2020 IMPACTRESEARCH AT BROWN

The Data-Driven Rise of Economics Page 18

Enterprising Student Minds Page 28

The Search for Dark Matter Page 36

Composing New Classics BATTLING Page 43 ALZHEIMER’S PAGE 22 STARTING OFF TABLE OF CONTENTS

In September 2019, Brown beautiful new building last year, and the dynamic space is en- received its largest-ever federal abling development of ideas to improve people’s lives. Brown grant, $53.4 million from the students and recent alumni are winning many competitions, in- Research National Institutes of Health. cluding two of the three top awards from the highly visible 18  Brown’s School of Public Health MassChallenge startup accelerator. Briefs is leading a national effort to Our donor-funded Brown Biomedical Innovations to Impact 2 Studying Race Data improve health care and qual- (BBII) is another powerful example of how philanthropy and re- Through Film ity of life for people living with search can combine to fuel translational research. In 2019, BBII 4 Medical Innovation Driven Alzheimer’s disease and care- gave five awards of $100,000 to cutting-edge faculty biomedical 5 Secrets of Cravings Brown’s economics givers. Partnering with Hebrew projects with the potential to produce new drugs and treatments. 6 Chemical Sleuth department has moved Senior Life, our researchers Research also connects with Brown’s Open Curriculum, 6 Alumni: Rebecca into the top tier, spurred are guiding colleagues at more than 30 large universities and which this year marks its 50th anniversary. I believe that our unique Ballhaus by the addition of hospitals around the country, and their projects will show us approach to the student-faculty partnership in education has 7 Brown’s Astronaut strong faculty who are how to scale breakthroughs in treatment from laboratory to the played an important role in Brown’s research for societal benefit. 8 Research Honors focusing on sophisticated real world. I invite you to read about Jessica Meir ’99, who at this writing 8 Alumni: Myechia data analysis. True to Brown’s breadth and its strength in collaborations, you’ll is an astronaut on the International Space Station. She speaks Minter-Jordan find in our cover story that the University’s work on Alzheimer’s about how her research at Brown, and the influence of two 9 The President’s Oath BY NOEL RUBINTON ’77 involves considerably more than this new grant. Through the particular professors, boosted her goal of space exploration. In 10 Short Takes Warren Alpert Medical School and its affiliate, Butler Hospital, another story, Katie Wu ’19, an engineering concentrator fascinat- 11 Open Curriculum researchers are running numerous clinical trials of potential de- ed with Japanese language and culture, credits the Open Cur- 12 Greenhouse Gas mentia drugs, and neuroscientists at the Carney Institute for Brain riculum for the flexibility and advising that brought her many op- 12 Priority Privacy Science are unlocking the genetic puzzle of Alzheimer’s. portunities, including a Fulbright in Japan. 13 Managing Obesity This issue of Impact showcases the many ways Brown is I hope you enjoy our stories this year, and that you share in 14 Shooting for the making a difference in the world, through both fundamental and my excitement about Brown’s investments in research to sup- Moon 22 translational research. port our commitment to solving the urgent problems of society. 15 Alumni: Christopher Battling One of this year’s other stories focuses on the exciting entre- Jill Pipher Sharpe preneurial work of our undergraduate students, and what Brown Vice President for Research 15 Credit Where It’s Due is doing to inspire this activity. Established in 2016 through the Elisha Benjamin Andrews Professor of Mathematics 16 Making Up Lost Time Alzheimer’s philanthropic generosity of an alumnus, the Nelson Center for 17 Climate Change Brown researchers are leading Entrepreneurship has grown as an incubator for students creat- a national effort to better understand ing new products and companies. The center moved into a dementia and provide improved treatment. Focus BY MAURA SULLIVAN HILL Connect 36 Hunt for Dark Matter 38 Gun Violence

Vice President for Research AGRONOMICS CLOUD 40 Plants as History IMPACTRESEARCH AT BROWN [email protected] 41 For Better Health 401-863-7408 43 Making Music 28 Brown University, Box 1937 44 To Fight Infections EDITOR 350 Eddy Street Enterprising Noel Rubinton Providence, R.I. 02912 NICK DENTAMARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY

DESIGNER Office of Industry Engagement and Student Min O. Design Commercial Venturing [email protected] Brown Minds Impact: Research at Brown is published annually Office of Research Development Undergraduates are by the Office of the Vice President for Research and the [email protected] Research creating successful new Office of University Communications Office of Foundation Relations products and companies, [email protected] Index aiming to solve On the Cover: Human neurons are being studied for 46 Books consequential problems. insights into how Alzheimer’s disease can be detected and For ongoing news about Brown research, 50 Selected Faculty treated. (Lab of Professor Eric Morrow) follow us on Twitter @BrownUResearch. MINDY OSWALD; VALDEZ LAB; COURTESY MARTY LAROCQUE/ Honors BY SARAH C. BALDWIN ’87

IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 1 RESEARCHA COMPENDIUM OFBRIEFS RECENT HIGHLIGHTS OF BROWN RESEARCH “Hale County This Morning, This Evening” was filmed in Alabama and Quincy Bryant (below) is one of the Finding the main characters.

FrameA visual art professor earns an Oscar nomination for his film study of “blackness.”

“Research is a frame of mind,” said RaMell Ross, an assistant pro- fessor of visual art at Brown, and his research earned him a 2019 Acad- emy Award nomination for Best Documentary Feature. As his faculty career began at Brown, Ross wrote, directed, filmed, and edited Hale County This Morning, This Evening. “A lot of my research is based on human interaction,” he said. “I was researching the history of ‘blackness,’ what that means to me, how it has changed, and the role it plays in interpretation. So it was a good time to be in Hale County, be- cause it is a predominantly black community.” Ross had moved in 2009 to Greensboro, Alabama, where he still lives for part of the year, and worked as a photography teacher and basket- ball coach. He took photographs there and began filming people he met. His introduction to Providence came when he pursued his MFA at RISD and started teaching at Brown, first as inaugural professor of the prac- tice for the Brown Arts Initiative, then as a Mellon Gateway Fellow, and now in the visual art department. Ross’s film is an impressionistic rather than a formal narrative, con- fronting the legacies of racism in a pic- torial, often dreamlike way. “The orga- nization of the film is my understanding of looking at the community,” Ross said. “You don’t have to follow a trail of histor- RaMell Ross ical threads to do research. History is this actual moment. The archive is now.” Hale County was included on many critics’ best-of-year lists. It won many film festival awards, including a special jury prize from the Sundance Film Festival, before receiving the Oscar nomination. Film critics have praised it for its poetry and the qual- ity of its photography. Glenn Kenny of the New York Times wrote: “The particularity and power of the larger cinematic image he has created through a multiplicity of moments are impossible to adequately describe

in critical prose.” —Noel Rubinton ’77 MARK OSTOW; COPYRIGHT IDIOM FILM, COURTESY RAMELL ROSS & CINEMA GUILD

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From Innovation to Impact A new fund fosters faculty entrepreneurship and brings medical products to the market.

As part of efforts to translate and speed promising biomedical an external advisory committee of industry leaders, including discoveries into commercial product opportunities, Brown Bio- pharmaceutical business developers and venture capitalists. medical Innovations to Impact (BBII) awarded five Brown faculty research projects up to $100,000 each in 2019. PROJECT AWARDEES ARE: “BBII helps to bridge the gap between academic biomedical Brian Alverson, professor of pediatrics and medical discoveries and new products by providing much-needed •science, and Ravi D’Cruz, teaching fellow in the Warren funding,” said director Karen Bulock. The goal of BBII, launched Alpert Medical School department of pediatrics, to develop by the University’s Division of Biology and Medicine in collabo- a positioning device for infants less than 60 days old who ration with the Office of Industry Engagement and Commercial must undergo a lumbar puncture to test for meningitis; Venturing, is to make aid available when federal funding for research ends and before private investors are willing to invest. Stephen Helfand, professor of molecular biology, cell Bulock said the aim is to benefit both patients and the econ- •biology, and biochemistry, for work to discover new drugs omy by launching new products such as therapeutics, diagnos- treating metabolic disorders such as Type 2 diabetes;

Chun Geun Lee, •professor of molecular microbiology and immunology, Professor Karla Kaun uses to optimize a new drug to fruit flies to learn about treat pulmonary fibrosis; addiction. Pink areas are fly memory centers and green dots Jeffrey Morgan, professor are where molecular pathways •of molecular pharmacology, have been activated physiology, and biotechnology by alcohol. and engineering, and Blanche Ip, assistant professor of molecular pharmacology, physiology, The Secrets of Cravings and biotechnology, to advance lab-grown, human-derived A neuroscientist looks at how alcohol hijacks a memory tissue to repair the heart; pathway in the brain.

Carl Saab, associate Just a few drinks can change how memories are formed. how to help people suffering from alcohol and substance use •professor of neurosurgery That’s the conclusion of a recent study from Karla Kaun, disorder by decreasing how long the craving memories last, or and neuroscience, to develop assistant professor of neuroscience at Brown, and her lab team how intense they are. Professor Jeffrey Morgan is working to advance lab-grown, human-derived tissue to an EEG-based test for of undergraduates, technicians, and postdoctoral researchers. “One of the important findings from this study is that scien- repair the heart. diagnosing lower back pain. Using fruit flies as their models, they found, in research pub- tists need to look not only at which genes are being turned on lished in the journal Neuron, that alcohol hijacks a memory and off, but which forms of each gene are getting turned on and tics, and medical devices. BBII, so far supported by more than LAB LEE COURTESY MASTOON; ADAM pathway in the brain and forms cravings that fuel addiction. off,” Kaun said. “We think these results are highly likely to trans- $8 million in philanthropic gifts, is part of Brown’s 2018 “Brown “One of the things I want to understand is why drugs of late to other forms of addiction, but nobody has investigated and the Innovation Economy” initiative to expand the University’s abuse can produce really rewarding memories when they’re ac- that yet.” impact on economic growth across Rhode Island. tually neurotoxins,” said Kaun, who is affiliated with Brown’s Jack A. Elias, senior vice president for health affairs and dean Carney Institute for Brain Science and whose research was of medicine and biological sciences, said, “BBII is intended to funded by the National Institutes of Health. “Why do we remem- foster faculty entrepreneurship, and to help bring products ber the good things about drugs and not the bad? My team is “One of the things I want to to patients who need them. It also has an educational compo- trying to understand on a molecular level what drugs of abuse understand is why drugs of abuse nent, as students at all levels have an opportunity to participate are doing to memories and why they’re causing cravings.” in the real-life experience of readying a discovery for market.” Professor Chun Geun Lee is at work on a new fibrosis Once researchers understand what molecules are changing can produce really rewarding

The 26 project proposals BBII received were evaluated by drug; these are views of mouse lung histology. UNIVERSITY LAB/BROWN KAUN COURTESY when cravings are formed, Kaun said, then they can figure out memories.” —Karla Kaun

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David Savitz led a group NASA astronaut investigating contamination Jessica Meir ’99 Chemical Sleuth in Michigan, including the inside the crew For complicated environmental presence of chemicals lock area of the mysteries, this Brown epidemiologist such as perfluorooctanoic International acid. Space Station in is in high demand. October, just before her first When the governor of Michigan needed a scientist to head the health impact of different chemicals, and technology to re- spacewalk. a working group to investigate complicated toxic contami- move these chemicals from the environment.” As a result of the nation, he turned to an epidemiologist who had done highly report and subsequent assessments, Michigan could have respected research around the world: Brown epidemiologist some of the nation’s toughest drinking water limits for PFAS. David Savitz. Savitz said research on PFAS health effects is still develop- At issue in Michigan were per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances ing. He said any health disorders are likely the result of a long (PFAS), chemicals that include byproducts from the use of fire- period of exposure and that, to continue curbing PFAS pollu- fighting foam and from manufacturing non-stick household tion, more research is needed on potential sources of exposure goods and waterproof fabrics. Savitz’s study group in Michigan besides drinking water. examined the research on environmental health effects of PFAS Savitz has extensive experience in designing and analyzing and prepared a set of evidence-based recommendations for environmental studies looking at the health effects of chemicals. how to protect public health and the environment, and clean up Before the Michigan project, he served on a panel that studied, the PFAS contamination. in West Virginia and Ohio, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), a man- that desire to explore further and pursue an advanced degree “We found that the current guideline of 70 parts per trillion made chemical used in manufacturing products that people in science. may not be adequate to protect human health,” said Savitz, a use regularly. Savitz also recently served as the chair of a Nation- From College Hill professor at both the School of Public Health and the Warren al Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine commit- Did your research at Brown change what fields you Alpert Medical School. “We also encouraged the state to pursue tee that evaluated the potential health effects on U.S. veterans to Space were interested in? research to increase understanding of pathways of exposure, of toxic emissions from military burn pits. —Noel Rubinton ’77 I took the introductory biology course my first year at Brown, An astronaut from Brown, Jessica taught by Ken Miller [’70]. He’s an eminent scientist, and he didn’t need to teach basic biology, but he thought it was important to ALUMNI IMPACT Meir ’99, tells how the University get those hooks in and get people inspired. I thought I wanted to and its faculty inspired her. major in biology, and I took his class, and after that I was sure I wanted to major in biology. Having a good professor and being REBECCA BALLHAUS ’13, WHITE HOUSE REPORTER FOR THE WALL Jessica Meir ’99, a biology concentrator at Brown, is a NASA inspired from the beginning was important. STREET JOURNAL AND PART OF A TEAM THAT WON A 2019 PULITZER PRIZE, CONCENTRATED astronaut. She became an astronaut in 2013 and began her first IN POLITICAL SCIENCE AND WAS MANAGING EDITOR OF THE BROWN DAILY HERALD. trip on the International Space Station on September 25, 2019. What lessons that you learned from doing research She was interviewed by Eliza Cain ’20. at Brown do you apply to your current job? As they say, in college you learn how to learn. You learn how to “As a reporter, you need to be Were you involved in research as an undergraduate study, you learn what’s important, and then you can focus in on at Brown? things later in life. The diverse and broad education at Brown al- able to dig. That means being I worked with Herman Vandenburgh [now professor emeritus of lowed me to think open-mindedly and broadly. That’s important molecular pharmacology, physiology, and biotechnology]. We able to find facts quickly, reliably, were making bio-artificial muscles and looking at things where we and often in situations where could express different genes. One of the things I did for my “In college you learn how senior thesis project was evaluating a subculture unit that was to learn.” —Jessica Meir ’99 people are trying to prevent being designed to be used in space. A lot of parallels, of them from coming out. My time course, to what I’m doing now. in our lives as astronauts: to be able to approach a problem at Brown studying political I was fortunate to be in that from multiple perspectives and integrate across disciplines. lab, where there were a lot science and working for the Brown Daily Herald taught me how to BROWN UNIVERSITY of amazing scientists, other What do you think is special about the research be accurate and dogged, and instilled in me the importance of students, and postdocs that environment at Brown, as opposed to other universities? I learned from. That first re- It’s really useful that Brown has this open-minded and liberal approaching things from a different angle.” search experience was really education and allows people to explore and discover classes important for me in terms of outside of their concentration, to try to be more well-rounded.

COURTESY NASA (2) Jessica Meir ’99 developing that interest and That’s something that helped me be successful in life.

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(XROMM), a technology for visualizing bones and Research Honors joints in motion, opening new What a President’s Oath Six professors receive Brown’s top research awards. research areas in comparative and orthopedic Really Means Honoring faculty from a wide variety of fields, Brown awarded biomechanics. Research Achievement Awards to six professors at its annual A political scientist argues for a Celebration of Research in April 2019. James Green (history “Researchers at Brown are advancing knowledge and •and Portuguese and Brazilian limited presidency, with true allegiance making a difference in the world through exceptional achieve- studies, Watson Institute), to the Constitution. ments and discoveries,” said Jill Pipher, vice president for re- cited as the leading scholar of search and professor of mathematics. “These awards, now in gender and homosexuality When Brown political science professor Corey their third year, are one of the important ways that the Univer- in Brazil and prominent Brettschneider wrote in 2016 an essay, “Trump vs. The sity recognizes the extraordinary research contributions of our among experts on the 1964 to Constitution: A Guide,” for Politico, an influential publica- faculty.” 1985 Brazilian dictatorship. tion about policy and politics, he intended to expand it Provost Richard M. Locke, who gave keynote remarks at the into a book. awards ceremony, said, “Brown’s faculty are central to the Univer- Lai-Sheng Wang But a number of people urged him to first broaden the sity’s mission to make a difference in the world by collaborating •(chemistry), for contributions scope in order to teach citizens what they should expect across multiple disciplines to address society’s most pressing in areas of atomic clusters and from leaders and to help future presidents avoid misun- challenges through critical research and inquiry.” He added that multiply charged anions, derstanding the Constitution. faculty members’ research accomplishments are closely entwined helping to open new fields of Brettschneider’s resulting book, The Oath and the with their successes in teaching and mentoring students. physical chemistry research Office: A Guide to the Constitution for Future Presidents, Nominations for the awards were sought in six categories that could lead to design of has become the subject of wide discussion, including in and then reviewed by panels of Brown faculty. In addition to the novel nanomaterials. Washington, D.C. awards, each winner received a $5,000 research stipend. During 2018 confirmation hearings on Brett Kavan- THE WINNERS OF augh for the U.S. Supreme Court, Sen. Chris Coons of THE WINNERS OF THE 2019 DISTINGUISHED THE 2019 EARLY Delaware submitted another of Brettschneider’s Politico RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS ARE: CAREER RESEARCH essays—“Brett Kavanaugh’s Radical View of Executive Chemistry Professor Lai-Sheng Wang and his research Elizabeth Brainerd (biology and medical science), ACHIEVEMENTS Power”—into the official Congressional record. group have made significant discoveries in boron chemistry. •for developing X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology AWARDS ARE: To Brettschneider, “A president who wants to ‘preserve, protect, and defend’ constitu- Monica Muñoz tional principles must be willing to subject him or herself to investigation—just like all the •Martinez (American studies), other citizens he or she serves.” Brettschneider said his book “is an argument for the limited ALUMNI IMPACT for research focusing presidency. It starts with a very simple point, that the president is required in Article II of the on immigration, histories of Constitution to say some very specific words—it’s the only oath that’s laid out in detail— violence and policing, and namely that he or she will preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United MYECHIA MINTER-JORDAN ’94, MD ’98, WAS RECENTLY NAMED public memory of history. States.” EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF IMPACT OFFICER OF DENTAQUEST PARTNERSHIP FOR ORAL HEALTH ADVANCEMENT. SHE CONCENTRATED IN HEALTH AND SOCIETY AT BROWN. Andrew Peterson •(engineering), for work about “ It’s the only oath that’s laid out in detail—namely understanding and controlling “My time at Brown taught me that, at its core, chemical reaction processes that he or she will preserve, protect, and defend the research is about helping people. During my on solid surfaces, with primary Constitution.” —Corey Brettschneider applications for energy and medical school training, we always focused on the NICK DENTAMARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY environmental technologies such as solar fuel production He wrote the book as “a compact, comprehensive tour of the Constitution,” to give “all patients and their experience. Now, as a physician and carbon dioxide capture readers, voters, and future presidents the knowledge and confidence to read and under- leader in community health care, my work to expand and conversion. stand one of our nation’s most important founding documents.” The final section is about how to stop a president who disregards the oath, with chapters on indictment and im- access to health care for underserved populations Kali Thomas (health peachment as responses to unconstitutional presidential actions. reflects my beliefs in equitable access to innovative •services, policy and practice), Brettschneider did a national lecture tour on his research. He also gave 2018’s Alexander for research identifying ways Meiklejohn Lecture at Brown, named for the noted alumnus (class of 1893), civil libertarian, health and human services for all people.” to improve the quality of life of Brown dean, and Amherst College president. Brettschneider presented in conversation older adults needing long-term with two alumni, Chris Hayes ’01, host of “All In with Chris Hayes” on MSNBC, and Kate

COURTESY NORTON & COMPANY W.W. services and support. Shaw ’01, professor at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. —Noel Rubinton ’77

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SHORT Four teams of undergraduate and TAKES Katie Wu’s interest in Japanese culture graduate students, working with faculty, led her to earn a black belt in Aikido.

A new National Institutes were chosen as winners of the Brown- of Health grant went to Hyundai Visionary Challenge for smart Brown medical school faculty testing a novel program that mobility projects, including aerial gives pharmacists more robotics and biometrics-based feedback. authority and resources to care for people addicted to opioids.

Brown’s Judaic Studies program was funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities to digitize 50 print volumes of its high-quality scholarship previously Thanks, Open Curriculum published only in print, making it publicly accessible on multiple web platforms. A 2019 alum reflects on how Brown’s opportunities changed her. With a $1 million Literary Arts Professor Emeritus Carnegie Corporation Over the course of a month last spring, Katie Wu ’19 working in a mechatronics lab in Kyoto, combining her passions accepted an offer to Princeton’s Mechanical and Aerospace for Japanese and engineering while also preparing herself for grant, the Watson Forrest Gander won the Pulitzer Prize Engineering PhD program, won a Fulbright to do research in her PhD program. “I thought it would be a great opportunity to Institute is launching Japan, and earned her black belt in Aikido. experience what life is like in a different country,” Wu said. “It’s in poetry for Be With, a volume inspired a military fellows She gives much credit to Brown’s Open Curriculum— also a chance for me to try out a focused, independent research program that will bring by his wife and fellow poet and Brown military officers to celebrating its 50th anniversary this year—for creating a culture project for close to a year, which is the kind of thing I would be faculty member, C.D Wright, who study and work with where she felt comfortable and able to pursue her varied interests. doing in graduate school.” Brown scholars. “It’s an environment where people have to think for themselves: Wu is part of a group of Fulbright scholars that marked the died unexpectedly in 2016. what do I want to learn and how do I want to learn it?” third year running that Brown was the nation’s top Fulbright- For Wu, a first-generation college student, that meant A study by Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology researchers, challenging herself in advanced “It’s an environment where people have to think using a new method of radiocarbon dating, showed that textiles predated math and computer science for themselves.” —Katie Wu ’19 European contact and overturned the long-held belief that Vikings courses outside of her engi- introduced spinning and weaving to indigenous people. neering requirements, as well as taking accelerated Japanese language classes. Wu said she producing university, including both undergraduates and grad- benefited greatly from the flexibility of her professors, including uate students. Christopher Carr, who oversees undergraduate Rashid Zia ’01, now dean of the College, who let Wu take his fellowship programs at Brown, said the sustained year-to-year As the landing site for its new 2020 Mars rover, NASA chose computer programming class without having all the prerequisites. success of Brown students is a testament to their willingness, “The philosophy that underpins Brown’s Open Curriculum supported by the Open Curriculum, to step out of comfort Jezero crater, a spot that Brown researchers have studied and emphasizes the intellectual and personal development of indi- zones academically and engage in teaching and research championed for more than a decade. vidual students,” Zia said. “This is why, as faculty, we provide projects that forge deep connections across geographical, personalized attention to help each and every student maximize cultural, and linguistic borders. “Our winners rise to meet opportunities for learning and growth.” Fulbright’s mission of promoting education through cross-cultural

COURTESY WU COURTESY As one of the 38 new Fulbright scholars from Brown, Wu is exchange,” Carr said. —Eliza Cain ’20

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“When good policy and advanced technology combine, the benefits of big data can be obtained without compromising Priority: sensitive information,” he said. Recently Kamara and Brown colleagues launched Pixek, a Brown will offset most Privacy camera app for Android phones that aims to allow users to campus electricity use The goal is to search their photos, yet be protected from data breaches and by buying power unwanted photo disclosures. It employs “structured encryp- from a 50-megawatt make full use of tion,” designed so that, when you search your encrypted photo solar facility in a former data possible collection, the cloud only sees an encrypted query but is still gravel pit in North able to return the relevant encrypted photos—all without ever Kingstown, R.I. without being able to decrypt the queries or the photos. compromising In June 2019, Kamara was an organizer of experts from around the world who discussed encryption solutions at Brown’s sensitive Institute for Computational and Experimental Research in Math- Brown Getting Greener information. ematics (ICERM). Kamara was a member of a National Acade- mies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine committee that Collaborative science is leading an When Seny Kamara thinks of generated ideas for tradeoffs between data privacy, encryption, ambitious campaign to reduce campus an ideal world, he sees people national security, and law enforcement. He has also been a enjoying the full advantages of technical advisor to U.S. senators drafting privacy legislation greenhouse gas emissions. data and computing, without and to large software companies. —Noel Rubinton ’77 Seny Kamara directs Brown’s Encrypted Systems Lab. any risk to their privacy. In work with the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, sociologist Leah Van- Kamara, an associate pro- Wey and evolutionary biologist Stephen Porder have done extensive research on environmen- fessor of computer science tal change around the world. who came to Brown after researchers are defining the population at risk, finding the root The research focus of their recent assignment in coleading a key University effort was eight years at Microsoft Re- causes, and testing possible solutions. distinctly different: the Brown campus and figuring out how to reduce campus greenhouse search, is a leader in the search Li, an assistant professor of epidemiology, was lead author of gas emissions to net-zero by 2040. In February 2019 their work culminated in the Brown for encryption solutions that a study investigating how weight status affects how children Corporation’s approval of a phased plan to cut emissions by 75 percent below 2017–18 levels protect data privacy while still learn, remember information, and manage attention and impulses. by 2025, and achieve net-zero no later than 2040. supporting computation on Collaborating with Joseph Braun, associate professor of “This was very much a collaborative science project,” said Porder, who became the first the data without having to de- epidemiology, Li found obesity in early childhood associated assistant provost for sustainability in 2018. Many campus departments, as well as students, crypt it first. This is a growing with lower IQ, decreases in perceptual reasoning, and less were involved in the research and planning. field, in which Brown is an im- working memory at school age. Their work, published in the “The goal was finding the right energy sources,” Porder said, “We’ve carefully studied our portant place for trials, and journal Obesity, said further research should investigate whether buildings, our heating infrastructure, and our budget. We’ve looked at logistics on how best to Kamara directs Brown’s En- Managing obesity is connected with school performance, attention‐deficit/ maintain campus operations while infrastructure improvements are being made.” crypted Systems Lab. hyperactivity disorder, and other learning disabilities. VanWey, who during the project was associate provost for academic space and is now One of the challenges that Meanwhile, Elissa Jelalian, professor of psychiatry and pedi- dean of the School of Professional Studies, said, “Brown is a place where knowledge becomes makes computing on en- Childhood Obesity atrics at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School, is using a five- action. We know that climate change is one of the primary challenges humanity faces, so it’s crypted data so difficult, - Ka Overweight children suffer year, $2.45 million federal grant to adapt and evaluate a family- critical for us to lead by example.” mara said, is that the entire losses in cognitive development, based intervention program for children with obesity who live in The plan’s first phase involves creating a 50-megawatt solar facility in a former gravel pit in point of encryption is to make low-income settings. North Kingstown, R.I., to offset 70 percent of campus electricity use. The remaining 30 per- data unreadable and unus- making interventions key. Based at the Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center cent will be offset through a Texas-based wind farm. able. A specific challenge Ka- of the Miriam Hospital, an affiliate of the medical school, the

mara works on is how to STEPHEN CROCKER/BROWN UNIVERSITY “The first few years of life are critical for cognitive develop- program is evaluating the effectiveness of programs for children search through encrypted data ment,” said Nan Li of Brown’s School of Public Health, and in- ages 6 to 12 years in the settings of housing authorities and “We’ve carefully studied our buildings, our heating quickly. Since search algo- creasingly childhood obesity is seen as a significant obstacle to physician offices designated “patient-centered medical homes.” rithms are fundamental to al- healthy brain development. Jelalian’s research is part of the Healthy Weight Initiative of infrastructure, and our budget.” —Stephen Porder most every computer system, Nearly one in five children and adolescents in the United Brown’s Hassenfeld Child Health Innovation Institute, which is the solutions Kamara works State is obese, with more at risk. Obesity and related health linked to Brown’s public health and medical schools and aims on could have a major impact problems have become urgent public health issues, and Brown to improve dietary intake and physical activity to prevent excess The second phase, scheduled for 2022, will convert the central heating plant to post- on digital privacy. weight gain in children. She said, “The most pressing need is in consumer bio-oil as primary fuel. The project’s third phase involves further upgrades to the Kamara is working on de- children from low-income settings, who are at greatest risk for University’s central heating loop and buildings, and the final phase, scheduled for 2038, calls signing a new generation of obesity and least likely to have access to care … . This work ex- for conversion of Brown’s heating plant to renewable electricity. Currently, the plan envisions encryption algorithms that “The first few years of life are tends our research on healthy weight, nutrition, and physical air-source heat pumps as the heat-generation technology. —Noel Rubinton ’77 support search and analytics. DANA SMITH; MINDY OSWALD critical.” —Nan Li activity.”

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Shoot for the Moon ALUMNI IMPACT Students became the research team for a private Moon CHRISTOPHER SHARPE ’90 WAS RECENTLY NAMED CHIEF INVESTMENT exploration company. OFFICER AND PORTFOLIO MANAGER FOR NATIXIS ADVISORS, INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT FIRM. APPLIED MATHEMATICS WAS HIS BROWN CONCENTRATION. “I draw upon what I learned and how I learned at Brown almost every day in the math and quantitative nature of my career. Brown laid the foundation for it. These days, a chance to steal away for a few hours and really break down and think out a problem like I did when I was at Brown is necessary but somewhat of a guilty pleasure.”

Professor Jim Head (r) Credit Where It’s Due arranged the An intricate analysis of academic journals moves toward class that let students do giving women proper recognition. planning for a Moon Inspired by the 2016 movie Hidden Figures on unheralded puter programmers had been denied proper credit for their work. landing. black female mathematicians who played a large role in the early Many women, responsible for developing and running com- U.S. space program, Emilia Huerta-Sanchez, assistant professor putational simulations to test hypotheses explaining genetic in Brown’s department of ecology and evolutionary biology, diversity within populations, were recognized only in papers’ When a space exploration company needed research help, it The collaboration drew praise from top NASA officials. Stu- and her collaborators at San Francisco State University tackled acknowledgements section rather than listed as authors. Of turned to a group of Brown undergraduate and graduate students. dents had a chance to present their work to Thomas Zurbuchen, what they thought was a similar situation in population genetics. programmers mentioned in the acknowledgements, 43 percent Through a class called “The Origin and Evolution of the associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, She and colleagues analyzed the contributions of women were women, while only 7 percent of the study authors were Moon” arranged by Brown planetary scientist James Head PhD and Sarah Noble PhD ’04, a program scientist in NASA’s plane- researchers in all studies published in an influential journal from women. ’69, who has longtime ties to NASA and other space organiza- tary sciences division. 1970 to 1990, and their findings were striking: many female com- “Many women worked in research in computational biology tions, the students became a research team for ORBITBeyond, Zurbuchen said, “Brown is a great example of training and in the 1970s and made significant contributions to papers but a private space firm developing a moon-landing vehicle and research to support the objectives of this new exploration were not given authorship,” said Huerta-Sanchez. “There are rover. campaign, and especially to understand the interests of com- many stereotypes about women’s ability for science, technology, The students investigated a moon landing site in Mare Im- mercial exploration partners and to maximize science that can engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields because there brium, developed rover routes and exploration strategies, and come from such a novel approach.” aren’t as many women role models. We hope that by shining a Ariel Deutsch, who co-led light on the contributions these women have made, it will change “Being involved at this stage…with actual mission the project with fellow PhD NICK DENTAMARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY misperception of women’s relative absence from STEM fields.” student Palumbo, said, “Over “I don’t think there is anything specific about the journal planning is an experience I don’t think we could get the course of the semester, Theoretical Population Biology,” Huerta-Sanchez said of the elsewhere.” —Ashley Palumbo we discussed the current journal studied. “In our interviews with researchers, it is apparent state of knowledge in lunar that it was common practice not to consider female program- science. We outlined the mers and numerical analysts for authorship.” The findings were delivered their recommendations to ORBITBeyond. “Being in- questions that are still unanswered and then started thinking published in the February 2019 issue of the journal Genetics. volved at this stage in our careers with actual mission planning about how this mission might help answer them.” “We plan to do the analysis in other journals and conduct is an experience I don’t think we could get elsewhere,” said The students and ORBITBeyond engineers presented find- Emilia Huerta-Sanchez says she hopes to “change interviews with acknowledged female programmers to have a Ashley Palumbo, a PhD student and one of the leaders of the ings in March 2019 at the international 50th Lunar and Plane- misperception of women’s relative absence from STEM record of their type of contributions,” Huerta-Sanchez said. “We project, “It’s just a great opportunity.” tary Science Conference in Houston, Texas. SAFRON ALEX SHARPE; COURTESY fields.” want to make their contributions known.”

14 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 15 RESEARCH BRIEFS

Chris Horvat Forward Fast studied the sea For this first-generation college student, a passion for research ice in the Nares has taken hold. Strait, only 500 miles from the North Pole. graduate training, Jordan went through at a highly accelerated pace, earning a master’s de- gree in data science and a biology PhD within five years. His key research, which won a Joukowsky Family Founda- tion Outstanding Dissertation Award and part of which has already been published in Trends in Genetics, focuses on how the three-dimensional structure of a chromosome influences gene activity. With the goal of more effectively treating disease, Jordan said, “I’ve always been a bit of a tin- kerer, as well as interested in how all the cells that make up an organism work. I hope On Thin Ice my work will contribute to the By unconventional general understanding of how genes are regulated and how means, an Arctic explorer dysregulation that results in charts climate change. disease states may come about.” Jordan, who is African Scientific research is usually communicated via studies and to kayak through the waters. But conditions complicated their American and a first-generation articles in journals. Chris Horvat, a mathematician and ocean- journey, turning it into an exhausting illustration of the effects of William Jordan worked college student, sees part of ographer who is a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute at Brown climate change and demonstrating how the melting ice and ice at Brown in the lab of biology his role as breaking ground for Environment and Society, is publishing in the usual places reduction in polar oceans, even where ice has been predicted professor Erica Larschan. for others from groups under- but also contributing to climate change research through more to last, is affecting the environment. represented in the academic unconventional means: a documentary film and a webcam that Far from the Arctic, in early 2019 Horvat found his work, research worlds. “I’m trying to became an Internet sensation. which was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

help change the picture and (2) HORVAT COURTESY “My research interests are directed toward uncovering new Administration, stalled by a federal government shutdown. Hor- “I’m trying to help change the picture.” serve as the inspiration for ways of understanding cli- vat was looking to keep his work going when he heard about a someone younger who might mate while we still have time,” circular ice disk, hundreds of feet in diameter, spinning in the

—William Jordan PhD ’19 NICK DENTAMARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY see my work and be inspired said Horvat about his study of Presumpscot River in Westbrook, Maine. to be a scientist,” he said. “If sea ice, oceans, and ecology. For Horvat, it was a serendipitous research opportunity. Since he discovered his passion for scientific research, William they don’t have anyone they can relate to in the sciences, it is a Horvat, after receiving his “We’re interested in seeing how individual pieces of sea ice, Jordan has looked like someone making up for lost time. hard path.” After graduating from Brown, he became a senior PhD from Harvard in applied which are called floes, evolve,” Horvat said. “With this ice disk, After starting to do research when he got to college at Virginia data scientist at Netrias, an artificial intelligence firm looking to mathematics, ventured to the we don’t have to get a ship up to the Arctic, we don’t have to fly Tech, Jordan has moved forward at a fast pace. He came to apply machine learning in the life sciences. far Artic, 500 miles from the drones or any of that. It’s right in the middle of a city.” Brown for its functional genomics track and enrolled in a doc- Larschan said of Jordan, “His talent, hard work, and self- North Pole. He went to study Horvat worked quickly to set up a public webcam, and while toral program, connecting with the lab of Erica Larschan, asso- determination have allowed him to emerge as an outstanding sea ice in the Nares Strait, and the disc stayed in place there was publicity around the world as ciate professor of molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry. biology PhD,” and she called him “a strong leader who has his trip was documented in a people watched it. He uses computer vision algorithms in Winning a Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellowship and excelled scientifically and as a mentor for younger graduate and forthcoming film,Enduring Ice. studying how ice floes change over time. “Now we have images a National Science Foundation Research Fellowship for his undergraduate students.” —Noel Rubinton ’77 Chris Horvat Horvat and colleagues planned of a floe, updated minute by minute,” Horvat said.

16 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 17 Faculty specializing in sophisticated analysis are propelling Brown’s economics department to the top tier.

BY NOEL RUBINTON ’77

DATA

Educational opportunity.DRIVEN Economic mobility. Global warming. Mortality risks and planning for the fu- ture. Political polarization and social media. Interest rates and bank lending. How cellphone use can help de- termine a person’s creditworthiness. These are just a few of the subjects of recent research from Brown’s growing group of data-driven econo- mists. “There is a revolution in data,” said Brown economics department chair Anna Aizer. The explosion of access to Big Data worldwide has profoundly affected research in many academic fields, economics included. “We have a faculty doing work that is on the frontier,” Aizer said, and that work is helping raise the profile and impact of Brown’s department. One professor, for instance, is studying the allocation of public housing and collaborating with housing councils in London to implement a better system; another is helping cities around the United States find ways to reduce income inequality. Building on Brown’s long-time strengths in economics—including development, growth, and game theory— the University has in the past six years recruited an enhanced cadre of faculty in applied microeconomics. That’s the area most closely tied to data-intense research, and is a branch of economics that takes theories and methodologies and applies them to questions of individual behavior and societal outcomes. By examining topics with real-world relevance, Aizer said, “Many of these projects get at fundamental questions of opportu- nity and well-being. This research has the potential to change policy, both here and abroad, because the results reveal clear policy implications.”

MINDY OSWALD The department got a major boost in April 2019 with the announcement of a $25 million gift, its largest ever, from Orlando Bravo ’92, a private equity investor. More than half of the gift from the Bravo Family Foundation, $15 million, will launch the Orlando Bravo Center for Economic Research so the department can expand and enhance its research and training, and the other $10 million will fund two new endowed chairs and spur faculty recruitment.

18 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 19

------21 IMPACT 2020 of the of department—

Brown’s economicsBrown’s department and dates back 1828 to Joining the department was an economic in 2019 theorist, The success the of department’s graduates is another indi While the department is expected increase to faculty by For the applied microeconomics group, that means that within Brown, including the Warren Alpert Medical School and School Public of Health, and at many Brown centers and insti Public and International for Institute the Watson as such tutes, Affairs andthe Institute at Brown for Environment and Society. “Economics very is a collaborative discipline,” Aizer said, and Brown is fertile ground. is one the of University’s oldest academic units, housed for more than a century now in the distinctive Venetian Gothic-style Robinson Hall. While the cluster hires of in recent years in the data-miningareas applied of microeconomics have been siga department,nificant the to boost department the Aizer said has theory, game as such areas, other in strength its increased also long-run growth, and more. Glenn Loury, for instance, is a pub has who theorist applied and intellectual public prominent lished research on a number subjects, of including the impor capital. social of tance Mekonnen,Teddy whose research focuses on information eco nomics and mechanism design. An assistant professor eco of nomics, he came Brown to after a postdoctoral fellowship at research on worked he where Technology, of Institute California showing that, against conventional wisdom, people newly enrolled in health insurance searching for primary care physicians achieved better outcomes if they randomly sampled the doc tors available in their networks than if they screened doctors rankings. published on based cator its of larger impact through research. “Scholars who earned their doctorates in the Brown economics department are found throughout the top ranks university of economics de partments in the United States and abroad, as well as in the Federal Reserve system, World Bank,banks many of foreign countries,” said Professor IMF, David Weil ’82, and the central chair. department former a REPRESENTED WELL ALUMNI alumni undergraduate Distinguished chairFederal theU.S. of including Reserve Janet from’67, Yellen well represented 2018—are to in the top ranks2014 aca of demia, finance, business, and publicWeil policy, said. about eight in the next few years, it plans preserve to its essen scholarship. integrated emphasizing character, tight-knit tial when its regular seminar convenes, everyone in that area joins in, including faculty and graduate students. In larger economics departments other at universities, there are separate micro economics seminars broken out subject by area. Brown, At it’s seen that unity is better, maximizing interaction between differ collaborations. and insights new to leading and specialties ent Said Thakral, get interact to “You with a broader set people.” of Friedman added, “Bringing together more people and ideas helps.”

- - - - of economics of with a joint One the of newest faculty members in applied microeco Gauti Eggertsson came after Brown to eight in 2013 years of Part what of makes Brown economics distinctive is the de The department’s high level collaboration, of inside and outside

Economics professor John Friedman spoke (r) on his social mobility research at a forum with Brown President Christina H. Paxson and Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza. received wide attention for his study showing that patterns in phone usage can predict who will default on loans. Assistant developing the in quality water studied Steinberg Bryce Professor world and found that imperfect infrastructure burdens the poor in ways that go far beyond obvious health consequences. nomics, Neil Thakral came after back Brown to ’13, getting in 2018 his PhD at Harvard. Thakral’s current research is focusing on the inefficiencies avoid to ways testing housing, public of allocation Housing process. selection tenant the plagued long have that choicesare central decisions to people make determining their economic and social stability; he is using detailed data from Pittsburghanalyze to the choice process and is working with systems. allocation better design to London in councils housing ‘PUT US ON THE MAP’ professor assistant an Thakral, Public and International for Institute Watson the at appointment Affairs, said, like Friedman and others, want to teach thatand do research what at Brown madeis the quality him of the faculty, including those hired in recent years. “This group has propelledthe Brown economics department the to forefront,” he said, “It put uson the map.” conductingresearch theFederalat Reserve BankNewYork. of At the Federal Reserve, Eggertsson gave advice to the bank’s president on setting interest rates and other policies. His research at Brown has centered on monetary policy, including analysis of the 2008 financial crisis and lessonsto be learned. eco of areas nontraditional embrace to willingness partment’s nomic research. When she came Brown to in 2003, Aizer knew the choice of her first research area would be crucial. She wanted exploreto domestic violence as a subject, but wondered what her colleagues’ reaction would be. She was relieved when a senior colleague was extremely supportive, and she has continued to do work in this area for many years. More recently she has been including poverty, of transmission intergenerational the studying the impact welfare of on children’s outcomes using a data set she built 80,000 of children whose mothers had applied for welfare. Other professorsalso have been encouraged inexplor areas ing not standard at other universities. dimensions different bringing success by its shaped has Brown, projects. to The facultyhave been active in many partnerships STEPHEN CROCKER/BROWN UNIVERSITY CROCKER/BROWN STEPHEN

ELLEN DESSLOCH BROWN UNIVERSITY

------, a best ­ ­­ expanded applied microeconomics microeconomics applied expanded Christina H. Paxson — ­­­­­­ The surge in available data sets for economists has led to Friedman’s research, like that of his Brown colleagues, ProfessorEmilyOsterstudiedhas mortality how risksinfluence economics, of professor assistant an Bjorkegren, Daniel Friedman, Friedman, whose research on education and economic opportunity using massive data sets has gotten national and in involves enormous data sets, such as the CLIMB initiative, which looksat 30 million students nationally over time look to for ways increaseto access and economic mobility. His Opportunity Atlas project is using millions data of records see to which neigh U.S. income inequality and increase social mobility, Mayor Jorge Elorza praised Friedman’s research and planning. city influenced said it had already increasedopportunities, and also greater costs. Accessing data almost always comes with expenses, often tens thou of at the highest levels” for faculty members andresearch dollars. ISSUES HIGH-VISIBILITY ON FOCUS Brown’s in others Many group are also focusing on high-visibility issues. Professors shop the researched have Shapiro Jesse and Hastings Justine ternational attention, said the decision “was really about the com the about really “was decision the said attention, ternational Brown is makingmitment empirical to social science research.” A large number faculty of was hired just before him, he joined withanother sizeableseen group, and the he’s commitment significantly for colleagues Brown his credits Friedman continue. collaborations. and dialogue through research his elevate helping borhoods offer children the best chanceto rise outof poverty. At a 2019 public forum on the effortsto reduce Providence’s sands dollars, of and the Bravo research center will especially help graduate students and junior faculty who aren’t as able to accesslarge grants pay for to data. “Money at the right time can go a long Friedmanway,” said, and will help Brown “compete Assis Nutrition Supplemental the of recipients of habits ping tance generally Program (SNAP, known as food stamps). They found, contrary expected to economic behavior, that SNAP benefits increaseoverall food spendingby about 50 percentof thebenefit’s value. Shapiro has also shown that social media is polarization. political rising of cause the as overrated in future-oriented other and education about choices people’s vestments, and found people often choose learn not to about their Cribsheet published recently also has She future. health children. young parenting to guide data-driven a is that book selling nomic policy at the White House, Friedman was ready to find his long-term academic He came home Brown. to in 2015.

------T PROPELS POSITIVE CHANGE.” T PROPELS LL POWER YEARS OF SCHOLARSHIP YEARS SCHOLARSHIP OF POWER LL WI THA “THIS INCREDIBLY GENEROUS GIFT GENEROUS INCREDIBLY “THIS

- - 2020 IMPACT Based on a recent external review the of department, plans Already, faculty recruiting is seen as making a large differ Brown president Christina The economics department and its research are seen as on economics doctoral and earning undergraduate After 20 Economics chair Anna Aizer is studying intergenerational transmission of poverty, using a large data set she built. it The better. creation the of Bravo Center will support the department building by on existing strengths the of depart Papers in Economics rankings—highly dependent on the research output faculty—has of gone from being in the range to 16th of in the19th country six years ago nowto eighth. have been made increase to the size the of faculty in the next few years from the current30 about to a move 40, expected to havesignificant positive effects onboth research and teaching. H. Paxson,H. herself an econo mist and a member the of de partment,pointed the to power of economics in “improving “improving economics in of human welfare” and said of gift:Bravo’s “This incredibly generous gift will power years scholarshipof that propels positive change—and it will enable our students have a hand to interna alongside economics original research conducting in faculty.” respected tionally US TO‘ALLOW DO MORE’ Aizer said, gift “A like this will allow us do to more, and do ment, advancing faculty research and student training.” pub of rankings including measures, of number a by rise the among place Brown’s enrollments. increased and papers lished economicsU.S. departments in the widely used Research ence in research. Professor John Friedman is one example. degrees at Harvard University, a postdoctoral fellowship at Uni versity California, of Berkeley, teaching at Harvard’s Kennedy and School, being a special assistant the to president for eco Brown researchers are leading a national effort to better understand dementia and provide improved treatment.

BY MAURA SULLIVAN HILL

tephen Salloway still remembers the day his grandmother moved into his child- hood bedroom. No longer able to live alone because of her increasing dementia symptoms, she needed full-time care. The only extra bed in the house was in his room, so he saw the impact of the disease up close, Sas his family became her primary caregivers and he be- came her roommate. “I saw what dementia was like, and the effect it had on our family. There is a grandmother’s story lurking in the background for many Alzheimer’s researchers,” said Salloway, now a neurologist and professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School. With more than 5.6 million Americans aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia, the impact of the disease is widespread, and the need for new interventions and treatment is urgent. Dementia is an umbrella term for diseases that cause a decline in

Different types of sensory neurons are being studied at Brown as a way to discover and test molecules to prevent neurodegenerative

diseases, including Alzheimer’s. SYDNEY VAUGHAN/VALDEZ LAB/BROWN UNIVERSITY

22 IMPACT 2020 BATTLING ALZHEIMER’S mental ability, and Alzheimer’s and the memory loss associated veloping drugs to treat it, or Vincent Mor said his grant with it are the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s creating interventions that could will allow a powerful national disease, the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, prevent or slow the progress network to grow. according to the Alzheimer’s Association, is a progressive disease of the disease. where the symptoms of memory loss, behavior changes, and dis- “It is going to take more orientation worsen with age, due to changes in the brain. than one drug to treat or mod- Although risk genes have been identified, there is no cure for ify the course of Alzheimer’s, Alzheimer’s, and researchers have not yet discovered the cause so we are going to hopefully of the disease. get one that works and then Brown has emerged as a leader in the field of Alzheimer’s build on that or combine research and prevention through intense activity in the School them. There are a lot of chal- of Public Health, the Warren Alpert Medical School, the Carney lenges, but more research is Institute for Brain Science, and the new Center for Translational synonymous with hope,” Sallo- Neuroscience. way said. Researchers and clinicians across the university are engaged in multi-faceted, collaborative efforts to treat Alzheimer’s disease Stephen Salloway said fear of Alzheimer’s “can be LARGEST-EVER and dementia: searching for the root causes of the disease, de- paralyzing, but more research is synonymous with hope.” GRANT In 2019, Brown received the largest federal grant in university history, a five-year $53.4 million award from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) to lead a nationwide effort to improve health care and quality of life for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, as well as their caregivers. Together with Boston-based Hebrew “THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM THAT CAN BE SeniorLife, a Harvard Medical School affiliate, researchers at SOLVED ONE LONE PROGRAM AT A TIME… COURTESY BUTLER HOSPITAL; SYDNEY VAUGHAN/VALDEZ LAB/BROWN UNIVERSITY LAB/BROWN VAUGHAN/VALDEZ SYDNEY HOSPITAL; BUTLER COURTESY Brown are creating a massive collaborative research incu- WE HAVE TO GO TO SCALE.” —Vincent Mor bator to develop clinical trials aimed at evaluating non-pharmacological interventions. Harvard, New York University, University of Michigan, and Yale, Vincent Mor, coleader of the collaboration and a professor of will also be collaborating on the project. health services, policy, and practice at Brown’s School of Public “There is a pressing need to improve care and support for Health, said this grant has the potential to revolutionize how people with dementia and their caregivers,” said Richard care is delivered to patients, because it will speed up the process J. Hodes, director of the NIA. “The IMPACT Collaboratory will of bringing evidence-based interventions into health care systems. enable more effective, efficient teamwork research on finding “Given how many people are going to be diagnosed with Al- better solutions for the millions of Americans affected by these zheimer’s and other dementias and the number of caregivers, devastating diseases.” this is not a problem that can be solved one lone program at a The collaboratory is searching for pilot projects much like time. We need an industrial-strength program. We have to go to Mor’s successful Music and Memory project, which found that scale,” Mor said. “And anytime you go to scale, that compli- listening to a personalized music playlist can help reduce an cates matters dramatically, both scientifically as well as opera- Alzheimer’s patient’s behavioral symptoms and need for anti- tionally, and from an organizational, human engineering perspec- psychotic medications. They reached this finding with a small tive. The goal is to figure out how to take an idea that works when pilot study, and then received additional funding to implement researchers do it, and to see if it works when real staff do it.” the program in 81 nursing homes, gathering a larger research The program, dubbed the IMPACT Collaboratory, will fund sample while simultaneously offering a new treatment option up to 40 pilot projects in real-world health care systems beginning for patients. The IMPACT Collaboratory will offer that same op- in 2020, generating the necessary data for even larger trials that portunity to other studies that have proven successful in small A nerve cell is used to test molecules that can protect against damage through neurodegenerative conditions will be supported with future federal funding. Researchers from trials, providing the funding and support to implement on a larger such as Alzheimer’s. UNIVERSITY BROWN more than two dozen universities around the country, including scale.

24 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 25 of how it targets inflammation. Sedivy’s research showed that trist and professor of biology, neuroscience, and psychiatry at the drug reduced inflammation from age-related conditions in Brown, who leads the center alongside Brown neurologist Judy naturally aging mice, and now a team led by Sedivy and Sallo- Liu, who also runs a molecular neuroscience lab. Both Morrow way will test it on people with Alzheimer’s. and Liu are physician-scientists. “Many age-associated diseases are accompanied by in- The center’s goal is to advance knowledge about how brain creased inflammation. In fact, an elevated, chronic level of inflam- diseases develop and to translate this knowledge into improved mation is one of the hallmarks of aging—normal healthy aging clinical outcomes for families affected by brain disease. The included,” Sedivy said. “Alzheimer’s in particular has been center is paying special attention to Alzheimer’s, with two new linked with pronounced neuro-inflammation. While it is by no faculty members experienced in the field of Alzheimer’s re- means clear whether this neuro-inflammation is the cause of search: Alvin Huang, recruited from Stanford, and Gregorio Alzheimer’s, it is increasingly believed that it might be an impor- Valdez, from Virginia Tech. Valdez has moved his established tant exacerbating factor. Hence, reducing or preventing neuro- laboratory studying age-related neurological diseases to Brown, inflammation might slow down the progression of the disease.” and Huang, who is also a physician-scientist and neurologist, is starting his laboratory at Brown as junior faculty focused on UNTANGLING ALZHEIMER’S Alzheimer’s disease. THROUGH GENETICS They will also partner with Brown’s Carney Institute for Brain While clinical trials search for drugs that could help treat Science, already a leader in research to identify therapies for Alzheimer’s and other dementia patients, neuroscientists are neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s, ALS, and still looking for the root causes of these diseases. When neuro- Parkinson’s. scientists learn more about the gene mutations that contribute “We are tremendously excited about the new Center for to Alzheimer’s, researchers learn new targets for drug treat- Translational Neuroscience,” said Diane Lipscombe, the direc- Eric Morrow is using genetics to better understand brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. ments. It all requires a collaborative process, which has led to tor of the Carney Institute. “The most important ingredients for Brown’s new Center for Translational Neuroscience, which offi- success are the people—Eric Morrow and Judy Liu are a phenom- cially launched with the 2019–20 academic year. enal team; they are committed to building a community of AIDING EARLY DETECTION that tests for genetic risk for developing Alzheimer’s. If a partic- “There have been major advances in human genetics. Really scientists with a passion for patient-centered research. Eric and Much like the IMPACT Collaboratory, the Memory and Aging ipant has one of the risk genes for Alzheimer’s, known as APOE e4, understanding gene changes offers a powerful, fresh, and Judy lead through example, and their own research has given Program of Providence’s Butler Hospital, with a team led by the Butler team will reach out to them about opportunities to new approach for dissecting complicated brain diseases like novel insight into disease origin. The first two recruits into the Salloway and as an affiliate of Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical participate in studies, as well as counseling them through the Alzheimer’s disease. Genetics is the logic and glue that brings Center for Translational Neuroscience, Greg Valdez and Alvin School, is focused on making treatments and preventions more process of learning about their potential risk for the disease. us together and orients our path,” said Eric Morrow, a psychia- Huang, focus on cellular and molecular processes disrupted in widely available and accessible. A host of clinical trials are focused Salloway’s team has offered swab parties in places aimed to Alzheimer’s disease, an area of great need.” on early detection, studying people who possess risk genes for broaden engagement, such as Brown’s alumni reunions and Alzheimer’s to discover what contributes to the disease. As the WaterFire in Providence. SHARE KNOWLEDGE WIDELY causes are targeted, researchers are hopeful that possible pre- The program has also developed a disease prevention reg- Researchers and clinicians at Brown continue to confront vention treatments can be developed for future generations. A istry, and it matches willing volunteers with Alzheimer’s studies Alzheimer’s disease on multiple fronts: through public health key part of that effort is to get more people to participate in re- in search of participants. After potential volunteers complete a interventions, clinical trials and community education, and search studies and educate the public about potential risk secure and confidential online questionnaire, program represen- genetics research. On its current trajectory, Alzheimer’s dis- genes for Alzheimer’s. tatives reach out to them about how to participate in a study. ease is estimated to afflict 14 million people by 2050, and the “Everybody’s afraid of Alzheimer’s—the most feared disease Previous studies done by the program have produced impor- day-to-day reality of this work is grueling and challenging, so of aging, more than cancer,” Salloway said. “It can be para- tant results in the fight against Alzheimer’s, including more ad- efforts are seen as urgent. lyzing. Our volunteers who participate in these studies are val- vanced and accurate tests for the disease, like brain scans that “I’m so excited that Brown is really getting behind Alzheimer’s iant, dedicated, and courageous. We’ve developed tools now can detect the brain plaques and tangles (or protein deposits) research,” Salloway said. “It is setting the stage for some amaz- so that we can identify people at risk and try to modify the risk that lead to Alzheimer’s before memory loss sets in, and new ing work. It is an exciting time, the opportunity for collaboration so they don’t get the memory loss and the dementia.” medications in clinical trial phase, like gene-targeted therapies across disciplines and to bring discoveries to people that need The Memory and Aging program hosts what they have that shut down the production of these toxic proteins. them.” dubbed “swab parties”—events where the public is invited to In addition to the Butler Hospital team’s clinical trials, John As different programs are tested and implemented, the goal assist in Alzheimer’s research by participating in a cheek swab Sedivy, professor of biology and director of the Biology of Aging is for them to be replicated in any kind of health care facility, includ- initiative at Brown, gained ing under-resourced ones. Mor, who is coleader of the IMPACT funding from the Alzheimer’s Collaboratory along with his frequent research partner, Susan Association for a new clinical BROWN UNIVERSITY Mitchell of Hebrew SeniorLife, points out that top-ranked medi- “REALLY UNDERSTANDING GENE CHANGES drug trial. A drug initially de- cal centers, like Brown, have the resources to invest in research veloped to fight HIV appears and clinical trials, and there is a responsibility to share this OFFERS A POWERFUL, FRESH, AND to have the potential to treat At “swab parties,” people assist in Alzheimer’s knowledge widely. “There are other places that are going to find Alzheimer’s and other age- research by participating in a cheek swab that tests for it much more difficult. It is critical that we design programs that

NEW APPROACH.” —Eric Morrow associated diseases because HOSPITAL BUTLER COURTESY genetic risk for developing Alzheimer’s. are going to be implemented and embraced,” Mor said.

26 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 27 ENTERPRISING MINDS 28 IMPACT 2020

people navigate immigration forms. navigate immigration people (r), helps website its through company, Her problem. policy a fix to Formally ’18 started Vavrovsky Amélie-Sophie incubator. as acts Centerthe Nelson for Entrepreneurship as companies new and products creating successful are Undergraduates COURTESY VAVROVSKY COURTESY

COURTESY VAVROVSKY G a person’s right to seek asylum. “That struck me as a gross human rights rights violation,”human Vavrovsky gross said. protecting a as me struck Convention “That asylum. Nations seek to right person’s United a 1951 a lawyers—despite provided not are What’s applicants more, in English. only available and to understand difficult are as they to asylum, a barrier constitute can themselves forms tion It guides users through immigration forms and fills them out as they go. they as out them fills and forms immigration through users guides It languages. other and English simple into legalese translates that interface tive intui an with program software a Formally, for prototype the produced had in 2018,By of the end that weekend Hack@Brown. of team her and four she marathon software-design 24-hour annual the for up signed concentrator tions preneurs at Brown, says Danny Warshay ’87, director of the Nelson Center Center Nelson the of ’87, director Warshay Danny says Brown, preneurs at Armed with an idea that would tackle the situation, the international rela This drive to solve a “consequential problem” typifies many would-be entre would-be many typifies problem” “consequential a to solve drive This BY SARAH C. BALDWIN ’87 BALDWIN C. BY SARAH prised to learn that in the United States, immigra States, United the in that learn to prised policies. refugee and immigration about could she she began volunteering with refugees while learning all hatred, To the Europe. counter across xenophobia and immigration of rise parallel firsthand the witnessed Amélie-Sophie Vavrovsky ’18 Austria, in up rowing Pursuing those efforts at Brown, she was sur was she Brown, at efforts those Pursuing - - - - -

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- 31 IMPACT 2020 When she returned to Brown and enrolled in Warshay’s trator took time off to spend she began learning about her agricultural country’s industry— two years back home,specifically, where about the growing demand for theEthiopian staple and global super-food, teff, thatEthiopian farmers have been cultivating for thousands years. of bottom-up the done already had she realized Mechale course, research he prescribes. That research—the two years she spent getting to know the idea Ethiopianfor agoTeff, company ag that would scene—yielded market teff-based food the to change the narrative, but she didn’t know how. In 2015, afterchange to thenarrative, 2015, In but she knowdidn’t how. hersophomore thesocial year, analysis and researchconcen - - ROBLEM...AND YOU TRY TO FIND THE THE TO FIND TRY YOU ROBLEM...AND THE RESEARCH LEADS YOU TO THE TO THE LEADS YOU RESEARCH THE P —SaronSOLUTION.” ’19 Mechale “ - - Saron Mechale ’19 always knew she wanted to have an im an have to wanted she knew always ’19 Mechale Saron That process consists of three steps: identify an unmet

Saron Mechale (l), founder ’19 works in Ethiopia of goTeff, with Saron Fisseha to ’21 testsolar farmers.irrigation with pumps along posed to going in with an answer and then asking them what they think about it.” pact in her native Ethiopia, a country “oftenwanted development.”She poverty of lackplace of or perceived a as West by the is a structured process you can teach, learn, master, and apply.” sustainable scalable, a develop and solution, a devise need, model. Step one requires inquiry and observation—what Warshay “bottom-upasreferred Brianresearch.”to Demers director ’85, of business development in the Office of Industry Engagement and Commercial Venturing, whohelps transform research into successful agreed: “As Danny says, ‘An ventures, entrepreneur is first and fore most an anthropologist.’ You want to go in and … under stand what people are doing on a daily basis, how they’re addressing a problem—as op COURTESY GOTEFF COURTESY

NICK DENTAMARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY (2)

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fore applying to B-Lab, Vavrosky had taken Warshay’s course, “The Entrepreneurial Process,” whose title reflects approach. his of foundation the Rejecting terms like “entrepre neurial mind-set” or “entrepre empha Warshay spirit,” neurial sized that entrepreneurship at Brown has all the rigor of any other academic discipline: “It Be tored by successful alumni en trepreneurs. In March 2019, the Formally team won place first and $25,000 center’s Brown Venture Prize, in the a pitch competition designed taketo advanced ventures to the next level and funded by two Brown alums cofounders who of Casper are mattress andcompany, Neil Parikh ’11 Luke Sherwin ’12. YOUR WHAT’S PROBLEM? “We’re not just motivating students to learn about entrepre about learn to students motivating just not “We’re The results are showing, as companies started by Brown To help grow Formally into a full-fledged venture, 2018 in to offer to internships Israel,in Germany, Sweden, and elsewhere. intensive summer accelerator program that supports students developinghigh-impact ventures. During B-Lab, as the program is known, she and her$4,000 each,worked alongside otherfounders, men andwere collaborators received a stipend of neurship,” Warshay said. empowering “We’re them do to undergraduates are dominating accelerator competitions that give credibility and needed funds—such as in the Mass 2019 Challenge Awards, where two of the three awards top went closelyto start-ups Rhode connected Island to Brown and the Center. Nelson Vavrovsky applied to the center’s Breakthrough Lab, an - -

Practice.” 2020 Danny Warshay (r), Danny Warshay (r), teaches a course on teaches a course on “The Entrepreneurial“The director of the Nelson director of the Nelson Process: Innovation in IMPACT Housed in a new, specially designed 10,000-square-foot 30 TheBreakthrough Lab is an intensive summer accelerator program that supports ventures. high-impact developing students come a portal to all things entrepreneurial. While the entrepreiconic the with including Brown, to new hardly is inclination neurial ENGN9 class taught for decades by Professor Barrett Hazeltine, satisfygrowingappetiteamongpositionsthecenter to the Brown students create to what Warshay called “solutions with impact.” building in the heart of campus, the grants, center mentoring, supports courses, foundational scholarlyoffering while research student-runnonstopschedulegroups,a andworkshops of and enrolled were students 750 2019, fall to 2016 fall from lectures; in the center’s selective programs, and events and office hours accounted for 5,000 visits to the center. In addition, the center alumni) with students links (which BrownConnect with partners forEntrepreneurship. Established millionwith $25 a gift in 2016 from Jonathan the center M. Nelson has in short’77, order be Center for Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship, for Center products online and then reinvest the profits with the farmers online in September 2019, and a few weeks later was named puter science professor Donald who supply it. Mechale’s venture would thus accomplish two one of the top three prizewinning start-ups in the Rhode Island Stanford serve as advisers). goals: empowering Ethiopian farmers by connecting them to program of MassChallenge, a global network of start-up accel- Other students are devis- international markets, and telling the world “an authentic and erators. (Another of the top three companies, Intus Care, is also ing ways to use technology to contemporary story” about Ethiopia. Brown-connected, founded by four current undergraduates and improve human health. When The idea quickly gained traction. Mechale received two venture- aiming to provide improved home health care at lower cost.) he walked into the required support grants from the Nelson Center; enrolled in Lean Launch- “The research leads you to the problem … and then biomedical engineering cap- you try to find the solution,” stone class, Gian Christian Ig- Mechale said. “This method- nacio ’18 MD’22 wasn’t think- ology helped me to pursue my ing about medical devices or “I WANT TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL interest in entrepreneurship at start-ups. But he had long a deeper level than before.” planned to integrate entrepre- HAVE A FAR-REACHING IMPACT.” It’s the same approach neurship and medicine in his that led Jack Roswell and fel- career: “I want to help patients —Gian Christian Ignacio ’18 MD’22 low engineering students Ju- on a day-to-day basis, but at lian Vallyeason and Alex Zhuk the same time I want to do pad, Brown’s Wintersession course on building start-ups; partici- to the idea for their venture, Cloud Agronomics. As first-years, something that will have a far- pated in the 2018 B-Lab; and, in March 2019, won second place they were doing independent research in plant physiology and reaching impact.” So when and $15,000 in the Brown Venture Prize competition. That same remote sensing with John Mustard, professor of earth, environ- cardiothoracic surgeon Neel year, goTeff was a finalist for the Hult Prize, an international com- mental, and planetary sciences, and James Kellner, assistant Gian Christian Ignacio ’18 MD’22 is part of a team seeking to help cardiac bypass Sodha, an assistant professor petition for student entrepreneurs. After more than 10 months professor of ecology and evolutionary biology. They were also surgery patients with a mesh (below) that more effectively filters debris. of surgery at Warren Alpert of product development and testing, the firm officially launched designing and constructing a solar-powered drone they hoped Medical School, presented the would break the world record for the longest sustained flight of class with a real-life problem to solve, Ignacio took notice. Sodha any unmanned aerial vehicle. After six months of work, the explained that, after a patient undergoes cardiac bypass surgery, drone finally took flight—only to crash eight seconds later. there’s a risk of debris from the aorta, such as plaque, entering Roswell said the crash placed the friends at a “serendipitous a patient’s bloodstream and causing embolic stroke. intersection” of backgrounds, passions, timing in the industry, Along with three other biomedical engineering students and and a breakthrough in their research. Working with their profes- Emily Holtzman, a Rhode Island School of Design student earning sors, they observed that it was possible to extract valuable insights her BFA in textiles, Ignacio was inspired by the problem-based about a plant’s physiological processes from data collected via approach. They shadowed Sodha, even observing a heart sur- remote sensing, but those insights never left the lab. “So we gery, and pooled their research, expertise, and ideas. The result: decided to transition,” he said, “from designing a cool engineering a medical-grade mesh that more effectively filters embolic de- project to creating a company and having a bigger impact.” bris. EmboNet, as the group’s capstone project is called, took To maximize that impact, Roswell and Zhuk—who come first place in the Advanced Health Systems category of the from farming families in Michigan and Ukraine, respectively— 2018 Johns Hopkins Healthcare Design Competition. The team spent weeks on the ground traveling to research laboratories went on to place third in the 2019 Brown Venture Prize compe- and farms across the United States to determine the biggest tition, and the $10,000 prize enabled them to continue working problems the agriculture industry was facing, such as crop dis- on EmboNet in that summer’s B-Lab. ease. Remote imaging provided a window inside each plant, while powerful analytics enabled them to identify disease weeks be- COURTESY MARTY LAROCQUE/ MARTY COURTESY fore any symptoms were available to the naked eye. For growers, that could mean minimum waste and maximum profits. Today, Roswell, Zhuk, and David Schurman work full-time on the venture, which received support funding from the Nelson Center and took second place in the Brown Venture Prize com- petition in 2018. Since then, Cloud Agronomics has garnered not only millions of dollars in capital but recognition as well, including in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. In addition CLOUD AGRONOMICS to working on carbon/sustainability initiatives with Microsoft AI for Earth, the company was named a breakthrough innovator for using agriculture to reverse the effects of climate change by Indigo Ag, itself a leading agtech company. In fact, Mark Brown students Alex Zhuk (l), Jack Roswell, and David Schurman are among the founders of Cloud Agronomics, Tracy ’95 left his position as vice president of Indigo Ag to become which aims to help farmers detect crop disease early and limit its spread. IGNACIO COURTESY the Cloud Agronomics chief executive officer. (Kellner and com-

32 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 33 Ignacio believes being a student adds value to the problem- solving step. “We had the chance to hear about big problems that surgeons look at every day,” he said. “They’ve got years of UPSTARTS experience and wisdom. We’re new. So instead of being stressed thinking about the problem, we brought fresh pairs of Barrett Hazeltine, professor emeritus of engineering, recalls eyes to look at it in a different way.” the time a reporter from Fast Company magazine showed up in his office and asked, “How come the entrepreneurs I know in New PROBLEM SOLVING WITH PURPOSE York all came from Brown? What’s in the water in Providence?” Like its culture and curriculum, Brown’s brand of entrepre- “I don’t know what’s in the water,” Hazeltine says now, “but neurship transcends engineering, its historical home, and is de- I suspect the extraordinary number of entrepreneurs comes cidedly interdisciplinary. The center works with many partners from exceptional students attracted by a culture and curriculum across campus, such as the Carney Institute for Brain Science, that prize autonomy. The promise of the early years has been which is now literally across Thayer Street from it, and the Insti- fulfilled by a virtuous cycle of independent thinking, curiosity, and tute at Brown for Environmental Sciences. Its course recom- respect for student and alumni entrepreneurship.” mendations draw on a range of programs, including sociology, s Nantucket Nectars Here are just a few of the many ventures started by Brunoni- computer science, public policy, music, and the visual arts. beverage company, ans (listing only the Brown alumni among the company founders). Warshay embraces the “accidental collisions” that come from est. 1989 Many of these companies have become household names, such mixing. During B-Lab, he said, “we don’t have the social

Tom Scott ’90, while others have been incubated in Brown’s entrepreneurial SANDOREMILY entrepreneur sit on the third floor and the capitalist on the second Tom First ’89 ecosystem more recently. floor. Cross-pollinating leads to more effective solutions.” Demers said that rooting entrepreneurship in a research university with

Dear Kate underwear Koi Prosthetics, t Motley Fool, financial s Rip Van Wafels snack TextUp software for (orig. Sexy Period), est. 2008 est. 2017 advisor, est. 1993 company, est. 2010 nonprofits and Julie Sygiel ’09, Matthew Lo ’18, Tom Gardner ’90 Rip Pruisken ’10, government-funded “IT’S A UNIQUE TIME IN Eunice Png ’09 Alexander Lo ’18, Marco De Leon ’12 agencies, est. 2013 Luke Morales ’18 MS’19, Michelle Petersen ’18, YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU CAN t Dogfish Head Justin Lee ’18, RUNA clean energy Eric Bai ’15.5 MD’22 Craft Brewery, est. 1995 Matthew Borges ’19, drinks, MOVE QUICKLY, BE AGILE.” Mariah Calagione ’93 Claire Sise ’18 est. 2008 Uproot plant-based milk Dan MacCombie ’08.5, dispenser, est. 2018 —Jack Roswell Tyler Gage ’08 Kevin Eve ’18 s 305 Fitness workout a strong liberal arts foundation in its undergraduate curriculum classes, est. 2011 ShapeUp corporate t Warby Parker makes it different from what MIT or Stanford offers: “All the cool Sadie Kurzban ’11 wellness, est. 2006 eyewear, est. 2010 stuff happens at the intersections.” Rajiv Kumar ’05 MD’11, Andrew Hunt ’04 “I always thought that entrepreneurship was about people Brad Weinberg ’03 MD’11 just trying to make money,” textile designer Holtzman said. “But (purchased by Virgin the amazing thing about Brown is that, because there’s no Penta low-cost Pulse in 2016) business school, everyone’s coming to entrepreneurship from prosthetics, est. 2016 their own concentration [and] personal interests, so they have a Trang Duong ’18 huge passion for whatever their business is. They actually care about their project.” t Casper sleep products, That’s important to students who are impatient to solve the est. 2014 problems they uncover through research. “There are so many Gabriel Flateman ’12, important debates about the future, but little to no represen- Neil Parikh ’11, tation of people our age who have the maturity and the hunger Luke Sherwin ’12 to make a difference,” said Roswell. “Also, it’s a unique time in your life where you can move quickly, be agile.” Vavrovsky, who sees Formally not just as a business but Premama prenatal also as a policy fix, agreed: “I study international relations, and nutritional supplements, what we get really good at is identifying policy problems. To find est. 2012 solutions, we need the smartest, most creative, most interdisci- Robert Aziz ’11, plinary, most diverse group of people working on these issues. William Do ’13 —Sarah C. Baldwin ’87 And entrepreneurship is one of the ways to do that.”

34 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 35 A CLOSER LOOK AT RESEARCHERS AND FOCUS PROJECTS GAINING WIDER INFLUENCE Telescope, which will measure the light of billions of galaxies. In the process, the tele- scope is expected to turn up lots of new dwarf galaxies, which are thought to be rich in The Search dark matter. Telescope data can also be used to measure how “clumpy” dark matter is and the extent to which dark matter may interact with itself, a key characteristic for under- forBrown physicists Dark are in the forefront of effortsMatter to identify the standing the nature of particles. JiJi Fan, an assistant pro- mysterious material. fessor of physics, is working Researchers at Brown assembled in a special cleanroom an array of powerful light with data collected by the Eu- BY KEVIN STACEY sensors to keep watch on the LUX-ZEPLIN dark matter detector in South Dakota. ropean Space Agency’s Gaia Satellite, which marks the posi- In the mid-1960s, an astronomer named Vera Rubin found tion of more than a billion stars in our galaxy with unprecedented something very strange about the way galaxies rotate. precision. Stars near the outer edges of galaxies orbited the center “Although the Gaia telescope doesn’t measure dark matter much faster than expected—so fast, in fact, that they should directly, the motions of visible stars are mostly determined by just fly off into space. The finding suggested that gravity from some the invisible dark matter through gravity,” Fan said. “Thus, Gaia enormous yet unseen mass is holding these galaxies together. data does provide a highly powerful indirect probe to infer the Rubin’s results were eventually confirmed, and the quest to distribution of dark matter.” She and her students used the data understand the missing mass of the universe—dark matter— to put new constraints on the possibility of a “dark disk”—dark began in earnest. The quest goes on today, with Brown physicists matter aligned with the visible galactic disk of the Milky Way. playing key roles in solving what many see as the greatest mystery While the hunt for WIMPs goes on, Savvas Koushiappas, in modern physics. associate professor of physics, has been studying a different Scientists think dark matter is the dominant form of mass in dark matter candidate: primordial black holes. Collapsing stars the universe, though no one is quite sure what the stuff actually can form black holes, but renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is. The current consensus is that it’s some kind of particle, the leading candidate being “There is every prospect for the direct discovery the WIMP, or weakly interact- of the nature of the dominant mass in the universe.” ing massive particle. WIMPs, according to theory, should —Rick Gaitskell have a mass of somewhere between 10 and 1,000 times the mass of a proton, as well as a predicted another type of black hole formed before stars exist- snobbish tendency to avoid any interaction with normal matter ed, during the first moments after the Big Bang. These primor- (hence “weakly interacting”). And so they waft ghostlike through dial black holes might contribute to the matter density of space, ubiquitous yet unseen. the universe, yet so far there’s no experimental evidence that “You and I and all the stuff we can touch and see, that’s just they exist. Koushiappas has calculated the earliest time stellar flotsam and jetsam in a vast sea of dark matter,” said Rick black holes could have formed—about 65 million years after the Gaitskell, a professor at Brown and a leading dark matter hunter. Big Bang. If gravitational wave experiments, which detect rip- “Yet, because the particles are so weakly interacting, they pass ples in space-time resulting from black hole mergers, detect right through us all the time and we never know they’re there.” merger events before that cut-off time, it would be strong evi- Currently, the only way to study dark matter is through indi- dence that primordial black holes do exist and may constitute rect observation deep in the cosmos. Though dark matter part of the dark matter. i

STOCK PHOTO STOCK doesn’t emit or reflect light, its gravity can warp the fabric of While indirect observations are important for understanding space, causing the path taken by light to bend. A technique the nature of dark matter, Gaitskell and other physicists are hard called gravitational lensing measures light bending as it travels, at work trying to directly detect it on Earth. Gaitskell built his first and Brown physicist Ian Dell’Antonio is part of a much- dark matter detector more than 30 years ago; it weighed about

Scientists are looking deep into the cosmos to study dark matter. UNIVERSITY DEMENTARO/BROWN NICK anticipated lensing experiment, the Large Synoptic Survey 10 grams and was about the size of a fingertip. “It was an en-

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tirely credible dark matter detector at the time,” Gaitskell to a much higher level. Based on injury statistics, she estimates such as car crashes and AIDS. In the case of both autos and said. that research funds on gun violence should be 50 times greater AIDS, she said, research led to significant innovations and ulti- Since then, things have scaled up considerably. Today, This Is Her Lane in order to be responsive. mately lowered the number of deaths. For guns, the state of Gaitskell and scientists from around the world are building a A physician advocates for a “This is the health crisis of our time,” she said about gun science has not advanced much since 1996, she said. 10-ton detector at the Sanford Underground Research research and public-health-driven safety issues. More research would identify and test more po- Responding to the concerns of many gun owners, Ranney Facility in South Dakota. That massive detector, called tential solutions; it would also address the lack of data, such as said she doesn’t think research-based solutions are about con- LUX-ZEPLIN or LZ, consists of a tub of liquid xenon festooned approach to curb gun violence. on firearm ownership, that makes current violence harder to fiscation of guns. While recognizing that most guns are used with powerful light sensors designed to capture the tiny stop, she said. safely, she said other changes, such as more accurate identifi- flashes of light produced on the rare occasions when a BY NOEL RUBINTON ’77 Ranney is also one of the founders and chief research officer cation of people at risk of firearm injury, improved education WIMP smacks into the nucleus of a xenon atom. for the American Foundation for Firearm Injury Reduction in about safer storage, and community-based prevention pro- To protect the detector from cosmic rays and other radia- Just two weeks after the shooting deaths of 17 students Medicine (AFFIRM), a nonprofit group of health care providers grams, could save lives. tion that could drown out a WIMP signal, it’s being built a and staff at a Parkland, Fla., high school in 2018, Megan and researchers looking to find solutions to firearm violence. In 2018, when the National Institutes of Health awarded a $5 mile below ground in a goldmine turned science lab. When Ranney’s long-simmering frustration boiled over. “We have not applied the public health approach to guns,” million grant to the University of Michigan for a new Firearm As a professor at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School Ranney said, comparing gun deaths to other causes of deaths, Safety Among Children and Teens Consortium (FACTS), it was who had founded the school’s Emergency Digital Health Inno- the largest grant from the vation Program, and an emergency physician at Rhode Island agency for firearm injury reduc- Hospital, Ranney had reached an intense moment of exas- “This is the health crisis of our time.” —Megan Ranney tion in 20 years. Brown is one peration in her efforts to find research-based solutions to the of 12 universities and health sys- country’s epidemic of gun violence. tems across the country in- An active social media user, Ranney tried a new approach, cluded, with Ranney in charge tweeting out the harrowing accounts of gun violence across the of Brown’s part of the study. nation that she’d gathered, under the label #docs4gunsense. Also in 2018, Ranney Her messages got enormous immediate notice, and within served as the cochair of a days there were hundreds of doctors posting stories of loss 43-member gun safety work- and anger under the hashtag she coined. ing group for Rhode Island, Less than nine months later, Ranney found herself in the appointed by Governor Gina lead of another high-wattage situation played out in social Raimondo and delivering to media. In response to a paper on firearm injuries and deals her more than 30 recommen- published by the American College of Physicians, the Na- dations for reforms. tional Rifle Association sent out a tweet telling “self-impor- She has published many tant anti-gun doctors to stay in their lane.” Ranney said she papers on gun violence and Students and faculty did assembly work on was stunned, yet quickly moved to the forefront of those orga- other violent injuries, and fre- detector parts in a cleanroom to keep equipment nizing a rebuttal campaign as #ThisIsOurLane. Fueled further quently speaks on the subject. as dust-free as possible. by another mass shooting just a few hours later in Thousand Despite setbacks, Ranney Oaks, Calif., the physicians’ hashtag flooded Twitter with tens said, “I see hope. We are close complete, it will be the most sensitive dark matter detector of thousands of messages. to a tipping point within this ever built. For Ranney, who also earned an MPH degree from Brown, nation of recognizing that, LZ is the successor to LUX detector, an experiment her interest in gun safety issues and research grew from her when we address gun violence Gaitskell co-led that previously held the “most sensitive” dis- emergency department experiences. Over and over, she as a health epidemic, we have tinction, and lessons from LUX informed the new detector. saw how firearms cases were unusual, particularly how so the potential to fix it, just like Gaitskell and his students designed and built key parts of many were fatal. She was shocked at how many involved we made progress with HIV- the new LZ detector—two large arrays of photomultiplier suicides, where the presence of an unmonitored gun in a AIDS and car crashes.” tubes—in cleanrooms at Brown. The arrays are light sensors house was connected to a spontaneous act that caused Last August was another powerful enough to detect just a handful of photons coming death. She calls the large number of suicide deaths in the NICK DEMENTARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY inflection point for gun issues from the xenon tank. The devices will be first to see the tiny United States by guns a “silent epidemic.” after the El Paso and Dayton flashes of light associated with a dark matter interaction. Early in her career, Ranney, a former Peace Corps volunteer mass shootings. Ranney was The equipment was trucked from Providence to South in Africa, found herself drawn to firearm safety research. She again one of the most promi- Dakota in late 2018. Detector construction is now nearly was discouraged from going into the field and quickly found nent activists and research- complete, and soon it will switch on. one of the main reasons: an act of Congress in 1996—a still- ers, writing articles and ap- “Our team is very excited to see the first results of the op- in-place rider known as the Dickey Amendment—had almost pearing on many radio and eration of this detector in 2020,” Gaitskell said. “It will be completely choked off all federal funds for gun safety research. television programs. “I’m fol- probing entirely new models of dark matter, and so there is In the last few years, Ranney has led national efforts to lowing a passion and doing every prospect for the direct discovery of the nature of the conduct gun safety research with money that is available, si- Megan Ranney speaks around the country on ways to better understand something that needs to be dominant mass in the universe”. multaneously pushing to increase federal and state funding HERLIHY JOHNSON THERESA and reduce gun violence done,” she said.

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While digitized images are making the Herbarium speci- mens more valuable to researchers outside of Brown, the Specimens of collection of specimens carefully organized and preserved Spreading in climate-controlled cabinets will always be important, History Kartzinel said. “You can’t get DNA out of a photo,” she said. Better Health DNA extraction from plants—done by grinding up parts of Rhode Island’s clinical and The Herbarium brought the long- leaves and then going through filtering steps—has been lost “Cat Swamp” back to life. growing more useful in research, including working to docu- translational research center, ment new species. Kartzinel, whose research focuses on based at Brown, has already BY NOEL RUBINTON ’77 plant population and ecological genetics, plans to expand the use of DNA analysis in the Herbarium, developing a DNA funded over 60 projects. As director of Brown’s Herbarium, the home of about than ever to researchers every- digital database and aiming to add a DNA barcode to spec- 100,000 plant specimens where some date back to the 1800s, where, and original specimens imens to help in identification of species and in cross-refer- BY GABRIELLE STRANIERI AND Tim Whitfeld kept running across a mysterious location name: are safely preserved and avail- encing that helps determine what was grown in a particular PHOEBE HALL Cat Swamp. able for further study in a mod- location. It took more sleuthing, including working with the Rhode Island ern facility in Brown’s BioMed The Herbarium dates to the 1870s, when local business- Anyone who has ever spent time in Rhode Island knows Historical Society, to figure out more about where the plant Center. man Stephen Thayer Olney donated his plant collection to that Lil Rhody—as it’s affectionately called—often feels like samples were from, which turned out to be several blocks of The Herbarium has be- the university. At the same time, William Whitman Bailey be- one big small town. It’s a statewide community of just over a the East Side of Providence, still rural in the 1800s. The marshy come a key research site for came the first botany professor at Brown, and he took over million people, 70 percent of whom never relocate out of state. area was seen as too difficult and expensive to develop until many biologists, students, and the fledgling Herbarium. He led the collection of many spec- Rhode Island’s small size and stability was an advantage 1915, when engineers and builders started draining the swamp others on campus and around imens, by himself and by students. Cat Swamp became a in Advance Clinical and Translational Research (Advance-CTR) and constructing many one-family homes in the area. the world. And as DNA extrac- favorite location for field trips, as he and students would go being established at Brown in 2016. A $19.5 million statewide By the time Whitfeld came upon the specimens, there was tion and analysis techniques there often, and Bailey’s notebooks documenting the visits award was secured in a competitive process from the National no one alive who had seen Cat Swamp, and virtually nobody continue to become more so- were part of the John Hay exhibition. Whitfeld said Bailey Institute of General Medical Sciences. “Rhode Island is an had ever heard of it. Without records and specimens from the phisticated, the Herbarium’s thought Cat Swamp “was noteworthy in the increasingly ur- excellent test-bed for research,” said Neil Sarkar, director of Herbarium, Cat Swamp, with all its distinctive character and specimens have become even ban environment,” and “it was an interesting local hot spot, Advance-CTR’s biomedical informatics core. plant diversity, would have been lost to history. Instead, in collab- more valuable assets. easy to get to.” With involvement from Brown, Advance-CTR’s partners oration with the historical society and the Brown Library, Whit- Several years ago, the Her- Kartzinel lives on the edge of what was once Cat Swamp. at the University of Rhode Island, and affiliated hospitals feld brought the swamp back into public view through “Entwined: barium launched an ambi- Caltha “To walk down there and think there was a swamp there is across the state, the program is already proving to be a change- Botany, Art and the Lost Cat Swamp Habitat,” an exhibition that tious effort to resume collect- Palustis, or amazing,” she said. The Herbarium “is tied to ecological his- maker. Its impact spans dozens of projects for big data re- attracted several thousand visitors at the John Hay Library in the ing current Rhode Island plant marsh marigold, tory,” she said, and is also well positioned to provide a window search, community engagement, medtech discoveries, and winter and spring of 2019. specimens. Whitfeld and stu taken from on the environment into the future. more. The Brown Herbarium, started in the 1870s, “is a record of dents collected several hun- Cat Swamp. “We’ve created a centralized hub of resources for all plant diversity at a given place at a given time in history,” said dred new specimens, and, Cat Swamp covered several blocks of Providence’s health-focused researchers in Rhode Island,” said James Whitfeld. With its collection mostly fully digitized, largely through now that Whitfeld has moved to the Bell Museum at the Univer- East Side until the early 1900s. Padbury, program director of Advance-CTR and professor work by undergraduates, the Herbarium is more accessible sity of Minnesota, the new Herbarium director, Rebecca Kartzinel, of pediatrics at Brown’s Warren Alpert Medical School. “In is continuing the collecting. The Herbarium collection has grown our first three years, we funded 66 investigators and provided through its nearly 150 years, and Kartzinel’s Rhode Island Flora research support and training that were previously unavail- students will help finish the comprehensive collection of Rhode able on a statewide level. This fills a crucial need, while putting Island’s estimated 1,700 current plant species. major resources toward studies that tackle the health priori- “Scientific collections are super-important for documenting ties of our local communities.” biodiversity,” said Kartzinel, assistant professor of ecology and Here are three of Advance-CTR’s projects so far:

evolutionary biology. “In this era of climate change and invasive UNIVERSITY HAY LIBRARY/BROWN JOHN species,” she said, the Herbarium is an important way to mea- PILOT STATE sure what grew when and where, and it increases understand- Rhode Island is not just the Ocean State—it’s also a pilot ing of environmental trends. state. That’s what Sarkar along with others had in mind The Herbarium also is used as a research tool to better un- when they brokered a deal with the state to leverage Rhode derstand development and pollution locally. Comparing plant Island’s All-Payer Claims Database for unprecedented big specimens at three sites in Providence from 1846 to 1916 to the data health research. same sites in 2015, Whitfeld, Sofia Rudin ’17, and David Murray, The all-payer information is a powerful dataset that houses a lecturer in Brown’s Department of Earth, Environmental, and nearly all medical and pharmacy bills for the state’s residents Planetary Sciences, were able to measure heavy metal pollu- in one place. With this access, Sarkar said researchers can tion and changes over time and publish their work in the Appli- now track—with patient confidentiality and data security cations in Plant Sciences journal. safeguards in place—every person who has had a heart attack

40 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 41 FOCUS

or shoulder surgery instead of having to select from a sample of patients. Thanks to Rhode Island’s high resident retention, researchers can track patients over the long term. Making Music “This data is a gamechanger,” said Brett Owens, a professor A professor has moved into of orthopaedics at Brown’s medical school and one of five in- vestigators at Brown and URI who are leveraging the data so the leading rank of new classical far. Owens is studying the differences in outcomes among pa- composers. tients who seek treatment for shoulder injuries: “There’s a huge care disparity in our state, but being able to track patients’ out- BY ALLIE REED ’21 comes, and map it to demographic factors, gives us the opportu- A Newport startup company is helping people improve nity to fix the cracks in healthcare delivery in our communities.” sleep patterns, including through lighting systems. On a September night in 2019, Eric Nathan received a stand- ing ovation as he stood on the stage of Boston’s Symphony Hall. FOOD IS LIFE That understanding is at the heart of the project. Spears The Boston Symphony Orchestra had just played the world When Marcella Thompson, assistant professor of nursing at said initial resistance is common until members have a full under- premiere of his Concerto for Orchestra. URI, and Elizabeth Hoover, associate professor of American standing of the risks and tribal government sets healthy fish and For many months preceding the performance, Nathan, an studies at Brown, learned contaminants were found in fish at shellfish consumption levels. When the researchers bring the assistant professor of music at Brown, had been developing his the Narragansett Indian Tribe’s reservation in Charlestown, R.I., results to Narragansett tribal leadership, they and tribe members latest commission from the BSO (the third in the past five years), they wanted to help. will discuss what to do next. researching and building the piece. The roots of his concerto They teamed up with Dinalyn Spears, the Narragansett’s di- actually went back much further: the first score Nathan ever rector of community planning and natural resources, and se- FROM SCIENCE TO STARTUP bought was Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra, and his fascination cured funding from Advance-CTR to develop a survey. They Eliza Van Reen and Gustavo Fernandes were working at with the concerto form came together when, as a teenager, he Eric Nathan took a bow after the Boston Symphony wanted to understand how much fish tribal members eat from Brown on a “smart” lighting system to help sleep-deprived saw the BSO perform the Bartok at Tanglewood. Orchestra played the world premiere of his concerto. local ponds, and work with the community to make informed teenagers perform better in school. The multi-disciplinary pair— Nathan’s creative world ad- decisions about what to do next. she an assistant professor of psychiatry and human behavior, vanced as he started taking It’s a complex issue to navigate, Thompson explained, as and he an engineering researcher—saw an opportunity to aid violin, piano, and trumpet les- “I’m experimenting, I’m failing, I’m learning and fishing is not just sustenance to the Narragansetts—it’s a cher- people whose lives don’t match up with internal clocks, like shift sons at an early age. He dis- ished practice that connects them to their ancestry, traditions, workers and security guards. covered that, while he loved meeting these musical elements anew each time and culture. They received funding from Advance-CTR to establish proof- to perform, he hated to prac- I write.” —Eric Nathan “They are a sovereign nation,” Thompson said. “Some of of-concept and wrote a patent application. The idea of taking tice. Yet composition, he found, them have said, regardless, because it’s so important to them, their software out of the lab and into the market began to feel was something he could do they’re going to continue to eat the fish from these ponds.” achievable. “all day long.” And he wrote his first composition, Proclamation Dickinson song cycle that premiered in Dallas in January 2019, Two years after Van Reen and Fernandes founded Circadian for Trumpet and Piano, while in high school. he finds inspiration from on-the-scene research. “There is Positioning Systems in Newport, she said the business is doing When Nathan composes, his studio may look similar to that something powerful about a sense of place that can help one well. of a historian writing a book. The room is covered with scores feel connection to the past,” Nathan said. Another piece, the “We’re developing a wearable that tracks sleep and wake, by other composers, which he uses to research how they dealt space of a door, a 2016 Boston Symphony commission, was that’s been validated against the laboratory-based gold stan- with similar issues. He also listens to music and fills notebooks based on his emotional experience visiting the Providence Athe- dard measures,” Van Reen said. “We’re excited to expand our with ideas before writing. naeum for the first time. offerings in health care and operational settings and, eventually, “When I’m writing,” he said, “I’ll have ideas of the larger- Nathan, who joined the Brown faculty in 2015, said he’s found maybe even to consumers.” range picture or gestures,” usually sketching them out by hand, techniques to work around roadblocks, like listening to his com- Van Reen and Fernandes are Advance-CTR’s first awardees sometimes using words to position in a new space, with others, or while lying down or walking to make the jump from academia to industry, and program describe what he is going for. around: “If I invite someone in to listen with me, I listen completely leadership expects more. “By staying in Rhode Island, they’re “Then I hone in on rhythms, differently than when I listen alone.” Nathan thinks of his method translating their findings back into the communities they serve, pitches, and creating motives. of composing as a dialogue between what he wants on a con-

which is our goal for all our awardees,” said Edward Hawrot, JONES BEAU STUDIOS; NEWFANGLED Once I’ve composed a mo- scious level and what the piece wants on a subconscious one. program coordinator and senior associate dean for Brown’s tive, I find that it usually then For instance, after immersing himself in Dickinson’s world program in biology. “Our goal is to improve health in Rhode Island.” starts to take on its own life by experiencing the sense of her house and standing in the Advance-CTR is in the fourth year of its five-year award. Pad- and presents new questions room where she wrote her poetry, Nathan wrote a song cycle bury said they’ll apply for another five years of funding in fall and ideas that can help lead based on Dickinson’s Civil War-time correspondence with 2020, and continue with their goal to “lay the infrastructure for a me forward.” Thomas Wentworth Higginson. He used their letters to “tell a sustainable, collaborative, and statewide research environ- He uses many methods to story through music, about Dickinson’s struggles as a woman ment.” “coax out ideas.” Sometimes Another piece of Nathan’s poet and Higginson’s struggles for the abolition of slavery.” The URI nursing professor Marcella Thompson this means looking at pictures commissioned by the 45-minute piece had a series of premiere performances in 2019, (second from left) is working with Narragansett Portions of this article were previously published in of conductors or performers. orchestra, the space of culminating in going “home” to near the Dickinson Museum in

Indian tribe members on food safety issues. Medicine@Brown. KIRCHOFF KEITH Other times, as with his Emily a door, is on a new CD. Amherst.

42 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 43 nating and competitive world of new concert music.” concert of new world competitive and nating “fasci the in amark to make students inspiring for teaching Nathan’s praised to come.” also He years many for poser com American important “an be will Nathan believes he said composition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, composer Fellowship–winning and professorArthur of music Mac- and Pulitzer- a Harbison, John 2020. March (2014) in Nathan’s reprise BSO’s will Players The Chamber ended.” it as soon as again over it heard have positive; sounds. new to find alens as uses Nathan which a word, words for created is world. Each the piece offbased modern Schott’s book Schottenfreude performer. one just from coming voices the other, despite each with conversation into put be can that characters distinct two is result slide.” The tuning opened the from backwards or bell, trombone’s of the out forwards sound the to “project slides, tuning trombone’s the of one removes physically performer The instrument.” same of the sides two that between “a dialogue as trombonist describes Nathan solo a for duet a is 2014, in Philharmonic spirit. Iwrite.” time each anew elements musical these meeting and I’m learning failing, I’m “I’m experimenting, said, he Instead, once. at all to page head from seamlessly flow composer,”ideas “genius whose to grief. humor from work, his in of emotions range awide ing for,” he’s writing express ensembles and instruments of the tinually impressed with Eric’s ability to unlock the personalities “conis he Orchestra,BostonsaidSymphonythe for tions 44 music. of writing his as well as teaching his for Nathan praised composer A fellow FOCUS The critical response to Nathan’s latest concerto was Nathan’s adventurous his for world music the in known is Nathan of the idea of the go to let time him took it said Nathan Kirzinger, Robert associate director of program publica IMPACT As Above, So Below So Above, As Boston Globe 2020 Missing WordsMissing critic Zoe Madonna wrote, “I’d happily “I’d happily wrote, Madonna Zoe critic , commissioned by the New York New by the , commissioned series pays homage to Ben Ben to homage pays series , which is a collection of German Why Old Places Matter Matter Places Old Why

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antibiotic, auranofin works in ways that make it hard for hard it make that ways in works auranofin antibiotic, other dangerous microbes. Additionally,and unlikeMRSA a more traditional killing at effective highly also be to found being is it arthritis, to treat developed originally was drug the said. she promising,” really something have we that shows paper this for we gathered that data initial “The tests. lab in amonth nearly for bacteria (MRSA) aureus grad is ually released, it can kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus auranofin called drug a and applied is coating thane polyure their when that show colleagues her and Shukla Frontiers in in and Cellular Infectionlished Microbiology pub paper their In said. Shukla surfaces,” on of bacteria colonization prevent and bacteria [free-floating] planktonic densome, costly, and sometimes deadly infections. bur to combat aims that catheters intravascular for coating antibacterial anew to develop Hospital Island Rhode with patient. per to $56,000 $4,000 from of care cost the increase and days, 20 to 10 by stays hospital prolong can They percent. 25 12to as high as rates mortality have that infections with said, she patients,” of all most and providers, care health hospitals, for burden a“major are They infection. hospital-acquired of type common most the are which tions, infec catheter-related bloodstream United targeting is Shukla States. the in year each deaths 99,000 as many as for ing tions, which are among the most significant dangers, account biomaterials for life-threatening problems. ology, and biotechnology at Brown, she is designing practical fessor of and of engineering pharmacology, molecular physi and combatting drug-resistant diseases. As an assistant pro infections of reducing challenge the on to take infection” with expertise. engineering with solve could she problems health about tive an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon, she gained perspec double majoring in as and chemical engineering biomedical by and, recalled, Shukla sciences,” basic the all and math a doctor. to be wanted she thought Shukla Anita age, ayoung At ’21 REED BY ALLIE using novel materials. “obsession”An leads to progress, Infection Fight New Ways to Shukla’s coating is unique in its use of auranofin. While While auranofin. of use its in unique is coating Shukla’s kill both could that acoating to develop wanted “We collaborating is Biomaterials Designer for Lab Shukla’s infec hospital-acquired on focus a is work that of Part “obsession her and knowledge her using is Today Shukla the liked also I say, engineers many as course, of “But

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NICK DEMENTARO/BROWN UNIVERSITY DEMENTARO/BROWN NICK

AMY SIMMONS/BROWN UNIVERSITY wound that might contain fungi, if the gel detects the presence presence the detects gel the if fungi, contain might that wound to a applied is bandage the When resistance. drug and toxicity both to limit made material bandage agel-like designing is lab her researchers; from attention enough get not does thinks she of infection atype infections, fungal on centers One projects. other several on working are lab her and Shukla coating, terial ing her undergraduate majors. concentrators, and engineering biomedical engineering mirror chemical both with to work chance of the because Processes is ENGN teach 1110:at the University and Transport Biotransport to class favorite her said Shukla concentrator. engineering material,” said Sarah Cowles ’17, a chemical and biochemical course the beyond to think students pushes and well-prepared “exceedingly always is she that fact the appreciate Students medicine.” regenerative and delivery drug develop “biomaterials for critical unmet needs in the areas of to fields of range wide a from concepts applies it because tive” innova and “unique lab her and Shukla of work the called son work.” our in believes “really Research Naval of Office the that adding said, Shukla nized,” recog to be honor ahuge was “It PECASE. the for Shukla ed nominat later that office the Research, Naval of Office the from Grant Career Early Research of Director a of recipient the also is She careers. research their of stages early the in neers engi and scientists for award CASE), the nation’s highest Scientists and Engineers (PE for Award Career Early dential Presi a win to States United the in 314of just scholars 2019,one tor.was July In she searcher, teacher, and men are as awards accumulating already is 2013, in Shukla ulty ago the and joined Brown fac years nine just Technology Massachusetts Institute of in at engineering chemical clinic.” to the translate soon will here weshow results initial the that “We’re hopeful said, Shukla patients. on used be to ready is coating the before required is testing more but cells, oron blood effects liver human adverse no had coatings the resistance. anatural to evolve bacteria While they await the results of further testing on the antibac the on testing of further results the await they While Teaching. in a2017 won Shukla Excellence Dean’s for Award Lar Lawrence Brown at Engineering of School the of Dean PhD her got she Although that shown has Research ------

health care providers, prompting her lab’s efforts to reduce them. reduce to efforts lab’s her prompting providers, care health and patients for burden” a “major are infections hospital-acquired said Shukla Anita ------ple feel like they can do this too.” this do can they like feel ple peo makes It aleader—that’s as critical. acting and people ing I’m teach successful—that be Ican that see others letting and people, of those one being “By said. she science,” and neering engi in women enough aren’t really “There STEM. in women other advising on focus a particular with of students, mentor location. on fungus for be tested cannot who field the in personnel military aid could bandage this said Shukla body. the into substance antifungal an releases it of fungi, lab, there are no signs of bacteria. of signs no are there lab, Shukla’s from coating with right the on catheters In In addition to her research and teaching, Shukla is an active active an is Shukla teaching, and research to her addition In

2020 IMPACT 45 - - -

BROWN RESEARCH

With more than 700 regular faculty and hundreds more in clinical and other categories, Brown produces an enormous range and volume of research. The Brown Research Index captures some of this through faculty books INDEX published and selected faculty honors. By the Book In 2018, Brown professors published 105 books, spanning many disciplines and subjects.

Africana Studies DIXA RAMIREZ ANDREW SCHERER SUZANNE COLBY Classics AMITAI SHENHAV Computer Science Economics FRANCOISE Colonial Phantoms: Smoke, Flames, and Brief Interventions for YANNIS HAMILAKIS Goal-Directed Decision SENY KAMARA ROBERTO HAMLIN Belonging and Refusal in the Human Body in Adolescent Alcohol and The New Nomadic Age: Making: Computations and Decrypting the SERRANO These Truly Are the the Dominican Americas, Mesoamerican Ritual Substance Abuse (Editor) Archaeologies of Forced Neural Circuits (Editor) Encryption Debate: A Short Course in Brave: An Anthology of from the 19th Century to Practice (Editor) and Undocumented A Framework for Decision Intermediate Microeconomics African American Writings the Present KARA LYNNE Migration (Editor) STEVEN SLOMAN Makers with Calculus, Second on War and Citizenship BHRIGUPATI SINGH LEONARD The Knowledge Illusion: Edition (Editor) RALPH RODRIGUEZ Anthropology and Life Biostatistics for ANDREW LAIRD Why We Never Think Alone ROBERTO Latinx Literature Itself (Editor) Oncologists Antiquities and Classical TAMASSIA Education BRIAN MEEKS Unbound: Undoing Ethnic Traditions in Latin America Comparative Literature Proceedings of the 26th KENNETH WONG The Coup Clock Clicks Expectation Applied Mathematics WILLIAM OH (Editor) GERHARD RICHTER ACM SIGSPATIAL Federalism and Beyond Westminster in CAROLINE KLIVANS Nephrology and Fluid/ Modern Language Notes, International Conference on Education: Ongoing the Caribbean (Editor) Anthropology The Mathematics of Electrolyte Physiology: JOSEPH REED special issue on Inheriting Advances in Geographic Challenges and Policy MAT THEW Chip-Firing Neonatology Questions and Metamorphoses: The the Frankfurt School (Editor) Information Systems (Editor) Strategies in Ten American Studies GUTMANN Controversies, Third Edition New, Annotated Edition Countries (Editor) LETICIA ALVARADO The Romance of Biology (Editor) PETER SZENDY Earth, Environmental Abject Performances: Democracy (Chinese KENNETH MILLER RANNA ROSENFELD All Ears: The Aesthetics and Planetary Sciences Egyptology and Aesthetic Strategies in Edition) The Human Instinct: The PICU Handbook ADELE SCAFURO of Espionage (Spanish AMANDA LYNCH Assyriology Latino Cultural Production How We Evolved to Have The Oxford Handbook of Edition) Urgency in the JOHN STEELE STEPHEN HOUSTON Reason, Consciousness, DAVID WAZER Greek and Roman Comedy Of Stigmatology: Anthropocene The Babylonian MONICA The Gifted Passage: and Free Will Perez & Brady’s (Editor) Punctuation as Experience Astronomical Compendium MUÑOZ MARTINEZ Young Men in Classic Maya Biology by Miller & Levine Principles and Practice East Asian Studies MUL.APIN: Scientific The Injustice Never Art and Text of Radiation Oncology, Cognitive, Linguistic, and HYE-SOOK WANG Writings from the Ancient Leaves You: Anti-Mexican Bio Med Seventh Edition Psychological Sciences Master Korean 4 and Medieval World Violence in Texas DAVID KERTZER ELI ADASHI JOACHIM KRUEGER (Translator) The Cuneiform Uranology The Pope Who Would Be The Ovary, Third Edition Social Psychology for Texts: Drawing the King: The Exile of Pius IX (Editor) Bachelors, Second Edition Constellations and the Emergence of (German Edition) Modern Europe

46 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 47 BROWN RESEARCH INDEX

School of Engineering JACQUES KHALIP HOLLY CASE MASSIMO RIVA Mathematics J. MICHAEL REBECCA SUSAN HARVEY CLYDE BRIANT Last Things: Disastrous The Age of Questions Time Machine: Virtual BRENDAN HASSET T KOSTERLITZ WEITZ-SHAPIRO Asceticism and Society in Metallurgical Design Form from Kant to Hujar Photographic Trips Around Algebraic Geometry: Salt Topological Phase Studies in Comparative Crisis: John of Ephesus and Industry: Prehistory to HOWARD the World 100 Years Ago Lake City 2015 (Editor) Transitions and New International Development, and The Lives of the Eastern the Space Age (Editor) ELIZABETH RUSH CHUDACOFF Developments (Editor) special issue on The Politics Saints, Reprint Edition Rising: Dispatches from A People and a Nation: Judaic Studies RICHARD of Urban Informality (Editor) SHERIEF REDA the New American Shore A History of the United SAUL OLYAN SCHWARTZ Political Science Slavic Studies Approximate Circuits: States, 11th Edition Supplementation and the Life on the Infinite Farm COREY Portuguese and Brazilian LYNNE Methodologies and CAD Institute at Brown for Study of the Hebrew Bible BRETTSCHNEIDER Studies DEBENEDETTE (Editor) Environment and Society HAROLD COOK (Editor) WALTER STRAUSS The Oath and the Office: ONESIMO ALMEIDA An Interactive Introduction SCOTT FRICKEL The Young Descartes: Partial Differential A Guide to the Constitution O Século dos Prodígios: to Russian, Classroom English Sites Unseen: Nobility, Rumor, and War MICHAEL SATLOW Equations: An Introduction for Future Presidents A Ciência no Portugal da Activities, Homework AMANDA Uncovering Hidden Judaism and the Expansão Assignments ANDERSON Hazards in American JAMES GREEN Economy (Editor) Modern Culture and ROSE MCDERMOTT Tainted Souls and Cities 1964: la dictature Strength to Strength: Media The Evils of Polygyny: Public Health MASAKO FIDLER Painted Faces: The brésilienne et son legs Essays in Honor of Shaye TONY COKES Evidence of Its Harm to JUDSON BREWER Taming the Corpus: Rhetoric of Fallenness in J. TIMMONS (French Edition) J. D. Cohen (Editor) The Vienna Guide Women, Men, and Society The Craving Mind: From From Inflection and Lexis to Victorian Culture, Reprint ROBERTS História do movimento How the Bible Became Cigarettes to Smartphones to Interpretation (Editor) Edition The Paris Framework for LGBT no Brasil (Editor) Holy (French Edition) Music JAMES MORONE Love—Why We Get Hooked Psyche and Ethos: Moral Climate Change Capacity Exile Within Exiles: DANA GOOLEY By the People: Debating and How We Can Break Bad Sociology Life after Psychology Building Herbert Daniel, Gay Literary Arts Fantasies of Improvisation: American Government, Habits ANDREW SCHRANK Brazilian Revolutionary JOHN CAYLE Y Free Playing in Nineteenth- Fourth Edition Root-Cause Regulation: PAUL ARMSTRONG German Studies Modern Latin America, Data Love: The Century Music Current Debates in ERIC JUTKOWITZ Protecting Work and Workers The Challenge of THOMAS KNIESCHE Ninth Edition Seduction and Betrayal of American Government, Mixed Methods Research in the Twenty-First Century Bewilderment: GegenwartsLiteratur: Revolucionário e Gay: Digital Technologies Neuroscience Second Edition in Adult Development and Understanding and Ein germanistisches A vida extraordinária de (Translator) BARRY CONNORS Aging Theatre Arts and Representation in James, Jahrbuch/A German Herbert Daniel Grammalepsy: Essays on Neuroscience, Fourth MARION ORR Performance Studies Conrad, and Ford, Studies Yearbook (Editor) Digital Language Art Edition (German Edition) Latino Mayors: Political PETER MONTI SPENCER GOLUB Reprint Edition LUKAS RIEPPEL Change in the Postindustrial Brief Interventions for The Baroque Night Hispanic Studies Osiris, Science and LAIRD HUNT Philosophy City (Editor) Adolescent Alcohol and TIMOTHY BEWES JULIO ORTEGA Capitalism (Editor) In the House in the Dark PAUL GUYER Substance Abuse (Editor) REBECCA Novel, special Jacques Edwards: of the Woods A History of Modern WENDY SCHILLER SCHNEIDER issue on International Metamorfosis (Editor) ROBERT SELF Aesthetics: Volume 1, The Gateways to Democracy, ADAM SULLIVAN The Drama Review, special Fiction: Frontiers, Systems, Adiós, Ayacucho, Reprint America’s History: COLE SWENSEN Eighteenth Century Fourth Edition Biostatistics for issue on Performance and Connections (Editor) Edition For the AP Course, Ninth All That Is Evident Is Physics The Contemporary Oncologists Reproduction (Editor) Edition Suspect: Readings from the Congress, Seventh Edition —Compiled by History Oulipo 1963–2018 DAVID WILLIAMS Eliza Cain ’20 OMER BARTOV MICHAEL (Translator) ASHUTOSH Affective Determinants of Anatomy of a Genocide: STEINBERG Atlas Inutilis (Translator) VARSHNEY Health Behavior (Editor) The Life and Death of a The Trouble with Wagner Now, Now, Louison Battles Half Won: India’s Town Called Buczacz (Translator) Improbable Democracy Religious Studies Italian Studies (Hindi Edition) NATHANIEL RONALD MARTINEZ BERMAN Time and the Crystal: Divine and Demonic in the Studies in Dante’s Rime Poetic Mythology of the petrose, Revised Edition Zohar

48 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 49 BROWN RESEARCH INDEX Selected Faculty

DuringResearch the 2018−19 academic Honors year, faculty won dozens of research honors from national and international organizations.

ELI Y. ADASHI AMANDA GHADA BOURJEILY ROSS CHEIT SUZANNE COLBY PHYLLIS A. ORIEL CONSTANTINE Professor of Medical ANDERSON Professor of Medicine Professor of International Professor of Psychiatry DENNERY FELDMANHALL GATSONIS Science Andrew W. Mellon Medalist Award, and Public Affairs, and Human Behavior, Sylvia Kay Hassenfeld Assistant Professor of Professor of Biostatistics Inaugural Lifetime Professor of Humanities American College of Chest Professor of Political Professor of Behavioral Professor of Pediatrics, Chair, Cognitive, Linguistic, and The Boston Chapter Achievement Award, and English, Director of the Physicians Science and Social Sciences Department of Pediatrics Psychological Sciences of the American Statistical American Society of Cogut Institute for the Elizabeth Hurlock President-elect of the President, Society for Henry Merritt Wriston Association 2019 Mosteller Reproductive Medicine Humanities ELIZABETH Beckman Trust Award Society for Research on Redox Biology and Medicine Fellowship Statistician of the Year Honorary Member, Fellow, American BRAINERD Nicotine and Tobacco Distinguished Physician Award European Society of Academy in Berlin Professor of Biology and KAIJUN CHEN Award, Infectious Diseases PATRICIA Human Reproduction Medical Science Assistant Professor of LORIN CRAWFORD Society FLANAGAN STEFAN and Embryology YURI BAZILEVES Brown Distinguished East Asian Studies Assistant Professor of Professor of Pediatrics, GRAVENSTEIN E. Paul Sorensen Professor Research Achievement Henry Luce Foundation Biostatistics BESHARA DOUMANI Vice Chair, Department of Professor of Health JAS JIT of Engineering Award Fellowship, American Alfred P. Sloan Joukowsky Family Pediatrics Services, Policy, and AHLUWALIA Walter L. Huber Civil Council of Learned Foundation Fellow 2019 Distinguished Professor of Calvin C. J. Sia Community Practice, Professor of Professor of Behavioral and Engineering Prize, MARIA L. BUCKLEY Societies Forbes 30 Under 30: Modern Middle Eastern Pediatrics Medical Home Medicine Social Sciences, Professor American Society of Clinical Associate Professor Science History, Professor of History Leadership Fellow of the of Medicine Civil Engineers of Psychiatry and Human TAMARA CHIN Member, School of Advocacy Award, Gerontological Society of Fellow of the Society Behavior Associate Professor of BATHSHEBA Social Science, Institute for American Academy of America for Research on Nicotine SARA BECKER Distinguished Service Comparative Literature, DEMUTH Advanced Study Pediatrics and Tobacco Associate Professor of Award, American Associate Professor of Assistant Professor of JAMES N. GREEN Behavioral and Social Association of Cardiovascu- East Asian Studies History and Environmental EMILY DRUSTA FORREST GANDER Carlos Manuel de Cespedes STEPHON Sciences lar and Pulmonary Frederick Burkhardt Society Assistant Professor of Adele Kellenberg Seaver ’49 Professor of Modern Latin ALEXANDER Dissemination and Rehabilitation Residential Fellowship, Henry Merritt Wriston Comparative Literature Professor Emeritus of American History Professor of Physics Implementation Science American Council of Fellowship National Endowment Creative Writing, Professor Brown Distinguished President-elect, National Special Interest Group’s HOLLY CASE Learned Societies for the Humanities Emeritus of Literary Arts, Research Achievement Society of Black Physicists Early Career Achievement Associate Professor of Postdoctoral Fellowship Professor Emeritus of Award Award History PATRICIA CIOE Comparative Literature RUBEN ALVERO Imre Kertész Kolleg Assistant Professor PAJA FAUDREE Pulitzer Prize in Poetry GREG HIRTH Adjunct Professor of MARK BLYTH Fellowship of Behavioral and Social Associate Professor of Professor of Earth, Obstetrics and Gynecology William R. Rhodes ’57 Sciences Anthropology HUAJIAN GAO Environmental, and Planetary President, International Professor of International COLIN CHANNER Association of Nurses Fulbright Senior Walter H. Annenberg Sciences Gynecologic Society Economics, Director of the Associate Professor of in AIDS Care Researcher Scholar Award Professor of Engineering George P. Woollard William R. Rhodes Center Literary Arts of the Year Fellow, American Award, The Geological for International Economics Henry Merritt Wriston Academy of Arts and Society of America and Finance Fellowship Sciences Open Society Fellow

50 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 51 BROWN RESEARCH INDEX

JEFFREY GEORGE BR ANDON JENNIFER MERILL DIETRICH JONATHAN POBER BRENDA ALLAN R. TUNKEL HOFFSTEIN KARNIADAKIS MARSHALL Assistant Professor NEUMANN Assistant Professor of RUBENSTEIN Senior Associate Dean for Professor of Mathematics Charles Pitts Robinson Associate Professor of of Behavioral and Social Professor of History of Physics Assistant Professor of Medical Education, Professor Fellow, American and John Palmer Barstow Epidemiology Sciences Art and Architecture Henry Merritt Wriston Chemistry of Medicine Mathematical Society Professor of Applied ASPPH Early Career Distinguished Scientific Society of Architectural Fellowship Fellow, Alfred P. Sloan Clinical Teacher Award, Mathematics Public Health Research Early Career Contribution Historians Fellow Foundation Infectious Diseases Society ELIZABETH Elected Fellow, Award Award, Society of KAVITA RAMANAN of America HOOVER American Association for Addiction Psychology LINDI NICI Roland George Dwight AMITAI SHENHAV Manning Assistant the Advancement of MONICA MUÑOZ Professor of Medicine Richardson University Assistant Professor of ANDRIES VAN DAM Professor of American Science MARTINEZ PASCAL Thomas L. Petty Professor of Applied Cognitive, Linguistic, and Thomas J. Watson Jr. Studies Stanley J. Bernstein ’65 MICHAILLAT Distinguished Pulmonary Mathematics Psychological Sciences University Professor of Stanford Humanities TYLER KARTZINEL P’02 Assistant Professor of Assistant Professor of Scholar Award, American Simons Fellow in Fellow, Alfred P. Sloan Technology and Education, Center Fellowship Assistant Professor, American Studies Economics Association of Mathematics Foundation Professor of Computer Ecology and Evolutionary Brown Early Career Member, School of Cardiovascular and Science MARGARET Biology Research Achievement Social Science, Institute Pulmonary Rehabilitation LOUIS B. RICE ELENA SHIH ACM SIGGRAPH Academy HOWARD Early Career Fellow, Award for Advanced Study Joukowsky Family Professor Assistant Professor of Inaugural Class Professor of Psychiatry Ecological Society of EFSTRATIOS of Medicine, Chair, American Studies and Human Behavior, America KRISTEN DANIEL PAPAIOANNOU Department of Medicine Fellowship, Henry Luce LAI-SHENG WANG Clinician Educator, MATTESON MITTLEMAN Professor of Classics Elected, Association of Foundation, American Jesse H. and Louisa D. Professor of Medicine, MICHAEL L . Associate Professor of Professor of Engineering Guggenheim Fellowship American Physicians Council of Learned Societies Sharp Metcalf Professor of Clinician Educator LITTMAN Obstetrics and Gynecology Alexander von Humboldt Program in China Studies Chemistry Committee on Women Professor of Computer Faculty Award, Society of Research Award MARC PERLMAN JOSIAH RICH Brown Distinguished in Psychology Leadership Science, Codirector, Academic Specialists in Associate Professor of Professor of Medicine, PRERNA SINGH Research Achievement Award, American Humanity Centered General Obstetrics and PETER MONTI Music Professor of Epidemiology Mahatma Gandhi Associate Award Psychological Association Robotics Initiative Gynecology Professor of Behavioral National Endowment for Member, National Professor of Political Science Presidential Faculty and Social Sciences the Humanities Fellowship Academy of Medicine and International and Public ARNOLD-PETER C. E VELYN Award, Spring 2019 F. DENNIS MCCOOL Jack Mendelson Award, Affairs WEISS HU-DEHART Professor of Medicine National Institutes on ANDREW PHILIP R. RIZZUTO Fellow, American Academy Professor of Orthopaedics Professor of History, AMANDA H. LYNCH Distinguished Scientist Alcohol Abuse and PETERSON Clinical Professor of Surgery in Berlin Weiland Medal for Lifetime Professor of American Director, Institute at in Cardiopulmonary Alcoholism Associate Professor of (Ophthalmology) Outstanding Research Studies Brown for Environment and Physiology Award, Engineering Secretariat Award, MARCUS SPRADLIN in Hand Surgery, American American Council of Society, Sloan Lindemann American College of ELEFTHERIOS E. Brown Early Career American Academy of Professor of Physics Society for Surgery of the Learned Societies and George Lindemann Jr. Chest Physicians MYLONAKIS Research Achievement Ophthalmology American Physical Society Hand Fellowship Distinguished Professor Charles C. J. Carpenter, Award Fellow of Environmental Studies GOVIND MENON MD, Professor of SHARON I.S. THERESE ZINK NANCY JACOBS Presidential Faculty Professor of Applied Infectious Diseases, MAUREEN PHIPPS ROUNDS KALI THOMAS Clinical Professor of Family Professor of History Award, Fall 2018 Mathematics Professor of Medicine Chace-Joukowsky Associate Dean for Clinical Associate Professor of Health Medicine Rachel Carson Center Member, School of Elected, Association Professor of Obstetrics Affairs, Professor of Medicine Services, Policy, and Practice Fulbright Scholarship for Environment and KATHRYN MANN Mathematics, Institute of of American Physicians and Gynecology, Chair, Fellow, American Brown Early Career Society Fellow Manning Assistant Advanced Studies Fellow, American Department of Obstetrics Association for the Research Achievement Source: Brown University Professor of Mathematics Simons Fellow in Academy of Microbiology and Gynecology, Professor Advancement of Science Award Dean of the Faculty’s Office, Fellow, Alfred P. Sloan Mathematics of Epidemiology Assistant Grover Prize from the School of Public Health, Foundation Dean for Teaching and American Thoracic Society Division of Biology and Research on Women’s Medicine, as reported in the Health 2019 Commencement President-elect, program. American Gynecological and Obstetrical Society

52 IMPACT 2020 2020 IMPACT 53 Brown University Box 1937 350 Eddy Street Providence, RI 02912 AMY SIMMONS/BROWN UNIVERSITY AMY SIMMONS/BROWN

ENGINEERING TIME: For the first time, undergraduates designed a piece of permanent public art at Brown. Students, spanning engineering, computer science, and humanities, devised “Infinite Possibility,” a noon-mark sundial in the shape of a Mobius strip, installed outside the Engineering Research Center.