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FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF USC DANA AND DAVID DORNSIFE COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SCIENCES

SPRING ! SUMMER "#$% MAGAZINE

!e Community Issue BUILDINGPEOPLE USC Dornsife’s impact begins in Los Angeles and stretches around the globe. 2 CONTRIBUTOR ARIEH WARSHEL Nobel Laureate and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry

During a white-tie ceremony in Stockholm, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden presented USC Dornsife’s Arieh Warshel and two colleagues with the 2013 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Royal Swedish Acad- emy of Sciences awarded the prize to Warshel, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and fellow of the National Academy of Sciences, along with Michael Levitt of Stanford University and Martin Karplus of the Université de Strasbourg in France and Harvard University, for the development of multiscale models for complex chemical systems. Warshel, Karplus and Levitt developed methods to model chemical reac- tions using computer simulations — a cornerstone of modern chemistry. With the Swedish royal family on the right side of the stage at the Stockholm Concert Hall and the newly minted Nobel laureates on the left, Carl-Henrik Heldin, chairman of the board of directors of the Nobel Founda- tion, illuminated the history of the awards and the laureates’ visionary work. Each laureate received a medal, a diploma and a document conﬁrming the Nobel Prize amount. Warshel became the fourth Nobel laureate at USC, joining George Olah and Daniel McFadden, both of USC Dornsife, and Mur- ray Gell-Mann of the Keck School of Medicine of USC.

PHOTO BY ALEXANDER MAHMOUD

COPYRIGHT NOBEL MEDIA AB Playground of Ideas (and Solutions) My colleague Scott Fraser, who came to USC Dornsife from the California ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR COMMUNICATION Institute of Technology last year, describes the USC campus as a playground. Emily Cavalcanti Without even questioning his word choice, Scott will recount how biologists and EDITORIAL DIRECTOR engineers make plans to “play” together. They compare ideas and goals, and Pamela J. Johnson work in teams to devise new ways to address long-standing issues. DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION AND ART DIRECTOR Dan Knapp !e global challenges we GRAPHIC DESIGNER face in 2014 are no doubt Letty Avila formidable, but at USC DIRECTOR OF VIDEO PRODUCTION Dornsife, our faculty, re- Mira Zimet searchers and students SENIOR COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST come prepared to address Michelle Salzman Boston these problems enthusias- WEB EDITOR AND WRITER tically and collaboratively. Laura Paisley !ere is nothing like seeing a scientist’s eyes light STAFF WRITER up as he describes how a Susan Bell type of solar technology VIDEOGRAPHER may hold the key to curing Matt Meindl certain eye diseases or a COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST student’s excitement when Lizzie Hedrick she secures an internship COORDINATOR with a high-pro"le con- Letitia Franklin gresswoman. CONTRIBUTING WRITERS It’s interesting — a good playground can be the glue Carl Marziali and Robert Perkins that holds a community to- USC DORNSIFE ADMINISTRATION gether. It’s where families Steve Kay, Dean • Dani Byrd, Vice Dean for Institutional A!airs • Charles meet and children learn McKenna, Vice Dean for Natural Sciences • Peter C. Mancall, Vice Dean for the Humanities • Wendy Wood, Vice Dean for Social Sciences • Steven to socialize and connect. Lamy, Vice Dean for Academic Programs • Donal Manahan, Vice Dean for Among many powerful Students • George Sanchez, Vice Dean for Diversity & Strategic Initiatives • examples of “play” at USC, Ted Budge, Chief Financial O"cer & Senior Associate Dean • Neil Macready, we have students who in- Senior Associate Dean for Advancement • Kathleen Speer, Senior Associate Dean troduce literature to local USC DORNSIFE BOARD OF COUNCILORS elementary school students Jana Waring Greer, Chair • William Barkett • Leslie Berger • Robert D. through the Joint Educa- Beyer • Susan Casden • Richard Cook • Diane Dixon • Richard S. Flores • tional Project (JEP), a fac- Shane Foley • Lisa Goldman • Yossie Hollander • Janice Bryant Howroyd • ulty member who studies Martin Irani • Suzanne Nora Johnson • Stephen G. Johnson • Peter YS what it takes to motivate Kim • Samuel King • Arthur Lev • Mitchell Lew • Andrew Littlefair • underserved youth to excel, and a graduate student who analyzes gratitude using the Robert Osher • Gerald Papazian • Lawrence Piro • Kelly Porter • Michael Reilly • Harry Robinson • Carole Shammas • Glenn A. Sonnenberg • USC Shoah Foundation’s Visual History Archive of stories from genocide survivors, Kumarakulasingam “Suri” Suriyakumar • Rosemary Tomich among so many other powerful examples. USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE My goal as dean of USC Dornsife is to make sure that we break out of the traditional academic bubble. After all, problems can’t be solved without dismantling boundaries, com- Published twice a year by the USC Dornsife O)ce of Communication at the University of Southern California. © 2014 USC Dornsife Col- bining disciplines and looking far further than just inside our own textbooks, classrooms, lege. !e diverse opinions expressed in USC Dornsife Magazine do not city or even country for answers. necessarily represent the views of the editors, USC Dornsife admin- We must teach our students how to use their own resources to enact political change, istration or USC. USC Dornsife Magazine welcomes comments from imbuing public health initiatives with cultural sensitivity — or even cure cancer or arrest its readers to [email protected] or USC Dornsife Magazine, climate change by encouraging collaboration among scholars in di#erent "elds. In essence, Citigroup Center 8206, 41st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90089-8206 Scott is right. USC is a playground — a playground for ideas, strategies, collaboration and, ultimately, solutions.

S$%&% K'( Dean of USC Dornsife Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair SPRING / SUMMER 2014 ' From the Dean Contents ( Former Life ﬁrst Linelady honored; USC Shoah Foundation commemorates !" years; USC Trojan League of L.A. showcases USC Dornsife.

) SOCIAL DORNSIFE #!"Qs#DeanK

* FROM THE HEART OF USC Mellon Foundation invests in digital humanities; Online psychology program debuts; Sophomores gain real-world job knowledge.

+ Curriculum , Archive -. Pro"le -/ THE COMMUNITY ISSUE Lexicon !" -( In the Field !e ABCs of JEP -* Our World You know your ABCs, but not like this. Learn interesting facts about !e Joint Educational Project — from A to Z. By Pamela J. Johnson )' DORNSIFE FAMILY Scientists earn $$M prize from #$ Israel; Alumna’s documentary Near and Far Ahead shines light on Pakistani youth. On opposite sides of the globe, this trio of alumni share a commonality: !ey believe in something bigger )' than themselves. And they aren’t afraid of a challenge. By Susan Bell and Laura Paisley Legacy %# )/ Faculty News )( Faculty Canon WeConvURGENT know it’s spelled Convergent Bioscience. But BioscienceUSC Dornsife sees the urgency in this heads-up rather )* than heads-down research mentality. By Pamela J. Johnson Alumni Canon %" ), Alumni News *' ExploreHistory the rich history inof Los Angeles’a Box Boyle Heights with objects that make topics such as immigration, Remembering business and World War II come to life. By Pamela J. Johnson *( IN MY OPINION Strong as Oak &# ON THE COVER USC Dornsife builds partnerships StudentsHearts get their practical in politicsthe on with Highlands the help of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and many PHOTO BY MATT MEINDL here, there and everywhere. other purveyors of opportunity at USC Dornsife. First stop, the White House. By Michelle Salzman Boston Illustration by Letty Avila &" Above: Paul Cummins ’67, founder of Coalition for Engaged Education, BattlingA Wealth serious health issues worldwideof Health requires a little more ingenuity and a lot more cultural sensitivity. meets with program mentors Jesse Aguilar (right) and Edwin Rios. USC Dornsife faculty, students and alumni show you how it’s done. By Susan Bell NEWS AND EVENTS

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Life LineA 2#4 MILLION GIFT from anony- NOVEMBER mous donors ENDOWS STUDENT SUPPORT at USC Dornsife, the USC School of Social Work and the USC Marshall School of Business. --.'..-/ This is one of the largest individual gifts for student support in USC’s In celebration of INTERNATIONAL CLINTON PHOTO COURTESY OF THE OFFICE OF HILLARY CLINTON; BANNER PHOTO BY ROGER SNIDER; MICHELSON PHOTO BY PHIL COHN; PRIZETYLER PHOTO COURTESY OF THE PRIZETYLER ADMINISTRATION history. GIS DAY, students from USC Dorn- sife’s SPATIAL SCIENCES INSTITUTE USC Dornsife’s CENTER FOR THE -'.-..-/ launch a weather balloon with an in- STUDY OF IMMIGRANT INTEGRA1 frared GoPro camera attached to dem- TION co-hosts an event honor- onstrate aerial mapping technology. ing HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON with an award presented by the DECEMBER Mexican American Leadership Ini- -'.-/.-/ tiative (MALI) and the U.S.-Mexico Foundation. Tens of thousands of people worldwide watch USC Dornsife’s FIRST HOLIDAY VIDEO message, “We See Snow Differently: The Art and Sci- ence of Snow,” after it is featured by SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN. -.-/.-( -.-(.-( Gary K. Michelson, retired orthopedic spinal surgeon whose JANUARY groundbreaking work generated more than 955 issued or pending patents worldwide, and his wife -.''.-( Alya, donate 234 MILLION to fund the USC MICHELSON CENTER FOR “If the future goal is far CONVERGENT BIOSCIENCE. USC Trustee DAVID DORNSIFE and away, di"cult to attain or his wife DANA share their incred- involves activities that seem ible work to bring fresh water, identity-incongruent, then sanitation and hygiene to rural Friends and colleagues honor LOIS we often tend to behave as if '.-'.-( African villages in a USC VISIONS BANNER, professor of history and AND VOICES signature Event. FEBRUARY gender studies, upon her retirement there is no need to get going right now.” from teaching at USC Dornsife and DAPHNA OYSERMAN, Dean’s reflect upon her contributions to Professor of Psychology, explains '.-,.-( the field of women’s history. why we often achieve less than we aspire to and offers solutions “By thousands of our faculty to help attain our goals during a and students joining forces DEAN’S SPECIAL LECTURE. across very di!erent #elds to begin to approach complex /.,.-( problems, we will de#ne The TROJAN LEAGUE OF LOS those ethereal unknowns.” ANGELES showcases USC Dornsife DEAN STEVE KAY delivers the MARCH at its annual benefit and luncheon HERBERT G. KLEIN LECTURE ON with programs hosted by USC CIVIC AND COMMUNITY LEADER1 Dornsife faculty and a keynote ad- SHIP, noting the importance of dress by alumna Ann Muscat ’83. interdisciplinarity, convergence and translation in USC Dorsife’s /.').-( efforts to improve the world. “I believe the work of the USC Shoah Foundation is (.').-( the most important legacy of

Schindler’s List.” APRIL SIMON A. LEVIN, George M. Moffett Award-winning filmmaker and Professor of Biology at Princeton USC Trustee STEVEN SPIELBERG University, was selected as the in the introduction of the new recipient of the 2014 Tyler Prize book, Testimony: The Legacy for Environmental Achievement, of Schindler’s List and the USC the premier award administered Shoah Foundation — A 20th by USC Dornsife, which honors Anniversary Commemoration environmental science of great (Harper Collins, 2014). benefit to humankind.

4 SOCIAL DORNSIFE

Twitter @DeanSteveKay Instagram

@DeanSteveKay: I think USC Dornsife students @FighTINGonUSC: What have you discovered have an insatiable intellectual curiosity, which to be the most unique about USC Dornsife they want to satisfy both in the classroom, and students? #happyoneyear beyond our borders throughout the world.

@DeanSteveKay: Working commercial oﬀshore @EvilElvis: What was your favorite summer job? lobster boats in the North Sea. After that, nothing is scary. What exam are you studying for? “My ﬁnal in global economics. I feel prepared. Next semester I’ll be studying abroad in Brazil taking international relations @DeanSteveKay: Courage; pushing boundaries; courses and studying Portu- @jakesoll: What makes good science? being rigorous; developing new tools; not hang- guese. My concentration is ing around a problem to dot i’s & cross t’s in Latin America. I eventually want to work in Brazil, so I want to familiarize myself with the culture and @DeanSteveKay: Rigorous science has the the economy.” — Sharon ability to detect problems, but then must @StephensTweets: How can science best Nasubo, junior, international synthesize solutions that are both global and improve the world when so many of the relations major local. We must become more predictive in our world’s problems are manmade? understanding of humanity.

5#4Qs&DEANK To celebrate his one-year anniversary as dean of USC Dornsife, Steve Kay invited the USC Dornsife community to submit questions for him on Twitter at @DeanSteveKay using the hashtag #20Qs4DeanK. From his views on what makes good science to his favorite summer job (the answer might surprise you), here are Dean Kay’s answers to the questions he received from USC students, faculty, staﬀ and friends.

A dozen buildings at USC were recently designated Activate Issue Extras Historic Cultural Monu- Extras Include: ments by the Los Angeles Augmented Reality (AR) app City Council. Mudd Hall of SELFIE Philosophy was included on the list. No wonder. The world of letters, arts and sciences goes Watch as professors across a host beyond the pages you’re holding in your of academic disciplines de#ne CONNECT WITH USC DORNSIFE hands. We invite you to use your smartphone Oxford English Dictionary’s Check us out on your favorite or tablet to view exclusive multimedia “word of the year.” social media sites. We welcome your posts and tweets for pos- content about our community of scholars. Page 13 1. sible inclusion in the next issue of USC Dornsife Magazine. Download the USC Dornsife Augmented Reality (AR) app THE ABCs OF JEP on your smartphone or tablet via your mobile app store. !e Learn more from past and dornsife.usc.edu/facebook Become a fan and get updates app is available for Android and iOS (iPhone/iPad). current participants in one of in your newsfeed. 2. the country’s oldest and largest Look for the cardinal extra content buttons throughout the service-learning programs. dornsife.usc.edu/twitter magazine to learn which pages have more to discover. Page 18 Follow our tweets for the 3. latest USC Dornsife news. HEARTS IN THE HIGHLANDS Open the USC Dornsife AR app and hold your device dornsife.usc.edu/youtube 8–12” from the page. Wait for the content to load. Explore how the Unruh Watch the latest videos from 4. Institute of Politics motivates the USC Dornsife community. !e app will launch enhanced content that brings to life the students to become active in the dornsife.usc.edu/instagram printed page. world of politics. Follow our feed for snapshots Page 42 of the #DornsifeLife. No mobile device? Relax — videos are also at dornsife.usc.edu

Spring / Summer 2014 5 FROM THE HEART OF USC

Numbers

THE USC DORNSIFE6 LOS ANGELES TIMES POLL

The USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll is a series of statewide $1.9 Million for Digital Humanities public opinion polls of registered The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation award reflects the quality of humanities faculty at USC Dornsife and the voters in California designed to cross-disciplinary research potential. survey voter attitudes on a wide by Carl Marziali range of political, policy, social and cultural issues. Conducted !e Andrew W. Mellon Foundation has awarded USC a and the expertise and equipment of the nation’s No. 1 cin- throughout the year, the widely $1.9 million grant to support a program of graduate and ema school, particularly its Media Arts + Practice doc- cited poll helps to inform the public and encourage discourse postdoctoral training in the digital humanities. toral program. on key political and policy issues. !e foundation makes grants on a selective basis in the “As a huge proponent of interdisciplinary study and areas of higher education, humanities and the arts. It has training, I am excited to help USC emerge as a leading been a long-standing benefactor to USC, supporting, in institution connecting technology, hard data and the hu- addition to this gift, a wide array of university initiatives. manities,” USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay said. “I believe !e award enables research universities and liberal arts that the programs established through this grant will o#er ))% colleges to equip growing cohorts of faculty and students our stellar scholars the tools they will need to e#ect last- of California voters ap- to conduct research, teach and learn with the tools and ing change in their "elds and in society.” prove of the job being done protocols of the digital humanities. In an arrangement intended to promote the spread of by Gov. Jerry Brown — his USC is committed to investing at least $1 billion in digital scholarship, all researchers supported by the Mellon highest rating since he support of digital knowledge and informatics over the grant will agree to make their digital sources available to took office in 2011. next decade. the scholarly community through the Digital Repository. “USC is already a world leader in digital media and !e award also re*ects the quality of humanities faculty informatics,” said Elizabeth Garrett, the university’s pro- in USC Dornsife as well as the cross-disciplinary research vost and senior vice president for academic a#airs. “!is potential at the many centers and institutes that attract Half award will help to enhance our teaching and scholarship scholars from around the university, said Peter Mancall, of California voters favor through new ways to explore and communicate.” the grant’s principal investigator and vice dean for the hu- the Affordable Care Act, !e university can call upon unique strengths, such as manities at USC Dornsife. including 33 percent who the USC Digital Repository, which includes more than Said Mancall, Mellon Professor of the Humanities and strongly favor it. Despite 52,000 digitized, indexed and fully searchable testimoni- Linda and Harlan Martens Director of the Early Modern overall support for the law, Californians are als from the USC Shoah Foundation — the Institute for Studies Institute: “We’re at a really early phase. !e digi- concerned about how the Visual History and Education, housed at USC Dornsife, tal humanities will embrace new ways of doing research.” legislation will affect the economy and their own health care access. /+ | '0 Percentage of Californians who said the Affordable Care Act would have no effect on their personal health care versus the percentage who said it would have a positive effect. Twenty-four percent of voters said they believed the effect would be harmful.

(0% BYMCGILL MELISSA ILLUSTRATION of Californians said un- documented immigrants should be allowed to obtain special driver’s licenses, versus 47 percent who oppose granting such licenses.

dornsife.usc.edu/poll

6 Curriculum SSCI 301L “KNITTED” IMAGE COURTESY OF DARREN RUDDELL; RUDDELL PHOTO BY MIRA ZIMET

MAPS AND SPATIAL The passing troupe of blue-uni- tographs every two seconds. The first of its kind in the A bird’s eye view of USC’s REASONING formed grade school children Later, students downloaded world, the new major is a joint University Park campus taken Instructor: Darren Ruddell, on a visit to the University Park the images onto a computer, effort among USC Dornsife, the at two-second intervals by an director of undergraduate campus nudged each other and “knitting” them together into USC School of Architecture and infrared camera attached to a studies for Spatial Sciences In- pointed at the sky. a mosaic map. This technology the USC Price School of Public weather balloon. Students in stitute and assistant professor Nearly 300 feet in the air, a can help in disaster response, Policy. Ruddell's class “knitted” the (teaching) of spatial sciences large white weather balloon landscape architecture, trans- “Many problems we currently aerial images together using sailed over Alumni Park. portation planning, renewable face as a society could reap computer technology to create Darren Ruddell and students energy and inner-city renewal. huge benefits from spatial this mosaic map. from his “Maps and Spatial The course examines the role analysis,” Ruddell said, add- Reasoning” class launched the of maps and spatial reasoning ing that the balloon project helium-filled weather balloon in the production and use of could be used to formulate on Geographic Information geographic information. It is emergency evacuation plans Systems Day Nov. 20. Attached part of the geodesign degree by working out the nearest exit to the balloon, a camera with launched by the Spatial Sci- points from particular build- a wide-angle lens took pho- ences Institute in Fall 2013. ings. —S.B.

Spring / Summer 2014 7 HISTORY

SUMMER OLYMPICS Los Angeles, Calif., 1984 ArchiveIn 1984 — the era of cherry- red Pontiac Fieros, Wham!, and the Ghostbusters block- buster — Angelenos took the world stage as hosts of the Summer Olympics. Los Angeles secured the hosting bid from rivals New York City and Tehran, Iran, to become the only city to host the modern games twice (the first time was in 1932). To control expenses, the City of Angels mostly utilized existing venues. One exception was the swimming stadium built at USC’s University Park campus. (A dining hall near the Lyon Center was named Café 84 in honor of the Games of the XXIII Olympiad.) Another exception was the velodrome constructed at California State University, Dominguez Hills. Both were paid for through corporate funds. “With massive use of corporate sponsorships, the L.A. Olympics were the first in recent history to actually make money,” said Phil Ethington, professor of history, political science and spatial sciences. “In addition, it became a major celebration of U.S. patriotism. Sadly, the FOUNDATION!" AND OF THE LA USC DAVIDPHOTO COURTESY L. WOLPER CENTER Soviet Union was boycotting the games so the U.S. won far more medals than normal, and the press celebrated those victories with uninhib- ited enthusiasm.” In the end, the United States earned 174 medals, including 83 golds. With 36 Tro- jan athletes competing in the games, some golden victories went to USC Dornsife alumni, including basketballer Pam McGee (B.A., social sciences, ’84), volleyballer Pat Powers (B.A., psychology, ’81), and swimmers Jeff Float (B.A., psychology, ’83) and Michael O’Brien (B.A., pharmaceutical sciences, ’88). —D.K.

8 FROM THE HEART OF USC

Recognition

Miller’s laboratory is currently conducting further research into the timing and e#ects of the mountain building Floating Mountains on other geological processes. The Atlas Mountains in Morocco are buoyed up by !is research was funded by the National Science Foun- superhot rock, a USC Dornsife study published in dation. —R.P. Geology ﬁnds.

MOH EL1NAGGAR Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Mastering Human Engineers El-Naggar, assistant professor of physics, was named recipient Behavior of the Presidential Early Career The Master of Science in Applied Psychology degree Award for Scientists and Engineers. His breakthrough re- program is now oﬀered online. search earned him the highest honor bestowed by the United !e on-campus and online degree programs are led by States government on science and engineering professionals Ellen Leggett, who joined USC Dornsife in Fall 2013. in the early stage of their ca- Leggett is a nationally renowned expert in the psy- reers. It comes with a $1 million chology of jury decision-making. For more than 20 years, research award. she has assisted trial lawyers and witnesses in complex, high-stakes cases, personally designing, conducting and !e Atlas Mountains defy the standard model for moun- interpreting empirical research on jury decision-making. tain structure, in which high topography must have deep In 1996, she founded her own consulting "rm, Leggett roots for support, according to a study from earth scientists Jury Research, LLC. at USC Dornsife. Her clients include government agencies as well as "rms In a new model, the researchers show that the mountains in the aerospace, automobile, banking, accounting, health are *oating on a layer of superhot rock that *ows beneath care, technology, pharmaceuticals, real estate and retail. the region’s lithosphere, perhaps all the way from the volca- She also brings substantial experience in academic ad- nic Canary Islands, just o#shore northwestern Africa. ministration. Leggett has been a professor, researcher and DARBY SAXBE Association of Psychological “Our "ndings con"rm that mountain structures and administrator at Cornell University, Scripps College and Science “Rising Star”

NAGGAR PHOTO BY MATT MEINDL; SAXBE PHOTO BY SUSAN BELL; EVERETT PHOTO BY PHIL CHANNING PHIL BY PHOTO EVERETT BELL; SUSAN BY PHOTO SAXBE MEINDL; MATT BY PHOTO ELNAGGAR # their formation are far more complex than previously be- the University of California, Riverside. Saxbe, assistant professor of lieved,” said lead author Meghan Miller, assistant professor Leggett earned her master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology, was named a “Ris- of earth sciences. psychology and education at Harvard University, and her ing Star” by the Association of !e study, co-authored by !orsten Becker, professor of bachelor’s from Mount Holyoke College in Massachu- Psychological Science for her research into how fluctuations earth sciences, was published by Geology on Jan. 1, 2014, setts. She is a member of the American Psychological As- in levels of the stress hormone and highlighted by Nature Geoscience. sociation and the American Society of Trial Consultants. cortisol are affected by family A well-established model for the Earth’s lithosphere “!e best career preparation students can receive is in environments. suggests that the height of the Earth’s crust must be sup- critical thinking,” Leggett said. “It is the most versatile ported by a commensurate depth, similar to how a tall ice- skill to propel students’ careers into the future world of berg doesn’t simply *oat on the surface of the water but in- work.” —M.S.B. stead rests on a large submerged mass of ice. !is property is known as “isostasy.” “!e Atlas Mountains are at present out of balance, likely due to a con*uence of existing lithospheric strength anomalies and deep mantle dynamics,” Becker said. Miller and Becker used seismometers to measure the thickness of the lithosphere — the Earth’s rigid outermost PERCIVAL EVERETT NEA Creative Writing Fellow layer — beneath the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. By ana- Everett, Distinguished Professor lyzing 67 distant seismic events with 15 seismometers, their of English, was awarded a 2014 team was able to use the Earth’s vibrations to “see” into the National Endowment for the deep subsurface. Arts Creative Writing Fellow- !e research group found that the actual depth of the ship. He will receive $25,000 from the NEA to conduct re- mountains con*icted with current traditional models by search in Algiers and Corsica for about 9 miles. his next book about the World “!is study shows that deformation can be observed War II submarine Casabianca, through the entire lithosphere and contributes to mountain which was part of the French building even far away from plate boundaries,” Miller said. fleet in the port of Toulon.

Spring / Summer 2014 9 Pro"le LOUIS ZAMPERINI ’40

Actress and humanitarian Angelina Jolie directed Unbroken, the life story of war hero and USC alumnus Louis Zamperini. $e #lm will be in theaters on Dec. 25, 2014.

10 FROM THE HEART OF USC

COURAGEOUS COMRADES to USC Dornsife as a physi- the movie for Universal. She Louis Zamperini just turned cal education major on an then invited Zamperini and 97. This gets him reflecting on athletic scholarship. He his family to meet her and life So, What Will You Be? how to live a long life. immediately began training partner Brad Pitt in person. The Second-Year Inquiry program helps students “People always talk about for the Summer Olympics in “The first thing she did was explore professional pathways and connects them diet,” Zamperini says. “But it’s Berlin, where he placed eighth hug me,” Zamperini recalls. with USC’s extensive network of career resources. not diet.” in the 5,000-meter run. After “Then she’d say something His disarming blue eyes the race, he was singled out by else and hug me again. I kept twinkle. For a man who has Adolf Hitler. looking at Brad, but he never weathered so much and is still As light bulbs flashed, Hitler’s said a word. When it was time here to tell the tale, you’re top propagandist invited the to leave, she gave me another inclined to lean in when he young American athlete to big hug. offers his wisdom. shake hands with the Nazi lead- “I finally told my son, ‘Go “The secret of longevity is er. “Aha! The boy with the fast stand in front of Brad,’ ” he attitude,” he says. finish!” Hitler told Zamperini jokes. He quotes the apostle Paul through an English interpreter. In the Hollywood Hills, Jolie, in Philippians 4:12-13. “It wasn’t until many years Pitt and Zamperini are practi- “I have learned the secret of later that I looked back and cally neighbors. Sometimes being content in any and every realized I’d shaken hands with Jolie climbs up on her roof to situation, whether well-fed the worst tyrant the world has wave at Zamperini, and she or hungry, whether living in ever known,” Zamperini said. flies an American flag in his plenty or in want.” When World War II broke out honor daily. They often visit Zamperini has been in some in 1939, Zamperini’s Olympic each other at their respective extraordinary situations dreams were set aside. homes, and last year, when himself — enough to capture While serving as an Air Force Zamperini turned 96, Jolie and the attention of actress and bombardier, his plane went Pitt threw him a birthday party. filmmaker Angelina Jolie, who down amid the Pacific Ocean. Zamperini’s daughter, Kenneth Geller set an imaginary scene for his undergradu- is directing a movie about He and two other survivors Cynthia Garris, said her father ate students: “You’re a doctor. Your patient is an 18-month- his life. spent the next 47 days adrift was hired as a consultant old child. His mother reports he has a fever and he’s been Now sitting in the sunroom on a lifeboat, subsisting on for the film, participating in pulling at his ear. of his Hollywood Hills home, tiny fish, sharks, birds and many meetings with Jolie and “What do you ask?” he looks out over a sea of palm rainwater. They were eventu- the writers. The film’s scope As students called out questions, Geller guided them trees, their fronds shimmering ally found — but by the includes everything from Zam- through creating a patient history and diagnosis. Co-taught in the sunlight. The city of Los Japanese. Zamperini spent the perini’s childhood to his return by Geller, associate professor of clinical otolaryngology, Angeles unfurls toward the next two years in prisoner-of- from the war. “Contemporary Issues and Cases in Health Care” intro- horizon. war camps enduring physical “My father’s gift for detail duces students to health care career paths. Adorning a foyer wall is a abuse and near-starvation. and memory is phenomenal,” “I’m pre-med so I’m looking at the di#erent areas of large black-and-white photo- After the U.S. government Garris says. medicine I can go into,” said health and humanities major graph of silent film star Theda told his family he was dead, The extensive ocean and Kacie Amacher. “!is class is a great way to get an overview Bara, the first occupant of the Zamperini returned from the wartime aviation scenes made of the di#erent medical professions.” house built in 1920. The rooms war very much alive. His ser- for difficult shooting. !e course is part of USC Dornsife’s Second-Year In- are replete with photographs, vice earned him three Purple “Anytime it gets tough, we quiry (SYI) program, which launched in Fall 2013 to help medals, trophies and other Hearts, a Distinguished Flying think of the real men who lived students hone in on what to pursue professionally and how memorabilia from his USC days Cross and a Prisoner of War through this, and no one com- to achieve their goals. SYI courses and workshops — cov- as a sprinter and his time in the Medal. plains,” Jolie told Entertain- ering a range of topics including economics, law and psy- Air Force during World War II. In 2010, Laura Hillenbrand ment Weekly. chology — are geared toward sophomores. Born in Olean, N.Y., to Italian spun Zamperini’s story into Zamperini and Jolie’s

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSAL PICTURES OF UNIVERSAL PHOTO COURTESY As second-year students, sophomores are in a prime posi- immigrants, Zamperini and his the best-selling book Unbro- friendship deepened after he tion to dig in to questions about their undergraduate goals, family soon moved to Torrance, ken: A World War II Story heard the news about her 2013 said Octavio Avila, director of student special services. Calif. He started out as a bit of of Survival, Resilience and double mastectomy. This was “Now that they have settled into college life they can de- a troublemaker, getting into Redemption. an elective procedure based termine what they really want their educational experiences ﬁghts and hopping trains to “It’s called Unbroken because on Jolie’s genetic propensity to consist of,” he said. Mexico. Eventually he discov- I’m a stubborn Trojan,” Zam- toward breast cancer. Students in this program put theory into practice ered that a better outlet for perini explains. “They’d have to As a gesture of support and through internships. his energies was running. He kill me before I’d give in.” recognition of her courage, the “It’s a way for them to determine if they’re on an aca- joined the Torrance High School Jolie told Zamperini she read war hero presented Jolie with demic path that aligns with their aspirations,” Avila said. track team and excelled. the book twice without stop- one of his Purple Hearts. “!e broader perspective is, what do you want to do with In 1936, he was admitted ping before deciding to make It moved her to tears. —L.P. your life?” —M.S.B.

Spring / Summer 2014 11 FROM THE HEART OF USC

Word

IN THE NEWS QUOTABLES

“$ere’s some uncer- tainty of course, but as we play out with a A Deeper Connection warming world the A $6.6 million gift from the Shinnyo-en Buddhist order supports the newly named USC Shinso Ito Center for general prediction is Japanese Religions and Culture. by Michelle Salzman Boston that California is set to get drier.” !e Shinnyo-en Buddhist order has made a historic $6.6 dialogue with students, thought leaders and the general SARAH FEAKINS, assistant million gift for the study of Japan to USC Dornsife. !e public. Current research directed by the center focuses on professor of earth sciences, newly named USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Reli- various aspects of Japanese religions and cultures while in a Jan. 19 interview with gions and Culture was established in 2011 to serve as a functioning like a think tank. Projects examine the future News Conference about the hub for the study of Japan at the university. !e new name of Japan, such as how its aging society a#ects labor, taxa- droughts in California. honors Shinnyo-en’s current leader, Shinso Ito. tion, pension and health care issues. Shinnyo-en’s support for USC’s center represents one !e center’s Hybrid Japan Innovation Lab studies Ja- of the largest gifts ever given to a center dedicated to the pan’s role on the global stage in the 21st century. !e “If you practice go- study of Japan in North America. Shinnyo-en is an inter- Hapa Japan Database Project examines hapa, or multi- ing for a walk every national Buddhist order of nearly a million practitioners ethnic, Japanese populations throughout history and cur- evening when you get that promotes an inclusive and innovative pathway to en- rent representations of mixed-ethnicity Japanese identity. home from work, then lightenment, the values of peaceful coexistence with other National leaders took note of the gift’s signi"cance. after a while, when religions, and a culture of service to others in need. “!is historic gift of $6.6 million from the Shinnyo- you enter your house, “!e USC Shinso Ito Center carries a deep-seated en organization to USC represents an important moment mission to use the teaching of religion and culture to ac- in the relationship between the United States and Japan,” thoughts of going for a tively engage our students,” said Steve Kay, dean of USC U.S. Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy said. “Pro- walk spring to mind.” Dornsife, which houses the center. “But it is because of moting cross-cultural ties and mutual understanding be- WENDY WOOD, Provost philanthropic gestures such as this that USC can be a tween the U.S. and Japan is more important now than Professor of Psychology and leader among American universities in contributing to the ever before.” Business, in a Jan. 1 interview strengthened partnership with Japan that I know we all with NBC News on forming positive habits. envision for the future.” !e gift will enhance the center’s mission to promote the study of Japanese religions and culture at USC, and “You can’t have a city in the broader intellectual community of Japanese studies. of only rich people. A Founded under Director Duncan Williams, chair of USC Dornsife’s School of Religion, the center seeks to support city needs restaurant the study of Japan's culture, history and contemporary rel- workers, a city needs evance through translational research projects. schoolteachers, a city “Shinnyo-en deeply appreciates the commitment of the needs taxi drivers.” USC Center for Japanese Religions and Culture for its deep KEVIN STARR, University and sensitive explorations of many aspects of Japanese cul- Professor and professor of ture through the study of international relations, society, history, and policy, planning the arts, media and religion,” said the Rev. Minoru Shitara, and development, in a New director of Shinnyo-en’s international a#airs department. York Times Nov. 25 story about the widening socioeconomic “Shinnyo-en views this support of the center as an expres- disparities in San Francisco. sion of our common purpose with USC to educate people from diverse backgrounds to become e#ective agents for understanding, peace and harmony in the world.” “I think when we Williams said he is grateful to Her Holiness Shinso Ito have a few more and to all Shinnyo-en leaders and members for believing Mandelas in the 21st in the work of the USC Shinso Ito Center. “With this generous gift, the center will continue to century, we might deepen the understanding between the peoples of Japan save our planet from and America by promoting study of Japan, study in Japan self-destruction.” and study with Japan,” Williams said. “And, in its work, CECIL MURRAY, John R. Tan- the center hopes to bring to the world the wisdom and the sey Chair in Christian Ethics compassion that Her Holiness teaches.” and professor of religion, in a !e center is one of the most active for Japan studies KPCC-FM Dec. 5 obituary for in the United States, hosting weekly events and seminars Nelson Mandela. that bring scholars from Japan and around the world, in

12 ART HISTORY

SELFIE \’selfē\ noun \ [From Dutch Lexiconzelf and German selbe] 1. A photographic self-portrait taken with a webcam or mobile device such as an iPhone or iPad, and disseminated through social media sites such as Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Usually taken from a flattering angle, often showing one having fun with friends, in enviable surroundings or in a bizarre location. Origin: “Selfie” originated in Australia on an Internet forum in 2002. The genre and word became common after the iPhone 4 introduced a front-facing camera device in 2010. “Selfie” was named one of Time’s “top 10 buzzwords” of 2012 and Oxford Dictionar- ies’ “word of the year” in 2013. The #SelfieOlympics, in which people compete to take the most outlandish self-portrait possible, became a Twitter meme in January 2014. Usage: “Took this selfie to show everyone how cold it is at the MLA Convention in Chicago! And ’cos I look cute in a silly hat, LOL!!”

Kate Flint is Provost Professor of English and Art History, and chair of the Department of Art History. She teaches the course “Writing and Photography” for !ematic Option, USC’s honors general education program, and is completing a book on

PHOTO CREDITS ONPHOTO CREDITS PAGE !" the cultural history of "ash photography.

Spring / Summer 2014 13 COMPARATIVE LITERATURE AN IDEA BLOSSOMS From her kitchen window Inacross from L.A.’s Park Lathe Field Brea, Antonia Szabari watched as gardeners ripped out beds of slightly wilted pink peonies, stuffed them into plastic bags, then replanted fresh flowers. Szabari, associate professor of French and Italian, and comparative literature, was crestfallen. BEWARE! “It got me thinking about people’s emotional relationship with plants: Is it something culturally constructed? Does it have a history?” Natania Meeker shared Szabari’s interest in explor- ing the topic. Both teach Aristotle’s theory of souls, which postulates that in the hierarchy of beings — humans, animals and plants — plants contain a vegetal soul. “I found this an interesting way to begin to think about the plant because it suggested to me that the plant has a kind of specificity as a life form,” said Meeker, associate professor A HISTORY OF of French, and comparative THE ANIMATED literature, and chair of French PLANT IN FILM, and Italian. LITERATURE Together, the professors AND ART are tracing the long history of literary, cinematic and artistic representations of plants from the 17th century to the pres- Dornith Doherty’s art collection ent. Their book, The Animated 2008 Archiving Eden (ongoing) Plant: Vegetal Imaginaries from Early to Late Modernity, The French film Les Raisins de is in progress, with plans to 1978 la Mort (The Grapes of Death) submit it for publication in the summer of 2015. 1966 Colette’s book Earthly Paradise 1963 The film The Day of the Triffids 1951 John Wyndham’s novel The Day of the Triffids Erasmus Darwin’s poems, “Economy of Vegetation” 1791 and “The Loves of the Plants” 1748 Julien Offray de la Mettrie’s book, Man a Plant Cyrano de Bergerac’s novel Voyages to the Moon 1657-62 and the Sun

14 ILLUSTRATION BY LETTY AVILA FOR USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE FROM THE HEART OF USC

Journal of Biological Chemistry in October 2014, was selected by the journal as a “paper of the week.” !e Holy Grail of Next, the team will generalize the mathematical model to study the real-life action of AID as it initiates mutations during the transcription of Ig variable and constant Biology regions, which is the process needed to generate immuno- diversity in human B-cells. —R.P. !7TH CENTURY USC Dornsife faculty find a mathematical model that Astronomer and physicist sheds light on the human immune system. Galileo confirms Copernicus’ heliocentric model of the universe, which puts the sun Economic $inking at the world’s center. Scientific The USC Dornsife Institute for New Economic Thinking interest in plants also blooms. (INET) will work with researchers university-wide. “At this moment, people find the universe to be decentered Based in the Department of Economics, USC Dornsife not only in the sense that the will launch the USC Dornsife Institute for New Economic Earth is no longer the center !inking (USC Dornsife INET), which will bolster re- of the world, but that their search in globalization and regulation of "nancial institu- perceptions of reality are com- tions as well as collaboration with schools and institutes pletely off,” Szabari said. USC Dornsife scientists have created a mathematical mod- across the university. Plants were considered the el explaining and predicting the biological process that cre- New York-based INET supports economics scholars by least alive of all creatures until ates antibody diversity — the phenomenon that keeps us providing "nances, advice and access to thousands of like- this period, she said. “Now, healthy by generating robust immune systems. minded individuals. this belief comes into question !e work is a collaboration between Chi Mak, professor INET President Robert Johnson said the "eld of eco- and fiction rushes in to fill and chair of chemistry, and Myron Goodman, professor of nomics needs fundamental renewal. what’s unknown. This is where biological sciences and chemistry. “Our new institutional partnership with USC will help our interest lies.” “To me, it was the holy grail,” Goodman said. “We can us make a vital contribution to reinvigorating discourse and now predict the motion of a key enzyme that initiates hy- to overcoming the resistances to the sorely needed evolution KILLER PLANTS FROM permutations in immunoglobulin [Ig] genes.” of economics and social sciences in the face of urgent hu- OUTER SPACE Goodman "rst described the process that creates an- man challenges,” Johnson said. Depictions of plants that tibody diversity two years ago. In short, an enzyme called !e collaboration between INET and USC Dornsife think, talk and attack stretch “activation-induced deoxycytidine deaminase” (AID) moves comes with direction from Hashem Pesaran, the John El- back to the 1600s. Cyrano de up and down single-stranded DNA that encodes the pattern liott Distinguished Chair in Economics, professor of eco- Bergerac’s early science fiction for antibodies and sporadically alters the strand by convert- nomics, and director of the USC Center for Applied Finan- novel, Voyages to the Moon ing one nitrogen base to another, called “deamination.” !e cial Economics. and the Sun puts a narrator on change creates DNA with a di#erent pattern — a mutation. “Our partnership with INET validates us on a na- a journey to outer space where !ese mutations, which AID creates a million times tional scale,” USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay said. “What he meets a grove of talking more often than would otherwise occur, generate anti- INET sees in USC Dornsife is not only that we’ve been oaks, among other animated bodies of many sorts — giving a person protection against able to land stars recently in the general areas of econom- plants. More recently, films germs that one’s body hasn’t yet seen. ics and applied economics, but that we are committed to like Invasion of the Body “It’s why when I sneeze, you don’t die,” Goodman said. strengthening our economics department for the next sev- Snatchers, in which humans !e collaboration with Mak, Goodman said, resulted eral years.” —P.J.J. are replaced by pod people, in a rigorous mathematical model that describes the en- and The Day of the Triffids, in zyme’s motion and interaction with the DNA and an al- which aggressive plants take gorithm for directly reading out AID’s dynamics from the over Earth, posit plants as ar- mutation patterns. chitects of a new world order. At the time, Mak was working on the mathematics of “The project is a way of quantum mechanics. Using similar techniques, Mak was thinking about the connection able to help generate the model, which has been shown between early and late-mod- through testing to be accurate. ern representations of plant “Mathematics is the universal language behind physical life, which look at the plant science, but its central role in interpreting biology is just as a creature with whom we beginning to be recognized,” Mak said. might speak, who might have Goodman and Mak collaborated on the research with something to tell us about Phuong Pham, assistant research professor of biological sci- what it means to be human,” ences, and Samir A"f, a graduate student at USC Dornsife. Meeker said. An article on their work, which appeared in print in $e

Spring / Summer 2014 15 Our World

FACULTY Iceland ALUMNI Uganda STUDENTS Ireland While studying abroad in the Moeka Komachi has been in- northern Uganda city of Gulu, terested in the inner workings Molly Beckert learned that of the mind since her high In From the Cold children were dropping out of school years in USC Dornsife’s Professor Steven Lamy travels to Reykjavik, Iceland, to present his the nearby primary school at a Hong Kong. She views on Arctic security in the context of climate change during the first global high rate. began her forum to discuss cooperation on major issues impacting the region. “Families were faced with inquiry when whether to send their children she selected As climate change melts the polar ice caps, threatening wildlife, disrupting the food chain to school or to work psychology as and a#ecting indigenous cultures, it has also created economic opportunities by opening so they could help her concentration up new shipping routes and accelerated the scramble for the region’s valuable oil and min- feed their for an International eral deposits. family,” Baccalaureate program. As a result, the Arctic, one of the world’s coldest regions, is transforming into a meta- Beckert Now an international stu- phorical global hotspot, which many predict could be the site of major international con*ict. said. dent in the Master of Science in While Steven Lamy, professor of international relations and vice dean of aca- After earn- Applied Psychology program at demic programs at USC Dornsife, does not share this pessimistic ing her USC Dornsife, Komachi’s suc- view, he believes the region faces serious challenges. He present- bach- cess as an undergraduate took ed his analysis of Arctic security issues at the "rst Arctic Circle elor’s in her to Dublin, Ireland, where Assembly, a global forum for international cooperation on inter- she participated in the 2013 Arctic issues held in October 2013 in Reykjavik, Iceland. national rela- Undergraduate Global Summit. “It was refreshing to see a thousand people there, all tions… in 2010, Beckert worked Her invitation came after of whom are concerned about the Arctic,” Lamy said. with volunteers in Gulu and the Undergraduate Awards, an From 40 nations, attendees included political and business leaders, founded the nonprofit Echoing international program, named indigenous representatives, nongovernmental and environmental Good, which raised funds to her Highly Commended in representatives, policy leaders, scientists, activists create a sustainable farm at Social Innovation. The award and students. the Okwir Primary School. stemmed from her research As a member of the Northern Research The 10-acre farm feeds more at a special needs school in Forum, an international group inter- than 300 children per day — Hong Kong, where she helped ested in Arctic academic policy is- and school attendance has children with dyslexia and sues, Lamy’s presentation doubled. attention deficit hyperactivity addressed the politi- “We found that a meal every disorder learn English. cal and military repercussions of dealing with day is enough incentive for Typically, students would complex issues of sovereignty and parents to send their children have to memorize words and governance in the region. to school,” she said. “Kids who phrases — a challenging un- “Unlike Antarctica, which had dropped out are now in dertaking for dyslectics. Y BECKERT R E K C E B LY L O M F O Y S E T R U O C O T O H P A D N A G U has no sovereignty issues, class every day.” “I was frustrated with the when you look at the Arctic re- way children would come in gion, there are states that fall inside hating learning a language the Arctic Circle and have legitimate because of the way it was claims of sovereignty,” Lamy said. taught,” Komachi said. “That !is raises questions of who will govern was the inspiration.” the area. In Ireland, Lord Mayor of “I believe the Arctic Council is the way to Dublin Councillor Oisín Quinn go but I think you’ve got to give it some teeth,” presented her with the award. Lamy said, adding that the United States suf- Now, Komachi is continuing fers from too much political polarization at to study how psychology can home to take a leading role in the Arctic. improve the human experience.

16 FROM THE HEART OF USC

ALUMNI Peru STUDENTS South Africa FACULTY California Anneleise Victoria Azúa, Rachel Jones and Adeel Mo- hammadi, and their mentor, George Sanchez, vice dean for Of Shadow and Light diversity and strategic initia- Sociologist Elaine Bell Kaplan uses inner-city children’s tives, traveled to Cape Town, photographs of their environments to help confront South Africa, for the Mellon their challenges and express their optimism. Mays Undergraduate Fellow- ship January Program. !e photographs show a re*ection of hope. Examples are There, the four engaged with images taken by USC Neighborhood Academic Initiative other fellows and faculty from (NAI) students at the USC campus. Photos show stu- across the United States and dents studying in class, campus buildings and the Trojan South Africa, and participated Marching Band. in discussions on issues of “!ey loved the USC campus because it was the one race and inequality. place they felt peaceful and safe,” said Elaine Bell Kaplan, It’s not often a Californian — or a resident of any state for that From Jan. 3 to 13, 2014, associate professor of sociology, referring to the subjects matter — can start a sentence with, “I’ll never forget when we Azúa, a senior with majors of her new book, “We Live in the Shadow”: Inner City Kids were ﬁshing for piranha, and … ” But Sharon Deacon, (B.A., in gender studies at USC Dorn- Tell $eir Stories through Photographs (Temple University psychology, ’64; Ph.D., psychology, ’69), who traveled down the sife and communication at Press, 2013). Amazon River in Peru this winter with Trojan Travel, now can. the USC Annenberg School for “USC is a place where people, other than their family, For the past 35 years, Trojan Travel, the USC Alumni Associa- Communication and Journal-

CALIFORNIA PHOTO COURTESY OF ELAINE BELL KAPLAN, PHOTOGRAPHED BY CESAR HERNANDEZ, AGE %& AGE HERNANDEZ, CESAR BY PHOTOGRAPHED KAPLAN, BELL ELAINE OF COURTESY PHOTO CALIFORNIA really cared about them,” Kaplan said. tion’s affinity travel organization, has led trips to places as exotic ism, was among more than 60 !e book is a result of a two-year study that Kaplan as the Galapagos Islands, Tanzania and Antarctica. Each year, students who participated in undertook with 54 South Los Angeles middle school stu- Trojan Travel offers around 40 programs for Trojan alumni, family lectures and seminars in the dents. Most were participants in NAI, which prepares and friends. suburb of Sea Point, and at low-income children for higher education. What makes these trips special is that many include lectures by the University of Cape Town !e book cover depicts a photograph of railroad tracks USC faculty. and the University of the taken by Cesar Hernandez, a 12-year-old NAI student. Deacon’s trip hosted 23 guests with 14 crew members “taking Western Cape. “I will do something with my life,” he said. care of us on a boat that was the equivalent of a five-star hotel,” Azúa’s most memorable Deacon said. experiences came from talk- “What stood out for me was having the opportunity to share ing with young South African an experience with people who are like-minded. This was a trip scholars. in which were really out there to see and learn about the natural “Like myself, most of these environment.” young scholars were people of One experience she highlighted was meeting a shaman, or heal- color born sometime between er. “She explained how she was chosen and how she is responsible 1990 and 1993,” she said. “The for the health of about 1,500 indigenous people,” said Deacon, first few years of their lives who with her late husband once backpacked through Europe visit- were spent under apartheid ing every zoo in each capitol of countries they visited. legislation in South Africa. Of the myriad highlights of her trip, Deacon said she will never The personal insights and forget seeing a pink dolphin in the Peruvian Amazon or watching her intellectual discussions these guide pull a live snake out of the water in the black of the night. scholars brought to the dis- “With no more than a flashlight, the guide was able to see a pair course on race and inequality of eyes, reach into the water and retrieve the boa constrictor,” made the experience uniquely Deacon said. “It truly was a unique and amazing opportunity.” emotional and captivating.” Learn more about Trojan Travel at alumni.usc.edu/travel or by calling (213) 821-6005.

Spring / Summer 2014 17 A THE ABCs

JEP F

18 A Conflict is the beginning of consciousness. That was All Together Room | | Barbara Seaver Gardner’s take when surrounding On the ground *oor of the JEP House, you’ll "nd the neighbors perceived USC as an ivory tower. Reach- speckled letters “ATR” on a wall of the “All Together ing out, she founded USC Dornsife’s Joint Educa- Room.” A hub of activity, it is where JEP’s 30 student tional Project in 1972. Her service-learning pro- program assistants act as peer educators and train incom- gram in neighborhood schools has fundamentally ing students. It is a second home, where students come not changed relations with the surrounding community only to work, but to study or simply socialize — especially while empowering youth and USC students. in times when a little “family love” is needed. USC Dornsife alumna Jazmin Vidana is among more than 70,000 USC students who have collec- tively contributed a million hours of service. Vidana remembered making flashcards for a kindergarten- er who could not grasp the days of the week. So she drew Joel hopscotch squares marked with the days of week. Finally, on the semester’s last day, an excited Joel, his hair spiked up with gel, came running toward Vidana. “I knew today was Friday,” Joel confidently said. “So I asked my mom to spike up my hair for you.” Heartfelt anecdotes are one way to convey the ef- fects of JEP. But here’s a variety of JEP’s programs and people — from A to Z.

By Pamela J. Johnson

B Badge | | We don’t need no stinkin’ badges. Or do we? Over the past year, JEP has explored the potential of “digital badges” to engage students who participate in its programs. Digi- tal badges are a 21st-century adaptation of the concept underlying Boy and Girl Scout badges. Learners who demonstrate particular skills and competencies earn digital credentials that can be shared online. Digital badge systems integrate the learning of management systems such as Blackboard. !ey encourage community building while introducing a way to recognize excellence.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LETTY AVILA FOR USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE 19 “JEP sparked a !ame in me and that !ame is still burning.” C E Chefs | | Environment | | From out of the classroom and into the kitchen, JEP uses Critical topics such as the environment are emphasized many creative ways to teach children academic subjects — in schools. Take one USC Young Scientists Program in including dressing them in chef hats and teaching them which JEP students held a workshop at Vermont Av- to create a dish. Sometimes this is a dish of ice cream. enue Elementary School on sustainability — a word that In a chemistry lesson, USC students made ice cream to doesn’t always roll o# the tongues of 10 year olds. Like- teach children about changing states of matter, for exam- wise, the concept of sustainable living isn’t so easy for ple, from liquid to solid. In a lesson about French culture, children to wrap their heads around. But these fourth and they made strawberry crepes. When they learned about "fth graders got it. “If you don’t recycle, trash will be all healthy eating, children made spaghetti out of squash. over the place,” said fourth grader Cindy Morales.

D F Dornsife | | Football | | Although initially housed under USC’s Center for Urban In the Spring of 1972 when JEP announced it was recruit- AMÉRICA FERRERA, A#airs, the administration of JEP is now part of the Col- ing undergraduates to participate in the "rst-ever e#ort to USC Dornsife alumna, Emmy lege of Letters, Arts and Sciences. A "tting home for JEP, tutor Spanish-speaking elementary school students at 32nd Award-winning actress and USC Dornsife o#ers more than 140 majors and minors Street School, USC quarterback Patrick Haden (now USC’s former JEP volunteer, delivers as well as myriad opportunities for students to connect athletic director) and USC wide receiver Lynn Swann im- the keynote address during community service and academic coursework. Whether mediately got involved. Haden and Swann spent two hours JEP’s 40th anniversary enrolled in astronomy or anthropology, USC Dornsife a week teaching English to Spanish-speaking children. celebration. students learn how to apply their lessons to the real world Now, each year, some 2,000 students from various courses and bene"t from the rich cultures in surrounding schools. earn academic credit for their participation in JEP.

20 G I Gift | | IR Explore | | In March 2013, the Tesoriero family made a gift that Before graduating in 2013, international relations major marked the "rst naming of a space in the JEP House. Travis Glynn, recipient of Harry S. Truman and Fulbright !e Tesoriero’s donation supports JEP’s ReadersPlus Li- scholarships, founded IR Explore. !e program trains in- brary, which houses publications and resources used ternational relations students to teach local grade school by literacy tutors to teach school children. !e library students about global topics. For instance, at Magnolia contains books in English and Spanish that range from Avenue Elementary School, JEP students talked to third Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs and Ham to the Harry Potter graders about immigration and its impact on the cultural series. !e space is now called the Tesoriero Family diversity of Los Angeles. Topics discussed included cul- ReadersPlus Library. ture, tolerance and con*ict management.

H J House | | Justice | | !e brick-colored, two-story Victorian house located at !e Pre-Law Project, developed by Kelley Lowe, a JEP 801 West 34th Street has quietly observed life at the Uni- sta# member and student at the USC Gould School of versity Park campus for more than 100 years. Once home Law, provides pre-law students with practical legal experi- to USC’s fourth president, George Finley Bovard and his ence. During the pilot project, nearly 20 pre-law students family, the house became JEP’s home in 1976 and has been worked at a public interest "rm assisting clients with their a symbol of the organization’s dedication to reaching out to legal needs. Nearly half the volunteers interned at Bet the Los Angeles community ever since. In 2012, the JEP Tzedek, a public interest "rm serving 12,000 low-income House underwent a major renovation to upgrade, modern- Angelenos each year. Students worked as intake and legal ize and provide more space for the growing program. assistants in the Self-Help Conservatorship Clinic.

21 K M Kids | | Medicine | | Children in the USC Family of Schools — 15 schools As a biological sciences undergraduate, Daniel Potter near the University Park and Health Sciences campuses wanted to become a doctor, but found it di)cult to gain — bene"t from JEP. In addition to classroom lessons, "rsthand experience at local clinics or hospitals. “You’d JEP strives to make the community’s rich resources — call to volunteer and they wouldn’t know know what to including its institutions of higher learning, museums, do with you,” Potter said. “!ere was a market; students libraries and recreational facilities — accessible to neigh- would bene"t from volunteerism and facilities would bene- borhood children. But that’s not all. JEP works with a few "t from the help. With Trojan Health Volunteers (THV), I dozen nonpro"ts, shelters, medical centers, foster youth put those two things together.” Before graduating in 1987, and arts organizations — to name a handful. Potter established THV, which thrives today under JEP.

L N Leadership | | Nickel | | It’s not just JEP’s 40-plus-year history that makes it a Financial literacy is crucial for all ages and occupations. leader in the service-learning movement, but its longserv- For many years, JEP has partnered with a nearby shelter ing sta# with their 100-plus-years of experience. At any for abused women and their families. !ere, USC stu- one time, they joined forces with more than 125 profes- dents are placed as either tutors to the children or in mini- sors and courses. Each semester, sta# place an average of course teams leading classes such as “Financial Literacy” 1,000 students in more than 50 community sites. “Stu- for youth exiting the foster care system. Students teach dents provide a much-needed service, and learn more the best way to manage money and how money works about themselves, their abilities, and the society they may around the world: how people buy, sell, invest and donate. soon lead,” Executive Director Tammara Anderson said. And perhaps most importantly, how to save money.

22 “I liked science before, but I really like it now. What

O Q I like most Optometric Center of Los| Angeles| Questions | | JEP students o#er support at an eye care center that’s Each week, JEP students respond to a set of “re*ective been in the community since 1904 — the Optometric questions” designed to help them connect their course- about it is Center of Los Angeles (OCLA). In their service-learn- work with what they are learning in the community. !e ing assignments, students receive course credit for their curricula, developed by a team of graduate students in col- Spanish 220 class, while also gaining real-world experi- laboration with JEP sta# and faculty, help students ask learning that ence applying their language skills. About 70 percent of critical questions about the causes of social problems, the OCLA patients are Spanish speakers, so students provide state of urban education, the responsibilities of universi- translations for patients coming into the clinic and make ties working in communities, and how academic disci- an everyday calls to con"rm appointments or pick-ups of glasses. plines might be informed by service learning. fruit can make energy.”

P R Prom Dress | | ReadersPlus | | From A Place Called Home to the Wage Justice Center, Introduced in 1997 as part of the America Reads Initiative, JEP has dozens of community partners. In the past, JEP the USC ReadersPlus program places approximately 80 to ZAKAR MARTIN, a then students have gone into rehabilitation centers to mentor 100 trained, work-study students each semester into part- fourth-grader at 32nd Street juveniles. In one case, JEP student Antonia Arenas fussed ner schools, and each year provides more than 30,000 hours School, participates in the over Melissa’s hair and makeup on the girl’s high school of individualized academic assistance in reading and math Young Scientist Program's prom day. During that visit, Melissa slipped on her pink to neighborhood elementary school students. !e program Energy and Motion Studio and chi#on prom dress and silver heels — a profound transfor- has been deemed by local principals “the best USC pro- builds his own lemon battery. mation from her baggy gray sweatpants uniform. “It took gram in the community.” !e “plus” is math, which became me a while to realize that people do care about me,” she said. part of the program in 1999 with America Counts.

23 “Our students are a testament to the notion that

| S | | U | universities Saturn Urban Semester When JEP students teach children about astronomy, A precursor to JEP was the “urban semester.” Following they talk about the sixth planet from the sun, the ringed the 1965 Watts Riots, a program was created in which and their Saturn. Solar system lessons are just one part of JEP’s undergraduates and core faculty forged a bond between Wonderkids program. !e afterschool program for "rst rigorous coursework at USC and the community. How- through third graders focuses on various areas of science ever, these endeavors were somewhat scattered until communities through hands-on lesson plans and books. Scientists from the JEP program was born in 1972. Established by the di#erent "elds also visit classrooms to encourage students Institute of Urban Ecology, the urban semester was an to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and e#ort led by faculty member Jim O’Toole, students and can work mathematics (STEM). other professors. together toward mutually bene"cial goals.” T V Tent | | Veggies | | Legend has it that Barbara Seaver Gardner was quite a tough Turns out, the mighty carrot really is good for the eyes. Its vi- cookie. “Barbara was told by two prestigious foundations tamin A is transformed in the retina to rhodopsin, necessary TAMMARA ANDERSON, JEP that they wouldn’t fund JEP because it wouldn’t succeed,” for night vision. Children learning about nutrition in JEP’s executive director, highlights Tammara Anderson recalled. “Fortunately, Barbara didn’t mini courses may know this. Each year, JEP places more the connection between service listen.” Gardner and her sta# raised funds and obtained than 90 mini-course teams in partner schools, sometimes to and scholarship at the annual grants. “So, she went to the president [John R. Hubbard] teach nutrition. !ese small teams adapt material learned in USC Community Service Dinner. and said, ‘You have to "nd me some space or I’ll pitch a tent their USC courses to create lesson plans for K-12 classrooms. in front of Doheny Library,’ ” Anderson said. “!ey quickly Lessons are also o#ered in anthropology, earth sciences, ex- found a place because they knew Barbara would do it.” ercise science, creative writing, and French, to name a few.

24 W Y Writing | | Yoginis | | !rough JEP, Professor of English Aimee Bender has Tina Koneazny of JEP sat straight-backed and cross-legged. gone into grade schools to write with the children. !ere’s Children with looks of concentration mirrored her move- also “Writing Mentors,” a JEP program that helps Neigh- ments as they began stretching out on yoga mats. All eyes borhood Academic Initiative (NAI) seniors write college closed, one boy placed his hand over his heart. “OK everyone, essays. USC freshmen in “(W)rites of Passage,” taught by take three deep breaths,” Koneazny said. “Little Yoginis” is Susan Harris, encourage NAI high school students to re- the brainchild of Koneazny and part of JEP’s USC ReadersPlus *ect on who they are, where they come from, what they after school program. Each week, Koneazny and tutors visit want to become — and the role of higher education in elementary schools, read children a book and practice yoga that process. positions re*ecting the themes in the literature.

X Z X +Y - XY = 0 | | Zillions | | By now, you know the Plus in ReadersPlus is math. In 1999, After zillions of friendships made and lives changed, JEP federal work-study guidelines were extended to o#er math continues to seek out more possibilities. Over the decades, education in grades K–12 in addition to the K–6 literacy JEP has welcomed a continuous chain of generations. Take focus. USC Readers rolled this math component into the junior Emily Boone, who has taken the baton from her fa- established program targeting the USC Family of Schools ther, Matthew Boone, a 1981 biological sciences alumnus and renamed itself “USC ReadersPlus.” Additionally, some who is now an executive medical director. In the late 1970s, USC students earn course credit by participating in JEP as Boone became one of the "rst recipients of the JEP Com- math mentors, working one-on-one with elementary, mid- munity Service Award. “It’s funny how life takes a circular dle and high school students to improve their math skills. path,” he said. “Now it’s my daughter’s turn.”

25 PHOTO BY GAVIN HELLIER

26 + FAR AHEAD

In India, Jasneet Aulakh ﬁnds her aunt’s seat in the village government isn’t what she thought. In Los Ange- NEARles, Paul Cummins helps Lisa thrive after her abusive childhood. Ankur Poseria, who travels to the Himalayan foothills to ﬁlm Moso villagers, learns to put the video camera down. On opposite sides of the Earth, these alumni work in local and global communities. But they share a commonality: They believe in something bigger than themselves. And they aren’t afraid of challenge. By Susan Bell and Laura Paisley

FEMINISM: A FAMILY AFFAIR Since getting a chance to speak to the women involved, When American feminist and activist Gloria Steinem Aulakh’s viewpoint has evolved. took the stage at a literary festival in Jaipur, India, in Janu- “I believe existing research is overly critical in its ex- ary, Jasneet Aulakh ’13 was there. pectations that a very Western idea of feminism would Traveling through India for nine months on a Fulbright translate into these systems. Of the women voted into of- Scholarship, Aulakh, who earned her bachelor’s in history, "ce they were demanding ‘Why aren’t you doing this by English and philosophy, is interviewing elected women yourself? Why aren’t you spearheading these programs by from a variety of socio-economic, religious, political and yourself?’ But the women themselves actually want a more caste backgrounds for her research into the role of women collaborative experience with their husbands. in village governments. “Many policies that motivated a central government !e daughter of Indian immigrants to the United to create this act were based on an elitist Western under- States, she speaks Punjabi and Hindi. standing of feminism.” Traveling to villages in Rajasthan, Punjab, Kerala and Indian women raising families are seen as being in a Karnataka, Aulakh is seeking a deeper understanding of place of power, even if they also have a career. Whereas how feminism, women’s rights and political empower- the West tends to value women who are more focused on ment are expressed in India versus the U.S. Her observa- the pursuit of a career, Aulakh noted. tions have led her to question the way in which Western “It doesn’t mean that one is better than the other. In standards of feminism are being applied to Indian women. India, matriarchal roles remain very powerful.” She is studying the e#ects of India’s 73rd Constitution- Aulakh is documenting her research for a paper. al Amendment Act of 1993, which mandates that village Next year she heads to the University of Oxford for a governments reserve one-third of seats for women. master’s degree in modern South Asian studies. She then For Aulakh, the ruling carried personal resonance. She plans to earn a Ph.D. in history and pursue a career in had been delighted when one of her aunts in India won academia. FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR AULAKH PHOTO BY LAURA PAISLEY BYPHOTO LAURA AULAKH a seat on her village government board, until Aulakah Meanwhile, Aulakh, who has been observing training Jasneet Aulakh ’13 is research- learned that the appointment was mainly intended to fa- models used by nongovernmental organizations for elect- ing the role of women leaders cilitate her uncle’s entry into local government — a prac- ed o)cials in Rajasthan, hopes her research in India will in India and traveling to cities tice known as a proxy vote. contribute to positive change in other regions such as Pun- such as Jaipur, home of the “It’s easier for women to get these positions, so sometimes jab by encouraging o)cials there to adopt better practices. Palace of the Winds (left). a man will put his wife’s name on the ballot and basically run “I’m also constantly looking for ways to make this ini- the show himself and attend all the meetings,” Aulakh said. tiative more e#ective and have it work on a grander scale,” Concerned the country was “just paying lip service to she said. reforms for equality,” she set o# for India to learn more. “I hope my research can lead to something bigger.” —S.B.

Spring / Summer 2014 27 ‘I DWELL IN POSSIBILITY’ nymity. “By then she was 12 and had started in a summer Lisa was nine when her mother forced her into prostitution. school program, which she adored. !en we put her in a When the mother went to jail, an uncle in New York took quality private school. She got her high school diploma, custody and put Lisa back to work on the streets. went to college and graduated four years later.” At 11, Lisa was removed from the uncle’s care, sent back Cummins has hundreds of similarly inspiring success to California and placed in the custody of social services. stories showing what happens when children are given the Given the discouraging statistics in cases like this, Lisa’s chance to express themselves though the arts — as well as to chances for success appeared dim. Yet, 10 years later, Lisa is discover and develop their interests and abilities. a university graduate. An educator, poet and creative leader, Cummins has Her life was turned around with the help of an arts founded numerous educational programs and schools, in- program run by the Coalition for Engaged Education cluding Crossroads and New Roads in Santa Monica, Ca- (formerly New Visions Foundation), a Los Angeles-based lif., and has raised millions to transform the lives of at-risk nonpro"t that supports and promotes educational projects youth through arts and quality education. for underserved kids. Its founder and director is Paul Cum- Cummins was born in Chicago, Ill. As a child he moved mins, who in 1967 earned his Ph.D. in English. with his family to Fort Wayne, Ind., then to Los Angeles. “Social services sent her to us,” Cummins said of Lisa, Cummins’ father, an entrepreneur who owned a string whose name was changed for this article to guarantee ano- of restaurants, gas stations, a few nightclubs and — brie*y

28 — the iconic Los Angeles Biltmore hotel, encouraged him poem, then I’ll "nd some other way.’ And that might be to play football. with gra)ti or a gun. !e consequences of not providing “In retrospect it was good for me,” he said. “I was a shy, children with a quality education impact society profoundly.” quiet little boy. !at doesn’t work for long on the football Cummins recounted the story of a student who bene"t- "eld. I learned how to get knocked down and get back up ed from an organization he created, P.S. Arts, which raises without crying or being afraid.” money to reintroduce the arts into public schools. After earning his bachelor’s at Stanford University and a One day, a school principal was walking down the hall master of arts in teaching at Harvard University, Cummins when a third grade teacher stopped him. chose USC Dornsife for his doctoral work. “You should come into my classroom and see the self- EXPRESS YOURSELF Cummins has particularly fond memories of a poetry portrait Jose did,” the teacher said. “It’s spectacular.” Paul Cummins ’67, who PHOTOS PHOTOS BY MATT MEINDL class taught by the late Professor of English Allan Casson. “Jose? He was expelled six weeks ago,” the principal replied. founded Coalition for Engaged He described Casson as “a life changer” who inspired him “Jose was sneaking back into school for his art class, be- Education, believes at-risk to become a poet and devote his life to helping children cause that’s the only thing he cared about, the only place he youth can improve if given the achieve success via the arts. felt he could be himself,” Cummins said. chance to express themselves Cummins believes in the fundamental human need to “!ese kids don’t have a lot of hope. One of our goals is to through the arts as shown say, “Hey, I exist.” open their eyes to the possibilities out there. Emily Dickin- by the above message from a “ ‘But if you won’t let me say that through a dance or a son said ‘I dwell in possibility’ and I guess I do, too.” —S.B. participant.

Spring / Summer 2014 29

ON LUGU LAKE While staying with the Moso people, a small ethnic group living in China’s Yunnan and Sichuan provinces, traveler Joseph Rock detailed his observations for a 1929 issue of National Geographic magazine. “Here people live and die without the slightest knowledge of the outside world,” he wrote. “How oppressive to be buried alive in these vast canyon systems! Or, are they happier for it?” Eighty-"ve years later, alumnus Ankur Poseria, who in 2009 earned his bachelor’s in international relations, is answering that question. !e outside world has "nally begun to in"ltrate this quiet corner of civilization. What this means for the Moso people is depicted in a documentary currently in production, funded through a National Geographic Young Explorers grant secured by director Ricky Qi. Poseria is executive producer on the "lm with the working title Under One Roof. Cinematographer Daniel Zhao is a graduate of the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Poseria, Qi and Zhao traveled to the Himalayan foothills for three months in 2013 to "lm Moso villagers. !e crew stayed primarily with local residents in Lige, a village nestled at the foot of Gemu Mountain on snow trout-"lled Lugu Lake. Against a stunning visual back- drop, they wanted to tell the stories of the Moso people. But "rst they had to gain their trust. “We would go out every day, talking to locals,” Poseria said. “But we found that when we sat people down for an interview, put up lights and pointed multiple cameras and microphones at them, they became uncomfortable. “Finally we decided to use a cinematic-grade, hand- held camera and go out to talk to people. And that’s when UNDER ONE ROOF their world really opened up to us — we started to hear Ankur Poseria ’09 is the about the gambling and alcoholism behind closed doors, executive producer of a ﬁlm people’s personal relationships and how they perceived that documents the stories modernity.” of the Moso people of China, !e interviews made it clear that many traditional as- including this ama or grand- pects of Moso culture are receding due to the in*uence of mother (right) as she rows in globalization and the rise of tourism. Lugu Lake. One interviewee was a former lama who gave up a life of religious solitude to operate the largest inn in Lige. Others were a Moso woman who became the "rst-ever female village chief and a Han Chinese woman who left her life in the city to live with a Moso man. Poseria recalled his time at USC Dornsife, where his fascination with stories from other parts of the world began. “In IR, we constantly analyzed the media’s portrayal of international politics, culture and news. But I was inter- ested in the media side of the political conversation. !at’s when I decided to go into international "lmmaking. “Filming in China, we learned that the best way to "nd interview subjects is to lend people a helping hand, and genuinely see if we could o#er them anything and become part of their lives. Eventually it wasn’t just about capturing something on camera, but really learning about people.” —L.P.

30 PHOTOS BY ANKUR POSERIA Spring / Summer 2014 31 We know it’s spelled Convergent Bioscience. But USC Dornsife sees the urgency in this heads- up rather than heads-down research mentality.

B IOSCIENCE

32 B IOSCIENCE By Pamela J. Johnson

Like an artist sharing her latest Starry Night, geneticist Le Trinh invited her colleague to come see her experiment. Hunched over a microscope, Vikas Trivedi watched what looked like tiny bumper cars meandering inside a petri dish. Every so often, something inside a dot would jump — like a sleepy driver jolted awake.

Spring / Summer 2014 33 that takes interdisciplinary research in biomedical sciences to new heights. “This could never be done simply !e USC Michelson Center will stand in the southwest quadrant of the University Park campus, home to most of the science and engineering buildings. !e facility will house by using pure genetics or pure 20 to 30 principal investigators with laboratories employing hundreds of researchers and students. physics or pure mathematics. It took !e days of seeing a chemist clad in rubber gloves, tot- ing a tray of liquid-"lled *asks and beakers across campus the three ﬁelds coming together to use a light or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) microscope in an engineering building are nearing an end. Some of the most advanced microscopes in the world — like the and sharing our expertise.” GE DeltaVision OMX Blaze that can generate 3D images of objects at the nanometer scale — will be housed at the Michelson Center. “!is center will usher in a new age of exploration and in- !e little jump was a heartbeat. Trivedi was looking at novation at USC,” said President C. L. Max Nikias. “It will live, day-old zebra"sh embryos. Using the zebra"sh as a unite the most gifted minds from many academic areas, cre- model, Trinh researches how the heart forms in the devel- ating a powerful partnership that will extend across several oping embryo. Considering that a leading birth defect in di#erent disciplines.” humans occurs during the development of the heart valve, Along with the biologists, physicists, mathematicians and Trinh’s research is crucial in identifying what can go wrong. chemists at the center will be engineers, who will build the Still looking through the microscope, Trivedi noncha- latest technology capable of taking precise measurements in- lantly mentioned that he could better analyze the data by side cells. Together they will tackle the biggest health chal- creating an algorithm to “unwrap” the embryo. lenges by "rst building a biological “knowledge base,” then Trinh’s heart jumped a little, too. Trivedi’s algorithm expediting the detection and cure of diseases. would reconstruct the developing embryo with red and green USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay, professor of biological labels through a 3D computer simulation. !is was a giant sciences, said systems biology — which integrates biologi- leap for Trinh, an expert biologist and geneticist, but admit- cal data to better understand how biological systems work tedly no mathematician. — was a precursor to convergent biology. “Voilà,” said Trinh, a senior research scientist in the labo- “Systems biology was a great example of what you can ratory of Scott Fraser, Provost Professor of Biological Sci- begin to see when you bring mathematics, computational ences and Biomedical Engineering at USC Dornsife. “We science and biological sciences together,” Kay said. “But now have this.” convergence is something bigger. I think it’s bigger, braver Trinh waved an arm toward her computer screen, depict- and bolder.” ing a developing zebra"sh heart in 3D. !e movie shows how !e Michelson Center will house Fraser’s laboratory and the heart begins with two halves and slowly merges into one. the lab of Kay, whose investigations have contributed to the !ose halves that meld to form one beating heart could be understanding of the genetic basis for circadian rhythms, a metaphor for Fraser’s o)ce layout. which serve as the body’s clock for timing the day/night cycle. Sitting across from Trinh is Trivedi, a Ph.D. student in Kay noted how di#erently the engineer and biologist bioengineering who developed the algorithm. Working next think. to Trinh is research scientist !ai Truong, a trained physi- “Engineers build things from the bottom up,” Kay said. cist. Among other pieces of equipment, Truong and his team “So they start o# with a piece of paper and say, ‘Let’s design built the two-photon light sheet microscope — to which they a new jet.’ !e biologist takes a cancer cell and asks, ‘Why ZEBRAFISH HEART IN %D hold the patent — that created Trinh’s 3D movie. Although is this cancer cell responding to that drug but not this one? Researchers in Provost Profes- the zebra"sh heart beats 150 times per minute, the micro- What is going on inside the cell that allows that to happen?’ sor of Biological Sciences scope photographs so fast that the slides that became the So they start from the top down. Scott Fraser’s laboratory use movie were ultra-sharp. “Merging these together is a completely di#erent process confocal microscopy to cap- By converging their "elds, the molecular genetics of a than, for example, the pharmacologist working with a bio- ture a 3D projection of a live, beating heart — the scientists also use quail embryos as mod- chemist or a cell biologist working with a developmental bi- developing zebraﬁsh heart els — can now be visualized in real time. ologist,” Kay said. “Convergence is about bringing multiple at 54 hours post-fertilization “!is could never be done simply by using pure genetics people together with very di#erent training and expertise.” (previous page). A mitochon- or pure physics or pure mathematics,” Trinh said. “It took Kay emphasized that USC Dornsife’s partnership with drial protein (green) and the three "elds coming together and sharing our expertise USC Viterbi and its dean, Yannis C. Yortsos, will be critical the nuclei (red) of the heart to create this.” to advancing not only collaboration, but real-world solutions. muscle cells are visible by a Fraser’s triple-threat system is a microcosm of the upcom- “!e hardcore, physics-based, material scientists might protein-trapping approach ing USC Michelson Center for Convergent Bioscience. In not realize the nanowires they were creating can become an developed by Fraser’s team. January 2014, retired orthopedic spinal surgeon Dr. Gary K. essential biosensor and ultimately be used as a diagnostic for Michelson and his wife Alya donated $50 million to USC to diseases,” Kay said. “But working in a convergent environ- fund the center bearing his name. ment can bridge that gap.” For a recent Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences BIGGER, BRAVER, BOLDER paper, Kay’s lab worked with chemical engineers at the !e center will be the hub of a new collaboration between University of California, Santa Barbara. !rough analysis USC Dornsife and the USC Viterbi School of Engineering and computer modeling, the collaboration shed light on

34 factors that a#ect circadian rhythms, the roughly 24-hour oscillations of biological processes that occur in many living organisms. Circadian rhythms help people adapt to predictable daily changes in the environment. But too much light at night, not enough sleep, or eating or exercis- ing too late can o#set the necessary nighttime-phase cellular activity. !is can lead to diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Alzheimer’s disease and some liver conditions also have been linked with so-called low-amplitude rhythms. Kay’s e#ort aims to better predict how to target circadian proteins with thera- peutics that can battle sleep disorders and neuropsychiatric diseases such as bipolar disorder. Kay’s paper is an example of how biologists and chemical engineers can work together to "ght key disorders, but merging such widely dispersed "elds has culturally been di)cult. “First and foremost, there must be a willingness to bring them together,” Kay said. “!en, you need a venue.” respond to light in the retina, Fraser said. Enter the Michelson Center. “And it looks like it’s working,” he added. “!is will be a place to meet and create an integrated Humayun, after nearly 20 years of work, became the main culture,” Kay said, adding that the facility is expected to researcher behind the world’s "rst commercially available ar- help draw even more talented researchers to push the fron- ti"cial retina, a breakthrough that helps the blind see. tiers of science at USC Dornsife. “!e Beckman Foundation decided to hold meetings, in- tentionally trying to stir the pot,” Fraser added. “Now imag- NOW I SEE ine if you had that whole thing working every day, stirring Fraser, director of science initiatives at the university with a the same sort of pot.” joint appointment at USC Viterbi, is among the rare scientists who are experts in biology and physics. In Fraser’s lab, biolo- HEADS UP gists love nothing more than to “steal tricks” from engineers. Underscoring the vision and support of Nikias and Provost !ere’s Ellis Meng, assistant professor at USC Viterbi, Elizabeth Garrett, Executive Vice Provost Michael Quick ILLUMINATING RHYTHMS who has a spectacular ability to make devices. said that convergent bioscience at USC is about more than a USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay “So she’s making electrodes that can *oat in the brain and building or creating tools. and his team have identiﬁed let us record from many neurons at once,” Fraser said. He cited Kay’s comparison of people who do heads-down the existence of biologi- His team “steals” techniques from others such as Carl research to those who do heads-up research. cal clocks inside the cells Kesselman, professor of industrial and systems engineer- “!at is, are they looking down on the lab bench just of plants controlling and ing, who makes tools that let researchers interact with focusing on their own science, or are they looking up and acting at the level of DNA. complex data sets. around and saying, ‘Who can I pull into a group to go solve These “clock genes” switch “!e important thing for me is that the way he structures this problem? It’s not so much what these people do, it’s how on and oﬀ on a regular basis these fosters my analysis and my collaboration with others,” they do it that determines whether they’re part of this conver- (indicated here by biolumi- Fraser said. “He’s truly an artist who makes the tools so they gent bioscience movement.” nescence), allowing a plant can aggregate heterogeneous data.” !e education component of convergent bioscience is key, to adapt to its environment A perfect example of convergent bioscience came during said Quick, professor of biological sciences at USC Dornsife. in a more competitive way. Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation meetings, Fraser He pointed to the Health, Technology and Engineering Kay’s lab analyzes biological recalled. !e foundation invited nanoscientists and chem- program at the Keck School of Medicine of USC, which clocks or circadian rhythms ists working on arti"cial photosynthesis — or synthetic ways brings together medical and engineering Ph.D. students to across multiple organisms to to harvest solar energy and turn it into chemical energy that work in clinics learning about problems that must be solved. better understand molecular could eventually charge a battery. !en they work in the laboratory creating medical devices. controls over whole organism Also invited were bioengineers seeking to restore vi- “Ph.D. students should be well-trained in a discipline,” behaviors. This research may sion, such as University Professor Mark Humayun, profes- Quick said, “but they have to learn the mentality of in- provide better targets for sor of biomedical engineering, and cell and neurobiology teraction.” clinical applications for the at USC Viterbi. Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Arieh Warshel re- treatment of diseases such as During these gatherings, participants realized maybe they called the di)culty in collaborating with researchers outside diabetes. could take the chemicals they were using for arti"cial photo- his "eld in the early stages of his scienti"c career in the 1960s synthesis and inject them into the human eye to see wheth- and ’70s. er the injection could make the cells that don’t normally, “If I went to the best professors in electricity to ask them

Spring / Summer 2014 35 about a problem I wanted to solve, for example models for Using this bacteria, he aims to harness the microbes’ electrostatic e#ects in proteins, they had no clue what I was metabolism to power electronic devices from cell phones to asking,” said Warshel, who in October 2013 won the Nobel car chargers. !e bacteria’s metabolism may also result in new Prize in Chemistry for helping to develop the principles be- nanostructures and semiconductors for clean-energy tech- hind computer simulations now indispensable in the study of nologies such as solar cells. !is can all lead to a cheaper and the action of proteins. more versatile energy source. “Maybe because the questions were strange to them. I had “!e more we understand about charge *ow and energy these problems and had to develop the methods to solve them transfer in cellular systems, then we’ll be able to control them myself. [My ideas] were too di#erent in the way they thought and maybe reach the level of sophistication with biological about it.” systems that we’ve already reached with metals and semicon- But after Warshel already had a good handle on the prob- ductors and computers and so on,” El-Naggar said. “But that lem, collaboration with researchers in diverse "elds proved requires developing some fundamentals that are unknown, extremely useful. “Exploiting what you already know is very because we’re starting pretty much from scratch. helpful in productive collaboration,” he said. “In order to actually develop applications based on energy Warshel is looking forward to collaboration at the Michel- and charge transfer in biological systems, we have to be able son Center, where he will continue his research on G protein- to collaborate with people who think in a more applied con- coupled receptors, which can lead to clinical treatment for text, like applied physicists and engineers.” everything from cancer to heart disease to type 2 diabetes. Richard Roberts, professor of chemistry, chemical engi- “In this type of problem the direct collaboration with neering and biological sciences with joint appointments at experimentalists who are studying the same system is indis- USC Dornsife and USC Viterbi, is like-minded. He uses pensable,” he said. the tools of chemistry to understand and control biological processes. Roberts designs peptides and proteins using in vi- UNLOCKING ENERGY TEAR DOWN THAT WALL tro selection experiments. He conceived the messenger RNA In Assistant Professor of Moh El-Naggar, an assistant professor of physics at USC (mRNA) display, a technique he uses for polypeptide design. Physics Moh El-Naggar’s lab, Dornsife who has received the 2012 Presidential Early Ca- His team has re-engineered the protein synthesis machin- physics doctoral student Ian reer Award for Scientists and Engineers, likes where all this ery to create unnatural mRNA display libraries. !is project, McFarlane and undergraduate is going. His research combines biology and physics. a nanoscale engineering e#ort, merges the power of display chemistry major Julia Lazzari- “When we talk about removing boundaries, sometimes selections with the *exibility of combinatorial chemistry. Dean examine semi-conductive we’re talking about removing actual walls that separate labs,” To do this, the scientists have worked to extend mRNA nanoﬁbers (yellow) produced El-Naggar said. “We already work like that here. Our gradu- display beyond the natural genetic code. !eir e#ort has cre- by bacterial cells (blue), which ate students in physics work with graduate students in chem- ated new and richly diverse compositions of matter for ligand could hold the key to new, istry, biology, engineering and earth sciences. design, drug discovery — and beyond. cheaper solar cell or transistor “Many of the faculty have joint appointments and we’ve !e beyond involves analytic tests used for screening dis- technologies. been doing that for a while. !e one thing we’ve been lack- eases such as pancreatic cancer, which is typically diagnosed ing is an actual home for that kind of attitude. So in concrete late in its development. terms, convergent science is about removing actual walls.” “It’s not like your lungs, where if you start having problems El-Naggar’s research involves tapping into anaerobic you will cough and blood will come up and you’ll have overt bacteria found in plain dirt to create energy. His research problems,” he said. “If you have cancer developing in the pan- revealed how the bacteria grow protein nanowires to move creas, there really is no outward sign.” electrons around in their surroundings. Roberts is developing techniques to diagnose early and even before a disease manifests. “In the next 20 years, you will be able to go in, get a test, and the doctor will say, you’re high in this, this and this,” he said. “You have a very good chance of having prostate cancer, or lung cancer, or another disease. Right now, there are very few analytic tests that are used for screening.” For inspiration, Roberts keeps on his desk a replica of the Rosetta Stone, an ancient discovery showing writing in two known languages, but one mysterious script — Egyp- tian hieroglyphics. Using clues from the two known languages, linguists were eventually able to decode the hieroglyphics. Roberts is doing something similar — he’s working to decode proteins to create drugs and diagnostic tools to "ght diseases. It could be argued that convergent bioscience is an extension of decoding the Rosetta Stone, using what we know to harness the unknown. Roberts and others at USC understand the urgency.

36 Coloring Outside the Lines by Pamela J. Johnson

“I thought USC presented a visionary, daringly bold over- Gary K. and Alya Michelson arching architecture for how to conduct science WITH AN EMPHASIS ON CONVERGENT BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH, He recalled the initial meeting with Dean Steve Kay, Provost at a university.” DR. GARY K. MICHELSON, a DR. GARY K. MICHELSON HOPES TO SEE REAL WORLD MEDICAL Professor of Biological Sciences and Biomedical Engineering retired orthopedic spinal surgeon BREAKTHROUGHS. “THIS IS GOING TO BE A GRAND ADVEN1 Scott Fraser, and Executive Vice Provost Michael Quick. All whose inventions have generated TURE,” HE SAID. three professors are scientists. nearly 1,000 issued or pending “All we talked about for an hour was science,” Michelson patents worldwide. He has For Dr. Gary K. Michelson, the USC Michelson Center for Con- recalled. “In particular, I thought USC presented a visionary, been inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame and the vergent Bioscience, made possible after his and his wife Alya’s daringly bold overarching architecture for how to conduct sci- National Academy of Inventors. $50 million donation, has never been about a name on a building. ence at a university.” “I never named anything after myself, there’s no Michelson A longtime philanthropist for research at universities, Michel- anything,” said the retired orthopedic spinal surgeon and inven- son noted that “most universities take pride in the fact that tor of hundreds of instruments, implants and procedures that they’re ivory towers and do ‘heads down’ research, research for make spinal surgeries faster and safer. research’s sake.” “For me, it’s all about the science,” said Michelson, who holds, “And this sure wasn’t that,” he said. “This was the idea of do- or has pending, nearly 1,000 patents worldwide. ing convergent research to produce real-world breakthroughs Michelson cares deeply about his causes, beginning with his in real time.” desire to study orthopedic surgery. The Michelson Center will be the cornerstone of a new collabo- His mother was about 20 when she gave birth to Michelson, ration between USC Dornsife and the USC Viterbi School of En- who has three brothers. Growing up in Philadelphia, he was close gineering meant to transform how research is conducted at the to his grandmother, a former tennis champion, who lived near intersection of engineering and the life and biomedical sciences. his grade school. He often went to his grandma’s for lunch and “You need to do science for some greater purpose, for humanity’s would see her in pain. sake,” said Michelson, a devoted family man. He and his Russian- “My grandmother was still a young woman, but she couldn’t born wife Alya, an artist and musician who speaks four languages, stand up straight,” Michelson said. “She was in constant back including Japanese, have two children, Sasha and Isaiah. pain, all the muscles were gone out of her hands so her hands As he spoke in the couple’s West Los Angeles home, the were like garden tools.” conversation ranged from the ever-shrinking subsections of Her crippling spinal deformity made an indelible imprint on a scientific specialties to Eric Lander, a mathematician who made young Michelson, sparking his belief in research that improves lives. one of the most important contributions to the unrelated field After spending 35 years devoted to improving the lives of those of genetics: the Human Genome Project. Michelson also brought with spinal problems, Michelson retired from private practice in up one of his favorite books, All I Really Need to Know I Learned 2001. He turned much of his attention to building foundations for in Kindergarten. PHOTO BY JOHN LIVZEY causes such as animal welfare, textbooks and medical research. “When the kid gives the parents his coloring book and the par- Michelson recalled receiving the call from USC about a possible ents say, ‘Oh, that’s beautiful, but I don’t think the sky is purple collaboration. and you must keep the crayons inside the lines, the parents may “This was the first time anyone had approached me about mean well, but that’s a very damaging response,” he said. convergent bioscience,” said Michelson, who grew intrigued by “Coloring outside the lines is the beginning of thinking outside the proposal. the box.”

Spring / Summer 2014 37 HISTORY IN A

By Pamela J. Johnson

Children can read about the waves of various immigration groups to Boyle Heights, a Bworking-class, mostly□ Latino community in east Los Angeles.X Or, they can hold the history in their hands. George Sanchez, professor of American studies and ethnicity, and history, Monica Pelayo, Ph.D. candidate in history, and a cadre of undergraduates are working with local teachers to bring a di#erent kind of history lesson to grade school classrooms. As a way to teach the rich history of Boyle Heights and bring awareness to the rehabilitation e#ort of the historic Breed Street Shul — the largest Orthodox synagogue in the western United States from 1915 to 1951 — the team is collecting items depicting historical themes of Boyle Heights. !e items will be placed in wooden boxes for lessons on topics such as immigration, business and World War II. “!is is history you can feel,” Pelayo said.

38 Mariachi Bow Large, colorful ﬂoppy bowties are a key part of the clothing ensemble of mariachi musicians, who play folk music from Mexico. As of 2011, 95 percent of Boyle Heights’ residents were Latinos, mostly Mexican Americans, Mexican immigrants and Central American nationals.

Kasinka A kasinka is a head scarf worn by women in the Russian Molokan community. In 1904, members of this dissent- ing sect of the Russian Orthodox Church ﬂed Russia to avoid persecution and mandatory enlistment during the Russo-Japa- Bento Box Bento comes from a Southern Song Dy- nese War. Many settled in “the ﬂats” of Boyle Heights. nasty slang term meaning “convenience.” The box holds the bento, a single-portion Japanese meal. After World War II, many Japanese Americans who had been held in internment camps moved to, or returned to, Boyle Heights. They lived there until the 1950s, when Latino immigrants replaced most.

Joss Sticks This incense is usually burned in front of an Asian religious statue or shrine. The word Joss origi- nates from the Portuguese word for God, Deus. More than a century ago, a large Chinese community lived in Boyle Heights.

Kippah From the Aramaic meaning “fear of the king,” a kapele or kippah is a bowl-shaped cap worn by observant Jewish men and sometimes women covering their heads as a sign of respect. From the 1920s to the 1950s, Boyle Heights was a center of Jewish life.

Spring / Summer 2014 39 Maneki-neko The cute, waving kitty is a common Japanese talisman meant to bring good luck. You’ll see one when you walk into Otomisan, the last remaining Japanese restaurant in Boyle Heights. Founded in 1956, Otomisan still occupies its original location on East First Street.

Canter’s Deli Take-Out Menu Who’s in the mood for beef brisket? The Jewish delicatessen Canter’s opened in Boyle Heights in 1931. The Canter family ﬁrst opened a deli in New Jersey in 1924, then came west along with many Jews from the northeastern United States in the early 1940s.

Mortar and Pestle The mortar is a bowl, usually made of hard wood, ceramic or stone. The pestle is a heavy Mariachi Belt Buckle Buckles and club-shaped object used for grinding. It is all things mariachi are found at the unique traditionally used to crush ingredients for pre- Boyle Heights store La Casa del Mariachi. For scriptions in pharmacies such as the Ramirez women, there are dress suits from all regions of Pharmacy, a family-owned, independent Boyle Mexico and other parts of Latin America. Heights pharmacy in operation since 1953.

!!!!!!Guitar Pick For more than 80 years, luthiers have handcrafted guitars at Candelas in Boyle Heights. Mahogany, maple, cedar, spruce and rosewood are used to build guitars such as classicals, requinto romanticos and bajo sextos. Tacote and cedar are used to create mariachi instruments such as the vihuela, guitarrón and guitarra de golpe.

40 Sailors White Hat Between 1904 and 1912, as many as 5,000 Russian Molokans settled in Boyle Heights, ﬂeeing persecution and mandatory enlistment during the Russo-Japanese War. Yet by the time the U.S. entered Word War II, second generation Russian Molokans joined the military in support of the Ameri- can war eﬀorts.

Roosevelt High School Newspaper Roosevelt High School lost 30 percent of its student population to Japanese internment. Student body president and valedictorian Masamori Kojima was among the thousands who received evacuation orders. On April 8, 1942, the Rough Riders newspaper published a spirited article denouncing internment, citing the loss of many student leaders.

Tatami Mat In February 1942, during Japa- nese internment, the FBI arrested the Rev. Giichi Miyano of the Tenrikyo Mission Church. His wife, Yukiko, arranged for a local African American congregation to act as caretaker of Mollie Wilson and Mary the church during her family’s incarceration. In 1942, Roosevelt High School The African American community also took senior Mollie Wilson was deeply care of their possessions. disturbed by the forced removal of her many Japanese American friends from Boyle Heights. When she sent them letters and packages, many wrote back from concentration camps. Mary (last name unknown), pictured at right, Zoot Hat Feather A feather sits on was one of her friends who the side of a zoot hat, part of the baggy was interned. pant suit popular in mostly Chicano communities in the 1940s. The L.A. riots in 1943 between Anglo American military stationed in the city and Latino youths, who wore zoot suits, were dubbed the “Zoot Suit Riots.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY MICHAEL WARSAKA FOR USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE 41 HERTS IN THE HIGHLNDS Students get their practical politics on with the help of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics and many other purveyors of opportunity at USC Dornsife. First stop, the White House.

By Michelle Salzman Boston

Standing on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., from the Unruh Institute provided her with funding to sup- Roxana Ontiveros had one thing on her mind: her High- port her internship. land Park neighborhood in northeast Los Angeles. “Without it, I would not have been able to participate in !e daughter of Mexican immigrants and the "rst in this life-changing experience,” she said. her family to attend college, Ontiveros had taken her de- USC Dornsife o#ers exceptional opportunities for stu- but airplane trip to participate in a summer internship dents such as Ontiveros to gain hands-on experience work- with the White House Initiative on Educational Excel- ing in politics and impacting policy. !rough internships, lence for Hispanics. courses, mentorship and scholarships, students develop !e junior political science and American studies and leadership skills and gain the experience to make a di#er- ethnicity major at USC Dornsife was bringing Highland ence through civic engagement at the local, national and Park to the decision-making hub of the country. Now was international levels. her chance to make e#orts to improve her community. Dan Schnur, director of the Unruh Institute since 2008, “I felt like it was my responsibility to bring my neighbor- said the foundation for extraordinary work begins with hood into focus in what’s happening in D.C.,” she said. “My USC’s commitment to its community. hometown is always at the forefront of my mind.” “USC has always stressed the importance of USC stu- In Washington, D.C., Ontiveros learned about Latino- dents and faculty working with surrounding neighbor- focused education policy, communications and outreach at hoods,” he said. !e result is a student body that is devoted the U.S. Department of Education. She is passionate about to improving Los Angeles, he added. !rough the Unruh THINKING CAP bringing the community and government together to im- Institute, Schnur wants to show students that becoming in- Before graduating, USC prove educational prospects for minorities. volved in politics and government is a logical extension of Dornsife undergraduates learn During her internship, arranged through USC Dorn- their community work. to roll up their sleeves and sife’s Jesse M. Unruh Institute of Politics, she wrote a white “Cleaning up a park or teaching an at-risk child to read is experience working in politics paper on the success of Latino males in the United States, tremendous, but working to elect candidates to o)ce who and impacting policy. gathering data such as college graduation and incarceration will help further those goals on a much larger scale is the rates. Her work will be used to help policymakers strength- next critical step,” Schnur said. en educational opportunities for Latinos, the nation’s larg- An institute goal is bridging the academic study of poli- est and fastest-growing population. tics with practical experience in the "eld. !roughout her time in Washington, D.C., “I felt em- For example, the Unruh Fellows Program brings top powered to contribute to research on such an important politicians and policy professionals to campus to participate topic,” Ontiveros said. in panel discussions and smaller, informal meetings with Ontiveros intends to become a litigation attorney, but students. !e institute’s Legislators in Residence Program isn’t ruling out the idea of one day running for o)ce or recruited Republican Tony Strickland, a former California teaching law. state senator, and Democrat Anthony Portantino, a former USC Dornsife’s support has been crucial in setting her California state assembly member, to be on-campus mentors. up for success, Ontiveros said. A political leadership award In addition to speaking on panels and co-teaching

42 Spring / Summer 2014 43 44 political science courses with USC Dornsife faculty, “Studies have shown that women have a harder time ask- Strickland and Portantino hold regular o)ce hours for ing for money,” Masler said. “We want to teach girls that students to drop in, learn about the mentors’ experiences they are worth it and can ask right o# the bat. Not only is it in politics and seek career advice. more e)cient, but it’s also more e#ective.” Students also gain insight into California’s electorate Masler, a former administrative assistant with the Un- through the USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times Poll, direct- ruh Institute who is now director of USC’s Women’s Stu- ed by Schnur. !e statewide public opinion poll, conduct- dent Assembly, said she has seen young women thrive in ed at intervals throughout the year, gauges voter attitudes the program. on a range of political, policy, social and cultural issues. Just as the controversial A#ordable Care Act (ACA) prepared to roll out at the beginning of 2014, a November 2013 USC Dornsife/Los Angeles Times survey showed that “Through the [USC Dornsife/ despite overall support for the law, voters in California were concerned about how the legislation would a#ect the economy and their own health care access. Los Angeles Times] Poll, students !e poll revealed that 50 percent of California voters favor the ACA, including 33 percent who strongly favor it. also develop an understanding of But even those who support the law had signi"cant concerns, including lost wages and higher out-of-pocket costs. Schnur uses "ndings such as these in his course “!e how public opinion research works.” Future of California,” in which students research policy challenges for the Golden State based on issues surveyed in the poll. “!rough the poll, students also develop an “!ey gain a new sense of self and a sense of what they understanding of how public opinion research works. !ey can do,” she said. “I have seen this when they take the ini- get to hear directly from the people who put the poll to- tiative after the event to e-mail me, eager to get involved gether,” Schnur said. and learn more.” !e Unruh Institute sponsors a weekly “Students Talk And many do get involved. After last year’s conference, Back” forum, in which USC students sit on panels with two students reached out to Masler for guidance launch- seasoned experts to discuss topics like immigration re- ing a student club at their high school to help other young form, California prisons and social justice in L.A. women get involved in politics and leadership. Masler, who Following the tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elemen- was working as a sta# member on Wendy Greuel’s L.A. tary School, which claimed the lives of 20 children and mayoral bid, invited them to assist her on the campaign. six adults, USC students had the opportunity to air their Masler also attended a 2013 mayoral race debate between views on U.S. gun policies. candidates Greuel and Eric Garcetti co-hosted by the Un- During the forum, international relations major David ruh Institute and held at USC. (Garcetti won the election.) Meister cited the Second Amendment, arguing that the “!e single strongest memory I have of the Greuel- shooting should not be used to curtail gun rights. !ose Garcetti debate is not how many of our former students I who pass a background check and are not psychologically saw attending the debate, but how many I saw working for unstable should be permitted to carry a "rearm, he said. both campaigns,” Schnur said. “!at being said,” Meister said, “I’m hopeful that policy Students are also gaining insight from Schnur’s own ex- will reduce the number of high-capacity magazine clips, perience. Schnur is currently on leave as director of the Un- and we can limit the number of automatic — not assault, ruh Institute as he makes a bid for California secretary of but automatic — weapons.” state. While campaigning, he continues to teach one class a Americans have a Second Amendment right to own a semester at USC Dornsife. gun, agreed political science major Andrew Myers. “But it “I hope that the experiences I have on the campaign trail [boils down] to what kind of guns people are allowed to and potentially in o)ce are things that students can learn own and being responsible with them.” from,” Schnur said. !e Second Amendment was created in 1776, when At the institute’s core is a robust internship program — people mainly owned muskets — they didn’t have the supported by a host of scholarships — that puts students in kinds of weapons available today, Myers noted. the "eld working on the issues they care about while earn- “As you look at how guns have progressed, the meaning ing credits toward their degrees. of the Second Amendment and what it means to bear arms For instance, the institute supported junior Nick Kos- have changed.” turos’ internship at the Pentagon, where he worked for the Another event co-sponsored by the institute involves Department of Defense. !e summer placement involved OUR HOUSE the national nonpro"t Running Start, which introduces work in the O)ce of the Under Secretary of Defense for USC Dornsife students have high school girls to political leadership. Each year, the in- Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics. !e international opportunities to work at the stitute collaborates with Running Start to hold a leader- relations major was awarded USC Dornsife’s Coady Schol- White House through programs ship conference for young women. arship for Summer Interns, which covered his travel and at the Jesse M. Unruh Institute Senior political science major Kaya Masler has helped living expenses in Washington, D.C. of Politics. to recruit young women to Running Start. At the Department of Defense, Kosturos researched in- During the conference, she hosts a workshop to teach ternational arms agreements between the U.S. and other the high school participants how to craft “an elevator countries, and frequently met with diplomats from the pitch” touting their strengths. Another workshop she United Kingdom. leads is about bolstering fundraising skills. STORY CONTINUES ON PAGE "'.

ILLUSTRATIONS BY DANIEL HERTZBERG FOR USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE Spring / Summer 2014 45 For the People by Michelle Salzman Boston ROBERT SHRUM BRINGS HIS STREET SMARTS AS THE INAU1 meant to encourage students to engage in politics. GURAL WARSCHAW CHAIR IN PRACTICAL POLITICS. SPEECH1 Established by USC Honorary Trustee Carmen Warschaw, an WRITER AND PRESS SECRETARY TO SEN. EDWARD M. KENNEDY alumna, philanthropist and community activist who died in No- AND MANY OTHER HEAVY HITTERS, SHRUM’S A PLUM PICK. vember 2012, and her husband, Louis, who died in 2000, the chair seeks to create civic-minded students. The first named chair in USC Dornsife’s Department of Political Science, Shrum believes those who participate in politics can make lasting, positive change. “Though some may disagree, politics is an honorable profession,” he said. “It’s not only fascinating, but it has an incredible impact on all our lives.” USC Provost Elizabeth Garrett said Shrum’s experience was invaluable. “USC students will benefit from professor Shrum’s engaging, firsthand accounts of history and his enthusiasm for active participation in the democratic process,” she said. USC Dornsife Dean Steve Kay agreed. “I think we have one of the strongest political science departments in the country,” Kay said. “But I also think our students need the tools to translate theory into action. I believe Bob Shrum’s political experience and connections will serve to inspire students and to invigorate the department.” Shrum’s career in politics began in the 1970s, when he was hired as speechwriter for then-New York City Mayor John Lindsay. He went on to serve as speechwriter for Sen. George McGovern in his 1972 campaign for president. From 1980 to 1984, Shrum served as speechwriter and press secretary to Sen. Kennedy. He was a senior adviser to Vice President Al Gore’s presidential campaign in 2000, and to Sen. John Kerry’s four years later. Outside the United States, he was a consultant to the successful campaign of Prime Minister Ehud Barak of Israel in 1999; to One would be hard-pressed to name a political scholar and the British Labour Party in its 2001 and 2005 parliamentary consultant with more influence, experience and understanding of campaigns; and to winning national campaigns in Ireland in 1997 “$ough some may the American political landscape over the past four decades than and 2002. Robert Shrum. Shrum hopes to inspire students by making politics come to life. disagree, politics is an At age 9, Shrum volunteered at the Culver City Democratic He can give them an insider’s view. “The capacity to understand honorable profession. Headquarters, making phone calls in support of 1952 presiden- politics depends on sound theory, but that understanding can be It’s not only fascinating, tial candidate Adlai Stevenson. Though Dwight Eisenhower beat immensely enhanced by a vivid sense of the way politics actually but it has an incredible Stevenson by a landslide, Stevenson’s concession speech left an works,” Shrum said. impact on all our lives.” indelible mark on the youngster. He also wants to share the many ways students can participate ROBERT SHRUM, in his role as “Stevenson’s concession speech deepened my nascent appre- in the political process without running for office. Warschaw Chair in Practical Poli- ciation for the power of words,” Shrum said. “I can still hear him “You can be involved at a civic level, you can care about issues, tics, will connect students with quoting Abraham Lincoln’s line: ‘It hurts too much to laugh, but you can contribute to campaigns,” Shrum said. “As a volunteer, elected officials, candidates and their staff members from across I’m too old to cry.’ ” you can have a big impact. I think we all have to be public citizens the political spectrum to discuss Nearly 30 years later, Shrum became part of another memo- to make this country work.” and analyze relevant issues. rable moment when he helped pen the concession speech Sen. At USC Dornsife, Shrum’s class topics will likely include “great Edward M. Kennedy delivered at the 1980 Democratic National races,” looking at campaigns from City Hall to the White House. Convention. Many said the powerful speech overshadowed Presi- He will focus on the interrelationship between politics and policy dent Jimmy Carter’s acceptance speech. in areas such as health care reform. Shrum is currently develop- This savvy veteran of all things political, who for more than four ing a Maymester course that will engage students with politicians decades has navigated 30 winning campaigns for the U.S. Senate and policy makers in Washington, D.C. and eight winning gubernatorial campaigns, joins USC Dornsife on Shrum called it a singular honor to receive an appointment June 1 as the inaugural Carmen H. and Louis Warschaw Chair in named for Carmen and Louis Warschaw. A former member of the Practical Politics. Democratic National Committee, Carmen helped to forge the Cal- Shrum, who has guided numerous presidential campaigns, will ifornia Democratic Party, and the careers of many of its leaders. connect students with elected officials, candidates and their “Carmen was a great progressive Democrat,” Shrum said. “She staffs from across the political spectrum to discuss and analyze really cared about her beliefs. She fought tenaciously. And in relevant issues. He will also develop courses and conferences terms of practical politics, she was the best.”

46 “At these face-to-face meetings I was able to gain insight Kyndell Paine, who graduated from USC Dornsife with from the diplomats as well as provide my own insight into a bachelor’s in political science in 2007, took full advantage how we might proceed with cooperative engagements,” of this. said Kosturos, who aspires to work in the U.S. Foreign As a student, a classmate informed her that a L.A. po- Service. “I was able to get a sense of how the United States litical fundraising "rm was looking for an intern. Paine interacts with other nations on military and political issues, landed the gig and ended up working for the organization and the many steps and intricacies that are required to nail as it raised money for George W. Bush’s exploratory com- down these complex agreements.” mittee, then his primary election and once he was elected In Washington, D.C., Kosturos took part via Skype in president, for his inaugural committee. a career leadership course through USC Dornsife’s Gate- “Whatever side of the aisle you lean to, seeing that process way Internship Program led by Donal Manahan, profes- play out in our country is truly amazing,” said Paine, who sor of biological sciences and vice dean for students. !e earned course credit for the position through the Unruh In- course featured guest lecturers from a range of professions. stitute’s internship program. “It was one of my top political Among them were Joan Abrahamson, president of the experiences and it was all while I was a student at USC.” public policy–focused Je#erson Institute, and Robert Os- Paine is the manager of government relations for the her, president of the Digital Production division of Sony Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Calif. As an Unruh Fel- Pictures Entertainment. low, she recently hosted a mentoring meeting for USC stu- “Never eat lunch alone,” was a piece of advice one pro- dents at the Disneyland Resort. !e meeting gave students fessional o#ered. Kosturos took it to heart. the opportunity to learn more about the Disneyland Resort “Following that recommendation I met extraordinary and what a career in government relations entails. people across the Pentagon,” Kosturos said. “!eir stories “It’s about paying it forward and helping other Trojans,” and career advice helped me shape my approach to pursu- Paine said. ing a career in public service.” !e paying it forward mantra resonates with Ontiveros. Kosturos said two USC Dornsife Problems Without After her experience at the White House, Ontiveros re- Passports (PWP) courses in*uenced his career goals and turned to Los Angeles to put what she had learned to work prepared him to work at the Department of Defense. Un- in her community as an intern with the Mexican American der the guidance of Steven Lamy, professor of international Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) — the relations and vice dean for academic programs, and Robert nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization. English, associate professor of international relations, Kos- At MALDEF, Ontiveros wrote a report for its Parent turos traveled to Sweden, Russia, and Finland to meet with School Partnership program (PSP), which trains L.A.– top diplomats, energy experts and scientists to study the area parents how to become active participants in their ecological security and global politics of the Arctic region. children’s education, schools and community. !e undergraduate recalled a telling moment while !e report detailed the ways federal and California state speaking with Nordic diplomats at the Finnish Consul- codes protect parent’s rights to be involved in their chil- ate in St. Petersburg, Russia, after a formal presentation dren’s education. It highlighted the California education on Arctic security. During the presentation, o)cials had code’s stipulation that schools must establish parent-com- asserted that the Arctic was a strict zone of peace. But af- munity advisory committees, and a U.S. education code terward, one diplomat con"ded something. requirement that schools provide parents with information “We don’t talk about con*ict or else it will happen,” the on their child’s academic performance. diplomat whispered. Research shows that student achievement is linked to pa- “!is revealing aside illustrated the tense security situ- rental involvement in a child’s education. Many of the par- ation in the region that would not have been portrayed in ents in PSP are immigrants who speak little or no English the classroom or at any o)cial presentation,” Kosturos said. and are unfamiliar with the U.S. system of education. !e “Our intimate opportunities to speak with these diplomats program teaches them how to navigate the public school o#-the-record a#orded us great insight into the genuine infrastructure. !ey learn about the roles and expectations opinions of prominent Arctic o)cials.” of teachers and administrators, protocols for resolving disci- While in Washington, Kosturos also learned about U.S. plinary matters and ways to monitor academic success. defense and foreign policy on nuclear nonproliferation and Ontiveros’ report will ensure parents know their legal weapons of mass destruction. Led by Wayne Glass, profes- rights. sor emeritus of the practice of international relations, Kos- “At the end of the day, they gain con"dence and under- turos and his classmates visited nonpro"t organizations, stand how they can engage with these institutions,” she said. think tanks, federal agencies and Congressional o)ces. Ontiveros hopes her work with MALDEF and the At the Brookings Institution, the students had the op- White House will have a positive ripple e#ect in Highland portunity for a face-to-face meeting with retired Gen. Park, her local community. Her goal is to make a deeper David Petraeus, director of the CIA from September 2011 contribution. until November 2012. “Regardless of what profession I take on, I’m inspired to “Engaging in conversation with one of the greatest gen- improve opportunities for my younger siblings, my cousins erals in American history on a wide variety of topics from and their friends,” she said. “!ings such as K–12 education U.S.-Russian relations to the evolution of America’s role in and after-school activities at the recreation center. !ey want the Middle East was humbling and extraordinary,” Kos- to participate in more arts, music and theatre programs, but turos said of Petraeus, a Judge Widney Professor at USC. don’t have the chance because of a lack of resources. Part of giving students opportunities in politics and “I’m inspired to bridge the di#erent facets of the law, government is tapping into the extensive Trojan Family academia and the community to help them and to move network. society forward.”

Spring / Summer 2014 47 48 Battling serious health issues worldwide requires a little more ingenuity and a lot more cultural sensitivity. USC Dornsife faculty, students and alumni show you how it’s done. By Susan Bell a WEALTH of

After a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake ripped When Joe Herrold arrived at USC Dornsife in 2002, the through Haiti in 2010, crews posted signs warning against then-undergraduate realized he needed to gain a better cul- drinking contaminated river water. But since most of the tural understanding of Los Angeles’ Latino population if population could not read, the caution went largely un- he wanted to realize his dream of becoming a doctor. HEALTHheeded. He came to L.A. from rural Indiana. !e well-intended crews lacked cultural understand- “I didn’t speak Spanish, but soon realized I needed to ing — a mistake that resulted in a devastating outbreak of learn the language if I wanted to join the USC healthcare cholera. By August 2013, more than 8,000 people had died community,” he said. in the ongoing epidemic — the worst cholera outbreak in After earning a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences recent history. with a minor in international relations from USC Dornsife “In the realm of global health, the importance of under- in 2006, and his M.D. from the Keck School of Medicine standing cultural contexts cannot be overstated,” said Erin of USC in 2012, Herrold is now training as a surgeon at the Quinn, USC Dornsife’s new associate dean for science and Keck School. health. In addition to learning Spanish, he familiarized him- !is is equally true within the United States, where lan- self with Latino culture, then sought to help others do the guage and cultural barriers account for 37 percent of health same. In 2006, Herrold and fellow USC Dornsife graduate care access issues, outstripping the 18 percent of access Elise Wach, who earned her B.S. in environmental studies problems caused by a#ordability. As the largest minority in 2006, created the nonpro"t educational program Somos group in the United States, Latinos are among those most Hermanos (loosely translated as “We Are Family”). !e often a#ected. group teaches the language skills and cultural competency

Spring / Summer 2014 49 required to provide quality health care to Latino patients. “As a health care provider, the "rst and most important step is communicating with your patients,” Herrold said. Somos Hermanos has trained more than 200 health care providers nationwide, combining intensive one-on-one Spanish language instruction and family homestays with cultural activities in Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico. “!e patient-provider relationship is built on trust,” he said. “Without empathy and cultural humility, it’s unlike- ly you can establish that connection with those you are trying to serve.” After earning his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from USC Dornsife in 2006, Lloyd Cuzzo participated in Somos Hermanos. !e result? “I hit the ground running,” said Cuzzo, an ophthalmology resident at the Keck School. One patient Cuzzo examined during the "rst week of his residency reported experiencing *ashing lights and eye *oaters — signs of retinal tear or detachment. “!is patient — who didn’t speak a word of English — had come in for a routine follow-up, so would not normally have needed to have his eyes dilated,” Cuzzo said. “How- ever, because I was able to communicate e#ectively with the patient, I did dilate them, and discovered he had a vision- threatening retinal detachment. !e patient was taken to the operating room that night and luckily we were able to save his sight.” Global health involves a holistic view, so dental care is also an important component. Some use their Spanish in that e#ort. One is Erin Walker, now a pre-dental student. She was a senior majoring in neuroscience and human biology when she founded USC Global Dental Brigades in 2012. Her mission: to provide free dental care to those in developing countries. Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) on which he Poor dental health is implicated in increased risk of heart is principal investigator. Focusing on data gathered from disease, diabetes, lung disease and premature birth. 17,708 Chinese adults over age 45 from urban and rural ar- Walker collaborated with students from the Virginia eas, the study provided a nationally representative sample of Tech Global Medical Brigades chapter to organize a trip to China, excluding Tibet. Honduras to establish a medical and dental clinic. Strauss found striking gender di#erences in how men In Honduras, Walker and her team rose before dawn and women age in the developing world, with older women each day and drove for two hours on dirt roads to schools more likely to have poorer measures of physical and psycho- or churches, transforming them into makeshift pharma- logical health — including high blood pressure, depression cies, and consultation and operating rooms. !ey used a and cognitive decline — than men. reclining lawn chair as a dentist’s chair and a *ashlight to “Women generally report worse health than men, even provide illumination. Walker, who speaks *uent Spanish, though adult mortality is lower among women,” Strauss taught children how to brush and *oss properly and pro- said. “Also, the biomarkers are generally worse for women vided *uoride treatments. !e team served 1,111 patients than men. !at’s borne in the U.S. and not speci"c to in three days. China.” “Beyond the dental work, patients were touched and USC Dornsife students also have opportunities to ex- grateful that our volunteers had taken time to make them a plore alternative approaches to health. Students enrolled priority,” Walker said. in USC Dornsife’s Problems Without Passports (PWP) Tackling global health also takes USC Dornsife faculty course “!e Global Performance of Healing,” taught by and students to the Paci"c Rim. Erin Moore of the Department of Anthropology, traveled John Strauss, professor of economics at USC Dornsife, to Abadiânia, Brazil, home to renowned Spiritist leader is providing critical insights into the dramatic e#ects of John of God. aging on global health through research he has conducted At the Casa de Dom Inácio de Loyola, students partici- on the country with the world’s most rapidly aging popu- pated in the life of a “pilgrim,” meditating, visiting a sacred lation — China. waterfall, obeying an all-white dress code, eating sacred Along with researchers from Peking University, the soup and joining in at hymn and prayer sessions. Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and !ey witnessed how patients are able to bene"t from international partner institutions, Strauss last year released massage, soothing music, crystal beds, and other prac- the "rst major report drawn from the China Health and tices that create a relaxed atmosphere that may enhance

50 dicted “a tidal wave” of cancer cases over the next 20 years, with the number of cases worldwide predicted to soar by 70 percent, reaching 24 million a year by 2035. Many will be fueled by the same unhealthy living habits — smoking, lack of exercise and poor diet — also responsible for the global explosion in diabetes and heart disease.

“As a health care provider, the "rst and most important step is communicating with your patients.”

“Traditionally, global health has focused on communi- cable diseases such as malaria and cholera. !e new challenges we now face involving global chronic disease and cancer require a fresh approach and a fundamental change in thinking about how we ‘manage’ health across the globe,” Quinn said. USC Dornsife is ideally positioned to help the medical "eld of the future "nd innovative solutions. “We need broadly trained individuals, who understand health and disease from every angle, are able to critically analyze and interpret data, communicate e#ectively, incor- porate social and cultural perspectives, collaborate to solve problems, manage economic resources and think proac- tively,” she said. Quinn provides opportunities to realize those goals. For instance, she leads an annual monthlong trip to Oxford, Eng- land, for the course “Biology of Tropical Diseases.” Taught by experts in global medicine at the University of Oxford, the healing. Students collected healing stories from patients course is part of PWP. and mediums, and conducted a critical analysis of the !e course teaches students global perspectives and al- Casa rituals. ternative ways of approaching medicine, illustrating how !e majority of the Casa’s pilgrims are educated West- procedures and resources that work in the U.S. and other erners who are disillusioned with Western medicine and developed countries are not necessarily compatible in de- seeking an alternative. veloping countries. “Students can be shocked to see that so many people feel “After three weeks, students are able to make a huge leap they are not being served by biomedical doctors and are from their previously held belief model of ‘build large hos- seeking alternative help,” Moore said. “Our task as medical pitals, prescribe pharma drugs,’ to understanding that "nd- anthropologists is to suspend judgment and practice par- ing a solution that is local, low-cost, culturally acceptable ticipant observation.” and readily available is perhaps the best choice in solving a Kausar Ali, a religion and neuroscience double major who health care issue,” Quinn said. traveled to Brazil with the help of USC Dornsife’s Summer “Whether it is health care within the U.S., or globally, Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF), was struck by the I learned there is no one way to treat every single patient,” peaceful, meditative atmosphere at the Casa. said Saya Yusa, a biological sciences major who participated Dressed in pure white, visitors searching for spiritual in- in the 2013 PWP Oxford trip. TOUCHING LIVES tervention rested quietly on a deck overlooking the hills, Yusa and Quinn emphasized the need for cultural empa- Tackling health issues from on wooden benches scattered along garden pathways, or on thy in medicine. dental disease to cancer, fac- stones at the sacred waterfall located deep within a nearby “While health issues in Oaxaca, Mexico, may be unrelat- ulty and students connect with forest. Bathed in serenity, they meditated. ed to health issues faced by migratory Mongolian herders, people throughout the world. “I learned that beyond the tangible science of conven- both communities have developed and passed on valuable tional Western medicine, spirituality can be a strong com- health practices over centuries that promote health and dis- ponent in healing,” Ali said. courage disease for their population,” Quinn said. Alternative remedies, which focus on a healthy lifestyle, “Now, diabetes is becoming a global issue. Our role is may have increasingly signi"cant preventive value during to use our advanced knowledge to help, while remaining worldwide increases in noncommunicable diseases, includ- respectful of culturally accepted health practices so that we ing cancer, diabetes and heart disease — what Quinn terms can integrate them into the solution. “the new game-changers” in global health. “Together, we can forge good decisions to successfully im- In January 2014, the World Health Organization pre- prove health for as many people as possible on our planet.”

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RICHARD MIA FOR USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE Spring / Summer 2014 51 Legacy C. WILLARD GEER, 1944

In December, an ultra high- the creativity of a soft-spoken five months, he worked on Geer tube, with the U.S. Pat- definition television went USC Dornsife faculty member. inventing an apparatus that ent Office. After a protracted on sale in South Korea for a Back in 1943, C. Willard Geer would allow vibrant hues to legal battle with RCA, he sold whopping $150,000. was an assistant professor be seen on the increasingly the rights to his invention to At 110 inches wide, the liv- of physics and director of the popular television medium. Technicolor Motion Picture ing room behemoth features university’s physics lab with Geer’s design was quite Corp. for $100,000 in 1950. four times as many pixels as a the mantra “go out and invent ingenious: Three separate Color televisions went on sale standard HD TV, DTS premium something.” During one of his electron beams — one for on Dec. 30, 1953. In all, Geer S E V I H C R A Y T I S R E V I N U C S U F O Y S E T R U O C O T O H P sound, built-in WiFi and 3D inspirational lectures on the each primary color — shot filed 14 television patents. active glasses. science of television, he had onto a screen of inverted, Geer retired from USC as When C. Willard Geer’s “Eu- With so much technical an epiphany about how color three-sided pyramids. His associate professor in 1965 reka!” moment came, he wasn’t advancement, it seems almost television could be achieved wife, Mary, would assist and moved back to his native immediately convinced of the quaint that the first color sets through an electronic tube. him by baking prototype Washington state. He taught viability of his three-beam pro- made headlines. Sixty years Encouraged by his wife, Mary, components in their oven. She at Bellevue Community Col- jection. In his diary, he simply before the ultra HD TV, there he set out to invent it. worked on other pieces on her lege until his death in 1975. wrote, “Today, I invented color was much brouhaha over the Born in 1902 and a doctoral sewing machine. The college’s planetarium is TV, I think.” first national color broadcast graduate of the University In February 1944, Geer named for Geer. of the Tournament of Roses of California, Berkeley, Geer wrote in his journal, “Today, I A poor businessman maybe, Parade in 1954 — an advance- started working on the project invented color TV, I think.” He but his inventions were in liv- ment made possible in part by in his home laboratory. For filed his color tube, called the ing color. —D.K.

52 DORNSIFE FAMILY

HONORS

Faculty News Award for Psychology. He also and biophysics, was presented led a panel on creativity and the with an honorary Doctor of Sci- DAVID ALBERTSON, assistant brain during the Society for Neu- ence degree from the University professor of religion, received roscience’s 2013 annual meeting of Bristol. Fueling Research a 2014 Manfred Lautenschlaeger in San Diego, Calif. Award for Theological Promise Vice Dean for Academic Pro- for his forthcoming book, Math- USC Distinguished Professor grams STEVEN LAMY, profes- ematical Theologies: Nicholas of of English PERCIVAL EVERETT sor of international relations, Cusa and the Legacy of Thierry was named one of five finalists presented his analysis of Arctic of Chartres (Oxford University for the 2013 PEN/Faulkner award security issues at the first Arctic Press, 2014). for fiction for his novel Percival Circle Assembly, a global forum for Everett by Virgil Russell. international cooperation on Arctic THORSTEN BECKER, profes- issues held in Reykjavik, Iceland. sor of earth sciences, received a SUSAN FORSBURG, profes- Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research sor of biological sciences, was SONYA LEE, associate profes- Award to continue his research elected as a fellow of the Ameri- sor of art history, East Asian into the source of earthquakes and can Academy of Microbiology. languages and cultures, and the dynamics of faults. religion, has been selected as DANA GIOIA, Judge Widney a New Directions Fellow by the DANIELA BLEICHMAR, associ- Professor of Poetry and Public Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. ate professor of art history Culture, was named the recipi- George Olah and G.K. Surya Prakash, pillars of the and history, was awarded the ent of the Aiken Taylor Award for MARCUS LEVITT, professor of chemistry department at USC Dornsife, have received American Historical Association’s Modern American Poetry. Slavic languages and litera- a "rst-ever $1 million prize from the State of Israel for 2013 Leo Gershoy Award for her tures, was awarded the Marc their innovative research on alternative fuels. book Visible Empire. MACARENA GÓMEZ1BARRIS, Raeff Book Prize for his book The Olah, a Nobel laureate and Distinguished Professor associate professor of Ameri- Visual Dominant in Eighteenth- of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Sci- DAVID BOTTJER, professor can studies and ethnicity, has Century Russia. ence, and Prakash, professor of chemistry and director of earth sciences, biological received a Fulbright fellowship to of the USC Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute, sciences and environmental Ecuador, where she will conduct TOM LYON, Judge Edward received the Eric and Sheila Samson Prime Minister’s studie, received the Society for research with indigenous people J. and Ruey L. Guirado Chair Prize for Innovation in Alternative Fuels for Transpor- Sedimentary Geology’s Moore involved in the popular ecotour- in Law and Psychology, was tation. Olah is also Donald P. and Katherine B. Loker Medal for outstanding contribu- ism industry. awarded the 2014 Provost’s Chair in Organic Chemistry. tions in paleontology. Mentoring Award at USC. Israel has recognized the chemistry professors’ alter- STEPHAN HAAS, professor native fuel research as part of an initiative to reduce its JOHN BOWLT, professor of of physics and astronomy, re- CAROL MUSKE1DUKES, pro- dependence on foreign oil. Slavic languages and litera- ceived a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel fessor of English and former !e award recognizes their research on the methanol tures, co-curated “The New Bar- Research Award to continue his California Poet Laureate, gave economy, a proposal to use methanol to replace fossil barians: Russian Art and the East,” research on quantum systems. a reading at Elliot Bay Books in fuels and petroleum-based feedstocks. Methanol can be an international exhibition at the Seattle, WA. She also gave a talk produced from renewable resources, such as agricultural Palazzo Strozzi in Florence, Italy. JACQUES HYMANS, associ- “Is the Imagination Dead or Just waste products. It also has the potential to be generated ate professor of international Faking It?” as part of the Malibu by recycling atmospheric carbon dioxide — setting up DOUG CAPONE, William and relations, was awarded the 2014 Library Speaker Series. She was the possibility of a carbon-neutral fuel source. Julie Wrigley Chair in Environ- Grawemeyer Award for Ideas a keynote speaker for the grand “Basically, it should be able to replace oil,” Olah mental Studies and professor Improving World Order. opening of Santa Monica Public said. “With my friend and colleague Dr. Prakash, we’ve and chair of biological scienc- Library’s new Pico branch in April worked very hard on this research … I never thought I’d es has received the American MARY HELEN IMMORDINO1 during National Poetry Month. S E V I H C R A Y T I S R E V I N U C S U F O Y S E T R U O C O T O H P , live long enough to see it gaining practical acceptance.” Society for Microbiology’s 2014 YANG, assistant professor of Olah has described his work on developing an anthro- Dupont Industrial Biosciences neuroscience, psychology and KENNETH NEALSON, Wrigley pogenic carbon cycle — that is, a way to recycle carbon Award in Applied and Environ- education, has received the 2013 Chair in Environmental Stud- dioxide into fuel — as the most important work of his mental Microbiology. American Association for the ies and professor of earth career, eclipsing even his work on superacids and his ob- Advancement of Science Early Ca- sciences and biological sci- servations of carbocations, which earned him a Nobel University Professor ANTONIO reer Award for Public Engagement ences, was elected as a fellow of Prize in chemistry in 1994. DAMASIO, David Dornsife with Science and Technology. the American Association for the “Methanol is the fuel of the future,” Prakash said. Chair in Neuroscience, profes- Advancement of Science. “Dr. Olah and I are honored and humbled by this award. sor of psychology and neurol- USC Dornsife Dean STEVE KAY, We have been working on this for 30 years — and for a ogy, and director of the Brain Anna H. Bing Dean’s chair and scientist, it’s always ‘we,’ never ‘I.’ Countless grad stu- and Creativity Institute, was professor of biological sci- Continued on page 55. dents and postdocs have contributed to this work along awarded the 2014 Grawemeyer ences, neurology, physiology the way.” —R.P.

Spring / Summer 2014 53 FACULTY CANON

Adult / Writer-in-Residence and Distinguished Professor Emeritus of English T.C. Boyle gathers the work from his three most recent collections along with fourteen new tales previously unpublished in book form as well as a preface in which Boyle looks back on his career as a writer of stories and the art of making them. THE HOMOEROTICS OF ORI- BLACK SOUNDSCAPES WHITE ENTALISM Columbia University STAGES: The Meaning of Fran- Press / Joseph Allen Boone, cophone Sound in the Black professor of English, gender stud- Atlantic Johns Hopkins University ies and comparative literature, Press / Edwin C. Hill Jr., as- discusses the neglected homo- sistant professor of French and sexual subtext of Anglo-European Italian, considers the relationships orientalist narratives and the between Antillean music and lit- emerging field of Islamicate queer erature from the 1920s-60s to be a studies. colonial struggle over the meaning of Caribbean vernacular culture. BILINGUAL LANGUAGE ACQUI- SITION: Spanish and English in One Cool Cat the First Six Years Cambridge In his new memoir Trying to Be Cool, USC Dornsife’s University Press / Carmen Silva- Leo Braudy reconstructs his 1950s teenage years when Corvalán, professor of Spanish, searching for the elusive state of cool. examines the acquisition of English and Spanish by two brothers in As a teenager growing up in 1950s Philadelphia, Leo the first six years of their lives Braudy’s free time revolved around hanging out with and explores how the systems of friends at the local soda shop, listening to rock ’n’ roll, both languages affect each other watching horror "lms and thinking about girls. ARMY AND SOCIETY IN as the children develop, and how But, as he shared in his new memoir, Trying to Be Cool: PTOLEMAIC EGYPT Cambridge different levels of exposure to each TAMING PASSION FOR THE Growing Up in the 1950s (Asahina and Wallace, 2013): University Press / Christelle language influence the nature of PUBLIC GOOD: Policing Sex in “!e essence of making your mark was being cool.” Fischer-Bovet, assistant profes- acquisition. the Early Republic NYU Press / !e book recounts his early years absorbing and deci- sor of classics, describes how Mark E. Kann, professor emeritus phering the world around him and of course, seeking out the changing structures of the of political science and history, that mercurial state of cool. In this quest, he cut a rug army in Egypt after Alexander’s provides insights into the creation at synagogue dances. He feigned comprehension during conquest led to the development of patriarchy and of sexual moral- discussions of sex with his pals. of an ethnically more integrated ity in the Early Republic. “Even more than an awakening interest in sex, trying society and demonstrates that the to be cool opened a new phase,” wrote Braudy, University connection between the army and Professor, Leo S. Bing Chair in English and American local temples offered new ways for Literature, and professor of English and history at USC Greeks and Egyptians to interact. Dornsife. “One day you were safely within the sphere of family, where your role, like it or not, was clear. !e next day you left the realm of blithe boyhood and were trying to DEATH OF A CHARITY GIRL construct a personal style in some murky dawn of self- Chelmsford Press / The latest consciousness.” novel by Richard Fliegel, as- But deny it as he might, Braudy’s cool factor comes sociate dean for undergraduate through in Trying to Be Cool. Perhaps Percival Everett said programs and lecturer in the MEREOLOGY AND LOCATION it best. Thematic Option honors program, Oxford University Press / Shieva “!e irony of Trying to Be Cool is that the book is so finds the NYPD hot on the trail of Kleinschmidt, assistant profes- damn cool. It’s ‘Rock Around the Clock’ for smart peo- a killer in this historical mystery sor of philosophy, edited this vol- ple,” noted Everett, Distinguished Professor of English at T.C. BOYLE STORIES II: The Col- set in the Big Apple, circa 1937. ume in which leading philosophers USC Dornsife. “Leo Braudy captures an American mo- lected Stories of T. Coraghes- contemplate theories of parthood ment.” —M.S.B. san Boyle, Volume II Viking and of location.

54 DORNSIFE FAMILY

lecturer Sandra Tsing Loh tells the story of her roller coaster GEORGE A. OLAH, Distin- Washington at Mount Vernon on personal life that included an affair guished Professor of Chemis- the first president’s fascination with a married man, the explosion try, Chemical Engineering and with the American West. He also of her marriage, the pressures of Materials Science, and Donald spoke on the topic at Town and keeping her daughters off Face- P. and Katherine B. Loker Chair Gown in January 2014 at the first book while managing the legal and in Organic Chemistry, was Los Angeles event of the George marital hijinks of her 89-year-old awarded the 2013 Semmelweis Washington Leadership Lecture dad, and a despairing withdrawal Budapest Award by Semmelweis series, a partnership between to a tiny cabin where she combined University in Budapest, Hungary. USC Price School of Public Policy THE OBJECT PARADE: Essays too much wine and Ambien, para- THE SYNTAX OF IMPERATIVES and the Fred W. Smith National Counterpoint / Dinah Lenney, lyzing her arm into a claw. Cambridge University Press / Co- MARJORIE PERLOFF, Florence Library for the Study of George assistant professor (teaching) of writer Mario Saltarelli, professor Scott Professor of English Washington. writing in the Master of Profession- of Spanish and Portuguese, puts Emerita, received the 2014 al Writing program, interconnects forward a new linguistic theory of Washington University Interna- MARK THOMPSON, professor essays that meditate on dozens imperatives, arguing that catego- tional Humanities Medal. of chemistry and materials of memorable physical objects ries of the speech act, specifi- science, co-delivered a keynote from her life: her grandfather’s cally speaker and addressee, are NICOS PETASIS, Harold address on the use of nanorib- Steinway; a pair of her mother’s conceptually necessary for an and Lillian Moulton Chair in bon biosensor chips for cancer earrings; the plastic scoops found adequate syntactic account. Chemistry and professor of diagnosis at the inaugural UCLA- in old tins of Chock Full o’ Nuts chemistry and pharmacology, USC-Caltech Nanotechnology coffee, and others. was elected as a fellow of the and Nanomedicine Symposium. American Association for the DEATH BEFORE THE FALL: Advancement of Science. Distin- “A surprising and penetrating account of ‘Merz,’ this book ARIEH WARSHEL MEGAN R. KURT SCHWITTERS gives Schwitters his rightful place at the very heart of the LUKE , theorization of modernism and offers one of the most illu- Space, Image, Exile minating accounts I have come across of the implications of his practice for the intersections of art and identity.” MEGAN R. LUKE Biblical Literalism and the guished Professor of Chemistry , University of York KURT SCHWITTERS

“ This book joins rigorous scholarship and rich close read- KURT SCHWITTERS SPACE IMAGE EXILE German artist Kurt Schwitters (1887–1948) is best ings, providing readers with a compelling and compre- known for his pioneering work in fusing collage and hensive new interpretation of Kurt Schwitters’s artistic, abstraction, the two most transformative innova- Problem of Animal Suffering G.K. SURYA PRAKASH and Biochemistry and Nobel literary, and theoretical work. But it does much more than tions of twentieth-century art. Celebrated for his that. Questioning the art-historical preference for begin- , nings, it looks at Dada, constructivism, and other crucial Dada spirit and poetry, Schwitters has been a foun- moments of avant-garde art from the viewpoint of the ag- dational figure for artists working in assemblage ing and exiled artist. This change of perspective offers a and installation from the 1950s to the present day. IVP Academic / International rela- George A. and Judith A. laureate has received the Bio- lesson of far-reaching significance for our increasingly dis- Yet the critical acclaim for his early breakthroughs tant take on twentieth-century art: that modernism itself in artistic technique and composition generally , persevered and thrived thanks to engaging deeply with its overlooks the achievements of his later work and own increasingly remote past.” his sustained development of a theory of art. In the first book to reverse this perspective, Megan R. tions adjunct professor Ronald Olah Nobel Laureate Chair in physical Society’s Founders Award. Luke tells the fascinating, even moving story of the “ This is a powerful and exceptionally articulate treatment work produced by the aging, isolated artist under of a complex and fascinating artist whose work is diverse the Nazi regime and during his years in exile. and often eccentric, but also important and extraordi- Combining new archival research with abun- narily influential in its time and after. No other scholar dant illustrations, Luke surveys Schwitters’s experi- Osborn wrestles with the problem Hydrocarbon Chemistry and has granted Schwitters’s late work the depth of apprecia- ments in shaping space and the development of his tion and importance that Luke accords the output of this Merzbau, describing his haphazard studios in Nor- period. She brings to this project a keen sensitivity to the way and England together with the intimate sculp- formal issues that lie at the heart of Schwitters’s work and tures, photographs, and collages he created there. ideas across his entire career. Her book makes a significant She makes a case for the enormous relevance of of biblical literalism and the ongo- professor of chemistry was University Professor MICHAEL contribution to the literature on Schwitters and should Schwitters’s aesthetic concerns to contemporary be read by scholars and students of both modern and keyline 11.22.2013 | 4-color process | scuff resistant matte film , artists, arguing that attention to his later practice postmodern art.” can provoke new narratives about modernism in the , Stanford University visual arts. These works, she shows, were born of ing challenge of animal suffering appointed to the National Acad- WATERMAN USC Associates artistic exchange and shaped by his rootless life in exile, and they demand an approach to the history THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS , www.press.uchicago.edu of art that privileges itinerancy over identity and the critical power of humorous inversion over unambig- uous communication. CHICAGO within an evolutionary under- THE RECKONING: Financial Ac- emy of Sciences, India. Chair in Natural Sciences MEGAN R. LUKE standing of the world. countability and the Rise and and professor of biological KURT SCHWITTERS: Space, Im- Fall of Nations Basic Books / Vice Dean for Diversity and sciences, computer science age, Exile University of Chicago Professor of History and Account- Strategic Initiatives GEORGE and mathematics, received Press / Megan R. Luke, assistant ing Jacob Soll presents a history SANCHEZ, professor of the People’s Republic of China professor of art history, tells of accounting to reveal how it has American studies and ethnic- Friendship Award. Also, the the fascinating, moving story of shaped kingdoms, empires and ity and history, was a panelist University of Southern Denmark the work produced by the ag- entire civilizations. at a discussion and screening of awarded him an honorary ing, isolated German artist Kurt the film Rubén Salazar: Man in degree. Waterman was elected Schwitters (1887–1948) under the the Middle, which examines the as one of nine foreign members Nazi regime and during his years Mexican American journalist and from seven countries to the Chi- in exile. symbol of the Chicano civil rights nese Academy of Sciences. movement. ANTHEM: Social Movements ALEXANDER ZHOLKOVSKY, and the Sound of Solidarity in THOMAS SEIFRID, professor professor of Slavic languages the African Diaspora NYU Press / and chair of Slavic languages and literatures, won the Analyzing how the composition, and literatures, is president Russian-Italian “Bella” Prize for performance and uses of Black of the American Association Best Essay on Poetry. anthems allow for a more complex of Teachers of Slavic and East reading of racial and political for- A FEMINIST VOYAGE THROUGH European Languages. DION DICKMAN, assistant mations within the 20th century, INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS professor of biological Shana L. Redmond, assistant Oxford University Press / Professor University Professor KEVIN sciences, and CHRISTOPH professor of American studies and Emerita of International Relations STARR, professor of history, HASELWANDTER, assistant THE MADWOMAN IN THE ethnicity, explains how and why J. Ann Tickner provides a com- and policy, planning and de- professor of physics and VOLVO: My Year of Raging diaspora was a formative concep- pendium of her work from the late velopment, delivered a lecture astronomy, were selected as Hormones W.W. Norton and Co. / tual and political framework of 1980s through today. at the new Fred W. Smith Nation- research fellows by the Alfred P. Master of Professional Writing modern Black identity. al Library for the Study of George Sloan Foundation.

Spring / Summer 2014 55 ALUMNI AND STUDENT CANON

HOTEL MARIACHI: Urban Space THE DEER WATCH Candlewick and Cultural Heritage in Los Press / Writing in evocative prose Angeles University of New Mexico poetry, Pat Lowery Collins BETTER LEFT UNSAID: Victo- Press / Catherine Kurland (B.A., English, ’53) tells the story rian Novels, Hays Code Films, (B.A., international relations, ’68) of a boy and his father who set and the Benefits of Censor- and Enrique Lamadrid (M.A., out over the dunes, through ship Stanford University Press Spanish, ’76; Ph.D., Spanish, ’79) the marsh and into the woods, / Nora Gilbert (Ph.D., English, co-authored a photographic and searching for a white-flag tail or a ’10) reveals the varied ways in ethnographic study of East L.A.’s Georgia and Dean Ananias (back) with their daughters (from left to set of leaping legs. which censorship can affect sex, 1889 landmark Hotel Mariachi that right) Debbie and Valerie of USC Dornsife and Cindy of Keck School of Medicine of USC. politics, feminism and art. showcases the history of L.A.’s vibrant mariachi community. Five Hours of Terror When the theme song from the movie Titanic boomed from the speakers, Georgia Ananias remarked that maybe it wasn’t the best song to play on a cruise ship. Her words would prove prophetic. A SACK HALF FULL: From Hu- An hour later, just as their din- mility to Humor Tate Publishing ner salads arrived, the family heard /Jerry Duprez (Ph.D., counseling EDGE OF VALOR Naval Institute 1001 QUESTIONS TO ASK a rumbling then intense vibrations. psychology, ’87) chronicles his Press / The latest Todd Ingram BEFORE HAVING A BABY De !en came a loud crash. !e lights journey through his experiences series entry by author John J. Sales Press / Monica Mendez went o#. Pandemonium. with testicular cancer — an Gobbell (B.A., English, ’60) finds Leahy (B.A., social sciences Earlier that day, Ananias and her husband, Dean, and experience that shed light on past the hero pulled into a maelstrom and communication, ’92) tackles two daughters, USC alumnae Valerie and Cindy, were and present life lessons. of events as he rushes from Oki- the concerns at the top of most thrilled to be setting out on the Costa Concordia for a Medi- nawa to the Philippines aboard expectant parents’ minds, includ- terranean vacation. the USS Maxwell in the summer ing those dealing with discipline, !eir expectations came to a screeching halt when the of 1945. financial concerns and the impact ship hit a huge reef. a baby will have on the parents’ “It was every man for himself,” Dean Ananias recalled. relationship. As passengers desperately attempted to disembark, the ship began listing dangerously just short of 90 degrees. !e vessel "nally hit the rocky sea *oor and stabilized. Had the winds not been so favorable, it might have drifted out to sea and sunk. After "ve hours of terror, the Ananias family made it UNIVERSITY PARK, LOS to land, then wrote a book about the experience. !irty- ANGELES: A Brief History The YA O T N O M O R U T R A Y B O T O H P LY I M A F S A I N A N A two of the more than 4,200 passengers on board lost their History Press / Current history lives. !ough traumatic, the experience made the Ananias undergraduate Charles Ept- KILLER Ballantine Books / The family stronger. ing inventories the significant latest entry in the Alex Delaware “Being a Trojan, you always have a sense of commitment, moments and lasting legacy of series by Jonathan Kellerman strength, dedication and endurance,” said USC Dornsife the USC University Park area, (Ph.D., psychology, ’74) finds the CHAMPION Putnam Young alumna Valerie ’04. “!ese are things you need in order to a microcosm of L.A.’s culture, hero ensnared in a toxic web of Readers Group / Marie Lu’s survive any disaster. !e expression, ‘Fight On’ became our architecture and development pathology during a bizarre child (B.A., political science, ’07) driving force.” —L.P. from an outpost attracting set- custody dispute. Legend trilogy concludes with a tlers into one of the world’s great Also by Jonathan Kellerman plague outbreak causing panic in TELL US ABOUT YOUR BOOK Write to USC Dornsife Magazine, Citigroup Center 8206, 41st Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90089-8206 or cosmopolitan metropolises. GUILT Ballantine Books the Colonies and war threatening [email protected] the Republic’s border cities.

56 DORNSIFE FAMILY

THE RAIN MUST FALL World BIRDS ON A WIRE Logos / VACATION BOY: Does this STEALING FIRE Drake Valley HIDDEN ORDER: A Thriller Nouveau / Evangeline Schulten Ellen Plotkin Mulholland (B.A., Count as a Career? AllClear / Press / Susan Sloate (B.A., Atria/Emily Bestler Books / In Maynard (B.A., international English literature / journalism, Jon L. Sattler’s (B.A., interna- broadcasting, ’79) sets an unex- the latest spy saga by Brad Thor relations, ’60; M.A., international ’85) explores the boundaries of tional relations and East Asian pected May/December romance (B.A., creative writing, ’92), covert relations, ’64) tells a tale based on traditional love and the role faith languages and cultures, ’93) in glittering 1980s Los Angeles. counter-terrorism operative Scot a true story of sisters coming of age and courage must play. humorous adventures draw read- Also by Susan Sloate Harvath must untangle a web amid post-World War I Europe. ers out of their armchairs and into REALIZING YOU: A Novel Ap- of conspiracy centuries in the places they never knew were there proach to Changing your Life making and head oﬀ the greatest to visit. co-written with Ron Doades threat America has ever seen. Drake Valley Press

MORE THAN THIS Candlewick PHOTOETRY: Poetry and Pho- BLOOD DRAMA White Whisker Press / Delving into the stuff of tography from South Central Books / Part crime drama, part nightmares for an existential L.A. Figueroa Press / Hiram RAIN OF THE GHOSTS St. Mar- black comedy, the latest book by exploration of the human psyche, Sims (B.A., creative writing, ’05; tin’s Griffin / Greg Weisman’s Christopher Meeks (MPW, ’82) Patrick Ness (B.A., English, ’93) MPW, ’07) blends poetry and BOX GIRL: My Part-Time Job (MPW, ’89) debut novel is the tale demonstrates just how bad a day chronicles the life — or perhaps images to create a lyrical and as an Art Installation Soft Skull of an adventurous young girl who can get when the organic matter afterlife — of a teen trapped in a visual testament to life in the City Publishing / From mistaking a discovers she has a mystery to hits the fan for one displaced crumbling, abandoned world. of Angels. modeling agency interview for a solve, a mission to complete and, graduate student. talent audition to avoiding Bond- oh, yes, the ability to see ghosts. girl-style deaths at New Year’s Eve parties, Lilibet Snellings (MPW, ’12) finds humor in her many CH I N E SE mishaps living in L.A. LOOKS FASHION, PERFORMANCE, RACE

Sean Metzger DADDY’S ZIGZAGGING BED- CHINESE LOOKS: Fashion, PACIFIC NORTHWEST CHEESE: TIME STORY Disney Hyperion MARKETING LITERATURE AND Performance, Race Indiana A HISTORY Oregon State Uni- / Alan Lawrence Sitomer POSTHUMOUS LEGACIES: The University Press / From yellow- versity Press / Tami Parr (Ph.D., (B.A., creative writing, ’89) spins Symbolic Capital of Leonid face performance in the 19th English, ’94) slices off a chunk an adventure that zigzags from Andreev and Vladimir Nabokov century to Jackie Chan in the 21st, of regional history by tracing the truck-driving princesses and Lexington Books / Frederick H. Sean Metzger (M.A., compara- craft of cheesemaking in the Pacif- space aliens who burp fire to A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM White (Ph.D., Slavic languages and tive literature, ’98) examines ar- ic Northwest to the first fur trad- kung-fu pigs and cupcake-making Madison Street Publishing / Writ- literatures, ’02) co-authored (with ticles of clothing, media portrayals ers, recounting how cheesemak- unicorns, and back. ten in the style of Austen herself, Yuri Leving) an examination of the and modes of adornment as a ing became a thriving modern-day Also by Alan Lawrence Sitomer Scott D. Southard’s (MPW, ’02) creation and maintenance of literary window on how American views industry on small farms in Oregon, CAGED WARRIOR Disney novel ponders the question faced reputations within the Russian liter- of China have changed in the past Washington and Idaho. Hyperion by many devoted readers over the ary tradition from the perspective of 150 years. years: Did she ever find love? the economics of culture.

Spring / Summer 2014 57 TROJANALITY

Alumni News GEORGE GOKEL (Ph.D., chemistry, ’71) has been named a 1940s fellow of the National Academy of S. L. “SID” STEBEL (B.A., Eng- Inventors. He is Distinguished Pro- lish literature, ’49) gifted his fessor of Science and director of !Pakistan isese seen through Birds the eyes of street children Walk in alumna Valentina manuscripts and materials deal- the Center for Nanoscience at the Canavesio’s documentary out on DVD. ing with his career as a writer and University of Missouri, St. Louis. educator to the USC Libraries. GERALDINE KNATZ (Ph.D., 1950s biological sciences, ’79) has RICHARD AUGER (B.A., been named a member of the philosophy, ’56) retired after 44 National Academy of Engineer- years as a clinical psychologist ing (NAE), the highest profes- and Jungian analyst in private sional distinction accorded to an practice. He served two years engineer. Knatz, a lecturer at USC as president of the C. G. Jung Viterbi School of Engineering, is Institute of Los Angeles. the former Port of Los Angeles executive director. 1960s JEWEL KOLLING BASSE (B.A., MARK R. LARET (M.A., politi- psychobiology, ’67) of San cal science, ’78), chief executive Francisco, a trial lawyer with officer of University of California, more than 30 years of litiga- San Francisco Medical Center tion, arbitration and mediation and UCSF Benioff Children’s Bathed in the golden hue of a few *ickering candles, experience, has been invited to Hospital, has been elected 2014 the boys lay barefoot on the cold, stone-speckled *oor. join the American Board of Trial chair of the California Hospital Huddled together, one asked, “Do you believe in God?” Advocates (ABOTA). Association Board of Trustees. before they all whispered a prayer. O I S E V A N A C A N I T N E L A V F O Y S E T R U O C O T O H P O I S E V A N A C ; S E I R O AT R O B A L E P O C S O L L I C S O F O Y S E T R U O C E G A M I L L I T S E I V O M “I miss falling asleep with my brothers and sisters,” 1970s JOHN D. MEYER (Ph.D., one tear-streaked boy said. LAUREL ANN BOGEN (B.A., physics, ’79) was awarded the Outside, a faded sign half-covered with overgrown English, ’71; MPW, ’01) was ap- Davies Medal 2013 by the Royal leafy branches declares in Arabic: Safe Home for Un- pointed to the board of directors Photographic Society of Great known and Abandoned Children. of Beyond Baroque Literary/Arts Britain in recognition of his role in Valentina Canavesio ’04 produced These !e home for destitute and runaway children has Center, a prominent independent revolutionizing digital imaging. Birds Walk, a documentary about way- literary foundation located in ward children in Pakistan. stood in Karachi, Pakistan, since 1951. “!ese kids are young. !ey are lost,” said Abdul Sat- Venice, CA. ROBERT SANTELLI (M.A., tar Edhi, 86, who founded the home that grew into a foundation with more than 300 American studies, ’78), execu- similar centers across Pakistan. “You must take them home.” BARBARA CROFTS (B.A., tive director of the GRAMMY Mu- Often, however, returning these boys to their own homes requires traveling across international relations, ’74; seum, delivered the commence- deadly Taliban territory. Asad Ghori, once a runaway who took refuge at Edhi’s home, MBA,’08) was appointed chief ment address to Monmouth is the driver of the rusted ambulance that returns the children to their families. financial officer of AllDigital University graduates and was What Ghori encounters is captured in $ese Birds Walk, a documentary produced by Holdings, Inc. awarded an honorary degree Valentina Canavesio, who earned her bachelor’s in international relations from USC during the Jan. 17 commence- Dornsife in 2004. For Ghori, returning the children to their parents is often more CHRISTINE E. GEOSLING ment ceremony. disturbing than crossing extremely dangerous territory. (Ph.D, chemistry, ’77) received Ra"ullah was one such boy. the 2013 Resnik Challenger Medal The book Developing Physician “If you drop me o# now, they will start beating me right away,” Ra"ullah said, cry- from the Society of Women Leaders for Successful Clinical In- ing in the back of the van. Engineers for “a long and vision- tegration (Health Administration !eir arrival produced the documentary’s most chilling scene when one uncle said: ary career of breaking barriers Press), co-authored by JACQUE “He would have been more use to us if you brought back his corpse.” Ghori then began in space navigation technology, SOKOLOV (B.A., pre-medicine, negotiating to spare the boy from punishment. making longer, more complex ’75; MD, ’78), was awarded the “!e Edhi Foundation has a policy that they will not release a child who does not data-gathering missions pos- 2014 James A. Hamilton Book of want to go home,” Canavesio said. “But o#-camera Ra"ullah said sible.” Her research and develop- the Year by the American College that he just missed his mother and his siblings.” ment work was carried out at of Healthcare Executives. !e title of the compelling "lm conjures bird imagery that can be Northrop Grumman Corporation, seen as a metaphor for these children not being given the wings to *y. where she is currently an engi- PHILIP WOO (B.A., urban “But the title,” she explained, “means di#erent things to di#erent neering program manager. studies, ’76) celebrated the sec-

people.” —P.J.J. ond anniversary of the founding

58 DORNSIFE FAMILY

TROJANS GIVE BACK

of his environmentally friendly 1990s ARCHANA RAMASUNDARAM Southern California-based firm, CHARLES CLAVER (B.A., (M.S., sociology/criminology, Packaging with Print. political science, ’97) is chief ’91) is director-general of police, operating officer for Los Angeles- Tamil Nadu Uniformed Services Securing the Future 1980s based New Empire Entertainment Recruitment Board in Chennai, A $1 million gift by alumni Linda and Harlan Martens DANIEL D. BEINTEMA (B.S., Insurance Services Inc., and Tru- India. establishes the USC-Huntington Early Modern Studies biological sciences, ’82) was man Van Dyke Company, special- Institute’s Endowed Director’s Chair. appointed vice president of izing in entertainment insurance. Historian WALTER RICH1 development by the USS Midway MOND (M.A. and Ph.D., Slavic Museum in San Diego, CA. ERIC B. GARFIELD (B.A., po- languages and literatures, litical science, ’93), MAI, CCIM, ’89, ’94), an expert on Islamic GREG BRANNON (B.S., has been promoted to managing societies in the Caucasus, pub- biological sciences, ’82) is a director and the National Tan- lished The Circassian Genocide candidate for the U.S. Senate, gible Asset Department Leader (Rutgers University Press), mak- representing North Carolina. for WTAS LLC, a nationwide tax ing a compelling case that Sochi, compliance and consulting firm. Russia, was the site of modern MICHELLE ADAMS BURCHETT Europe’s first genocide. (B.A., political science, ’82), JENNIFER 8NICHOLS9 KE1 journalist, freelance writer and ARNS (B.A., psychology, ’94) 2000s public affairs specialist, was was honored in July 2013 by the CURTIS BAKER (B.A., eco- awarded the Media Champion National Academy of Television nomics, ’01) has been appointed Award by Substance Abuse Free Arts and Sciences with two Emmy superintendent of the Moon Area Environment, Inc. awards, one for production and School District board in Moon USC Dornsife alumni Linda and Harlan Martens, longtime champions of their alma one for writing, both in the Short Township, PA. He previously mater, have donated funds to the humanities. Pennsylvania State Univer- Form category. She also recently worked as the deputy super- sity named LINDA M. COLLINS joined the city of San Diego’s intendent at Roanoke, VA., city Growing up in Pasadena, Calif., Harlan Martens’ fam- (Ph.D., psychology, ’83), Corporate Partnership Office as public schools since 2007 and has ily would bring out-of-town visitors to the magni"cent professor of human development marketing manager. worked for the Lancaster School Huntington Library. His wife, Linda, originally of Ful- and family studies, and statistics, District in California. lerton, Calif., also remembers visiting the library as a and director of The Methodology H. GAVIN LONG (B.A., English/ child. !e place has held special signi"cance for them. Center, a distinguished professor American history, ’96) has been EGBERT NATHANIEL Now this is true for a new reason. for her record of research, teach- appointed to the board of direc- DAWKINS III (B.A., linguis- A $1 million donation by the couple, both USC ing and service. tors of the Consumer Attorneys of tics, psychology and commu- Dornsife alumni and longtime supporters of USC, has California. nication, ’01), (aka Aloe Blacc) established the Linda and Harlan Martens Endowed ESTHER KIA’AINA (B.A., released his third album, Lift Director’s Chair for the USC-Huntington Early Mod- international relations, ’85) CHRISTINA MARSDEN (B.A., Your Spirit, and is the opening ern Studies Institute (EMSI), housed in USC Dornsife. is a nominee to serve as the history, ’94) was appointed ex- act on Bruno Mars’ Moonshine !is gift accompanies a matching grant of $1.5 mil- assistant secretary for Insular ecutive director of Hope Haven Jungle tour. lion made by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in Areas at the U.S. Department of Children’s Non-Profit Charity. recognition of EMSI’s success during its 10-year exis- the Interior. She currently serves ALEXIS JONES (B.A., inter- tence. !e Martens’ gift, plus an additional $500,000, as the first deputy director of the NOAH MARGO (B.A., English/ national relations, ’05; M.A., clinches a $3 million endowment. Hawai’i Department of Land and creative writing, ’90; MPW, communication management, Peter Mancall, Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Natural Resources. ’92) was installed as president of ’07) has been promoting her Humanities, vice dean for the humanities, and profes- the Beverly Hills Unified School organization, I Am That Girl, a sor of history and anthropology, holds the new endowed GREGORY PRIAMOS (B.A., District Board of Trustees. campaign she started to help director’s chair. political science, ’85), city young women turn their self- “Harlan and Linda are great supporters of USC and attorney for Riverside, CA, was JENNIE NOLL (B.A., ’90; doubt into self-love. really stepped up to the challenge,” Mancall said. “We elected president of the City Ph.D., ’95, both psychology) conduct a wide range of programs through EMSI, and Attorneys Department of the has been appointed director of SANDRA KHOR MANICKAM this endowment provides stability and security by en- MARTENS PHOTO BY STEVE COHN League of California Cities. Pennsylvania State University’s (B.A., history, ’00) joined the suring a permanent source of funding for the director’s Network on Child Protection and Department of Southeast Asian position.” JEFFREY M. RICH (B.A., Well-Being. Studies at Frankfurt University Founded in 2003 with seed funding from the Mellon political science, ’82) received in Germany in 2012 as a junior Foundation, EMSI has a strong partnership with the the prestigious AV Preeminent JOHN WILLIAM PARKER III professor. Huntington Library. !e institute supports advanced Peer Review Rating from (B.A., English literature, ’90) research and scholarship on human societies across the Martindale-Hubbell, the highest is the new vintner and proprietor globe between 1450 and 1850. It advances interdisci- such peer review rating available of Parker Wine. He launched his Continued on page 60. plinary research in the areas of history, art history, lit- to any individual lawyer. inaugural wine in 2013. erature and music. —L.P.

Spring / Summer 2014 59 TROJANALITY

ALPHA MULUGETA (B.A., Engagements, psychology, ’06) (aka Honey Weddings, Mahogany) appeared in the Anniversaries and Gates of Paradise fourth episode of the HBO series Births International relations and political science double major Reid Lidow earns a Gates Looking and released a debut EP, Cambridge Scholarship for graduate studies at the University of Cambridge. Honey Love. ROBERT 8ROB9 ABERGAS (B.A., English, ’06) married GRAHAM SNYDER (B.A., so- KRISTEN NICOLE WONG (B.S., cial sciences/psychology, ’09) biochemistry, ’06; B.S., dental is opening a restaurant, the Co- hygiene, ’11) on Oct. 19, 2013 at wiche Canyon Kitchen, in Yakima, the Hotel Maya in Long Beach, CA. WA. He previously launched the successful Italian restaurant Os- KRISTINA ALAAN (B.A., bio- teria La Buca in Hollywood, CA. logical sciences, ’03) married Adam Luchey In Las Vegas, NV. 2010s on June 22, 2013.

SOPHIA LEE (B.A., East Asian LEILANI DIMOND (B.A., bio- languages and cultures, and logical sciences, ’09) married print journalism, ’13) is a fea- JAMES CHRISTOPHER CHAN tures reporter for WORLD. (B.S., biomedical engineering, ’09; M.S., biomedical engineer- Freestyle skier JUNG HWA ing, ’10) on Dec. 21, 2013. SEO (B.A., East Asian studies, degree pending) competed for STEPHANIE N. KELLY (B.A., her native South Korea in Sochi, sociology, ’00) and her husband Russia, during the 2014 Winter MATTHEW C. KELLY (B.A., Olympic Games. political science/American Reid Lidow wants to look to the future and help transform the talk about Burma’s shift to a democratic federalist system from rhetoric to reality. studies, ’00) welcomed their BITA SHAHIAN (B.A., psychol- son, Everett, born Oct. 7, 2013. Senior Reid Lidow, an international relations and political science double major, has ogy, ’11) created Startup Boot- been awarded a highly competitive Gates Cambridge Scholarship. !is award grants camp, a way for the Los Angeles JOEL MORGAN (B.S., envi- him a full scholarship for graduate studies at the University of Cambridge, where he General Assembly to introduce ronmental studies/biology, will pursue a master of philosophy in development studies starting in Fall 2014. college students to the develop- ’00) and Johanna Flood Morgan Lidow, 21, was chosen based on his intellectual ability, social leadership potential ment and marketing aspects welcomed a son, Andrew Joseph, and demonstrated commitment to helping others. Administered through the Bill and of beginning or working for a on Nov. 19, 2013. Melinda Gates Foundation, the Gates Cambridge program aims to build a global net- technology-based startup. work of future leaders committed to improving lives worldwide. ERIN MULLIGAN 8GOULD9 !is year’s applicant pool included 800 students. Of those, 40 scholars were selected After a pick-six and a fumble (B.A., biological sciences, ’99) and will be joined by an additional 55 international scholars to be chosen later this year. recovery, Seattle Seahawks and Donald Mulligan welcomed For the past three years, Lidow has served as a research assistant for Professor of linebacker MALCOLM SMITH their daughter Taylor Kristine International Relations and Vice Dean of Academic Programs Steven Lamy. (B.A., economics, ’11) was Mulligan, born Dec. 7, 2013. “Reid is an incredible intellectual force, approaching all of his tasks with energy, named MVP at Super Bowl XLVIII, creativity and commitment to quality scholarship,” Lamy said. becoming the third Trojan ever to CHRISTINE RENKEN 8BANCH1 “His interests in development and human security in Southeast Asia will be further receive that honor. He is also the ICH9 (B.A., sociology/political developed at Cambridge,” he continued. “I see him becoming an important participant ﬁrst defensive player to win MVP science, ’01) and her husband, in the policy community working in this vital area.” honors since 2003. Kenneth Renken, announced the Lidow hails from Encino, Calif., and is a graduate of Harvard-Westlake School in birth of their second child, Eliza- Studio City, Calif. JACK TSENG (Ph.D., integra- beth Marie, a sister for Catherine. “Even though mine is the only name listed under the award, I couldn’t have done it tive and evolutionary biology, OF REID PHOTO LIDOW COURTESY without the help of so many individuals,” Lidow said. “I think about professor Lamy, ’11) of the American Museum of KRISTINA ROODSARI (B.A., on day one when I was a freshman, telling me about all the opportunities available to Natural History in New York, NY, political science, ’00) married me at USC and my possibilities upon graduation.” helped unearth the oldest, big Perry John Boero on May 26, He credited Associate Professor of International Relations Dan Lynch, his thesis cat fossil yet in the Himalayas. 2013, in Westlake Village, CA. adviser, for piquing his interest in Burma. Estimated at 4.4 million years “Professor Lynch made it possible for me to ask the right questions about the country old, the species was named JODI SAEGER (B.S., kinesiol- in order to produce substantive, quality research that advances the discussion and sheds Panthera blytheae and is closely ogy, ’01) married Greg Hart on light on an underserved topic and area of the world.” —L.P. related to the snow leopard. Sept. 28, 2013 in Watertown, SD.

60 TROJANALITY

MELISSA KATHRYN SELIG1 (environmental studies and MANN (B.A., political science, earth sciences), Holly Kreiswirth ’07) married Eugene Gokhvat at (dean’s office), Howard Ho the vacation home of the bride’s (MPW program office), Jason family in Teton Village, WY, on Ballmann (Southern California Oct. 19, 2013. Earthquake Center), Jody Agius $Close to Tinseltowne Envelope, but better than the Academy Awards Please are the annual Vallejo (assistant professor, USC Alumni Awards. BIANCA STRONG 8NEVES9 sociology) Third Row: Jonathan (B.A., English, ’02; MAT, Kuhn (admission office), Katie Call it the USC Oscars. !e annual Alumni Awards Rossier, ’05) married Reuben Harazin (geological sciences, ’11), gala is the premier event sponsored by the USC Alumni Neves on Aug. 13, 2013, in Santa Damian De La Torre (business Association. Each year since 1932, the association has Barbara, CA. They welcomed office), Amanda Schmitt, Alexa paid tribute to members of the Trojan Family with its the birth of their daughter, Fiona Mencia and Melia Albrecht (all highest honors. Marie Neves, on Nov. 25, 2013. international relations), Natalie !is year, four from the group of winners were a)li- Milian (political science and ated with USC Dornsife. ADAM ROSS ZAENTZ (B.A., communications) Fourth Row: Associate Senior Vice President for Alumni Relations kinesiology, ’06) married Martha Neil Vincent (applied psychol- Patrick E. Auerbach, Ed.D. ’08, praised the USC Dorn- Rose Goodwin at Temple Beth-El ogy), Alex Wong (business office), sife winners. in Providence, RI, on Nov. 23, 2013. Pooja Patel (psychology), Rosa Jana Waring Greer “!ey shine a brilliant light not only on the Dornsife Cervantes (dean’s office), Dani- College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, but also across a SEND ALUMNI NEWS FOR elle La Berge (applied psychol- rich spectrum of university programs and disciplines,” CONSIDERATION TO ogy) and Lee Van Ginkel he said. USC Dornsife Magazine Fifth Row: Darby Saxbe (as- And the Alumni Service Awards go to: Citigroup Center 8206, 41st Floor, sistant professor, psychology), Los Angeles, CA 90089-8206 Jana Waring Greer, who earned her bachelor’s in or submit online at dornsife.usc. Svea Morales (dean’s office), speech communications in 1973 and is chair of the USC edu/alumni-news. Information may Letty Avila (communication of- Dornsife Board of Councilors. In the 1970’s, communi- be edited for space. fice), Clifford Johnson (profes- cations was under the auspices of USC Dornsife. sor, physics), Sherri Sammon Listings for the “Alumni News” and “In Greer is president and chief executive o)cer of the Memoriam” sections are compiled based on (dean’s office) Sixth Row: David submissions from alumni and USC Dornsife Individual and Group Retirement division of American departments as well as published notices from Meacham (MPW, ’14), Michelle International Group, Inc. (AIG). She has direct respon- media outlets. Salzman Boston (communica- sibility for AIG’s domestic retirement savings businesses, tion office), Kim Price (business Christine M. Ofiesh with assets of more than $200 billion under management. office), Kristine Caguin (human Christine M. O!esh, who received her bachelor’s in resources), Donal Manahan (vice history in 1974, is a Los Angeles native, dedicated USC dean for students) Seventh volunteer and full-time philanthropist who supports her Row: Damesh Seitzhaparova alma mater and many other greater Los Angeles-area (mathematics), Jerome Fletcher dornsife.usc.edu/alumni-news organizations. (business office), Steve Lamy !e Alumni Merit Awards go to: (vice dean for academic pro- Robert Osher, who earned his bachelor’s in cinema in grams), Darren Ruddell (assis- 1981 and is a USC Dornsife Board of Councilors mem- Selfie Credits tant professor, teaching, spatial ber. Osher is president of Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Page 13 sciences) and Niels van Manen Digital Production division, comprising animation, Left column: Kate Flint (Provost (professor of spatial sciences, image works, interactive and post-production services. Professor of English and Art Vrije University), Jessilyn Chwa Under his leadership, Sony Pictures Animation has pro- PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE USC ALUMNI PHOTOS ASSOCIATION COURTESY History) (philosophy, politics and law) Robert Osher duced numerous hits, including Hotel Transylvania, $e Smurfs and the Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs "lms. Collage: Back cover: From 2004 to 2009, Osher was the chief operating First Row (left to right): Karen Top row: Daphna Oyserman o)cer of the Columbia Pictures Motion Picture Group, Tongson (associate professor, (Dean’s Professor of Psychology), where he oversaw such blockbusters as the Spider-Man English and gender studies), Claudia Wu (applied psychol- and James Bond "lms. Prior to joining Columbia, he was Steve Kay (dean), Ange-Marie ogy); Rob Woolley (advancement co-president of production for Miramax Films. Hancock (associate professor, office) and Traveler Gail Samuel earned her bachelor’s in psychology in political science) and Rini Sam- 1988, bachelor’s in music in 1989 and master of busi- path (international relations), Second Row: Allison Shore ness administration in 2002. Samuel currently serves as Anna Lisa McClelland (MPW, ’13), and James Usrey (both applied chief operating o)cer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Carnissa Lucas-Smith (philoso- psychology), Stephanie Abraham Association. At USC, she has served on the Board of phy, politics and law) and friend (MPW), Moh El-Naggar (assistant Councilors for the !ornton School of Music since Second Row: Matthew Del Muro professor, physics) Gail Samuel 2009. —P.J.J.

Spring / Summer 2014 61 REMEMBERING In Memoriam National Association of College basketball at high school; contin- “I will miss my dad’s constant and University Business Officers ued playing sports at El Camino wisdom, guidance and leader- ALISSA “LIL” OR “LISS” ANN recognizing outstanding career College and USC; after brief ship,” said Dockson’s daughter (SMEGO) BIGELOW (B.A., achievement in the field of busi- teaching career, worked in com- Kimberlee Dockson Rollo. political science, ’98) Boston, ness and financial management mercial real estate with Coldwell Earning his master’s in interna- MA (10/5/13) at age 38; earned in higher education; in 1996, was Banker and Home Depot. tional relations in 1940, Dockson degree while working as an elected chairman of The Listen- received his Ph.D. in economics actress in national commer- ing Post Group, an organization DOUG POWER (B.A., interna- in 1946. Both were from USC cials and prime time television of senior administrative and tional relations, ’60) Irvington, Dornsife. He earned his bach- shows; earned a master’s degree financial officers of the private VA (11/20/13) at age 77; had a elor’s degree from the University in broadcast journalism from Association of American Uni- successful career in the food of Illinois in 1939. Boston University; editor and versities. processing and packaging in- Dean of the USC Marshall features producer at the New dustry; his ashes were scattered School of Business from 1959 to England Sports Network (NESN) RONALD L. GIBBS (B.S., on the Rappahannock River and LARRY L. BERG, longtime com- 1969, Dockson played an integral nightly news show, Sports Desk, chemistry, ’70) Charlotte, NC the San Francisco Bay, where he mentator on state and national role in shaping the breadth and based in Boston; a self-taught (11/2/13) at age 65; worked for loved to sail. politics and founder of the Jesse impact of today’s modern busi- cook, launched live cooking Dow Chemical Company for 25 M. Unruh Institute of Politics, ness school. show, In the Kitchen with Alissa years in Baton Rouge, LA, and CHARLES JESS “CHUCK” housed at USC Dornsife, died at Bigelow. Midland, MI, latterly as manager SANCHEZ (B.A., international his home in Calabasas, CA, on of network communications and relations, ’72) Deland, FL Thanksgiving 2013. He was 74. WALTER LEE COZAD (B.A., scientific visualization for Central (10/12/13) at age 64; worked for Berg succumbed to complica- geology, ’70) Lake Arrowhead, Research; represented North the postal service for 15 years tions associated with lung can- CA (11/4/13) at age 78; a Realtor Carolina in the Senior Olympics then was self-employed for more cer. As executive director of the and writer, he purchased a dead in table tennis; published Agates than 10; worked for Labcorp after Unruh Institute, Berg became volcano in Barstow, CA, and sold and Jaspers in 2009; taught moving to Florida in 1998. one of the most insightful politi- volcanic material to Caltrans intarsia inlay and macro-photog- cal analysts of his era. ZIMET MIRA BY PHOTO FIELD LIVZEY; JOHN BY PHOTO DOCKSON POLITICS; OF INSTITUTE UNRUH USC THE OF COURTESY PHOTO BERG for road surfacing; produced raphy at William Holland School LELAND “LEE” HOWARD Martha M. Escutia, later to be Mountain Explorer magazine; of Lapidary Arts in Young Harris, SCOTT (B.A., religion, ’45) elected to both chambers of the wrote two local history books, GA; active member of Charlotte (10/19/13) at age 88; lifelong California Legislature, said the Those Magnificent Mountain Gem and Mineral Club and Char- social justice advocate; became only “B” she received at USC was Movies and More Magnificent lotte Apple Computer Club. campus minister for the Wesley from Berg. Mountain Movies; most recent Foundation at First United “Now I realize what that B SYD FIELD, a lecturer in the book was Atlantis, Then and PATRICIA (PAT) MULLER Methodist Church, Tucson, AZ meant,” she said. “Larry expect- Master of Professional Writing Now; president of the Rim of the HICKEY (B.A., international in 1958; instrumental in creation ed more and encouraged me to (MPW) program at USC Dornsife, World Historical Society, founder relations, ’45) Pasadena, CA of the Campus Christian Center always aspire for better.” whose 1979 book, Screenplay: of the Mountain History Museum (11/15/13) at age 90; president at the University of Arizona; The Foundations of Screenwrit- and member of the Mountain of Gamma Phi Beta; member joined the founding faculty of ing has been the major reference Sunrise Rotary. of Amazon and Mortar Board; Pima Community College in 1969; tool for generations of writers, recipient of University Women’s taught humanities and worked has died. He was 77. DENNIS DOUGHERTY III, Los Award; member of The As- as a guidance counselor; active Field died Nov. 17, 2013, of Angeles, CA (11/8/13) at age 76; sistance League of Pasadena, in college leadership until he the blood disorder hemolytic USC senior vice president of Christ Child Society of Pasadena, retired in 1990. anemia at his Beverly Hills, CA, finance and chief financial officer Trojan League, National Char- home, surrounded by his wife, from 1990 to 2008; began his ity League, and president of SAKAYE SHIGEKAWA (B.A, family and friends. career in 1955 on the account- Women’s Club of St. Felicitas & pre-medicine, ’36) Los Angeles, A Hollywood native, Field ing staff at Drexel University; Perpetua. CA (10/18/13) at age 100; medical taught at MPW from 2001 until a served as chief financial officer doctor and lifelong generous few weeks before his death. and comptroller at The College ROBERT STEPHEN KARL donor to USC. He wrote nine screenplays and of Physicians of Philadelphia (B.A., Spanish, ’84) Chumpon, one was made into a film. and Atlantic Human Resources, Thailand (12/26/13) at age 52; BETTY ANN (OUTHIER) THY- ROBERT R. DOCKSON, among “Syd Field was an inspiration then spent nine years at the worked in retail for many years; SEN (B.A., social welfare, ’37) the most distinguished gradu- — we call him the ‘Aristotle of University of Pennsylvania before was active in Darien Little Cupertino, CA (10/4/13) at age ates of USC Dornsife’s School Hollywood’ because he had that joining USC; in 1990, was elected League. 98; an active hiker and opera en- of International Relations and a particular kind of encyclope- chairman of the board of the thusiast who supported Planned generous USC benefactor, has dic dramatic knowledge,” said influential Council on Govern- JAMES “JIM” TERRY LLOYD Parenthood and the Sierra Club. died. He was 96. Brighde Mullins, MPW director. mental Relations and, four years (B.A., history, ’69) Laguna Dockson died Nov. 26, 2013, “Syd influenced generations later, received the Distinguished Beach, CA (10/19/13) at age 67; at his Los Angeles home, sur- of screenwriters worldwide,” Business Officer Award from the lettered in football, baseball and rounded by family. Mullins said.

62 DORNSIFE FAMILY

Fun-loving Intellectual PHOTO BY IRENE FERTIK AND COURTESY OF THE USC UNIVERSITY PHOTO ARCHIVES BY OFIRENE THE FERTIK AND USC UNIVERSITY COURTESY Anthony Mlikotin, professor emeritus of Slavic languages and literatures, and a Croatian immigrant, founded the Slavic department at USC Dornsife in 1967.

Professor Emeritus of Slavic Languages and Literatures “He told me, ‘I just like to be around students,’ ” said Anthony Mlikotin, founding chairman of the department Mlikotin’s daughter, Dunja Wright ’90. “USC was his and 31-year faculty member at USC Dornsife, has died. home. He really loved what he did and he kept returning.” He was 87. !omas Seifrid, professor and chair of Slavic languages Mlikotin died on Sept. 13 at Seacrest Convalescent and literatures, said the department would not be what it Home in San Pedro, Calif., from pneumonia. is today without Mlikotin. Anthony Mlikotin, Joining USC Dornsife in 1965, he became founding “Anthony Mlikotin was a lively presence in the depart- professor emeritus of Slavic chairman of the Department of Slavic Languages and ment — which has now risen to become one of the top languages and literatures, Literatures two years later. In three years, the number of Slavic departments in the country — for all who knew immigrated to the United students taking classes in the department rose from 33 to him when he was still teaching at USC,” Seifrid said. States from Croatia in 266. Currently, about 500 students attend Slavic classes. “He taught energetically and took his students’ po- 1952. Here, he chats with Mlikotin retired in 1996 at age 72 as professor emeri- tential for intellectual engagement — especially with his students on USC’s Univer- tus, but remained connected to faculty and students, driv- favorite philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche — seriously, sity Park campus in 1988. ing to campus two or three times weekly to visit the Slavic expecting them not only to read and comprehend the department, talk with professors, read at the library or go text but to think deeply about what it might mean for to the cafeteria to drink co#ee and chat with friends. their lives.”

Spring / Summer 2014 63 IN MY OPINION

My JEP peers and I saw in the eyes of these young students familiar bright lights telegraphing ambition, talent, vision and hope. We also saw in their classrooms despair scattered among the few outdated textbooks, long, din- gy corridors and the passionate teachers exhausted with supplementing more and more materials to give their students a "ghting chance. It was an early lesson in educational disparity that moved beyond the individual indi#erence that I experi- enced at better-funded schools, to a more structural disparity that, until then, I was unaware existed. A transformative mission emerged — to get hopeful students to see themselves as they wish to be seen, not as others wish to see them. !ey fueled my commitment to excel in service to those who sought to receive not just hope but also help in achieving their own goals. Believe me, since then no matter the task, the brilliant eyes of those JEP kids continue to inspire me. Recruit- ing middle and secondary school students, and mentoring graduate students, junior faculty or emerging leaders invigorates new ways of thinking and doing, and keeps me grounded in the obligation of second chances. As department chair at Kent State University, I’d ask Upward Bound high school students if they knew what department chairs did. Most didn’t. I’d explain, then ask, “Who wants my job?” As hands slowly rose, I’d say, “Your training starts today.” One young student perched StrongDiedre L. Badejo ’73 isAs deeply rooted Oak in community. between her parents and grandmother took me up on it. After being admitted, she became a work-study student Consider Kahlil Gibran’s passage in the chapter “On Giv- in my o)ce, then a faculty assistant and an outreach pro- ing” as told in 1923’s $e Prophet: “!ey give that they may gram tutor. She was last seen in graduate school prepar- live, for to withhold is to perish … . And what desert great- ing, as I had encouraged, to do my job. er shall there be than that which lies in the courage and the Arriving at USC, I only knew I wanted to graduate, con"dence, nay the charity, of receiving.” write, teach, research and understand the world. To me, Gibran intimates that humans — like trees — must give USC was the portal to personal and community evolution. and receive freely if we are to bloom continuously. And like Living life fully is like being a ripple in a pond. Starting trees, we must also weather many storms. with my own family, it means disrupting patterns, creat- I am a bicoastal sapling, and where I stand now is as ing new seascapes. Now, whatever “"rsts” my children and much a mystery as it is a revelation. Always passionate mentees achieve, they will do so from the starting gate of about learning, I’ve frequently met with resistance. As a their own post-secondary experiences. high school junior, I won a merit scholarship but a rather Fortunately, USC’s faculty and JEP nurtured S ) ' ( % LY R many A E E H T N I C S U AT , M I K , R E T H G U A D H T I W O J E D A B . L E R D E I D indolent counselor refused to guide me through the col- "rst-generation students like me. It is often said, to whom lege application process. Frustrated, I took classes that much is given, much is expected. Today I speak with a summer, graduated early, got a job, got married and at 18 voice that was once threatened with being silenced by en- became a mother. After three years, I *ed an abusive mar- mity and fear. riage, lost the scholarship and gained responsibility for our Like artists sculpting bonsai trees, I believe we are re- 16-month-old daughter. But I never lost sight of complet- sponsible for bringing to light the hidden jewels of those ing college. Being a "rst-generation college student is often who entrust themselves to us. As we prune and reshape fraught with such near misses. them, we receive a gift that re*ects our own courage, vi- A few years after arriving in L.A., I graduated from Los sion and labor. And that is as it should be. Angeles Community College and after winning a Ford Foundation scholarship, USC Dornsife o#ered me the gift Diedre L. Badejo graduated with her bachelor’s in English in of a second chance — and an undergraduate degree. 1973. A Fulbright Senior Scholar and professor of African, Af- USC Dornsife’s Joint Educational Project (JEP), too, rican Diaspora and Comparative Studies at the University of gave me a chance to give that which I so desperately want- Baltimore, she’s widely published. Her pioneering work on the ed to receive. It became, and remains, an opportunity to Yoruba goddess Osun led her to serve as content expert on the build a ladder of hope to students destined to become Osun Osogbo segment for a forthcoming PBS documentary, “"rsts” in their families. Sacred Journeys, to be aired in December 2014.

64 As we celebrate its 40th anniversary year, we invite you to support the Joint Educational Project through the JEP Gifting Tree.

Each leaf denotes an aspect of the di!erent programs and will help provide critical resources for our educational projects. Be a part of JEP's legacy by underwriting a leaf. Your gift will help JEP to continue to branch out into the community with its signature service-learning programs.

For a full list of the Gifting Tree leaves, visit dornsife.usc.edu/give

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