” she said. “It made me think through why Sophomore mechanical engineering student we teach what we teach.” Alanna Bader described her fall semester as “challenging, to only meet once a week, with Despite the separation and masks in class, the new peaceful and collaborative. half in class and half on Zoom. class structure has sparked more creativity, Matteucci said. “I enjoy the flexibility of my class schedules with It made me think through why “From my perspective, the presentations during the Zoom,” she said. “Often times, mornings are the worst fall semester in leadership and ethics were among the for me due to my disability, so I am glad to have time we teach what we teach.” best we’ve ever had,” she said. “The students said their dedicated to physical therapy and relieving pain before I — sandra matteucci barriers for collaboration are lower because they can meet start my schoolwork. Being able to stay home instead of anytime. We’ve tried hard, but the students have, too.” traveling to campus has been beneficial for my health, as Rosie Dutt well, since I struggle with permanent spine issues from remote only; one was online hybrid; and two were online. Danielle Lacey contributed to this story. an injury.” Teaching assistants served as Zoom moderators. Some departments, such as mechanical engineering Of the 254 courses offered in Fall 2020, seven were Remote or online only: No in-person component in-classroom instruction; 102 were hybrid, offering both & materials science, had to change the way they presented to the course. lab experiments. Shaun Sellers and Sharniece Holland, in-person and online options; and 145 were remote only. Online hybrid: Same as hybrid (in-person/online), Of the 271 courses offered in Spring 2021, eight were both lecturers, teach MEMS 205, Mechanics and Materials except that it was offered this way pre-COVID. in-classroom instruction; 105 were hybrid; 155 were Science Laboratory, a normally hands-on course that was fully online this fall through Canvas. Students were required to watch a video with Sellers and Holland performing the experiments, answer questions about the video, then attend a group meeting to discuss results and finish their lab report. “We still wanted it to be an involved learning experience,” said Chiamaka Asinugo, lab & design course specialist in mechanical engineering & materials science and an alumna of the Dual Degree Program who earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in mechanical engineering from Logan Press WashU in 2016. “We had them watch the video and gave them incomplete data. They had to request the rest of the data, then do the data analysis themselves.” Sandra Matteucci, director of the Engineering Alanna Bader Communications Center and senior lecturer, said her MEMS 205 Canvas video interactive and discussion-based courses had to change courtesy photos a lot.

24 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 25 Alumni feature // Libby Allman oversees Libby Allman manufacturing and global procurement for Hallmark Card Inc. which has faced new challenges since the COVID-19 outbreak. In the cards Libby Allman makes sure you find the perfect Hallmark card

Written by beth miller

y the time that the novel coronavirus was to China was canceled, and about a month later, declared a national emergency in mid- Hallmark closed its two Kansas plants for six weeks March 2020, Libby Allman had already to comply with stay-at-home orders. For a company B been dealing with its effects on her job that makes seasonal and everyday products, the for a few months. plant closures both in China and in Kansas ground its Allman is vice president of manufacturing and supply chain to a screeching halt. global procurement at Hallmark Cards Inc., a $4.1 “If you look at a graph of our volume output, billion Kansas City, Missouri-based company with we were going along, then there was a big dip, then 30,000 employees worldwide, where she has worked gradually it goes back up again as we slowly brought for 20 years and where she is responsible for knowing employees back to work,” Allman said. “We sorted when, where and how many cards and other products through the seasonal products we had in stages of are made. She oversees manufacturing facilities in production, and in time, completed all of it because Lawrence and Leavenworth, Kansas, that make cards we know we’ll need it next year, then worked to get and wrapping paper, and partner suppliers in Asia through our everyday products. The Care & Concern that make other items, such as Keepsake Ornaments and Sympathy categories were hard to keep up with, and gifts. Together with her peers on Hallmark’s so we had to increase our units of those. We weren’t distribution and logistics teams, she plans ahead planning on that, so trying to get that through a to ensure that cards for everyday occasions and plant that has an enormous amount of WIP (work in the three biggest card seasons — Valentine’s Day, process) is really challenging.” Mother’s Day and Christmas — are ready and in stores Hallmark brought its employees back to the in plenty of time. Hallmark sells its everyday and plants in stages while screening, wearing face seasonal cards and products online and at retailers, coverings and maintaining physical distancing, and chain drug and grocers, as well as at Hallmark Gold is now working to catch up with its supply chain. In Crown stores, which carry exclusive cards and a the meantime, the company donated nearly 6 million larger selection of specialty items. greeting cards worldwide to help people express In early 2020, many companies with operations their sentiments for others during the pandemic in China, including Hallmark, extended their and manufactured and donated 10,000 face shields employees’ time off for Chinese New Year as a result to the State of Missouri to distribute to health care of the spread of coronavirus. Allman’s February trip organizations and schools.

26 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 27 jennifer martinjennifer editor’s note After this story went into production, Libby Allman left Hallmark for another opportunity.

All of that plus the engineering really broadened my mind and “ introduced me to things that I didn’t necessarily know“ about. For me, that was really important to making me a whole-brain thinker.

— libby allman

wonderful because I could take subjects like Spanish She advocates for those in Kansas City, for four years or a religion or literature class. as well, where she is on the board of directors “All of that plus the engineering really of the Urban Neighborhood Initiative, an broadened my mind and introduced me to things organization that works with neighborhoods that I didn’t necessarily know about. For me, that was to break the cycle of poverty and build really important to making me a whole-brain thinker.” healthy neighborhoods. She also leads

whitney curtis The role of women in engineering also is Hallmark Cards’ political action committee, important to Allman. She is a mentor in the McKelvey known as HallPAC, which works with local Clockwise from left: Libby Allman (second from left) with School of Engineering’s Women & Engineering politicians to advocate for issues that colleagues from Hallmark; Allman speaking at the Women program, on the board of directors of the Society of impact Hallmark, such as continuing six- & Engineering Leadership Summit, Allman with her family. Women Engineers, and an advocate for recruiting day postal service, and she is a longtime more women into the areas of engineering in which board member of and volunteer with Allman has had several roles at Hallmark, they are underrepresented — and keeping them there. the Girl Scouts of Northeast Kansas and including vice president of product integrity and “These young women are extraordinary in high Northwest Missouri. technical resources for which she was responsible school and are the best in their class,” she said. In addition to her community for brand protection; vice president of supply chain “But when they get to college and take their first involvement, she remains involved planning & product integrity; general manager of the engineering class, they may get their first D or F in with the McKelvey School of community Hallmark Distribution Center; and director of process their lives and think they aren’t smart enough to Engineering as well. Allman received involvement and program management in information technology. handle engineering and change to something else. an Alumni Achievement Award from » Urban Neighborhood She also co-founded the Hallmark Women’s Network. We have to make sure these women understand that the school in 2017 and joined the Initiative – Kansas City Prior to joining Hallmark, she was a management you don’t have to make straight As in engineering to school’s National Council the same » Girl Scouts of Northeast consultant for Grant Thornton LLP and a process be a good engineer.” year. She is co-chair of the WashU- Kansas and Northwest improvement manager for Fike Corp., where she Second, she says, women want to be involved Kansas City Regional Cabinet. Missouri worked while earning an MBA from Rockhurst in other activities, such as sports, sororities or Allman and Scott Ruland also » Hallmark Cards’ political University. volunteer work. support the Allman & Ruland action committee (HallPAC) Allman credits WashU’s Dual Degree program, “WashU has always been open to a new way of Scholarship in Engineering » Society of Women Engineers from which she earned a bachelor’s in mechanical thinking about that, and that’s one of the keys to “I am so incredibly honored » Women & Engineering engineering in 1991 and a bachelor’s degree in physics getting more women in engineering,” she said. “That, and humbled by the people – McKelvey School of from William Jewell College in 1990, for preparing her plus having more women professors and being part in that room,” she said. “I Engineering for all of these challenges. of women’s engineering organizations so they can am a phenomenal advocate » William Jewell College “I still love the fact that I did that program — I talk see other women who have developed the tenacity for WashU, so the more President’s Advisory Board it up all the time,” she said. “The liberal arts part of to stick with engineering and see that women can information I have about » Greater Missouri Leadership it was deep on communication, critical thinking and have families and work in engineering fields, and also what’s happening on campus Foundation problem solving. For someone like me — I’ve never so they have a place to talk about issues that impact and in engineering, the more thought of myself as an engineer’s engineer — it was them as women that maybe don’t impact men.” I can advocate for it.”

28 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 29 Special feature // “The open concept that permeates the design of McKelvey Hall is intended to foster greater interactions and collaborations. It will help our faculty and students create connections both within and outside of engineering and contribute to broadening the impact that data and new building computing are having on science and society.”

— Roch Guérin, Harold B. and Adelaide G. Welge Professor of Computer Science and Department Chair

James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall 1 2 McKelvey Hall, located south of Preston M. Green Hall, will house the Department of Computer Science & Engineering and support Washington University’s data science efforts. photos by patterhn ives

3 4 5

The collaboration area on the first floor The second-floor collaboration area 1 near the main entry. On the south wall 4 known as the Judith Hood McKelvey are white decorative metal panels, Commons. Polished concrete floors and and a portion of the video display wall extensive glass boards for spontaneous can be seen. Past the seating is the collaboration are part of the design. communicating stair that connects This area is meant to be flexible to all five floors. also accommodate various types of presentations. McKelvey Hall is the newest A view of McKelvey Hall from the east, building on the East End of the along Skinker Boulevard. One of the student office areas known 2 Danforth Campus. It connects 5 as neighborhoods, which were designed directly with Green Hall and washu photo Bytes, the café on the first floor, will serve to accommodate a number of various is only steps away from the Starbucks products, among other items. A view of McKelvey Hall from the west. An aluminum and glass curtain wall is used to flood the building with natural light. 3 research groups to facilitate Skinker Metrolink station. The café has views of the Engineering Quad collaborative exchanges. and Tisch Park to the west.

30 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 31 Special feature //

Pratim Biswas

A new chapter Written by beth miller

After 20 years of and leading environmental engineering in the McKelvey School of Engineering into an international powerhouse for aerosols, air quality and environmental research, Pratim Biswas left Washington University in St. Louis to become the dean of the University of Miami College of Engineering in January 2021.

iswas, who was the Lucy & Stanley “Pratim is a rare breed,” said Lopata Professor and assistant Richard Axelbaum, the Jens Professor of Bvice chancellor of international Environmental Engineering Science and programs, is an internationally renowned longtime colleague. “If there were a recipe aerosol scientist who is a member of for a great leader and academic, Pratim the National Academy of Engineering, would have all the necessary ingredients: considered one of the highest honors in the keen intellect and memory, contagious field of engineering. The founding chair of enthusiasm for his field, vision, excellent the Department of Energy, Environmental managerial skills and a passion for & Chemical Engineering since 2006, he is motivating others to reach their potential.

devon hill devon hill renowned worldwide for his pioneering Add to this a relentless work habit and work in aerosol science and engineering endurance, and you have created, well, in his Aerosol and Air Quality Research Pratim — someone who has transformed the By the numbers Laboratory. While at the McKelvey School EECE department at Washington University of Engineering, Biswas orchestrated kleinron and has had a major impact internationally, numerous national and international someone who I find it an honor to be able % collaborations to advance the common “If there were a recipe call a collaborator, mentor and friend.” 260 good, particularly in developing countries. for a great leader and Biswas also was instrumental in the He was the university’s ambassador to the development of the Stephen F. and Camilla Growth in research awards academic, Pratim would have from 2007-2020 in the department Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and T. Brauer Hall, which houses the Department directed the McDonnell Academy Global all the necessary ingredients: of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Energy and Environmental Partnership keen intellect and memory, Engineering. % (MAGEEP), a consortium of 35 universities contagious enthusiasm for “I was honored to work with my worldwide where scholars collaborate on his field, vision, excellent colleagues at creating an impactful 108 research and new initiatives. department at WashU,” Biswas said. managerial skills and a Growth in research expenditures In addition to his leadership, he “Working with my colleagues, I recruited from 2008-2020 in the department was prolific in his research. He holds 10 passion for motivating others more than 20 of the faculty members in the patents and has spun off two startup to reach their potential.” department, and each one of them is doing companies based on his inventions. His extremely well. I enjoyed working with them — richard axelbaum % work applying aerosol science to energy and will miss them immensely. I hope to 331 and environmental nanotechnology, solar continue to collaborate with them as I start Overall enrollment increase from energy use, air pollution control, medicine my new stint at the University of Miami. I am 2006-2020 in the department and other areas of science and engineering Research in 2009. In 2014, he was selected also proud of the students that we trained brought him numerous awards and honors, as a fellow of the International Aerosol and graduated from our department. I including the Fuchs Award, the highest Research Assembly; and in 2017 was elected cherish their accomplishments and will honor given to an aerosol scientist. He fellow of the Association of Environmental continue to do so in the years ahead. % was elected as a fellow of the Academy Engineering Science Professors. He won Washington University will always have a 50 of Science, St. Louis in 2003 and a fellow numerous awards from national societies special place in my heart — both my sons Tenured/tenure-track faculty growth of the American Association for Aerosol such as AIChE, ASCE and others. graduated from here. ” from 2007-2020 in the department

32 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 33 Special feature // Challenge accepted

On a cold, snowy day in January 2019, the Washington University School of Engineering & The Applied Science became the James M. McKelvey School of Engineering thanks to a generous gift from alumnus and tech entrepreneur Jim McKelvey Jr. and his family. In the more than two years since the name McKelvey change took place, many alumni and friends have participated in the $30 million McKelvey Challenge. Jim McKelvey Jr., who earned degrees steve lowy laurie bowen michael lefenfeld in computer science and economics at WashU Among the donors who have already Laurie Bowen’s participation in the Michael Lefenfeld, who earned a bachelor’s in 1987, established the challenge with his wife, participated in the McKelvey Challenge is McKelvey Challenge focuses on scholarships, degree in chemical engineering from WashU Challenge Anna, to expand opportunities for students, Steve Lowy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in particularly for women in Engineering. in 2002 and master’s degrees from Columbia bolster cutting-edge research and provide 1968 and a master’s degree in 1970 in chemical “I appreciate the opportunity to help University in 2005 and 2007, is president and modern facilities for Engineering. The multi-year engineering from Washington University. talented people who can’t quite afford CEO of Houston-based Cyanco, the world’s challenge was designed to provide matching Lowy, with his wife, Susie, gave a gift in 2020 to make it to WashU but have the drive largest producer of sodium cyanide, used in funds to support endowed scholarships, endowed that will provide 31 additional scholarships and capability to succeed,” Bowen said. the gold and silver mining industry to extract continues to the Washington University Scholars in “I especially want to support women in metal from rock. Previously, he co-founded professorships, the school’s annual fund, the Engineering Program. Previously, Lowy had engineering because there just aren’t enough SiGNa Chemistry, which manufactures highly recently opened James M. McKelvey, Sr. Hall and established three endowed scholarships in the workplace!” active, environmentally friendly chemicals the Henry A. and Elvira H. Jubel Hall, and for other and four annual scholarships, and this new Bowen spent more than 30 years used to improve production processes in “We are grateful to Jim and Anna McKelvey for their engineering projects. donation will bring the total number of in telecommunications and wireless the energy recovery, petrochemical refining generosity and continued support of our school The McKelvey Engineering Challenge Lowy scholarships to an unprecedented 38 communications around the globe with and chemical manufacturing industries. He will match all gifts, pledges, estate gifts and scholarships each year. companies including Tata Communications, holds more than 100 patents and has received through the McKelvey Challenge, as well as to all of bequest commitments for the McKelvey School “It’s a great program that dramatically British Telecommunications and IBM. Most numerous awards and recognitions for his changes lives by making it possible for recently, she was CEO for the Americas professional and charity work, including the of Engineering made through June 30, 2022 those who have participated in the Challenge students from low-to-moderate income companies of Telecom Italia Sparkle. She now Engineering Entrepreneurship Award from — or until the challenge funds are exhausted. so far. McKelvey Engineering is working hard to focus families to get an outstanding education at sits on the boards of directors for Ricardo plc McKelvey Engineering in 2017. He also serves Additional contributions during the remaining Washington University McKelvey School of and Chemring Group plc, which often faces the on the school’s National Council. on education, fundamental research and innovation. time period will trigger matching funds that will Engineering that they could not afford without challenge of recruiting women engineers. Lefenfeld participated in the McKelvey a Lowy scholarship,” he said. “I enjoy giving Bowen, who earned bachelor’s degrees Challenge by investing in scholarships With these and future gifts made through the combine with the gifts into a powerful investment in Engineering at Washington University. to this so much more than any other charity from WashU Engineering in computer science and making a major contribution to help McKelvey Challenge, we are strengthening those areas One of the most innovative programs where you don’t really know what your money and in electrical engineering in 1983 and an construct a hands-on learning lab for goes to. I get much more satisfaction out of MBA from Olin Business School in 1989, said chemical and environmental engineering. included in the McKelvey Challenge is the support and providing new opportunities through scholarships, this program.” her experience at WashU helped her learn “Any way to support the Engineering of multidisciplinary Computing + X professorships, Lowy, who is chairman of Envision LLC, about herself and where she was headed school with shared support is always an faculty investment and hands-on experiences.” an initiative to connect computational thinking a St. Louis-based IT firm that provides staffing in life. “I am so grateful for the foundation important factor,” Lefenfeld said. “The with other fields across the university. Through to Fortune 500 companies, began contributing that WashU provided for me,” she said. McKelvey family is contributing a lot to — dean aaron bobick Computing + Music, Computing + Political Science to the scholarship program in the 1970s, “If possible, I want to help provide that engineering, and to be a part of this challenge or Computing + other disciplines, McKelvey when he worked for his family’s wholesale opportunity for other students.” is a great way to add to that.” carpet business. Since then, 79 students have She said she has enjoyed seeing the As an entrepreneur, Lefenfeld wants Engineering is breaking down barriers between The McKelvey Engineering Challenge will match all gifts, pledges, estate gifts, benefited from his generosity. changes and impact that WashU has been to promote that spirit among Engineering academic disciplines, transforming how research and bequest commitments for the McKelvey School of Engineering made through Lowy remains very involved with the making over the years and really appreciates students. is conducted and pioneering new ways to June 30, 2022 — or until the challenge funds are exhausted. university through the Eliot Society and the heightened profile the McKelvey name “The school and the Energy, integrate computer education across campus. serving as chairman of its Patron Committee and challenge bring. Environmental & Chemical Engineering for the past three years. He also served on the “This massive investment that has come Department have given so much to me, executive committee of his undergraduate from Jim McKelvey puts the Engineering so I have tried to give back to ensure that class’s 50th reunion in 2018. He received the school on a different level,” she said. students will have interactive, hands-on McKelvey Engineering Alumni Achievement Bowen also serves on the school’s tools, entrepreneurial experience and Award in 2018. National Council. interdisciplinary collaborations that make up a well-rounded education.”

For more information: mckelveychallenge.wustl.edu

34 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 35 Faculty news // new leadership New faculty Electrical & Systems Engineering Mechanical Engineering & Professorship Bayly named inaugural Mark Lawrence, assistant professor Materials Science Imoukhuede named Lee Hunter Distinguished Professor join McKelvey » PhD, physics, University of Birmingham Sang-Hoon Bae, assistant professor director of diversity » PhD, materials science and engineering, Philip V. Bayly, an innovative » MS, theoretical physics, University of University of California, Los Angeles researcher of waves and oscillations in initiatives Engineering Birmingham (England) » MS, BS, materials science and engineering, the mechanics of cells and biological Princess Imoukhuede, Mark Lawrence joins Sungkyunkwan University (South Korea) tissues, has been named the inaugural associate professor WashU from Stanford Lee Hunter Distinguished Professor in of biomedical University, where he was a Sang-Hoon Bae will join the McKelvey School of Engineering. engineering, Biomedical Engineering postdoctoral researcher and WashU in August 2021 Bayly, who has been chair of the has been named Alexandra L. Rutz, assistant professor physicist with interests in from Massachusetts optics, nanophotonics and Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering director of diversity » PhD, MS, biomedical engineering, condensed matter physics. where he is a postdoctoral & Materials Science since 2008, was initiatives for the Northwestern University Lawrence’s specific research focuses on the research associate. His installed Oct. 28, 2020. McKelvey School of Engineering. » BS, chemistry and molecular and cellular use of dielectric metasurfaces, plasmonic research interests include “It is fitting that Phil Bayly will be As the school’s first biology, University of Illinois Urbana- nanoantennas and photonic crystals to build new material building blocks, including taking on the Hunter professorship. director of diversity initiatives, Imoukhuede Champaign novel systems and devices for applications freestanding single-crystalline 3D thin Like Lee Hunter, Professor Bayly’s work legacy persists, thanks to his stepson, will engage students, faculty and staff to more Alexandra L. Rutz joins in telecommunications, computing and films and 2D atomic layers; highly efficient, showcases the importance of creativity Stephen Brauer,” Martin said. “We are precisely identify and define diversity, equity McKelvey Engineering quantum information. cost-effective advanced photovoltaics; and grateful for the Brauers’ continued, in engineering,” Chancellor Andrew and inclusion concerns, develop approaches from the University of While at Stanford, Lawrence proposed heterogeneous integration with artificial generous support of Washington D. Martin said. “This creativity will to address those concerns and partner with Cambridge, where she is and experimentally demonstrated the intelligence toward ubiquitous electronics. University in St. Louis, and honored certainly revolutionize the way society school leadership to implement appropriate the Marie Skłodowska-Curie first high-quality factor phase gradient He is an author on 47 published understands and treats head trauma. to help keep Hunter’s legacy alive solutions. She also will examine curricular and Individual Research Fellow metasurfaces and theoretically demonstrated papers and has won numerous awards. Bae “Lee Hunter’s work revolutionized with the Lee Hunter Distinguished programmatic opportunities to enhance the in the bioelectronics lab of power independent subwavelength completed research internships at IBM T.J. the automotive industry, and his Professorship.” success of Black, Indigenous and people of George Malliaras, the Prince Philip Professor of nonreciprocity using Raman amplification; Watson Research Center and Samsung Display. color (BIPOC) students as well as students with Technology. subwavelength Kerr-nonlinear nonreciprocal Matthew Bersi, assistant professor intersectional, marginalized identities. She is Rutz’s research focuses on improving beam-steering; and dielectric metasurface chair of the McKelvey Committee on Diversity, the biocompatibility and long-term function enhanced enantiomeric detection and » PhD, MS, MPhil, biomedical engineering, In memoriam: Palghat Ramachandran Equity and Inclusion. of implantable bioelectronics, especially separation of chiral molecules. Yale University neural probes. Her doctoral thesis focused on Palghat (P.A.) Ramachandran, professor Yong Wang, assistant professor » BS, biomedical engineering, engineering hydrogel bioinks for 3D printing of energy, environmental & chemical » PhD, biomedical engineering, Washington Texas A&M University Wagenseil named tissues and organs. Rutz joins the department engineering, died Thursday, March 18, University in St. Louis in Spring 2021. Bersi joins McKelvey 2021, of natural causes in his sleep. vice dean for faculty » MS, BS, electrical engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong Engineering from Vanderbilt He was 75. advancement Ismael Seáñez, assistant professor University, Shannxi, China University, where he was Ramachandran joined the faculty a postdoctoral research Yong Wang joined McKelvey at Washington University in 1982 as Jessica Wagenseil, » PhD, MS, biomedical engineering, scholar in biomedical Engineering as a joint an associate professor. He taught associate professor Northwestern University engineering and a member appointment with the many graduate courses in transport of mechanical » BS, mechanical engineering, University of of the cardiovascular Department of Obstetrics & phenomena, reaction engineering, engineering & Texas, San Antonio research training program in the division Gynecology at the School of multiphase reactor analysis, materials science, of cardiovascular medicine at Vanderbilt Ismael “Mayo” Seáñez joins Medicine. His current research computational engineering, engineering industry. He published more than 200 has been appointed University Medical Center. McKelvey Engineering from on developing a novel hybrid mathematics, environmental reaction papers in refereed journals, as well as vice dean for faculty Bersi’s research interests are focused the Swiss Federal Institute noninvasive imaging system for the study of engineering, semi-conductor material four books and several monographs. advancement in the on using experimental and computational of Technology Lausanne electrical maturation and microstructural processing analysis, and pollution He received numerous awards, McKelvey School of approaches to better understand the (EFPL), where he is a changes of pregnant uterus builds logically on prevention in chemical processes. including the Moulton Medal from the Engineering. relationship between biomechanics and postdoctoral fellow working his prior doctoral and postdoctoral training. Ramachandran’s research interests Institution of Chemical Engineering In the newly created position, Wagenseil inflammation in soft tissues. To date, he has with Grégoire Courtine He will adapt and combine his expertise in ECGI were in chemical reaction engineering, (England) in 1971; the Institute of will work with the department chairs to assess investigated the role of the immune system as head of the translational division at the and MRI/DBSI to creatively develop and validate three-phase catalytic reactors, Chemical Technology Distinguished and monitor faculty mentoring and career in hypertension, cardiac fibrosis and vascular NeuroRestore Defitech Center for Interventional the novel hybrid imaging system and use it to mathematical modeling, semiconductor Alumni Award; NASA Certificate of development, to develop faculty leadership injury and has developed tools to assess the Neurotherapies. Seáñez focuses on developing study the mechanism underlying preterm and material processing, boundary element Recognition; National Environmental training opportunities and to coordinate mechanical properties of single cells using brain-spine interfaces where real-time brain normal term labor. and integral equations, and reactor Engineering Research Institute Medal; nominations for faculty awards in support of micropipette aspiration and mathematical recordings are used to reinforce leg movements His invention of meshless ECGI technique design for pollution prevention. He Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers; the full range of faculty career progression. modeling. While focused primarily on with spinal cord stimulation. has eliminated conventional ECGI’s imaging worked extensively on modeling and and the Big Fish Award from the She also will work with Dean Aaron F. Bobick to cardiovascular disease, this multiscale Seáñez joins the department in artifacts and enhanced the imaging speed by analysis of multiphase reactors as Engineering School for graduate student coordinate the tenure and promotion process approach has applicability to understanding Spring 2021. He also will have a secondary a factor of 100, which greatly facilitated the applied to chemical and pharmaceutical mentoring and education. and serve as associate chair of the McKelvey injury and disease processes in multiple appointment at the School of Medicine as successful application of ECGI system to study Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. tissues and organ systems. assistant professor of neurosurgery. the basic mechanisms of cardiac disorders.

36 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 37 School news //

Megan Flake YEAR IN REVIEW | 2020 Our A year like no other

degrees awarded essential 1,018 graduates in FY20 $41M Research awards (FY20) staff students | fall 2020 82% increase in research highest enrollment awards during the member in the history of past seven years Written by beth miller WashU Engineering 2,809 As McKelvey Engineering’s laboratory safety & protocol manager, Megan Flake, who has seemingly limitless energy and passion for her 32.8% of undergraduate job, is responsible to ensure everything runs 1,428 519 338 524 Undergraduate Full-time master’s Part-time master’s PhD students students are women smoothly and safely in the school’s labs. But what happens when all research shuts down due to a global pandemic? awards whitney curtis Forty percent of Engineering “Our buildings are living beings,” Flake said. in their labs working directly on COVID-19- with a minor in chemistry from Fontbonne $ undergraduate Average45K need-based “We have cells that are alive and equipment based research. Ruth Okamoto, teaching University. “Safety is already an overarching 86,500 students receive that needs to be maintained. There were a lot professor, and Charlotte Guertler, associate part of my job, and I have an intimate undergraduate scholarship of things that needed to continue to happen.” director, were in the Spartan Light Metal knowledge of what happens in our labs on a awarded in Engineering financial aid square feet in the For the first few months of the Products Makerspace in the Henry A. and daily basis, so that put this in my wheelhouse.” newly opened shutdown, Flake was part of a skeleton Elvira G. Jubel Hall making face shields Flake said faculty have been very patient McKelvey Hall crew with Gena Reed, payroll coordinator for health care providers at Washington and understanding about the changes. & finance/facilities assistant, and Barbara University Medical Center. Flake also drove “I feel very fortunate to be working in tenured/tenure-track three Semar, who had recently been hired as lab materials to the School of Medicine and back. Engineering in particular — I don’t have to sell faculty members faculty members received manager for the Department of Mechanical “We had to add all of this to the things the science,” Flake said. “Everyone gets it, 100 NSF CAREER Awards Engineering & Materials Science. Flake and we do for normal lab safety,” Flake said. “In and we’ve made a conscious decision to make Semar took turns walking through every early summer, we started to help all of the science-based decisions. With the support Engineering lab daily, following a checklist faculty develop ramp-up plans for when the of the infectious disease specialists at the financial report | fy20 of things specific to each lab they needed labs reopened. We were trying to determine medical school and the Environmental Health ranking to keep their eyes on, including incubators, how to keep people safe in an environment and Safety department, we have been able 63% freezers, refrigerators and chemical supplies. in which we needed to have a widespread to respond unbelievably quickly to changing of McKelvey Engineering undergraduate students $164,901,000 254 Their goal was to keep each lab in a state that expectation of compliance, so we wanted to conditions because of the team we have here engaged with the Career total gross revenue Engineering courses it could restart without significant delay. have as much standardization as we could.” at the university.” Center in the 2019-2020 offered in Fall 2020 McKelvey Engineering labs run around While Flake has been managing labs in the “As we restarted our research activities academic year $153,688,000 the clock, which means they are in constant school since 2007, previously managing labs in earnest last summer, the McKelvey COVID total expenses need of replenishing supplies. With most of two former faculty members is biomedical response team was discussing the new of the labs closed, Flake set up a central engineering, she never expected to be laboratory protocols and how we would hybrid receiving site at the Brauer Hall loading dock managing labs during a global pandemic. manage them,” said Aaron Bobick, dean $10,412,000 102 $13.5M funds reserved where all supplies would be delivered, sorted “I think this mostly fell to my position and James M. McKelvey Professor. “As we # Embedded1 & and either stored or picked up by the labs because of my background in research and the considered everything we were doing, I think in gifts and real-time systems still open. Several faculty in the departments existing relationships I have with our research one of our department chairs summed it commitments $801,000 (CSRankings.org) of Biomedical Engineering and of Energy, faculty and graduate students,” said Flake, up the best: ‘Thank god for Megan Flake.’” net results 145 remote only Environmental & Chemical Engineering were who earned a bachelor’s degree in biology Bobick added: “Amen to that.”

38 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 39 Young alumni // Bergh was working primarily in northwest Last word // Haiti with Sigora International designing and Frank Bergh building rural microgrids that now serve about 20,000 people. From 2018 to 2020, he served as the principal engineer for Nuru Energy and managed the design and construction of the largest solar hybrid mini-grid in Central Africa, a 1.3-megawatt solar array with 2 megawatt interminable hours of lithium-ion batteries, in the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of the def. endless, long, never-ending Congo. He traveled to Goma five times over 15 months — all during the Ebola epidemic. Despite the rigorous travel and Written by hannah smith This pandemic feels interminable. It didn’t always. In sometimes rugged conditions he works and March of 2020, one full year ago, we were under the lives in while on an international project, impression that with the termination of a two-week Bergh said he finds the work very motivating. quarantine, the world would resume as planned. As “My life is forever shaped by the students, faculty and administrators adjusted along relationships and the people who have been with the rest of the world to a new reality containing part of the journey with me,” he said. “I don’t virtual learning, masks and social distancing, that live in those places for long, but I have a impression faded fast. With no end, no solution in sight, responsibility if I’m going to work there to days began to meld together, and as such, the world be a good neighbor and participate in those of isolation and Zoom meetings seems permanent. communities with integrity.” But just because things appear to be absolute doesn’t Bergh ended his freelance work for a mean they are. good reason: he and former WashU classmate December Kinney, who earned a bachelor’s Our way of being has changed, in French in 2008, married in August 2020. Since COVID-19 is preventing a traditional in a seemingly interminable honeymoon, the couple decided to spend manner, and as we stretch and Written by beth miller their first year of marriage in Oakland, mold ourselves to fit into our California, Bergh said. While living in Chicago, Bergh was a new roles in the world, our founding member of Organizing White Men community’s perseverance and courtesy photo for Collective Liberation (OWMCL) in Chicago, Frank Bergh courtesy photo resilience are tested. which is part of a national movement focusing he writer Isaac Asimov is quoted since 1962. As NRECA’s first specialist on on white men taking action against white Hannah Smith is a senior majoring in applied science in Underrepresented minorities in McKelvey, as saying “Science can amuse and microgrids and renewable energy, Bergh supremacy and patriarchy, and Showing Up electrical engineering and the president of the WashU the greater WashU population and the world are fascinate us all, but it is engineering is working on off-grid systems for rural for Racial Justice (SURJ) Chicago, a national chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers. accustomed to the uncomfortable process that is fitting T racial justice organizing collective. In 2016, that changes the world.” Washington communities and national electrification yourself into a new world. And as we all experience University in St. Louis Engineering alumnus strategies for several countries in Africa, he was part of the 41-day #FreedomSquare the pains of isolation, Zoom fatigue and general Frank Bergh has taken that to heart, using his as well as consulting with U.S. Agency for encampment in Chicago. discontent due to COVID-19, we recognize the parallels education to take electricity to remote regions International Development (USAID) and other Even though his upcoming microgrid in adjustment many students face when entering an of the world and changing the lives of those international organizations. projects with NRECA in Africa remain on hold unknown schooling environment. This is a new type of getting electricity for the first time. “My work is focused on isolated systems for now, Bergh stays in contact with those he’s resilience, but perseverance is not new. Communities Bergh, who earned a bachelor’s degree in which communities can provide and worked with around the world. of color have dealt with seemingly endless structures of in electrical engineering with a minor in maintain their own electric service with “I’m excited about what we’ve learned oppression, and now as a greater community, we will Spanish in 2008, has spent much of the past solar energy, batteries and newly emerging together, and in many cases, what I’ve been persevere through this endless pandemic. As engineers, taught by these experiences,” he said. “Over several years working to set up microgrids technologies with the right support systems in we are tasked with solving problems. We don’t accept the course of my career, I think about not and off-grid solar energy systems in sub- place,” he said. things as they are, we make them better. only how much can I get done, but how I can Saharan Africa. After several jobs working in Bergh started with NRECA in early As our vaccine rollout reaches more in our reallocate power and privilege in solidarity wind and solar energy, Bergh is now a senior 2020 after spending about three years of community and the systematic racism that is with those who have been disadvantaged electrical engineer with the National Rural freelance work for two consulting firms, interwoven into our school’s bylaws are being publicly and disempowered. I’m leveraging the Electric Cooperative Association International JustDesign Cooperative and Beyond the Grid challenged, the permanent is proven to be temporary. (NRECA), a nonprofit cooperative whose rural tremendous gifts and blessings of my WashU PLLC, focused on technical assistance and As we keep hope for the future, we must remember that electrification initiatives have reached 160 education to share power with the rising consulting work primarily in sub-Saharan even the most ever-fixed mark is amenable. million people in 65 developing countries Africa and Latin America. From 2017 to 2018, global leaders of a brighter future.”

40 Engineering Momentum // engineering.wustl.edu spring 2021 // Engineering Momentum 41 non-profit org. u.s. postage paid st. louis, mo Campus Box 1163 permit no. 2535 One Brookings Drive St. Louis, MO 63130-4899 change service requested

#WashUengineers

Snapshot //

Air Quality Engineering is an undergraduate class that explores air quality principles, atmospheric chemistry and movement of pollutants in the atmosphere. Students utilized sensors to measure particulate matter (PM) to better understand indoor air quality with applications to COVID-19 transport. devon hill