Wednesday, May 21, 2014 Next print issue June 18! Read UIC News online uicnews.uic.edu

VOLUME 33 / NUMBER 32 www.uicnews.uic.edu

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Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin College of Liberal Arts and Sciences grad Angelique Bodine celebrates her degrees cum laude in psychology and sociology at commencement May 11. See page 6 and watch the video at youtube.com/uicmedia. Congratulations, Class of 2014!

INSIDE: Profile / Quotable 2 | Campus News 4 | Police 10 | People 11 | Sports 12

Steve Schlickman: driving force for Research to prevent hearing loss Inventor, Innovator of the Year Flames baseball hopes for victory transportation center after chemo honored for their bright ideas in the Horizon Profile, page 2 News, page 3 News, page 11 Sports, page 12 2 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

profile Send profile ideas to Gary Wisby, [email protected] Steve Schlickman is driving force behind transportation center By Gary Wisby

Steve Schlickman’s first job in public transportation was driving a Georgetown University bus. He later became the head of the RTA. Now he runs UIC’s Urban Transportation Center in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs. The center is “the biggest it’s been in history,” said Schlick- man, its director. “There are 33 projects we’re funding. It’s a big upswing now because we’re included in three national centers designated two years ago for an infusion of $1 million-plus a year in addi- tion to IDOT funding.” Besides administering the center, Schlickman is engaged in some research of his own. “I’m not a trained researcher,” he said. “When I joined the university in 2010, my expertise was in the funding of trans- portation projects — I had a history of chasing money.” That includes the national passenger facility charge, tack- ing $4.50 onto airline tickets, that financed the O’Hare Airport expansion and Midway Airport redevelopment. Schlickman is active in civic activities related to trans- portation. He’s on the board of the Center for Neighborhood Technology and its nonprofit subsidiary, Alternative Trans- portation for Chicagoland, as well as the Active Transpor- tation Alliance and the Neighborhood Capital Institute, a startup that raises funds for disadvantaged communities. He enjoys mentoring and advising students. “I could do that for free.” Schlickman was executive director of the RTA for five Photo: Jenny Fontaine years before he came to UIC. Steve Schlickman, director of UIC’s Urban Transportation Center, enjoys mentoring students. “I could do that for free,” he says. The agency oversees the CTA, the Metra commuter rail system and the Pace suburban bus program. said. Los Angeles and San Francisco are the only other major governmental relations and public affairs for a year and a half. His major frustration was that the RTA lacks the authority cities without a unified system. He spent nearly three years working on the city’s behalf in — ironically, that’s what the “A” in RTA stands for — to coor- “I left because it was a very challenging job and quite Washington, D.C., then the following four years overseeing the dinate the three agencies effectively. frankly, I got tired of it.” ill-fated plan to build a light-rail system in downtown Chicago. “It takes persuasion, effort and time to get the three opera- He contrasted that experience with what he’s doing now. He worked in the private sector for nearly 10 years before tors to follow your lead,” Schlickman said. “The nice thing about working at the university is that going to the RTA. “Your authority is compromised by the politics of the RTA we’re all pulling in one direction, supporting each other,” he Schlickman, who grew up in Arlington Heights, lives in the board and the ability of the agencies to influence the RTA said. South Loop with his wife, Alison. She retired from the Federal board. Any important decision can be stopped by any five His summer driving a bus at Georgetown in 1975, where Reserve Bank two years ago. directors of the 16-member board.” he had just received a bachelor’s degree in government, led They have a son, Pat, 31, a lawyer in New York City, and As a result, “the RTA board and the three operating agen- to a year as dispatcher and safety director and a four-month a daughter, Christy, 27, a special education teacher at Park cies cannot really operate to create the best integrated transit internship with the U.S. Department of Transportation in School in Evanston. system,” he said. Washington, D.C. The couple has a second home in Colorado. “We love the “If you were to form a private company to run a transpor- He earned a law degree from DePaul University, but “I mountains, skiing and horseback riding,” he said. tation system to achieve a profit, you would never set it up this didn’t want to practice, or advocate in a litigious way.” In the city, Schlickman walks and takes public transit. w ay.” From 1980 to 1988 he held a variety of posts with the CTA. “We own a car but rarely use it,” he said. The solution is to roll everything into a single agency, he Recruited by RTA chairman Sam Skinner, he worked in inter- [email protected]

quotable

“It is not about good and bad people. Violence should “The ways that racial discrimination and racism still “The skill development system has broken down in be seen as a disease: It is interruptible and treatable.” show up in the daily lives of people who still have to some important ways for production workers.” send their kids to public school, for example, makes Gary Slutkin, professor of epidemiology, on his approach it easy to look longingly back into the past.” Howard Wial, executive director of the Center for to treating violence like a disease, May 18 Slate.com Urban Economic Development, on reasons for the Michelle Boyd, associate professor of African American “skills gap” in manufacturing, including companies’ studies and political science, on life 60 years after refusal to offer the training and pay raises available in the Brown v. Board of Education ruling, May 17 NPR previous decades, May 19 Crain’s Chicago Business Weekend Edition MAY 21, 2014 I UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu 3

Judge’s ruling halts pension law By Christy Levy

University employees now have more time to weigh their retirement options after a judge last week halted implementation of the state’s new pension law. Sangamon County Judge John Belz on May 14 postponed the scheduled June 1 effective date for the pension law until courts can hear constitutional challenges. Employees who filed retirement paperwork because of the pension law may have the option to rescind their retirement. “The ruling preserves the current pension system as we know it, and provides some assurance for employees who were considering retirement before June 30, 2014, to avoid losing benefits they had already earned,” University President Robert Easter wrote in a campus email. “I hope that faculty and staff who were weighing retirement will now decide to stay on and share their talents to benefit the university, Photo: Joshua Clark our students and our state.” Some commonly used drugs in chemotherapy treatments can damage parts of the inner ear involved in hearing, says researcher David Klodd. Employees who signed retirement paperwork but have changed their mind Research goal: prevent hearing loss after chemo should first talk to their supervisor. If the department approves the change in plans, the By Sharon Parmet only realizes something is wrong when employee should contact the State Universities damage affects the part of the inner ear that Watch the video Retirement System, said Maureen Parks, Researchers at UIC and Northwestern detects lower frequency sound. associate vice president for human resources. University are collaborating to develop a Unlike tests that rely on patients to signal “Preventing hearing loss Employees who have retired or are retiring device to prevent hearing loss in patients when they hear a tone, the device — devel- from chemotherapy” this month must submit a signed letter to undergoing chemotherapy. oped by Northwestern researchers Sumit Dhar SURS stating their intent to rescind their Chemotherapy patients are often caught and Jonathan Siegel — can detect changes in youtube.com/uicmedia retirement by July 1. June retirees must submit unaware when they find themselves dealing inner-ear function even before the patient is a letter by Aug. 1. with hearing loss after treatment, says David aware of any change in ability to hear at the “Some people were probably retiring Klodd, professor of audiology. highest frequencies. cause hearing loss. because they were concerned about the “Some commonly used chemotherapy “We were interested in evaluating inner ear Gayla Poling, a clinical audiologist and pension changes and how it was going to affect drugs are ototoxic — that is, they can dam- function out to the limits of human hearing,” postdoctoral fellow at UI Hospital, will as- them personally,” Parks said. “And if they want age structures in the inner ear involved in said Dhar, professor of communication sci- sess participants’ hearing before and during to unretire, they will want to follow the SURS hearing,” Klodd said. ences and disorders. chemotherapy. Twenty patients who are not steps.” Klodd is directing the trial of a new The device delivers two tones to the ear, receiving cisplatin will serve as controls. If employees have already received device to detect hearing loss early in chemo- then measures the echo as the interact- “Our primary goal is to prevent progres- annuities, they must either repay the amount therapy, so doctors can change medications ing waves return from the inner ear. These sive and permanent hearing loss and help or suspend it, depending on how long they’ve or dosages to minimize damage to the inner sounds, known as otoacoustic emissions, were patients maintain their quality of life after been retired, Parks said. Employees should ear and audiologists can begin rehabilita- discovered 35 years ago, but never recorded chemotherapy,” Klodd said. contact SURS at 800-275-7877. tion. clinically at such extremely high frequencies. The research is supported by a grant from The new pension law prompted some Chemotherapy-related hearing loss The researchers will follow 20 UI Health the American Hearing Research Foundation. employees to consider retiring earlier than usually begins in the highest frequencies, patients ages 10 to 65 who are undergoing — Jeanne Galatzer-Levy contributed they had planned, said Brenda Russell, where it often goes unnoticed. The patient chemotherapy with cisplatin, a drug known to to this story. president of UIC United, the UIC chapter of the State Universities Annuitants Association. The law would reduce cost-of-living adjustments, increase the retirement age for Benefit Choice time to make insurance changes some employees and cap pensionable earnings. By Christy Levy https://nessie.uihr.uillinois.edu marriage licenses. “It’s just as if the law didn’t happen, for All changes will be effective July 1. “If during the audit an employee is found now,” Russell said. “This was an avoidable UIC employees can change health and The grace period for the Medical Care to be covering an ineligible dependent, the catastrophe. People have been put through dental plans and enroll in flexible spending Assistance Plan will be eliminated for fiscal employee may be subject to a financial pen- six months of agony, and that didn’t need to accounts through June 2 during the Benefit year 2015, but remaining balances of $500 alty, including but not limited to repayment happen.” Choice period. or less will carry over to the next plan year. of all premiums the state of Illinois made on About 1,400 SURS members across the All employee and dependent health in- The current plan allows participants behalf of the employee as well as expenses state filed applications to retire in May or June surance, dental and life insurance premiums to submit reimbursement claims during incurred by the program,” said James Davito, — double the number of retirements from last remain unchanged from the current plan a grace period that extends from July 1 to executive director of university payroll and May and June. More than 400 employees at all year, which ends June 30. Sept. 15. The grace period remains in effect benefits. three U of I campuses notified SURS of their Deductibles and copayments for some for the current fiscal year, allowing partici- All changes during the Benefit Choice intent to retire in May or June. services covered by the managed care and pants to submit claims through Sept. 15. period — the only time employees can make “Even if at some point next year the law is Quality Care plans have changed; view a list Employees with dependents covered adjustments without qualifying events such implemented, it can’t be retroactive to June of changes at http://1.usa.gov/1jmM3bp by their plan must undergo a dependent as childbirth or marriage — must be made 1,” Russell said. “If employees are better off Employees can view plan information eligibility verification audit. Employees will through NESSIE. working, they should stay working.” and make changes through NESSIE, the be asked to provide documents for their For more information, call 312-996-6471. [email protected] university’s human resources website, at dependents, such as birth certificates and [email protected] 4 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

campus news Send campus news to Sonya Booth, [email protected]

GreenTown The GreenTown Chicago conference will bring more than 400 public and pri- Conference marks Freedom Summer anniversary vate sector leaders from the Chicago area to learn, network and take action on key By Brian Flood sustainability issues today and Thursday. The conference, held in Student Center Civil rights activists, scholars and com- East, focuses on the importance of sus- munity organizers will gather on campus tainability in secondary education. next week for a national conference com- Sessions are noon to 4:30 p.m. today memorating the 50th anniversary of Free- and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday. dom Summer, a landmark event in the civil Register at greentownconference.com rights movement. A UIC professor who was there as an Benefit Choice fair 18-year-old volunteer will join a roundtable Information about health care and discussion at the opening session. other benefits will be available May 30 at The conference May 28 to 30, “Freedom the UI Health Benefit, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dreams ... Freedom Now!,” will consider May 30 in the UI Hospital’s first-floor con- the legacy of Freedom Summer and its ference rooms. implications for contemporary social and Besides benefits information from racial justice work and scholarship. university representatives, there will be Freedom Summer of 1964 activists presentations from UI Health providers. worked to increase voter registration The “Freedom Dreams ... Freedom Now!” conference takes place May 28 to 30 in Student Center West. Shuttle buses will be available from Sci- among disenfranchised African Americans ence and Engineering South and the Stu- in Mississippi and bring national attention dent Services Building to the UI Hospital to the oppression they experienced. Speakers include NAACP chair emeritus talk about their experiences Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. The state’s black residents and more than Julian Bond, activist Angela Davis, scholar evening. 1,000 out-of-state volunteers were chal- Robin D.G. Kelley, Amnesty International The event is hosted by UIC’s Social Jus- Woman of the Year lenged, often violently, by local residents executive director Steven Hawkins and his- tice Initiative and co-sponsored by 21 cam- Nominations will be accepted through and authorities. The actions and backlash torian John Dittmer. pus units, community organizations and July 1 for UIC’s Woman of the Year Award. spurred Congress to pass the Civil Rights Peter Orris, professor and chief of academic institutions. The award is sponsored by the Act of 1964, which had stalled earlier. occupational and environmental medicine, All events will take place at UIC Student Chancellor’s Committee on the Status The conference will feature workshops, traveled to Mississippi in 1964 to assist with Center West. Registration is open, but space of Women. Nominations should lectures, panels, performances, photo and voter registration and short wave radio is limited. For more information, contact include a CV or résumé and at least art displays, and film screenings, including installation as an 18-year-old volunteer [email protected] or 312-355-5922 or three supporting letters describing the the Chicago premiere of award-winning with the Student Non-Violent Coordinating visit chicagofreedomsummer.org, where nominee’s service to UIC women as part filmmaker Stanley Nelson’s new PBS docu- Committee and the Council of Federated conference live-streaming will be available. of her job. Send nominations by email to mentary, “Freedom Summer.” Organizations. He and other volunteers will [email protected] [email protected]

Share knowledge, improve job skills at Women’s Leadership Symposium By Nicole Cardos Elizabeth Herrera, assistant director of career services in the School of Public Want to increase your career network, Health, has been a part of the symposium hear inspirational speeches and work on job as a volunteer on the planning committee, skills? The 20th Annual Women’s Leadership participant and presenter. Symposium can help. “I always thought of networking as being The June 5 event, held 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in formal, but people there are down to earth,” Student Center East, is open to faculty, staff she said. “I’ve met people who are now and students. friends.” “The whole point is about women taking Karen Jackson, manager in the Office of charge, women teaching one another, sharing Public and Government Affairs, has been a knowledge, sharing skills,” said Athanasia Pa- planning committee member for 15 years. paioannou, assistant director of the Women’s “The best part is putting a name to a Leadership and Resource Center. face,” said Jackson, who interacts via email “There was a realization that there are a and phone with people all across campus lot of positions that had no opportunity for through her job. growth,” she said. “WLS is a place to develop Participating in the symposium helped some skills that they can bring back to the Jackson overcome a fear of public speaking j o b.” — she was asked to introduce broadcast Advanced registration for the event, which journalist Tonya Francisco at the event one offers discounted fees, is open until May 28 at year. uic.edu/depts/owa/wls2014/ “The whole point is about women taking charge,” says organizer Athanasia Papaioannou. The symposium is hosted by the Women’s Cost is $20 students, $55 UIC faculty and Leadership and Resource Center. staff and $60 others. On-site registration is “The point of WLS is to come out of $65. “We try to have people talk about the ob- really far to find somebody who can share there with a new skill, a new knowledge — The symposium will include a keynote stacles that they have gone through to achieve something with us.” something that they can take back to their speech by best-selling author Judith Wright the success they have now,” Papaioannou said The symposium includes 18 workshops workplaces and to their lives,” Papaioannou and a luncheon address by Chicago TV and about this year’s speakers. “There are amaz- that focus on everything from finances to said. radio personality Merri Dee. ing women among us. We don’t have to reach self-improvement. [email protected] MAY 21, 2014 I UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu 5

Photo: S.K. Vemmer UIC engineering students showcase their light-up gizmos, small-scale models and more at EXPO 25. Engineers show off their gadgets By Jeanne Galatzer-Levy Watch the video EXPO 25 could be the coolest science fair ever. “Gadgets and gizmos” Besides the usual posters, the College of youtube.com/uicmedia Engineering’s annual student research show- case had rows of tables with devices that light up, complicated gadgets of wires going every networking opportunities. which way, contraptions with computer read- “We have had companies who have be- outs and scale models adorned with tiny trees come interested in devices they see here,” and fake grass. said Darabi, “as well as the students they’ve To explain it all, more than 250 senior en- met.” gineering students dressed in their best stood Students work in teams on projects that by at the April 22 forum in Student Center developed out of class projects, student East, eager to tell what their model or gizmo ideas, suggestions from advisers and re- can do. quests to the college. Each group of four or five students works The chemical engineering projects are with an adviser to identify a real-world prob- part of one big project. This year’s topic was lem, then develop a solution. Corn to Chemicals. “We’re engineers,” said Houshang Darabi, The challenge was to take 100,000 bush- associate professor of mechanical and indus- els of corn per day and turn it into products trial engineering and EXPO 25’s faculty ad- like corn syrup, starch, corn oil, propylene viser. “Everything is about application — you and ethylene glycol and biodiesel, as well as have to deliver the final product.” electrical energy. The students are encouraged to be practi- First- and second-place EXPO prizes cal, said Darabi. They are judged on cost, were awarded in 12 categories, as well as whether their invention can be easily manu- a prize for innovation from the Office of factured, if production could be scaled up and Technology Management. how well their solution fits the problem. A complete list of winners and their Judges for the event are alumni, faculty projects is available online at engineering. and people working in the field. Presentation uic.edu/ is important, because the EXPO offers real [email protected]

Photo: S.K. Vemmer Students worked with advisers to develop engineering solutions to real-world problems. 6 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

There was plenty of joy on campus May 7 through 11, when the UIC community joined families and friends to celebrate the achievements of more than 7,500 graduating students. Honorary degrees were awarded to Ertharin Cousin, UIC alumna and executive director of the U.N. World Food Programme, and Shing-Tung Yau, Harvard University professor and winner of the Fields Medal, the highest honor in mathematics. Speakers like artist Theaster Gates, Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, globe-circling pilot Barrington Irving and broadcast journalist Joy Reid urged the new grads to make a difference in the world. Chicago public health commissioner Bechara Choucair also directed them to snap selfies with cellphone cameras to commemorate the moment and share their accomplishments. See the results at http://bitly.com/1tgAy72

Photos: Joshua Clark, Joe Compean, Al DiFranco, Watch the video at Roberta Dupuis-Devlin youtube.com/uicmedia MAY 21, 2014 I UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu 7 8 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

calendar Send information about campus events to Christy Levy, [email protected]

MAY 21 IN HISTORY HIGHLIGHT MAY/JUNE

American Red Cross founded Health and Fitness Day May 21, 1881: May 21 Humanitarians Clara S M T W T F S Barton and Adolphus Free outdoor boot- Solomons founded camp classes, frisbee the American Red games, football, hula 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Cross in Washington, hoops events, chair 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 D.C. massages and more. The organization Sponsored by UIC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 was established to Campus Recreation. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 work in collaboration 11 a.m.-2 p.m. LC with the International Plaza. Rain location: Red Cross to provide MAC Gym, SRF. aid to victims of war http://bit.ly/1mVww0a and natural disasters.

June 2 EXHIBITS LECTURES/SEMINARS “Continuing Education Program for Pharmacists” Through June 14 May 21-22 Program for pharmacists who are managing patients with HIV. Sponsored by the Midwest AIDS Training + Education Center, “Encounters at the Edge of the Forest” GreenTown Chicago conference UIC College of Medicine, department of family medicine. Par- Curated by the 2014 Exhibition Practices class of the museum More than 400 public and private sector leaders from the Chicago ticipants receive .1 CEU. 6 p.m. dinner, 6:30-8 p.m. presentation. and exhibition studies program in the School of Art and Art His- area learn, network and take action on key sustainability issues, Goose Island Siebel Room, 1800 N. Clybourn Ave. Space is lim- tory. Gallery 400, ADH. Exhibit hours, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. Tues.–Fri.; emphasizing the importance of sustainability in secondary educa- ited; register by May 30 at http://bit.ly/CROIPharmacists2014 noon–6 p.m. Sat. 312-996-6114 tion. Noon-4:30 p.m. May 21, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. May 22. SCE. http://bit.ly/1j9CLJD June 5

May 27 Women’s Leadership Symposium Making leadership development more accessible to women on “Dementing Disorders and the New Memory campus and addressing issues women face. Keynote speaker is and Aging Clinic” Judith Wright, peerless educator, world-class coach, lifestyles ex- Presentation by the Memory and Aging Center and neuropsy- pert, inspirational speaker, best-selling author and corporate con- chologist Melissa Lamar on dementing disorders affecting older sultant. Broadcast legend Merri Dee gives the luncheon address. adults and addressing those issues for UI Health patients. Part of Register and view the complete schedule at http://bit.ly/1lj6jpS the Mini Rounds presentation series. 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., University of Illinois Hospital SPECIAL EVENTS May 29 June 3, 17 Ariane Littman’s “The Olive Tree” video, on display at Gallery 400. “LinkedIn as a Branding and Professional Development Tool” UI Health Living After Stroke Support Group Through Aug. 1 Online webinar sponsored by the U of I Alumni Association Group led by former patients meets the first and third Tuesdays Virtual Career Center. 7-8 p.m. Alumni free; others, $45. of every month. Topics include community resources, peer men- Register at www.uiaacareers.org “Migration and Transformation through the Arts: toring, diet and exercise, and stroke advocacy activities. 4-5 p.m. 5East Dayroom, University of Illinois Hospital The Soul of Bronzeville” May 28-30 Exhibit explores the cultural history of Chicago’s Bronzeville June 11 neighborhood through images, memorabilia, film and video foot- “Freedom Dreams... age and displays from the Chicago Blues Museum’s archival col- Freedom Now!” lections. Exhibit hours, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Monday–Friday, African APAC Monthly Meeting UIC Social Justice Initiative American Cultural Center, second floor, AH. 312-996-9549 Learn how to get involved with Academic Professional Advisory Conference remembers the Committee, which reviews policy, represents academic profes- Through May 2015 Freedom Summer movement sionals on search committees and plays an active role in profes- of the Civil Rights era. sional development efforts. 12:30-3 p.m. 4175 CMRB. mpocht2@ Workshops, strategy sessions “Unfinished Business: The Right to Play” uic.edu and presentations on pressing Yearlong exhibit that looks at the sociopolitical aspects of play. social justice issues. Student Hull-House Museum. Exhibit hours, Tuesday through Friday, 10 Center West.View schedule a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. 312-413-5353 and register at http://chicago freedomsummer.org

For more UIC events, visit www.events.uic.edu MAY 21, 2014 I UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu 9

people Send profile ideas to Gary Wisby, [email protected]

AWARDS

J. Usha Raj, professor and head of pediatrics and physi- Labor historian receives national award cian-in-chief at the Children’s Hospital University of Illinois, received the 2014 Elizabeth A. Rich, MD, Award from the By Brian Flood American Thoracic Society May 19 at its international con- ference in San Diego. Labor historian Leon Fink was awarded the 2014 Sol She was honored for her contributions to pulmonary Stetin Award for Labor History from the Sidney Hillman medicine and underserved populations in Chicago, as well Foundation. as mentoring and support to the organization. Fink is a specialist in the modern American labor Raj is associate editor of the American Journal of Respira- movement, immigration history, and the Gilded Age and tory Cell and Molecular Biology and an editorial board mem- Progressive Era. ber of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care The annual award, named after the late Sol Stetin, Medicine. a Polish immigrant labor leader and co-founder of the American Labor Museum, is presented to a scholar who Roberta Feldman, professor emerita of architecture, has contributed to greater public knowledge of the labor received a Career Award from the Environmental Design movement and working people in America. Research Association for “sustained and significant contri- Fink said it was inspiring to be recognized with butions to environment design research, practice, or teach- an award previously given to such prominent labor ing.” Recipients will be honored May 28 in New Orleans. historians as David Brody, David Montgomery, Dorothy Sue Cobble and Marcus Rediker. Siim Soot, professor emeritus in the Urban Transporta- “Sol Stetin, like Sidney Hillman for whom the tion Center of the College of Urban Planning and Public foundation is named, dedicated himself not only to Affairs, was named honorary vice consul to the Republic of building a strong union but a larger political movement Estonia through March 2017. that would join workers, intellectuals and other Photo: Matthew Kaplan professionals in a search for social justice,” said Fink, Professor Leon Fink specializes in the modern American labor movement. The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs distinguished professor of history. honored staff members at an awards ceremony April 11. “For its work in supporting scholarly and journalistic Fink, who joined the UIC faculty in 2000, is founding edi- Outstanding New Staff awards were presented to Melissa work that advances progressive change, I am delighted to be tor of the quarterly journal Labor: Studies in Working-Class Williams, attorney, Student Legal Services; Chanel Small identified with the Sidney Hillman Foundation.” History of the Americas. At UIC he established a doctoral con- Bishop, academic counselor, African American Academic Fink has written, co-authored, or co-edited 10 books, centration in the history of work, race and gender in the urban Network; Abigail VanAnden, resident director for Marie including his most recent publications, Workers in Hard world. Robinson Hall, Campus Housing; and Lynne Thompson, Times: A Long View of Economic Crises (2014), Sweatshops at Fink’s previous honors include a Fulbright senior scholar associate director, Campus Recreation. Sea: Merchant Seamen in the World’s First Globalized Indus- grant and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Outstanding Staff awards were presented to Wayne Odle, try, from 1812 to the Present (2011), and Workers Across the Humanities, the Guggenheim Foundation, the Newberry Li- visiting network analyst/web graphic designer, Campus Americas: The Transnational Turn in Labor History (2011). brary and the National Humanities Center. Auxiliary Services; Paula Benton-Pierce, manager, Student He has also been involved with national efforts to link The Sidney Hillman Foundation is named for the founding Learning Resource Center, African American Academic public history and K-12 history education. president of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Network; Annette Wright, assistant dean of students and di- Fink led other researchers and graduate students at UIC Union. Since 1950 the foundation has honored journalists, rector of Student Veteran Affairs; Jaime Velasquez, assistant in the creation of the Chicago Labor Trail, a narrated map writers and public figures who pursue investigative reporting director, Career Services; and Shannon Tully, head coach, and accompanying website that received the Illinois Hu- and public policy in service of the common good. women’s tennis, Intercollegiate Athletics. manities Council’s 2004 Towner Award for demonstrating Fink was honored May 6 at the foundation’s annual dinner The Outstanding Contribution to Student Success Award “venture and risk-taking” in the development and execution and ceremony in New York City. was presented to Yoko Mori, interim assistant director for of a public humanities project. [email protected] paraprofessional development, Counseling Center. Faculty member ‘best female filmmaker’ at German festival

By Anne Brooks Ranallo techniques as “borrowed from after-school specials, amateur music videos and magical realism,” which she uses to depict UIC made an impressive showing at a prominent German people coping with emotional traumas. short-film festival, including “best female filmmaker” award A recent one — which she says will appeal to a lot of people for Jennifer Reeder, associate professor of moving image. — is “And I Will Rise If Only to Hold You Down.” It focuses on “There were nine U.S. films at (Kurzfilmtage) Oberhausen, a divorcing couple and stars her friend Katherine Crockett, a and three were by makers associated with UIC,” Reeder said, principal dancer of the Martha Graham Dance Company. including two films by alumni. “She’s a really beautiful dancer, but also a tremendous ac- “It was the same at Rotterdam this year — three projects tress,” Reeder said. “I’ll cast her again the next time I do a film nominated for Tiger shorts, including mine, my colleague with more adults than teenagers.” Deborah Stratman’s, and a third by two alumni,” Reeder said. Reeder’s work has been shown since the early 2000s in film Reeder won at Oberhausen for “A Million Miles Away,” a festivals and solo screenings throughout Europe, including the 28-minute fiction about a choral conductor facing a personal Venice Biennale, and in many U.S. venues, including the 2000 trauma who substitute-teaches a class of snarky high-school Whitney Biennial. girls. Jennifer Reeder, associate professor of moving image, was among “I think one reason why my films have been more popular An arrangement by UIC music graduate Jennifer Lennon UIC winners at Oberhausen, a German short-film festival. overseas than in the States is that there’s not always a happy of the Judas Priest song “You’ve Got Another Thing Comin’” ending in them,” she said. “There’s some darkness or melan- launches an exchange between the conductor and the girls that west, in my last four or five films, using experimental forms to choly that I think European and Latin American audiences gives the character new strength. try to right some of those wrongs, and to make films that are are more accustomed to, from their literature or the history “I think Hollywood films generally portray teenage girls for them, not just about them.” of their politics. I think U.S. audiences still really appreciate a inaccurately,” Reeder said. Reeder has made more than 40 films and videos (some happy ending.” “I’ve been addressing teenage girls, specifically in the Mid- can be viewed at vimeo.com/user7529206). She describes her [email protected] 10 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

Medicaid changes ‘significantly’ affect UI Health, trustee says

By Mike Helenthal The university’s lobbying efforts included a push to hold UI Health officials are searching for ways state funding equal to the to offset an expected funding shortfall that is current fiscal year — $663.5 the result of a nearly 25 percent reduction in million provided by the state the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate. in general revenue funds. The subject was a topic at the May 14 In his fiscal 2015 budget meeting of the U of I Board of Trustees in blueprint, Gov. Pat Quinn Springfield. recommended flat funding for Timothy Koritz, trustee and chair of the state’s public universities, the board’s University Healthcare System based on his proposal to make committee, said the rate change already has permanent the temporary led to more than a $3 million revenue loss increase in the state’s income since it took effect last July. tax that is set to expire at the He said the loss could reach $40 million end of the year. if the rate is extended by the Illinois Without that revenue, Department of Children and Family Services Quinn says deep cuts in state into 2015 as expected. spending would be required, “This significantly affects us because we including a 12.5 percent have a high percentage of Medicaid eligible reduction for the U of I. patients,” he said. Officials say a reduction Koritz said leaders are considering ways of that scale would reduce to offset the loss, including addressing labor funding by $82.7 million and costs. would be felt in every phase “It’s going to cause a significant problem,” of the university’s operation said Walter Knorr, the university’s chief — student tuition, class financial officer, explaining that the UI sizes, academic and research Hospital is the only state medical facility programs, workforce and affected by the rate change because of its tax- contributions to economic supported status. growth. Board chairman Christopher Kennedy The university also is said the rate change is, in effect, a vehicle for seeking relief from state the state to move expenses off its own books. procurement regulations that “Shifting a $40 million problem from one create delays and impose Photo: Darrell Hoemann agency to another — that’s the reality,” he additional costs in purchasing Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares was among participants who met with state legislators May 14 at U of I Lobby Day. said. goods and services, Kennedy said he and other board particularly involving research members would include the issue in grants. Other business successor for Chancellor Paula Allen-Meares conversations with legislators later that day Officials say reforms would improve • The board awarded a contract to when her term ends in January. at the annual U of I lobbying day at the state efficiency while preserving ethics and Atlanta-based Parker Executive Search to The search committee will present a list of Capitol, an event sponsored annually by the fairness, and ensure that the university assist with the search for a successor for eight to 10 finalists to the board, which hopes university’s Alumni Association. remains competitive for federal and private President Bob Easter, who will retire when to name a new president by January. Koritz praised hospital leaders for research grants that brought more than $1 his term ends June 30, 2015. • The board approved a $2.9 million bud- statistics that showed programs targeting the billion into the state this year. Parker, a global search firm that special- get increase for Curtis Granderson Stadium. infection rate at the hospital had led to a 50 “Legislators need to hear firsthand that izes in senior-level searches for higher edu- The additional funds will be used for an percent decrease. He said several medical the decisions they will make have serious, cation institutions, will assist a 19-member earthen berm and fencing around the outfield facility renovation projects were proceeding long-term implications on our ability to search committee appointed last month that and upgrades to seating and the stadium’s on schedule. maintain our world-class excellence, and includes representatives of all major groups entertainment suite, press box and conces- The board meeting was limited in scope our capacity to produce the workforce and on the university’s three campuses. sion area. The additional costs will be funded as trustees met with legislative leaders innovation that are crucial to the future of Parker has assisted in several university through gifts from Granderson and other throughout the day. our state and nation,” Kennedy said. searches, including one underway to find a donors.

police UIC NEWS

UIC Police emergency: 312-355-5555 trespass at 3:31 p.m. at the Daley Library. Published on Wednesdays during the academic year Visual communications and design Nonemergency: 312-996-2830 May 13: A man was arrested for criminal (monthly during summer) by the Office of Public Anna Dworzecka...... [email protected] TDD: 312-413-9323 trespass at 11:24 a.m. at Student Center East. and Government Affairs of the University of Illinois Associate graphic designer at Chicago. May 14: A man was arrested for criminal Megan Strand...... [email protected] 1320 University Hall (MC 288), 601 S. Morgan St., Editorial associates May 12-18 trespass at 9:24 a.m. at 809 S. Wolcott Ave. Chicago, IL 60607-7113. S.K. Vemmer...... [email protected] Crimes reported to UIC Police May 17: A man was arrested for domestic http://www.uicnews.uic.edu Nicole Cardos...... [email protected] battery at 2:30 a.m. at the UI Hospital. Editorial: ...... (312) 996-7758 Photography contributors Criminal trespass: 4 Advertising:...... (312) 996-3456 Timothy Nguyen Battery: 1 A man was arrested for criminal trespass at Fax:...... (312) 413-7607 Advertising coordinator Domestic battery: 1 9:30 a.m. at Clinical Sciences North. Editor Samella Wright...... [email protected] May 18: A man was arrested on a warrant Sonya Booth...... [email protected] Interim associate chancellor for public affairs Warrant: 1 Associate editor Bill Burton...... [email protected] Theft: 4 at 3:34 a.m. at 1206 S. Arthington St. Christy Levy...... [email protected] Photography For more information about crime in the Assistant editor Roberta Dupuis-Devlin, Joshua Clark Gary Wisby...... [email protected] Arrests by UIC Police area, visit the UIC Police crime map and the UIC Photo Services...... [email protected] May 12: A man was arrested for criminal Chicago Police CLEAR Map. MAY 21, 2014 I UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu 11 Innovator and Inventor of the Year The Innovator and Inventor of the Year awards, presented by the Office of Technology Management, recognize UIC researchers for innovative spirit and their invention’s potential impact to society. The awards include a $3,500 prize. Insulation saves energy, costs

By Jeanne Galatzer-Levy “We all know it in the form of a cylinder we call a thermos,” he said. Alan Feinerman’s experiment with empty Vacuum insulator panels made with yogurt containers led to a start-up company, the same metalized plastic film found in a two patents, two Small Business Innovative thermos have been around a long time, but Research awards from the National Science Feinerman said the product is inefficient and Foundation and two UIC prizes for innova- expensive. tion. “I thought, ‘I can do better,’” he said. “It’s been a learning experience,” said The problem for vacuum insulation Feinerman, who adds the Innovator of the is withstanding atmospheric pressure, 15 Year Award to his 2011 Inventor of the Year pounds per square inch or 2,000 pounds per honors, both from UIC’s Office of Technology square foot. Management. “That means if you have a one-foot panel, Feinerman, associate professor of electri- you have a Mini Cooper trying to crush it,” cal and computer engineering, developed an he said. insulation that is light, thin and inexpensive, “I wanted a material that would be light-

produced by his company, Thermal Conser- weight and non-conductive, and plastic Photo: Kathryn Marchetti vation Technologies. seemed perfect,” he said. “Almost half the energy we use is lost through poor insulation,” says Innovator of the Year Alan Feinerman. “Almost half the energy we use is lost He started by putting three yogurt cups on through poor insulation,” he explained. his basement floor, then placing a 250-pound The Thermal Conservation Technologies college, but when he found his first job at Po- “We’ve been trying to commercialize an weight on top. team includes the firm’s president, Prateek laroid boring, he decided to return to school. advanced thermal insulation for a variety of After documenting the resulting crash Gupta, a 2008 Ph.D. graduate in materi- He was lucky to find a mentor “who was uses, including refrigerated transportation.” — and reassuring his wife that he was OK — als engineering who also has an MBA from interested in using physics to solve problems, Feinerman’s company produces a thin Feinerman got to work on a tensile structure University of Chicago, and scientist Michael which is exactly what I wanted to do,” he said. vacuum insulation panel made with inex- that doesn’t buckle because the materials are Walsh, an engineering Ph.D. from North- “I’ve always just liked science and if some- pensive tensile supports and a stainless steel, under tension. western University who was a postdoctoral thing bothers me, I start thinking, ‘Is there a puncture-resistant exterior. This elegant structure, which looks like a fellow at National Institute of Standards and better way?’ Feinerman knew that a vacuum would suspension bridge, is “better and cheaper.” It Technology. “It’s a curse I was born with.” make a good insulator. is the basis of his patents, Feinerman said. Feinerman majored in applied physics in [email protected] Efficient, reliable and small power systems

By Christy Levy renewable and alternate energy options for He received his master’s in electric power power electronic systems. engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Sudip Mazumder faces a He designs reliable, efficient, sustainable in New York and bachelor’s degree at the dilemma: how do you create and economical power electronics that can be University of Delhi, India. a power electronic system used in technology ranging from smart power His interest in power electronics stems from where the requirements are grids to electric vehicles. his master’s degree project in power electronics, contradictory? “The objective of the electronic system is when the field was just emerging. Mazumder is creating highly that you are really controlling power, which “When you make something work, the efficient and reliable systems that is at a higher voltage and current, using interest grows and you think, ‘Maybe I can do also take up a small amount of intelligent devices and systems,” Mazumder more,’” he said. “The very notion of controlling space. said. “The innovations I have address some power, it’s exciting.” “How do you come up with of the issues including efficiency, reliability, Power electronics is a practical field, answers when those things do power density and cost.” Mazumder said, with a range of applications. not go hand-in-hand together? Devices exist on the market for similar “It doesn’t always get the limelight — most It’s a design challenge,” said purposes, but the difference is that people don’t look at an electronic vehicle and Mazumder, professor of electrical Mazumder’s patented devices are optically want to know something about the power and computer engineering. controlled rather than electrically controlled. system,” he said. “But it’s a global field, and It’s a challenge he accepted “The advantage of having an optical device power and energy are fundamental.” and found solutions for through is that the impact of the electromagnetic Mazumder encourages the undergrads and his patented power electronics noise associated with switching large graduate students he teaches in the College of technology. For his ingenuity, electrical power is mitigated,” Mazumder said. Engineering to follow their passion. Mazumder was awarded UIC’s “Optically, it makes devices more efficient in “If your heart isn’t in it, then the time you Inventor of the Year award. terms of the mechanics used to turn them on put in doesn’t always matter,” he said. “If you Mazumder’s research focuses an d off .” work hard, it often pays off. on interactive power electronics Mazumder joined UIC in 2001 after “I literally enjoy my work. I don’t even know Photo: Joshua Clark and power networks, smart receiving his doctoral degree at the Virginia how the time passes by some days.” “I literally enjoy my work,” says Inventor of the Year Sudip Mazumder. grids, energy storage and Polytechnic Institute and State University. [email protected] 12 UIC NEWS I www.uicnews.uic.edu I MAY 21, 2014

sports For more Flames sports, visit www.uicflames.com

Flames ready for league tournament Basketball player brings By Mike Laninga ‘high energy’ to court The Flames have their eye on a championship this week, competing as the No. 2 seed in the By Brad Taylor Horizon League Tournament. UIC earned a first-round bye in the tourna- The men’s basketball team welcomes another center ment, which starts today at Kapco Park in Me- to the court this fall: Kaylen Shane from John A. Logan quon, Wisconsin. The Flames are slotted to play College. in Game 4 of the tournament at 3 p.m. Thursday The 6-foot-10, 270-pound center was recruited by against the winner of the No. 3 vs. No. 6 match. Wichita State, Illinois State, UAB, Washington State, The team (24-25, 17-13 Horizon League) was Southeast Missouri State, Marshall and Tennessee State. limited to four hits Saturday afternoon in a 3-0 Shane graduated from Crane High School in 2012 loss to Oakland (12-31, 7-17 Horizon League). and played two seasons at Logan. He has two seasons of Charlie Weinberg, Mike Schoolcraft, Collin eligibility remaining. Weyer, Jacob McNamara, Alex Jurich and John “Kaylen brings great size and ability to our front- Coen were honored Saturday as part of Senior court,” head coach Howard Moore said. “He works well Day. with his back to the basket and uses his tremendous “I can’t begin to express how proud I am of strength to finish around the rim. His aggressiveness on this group of seniors,” head coach Mike Dee the defensive end and high energy is a perfect fit for our said. “They have all shown tremendous leader- program. ship and great character this season. I know “Our staff is excited that Kaylen decided to further they will all be successful in whatever the future his playing career at home in Chicago with the Flames.” holds, but they will always have a home here at Shane collected five double-digit scoring efforts at UIC.” John A. Logan, including a career-high 18 points on Weyer started the game with a scoreless in- 8-of-10 shooting against Lewis & Clark College. ning before Jack Andersen (3-4) took over. An- He tallied two double-digit rebound performances dersen allowed two runs on seven hits over five with the Volunteers, including a career-high 11 innings of work. He struck out three and walked rebounds at Three Rivers Community College. Shane one batter. had 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting against Three Rivers for his first collegiate double-double. Alex Posey relieved Andersen in the seventh Photo: Timothy Nguyen inning and allowed Oakland’s final run. School- Jeff Boehm aims for third base versus Oakland Saturday. The Flames compete as the As a senior at Crane High School in 2011-12, Shane craft allowed two hits and retired two hitters in No. 2 seed in the Horizon League Tournament this week in Wisconsin. averaged 15 points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. He was the eighth before Mitchel Schulewitz recorded an All-Chicago Public League performer and was invited four straight outs. out swinging to end the second and Conor Philbin hit into a to play in the Chicago United Hoops Classic, which Coen, Jeff Boehm, Jake Nath and Mickey McDonald all double play to conclude the fourth. features the top players from Chicago’s South and West recorded hits for UIC. Tyler Detmer reached base twice on a Nath led off the eighth inning with a single through the Sides. pair of walks. right side but was removed from the bases after McNamara UIC loaded the bases in the second and fourth innings but grounded into a double play. Coen followed with a single but could not bring a runner home. Zenon Kolakowski struck Alex Lee struck out looking to end the inning.

Softball team finishes season in third place By Laura White her first-of-three singles of the game. Valparaiso’s Kaitlyn Ra- nieri answered Hernandez’s homer with one of her own in the The softball team took third place in the Horizon League bottom of the first to tie the game. Championship after a 5-4 (8) loss to Valparaiso. The Crusaders went ahead 2-1 in the third after Ranieri With the game tied at 3 through seven innings, the Flames walked, advanced to second on a sac bunt and came around to went into the eighth and took the 4-3 lead off an RBI double score on a single by Tarah McShane. from Courtney Heeley, but the Crusaders came away with In the fifth, UIC reclaimed its lead after Heeley reached on the win in the bottom of the inning after a walk-off two-run a Valpo error and moved to second on a single by Peterson. single. With two outs, Jacki Fletcher hit her second triple of the sea- UIC finished the season 16-28, won eight of its 18 confer- son to center to plate both runners. Valparaiso tied it again in ence games and went 2-2 in the Horizon League tournament. the bottom of the inning after putting two runners on with no “We are proud of our team for the effort they gave through- outs and allowing one to score. out the entire tournament,” head coach Michelle Venturella Both teams were scoreless through the sixth and seventh to said. take the game to extra innings. Shortstop Natalie Hernandez and pitcher Bridget Boyle Erica Hampton singled with one out in the eighth before were named to the All-Tournament Team, while Heeley Eleni Polites came in to pinch run and steal second. Heeley earned the Defensive Player Award and Hernandez claimed stepped to the plate with two outs and hit her 10th double of the Batting Champion Award in the Horizon League Champi- the season to left center, scoring Polites to go up 4-3. onship. With the Flames looking to hold the lead, the Crusaders For the second consecutive game, Hernandez led off with a went into the bottom of the frame and led off with back-to- solo home run for her third of the tournament and 12th of the back singles. Two consecutive outs followed, but Amanda Photo: The Southern Illinoisan season, a career high. Wisniewski singled to load the bases before McShane singled Kaylen Shane joins the men’s basketball team in the fall. Paige Peterson followed Hernandez in the first inning with to left to bring in two for the win.