Published by the University of Southern California Volume 2 Issue 1

Bold Biomedical Endeavors: The New ERC NSF AAwardswards Another Engineering Research Cultivating Center

Spanish 101 the Futureuture Engineering Students Explore Europe Mary & Mark Stevens Providing Leadership AggressiveAggressive for Engineering’s Recruiting: Fundraising Initiative 26 New Faces Among the Faculty

Fall/Winter 2003 A gift annuity will provide you with a guaranteed income stream for life while also helping to secure the future of the USC School of Engineering.

An annuity to The School of Engineering will provide: Guaranteed Income A guaranteed income stream for your life (and one additional life, if desired) Tax Benefits Annuities offer partially tax free income, a charitable tax deduction, and lower estate taxes Philanthropic Opportunity Your annuity can support scholarship and research at The School of Engineering Safety Annuity agreements are backed by the full faith and credit of the University of Southern California Flexibility Gift annuities may be created with cash, securities, or real estate Payout rates are based on age. Here are three examples: Age Guaranteed Annual Payout* 75 7.1% 82 8.5% Couple, ages 75 and 82 6.6%

It’s how to give as good as you get. Sam Martinuzzi Director of Planned Giving (213) 740-1214 www.usc.edu/plannedgiving All inquiries are kept in strict confidence. *Sample based on rate schedule as of 7/1/03. Rates are set by the American Council for Gift Annuities in thisi ssue features page 22 Cultivating the Future Mark Stevens, BSEE ’81, MS CENG ’84, Co-Chairs Engineering’s Fundraising Initiative by Bob Calverley page 26 Bold Biomedical Endeavors: The New ERC National Science Foundation Awards Another Engineering Research Center by Bob Calverley page 28 Aggressive Recruiting: 26 New Faces Among the Faculty by Carl Marziali page 32 Spanish 101 Engineering Students Explore Europe by Christian Camozzi p22 page 34 Rock and Roll Engineering by Eric Mankin departments page 3 Dean’s Message p page 4 Editor’s Note 26

page 5 Straight & To the Point Short Subjects r e

b page 36 Alumni Profile r e

G Bruce Matthews, BSISE ’83 . S x a M page 37 Alumni Profile y b o t Elmer Kaprielian, BSEE ’42 o h p p

y 28 t l page 38 Alumni Profile u c a f Al Griffin, BSCE ’45 w e n , h t i page 40 Snapshots m S

. Late Summer & Fall 2003 Events H . A e l l page 44 Class Notes e Engineering students h c i are in danger of M y b page 45 BoC News spending so much time s o t o solving problems in class h p p s In Memoriam and fulfilling mandatory 19 n page 46 e v e

t requirements that they S

d can miss learning about the real joys that an engineering n Development Focus

a page 48 r e career offers. The American Institute of Aeronautics and v o

C Astronautics contest shows them a side of engineering that closely resembles what real working engineers do. The USC School of Engineering thanks the following corporations, foundations and organizations for their recent gifts. Their generosity is crucial to the success of our students and faculty For more information on how your firm as they pursue scientific can help to shape the engineers of tomorrow, please contact: and academic

Anna Norville excellence. Executive Director of Corporate Relations USC School of Engineering Tel: 213/740-2502 E-mail: [email protected]

Corp/Fnd Cash & Equip Corporation for Advanced Hamilton Klow Associates The Okawa Foundation Companies and Technical Education Hewlett-Packard Corporation Olympus America Inc. Acorn Technologies, Inc. Corporation for Education Honeywell International, Inc. Oracle Corporation The Aerospace Corporation Network House Ear Institute Phaethon Communications, Inc. Agilent Technologies Cytec Engineered Materials Inc. IBM Corporation Pratt & Whitney Airbus DaimlerChrysler Industrial Technology QUALCOMM Inc. Air Force Cost Analysis Agency Defense Information Systems Research Institute R & R Rubber Molding, Inc. Agency ALi Corporation Institute for Information Industry Raytheon Company Deloitte & Touche Foundation American Chemical Society Intel Corporation Rockwell Scientific Delphi Automotive Systems The American Electroplaters and International Technology Saab DIRECTV Inc. Surface Finishers Society, Inc. Exchange SAE International DisCo Systems American Heart Association ITU Ventures LLC. Satyam Computer Services Ltd. DoCoMo USA, Inc. ARCS Foundation, Inc. Ixia Schlumberger The Dow Chemical Company Asociacion Sindical de Pilotos Japan Science & Technology Science Applications Association for Network DRS Technologies, Inc. Corporation International Corporation Care Research Dynamic Measures Corporation JDS Uniphase Corporation Semiconductor Research ATR Human Information ECA Foundation Jewish Community Foundation Corporation Processing Research Ekswai Corporation L’Garde, Inc. SGI Testing Services, LLC Laboratories Electrical Power Lockheed Martin Corporation Shell Oil Company Foundation BAE SYSTEMS Research Institute The Los Angeles Rubber Group Skyworks Solutions, Inc. BEI Technologies, Inc. Electronics and Mercury Interactive Sony Corporation Bio-Rad Laboratories Telecommunications Corporation Sparkasse Bochum The Boeing Company Research Institute The Merwyn C. Gill Sun Microsystems, Inc. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Entergy Corporation Foundation TCL Integrated Marketing, Inc. Center for Breakthrough ERC Incorporated Microsoft Corporation TeleGIF Thinking, Inc. Ernst & Young Ministry of Housing Texas Instruments CERN EverFocus Electronics Corp. Motorola, Inc. Toray Composites America, Inc. Charles Lee Powell Foundation Extended Systems National Institute Toyota USA Foundation ChevronTexaco ExxonMobil Foundation of Public Health Toyota Motor Corporation Cisco Systems Inc. Fujitsu Laboratories NAVAIR Veeco Metrology Group Civil Aviation Authority of America, Inc. New Media University Verizon Communications, Inc. Conexant Systems, Inc. The Fulton Foundation Academy, Inc. The Whitaker Foundation Conlin & Associates Inc. Fx Palo Alto Laboratory Nortel Networks Xerox Corporation Consortium of Organizations GC Environmental, Inc. Northrop Grumman Corporation for Strong-Motion Geometrix, Inc. Novalux Inc. Xilinx, Inc. Observation Systems Global Quest Foundation Oceaneering International, Inc. dean’sm essage

Sunny Days These are sunny days for the USC School of Engineering.

Our School has just received its second National Science Foundation of them could accomplish alone. Often the advances are in new Engineering Research Center (ERC), making us only the fourth territory and are not part of any traditional discipline. Encouraging engineering school to have two active concurrent ERCs, and interdisciplinary research is nothing new. However, it is a reflection the only California school ever to be awarded two of these of Engineering’s and USC’s interdisciplinary successes that NSF prestigious centers. chose us for this new and highly interdisciplinary ERC. During the past two years, at a time when many other Recruiting new faculty for today’s collaborative research institutions were downsizing or in a holding pattern, we have environment is itself an exercise in partnership. I worked together recruited 26 new tenure-track faculty. We placed a special emphasis with Joseph Aoun, dean of the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, on women and minority candidates making 15 offers, five of which to bring one of the world’s premier supercomputing research groups were accepted. to USC. Rajiv Kalia, Aichiro Nakano and Priya Vashista. The Last fall’s undergraduate freshman class was the brightest in the principals of that group, all have joint faculty appointments in the history of our School, and the quality of this fall’s freshman is just as College and our School. I doubt that either Joseph or I could have high. And of course, U.S. News & World Report has ranked our accomplished this alone. I doubt that our School would have 26 graduate engineering program solidly in the nation’s top 10 at new faculty without the commitment of our current faculty in number 8. identifying candidates and helping persuade them to come here. The most gratifying aspect of this success is that so many We are in the process of transforming our undergraduate people share in it. That only makes it sweeter. curriculum to prepare young engineers for the newly collaborative Securing the new ERC was a huge joint effort between our engineering world. We are making it easier for undergraduates to School and the Keck School of Medicine. This accomplishment was have minors or another major outside of engineering. the result of close collaboration between myself and Keck’s dean, I believe our School is poised to make the jump into the Stephen J. Ryan. The new director of the BioMimetic nation’s elite engineering schools. About the time you receive this MicroElectronics Systems (BMES) ERC is Mark Humayun, who is magazine, I will be announcing a new seven-year fundraising both a professor of ophthalmology at Keck, and a professor of initiative to secure the resources we will need to succeed. Because biomedical engineering in our School. The deputy director is of our recent successes, our fundraising goals will be very ambitious. Gerald Loeb, a professor of biomedical engineering. Mark Stevens (BSEE ’81, BAECON ’81, MSCENG ’84) and Designing and building implantable microelectronic devices is Daniel Epstein (BSISE ’62), two USC trustees and members of our as much a medical as an engineering challenge, requiring creativity Board of Councilors have agreed to chair this effort, and it will take from both physicians and engineers. all of us working together to succeed. Our entire Board of Engineers from Caltech and UC-Santa Cruz are also important Councilors, our faculty and our staff will be involved. We want all of participants in the BMES. Our faculty is one of the finest in the you — friends, alumni and industry partners — to be involved too. world, but that doesn’t mean they are the best in every single area of When we raise these resources, and when the USC School of engineering. We don’t hesitate to work with others. Engineering joins that elite group of the very best engineering More and more, research has become a collaborative endeavor. schools, the success will belong to all of us. r e b r Working together, researchers make more impressive leaps than any If we work together, I am confident that we will succeed. e G . S x a C. L. Max Nikias M y

b Dean o t

o School of Engineering h p s a i k i N USC ENGINEER Vol. 2 No. 1 Fall/Winter 2003/4 editor’sn ote

he dictionary defines the word “destination” as: the place to which one is going or directed; or the ultimate purpose for which something is created or intended. Dean T C. L. Max Nikias On November 21st, the School of Engineering will launch a new fundraising initiative. The initiative has been Chief Executive Officer, External Relations themed “Destination: The Future”.A metaphor of travel is Christopher J. Stoy used to imply a sense of the School’s movement and forward Director of Alumni Relations direction. Editor, USC Engineer The dictionary defines the act of “traveling” as: to go Annette Blain from one place to another; or to advance or proceed. Managing Editor A “journey” metaphor is frequently used when Bob Calverley describing a goal-oriented mission. The new fundraising initiative will be a unique journey Contributing Writers with a very specific end in mind. A specific destination. As the definition states, it will help to Bob Calverley, Christian Camozzi, Mark Ewing, move the School of Engineering “from one place to another”. Meredith Goodwin, Rick Keir, Eric Mankin, The School is already moving, advancing, and proceeding. With every story and profile Carl Marziali in this magazine, the forward momentum is clear. That the School of Engineering is shaping, Art Direction & Graphic Design cultivating and manufacturing the future is undeniable. Tracy Merrigan Creative All good voyages depend on the right travel companions. Our alumni, friends, parents and corporate partners have always been that for us. Now more than ever before, your We wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their contributions to this issue of USC Engineer: Steve Bucher, support and knowledge of the road will be indispensable. Lisa Horowitz, Jacqueline Williams, Christopher Noll, The word destination comes from the word destiny. The dictionary defines “destiny” as: Sam Martinuzzi, Joel Cinnamon, Lisa Van Ingen Pope, a predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control. It is Joyce Oo Mayne, Anna Norville, Isadora Gullov, Kim Cabral, Cissy Jones, Holly Bridges, David Fikse, within our power to predict that the School of Engineering is destined for great things. Dennis Cornell, and Zsa Zsa Gershic. However, as we set the course for this journey, we cannot control exactly what will occur USC Engineer is published twice a year for alumni and along the way. The only certainty is that the future will unfold and our destination will creep friends of the School of Engineering at the University of Southern California. ever closer. We hope as it does, you have come along with us, and helped to make the journey Letters to the editor and comments are welcome. Please send and the ultimate destination well worth the ride. them to: USC Engineer, Alumni Relations Office, Olin Hall 300, Los Angeles, California 90089-1454, or email them to Annette Blain [email protected] Director, Alumni Relations BOARD OF COUNCILORS

CHAIRMAN Yang Ho Cho, MBA ’79 M.C. Gill, BSCH ’37 Alexander G. Livanos Forrest D. Sawyer Jay L. Kear, BSME ’60 Korean Airlines Merwyn C. Gill Corporation Northrop Grumman Sawyer Media Incorporated Kear Enterprises David W. Chonette, MSME ’60, E.R. “Ed” Glasgow, MBA ’70 Alfred E. Mann George M. Scalise Dean K. Allen, BSME ’57 ENGME ’64 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics MannKind Corporation Semiconductor Industry Association Retired, Parsons Corporation Brentwood Venture Capital Company Gordon S. Marshall, BS BUS ’46 A.R. [Allison] Schleicher III Gordon M. Anderson, BSME ’54 Leo Chu Kenton Gregory, BSEE ’76, MD ’80 Retired, Marshall Industries Retired, IBM Retired, Santa Fe International Hollywood Park Casino Oregon Medical Laser Center Paul W. Martin John Shea, BS ENG ’49 Corporation and Crystal Park Casino Hotel Jeanette K. Harrison, Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation J.F. Shea Co., Inc. Sonny Astani Malcolm R. Currie , MSISE ’78 DPA PUAD ’94 Fariborz Maseeh Regina P. Smith Lambert Smith Hampton Retired, Hughes Aircraft Company Intel Corporation Picoco, LLC Bioinvestments.com Carlton H. Baab, BSEE ’81 John Deininger Jen-Hsun Huang H. Webber McKinney, BSEE ’68, Peter Staudhammer Raining Data Corporation J.D. Investments, Inc. NVIDIA Corporation MSEE ’69 Alfred E. Mann Institute - USC William F. Ballhaus Jr. David DiCarlo, Ph.D. EE ’79 Karl Jacob III, BME ’91, BS CSCI ’00 Hewlett-Packard Company Richard D. Stephens, The Aerospace Corporation Northrop Grumman Space Cloudmark Richard G. Miller BS NSMA ’74 Technology Ronald R. Barnes, BS ACCT ’76 James J. Keenan, BSEE ’61, MS ’67 Information Systems The Boeing Company Norris Foundation Steven D. Dorfman, MSEE ’59 Hendry Telephone Products Laboratories, Inc. Mark A. Stevens, BSEE ’81, Retired, Hughes Electronics Dwight J. Baum Kenneth R. Klein, BS BSME ’82 John Mork, BSPE ’70 BA ECON ’81, MS CENG ’84 Corporation Dwight C. Baum Investments Mercury Interactive Corporation Energy Corporation of America Sequoia Capital Daniel J. Epstein, BSISE ’62 Andrew C. Beers Geraldine Knatz, MSENV ’77, Daniel J. Niemann George A. Strait ConAm Management Corporation Microsoft TV Ph.D. BISC ’79 Trammell Crow Company University of California, Berkeley Alan J. Fohrer, BSCE ’73, MSCE ’76 The Port of Long Beach Development and Investment Group Gregg E. Brandow, BSCE ’67 Parviz Tayebati, Ph.D. Physics ’89 Southern California Edison Brandow & Johnston Associates Marie L. Knowles, BSCHE ’68, Donald L. Paul Azna Corporation Alice P. Gast, BSCH ’80 MSCHE ’70, MBA ’74 ChevronTexaco Corporation Edgar S. Brower, BSISE ’59 Cyrus Y. Tsui, BSEE ’69 Massachusetts Institute of Technology Retired, ARCO Retired, Pacific Scientific Allen E. Puckett Lattice Semiconductor Corporation Thomas O. Gephart, BSME ’62 David A. Lane, BSEE ’81 Hughes Aircraft Company Xiaofan Cao, MA PHYS ’85, Andrew J. Viterbi, Ph.D. EE ’62 Ventana Capital Management Diamondhead Ventures MSEE ’87, Ph.D. PHYS ’90 F. Edward Reynolds, Jr., BSCE ’81 The Viterbi Group, LLC Hester Gill Robert Lee Arasor Corporation , BSEE ’70 The Reynolds Group William P. Wiesmann Merwyn C. Gill Foundation Retired, Pacific Bell BioSTAR Group thep oint

IMSC’s Fastrack is a Blockbuster (And makes them too)

A software program from the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) is responsible for the Illustration of the 10.2 channel sound system developed by IMSC’s Immersive Audio Lab. magic in many of this year’s movie blockbusters. While the Fastrack special effects have found their way into recent blockbuster movies, this Fastrack has helped a local Academy Award- sound system is now being used in several movie theaters. winning special effects studio drastically reduce production time for films including “X-Men 2,” “Daredevil” and “Dr. Seuss’ ‘The Cat in the Hat.’ ” “Special effects involve superimposing something synthetic onto something real,”says Fastrack co-creator Ulrich Neumann, director of IMSC and a computer scientist who holds the Charles Lee Powell Chair in Engineering. “The difficult part is to get the motion exact so the objects move correctly relative to each other.” Fastrack masters just that. The software tracks motion between each frame of film, carefully marrying “real” objects, such as an actor, with computer-generated special effects, such as a supersonic jet, a flying car or a raging river. The tool enables effects artists to process roughly 40 percent of movie shots without Right: USC’s University Park Campus. In order having to provide extensive human input. to convert the imagery into an Augmented “This is a huge productivity leap for us,” Virtual Environment, the researchers wed the says Eugene Vendrovsky, principal graphics scans to ground-based, global positioning system scientist at Los Angeles-based Rhythm & Hues, (GPS)-correlated video of the same structures. which bought the right to use the IMSC algorithms to determine which features in a technology last year, named it Fastrack and scene provide the best frame of reference for a continually modifies it for use in complex computer to track. special effects scenes. If the frame of reference moves, even — the filming of live sets and objects, such as a “We are almost twice as productive thanks digital processes can be difficult and time-con- street with people — Fastrack goes to work, to Fastrack,”Vendrovsky says, adding that the suming. For example, in X-Men 2, a camera analyzing the film and tracking camera motion technology “is capable of tracking hundreds of pans around aircraft flying through numerous and staging, which saves production time early features from one frame to another in only a tornadoes, all in front of the backdrop of in the process. few seconds on a standard personal computer.” a sunset. The camera view of the digital Effects artists then create necessary digital Neumann and IMSC assistant professor tornadoes has to match exactly with the elements, such as swirling tornadoes, animate Suya You developed their tracking technology imagery of the aircraft and the pilot’s motions them and add any other required special with cinema and training applications in mind. in the filmed world. effects. In the final step, tools combine the film The researchers used a set of mathematical Following the first step in any given scene continued on page 10

USC ENGINEER 5 thep oint

Modeling the Unthinkable by Yigal Arens and Paul Rosenbloom Two years after 9/11, the nature of the resources The technology required for virtual available to response personnel has not changed. cities would not be cheap, but it would It could have. It should have. It still can. be useful even if no emergency While no society can afford to have a occurred, particularly in such areas as prepared, orchestrated response for every urban planning, policymaking, social conceivable disaster, information technology science research, and education. now allows us to build infrastructure and IT can also help in another virtual develop general capabilities that will be useful area—the creation of “virtual Yigal Arens and Paul Rosenbloom in responding to any threat or catastrophe—a organizations”.Almost by definition foundation upon which an effective response major unforeseen catastrophes are dealt with and function autonomously, convey first-hand can be constructed quickly. “Preparing for the by teams who come together partly by chance information to emergency managers who could issue additional commands remotely, facilitate search and unexpected” may seem like an oxymoron, but and circumstance, often after the regular chain rescue, and work in teams with human responders. it is both possible and prudent—indeed, of command and responsible bodies have been ࡯ A pervasive, secure communications necessary in an interconnected world where seriously disrupted by the catastrophe itself. On infrastructure: Data, computers and networks complexity continually introduces unexpected 9/11, for example, the offices of one of the key must be rendered secure from eavesdropping and consequences. area organizations charged with emergency sabotage and made less susceptible to disruptions Information Technology is, of course response—the Port Authority of New York and and loss of connectivity. A concerted effort to only a piece in the preparation, but it is an New Jersey—were destroyed in the attack. develop new methods to protect computer systems important one. At USC we have created a Virtual organizations take advantage of new from intrusion and sabotage and enable recovery from such disruptions will ensure that emergency Center for Research on Unexpected Events, communication and collaboration technologies response teams can operate in safety, free from where we are trying to clarify what along with models of the situation and surveillance and malicious interference. New security contributions IT can make, and preparing decision-making processes to facilitate such ad initiatives must cover wired and wireless networking to create some of these pieces. hoc, emergency coalitions of responders. and communication, for both speech and data. New Our work is guided by what we learned Even short of full-scale implementation of technology is needed that will allow networks to be at a conference we organized last year in New these ideas, development of key component easily and quickly deployed, enabling networks to York, in which IT experts, engineers and social technologies will be valuable in itself. self-configure and self-repair. ࡯ Self-Teaching Features: These systems can’t be scientists from across the country, from univer- ࡯ Encyclopedic digital collections: Response accessible only to experts. Ordinary people in emer- agencies must have much better information of all sities, government, and industry gathered to gency situations have to be able to use them, and use kinds—and instant access to it. A first priority should consider what might contribute to improving them easily, under stress. Training in the skills neces- be to create a digital collection of information about our responses not just to terrorist attack, but sary to use systems must be embedded in the systems geography, environment, resources, establishments, themselves and provided when the need arises. also to conventional hazards like earthquakes, buildings, computational facilities and potential floods, hurricanes, or firestorms like the ones response personnel, together with software systems And finally while the research initiatives that consumed Southern California in October. that have the ability to search out answers to contemplated here might be crisis-driven, they We do have something to offer, we think. pertinent questions. The knowledge need not, and could be brought to bear on a wide range of Advances in information technology now make surely will not be centralized in one location. Privacy problems endemic to government and society it possible to meld massive amounts of infor- issues will arise in creation of this collection and in general. No one foresaw the explosion of these must be dealt with—but much useful work can mation from numerous sources, including real media, art, electronic commerce and education be done right away without compromising privacy. that resulted from the creation of the commu- time sensors and previously created databases, ࡯ Rapidly deployable sensors and effectors: into highly detailed and flexible models that can From micro-sensors to earth-observing satellites, nication infrastructure of the Internet. The new describe a city in real time. These “virtual cities” from simple actuators to autonomous robots. research, technology and infrastructure we’re will give decision makers dealing with an emer- Instantly deployable, self-configuring versions of proposing are aimed at improving our ability gency a living real-time image of a multilayered these must be created. Devices capable of detecting to respond to unexpected disasters. But they urban structure so that they can instantly see motion, heat, light/images, sound, pressure, the pres- can also help us improve the way we address what is threatened, what resources are available, ence of metal, and much more, already exist. There is everyday social and government problems. research on developing micro-scale “machines” and and how best to deal with the threats. They will Yigal Arens and Paul Rosenbloom are reconfigurable robots. We also need to be able to also support the ability to run extremely flexible quickly deploy such sensors and effectors and to faculty of the USC School of Engineering and powerful ‘“what-if”’ simulations to evaluate enable them to autonomously network among them- working at the USC Information Sciences proposed response procedures, discover poten- selves and communicate with controllers outside the Institute. More details are available at the tial weaknesses, and act as test beds for training. crisis zone. The units would be able to gather data CRUE website, at http://www.isi.edu/crue/.

6 USC ENGINEER thep oint Simple, Elegant and Powerful…And “Made at USC”

One of the most far-reaching inventions of our age — the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS) — was born Paul Mockapetris: 20 years ago this past June at the School of Engineering’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI). The Man behind DNS Paul Mockapetris invented the system as part of his The man who invented the Internet’s Domain Name System (DNS) collaboration with Internet pioneer, the late Jon Postel. launched his celebrated career at the USC School of Engineering’s Postel asked Mockapetris to create a distributed index of Information Sciences Institute in 1978, during the heady early days of the Internet, then a fledgling community of only a few Internet exploration and evolution. Paul thousand computers. Mockapetris first came to ISI when he Mockapetris devised a system - the now ubiquitous was a graduate student at UC Irvine, “.com”, “.edu”, “.gov” structure that automatically working on a thesis dealing with high directed name lookup requests where they were speed computer networking. “One of supposed to go, creating a distributed database that the great things about ISI,” he says, “is could be managed locally, but accessed from anywhere. how many different research areas go Like many an elegant tool, its simplicity was its virtue. on simultaneously: AI, systems, network- ing, integrated circuits, e-commerce — Thanks to ISI, the Internet was able to expand without not to mention the even wider spectrum growth pains from about 1,000 sites at the birth of DNS, of projects where ISI folks collaborate to an estimated four billion-plus currently. with others on campus and in the “Once you got your organization connected to the worldwide research community.” network, you could have as many computers on it as you Over the last 30 years, ISI has emerged as one of the world’s lead- wanted, and you could name them yourself,” ing research centers in the fields of computer science and information Mockapetris said. technology. Mockapetris underscores its central role in developing the DNS is an essential component of the Internet Internet as a highly efficient communications tool. “A lot of people infrastructure. All Internet users depend on DNS every think the Internet was invented in Silicon Valley or somewhere else,” time they enter an Internet address into their web he says, “but the fact is that USC/ISI was one of the primary places browser or send an email message, because the system that created the Internet. In my case, soon after I finished my PhD thesis, Jon Postel came into my office and suggested that I look into translates words into the numbers needed to locate building a replacement technology for the host table that was the Internet resources. The whole structure of the Internet “phone book” of the Internet. The host table was a few hundred and the vast volume of commerce it now carries rest on machine names and their associated addresses — a single file smaller the DNS protocol developed by Mockapetris, and the than a typical digital photo or music file we use today,” he notes. architecture created by Postel. “It seemed to me that the opportunity was to build a technology Their design was also prescient, and perhaps a bit that was a lot more like a distributed database, one that could be fortunate in its foresight. It produced a decentralized used worldwide with distributed management, and for a virtually Internet, a strong factor in the Internet’s ubiquity and a unlimited set of applications. This was a pretty radical idea at the defining characteristic of its culture. Studies have shown time. The DNS system I designed was probably quite different from that the current web, despite its decentralized and what Jon had expected, and certainly different from the other seemingly unstructured nature, has achieved a proposals at the time. But I coded the first root server and started running it at ISI, and Jon convinced the ARPA sponsors and the folks remarkable degree of order resulting from the at SRI to run other copies, and the great experiment began.” independent linking actions of individuals with vastly In 1995, Mockapetris left academia to lead a series of start-up different backgrounds, cultures, and goals. companies that brought high-speed Internet access to homes and Mockapetris is now chief scientist and chairman developed new Internet technologies and infrastructures. Today, he is of the board at IP (Internet Protocol) address software chief scientist and chairman of the board of Nominum, a pioneering vendor Nominum; Postel worked at ISI until his untimely provider of IP address infrastructure software for enterprises that death in 1998. require reliable address management for their mission critical networks. Joseph D. Touch, who is currently the director of ISI’s Nonetheless, a quarter century after joining USC’s Information Postel Center named in the Internet’s pioneer’s honor, Sciences Institute, Mockapetris decided to bring his career full circle by hosted a gathering of computer scientists on June 23 to rejoining the ISI last March as a visiting scholar in the Postel Center for mark the 20th anniversary of DNS. Mockapetris, who is Experimental Networking. “I’m working on technology for expanding the DNS to tens of billions of data items,” he explains. “But I’m still in also a visiting scholar at the Postel Center, was among awe of the Internet foundation that was created at ISI, and grateful those attending. for my small part in that.”

USC ENGINEER 7 Extra! Extra! Read All About It!

The USC School of Engineering projects and faculty continue to generate headlines and here are some of the highlights…

Shortly after the last issue of USC Engineer went to press, LEONARD The June 10 InfoWorld named ISI grid computing guru CARL ADLEMAN, professor of computer science and molecular biology, was KESSELMAN (MSEE ’84) and colleagues at Argonne National Laboratory honored by the Association of Computing Machinery as a co-recipient to its list of 2003 Innovators. The July 15 New York Times ran a major of the Turing Prize, often called the Nobel Prize of computing. The story on the grid computing revolution, once again featuring Kesselman April 14 issue of the New York Times carried a story on the award. and colleagues. On June 16, Business 2.0 named PAUL RONNEY’S tiny Then on the weekend of August 18, a long Associated Press feature fuel cells as one of the “Six Technologies That Will Change the World. on the birth of DNA computing focused largely on Adleman’s The June 16 issue of LA Weekly took a look at BEHROKH KOSHNEVIS’ groundbreaking work. That story was picked up by CNN, the quest to vastly scale up rapid prototyping technology and use it to New York Times and many others. create machines that would build houses in 24 hours or less.

Nuclear safety expert NAJM MESHKATI was interviewed at length by The 20th anniversary of the invention of the Internet’s Domain Name Canada’s Discovery Channel for a story that ran on and around System (DNS) at ISI, making dot-com part of our language, was big April 26, the anniversary of the catastrophic Chernobyl nuclear news in the tech and some mainstream media. The Boston Globe, accident. The Los Angeles Times did a story on May 5 about civil New York Post, Wired.com and a host of radio and television engineering researcher JOSE BORRERO’S study of the tsunami risk to stations, including KNX, KFWB, KPCC and KCBS-TV marked the Southern California. Then the August 18 issue of the Economist had occasion with stories. Among those making news were HERB SCHORR a story about his civil engineering colleague, COSTAS SYNOLAKIS and and BOB BRADEN at ISI, as well as the former ISI researcher who the impact of his digital tools on the study of tsunamis. helped invent the DNS, PAUL MOCKAPETRIS, who is the chairman of Nominium and a visiting scholar at ISI this year. MIT’s Technology Review May 28 issue included a major story on the “brain-machine interface” that drew heavily from biomedical Public television station KCET-TV’s Life & Times profiled ISI’s engineer TED BERGER’S project. Fellow biomedical engineer LEWIS JOHNSON on July 31 in a story that covered his research to VASILIS MARMARELIS and graduate student WALID SOUSSOU were humanize computers as well as his second career as a singer. WEI MIN also quoted in the article, which included several USC research SHEN and PETER WILL and their shape-shifting robots were stars in a photos. Transportation engineer JAMES MOORE took aim at the newly news article in Science magazine on August 13. The massive power opened Metro Rail Gold Line, and L.A. rail transportation in general, outage that struck New York and much of the East and Midwest in an op-ed article published August 6 in the Los Angeles Times. brought the media to interview electrical engineer and power grid expert T.C. CHENG. He was on National Public Radio, For much of the summer, ISI’s struggle with rapid language translation the Lehr Newshour on PBS, CBS and other outlets. drew much media attention. Wired.com weighed in first on June 10, with an article describing a DARPA-funded exercise to see how quickly IMSC Director ULRICH NEUMANN told the New York Times on July computer scientists could gear up to translate Hindi. That story 18 that new electronic devices were transforming video much the featured FRANZ JOSEF OCH at ISI. By July 15, the Indian Express same way that the Walkman had transformed music. The memo of was describing the action with a story on ISI’s EDUARD HOVY. A story understanding signed by USC and ChevronTexaco on August 29 on the project in the August 10 issue of EW Woman focused on resulted in stories in the Contra Costa Times, L. A. Business graduate student LIAN ZHOU. A July 31 story in the New York Times Journal, WashingtonPost.com and others. On September 4, the covered the entire issue of machine language translation with much New York Times ran a long story about IMSC’s groundbreaking of its attention on ISI’s KEVIN KNIGHT. research creating virtual humans. The entire story focused on IMSC, and Director ULRICH NEUMANN was quoted extensively.

School of Engineering Hires “Retention Czar” Maura Jenkins, a materials scientist who recently completed USC Football Tickets her PhD at Stanford began working in the fall semester as retention coordinator for the USC School of Engineering. Available! While a graduate student, she worked in Stanford’s Join us for one of the most exciting seasons in USC Undergraduate Advising Center where she counseled students football history! A limited number of football tickets for on issues including major selection, graduate school and the Trojans’ final game of the regular season are available academic probation as well as developing residential-based to USC School of Engineering alumni and friends. advising programs. She also helped recruit under-represented students into the school and coordinated several summer USC vs. Oregon State diversity programs for the center. She was also the graduate student coordinator Saturday, December 6 for the Society of Women Engineers at Stanford. $25/ticket “Maura will be primarily involved in further developing the Freshmen Academy program, revamping the peer tutoring program, identifying and yPlease contact the School of Engineering at 213/740-2502 working with at-risk students and collecting analyzing and standardizing some for information on how to purchase tickets, or visit our of our retention data,” says Louise Yates, associate dean for admissions. “She will website at www.usc.edu/engineering. be assisting with the development of a centrally coordinated advisement system and ultimately will help us to develop a women in engineering program.”

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ENGINEERING’S WIN-WIN SITUATION The Center for Engineering Diversity The USC School of Engineering established the Once at USC, under-represented Perhaps most importantly, students in the Center for Engineering Diversity nearly three engineering students can take advantage of the Summer Bridge Program build relationships decades ago to enhance the recruitment, Center for Engineering Diversity’s wide-rang- with each other and with upperclassmen who retention and graduation of African American, ing programs. “We offer academic, career and participate in the center’s programs. “The most Hispanic and Native American students personal counseling, designed to meet each successful and happy engineering undergradu- pursing engineering and computer science student’s individual interests and needs,” says ates are the ones who make teamwork and degrees. Janene White, the center’s director. “We group study a central part of their academic “Let’s face it, engineering is a tough also work with industry partners to offer lives,” says White. “Summer Bridge encourages discipline,” says Louise Yates, associate dean for admissions and student affairs. “We need to find ways to attract a diverse student body to USC, and at the same time engage these students and build their commitment to engineering. We work towards doing that with all of our students.” As reported in the Spring/Summer 2003 issue of USC Engineer, the School’s Undergraduate Curriculum Revision Task Force made a number of recommendations to reinvigorate the undergraduate engineering experience, including the creation freshmen “academies”.These are cohorts of students who study, meet and bond together throughout the year. The first two academies were launched this fall as a pilot project. They build upon “The most successful and happy engineering undergraduates are earlier successful programs such as those the ones who make teamwork and group study a central part of developed by the Center for Engineering their academic lives,” says White. “Summer Bridge encourages Diversity to foster a sense of community students to bond with each other and with the center’s staff as among new freshmen. It’s an excellent example part of their studies. of how the School’s commitment to attracting and retaining the best and brightest students Left to right: students Kechy Eke, computer science; Felipe Murillo, mechanical engineering; can work. Robyn Jackson, aerospace engineering; and Director Janene White The School begins working with under-represented students well before they professional development workshops that help students to bond with each other and with the report for their first college class. Grants from to prepare students academically, professionally center’s staff as part of their studies. They know the State of California enable engineering’s and personally for success.” that no matter what the issue, they can talk to MESA (Math, Engineering and Science One of the center’s core programs is the us like family.” Achievement) pre-college program to promote two-week residential Summer Bridge Program Leah Turner, a junior majoring in civil exciting and fun science and math programs in for incoming freshmen. “Students come from engineering, recalls her experience of the 2001 local schools, from third grade through high all across the country, and it’s the first time Summer Bridge Program with enthusiasm: “It school. most of them have been on their own,” says was one of the best things I could have done. “This important program helps urban White. “They meet the center’s staff and the By the time I arrived for the fall term, I’d schools formulate their math and science faculty, and take part in academic and time- already made friends with kids who were in my r e b r instruction,” says Yates. “It also provides teacher management workshops and team-building classes, and I knew my way around campus. e G .

S training and after-school programs designed exercises. We make sure they also learn about That confidence really gave me a leg up on my x a to bring math and science alive for young all the academic counseling and advisement studies,” she says. M y b students, and prepares high school students for services available at the School and USC Throughout the year, the center’s students o t o h college-level courses in these areas.” as a whole.” continued on page 21 P

USC ENGINEER 9 thep oint

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING NAMES FOUR TO ENDOWED CHAIRS AND PROFESSORSHIPS Dean C. L. Max Nikias has appointed to the David Packard spectrum communications and announced the appointment of Chair in Engineering. Berger has ultra-wideband radio that reaches four faculty members to endowed been directing a long-term project far beyond the boundaries of our chairs and professorships. to develop an implantable comput- campus.” “The collective research er chip that would communicate Terence Langdon, professor conducted by our faculty continues directly with neural tissue. of aerospace and mechanical to push USC Engineering into the “Ted Berger has long been a engineering, materials science and ranks of the elite engineering leader in the field of neural earth sciences, will hold the William schools in the country,” says Nikias. engineering,” says Nikias. “With E. Leonhard Professorship in “I am pleased to have the resources the burgeoning effort in the Engineering. Langdon is one of the to reward these very worthy School’s biotechnology initiative, most cited materials science members of our faculty.” I anticipate he will assume an even researchers in the world, and his Aristides Requicha, professor of greater leadership role.” work on superplasticity of metals has computer science, will hold the The Fred H. Cole Professorship important commercial applications. Gordon Marshall Chair in in Engineering will be held by “Terry Langdon has created an Engineering. Requicha directs the Robert Scholtz, professor of electri- international presence for himself Center for Molecular Robotics and cal engineering systems. A faculty as a Fellow of the Royal Academy is the principal investigator in a member for 40 years, the much- of Engineering, and through his project to develop nanoscale robots honored Scholtz began the first significant research effort in to monitor ocean microorganisms. university research program in materials science which reaches “His research into nanotechnol- ultra-wideband radio, a promising across both oceans,” says Nikias. ogy, microsensor networks, as technology with applications in Before making the appoint- well as nanorobotics has brought wireless networks, security systems ments, Nikias convened a committee considerable attention to these and consumer electronics. of the School’s faculty who currently areas both in the United States and About his work, Nikias says, hold endowed chairs and solicited abroad,” says Nikias. “Bob Scholtz has created and their opinions. Prior to the appoint- Theodore Berger, professor of mentored a credible and successful ments, all four of the chairs and biomedical engineering, has been research effort in both spread professorships were unoccupied.

IMSC’s Fastrack is a Blockbuster continued from page 5 and computer elements and transfer the scene finished product. IMSC is the sole Engineering Research from digital data onto film. “Someone starts the software, looks over Center funded by the National Science “You create a lot of image layers and the results and cleans up the shot,”Vendrovsky Foundation for Internet and multimedia superimpose them later,” says Neumann. “The describes, “in a process that now takes a couple technologies. Its technologies have applications layers can be real people and objects in a studio of hours instead of couple of days.” in entertainment, security, communications or synthetic, digital graphics, but they are all Despite similar software on the market, and education, and include 10.2 channel sound interwoven in the final image.” Fastrack tops the competition with its systems for movie theaters and 3D surveillance Until the advent of computer graphics efficiency and self-assessment capabilities, technology for airport security. technology in the 1980s, a team of animators Neumann explains. “The research at IMSC brings had to draw many effects onto the film one “Many programs out there can do the job engineering, art, mathematics, psychology and frame at a time — much like cartoonists — or but they’re interactive, requiring effects artists computer science together,” says Mary Harper, shoot miniature models frame by frame. to track the progress themselves,” he says. “This the NSF program officer who oversees support Computer programs have since enabled consumes people and time, and that’s costly. of the center and its research, education and machines to take over many of the hand-drawn “Fastrack is unique in that it’s designed to industrial collaboration programs. “The tasks. For example, Fastrack completes the be quick, yet careful, and is able to self-assess breakthroughs coming out of IMSC affect initial, difficult matching, processing each which features are being tracked well and everyday life.” frame in seconds. A person then performs final which aren’t,” Neumann adds. “In the end, this For more information on IMSC, go to: edits and adjustments to turn the film into a saves a lot of production time.” http://imsc.usc.edu.

10 USC ENGINEER FOUR PLUS ONE Semper Fi ISI Software Adopted by Marines PROGRAM The Office of Naval Research has signed a $5.74 million contract to expand It is now possible for undergraduates to get an engineering the use of software for coordinating air operations and maintenance. A team masters degree from USC in just one year, saving a semester’s led by the School of Engineering’s Information Sciences Institute (ISI) tuition and time. developed the software for all Marine Corps’ tactical aircraft. Just ask Patty Porto. Last summer, she received her “The software helps the military coordinate the many activities involved undergraduate degree in electrical engineering with an in preparing for combat, and combat itself, in ways that reduce risk, increase emphasis in computer architecture, and now she’s well on her likelihood of mission success and best support the commander’s intent,” says way to a masters in electrical engineering. She will graduate Robert Neches, ISI’s prime contractor for the system. this summer, having received both degrees in just five years. ISI collaborated with Vanderbilt University’s Institute for Software Porto is benefiting from the School of Engineering’s new Integrated Systems (ISIS) and others to create the system, which rapidly 4+1 program. It allows students to begin their graduate work performs complex scheduling functions that previously required hours of in their senior year, while also counting one 400-level course work by highly for both their bachelors and masters degrees. trained officers. “After going through four rough years to earn a bache- The system has lors, it’s quite appealing to think of obtaining a second degree been evaluated in in just one short year,” says Porto. “And my undergraduate operational use by courses directly prepared me for the graduate courses.” squadrons of Harrier The program requires some careful planning on the part jets, both land- and of students. “During my last semester as an undergraduate, carrier-based, since I was taking two classes for my master’s, two for my August 2002, includ- undergraduate degree, and one that I was double crediting ing units participat- for both,” says Porto. “I was also the president of ing in Operation the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers at the Iraqi Freedom. time, so it was quite a hectic semester.”

The new three- s But from a professional standpoint, the year contract will program is a smart move. “More and more students create versions of the are seeing that a bachelors degree is not enough,” k Harrier Jet squadron system tailored to all says Louise Yates, engineering’s associate dean for aircraft types used by the Marine Corps’ 90 tactical air squadrons, and will r admissions and student affairs. “They’ve got to get elevate its use up the command chain by adding tools for commanders of air the masters. They like the opportunity to go straight combat elements within Marine expeditionary brigades. through, so they make room in their senior year to o The contract includes an agreement to supply versions of the system to throw grad courses in there.” Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for use in demonstrations of its This program might seem particularly appealing Autonomic Logistics Information System, which is being developed to now, given the less-than-sunny job market. “Some support the new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft. w students want to wait out the economy,” says Yates.

More than $3.3 million of the contract funding will go to ISI, with the “Getting a masters degree can be a good back-up rest distributed among Vanderbilt/ ISIS and other contractors, including

plan.” And when they eventually do face the job t IDEA Services, LLC of Oakland, Maryland, and Lloyd Lamont Design Inc., market, they’ll already have an advanced degree on of Herndon, Virginia. their resume.

The Comprehensive Analytic Real-Time Execution for Joint Operations n The 4+1 program also allows students to build effort funded under this contract integrates Autonomous Negotiating on relationships they formed as undergraduates. Teamware (ANT), and intelligent information management technology previ- “I have had four years to get to know some of the e ously developed for the Harrier attack squadrons. The metaphor ANT uses is faculty that I will still be working within the masters one of human negotiation that rapidly explores tradeoffs and reformulates program,” says Porto. requirements to balance the considerations of many different stakeholders. d Other schools—including University of Repeated tests of the ANT system by Marine Aircraft Group 13, both at its Pennsylvania, Stanford, and Carnegie Mellon—are headquarters in Yuma, Arizona, and aboard aircraft carriers, led to highly implementing similar programs. In the future, Dean u positive evaluations by senior officers. Nikias would like to expand the 4+1 program to “This follow-on contract is a great vote of confidence in our system,” says t make it available to undergraduates from the natural Neches, who is an associate professor in the department of computer science. sciences. “We believe it will have civilian applications as well.” s

USC ENGINEER 11 thep oint

Board of Councilors Gains Strength Dean C. L. Max Nikias has made nine important additions to the Board.

John Deininger has forty-seven years of programs organization within Lockheed interventional cardiologist, holds 18 business experience and is still active as Martin Aeronautics Company. Previously, patents in the field of biotechnology director and equity investor in eight he was vice president of engineering and with many published articles and book private manufacturing companies. He advanced programs for the Lockheed chapters in this field. Gregory is a has invested in and served as CEO and Martin Skunk Works. Glasgow received professor of biomedical engineering at president of Union City Body Company, both bachelors and masters degrees in the Oregon Graduate Institute, and an $80 million manufacture of step-deliv- mechanical engineering from Purdue assistant professor of medicine and ery vans which was successfully brought University and Stanford University, respec- cardiology at Oregon Health and Science out of bankruptcy. Prior to this, as tively; and was awarded an MBA degree University. He received his medical degree corporate executive vice president of from the University of Southern California in 1980 from USC. Illinois Tool Works, Deininger managed in 1970. He is a fellow of the SAE, associ- Jen-Hsun Huang co-founded NVIDIA and revitalized seven Midwest companies ate fellow of the AIAA, and a registered Corporation in April 1993 and has served and all of ITW’s Far East Businesses. As professional engineer in the state of as its president, chief executive officer and president and chief operating officer at California. He was selected Inventor of a member of the Board of Directors since Signode Industries, he led its $550 million the Year for the Skunk Works in 1994. its inception. Under his leadership, the LBO, reducing debt by 50% in four years Kenton Gregory (BSCHE ’76) is founder, company has reached a run-rate of without any asset divestitures before vascular project scientist, and director of approximately $2 billion and has become selling the entire company to Illinois Tool the Oregon Medical Laser Center at one of the largest fabless semiconductor Works. Deininger excels in operational Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. companies in the world. NVIDIA has optimization through alignment of He has an extensive resume in the field of received numerous business and management and investor goals. He cardiology and is an expert and inventor technology awards during Huang’s received his degree from Bradley in the field of elastin and cardiovascular tenure, including Fortune’s Fastest University in 1954 and worked toward laser welding technologies. Gregory is Growing Companies, Wired Magazine’s an MBA at University of Chicago. the principle inventor of the tissue Top 40 and Stanford Business School’s Ed Glasgow is currently technical vice engineered vascular graft based on Entrepreneurial Company of the Year. president for the advanced development elastin matrices. He is a practicing Huang was also the recipient of the

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The department of Materials arena. Not only are the citations on seven papers. IEEE Fellows and nine are past Science & Engineering is the department faculty members “Obviously, a very small presidents of LEOS, which has little department that could. astonishingly productive in the department such as ours can approximately 7,000 members. The Institute for Scientific number of papers they publish, have a major impact on its Willner also received the Information, an organization but those papers are cited by field,” says Mansfeld, who is Eddy Award for the Best that measures the impact of an amazing number of other chair of the department. “Our Contributed Technical Article faculty’s research, has put materials science researchers in 10 faculty with joint appoint- from Pennwell Publications. Professors Terry Langdon, their publications. ments also write papers dealing In addition, the students in Anupam Madhukar and As of mid-September 2003, with materials science, which his research group had 15 Florian Mansfeld on the Langdon had been cited 2,128 makes the number of published technical papers accepted for worldwide list (that at present times on 89 papers published papers and citations even more presentation to the 2003 contains 214 faculty) of highly- between 1997 and 2001. impressive.” Conference on Optical Fiber cited researchers in materials Madhukar had 874 citations for Alan Willner, professor of Communications, the largest science. There is no faculty from 40 papers published during the electrical engineering, will number ever presented by any UCLA on this list, one from UC same period. Professor Florian receive the 2003 IEEE Lasers single academic research group Irvine and three from Caltech. Mansfeld had 244 citations & Electro-Optics Society (LEOS) in the 19-year history of the Although the smallest on 47 papers. Professor Distinguished Service Award. conference. Willner has given department in the School, Steve Nutt was cited 79 times Of 12 previous recipients, four two plenary presentations, the it is highly influential in the for nine papers and Associate are members of the National first at the IEEE Lasers and materials science academic Professor Ed Goo had 32 Academy of Engineering, all are Electro-Optics Society Summer

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School of Engineering 2002 Engineering responsible for coordinating the work business development for the component Management Award. Huang holds a bach- of Chevron’s research and technology division at Nortel Networks Optical elor’s and master’s degree in electrical companies and accelerating the Components. During the same period, he engineering from Oregon State University development and application of was responsible for the development of and Stanford University, respectively. competitive technology throughout CoreTek, a company he founded and ran the company’s worldwide activities. as CEO until it was acquired by Nortel Fariborz Maseeh is a worldwide-recog- He joined Chevron in 1975 as a research Networks in March 2000. Tayebati nized expert in the field of micro-electro- geophysicist. He is a graduate of the received a bachelors of science degree mechanical systems (MEMS). He founded Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with first class honors from the University IntelliSense in 1991 with the vision of with a bachelors degree in applied of Birmingham, England in 1982, reducing the time and expense of mathematics, a masters degree in followed by a masters degree from the creating next-generation MEMS devices. geology and a doctorate in geophysics. University Cambridge UK in theoretical Under his leadership, IntelliSense physics. He received a doctorate in Physics successfully launched the first custom John F. Shea (BS Engr. ’49) is the president from USC in 1989. design, development and manufacturing and chairman of the board of J.F. Shea MEMS operation. Maseeh has over sixty Heavy Construction, Shea Homes, Shea William Wiesmann had a 21-year military scientific publications in business strategy, Properties, Shata Electric and Reed career that culminated with his serving as fabrication technologies, design and Manufacturing. He is a past president and the director for combat casualty care at software for MEMs, and has authored current member of the Beavers USC the U.S. Army Medical Research and a number of patents. He serves on the Associates, as well as being a trustee for Material Command. Wiesmann is the board of several technology firms and numerous foundations. Shea also holds president of the BioSTAR Group, a non-profit organizations. Maseeh the honors of Knight of Malta and consortium of biotechnology companies received a doctoral of science degree Knight Commander of St. Gregory. focused on advanced technology, medical from Massachusetts Institute of Some of his accolades include the R&D and independent consulting. He Technology in June 1990. Beavers Management Award, the is a co-founder and president of a Moles Management Award, and the hemorrhage control technology company, Donald Paul is vice president and chief Cardinals Award. HemCon Inc., and a co-founder of Tissue technology officer for ChevronTexaco Genesis Inc., a vascular biology company. Corporation. Prior to the merger, he Parviz Tayebati is the chairman and chief His interests include both clinical and was vice president, technology and executive officer of AZNA Corporation, laboratory biomedical research. environmental affairs, for Chevron Corp., which he co-founded in June 2002. Until Wiesmann received his medical degree a position he had held since 1996. Paul is March 2002, he was vice president of from Washington University.

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Topical Meeting on Polarization won the Schelkunoff Award for is named for Sir Geoffrey Taylor, Technologies at the Information Mode Dispersion in Vancouver; his paper, “An Evaluation of the a famous practitioner of the Sciences Institute (ISI) has been and the second at the 7th Ultra-wideband Propagation science and art of fluid named an ISI Fellow. He is only Opto-Electronics and Channel,” which appeared in dynamics of the 20th century. the fourth recipient of the title Communications Conference the May 2002 issue of the IEEE A paper by Keith Chugg, since it was instituted in 1999. in Pacifico Yokohama, Japan. Transactions on Antennas and associate professor of electrical Kesselman has been instrumen- Urbashi Mitra, associate Propagation. engineering, and doctoral tal in advancing grid computing professor of electrical At the annual meeting of candidate Mingrui Zhu has technology that allows for engineering, has been selected the Society of Engineering been selected to receive the distributed computation and to participate in the National Science held at the University 2003 Fred W. Ellersick Award coordinated problem solving in Academy of Engineering’s ninth of Michigan in Ann Arbor in for best paper in the dynamic, multi-institutional annual Frontiers of Engineering October, Tony Maxworthy, unclassified program at the virtual organizations. The symposium. the Smith International IEEE Military Communications Globus Toolkit, developed by Michael Crowley, a senior professor of mechanical (MILCOM ’03) conference. Kesselman and his partner Ian lecturer in computer science, engineering, received the The award is presented by the Foster at Argonne National received the 2003 Northrop G.I.Taylor Medal. He was IEEE’s Communications Society. Laboratory, has become the Grumman Excellence in honored by a dedicated, Carl Kesselman, (MSEE standard for grid computing Teaching Award. two-day symposium that ’84) research associate profes- and has received strong Robert Scholtz, professor highlighted his contributions sor of computer science and support from IBM, Hewlett- of electrical engineering, has to fluid dynamics. The medal director of the Center for Grid Packard and Oracle.

USC ENGINEER 13 thep oint Proteus: Changing Shape and Granting Wishes

Funded by Microsoft, computer scientists “Web services” is an emerging processes like this. It would locate and at the USC School of Engineering have concept in information technologies then automatically pull web information developed a powerful and versatile new in which web resources are queried by from many sources into custom-desired suite of web service tools for science and special applications. Web services are configurations and would aid many commerce. And they have named their sometimes called application-to-applica- high-level scientific and commercial creation for a Greek sea god who could tion communication as opposed to applications, say its developers. change shape into any form and grant the more familiar human-to-web-site The new software is not aimed at any wish. interaction found in search engines. consumers, according to Knoblock, a “We think Proteus will do for professional and institutional users, such as scientists and IT business specialists, what sophisticated web products like Google do for individuals,” says Shahram Ghandeharizadeh. He is an associate professor of computer science and co-leader of the large team that has been developing the application for more than a year. The group plans to have a prototype ready in November. Proteus will be a Window- resident utility that will accept instructions in the widely-used SQL programming language.

“Rather than having the individual human user Team Proteus: left to right: Runfang Zhou, Snehal Thakkar, Ching-Chien Chan, Min Cai, interact with a web site’s Jose-Luis Ambite-Molina, Craig Knoblock, Shahram Ghandeharizadeh, Dongchul Choi, software in real time,” Esam Alwagait, Christos Papadopoulos, Cyrus Shahabi.

co-leader Craig Knoblock “Rather than having the individual senior project leader at USC’s explains, “a user query human user interact with a web site’s Information Sciences Institute. Rather, software in real time,” co-leader Craig users are more likely to be scientists creates special, dedicated Knoblock explains, “a user query creates and business computer professionals software that will go out, special, dedicated software that will go who need wholesale, automatic access out, negotiate with web resource to information in bulk. negotiate with web provider’s software, and get what the The researchers presented a paper resource provider’s user needs.” entitled “Proteus: A System for For example, an individual who Dynamically Composing and Intelligently software, and get what wants to find an aerial photo of a Executing Web Services,” at the first the user needs.” building at a given address must take international conference on Web a series of distinct and separate steps to services, held in Las Vegas in June. Ghandeharizadeh says it will employ accomplish their goal. First they must Besides Ghandeharizadeh and “side doors” to web sites, web service find an appropriate web site. Next, they Knoblock, the Proteus team includes access points that Microsoft and other enter a query into that site’s interface. Christos Papadopoulos and Cyrus large information technology (IT) Finally, they might use that information Shahabi, both assistant professors of concerns have built into software in to go to other sites, eventually finding computer science, and ISI computer anticipation of Web service utilities the needed photo. scientist Jose-Luis Ambite-Molina, along like Proteus. Proteus would flexibly automate with six graduate students.

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A Tango for Two… in Two Places It takes two to tango, but now they don’t have to be together. USC’s Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC) showed two musicians in different locations how to use the Internet to play their tango. Elaine Chew, assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering, and Dennis Thurmond, lecturer of keyboard studies, played an adaptation of Astor Piazolla’s (1921- 1992) “Le Grand Tango” over the Internet for a small group in IMSC’s Powell Hall theater. Their demonstration was an early realiza- tion of an interactive Internet performance, and the musicians themselves compensated for Internet delay. The fast-paced tango was filled with syncopations (off-beats), posing both engineering and musical challenges. Thurmond played the accordion in front of the audience in Powell, while Chew Dennis Thurmond and Elaine Chew play the tango via the internet between Powell and Ramo Halls. appeared on a large screen, playing the piano in Ramo Hall, a quarter mile away. To coordinate audience in different physical locations, deliv- process of acquisition, transmission and their playing, Thurmond watched her on the ered in real-time over the Internet. Other phases rendering as an integrated system that will be screen, and Chew watched him on a monitor. of the five-year project will be a concert by a trio jointly optimized rather than presented as a set Since Chew needed to listen to both the sound and then a concert involving a full orchestra. of individual pieces of technology. of Thurmond’s accordion and the sound of her “Playing together over the Internet is one In addition to investigating transmission own piano playing, she used a single earphone, of the hardest problems to solve,” according delay, they will conduct research on numerous allowing her to hear the piano with one ear and to Roger Zimmermann, research assistant other issues, including data loss management; the accordion with the other. professor of computer science and co-director network error correction; precision timing “By the time I heard the reaction to an of the project. (using highly accurate Global Positioning action that I had initiated,” Chew said, “many He pointed out System (GPS) clocks); more notes had already been played. So I had to that the main concern They consider the entire end- distributed event craft a musical interpretation and hold a steady is reducing the delay in recording and recall; pulse while keeping an ear out for delayed cues the delivery of both to-end process of acquisition, and evaluation of of possible ensemble issues at Powell.” audio and video to a transmission and rendering musician coordination. She said that Thurmond had to anticipate tolerable level for each as an integrated system that Alexander (Sandy) her every move to make sure that the piece was musician as he or she Sawchuk, professor of will be jointly optimized synchronized to create a coherent performance. tries to follow the electrical engineering And, she pointed out, “a little creative license conductor and play rather than presented as a and the other co-direc- was taken once or twice” in the eight-minute along with the other set of individual pieces of tor of the project, says performance “to ensure that all ends were met.” musicians. technology. the project is a test bed The occasion was a demonstration for a When a conductor for cross-disciplinary National Science Foundation (NSF) site visit is included in a later investigation into team touring IMSC in June as part of the phase, the researchers will strive for three goals: psycho-acoustical, neurological and artistic center’s annual evaluation. IMSC is NSF’s ensuring that concurrent, synchronized video of issues. He explains that the project is the first engineering research center for multimedia the conductor is transmitted to all players; syn- step in meeting the overall goal of IMSC’s enter- and Internet research. chronized video and audio are transmitted tainment vision project- to create seamless dis- The demonstration was part of IMSC’s among the players; and delayed, synchronized tributed environments for highly realistic inter- Distributed Immersive Performance (DIP) video and audio are transmitted to the audience. action among people in entertainment, online project, aimed at developing the technology for The researchers are taking an unique games, simulations, teleconferencing, social a concert with the conductor, musicians and approach. They consider the entire end-to-end gatherings, performance events and sports.

USC ENGINEER 15 thep oint

Mapping the E-mail Labyrinth

Researchers at the USC School of detect important Engineering have created a new tool for relationships organizing and visualizing collections of between messages electronic mail. It is designed to help legal and people by taking researchers, historians, archivists, and advantage of others faced with challenges in dealing inherent clues that with large email archives. exist in email For examples, consider the following collections. It then problems: automatically creates ࡯ A large corporation receives a a vivid and intuitive subpoena for all email messages on visual interface, using a specific question. Traditional spheres grouped in keyword searches return an space to represent enormous volume of mail that must the relationships it be scanned by lawyers and paralegals discovers. Inside the Labyrinth. Lighthouse software tools designed by Anton for applicability. In the same way, the Who’s in the loop? Leuski enable senders email messages to be visualized as spheres in recipients of the subpoenaed data Visualization shows space, grouped by numbers of messages exchanged between each relationships between must analyze it. Can this process be other to show relationships. The same kinds of visualizations can sped up and made more efficient? correspondents. be used to group the messages themselves by content and to show ࡯ A historian is analyzing the history One experimental other relations. of a government decision using an exercise analyzed email archive. Reading all the text exchanges of e-mail links to the people who sent and received gives a great deal of information among Reagan administration national the email, as well as links to similar email about the decision, but only careful security officials. The visualization immedi- messages. notes can keep track of such events ately showed some recipients close to the “What we have in effect is a four as shifts over time in the distribution center with their most frequent correspon- dimensional display, with color added to of information, and even then subtle dents packed into a tight cluster. It was clear the three spatial dimensions,” says Douglas changes are hard to catch. Can that others were literally out of the loop Oard, an associate professor of computer software help? because they are far out on the periphery. science from University of Maryland’s ࡯ A library receives a donation The spheres can also be arranged College of Information Studies and its of a famous scientist’s e-mail to show other factors and the resulting Institute for Advanced Computer correspondence. Besides a simple configuration shows existing communities Studies. Oard is working at ISI during a listing of titles, addresses, and dates, of people who converse on the same topic sabbatical year. is there a way that the information and the relationships among those Leuski and Oard have demonstrated in the archive can be made communities. It is possible to generate a the ability to find interesting patterns in more immediately useful and list of all the people with whom a selected collections as small as a few hundred comprehensible to users? person exchanged e-mail with a time- e-mails, and the techniques they have On July 30 at the Association for graphed record that shows when the developed are now being applied to thou- Computing Machinery Special Interest exchanges took place. sands of emails sent and received by a single Group conference on Information “For a historian trying to understand individual over 18 years. The next challenge Retrieval in Toronto, Anton Leuski at the the process by which a decision was made will be scaling up the process to millions of School’s Information Sciences Institute over a course of months, this kind of e-mails involving thousands of people. (ISI) demonstrated a system designed to access will be extremely valuable,” says “E-mail has become a major element address such problems. Called Leuski, a research associate at ISI. of modern life and the raw material of “eArchivarius,” Leuski’s system uses The same interface can instantly history,” says Oard. “We believe that sophisticated search software developed for return and display individual pieces of eArchivarius offers a way into the email Internet search engines like Google, to mail in the form of hypertext pages with labyrinth for researchers of all kinds.”

16 USC ENGINEER thep oint

BLOODWORK C.-A. Peng’s Quest for a Synthetic Blood

effectively dissolve oxygen. The PFCs are from the blood’s circulation. This keeps structurally similar to hydrocarbons, but the oxygen from reaching cells. with fluorines replacing all or most of the Also, the artificial blood produces hydrogen atoms. They are thermally some negative side effects, such as stable and metabolically inert, thanks to flu-like symptoms and a condition that their strong carbon-fluorine bonds. This involves a blood platelet deficiency. means they can be stored effectively and Peng and other researchers believe safely transported under a wide range of this happens when the human body’s conditions. cleansing system overwhelms and But there’s still much work to be removes the PFC emulsions. done. Because PFC cannot mingle with To lessen the uptake—and subse- blood plasma, creating a viable artificial quent removal—of PFC emulsions from blood based on PFC is tricky. As Peng the blood stream, Peng’s group has explains, “if you’re going to put this synthesized a variety of fluoroalkylated substitute in the body intravenously, you polyethylene glycols (PEGs) to act as the need to make an emulsion. You have surfactant and prepare PFC emulsions. to add a surfactant to make it mixable Artificial blood treated in this manner has C.-A. Peng, professor of chemical engineering with water.” proven significantly more resistant to the To illustrate the role of the surfac- body’s natural efforts to remove it. Blood is precious. Modern healthcare tant, he uses this analogy: “After you Recently, Peng’s group has gone a relies keenly on donated blood to treat eat, your dishes have oil on them. If you step further. He and his team have patients with severe losses, such as those just wash them in tap water, they won’t purified a mouse protein called CD47, who have suffered trauma or undergone which is recombinant and soluble. They surgery. Dialysis patients require vast examined its ability to reduce the inges- amounts of blood on a regular basis, Blood also has a short tion of colloidal PFC emulsions by a and an emergency situation—from a shelf life and is unstable rodent’s macrophages. The results large-scale accident to a terrorist showed that a soluble CD47 protein is attack—can quickly strain an entire at ambient temperatures. able to significantly counteract the inges- region’s blood supply. Artificial blood can solve tion of PFC emulsions by phagocytes. Given our considerable and constant Peng hopes that the CD47-associat- reliance on usable blood, the push to these problems, and C.- ed, biomimetic PFC emulsions produced find a safe replacement—something that A. Peng’s research group in his laboratories will last longer in a our bodies will accept as a substitute— person’s circulation, while alleviating the takes on particular immediacy. is edging ever closer to negative side effects. Meet C.-A. Peng, professor of fulfilling the quest. So far in the United States, artificial chemical engineering at the School of blood has only been used on dogs; the Engineering who stands at the forefront Food and Drug Administration has not of researchers seeking to develop a get clean because oil is not mixable yet approved its use on humans. blood substitute. For the past four years with water. You need to add The potential benefits of Peng’s he has been advancing this work, and dishwashing liquid.” The detergent research extend well beyond offsetting lately has made significant progress. (i.e., the surfactant) decreases the a possible shortage in our supply. When “This research is nothing new,” says surface tension between the oil and transfused, human blood has a very Peng. “The quest for a blood substitute water and disperses the grease in the small but real risk of carrying life-threat- goes back several decades. A hemoglo- water for easy removal. ening infections, such as HIV, hepatitis B bin-based blood substitute produced by However, artificial blood presents and C, or even mad cow disease. Blood one company in Massachusetts has other problems. The human body does also has a short shelf life and is unstable already been approved for use in not welcome strangers. Its mononuclear at ambient temperatures. Artificial blood South Africa.” phagocyte system swallows up and can solve these problems, and C.-A. Researchers have also shown ultimately removes the intravenously Peng’s research group is edging ever that perfluorocarbon (PFC) liquid can administered colloidal PFC emulsions closer to fulfilling the quest.

USC ENGINEER 17 thep oint        Computer scientist Jeff Rickel, a “rising star” Rehearsal Exercise” created by the USC said or wrote something, then one knew that in the field of artificial intelligence, or AI, died Institute for Creative Technologies. he had read all of the other research about July 6, of complications from cancer. He was In this project, artificial intelligence the topic in the field, researched his own 40 years old. software actors created by Rickel portray contribution thoroughly, tested it extensively, “Jeff’s research on interactive virtual villagers and military personnel in a war-torn and written it with clarity.” humans was highly influential, and earned Bosnian village and interact with a human “But,” said Cassell, “there was something recognition and respect around the world,” said trainee in real time in a virtual environment. else about Jeff that was exceptional: he made W. Lewis Johnson, director of the USC Center Articles about this project appeared you want to be in the same field with him. He in numerous publications including the had such generosity of spirit, such genuine New York Times. interest in seeing the field move forward, and Elisabeth Andre, a project leader at the such a lack of pettiness or competition, that German Research Center for Artificial I always wanted to get his feedback on my Intelligence praised Rickel’s work on the work, wanted to present papers in his presence, Mission Rehearsal Exercise. “Creating agents looked forward to seeing him at conferences.” that can take on different roles is a major “Perhaps Jeff’s greatest influence was on accomplishment which has been influential for his colleagues and students,” said Johnson. “He later work on interactive storytelling.” was a great collaborator, and carried out much of his best work as part of multidisciplinary    teams. He cared greatly for his students, and inspired their love and admiration.” Jeff Rickel   “Jeff Rickel was very kind to all the staff,  , not just the engineers and the bigwigs,” said ISI for Advanced Research in Technology for receptionist Elizabeth Stergiou. “He always had Education at the USC Information Sciences  , a smile on his face and never ever forgot to say Institute (ISI).   ‘hello!’” “His work combined techniques from Rickel was born March 11, 1963, in artificial intelligence, computer graphics, and ,   Madison, Wisconsin. His higher education was computational linguistics, to create interactive   in Texas, with degrees in computer science animated characters, or virtual humans, that including a BS from Texas A&M, an MS from are among the most advanced in the world ,  the University of Texas, Dallas; and a Ph.D. today,” Johnson added.  ,  from the University of Texas, Austin in 1995. “Jeff was a rising star,” said Norman     He came to USC’s Information Sciences Badler, director of the Center for Human Institute in 1995, directly from Austin. Modeling and Simulation at the University of    Rickel was a resident of Rancho Palos Pennsylvania. “He was one of the leaders in a   Verdes. He is survived by his wife, Lynn, and community of researchers connecting AI daughter Chelsea. techniques to computer graphics human A memorial service was held Thursday models — so-called ‘embodied agents.’ Other Rickel projects included a web July 10 and USC/ISI has established The Jeff His work was seminal and he will be sorely based “Virtual Factory” teaching system for Rickel Memorial Library Fund for the purchase missed.” training, and an electronic tutoring system that of books on artificial intelligence. Donation Rickel was a project leader in the he was developing for the Mitsubishi checks should be payable to USC, and sent Intelligent Systems division of ISI and a Corporation. along with a letter indicating that the donation research assistant professor at the USC School “Jeff Rickel’s work was important because is intended for the “Jeff Rickel Memorial of Engineering department of computer he was able to synthesize insights from a variety Library Fund,” to: science. He specialized in the design of robotic of fields and integrate them into a vision of the Kathy Kurinsky “intelligent agents” designed to serve as future,” said Justine Cassell, director of the USC/ISI, 4676 Admiralty Way instructors for humans. Gesture and Narrative Language Research Marina del Rey, CA 90292 Perhaps his most striking and best-known Group at MIT’s Media Laboratory. work was his contribution to the “Mission “Jeff’s work had exceptional integrity. If he

18 USC ENGINEER thep oint

High-Flying Engineers

The USC engineering team is known as one of the toughest competitors in the international Design/Build/Fly competition of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In the last six years, USC has finished first (1998), second (2002), third (1999), and fourth (2003). “Design/Build/Fly,” supported by Cessna and the Office of Naval Research, is intended to promote aero- space engineering and aircraft development in undergrad- uate educational programs. The program has worked well for both the School and the program’s sponsors. Engineering students are in danger of spending so much time solving problems in class and fulfilling mandatory requirements that they can miss learning about the real joys that an engineering career offers. The The members of the USC team who made the trip to the competition in Maryland AIAA contest shows them a side of engineering that closely last April pose with their aircraft. Kneeling in front of plane from left to right are resembles what real working engineers do. Working in teams, Jerry Chen, Billy Kaplan, Cristina Nichitean, George Sechrist, Wyatt Sadler(pilot) the student engineers do exactly what the name of the contest and Mark Page (industrial advisor). Kneeling behind the plane are: Jeremy Milne implies. They design an aircraft, build their design and compete and Andres Figueroa. Standing from left to right: Stephan deMartimprey, Tasha against other schools. Drew, Nathan Palmer(partially hidden), Stephanie Hunt, Stephane Gallet, “Our team is composed primarily of undergraduate Shannon Moriarity, Tim Schoen, Jason Randy, Tyler Golightly, Michael Mace, engineering students, but other USC students majoring in Jennifer Tsakoumakis, Jake Evert, Lester Kang, and Tai Merzel. biology, business and other disciplines have also participated,” says Ron Blackwelder, professor of the aerospace and mechanical aircraft, greatly increasing its drag. The plane needed to complete four engineering, who advises the students. He is assisted by two industry continuous laps for the mission so it had a high difficulty factor. advisors, Mark Page of Swift Engineering and Wyatt Sadler of All of the aircraft are powered by electric motors with batteries AeroVironment Corp. “The only requirements are an interest in and there is no limit on the number of motors that they can have. aircraft, a desire to design and build and a love of competition.” However, the total weight of the batteries is limited to five pounds. The School’s team begins designing the competition plane during This requirement, paired with the short stretch allowed for take-off, the fall semester. Freshman and sophomores receive lectures to makes energy management an extremely important consideration. familiarize them with basic aerodynamics during the early part of the To save weight and increase performance, the students use composite semester while the juniors and seniors are busy with the conceptual materials when they start building the plane in the spring semester and preliminary design. By the end of the semester all students on Groups of two to four students work on separate components the team are participating in the design phase. At a preliminary such as the wings, control surfaces, deployment system, power plant, design review, the team presents its ideas to a panel of aeronautical etc. The radio-controlled planes are designed and built for cargo engineers from industry. hauling and handling. Small groups test sub-components for the In the fall, the students also practice their in-flight control skills plane, such as the deployment system. with last year’s plane, which also serves as a test bed for new ideas. The total score for each team is comprised of the flight But every year the rules and test objectives in the contest change, so performance of their best two flights, the score on a written report that every student team has to come up with a completely new design. documenting their aircraft design and selection, and a “Rated Aircraft For 2003, the students not only had to create an airplane, but the Cost” representing the complexity and manufacturing costs of their entire plane had to be stored in a box measuring two feet by four feet design. USC’s 2003 plane, named ‘SCyRaider,’ had the fourth best by one foot. In the competition, the team was timed on how rapidly flying score and the team produced the second best written report. they could assemble their plane. After passing a rigorous safety inspec- Blackwelder says, “our teams have always been strong. They tion, the plane had to complete two of three specified flight missions: have repeatedly defeated other outstanding teams, including those Communications Repeater, Sensor Deployment and Missile Radome from MIT, University of Texas, University of Illinois, UCLA, and the Decoy. The latter mission required the plane to have a radome (a dome- military academies.” like structure protecting an antenna or other electronics) attached to the ***http://www.aae.uiuc.edu/aiaadbf/

The 2002-03 Team Jackie Gurany/FR Shannon Moriarty/SO Ray Duran/FR Tim Schoen/JR Aerospace Engineers Jonathan Hartley/JR Cristina Nichitean/JR Cory Edwards/JR Jennifer Tsakoumakis/SO Tim Bentley/Senior (SR) Stephanie Nerses Ohanyan/FR Tyler Golightly/JR Electrical Engineers George Cano/SR Hunt/Sophomore (SO) Doris Pease/SR Sergio Ibarra/SO Carlos Florencio/SO Jake Evert/Graduate (GR) Lester Kang/SR Arvin Shajanian/FR Amanda Lim/JR Ryan Gross/SO Andres Figueroa/ Billy Kaplan/SO Christopher Shelner/FR Michael Mace/JR Jill Swain/SO Junior (JR) John McArthur/SR Michael Tamashiro/SR Dan Montgomery/JR Other Engineers Heidi Fuqua/Freshman (FR) Tai Merzel/JR P.J. Winter/JR Stephanie Parker/FR Nick Danziger/UNDC/FR Stephane Gallet/JR Jon Mills/JR Mechanical Engineers James Parle/JR George Sechrist/ISE/SR Jeremy Milne/FR Stephan DeMartimprey/JR Jason Randy/JR

USC ENGINEER 19 thep oint

High Performance Collaborations M.C. Gill Center for Composite Technologies

uestion: What is lighter, “Electrical power production has been higher temperatures than conventional power stronger, less expensive growing faster than the capacity of the power lines and they are also no larger in diameter. grid. Deregulation is adding to the problem The size of the cables is important because and more heat resistant Q because we’re sending power across greater wind, rain and ice places enormous pressure than wood or metal? distances,” says Nutt. “We need to upgrade the on power lines. The composite lines can Answer: Composite materials. power grid. The steel-reinforced cables that are be handled and transported much like standard today have changed very little in the conventional cables, which will facilitate Composite materials are used for a host of past hundred years.” replacing existing steel cable. everyday products ranging from aircraft The ACCC power cables were initially The Gill Center currently has more than baggage compartments, pickup truck beds, created by CTC. The Gill Center is testing a dozen active projects supported by regional bullet proof-vests, wall panels, fishing rods, surf and analyzing prototypes in preparation for industry and federal agencies. These projects boards, satellites and lately, electric power lines. full-scale manufacturing. The new cable involve postdoctoral fellows, graduate “We are constantly looking for new consists of a lightweight core of carbon- students and undergraduates. In addition technologies to improve fibers, polymers, resins and glass-fiber composite surrounded by to power lines, projects include synthesis of and foams, and new ways to combine them to aluminum wires through which the electricity high-performance composite foams, sandwich meet ever-higher performance expectations,” flows. Conventional power lines are made of structure dynamics, self-rigidized composites, says Steven Nutt, director of the M.C. Gill aluminum wires wrapped around a core of high-temperature composite behavior, laser Center for Composite Technologies. Nutt is steel strands. machining of composites, polymer nanocom- also a professor of materials science and posites, metallic foam synthesis, acoustic holder of the M.C. Gill Chair in Composite sandwich panels and deformation of Materials. “We’re trying to exploit the Nutt is not shy about nanocrystalline metals. unique advantages of composite materials offering solutions to vexing Nutt is not shy about offering solutions and incorporate them into useful structural to vexing problems. He was recently in elements.” problems. He was recently in the news when he suggested reinforcing The goal of the Gill Center is to address the news when he suggested the problematic polyurethane foam problems associated with the design, insulation on the space shuttle with fiber manufacture and behavior of composite reinforcing the problematic reinforcement. materials and to train students in composite polyurethane foam “The foam in the shuttle has been technology. The Gill Center acts as a catalyst purely for insulation and has about half the for industrial investment and focuses on insulation on the space shuttle density we normally use for structural problems related to the development of new with fiber reinforcement. foams. A small amount of fiber, about three high-performance composite materials. Nutt to five percent, can increase the strength strives to forge close relations with industry, significantly,” he says. The National particularly in Southern California, as Steel has provided the strength to support Aeronautics and Space Administration is exemplified by a project that has recently been power lines, but it does not conduct electricity interested in his suggestion and has asked him in the news. very well. The fiber cable cores are lighter and to explore his concept for possible use on The Gill Center is working with stronger than steel ones. That allows more future shuttle missions. Composite Technology Corporation (CTC) of aluminum to be used in the cables, which Ultra-light fiber-reinforced foams are Irvine, California, on lightweight Aluminum means they can transmit more electricity. polymer materials that are intentionally Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) cables. “If you can increase the amount of power porous. Man-made foams are in many ways CTC is commercializing the cables, which will that you can transmit in the system by modeled after wood, which is a cellular form allow transmission of up to twice the amount replacing the cables, then you don’t have to of the polymer cellulose. Wood has exceptional of electric power as conventional power lines. build as many new towers,” explains Nutt. performance characteristics and most plastic The huge power outage that turned off the “Not only are new towers expensive to build, foams don’t come close to matching its lights for more than 50 million people in the but land acquisition and environmental performance. So while wood remains a widely Northeast and the Midwest last August is stark concerns have become a much greater problem used structural material, most foams are made evidence that the nation’s power grid is in in recent years.” primarily for insulation and packaging. trouble. The ACCC cables can operate safely at continued on next page

20 USC ENGINEER thep oint

High Performance Collaborations continued from page 20

However, the best plastic foams are the $7 million gift from Merwyn C. “M.C.” Gill fibers are properly oriented inside the foam core materials for sandwich structures which (BCHE ’37) a Pasadena industrialist. M.C. Gill matrix, the resulting composite foam is typically consist of a low-density, thick foam started out making composite wall panels in his substantially tougher then conventional material sandwiched between two face sheets of garage in 1945 and his company is now the phenolic foam. The new material demonstrates high-strength composite. world’s largest manufacturer of baggage the concept of performance enhancement The Gill Center invented a new process to compartment liners for passenger and freight through fiber reinforcement of foams. synthesize composite foams from expandable aircraft. Among the many projects at the Gill The technology is being patented, and will microspheres. The microspheres and long Center is a collaboration with the M.C. Gill be commercialized by the Gill Corporation for fibers are mixed together and then heated until Corporation to develop fiber-reinforced use in commercial aircraft. the mixture expands into composite foam. phenolic foam. “High performance is a buzzword here, The Gill Center’s research indicates that the “These efforts recently led to a technologi- but we aren’t just pushing for higher and properties of the fiber-reinforced foam match cal breakthrough that resulted in composite higher performance,” says Nutt. “We really or surpass the properties of leading commercial phenolic foam with superior mechanical want to see new composite materials become foams, such as cellular polyvinyl chloride, or performance and fire resistant properties,” a success in the marketplace. So we try to find PVC. Materials like PVC foam are widely used explains Nutt. collaborations to make that occur.” in transportation vehicles, ships, and wind The pioneering work overcame significant Find more information about the MCGF energy structures. challenges to achieve uniform fiber dispersion Composite Center at The Gill Center was originally funded by a in a highly viscous mixture. When the glass http://www.usc.edu/dept/materials_science/ccr/.

ENGINEERING’S WIN-WIN SITUATION continued from page 9

can receive supplemental instruction in networking opportunities where students can Yates. “The Center for Engineering Diversity challenging courses such as introductory com- develop their academic, leadership, teamwork has played a crucial role in bringing the field puter science and electrical engineering. They and social skills. IAB members include Boeing, of engineering to life for students, and then are encouraged to take advantage of profes- Conexant, Exxon Mobil, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, sional development programs offered through Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Qualcomm and Raytheon. the National Society of Black Engineers and the “Creating opportunities for students to Society of Women Engineers, which have develop personal relationships with industry chapters that operate under the center’s aegis. mentors is a wonderful way for students to see Students also have ample opportunities beyond the rigors of their calculus and physics to meet and work with industry professionals. courses,” says White. “Our students get to know The “Shadow an Engineer” program during individual companies early in their academic spring break enables students to work along- careers, which helps them pinpoint their side an engineering professional for a day, professional interests.” providing real-life insight into specific fields of While the Center for Engineering Diversity engineering. Annual events such as a corporate has developed successful corporate partnerships luncheon, “Evening with Industry” and the across a wide array of engineering disciplines, end-of-year awards banquet encourage White is eager to expand the range of contacts opening doors so that they can pursue success- informal and relaxed interactions between she can provide to center participants. “Students ful, significant and satisfying careers,” says students and industry representatives. tell me they want a chance to explore engineer- Yates. “It’s a win-win situation for everyone.” The center’s Industry Advisory Board ing careers in construction, civil engineering, If you would like information on how your

r (IAB) plays a leadership role in providing pro- biotech and biomed,” she says. “We would be company can become involved with the Center e b r e fessional development opportunities. Company delighted to discuss opportunities for corporate for Engineering Diversity or its Industry Advisory G . S

representatives help students develop important participation with Engineering alumni working Board, please contact Janene White at x a M

career skills such as writing effective cover let- in these and other fields.” (213) 740-1999 or [email protected]. For more y b

o ters and preparing for job interviews. They also “Today’s students respond best to hands- information about the center, visit t o h

P provide leads for internships and corporate on experience and personal involvement,” says www.usc.edu/dept/engineering/esa.

USC ENGINEER 21 Cultivating the Future Mark Stevens

Dedicated Alumnus Fundraiser and Venture Capitalist But the Three Musketeers are Job One

by Bob Calverley

he most satisfying part of Mark Stevens’ astonishing success is not the stellar list of high-tech companies that he has guided through the past decade’s Silicon Valley economic tumult. It’s not all of boards upon which he sits, including the TUSC Board of Trustees and the School of Engineering Board of Councilors. It is not a remarkable academic pedigree.

For Stevens, a general partner at Sequoia Capital, one of the nation’s At age 43, life has never stopped being a bowl full of cherries for most successful venture capital firms, success is the colorful clutter of Mark Stevens. He does not waste more than six or seven hours a night plastic toys that his twin six-year-olds, Sean and Scott, and 21-month-old on sleep. While he says that 95 percent of his waking hours go to Sequoia Samantha have strewn around the yard of the Stevens family home and his family, that still leaves time for Oakland Raiders season tickets, in Atherton. and keeping up with the Dodgers and the Lakers. “I watch too many “They’re the Three Musketeers. The kids are at that stage where life games on television. I love college football and basketball,” he admits. is a bowl full of cherries. We have a lot of fun together,” he laughs. “The “Much to my wife’s chagrin.” Then he runs to stay in good enough shape boys are just starting to ski. We got them on some of the blue runs — to compete credibly in occasional 10 K races and he hasn’t quite given up that’s intermediate — when we went to Steamboat Springs last winter.” playing in a basketball league. Most important of all, there’s the small life

22 USC ENGINEER covers tory Stevens has just signed on to co-chair an ambitious seven-year fundraising initiative for the USC School of Engineering.

and death matter of Trojan football. He rarely misses a game. factor in our getting the Integrated Media Systems Center.” “Busy, busy, busy!” he says. “But I’ve always been well organized.” The challenge now is to secure new resources for the USC School That would seem an understatement. Stevens’ wife Mary says her of Engineering at a time when the nation’s and the state’s economy is less husband makes a to-do list every day, prioritizes it and then lives by it. than robust. But his meticulous organization results in the Stevens family eating “We are a very good school now, but we need new funding to take together four out of five nights a week, so she is a believer. the next steps to bring the school to the top two, three or four schools,” “He values his time more than anyone I have ever known,” she says. says Epstein. “He says, ‘you can’t buy time. You can manufacture things, but you can’t For Stevens, raising money for the School of Engineering is manufacture time.’” remarkably similar to what Sequoia does. There is still time for more. With San Diego real estate entrepreneur “At Sequoia, we like to say that we finance the future,” he says. “We Daniel Epstein (BSISE ’62), Stevens has just signed on to co-chair an are very specialized money managers.” ambitious seven-year fundraising initiative for the USC School of Roughly every three years, Sequoia raises a new fund and is Engineering. currently managing about $2 billion in several funds. A major portion of “When you really need to get a job done, it’s best to ask someone those who invest – they’re called limited partners -- are university who is busy. I’ve asked two of the most able people that I know,” says endowment funds, including USC. While endowments put most of their Dean C. L. Max Nikias. “Mark is a very money in stocks and bonds, these large busy person. He’s busy getting things funds allocate about five percent to the done. He also understands our School, its high-risk, high-return category of venture strengths and its needs, and he cares very capital. Stevens and Sequoia invest these much about its future. So does Dan funds in start-up companies, most of Epstein.” which fail. Epstein, like Stevens, is both a USC “Usually five or six out of ten trustee and a member of the School’s investments fail. We get no money back, Board of Councilors. or maybe we get part of our money back,” “Both Mark and Dan epitomize what he explains. But some companies go it means to be a Trojan. They have both public, or are acquired, and they become enjoyed remarkable career success, but fantastic success stories. Then, Sequoia they have still found the time and energy makes five, 10 or 20 times its investment. to dedicate to USC and especially to the Mark and Mary Stevens with USC Trustee “It’s like baseball. For every ten at bats, School of Engineering,” says USC and Keck Foundation Chairman, Robert Day. there are five strikeouts, two or three base President Steven B. Sample. hits or doubles, and one or two home Epstein says he found it impossible to say no to the dean, but he did runs. At Sequoia, we’ve been fortunate to have our share of home runs.” have one request. Sequoia helped start Apple Computer, Cisco, Yahoo and Google, “Max’s enthusiasm is infectious,” he says. “But I told him that if I which is currently preparing to go public. Stevens has been involved was going to get involved in this initiative, then Mark was going to have with Nvidia, Pixelworks, MP3.com and many others. He is Sequoia’s to be involved as well.” semiconductor specialist. “I’m Mr. Chips at Sequoia.” The dean holds up a faded page from an old appointment book — While Stevens and the other partners at Sequoia clearly have to h t i 4 p.m. Friday, May 31, 1995 — a crucial meeting for Nikias and for the spend considerable time and mental effort in identifying promising m S . School of Engineering. At the time, Nikias was an associate dean leading companies with clever ideas, the fundraising part of the work is perhaps H . A

e the effort to win an engineering research center in multimedia and the more important. In addition to raising money from limited partners, l l e h Internet from the National Science Foundation. This was the day he they help their companies raise money from other investors. They c i M learned that Mark Stevens was someone upon whom he could depend. also help their companies go public, which is fundraising on an even y b o t Nikias had spent the entire week in the Silicon Valley visiting high-tech grander scale. o h p

companies and looking for support for the School’s proposal. “I’m always fundraising and I like doing it,” says Stevens. “You need s n e v “I was tired and almost canceled the meeting,” remembers Nikias. to be organized and at the same time creative.” e t S

k “Mark was 35 years old then and very relaxed, wearing athletic shoes. We Looking out across his yard to a vegetable garden in big planter r a

M went over a lot of companies and he opened doors for us. That was a key boxes where he and his children are growing corn, pumpkins, basil,

USC ENGINEER 23 covers tory

To Stevens, the USC School of Engineering is the Dean C.L. Max Nikias, President Steven Mark Stevens at the 2002 Board of Councilors eighth ranked B. Sample, Mark Stevens and Jay Kear meeting for the Engineering school. (BSME ’60) at an engineering dinner. company in a field of approximately 300 tarragon, squashes, zucchini, bush beans and the front pack. tomatoes, Stevens spots an apt comparison. “This is a situation where we are seeking engineering schools. “Some crops mature very quickly, but with to turn better into best, not average into better,” It is a company that others it takes years to develop into a fruit he says. “That’s our theme.” producing tree. Fundraising is like that. It is a When he travels around the Silicon Valley, needs an influx of cultivation business.” Stevens’ favorite statistic is that undergraduate For alumni, he wants to appeal to the freshman SAT scores at the USC School of capital to move pride they have in their school and motivate Engineering are higher than at Berkeley or further up, and it has them to give back. Presumably, they have UCLA. That raises eyebrows, but it also gets to gained knowledge and wisdom while at USC the core of the challenge. Most people don’t a strong potential to and used it to build a career. know that the School is ranked as highly as it successfully make For people in industry, the key is having is, or that it has been a good school for a long the School do research in areas that will benefit time. Perceptions, however, are changing. such a move. It is not their companies long-term. Companies depend Stevens has noticed that bright kids in the on engineering schools for a steady stream of Silicon Valley are beginning to get interested in a company that is technically trained and creative employees, and the USC School of Engineering. The idea that trying to move from for technical innovations that lead directly to USC is a highly selective university like profitable products. Stanford or Berkeley or Duke is taking hold. the middle of the “We will always need engineers — to build Stevens says that most California high-tech group closer to the and rebuild our infrastructure, to help us executives he meets already seem to be determine how to make things bigger and aware that the USC School of Engineering is front. It is already better, or quicker and smaller as the case may very good. be,” says President Sample, who is also on the He also sees an engineering school quite near the front faculty of the School of Engineering. positioned for success because it has and sees a chance “Engineering and the research it fosters, helps momentum and a plan for the future that make our daily lives better.” touches on key areas of innovation. Stevens, to break into the To Stevens, the USC School of and many others, believe that the world is on front pack. Engineering is the eighth ranked company in a the cusp of three important technology field of approximately 300 engineering schools. revolutions. One is information technology, It is a company that needs an influx of capital which is based on an electronics industry that to move further up, and it has a strong is already quite mature, having been around for potential to successfully make such a move. more than half a century. The next is biotech- It is not a company that is trying to move from nology, which has emerged relatively recently. the middle of the group closer to the Finally, there is nanotechnology, which is just Stevens during his front. It is already quite near the beginning to emerge and which is in some USC college days. front and sees a chance to break into respects a combination of the first two. Since he

24 USC ENGINEER covers tory became dean two years ago, Nikias has Stevens was 17 when he began classes at immediately began working as an associate announced initiatives in all three of these areas the School of Engineering in the fall of 1977 at Sequoia. Today, he is the only one in his and has been recruiting new faculty for them. and did not turn 18 until his second semester. Harvard class who still works for the same To date, he has added 26 tenure track faculty. He chose chemical engineering until a vision of company that he did when he graduated. (See New Faculty story on page 26) working on an oil platform in the middle of the About six months after he started at “The nations that lead those industries Gulf of Mexico or the Middle East popped into Sequoia, a senior partner asked Stevens to work are the nations that will dominate the 21st his head. He switched to electrical engineering with a company called QuickLogic. Specifically, century,” says Stevens. “We have to build up the at the end of his freshman year. In his junior he was asked to help the three founders find School of Engineering so that it can be in a year he decided he would also major in their first office space. Stevens called a Silicon leadership position. Its position will then help economics and get two bachelor degrees. Valley commercial real estate company to it to develop students and research that address “Today we encourage kids to get second begin working on the problem. The real estate these three big industries. We have to go out majors or minors, but back then it was pretty company had to deliver a package of and get top faculty. We have to attract the top weird,” he says. Engineering students could information to Stevens’ office. Neither of the undergraduate and graduate students. We have easily spend the whole day in the quad area and two real estate people in the office that day to identify niche research areas were we can never venture to other parts of the campus. wanted to make the trip, so they played a round be number one. All of these things take a lot Stevens enjoyed going over the College of of Roshambo (rock, paper, scissors). The loser, of money.” Letters, Arts and Sciences for liberal arts classes, Mary Mathews, was stuck with the drive across Mark Stevens grew up in Culver City especially economics where he found that his the Silicon Valley. But in the end there were no during the 60’s and 70’s when the Southern math background provided an edge. By his losers in this deal. California aerospace industry was building senior year, Stevens was a member of Phi “We ended up doing a deal and the Cold War machinery. It was a time of space Kappa Psi fraternity, he was an officer in the company got their office space. And tenants shots, astronauts and sending men to the were treasured then because there was a moon. His father was an engineer at glut of office space,” says Mary Mathews Hughes Aircraft for 38 years. Like most who became Mary Stevens in October engineers, the young Stevens started with 1992. QuickLogic not only got their first an affinity for math and science, but he real estate but also became a successful has never stopped being an intellectual investment for Sequoia. A year after his gourmet. marriage, Mark Stevens became a general “I’ve always been interested in partner at Sequoia. Mary Stevens left a everything, every academic subject,” he real estate career that she truly loved only says. “If you’re in Hollywood, you grow up to discover that she loved being a stay-at- around the entertainment business. If home mom even more. Now there are you’re in Texas, you grow up around the remodeling projects, a yard full of oil or the cattle business. I grew up around toys, children’s pool parties, weekend the aerospace business.” Dean Nikias, Niki Nikias and Mark Stevens jaunts with the Three Musketeers to the He chose USC because he thought Santa Cruz Boardwalk or the beach the engineering school was good and the class engineering honor societies Eta Kappa Nu house in Aptos. sizes at the private university didn’t seem as and Tau Beta Pi, and he was working half time “The boys are confused because all of their crowded as those in the public schools. for Hughes. friends have Giants caps, but they know their And there was football. During the five fall “I was a busy boy,” he says. He graduated Dad’s a Dodgers fan. I give them a year or semesters that Stevens attended USC, the with his two degrees in four and a half years two before they’re Giants fans too,” says Trojans won a national championship, went and immediately began working fulltime at Mark Stevens. to three Rose Bowls and Marcus Allen and Hughes. Within six months, he decided he And that’s just fine with him. But Charles White won Heisman trophies. didn’t want to be an aerospace engineer for the USC Trojan fandom? That just might be “Yes, those were the glory days,” says rest of his life. So in July 1982, he went to work non-negotiable. Stevens who believes strongly that excellence in for Intel. academics and athletics is not only possible, “I loved Intel. I was in field sales and that but highly desirable. “It helps socialize the was right when the PC boom was happening,” greater university and makes the students, he says. But determined to “round himself faculty and everyone in the community off,” Stevens left Intel in the fall of 1987 to seek feel better. It was true 20 years ago and it’s an MBA from Harvard. He went to school true today.” full time, got his degree in June 1989 and

USC ENGINEER 25 researchf eature

USCSecures ENGINEERING Another Engineering Research Center

BMES TAKES AIM AT BLINDNESS, The intraocular retinal prosthesis consists of 16 electrodes arrayed on PARALYSIS AND a 4-by-4 grid; these electrodes are stimulated by digitized images MEMORY LOSS transmitted to the device from a camera mounted on a pair of glasses. by Bob Calverley The electrodes, in turn, stimulate the patient’s remaining retinal neurons.

THE GOAL IS AUDACIOUS. directing the new ERC. His background as an M.D., a retinal surgeon Make the blind see, the paralyzed walk and restore lost memories. and an engineer are illustrative of this entire collaboration.” The National Science Foundation has awarded USC its second The purpose of ERCs is to dramatically advance research on new Engineering Research Center (ERC), the result of a strong collaboration technologies in areas that are deemed important to society. ERCs are between the School of Engineering and the Keck School of Medicine, not only expected to educate young engineers in the critical new with participation from the University of California – Santa Cruz technologies, but to rapidly commercialize the innovations so that and Caltech. society can reap the benefits quickly. The new Biomimetic MicroElectronic Systems (BMES) ERC will “We already have support from more than 30 companies,” says develop biologically inspired implantable microelectronic devices Nikias. “With the Alfred Mann Institute’s reach into Southern capable of direct communication with tissues to treat presently incurable California’s very active medical device industry, I am not surprised that human diseases such as blindness, paralysis and memory loss. NSF picked us as the ideal location for this new center.” “We are only the fourth engineering school in the nation to have “There is such a profound amount of knowledge on microelectron- two concurrent, active ERCs (the others are MIT, Georgia Tech and ic devices here. We think we can all get together and do something University of Michigan) and we are the only California school that has collectively that we couldn’t do individually,” says Humayun. ever won two of them,” says Dean C. L. Max Nikias, adding: “And you The centers are also encouraged to have strong community aren’t allowed to have more than two!” outreach programs. When the editors of Time magazine and the USC’s original ERC is the Integrated Media Systems Center Princeton Review chose USC as its “College of the Year”in 2000, they (IMSC), the only ERC for multimedia and Internet research. The IMSC cited the university’s bonds with local schools, community residents, was awarded in 1996 and NSF recently renewed funding for its final police, businesses and community organizations, and noted that both five-year term. Before becoming dean, Nikias directed the IMSC and also the neighborhood and the university had benefited from USC’s led the effort to secure it. USC’s IMSC proposal was judged by NSF to be enlightened self-interest. the best of a total 117 that were submitted. The proposal for the BMES The BMES will leverage three of USC’s hottest biomedical projects. ranked first out of 79 and according to NSF was one the best proposals Humayun is leading a project at Keck’s Doheny Retina Institute to they have received in recent years. develop an intraocular retinal prosthesis, which he helped invent. He and “This is a very broad interdisciplinary endeavor,” says Stephen J. his team have already provided a semblance of sight to three patients Ryan, Dean of the Keck School of Medicine. “Not only was it a huge employing a complex multi-step procedure. joint effort between the Keck School and Engineering, but Caltech and First, an implantable chronic stimulator case, which holds all the UC-Santa Cruz are contributing unique and significant expertise. We at electronics for the prosthesis, is placed behind the patient’s ear and the Keck School are especially proud of Mark Humayun, who will be wires are run under the skin to the eye. Next, a delicate array with 16

26 USC ENGINEER researchf eature

electrodes arranged in a 4-by-4 grid is inserted into the eye itself and hippocampus, a cashew-shaped portion attached to the retina. When this receiver is in place, a sliver of silicone of the brain that plays a crucial role in and platinum is implanted using a novel surgical approach and learning and memory. With live slices custom-built instrumentation. taken from rat brains, his team has been The prosthesis works by taking over the job of cells damaged by painstakingly unraveling the hippocam- degenerative eye diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or macular pus’ electrical signals, mathematically degeneration. The electrodes in the array are stimulated by an incoming modeling them and designing chips to image and they, in turn, stimulate the patient’s remaining retinal cells. mimic the function of those neurons. The information travels via the optic nerve to the vision centers of the The team has made chips that could brain to create a representation of the image. replace about 20 neurons and devices that At first, the images were transmitted to the patients with a would fill in for 10,000 neurons are in the computer. Now, a tiny camera mounted on shaded glasses transmits design stage. a digital signal to the radio receiver mounted behind the ear. From there Meanwhile, other researchers on the signal goes to the device itself, where it “lights up” electrodes and the team have designed, fabricated and Mark Humayun stimulates remaining retinal neurons. Future generations of the tested an interface device consisting of prosthesis will have a greater number of electrodes and other intricate array of electrodes that is refinements. precisely shaped to conform to the “The key,” says Humayun, “is getting to understand the stimulation unique cellular architecture of the of the retina better. Right now, the amount of electrical energy it takes hippocampus. The array has been to activate the retina forces us to make a device that may not give fine connected to live rat hippocampal slices perception.” and is being used to stimulate and record Humayun’s device is loosely based on the cochlear implant, which electrophysiological activity. has restored hearing to more than 100,000 deaf patients. That device uses Berger is still some distance from just six electrodes to replace the 30,000 nerve fibers in the auditory nerve. actually implanting one of his chips in a Gerald Loeb, who like Humayun is a physician and a professor of human. But he is planning primate tests biomedical engineering, helped develop the cochlear implant and is now and the idea of implanting a brain chip conducting clinical trials of the BION, an injectable neuromuscular no longer seems as fanciful as it once did. stimulator. Loeb will be the deputy director of the BMES ERC and his Furthermore, his research mimicking Gerald Loeb BION project is a centerpiece of the research agenda. The BION — short the hippocampus’ electrical activity and for bionic neuron — is the size of two grains of rice and is made in a the interface technology would appear to cleanroom on the USC campus. be applicable to the retinal prosthesis and During the past three years, Loeb has injected approximately 32 the BION projects. BIONs into the paralyzed muscles of about 20 patients in the U.S., “This is a very critical time for the Canada and Italy to treat disorders ranging from stroke to arthritis to convergence of all these disciplines, to be incontinence. The BIONs are able to re-animate paralyzed muscles finally be able to cross the threshold and through electrical stimulation. Each BION receives power and digital produce these kinds of medical devices,” command data from an external RF (radio frequency) coil. The devices says Berger about the new ERC. “These do not contain batteries that can run down and they are relatively are things that will reach out to the r e inexpensive to produce. The next generation model currently under public and change their lives.” b r e

G development will sense muscle length, limb acceleration and bioelectric Nikias notes that the potential . S

x potentials for better control of the electrical simulation. benefit to society from the BMES is not a M

y “At USC we’re concentrating on the actual testbeds of these only improvements in the quality of life b o t devices, the actual applications of the devices and the assembly of the for many people, but there will be Theodore Berger o h p

r technologies into functional prosthetics,” says Loeb. “One of the things financial benefits as well. e g r e we’re trying to take advantage of is the very strong industry in Southern “If we helped 20,000 blind patients over the next two decades, we B , e

c California in medical devices and diagnostics.” could save about four billion dollars in the federal budget,” he explains. i v r e The BION, the retinal prosthesis and the cochlear implant, which “Newer generation BIONs could accelerate rehabilitation and reduce S s w

e inspired both, all work by stimulating nerve cells. Theodore Berger, disability in the 590,000 stroke survivors, and the 11,000 new patients N

C professor of biomedical engineering and director of the School of with spinal cord injuries we have each year.” S U

y Engineering’s Center for Neural Engineering, heads a project to create Audacious goals they may be. But as ERC director Humayun b o t a silicon chip implant that would take over the function of neurons that puts it, “We want to make disruptive rather than incremental advances o h p have been lost to disease or injury. in technology.”An aggressive objective the will undoubtedly yield b e o

L Specifically, Berger and his team are probing the secrets of the bold results.

USC ENGINEER 27 Aggressive Recruiting:

26 New FacesFaces Among The FacultyFaculty by Carl Marziali

The School of Engineering has expanded rewarding existing faculty with a one- rank in the U.S. News & World Report considerably, having hired 26 tenure-track time salary adjustment and a year-end survey of graduate engineering schools. faculty over the past two years. While raise, averaging about nine percent in Not that a top-10 ranking in a other colleges struggled with government total, the School was off and hiring. magazine is all you need to attract the cutbacks and shrinking endowments, Spectacular enrollment growth in gradu- right researchers. School faculty talked up USC Engineering forged ahead and ate programs, particularly those available positions at conferences and other events experienced impressive growth. through the Distance Education Network in the engineering community. Nikias The School’s expansion since 2001 is (DEN), provided additional resources, as personally wrote to the top 30 faculty in unprecedented in its history and rare did ongoing fundraising efforts that have each engineering discipline, as ranked by even among top universities in recent brought in $70 million since 2001. USC Engineering faculty, asking them to years. The School’s strategic plan over the “We’ve got the money to be recommend promising candidates. And next 10 years is to increase the number extremely competitive, and securing if the right candidate still did not of tenure-track faculty by 60, and Dean top-tier faculty has been our priority,” materialize, the School simply waited. C. L. Max Nikias is nearly halfway there. the dean says. “At a time when every- “We don’t have openings, and I don’t The expansion started out looking body else is facing the squeeze, either to allocate positions,” Nikias says. “We more like a contraction when Nikias took stay at the size they are or to downsize, identify critical areas where we want to over as dean in July 2001. Facing some we are in a growth mode.” recruit faculty and then I authorize search- of the same problems as his counterparts He predicts that by the next decade, es in those areas. But if we don’t find a all over the country, he declared a six- the years 2001-03 will be recognized as truly top-notch person in that area…we month budget freeze and began a a period when USC Engineering took may try again the following year.” massive reorganization of the School. another big jump forward. Department More important than how top The reorganization focused on reducing chairs agree they are seeing a significant faculty were hired is why. Simply put, r e

administration in the School and increase in the quality of the faculty faculty are the nutrients of the body b r e redirecting resources to faculty. applicant pool. academic. In a growing body, food G . S

It worked. At the end of those six Conversely, in his position as the provides the energy for expansion. x a M

months, the School’s reserves were final interviewer, Nikias talked to about As the body grows, it requires more y b

s healthy enough to provide start-up 135 applicants, every one of whom nutrients, which in turn helps the body o t o h

packages for several new hires. After mentioned USC’s current eighth-place develop further, and so on to maturity. P

28 USC ENGINEER facultyf eature

“We don’t have openings, and I don’t allocate positions,” Nikias says. “We identify critical areas where we want to recruit faculty and then I authorize searches in those areas. But if we don’t find a truly top-notch person in that area we may try again the following year.”

In a growing academic body, top The School also made a special Left (left to right); Bhaskar new faculty conduct important research, effort to locate candidates from Krishnamachari; raising the School’s reputation. As the under-represented groups, extending Konstantinos School’s reputation rises, higher quality several offers to female and minority Psounis, Michael students seek an opportunity to learn candidates. The candidates who Kassner, Maria from the School’s faculty. When they accepted include four women and one Yang, Hossien graduate, those students attract superior male of Hispanic descent. But 15 offers Hashemi employment offers. As friends and were made to excellent women and Below; Jennifer alumni of the school notice the increase minority candidates. Swift, assistant in quality, they in turn increase their “We had five who accepted, thus our professor. support…as do granting agencies, yield rate was 30 percent,” the dean says. foundations and corpora- “We want to do better in the future.” tions. As resources pour The drive to hire more tenure-track in, the School is able to faculty is only part of the School’s expan- attract more top faculty, sion. For every tenure-eligible academic, thereby attracting more the School has added two new research quality students, and so professors, adjuncts or lecturers. forth in an upward spiral of success. RESEARCH PROFESSORS When he became Paul Debevec is a research assistant dean, Nikias focused professor who created the special effects his hiring on two major technology used in the first Matrix initiatives: information movie. Laura Marcu is a research technology and biomed- associate professor of biomedical ical technology. A $10 engineering, working on molecular million gift from Daniel J. imaging. Ann Chervenak, a research Epstein (BSISE ’62), a USC assistant professor of computer science, trustee and member of is working on grid computing at the the School’s Board of Information Sciences Institute. Councilors, provided addi- Jennifer Swift is a research assistant tional resources for the professor specializing in earthquake newly renamed Epstein engineering in civil engineering. Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. Of the new tenure-track faculty, 11 are The dean’s latest focus will tenured professors. These senior faculty be the department of members have the following specialties: aerospace and mechanical engineering, which has a INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY new chair this year. Rajiv Kalia, Aiichiro Nakano and Priya Vashista together head one of Left (l to r): Qiyin Fang, the world’s leading supercomputing Ph.D, Cedars-Sinai postdoc fellow, Biophotonics; groups, specializing in advanced Yinghua Sun, Ph.D student, computational simulations. Recruited Material Sciences; Sarah jointly by USC Engineering and the Salemi, graduate student, College of Letters, Arts & Sciences, the Physics; Laura Marcu, researchers came to USC from Louisiana associate professor.

USC ENGINEER 29 and Columbia University. International Joint Conference on Golubchik directs the Internet Autonomous Agents and Multiagents Multimedia Laboratory at USC and has been a trustee of the RoboCup and is an expert in Internet- Robot Soccer Federation. based computing, multimedia systems and computer systems BIOMEDICAL TECHNOLOGY modeling and performance Norberto M. Grzywacz, professor evaluation. She is a winner of of biomedical engineering, was formerly the National Science at the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research Foundation Career Award, the Institute in San Francisco. His research IBM Doctoral Fellowship and involves combining experimental the NSF Doctoral Fellowship. techniques with computational modeling Rajiv Kalia, Aiichiro Nakano and Priya Vashista At USC, Golubchik designed to study visual perception and neural the new masters program in processing in the retina. A “key senior State University, which they had joined computer science with a specialization in faculty,” according to Nikias, Grzywacz from Argonne National Laboratory. All security, one of the nation’s first. She will heads the Visual Processing Laboratory three have joint appointments in the teach core courses in the program, and directs USC’s new Center for Vision School and the College. The professors offered remotely through DEN, starting Science and Technology. brought with them seven post-doctoral this fall. K. Kirk Shung, professor of researchers, 10 graduate students and a Ramesh Govindan, associate biomedical engineering, has earned systems manager. Though the research professor of computer science, is one the nickname “Mr. Ultrasound” in 30 group has a 166-node supercomputer, of the world’s leading authorities on years of groundbreaking research in it also plans to work with the 320-node communication networks. He developed biomedical ultrasound technology. supercomputer at the USC Center for several software systems, including Internationally recognized as one of the High-Performance Computing and Internet route flap dampening, E-BGP top five researchers in the field, Shung Communications. The group has Route Server software and the Mercator came to the School from Penn State, developed software to visualize billions Internet mapping tool, which are used in bringing with him the Ultrasonic of atoms of material at once, allowing the Internet today. He is the director of Transducer Research Center. UTRC is the simulations of formerly nebulous USC’s Embedded Networks Laboratory nation’s only center for the development processes. The main goal has been to and co-principal investigator on the NSF- of ultrasonic transducer/array technology achieve greater strength in ceramic sponsored Center for Embedded for medical diagnostics. The first 30 MhZ materials and greater speed in electronic Networked Sensing. transducer/array was created in Shung’s devices, but the research has wider Sven Koenig is an associate laboratory. Shung also brings with him applications in nanotechnology, professor of computer science, formerly five graduate students, four research materials, molecular biology, pharmacol- at Georgia Tech. His research centers on staff, an engineer and a technician. ogy and bioengineered systems. ways to enable situated agents (such as “We put USC on the map in the robots or decision-support systems) to AEROSPACE AND MECHANICAL area of high-performance computing. behave intelligently in their environments ENGINEERING It’s an expertise that as a university we in real time, even when they have Michael Kassner, professor of didn’t have,” says Nikias. incomplete knowledge of their surround- mechanical engineering and material Cauligi S. Raghavendra ings, imperfect abilities to manipulate sciences, is the new chair of the is a professor of electrical engineering, their environment, limited perception or department of aerospace and mechanical formerly with the Aerospace insufficient reasoning speed. Koenig is a engineering. He was formerly at Oregon Corporation. He is also the new chair of winner of the NSF Career Award and an State University and at Lawrence

Electrical Engineering – Systems. IBM Faculty Partnership Award. r Livermore National Laboratory. Kassner is e b

Milind Tambe r Raghavendra’s current research focuses is an associate e

pursuing research on creep, fracture, G . S

on wireless and sensor networks, energy- professor of computer science and has

fatigue and thermodynamics. His x a

efficient algorithms and protocols and been the principal investigator or co-PI M research is supported by grants from NSF, y b active networks. He is conducting pio-

in research grants totaling $7 million. s

the Basic Energy Sciences of the o t neering work in the area of power-aware His research interests include multiagent o Department of Energy and Lawrence h p

z

protocols for wireless communications. systems, specifically multiagent team- e

Livermore National Laboratory. “Michael ñ

Leana Golubchik ó is associate work, agent-human interactions and d Kassner is truly a leader,” says Nikias, r O

professor of computer science. Previously distributed negotiations. He won the d

adding that USC plans to hire additional n a

she was at the University of Maryland 2002 Best Paper award at the n

faculty for AME in the near future. u r B

30 USC ENGINEER facultyf eature

ASSISTANT PROFESSORS C. Ted Lee Banu Özden Todd Brun Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Assistant Professor, Computer Science Assistant Professor, Responsive surfactant systems (systems General systems, including operating Electrical Engineering – Systems tunable through manipulation of an external systems, storage networking and systems, Quantum computing and quantum variable, allowing nano-level control of multimedia systems information theory surfactant structure) Ph.D. Computer Engineering ’95, Ph.D. Physics ’94, Caltech Ph.D. Chemical Engineering ‘00, University of Texas University of Texas Elaine Chew Konstantinos Psounis Assistant Professor, Assistant Professor, Daniel J. Epstein Electrical Engineering – Systems Department of Industrial Networking solutions based and Systems Engineering on probabilistic methods Computational models Ph.D. Electrical Engineering ’02, for musical design Stanford University Ph.D. Operations Research Pin Wang ‘00, MIT Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Hossein Hashemi Biosynthetic methods for engineering novel Assistant Professor, proteins for applications in human health, Electrical Engineering specifically glycobiology, molecular medicine, Nanotechnology tissue engineering, and gene delivery Ph.D. Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Chemical Engineering ’03, Caltech ’03, Caltech Maria Yang Tzung Hsiai Assistant Professor, Daniel J. Epstein Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering Biomedical Engineering/ Assistant Professors Todd Brun and Fernando Ordóñez Cardiovascular Medicine Information technology for facilitating Diagnostic micro- and the design and manufacturing process nano-sensors for fundamental Krishna Nayak Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering ’00, Stanford University cardiovascular research Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering ’01, UCLA; Rapid magnetic resonance imaging, medical Jesse Yen M.D. ’93, University of Chicago image acquisition and reconstruction Assistant Professor, David Kempe Ph.D. Electrical Engineering ’01, Biomedical Engineering Stanford University Assistant Professor, Computer Science Development of novel diagnostic ultrasound Randomized and graph algorithms Michael Neely systems and ultrasonic/array transducers Ph.D. Biomedical Engineering ’03, and decentralized communication protocols Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering Duke University Ph.D. Computer Science ’03, Analysis and control of data networks with Cornell University applications to satellite and wireless systems Bhaskar Krishnamachari Ph.D. Electrical Engineering ’03, MIT Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering, Fernando Ordóñez Computer Science Assistant Professor, Daniel J. Fundamental principles and the analysis Epstein Department of Industrial and design of protocols for next-generation and Systems Engineering wireless sensor networks Optimization algorithms, Ph.D. Electrical Engineering ’02, high-performance computing, Cornell University applications of optimization Jihie Neely Chew Ph.D. Operations Research ’02, MIT

Ozden Debevec Draper Wang Verduyn Govindan Shung Fine Tae-Seong

USC ENGINEER 31 Spanish ⁄‚⁄ Engineering Undergrads Explore Europe by Christian Camozzi

he academic plates of engineering various engineering majors. the collection of Salvador Dali’s masterpieces Tundergraduate students are truly full. “This means students can participate at the Reina Sofia, which would you choose?” Students juggle thermodynamics with in an abroad experience without pushing their However, the bond that students and calculus, and chemistry with computational graduation date back,” says Krupa Savalia, a faculty develop balances this intensity. Classes methods, hoping to cram their required sophomore from West Orange, New Jersey, are small, and this past summer’s participants courses into a mere eight semesters. This leaves studying biomedical/biochemical engineering. made a number of excursions, including trips little room for free units-dessert. You might In the most recent session, the program to Seville, Granada, Segovia and Cordova. think there is no time for a semester abroad. saw the largest number of participants in its “You get to know people much better,” But you would be wrong. Engineering history, and the School now hopes to offer the says Geoff Shiflett, associate professor of students can have their dessert and eat it too. program every year while expanding the list of aerospace and mechanical engineering, who The School currently offers a summer overseas options. Next summer, students will has taught the thermodynamics course during overseas program, a chance for engineering again head to Paris. Rome remains on the the past three overseas sessions. students to venture abroad and still take program’s radar screen as a future study “I don’t usually go out to lunch or ride a courses that fulfill their academic requirements. destination. bus for six hours with students,” adds Steve This past summer, 22 students, three teachers, To coordinate this program, the School Bucher, who taught an advanced undergradu- two administrators and one teacher’s assistant partners with Accent International, an ate writing class this past summer. “When trekked to Madrid, squeezing Spanish courses international education organization that you’re on a bus for six hours at a time, it’s hard and museum trips into the students’ already works with more than 50 American colleges not to bond.” busy curriculum. and universities. Accent helps organize This camaraderie energized program The program actually has a considerable study-abroad programs and provides reliable participants. “The students and teachers shared history, having debuted in 1981 with a session housing and computer facilities, as well as dinners, outings, overnight trips, excursions in Madrid. It took an eight-year hiatus, then helpful advice and guidance for students. and the excitement of a foreign environment,” returned in 1989 and has been held every other This support is key, since the students’ Keushguerian says. year, alternating between London and Paris. schedule can be intense. “Classes are extremely “We fought through the same language The program’s academic offerings have fast-paced,” says senior Christine Keushguerian, and custom barriers,” adds Jason Chan, a expanded significantly. In 1981, it offered one an environmental engineering major. “The junior majoring in mechanical engineering. class and an internship; in 2003, it expanded to same amount of material taught in the 15-week Back home in the United States, students four classes, including three upper-division semester is covered in just six weeks.” reflected on their experience in Madrid, courses in the engineering curriculum. These She adds, “The time constraint was a preparing papers for Bucher’s writing class, a courses are taught by USC faculty and fulfill major challenge. When faced with the decision required course for engineers. Many students graduation requirements for the School’s to finish a thermodynamics problem or view said they look at their field in a new light, and

32 USC ENGINEER education f eature

“The same amount of material taught in the 15-week semester is covered in just six weeks.” each seems eager to develop into a global Chinoy, however, sees a payoff for all the engineer, described by junior Ammar Chinoy frustration. “The program allows engineers to as “an engineer that, culturally speaking, adapt to a different culture and become more transcends geographical boundaries.” open-minded, creative and well-rounded Chan, who plans to attend law school with individuals.” his engineering degree, agrees. “With engineer- He jokes about the stereotypes Americans ing being such a global profession, there is a have about Spanish culture. “When visiting great need for students to experience other Spain, you learn that the country has more to cultures. As future engineers, we may need to offer than bulls, flamenco, sangria and siestas.” “Throughout the six weeks, I was able to coordinate tasks or projects with companies or But perhaps the main difference students discuss aqueduct architecture with a native clients based in other countries. Or we may discovered between American and Spanish of Segovia, raise doubts about the supposed find ourselves working for large international culture had to do with energy conservation. remains of Christopher Columbus at the companies that need engineers who are able to As Chinoy explains, “Europe in general and cathedral in Seville, have an interesting work in different locations around the world.” Spain in particular, prioritize conservation in conversation with a local professional about An international student from Pakistan, terms of reduced consumption. Spanish electri- the aeronautical industry in Spain, and Chinoy adds, “I realize the important role that cal, transport and telecommunication systems bargain with local vendors. Engineering cultural immersion plays in structuring a are all influenced by this quest for efficiency. today is not just based on science and global engineer.” He believes a study-abroad “The lack of air conditioning, time-con- mathematics. It is a much more diverse and experience makes students “more versatile and trolled lights and smaller vehicles are all well-rounded field that requires genuine universal in nature.” elements of Spanish culture that Americans cultural understanding.” As he sees it, this change comes as students are not entirely acquainted with.” Gustavo Buenrostro is in his third year major- understand and adapt to cultural differences. Senior Jennifer McLean, an environmental ing in aerospace engineering. His post-gradu- “Adaptation essentially eliminates further engineering major, agrees: “The entire city of ate plans include pursuing a masters degree in culture shock,” he says, “and results in the devel- Madrid has been designed to save energy and aerospace engineering at USC and working for opment of an able and truly global engineer.” increase efficiency wherever possible.” a Los Angeles-based aerospace company. Resoundingly, the returning students Chan adds, “The streets of America, appreciate the value of their experience and the especially Los Angeles, are a stark contrast to “As an environmental engineering major, I found the attitude of Madrileños, and power of their broadened perspectives. They those of Madrid, and those of Europe as a Europeans in general, toward efficiency are quick to connect it to the professional work whole. Large sedans and SUVs don’t dominate and conservation to be very interesting. they will do in the future. Madrid’s roads. Instead, highly fuel-efficient The entire city of Madrid has been designed For many of the students, this was their subcompacts seem to be the automobile to save energy and increase efficiency first trip outside of the United States, and their of choice.” wherever it is possible. For example, lights time in Madrid made them more aware of their In recognizing these differences, students in hallways and other common areas in own cultural identities. Suddenly, they were can see how their professional work as engi- buildings are set to timers so that lights are foreigners. neers will be culturally specific. They see the not left on to waste electricity.” “Living my whole life in a small suburb 12 importance of being mindful of people’s cul- Jennifer McLean is majoring in environmental miles away from USC, I have always had the ture as they carry out their work. In a very real engineering and is in her last year at USC. luxury of going home whenever I pleased,” says way, they understand that the concepts they Keushguerian. “Being away from family and learn will touch people’s lives, and that their friends for a substantial period of time has work is closely tied to the world around them. given me a stronger sense of independence and After all, as Savalia put it, “Engineering responsibility.” affects everyone, no matter where they live, and But that does not mean she didn’t face is ultimately a means of serving humanity.” challenges along the way. “Studying abroad is Christian Camozzi’s article was based on all about the frustration of miscommunica- stories written by program participants Jason tion,” she admits. “It’s about the need to play Chan, Ammar Chinoy, Christine Keushguerian charades when buying nail polish remover and and Krupa Savalia for their engineering pointing at fruit you don’t know the name of.” writing class.

USC ENGINEER 33 hott opic

Rock and Roll Engineering

Erik Johnson, assistant professor of civil language used by engineering in the School of Engineering engineers. is a structural engineer, but his computer Johnson’s software science skills played a crucial role in the and the experiment success of a history-making experiment functioned as designed. this past summer. “On a scale of 10, As scientists across the country I would say it was a looked on, an artificial earthquake shook 9.5,” says Johnson, a building that was, itself, only half-real. adding that the project Part of the structure was convention- had gone almost al steel: full-sized structural support completely as planned. columns sitting in laboratories at the The only glitch was a University of Colorado and the University network outage that of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. But a cut the five-hour third support column — and the floor experiment about 10 that rested on them, forming a typical minutes short. Another one-story, modern steel-frame building experiment is planned Erik Johnson — existed solely in software. early next year. They were simulations, created by The exercise was the first full-scale, and engineering testing facilities across grid-linked machines at the National multi-site virtual temblor for NEESgrid, a the United States, and providing them Center for Supercomputing Applications resource that helps engineers examine with the latest computational tools,” in Illinois and elsewhere. Physical stresses the effects of earthquakes on structures. says Priscilla Nelson, who was NSF on the real columns, hundreds of miles NEESgrid is a consortium of institutions division director for civil and mechanical apart, produced a set of digital signals that includes USC, the Argonne National systems at the time NEESGrid was that interacted with the virtual structure. Laboratory and the University of created in August 2001. “We expect The result was a realistic representa- Michigan. It is part of the George E. this network to speed the simulations, tion of the effects of an earthquake, Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake experiments and data analysis that creating a profusion of real-time data — Engineering Simulation project. In lead to better seismic design and hazard video images and records of stress and addition to the National Supercomputing mitigation.” movement — that were distributed by Center, participants include the high-bandwidth connections to researchers in dozens of locations from The exercise was the first full-scale, multi-site virtual National Science Foundation (NSF) headquarters in Washington, D.C. to temblor for NEESgrid, a resource that helps engineers California. “This represents a new way of examine the effects of earthquakes on structures. conducting earthquake engineering NEESgrid is a consortium of institutions that includes experiments,” says Carl Kesselman (MSEE ’84), director of the Center for USC, the Argonne National Laboratory and the Grid Technologies at the School’s University of Michigan. Information Sciences Institute. Kesselman’s Grid center co-created the “middleware” that allowed the University of Illinois Mid-America experiment to proceed across continental Earthquake Center and the University of distances, through Java interfaces. But it Illinois’ civil engineering department. was Johnson who bridged the gap “The goal is to create a collaborative between Java and the Matlab computer research network by linking researchers

34 USC ENGINEER Giving to the Future

he School of Engineering’s David M. Wilson Associates Endowed TScholarship Fund has received a generous bequest of nearly $190,000 from the estate of the late Rossiter Lawrence White (BSCE ’40).

Rossiter White, known as “Ross” to his friends and co-workers, was a licensed civil engineer and structural engineer who served in the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II. After leaving the service he began a lifelong career with the Power Division of the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power.

As a member of the DWP’s Station Design Group, White designed the structural aspects of the county’s electrical distribution systems. His largest project was the structural design of the powerhouse and surge chamber for the Castaic Hydroelectric Power Project, which was a major component of the California Water Project. He also Rossiter L. White notably worked on several large bridge projects in the Inland Empire. White’s fellow engineers at the DWP remember him as a “sharp, fast designer” and an “engineer’s engineer” whose technical skills and professionalism earned the respect of all who worked with him. He was an avid reader who built an extensive book collection, and was also an adventurous worldwide traveler.

During his years at USC, White studied with legendary professor David M. Wilson, who mentored and assisted countless students from the 1930s through the 1950s, often drawing from his personal funds to aid students in need. In 1959, the University recognized Professor Wilson’s untiring devotion to the School of Engineering and his civil engineering students by establishing the David M. Wilson Associates Endowed Scholarship Fund, which provides critical support to undergraduate students in civil/environmental engineering at USC.

It is fitting that Ross White, a man who himself served as mentor and “father figure” to many young people throughout his own career and life, would make a bequest that both honors a beloved professor, and supports undergraduate engineering students. Through this gift, new generations of civil and environmental engineering students will benefit from the generous spirit of these two Trojan engineers, each of whom helped pave a path to the future in their own unique way.

If you would like more information about the David M. Wilson Associates Endowed Scholarship Fund or about making a bequest gift to the USC School of Engineering, please contact the Office of External Relations at 213/740-2502. alumnip rofile f = ma Bruce Matthews, BSISE ’83 All American Student, All American Athlete, NFL Legend –– He Knows the Formula for Success

Bruce Matthews (BSISE ’83) was known as the fondness. “He was very down-to- National Football League’s “iron giant” and earth and modest. He took every even the “bionic man” during an extraordinary engineering course on schedule, Matthews in action on the field. 19-year career as an offensive lineman with the attended every class, and never asked for Tennessee Titans (formerly the Houston special treatment or time off as a football player me, and Fred Cornwell was in civil engineering. Oilers). Until he retired, he held the NFL’s — yet he still graduated in four years, as a We were the same age, we took a lot of classes longest active strong B student. And he earned those Bs — he together, and we all felt that it was a great place streak for games took all the difficult courses. I’m convinced he to start, even if we didn’t go into the field. I played at 184 would have been an A student if he hadn’t really didn’t realize how unusual we were until and the most played football.” I turned pro. I haven’t come across many consecutive Matthews modestly downplays his engineering degree holders in the NFL.” starts at 181. He academic prowess. “You know, I think playing He put his training to good use. “Of was selected for football actually helped my grades,” he says. course, the main concept I’ve utilized the Pro Bowl 11 My GPA was always higher in the Fall, during professionally has to be force equals mass times consecutive football season, because my schedule was so acceleration,’” Matthews says. “But engineering seasons at two tight. I knew I didn’t have weekends available also taught me a lot of problem solving different to study, so I had to do it the first free moment techniques, which I used as a pro, and also positions (seven I found during the week. In the Spring, there when I left football and got into construction. Bruce Matthews as guard and was more time to do things with friends, so I’d be using physics, math – all kinds of things four as center). Only two other players, Reggie I’d often find myself having to study at the last I thought I’d forgotten – while building White (13) and Jerry Rice (12) have been second. And since I can’t stand losing, if I got a cabinets and laying things out. I love the sense named to more. lousy grade, I had to work to get it up.” of completion you get when something’s While it’s true that he’s big — 6’5”,305 Matthews says USC was an easy choice for finished. That’s why I enjoyed my engineering pounds — he was admired as much for brains him. “They’d won a national championship, classes: there was always a definite answer. I as brawn. and I knew I wanted to play with the best struggled more in my classes that relied on “During my early years in pro football,” he players in the country. My older brother, Clay, abstract concepts, like English,” he admits. says, “I was all raw physical energy. But as I Jr., had been an All-American linebacker at Matthews may have worked hard to excel gained knowledge and experience, I could play USC [who went on to play for the Cleveland in class and on the playing field, but he still smarter. This was a great help as I grew older Browns and Atlanta Falcons]. But it was my found time for his social life. He met his wife, and had less energy, in a profession where the father who got me into engineering.” Kerry Kitchen Matthews (BS EXSC ’83) when typical NFL career lasts less than four years.” Clay Matthews, Sr., was a linebacker with they were both sophomores. “I lived in Trojan Matthews honed his athletic skills at USC, the San Francisco 49ers during the 1950s. Hall, and Kerry lived next door in EVK,” he blocking for Heisman Trophy winners Charles “Although I never saw my father play, I’d always says. “I ate at her dining hall a lot, and would White and Marcus Allen, and was selected for been impressed by his standard of excellence,” see her around.” They met on the way home both the All-American and all-PAC-10 teams. Matthews says. “Everything he did, he did with from the first football game of the year, against He was snapped up by the Houston Oilers integrity. My dad had a degree in industrial Knoxville. “Two weeks later, we went on our during the first round of the NFL’s 1983 draft, engineering from Georgia Tech, and he always first date,” Matthews recalls. “I’d gotten back and went on to play in 296 games with the told me there’s so much flexibility in what you from an away game at Minnesota at 11:30 at Oilers/Titans – more than any other offensive can do with an engineering degree. That made night, and we went to a midnight showing of lineman in NFL history. a big impression on me.” Monty Python’s Life of Brian in Westwood. At USC, Matthews made a good impres- For Matthews, pursuing a degree in “Kerry and I were serious about each other sion on and off the field. “Bruce was a BMOC engineering seemed the most normal thing in from the start,” he says. “Four or five weeks [Big Man on Campus], but you’d never know it the world. “I was lucky to have two teammates after we met, we starting talking about getting from the way he behaved,” says ISE Professor who were engineering majors,” he says. married when we graduated. And we’re still Jerry Fleisher, who recalls Matthews with great “Anthony Gibson (BSISE ’83) was in ISE with continued on next page

36 USC ENGINEER alumnip rofile

Elmer Kaprielian, BSEE ’42 As a Class of ’42 School of Engineering electric power for granted. Kaprielian suggests graduate, Elmer Kaprielian learned the kind that electric power should be on the agenda of of electrical engineering that we all take for engineering schools. granted today. “I’m just a bystander now who has never “It was about electricity. We learned about lost interest in the thing that got me into motors and transformers and generators and electrical engineering,” he says. When the State switches,” he says. It wasn’t about information of California began licensing engineers in the technology, biotechnology or nanotechnology. late 1940’s, Kaprielian decided to get the “None of these things function if you don’t license, although it was not a requirement, and have reliable and economic, commercial he therefore holds license #342. electric power. It all amounts to zero, absolute “I love engineering,” he says. zero, when the lights go out.” Elmer Kaprielian was not the first After a stint as a reserve officer in the Navy, Kaprielian to attend the School. His father, Elmer Kaprielian Kaprielian went to work in 1946 as an estimator Michael Kaprielian (BS ’13) graduated as an for Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and retired 41 engineer in 1913 when Engineering was part of “He was a good friend and I used to visit years later as senior vice president for Power USC’s Physics department. His older brother him a couple of times a year. He got his first Generation and Transmission. He takes great Roy Kaprielian (BSCH ’43) received a chemical degree in the Near East, in a part of the world pride in the fact that during the 18 years he engineering degree. However, his son Douglas where being an Armenian wasn’t easy. managed the department, the lights stayed on. Dean Kaprielian, got his USC degree in “I’m not the scholar that he was,” adds California’s power problems in recent business and finance. Kaprielian. At USC, Kaprielian played in the years and the blackout last August over large Kaprielian says he has known all of the Trojan Band and lived in a dormitory a block areas of the East Coast and the Midwest, are a School’s deans, including Zohrab Kaprielian to from the School. “Several of the happiest years reminder that we can no longer take reliable whom he is not related. of my life were spent at USC.”

feel a real sense of responsibility when I do Matthews continued from page 36 stuff,” he says. “I want to do it right, and I do together, with six great kids and another on the whatever needs to be done. Though that does- way.” Today, Bruce, Kerry and their family live n’t keep me from thinking I could have done it in Sugarland, Texas. better. My dad taught me something I’ve never Family plays a major role in Matthews’ forgotten: If you’re going to sign your name to life. “My brother Clay was five years older than anything, make sure you do it right. That’s me,” he says. “Growing up, I liked being around something I’ve tried to do throughout my life.” him. He was always my hero. Even though I Back in the early 1980s, this same was taller and heavier than he was, I’d watch approach to life, school and work endeared how he prepared and worked out with the Matthews to his engineering professors. “For Browns so I could pattern myself after him. two decades now,” says Prof. Fleisher, “I’ve held Then one day – there I am, playing in the NFL Bruce up as an example of the ideal against my brother’s team! I’d been a fan of the scholar/athlete when I talk to new generations Bruce Matthews and Coach John Robinson Browns for five years, and part of me just of engineering students. To me, Bruce was at USC. wanted to watch what Clay and his team were more than an All-American athlete — he was doing. It was really hard for me to focus, those an All-American student as well.” of Walt Disney Motion Pictures. What an first two years when the Oilers were playing the This was one of the reasons why Dean C. honor! I’ve never felt I did anything that Browns. I remember back in 1986, he beat me L. Max Nikias nominated Matthews for a 2003 special. I’ve just taken what God gave me, and and sacked the quarterback. I had to fake being USC Alumni Merit Award, which he received used it as best I can.” upset – because even though we were still try- last March. “Talk about humbling!” Matthews This modesty has been a hallmark of ing to win the game, I wanted to cheer him!” says. “There I was at the awards dinner, being Matthew’s entire career. “Sure, the attention, Matthews’ sense of fair play and high per- recognized alongside a Marine Corps Major applause and money are great,” he says, “but sonal standards were legendary throughout the General who’d been a shuttle astronaut, a in the end we all have to answer to God. I’d NFL, where he was held in high regard for his woman who’s an internationally acclaimed like to think I’ve lived my life in a way that work ethic, leadership and high level of play. “I expert on cancer and AIDS, and the chairman honors Him.”

USC ENGINEER 37 alumnip rofile

Albert D. Griffin, Jr., BSCE ’45 Albert Devereux Griffin, Jr., is hardly your typical “My most fond recollections of engineer. At 80 years of age, he can be found body USC Engineering are of Professor David surfing at Orange County beaches or kicking up Wilson,” Griffin says. “He made difficult his heels at a Dixieland dance. Awhile back, engineering concepts easy for us to Griffin was thrown out of a parade in San Juan understand. He was affectionately Capistrano thanks to the scantily-clad “Lady patient with some of us, not proceeding Griffin with his pedicycle-drawn calliope. Godiva” who was riding in the back seat of his ahead until we understood what he had electric-powered pedicycle, accompanied by “one presented up to that point. I stayed in touch hundred year-old music” from Griffin’s portable with him long after graduation, through his fall Griffin is equally enthusiastic about his calliope. and recovery, and for awhile I was a member of numerous hobbies. “I was a lifeguard when I was Perhaps only someone with impeccable the David Wilson Associates.” younger, and I love the ocean, so body surfing is a engineering credentials could get away with such Griffin is grateful for the opportunity to real pleasure,” he says, adding modestly that “You colorful behavior. “My brother, Bill Griffin (BSCE study at USC. “To have attended USC and know, I’m not the only one from my era — my ’50), also graduated from USC Engineering,” says graduated in difficult times, in a field recognized good friend Arthur Beard (BSCE ’46) still board Griffin, “and our father, Al Sr., was a famous civil to be challenging, gives me great pride,” he says. surfs in San Clemente with his kids!” engineer who invented the freeway. He designed “I often felt the envy of my colleagues who Griffin’s other interests include the afore- the very first freeway in the United States — the graduated from less prestigious universities. I am mentioned Dixieland dancing, singing and play- Arroyo Seco, now known as the Pasadena sure that my USC degree was a major reason I ing the piano, organ and calliope. “After I retired,” Freeway, which launched California as the was offered some of the fine jobs I have had.” he explains, “I took a trip on the Mississippi national leader in freeway development.” Upon graduating from USC, Griffin was Queen and heard my first calliope. I fell in love “Dad’s first highway design of note was the ordered to the Naval Officer Candidates School at with the look and the sound, so when I got home Traffic Circle in Long Beach,” Griffin adds. Camp Endicott in Rhode Island. Following that I bought a trailer-mounted calliope with key- “Because it was before its time, many people got training, he was commissioned as an Ensign in board and music roll. Then when I was at the on it going in the wrong direction, and some were the Civil Engineer Corps. Embarcadero in San Francisco, I purchased a killed or badly injured. My dad was threatened After the war, Griffin oversaw construction pedicycle so I could tow the calliope, which with lawsuits many times. He also designed the of the South Laguna Sanitary District sewer weighed a ton. I got a really good deal: the pedicy- famous four-level intersection where the collection and disposal system, and did so well cle had been made in Bangkok and was designed Pasadena, Harbor, Hollywood and Santa Ana that he was later named district manager. “But my to carry Asian passengers. The American owner freeways meet near downtown L.A. He created a crowning achievement,” Griffin says, “was being could only fit in one Western passenger at a time, reverse cloverleaf design that didn’t take up as named facilities engineer for the Marine Corps so he sold it to me for only $300! I added an much space as traditional intersections. Everyone Air Station at El Toro. I held the highest general electric wheel chair motor, so it would look like told him it would never work, but it still does. ” service rank on base, and was also responsible for I was pedaling even when I was taking it easy.” Griffin recalls his days at USC with pleasure. Marine Corps bases at Camp Pendleton, Station Griffin would play his pedicycle-drawn He was a transfer student from Los Angeles City H in Tustin, and Yuma, Arizona.” Griffin retired calliope at circuses, carnivals and parades near his College, where he admits he was nearly flunking from this position 29 years ago. home town of Dana Point, treating audiences to a out. “Once at USC, though, I really took my Griffin has been married, divorced, and grand repertoire of old-time tunes. He often engineering studies seriously, and quickly pulled raised four daughters. He has stayed active in invited a shapely young bikini-clad beauty to ride my grade average up to a B.” Following Griffin’s several of USC’s Orange County alumni organiza- in the back seat of the pedicycle, dressed as Lady first year at USC, he signed up for the U.S. Navy’s tions and occasionally takes trips with the Trojan Godiva in a long blonde wig. “We were the hit of V-12 training program, a collaboration with Travelers. He had a grand time at his 50th reunion the parades,” he laughs, “especially when the wind universities across the U.S. that was designed to in 1995. “We had so much fun, reminiscing about blew!” (Of course, the parade organizer from produce well-trained, intelligent Naval surface the past. Many of us were in the Navy’s V-12 San Juan Capistrano might differ with this line officers for World War II.“I had to be a very program, and it was wonderful to be able to share assessment.) serious student,” Griffin says. “It was a demanding our stories. We’d definitely like to come back to “I’m not your typical engineer,” Griffin course of study.” campus in 2005, to celebrate our 60th reunion!” admits, “But I feel I am not boring. I enjoy In spite of the rigors of wartime education, Through the years Griffin has made sure that working with people, I’m active, and I have a Griffin made sure he enjoyed a full undergraduate he stays in touch with the School of Engineering. sense of humor. Perhaps I should have considered experience at USC. “In my first year,” he says, “I “Ted McConville (BSCE ’43) has been very good a different career,” he muses, only half-seriously. pledged the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. I about sponsoring the David Wilson Associates However, with his enthusiasm for USC and his competed in swimming and in gymnastics, where events in Orange County each year. Lots of young enduring good humor, Griffin provides a I performed on the still and flying rings, coming engineers attend, many of them ladies. I think delightful example of how much fun life can be up second in the all-city competition.” it’s great!” when you’re a USC Engineering alumnus.

38 USC ENGINEER SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 2002-2003 Honor Roll

IN GRATEFUL RECOGNITION OF OUR DONORS—PAST AND PRESENT Engineering Associates The USC School of Engineering gratefully acknowledges the Anonymous (2) Gill (Merwyn C.) Foundation Mr. & Mrs. Philip R. Mr. & Mrs. George M. following members of the Dean’s Mr. Gordon M. Anderson Mr. & Mrs. James H. Gisbrecht MacDonald Reppucci Circle/USC Associates for their Mr. & Mrs. Walter Babchuk Mr. Robert J. Hoffman Mrs. Lourita E. MacNeill Mr. & Mrs. F. Edward gifts made during fiscal year Mr. James P. Beggans III Hoffman (Walter W.) Dr. Florian B. Mansfeld Reynolds Jr. July 1, 2002 through Mr. & Mrs. Bruce W. Family Trust Mr. & Mrs. Howard G. Mr. Robert J. Richards June 30, 2003. Bennett Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Roy G. Johnston McAloney Jr. Dr. & Mrs. William N. Rowley Mr. & Mrs. Nelson T. Bogart Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Roderick M. Jones Mr. John H. McCall Mr. & Mrs. Al Schleicher Mr. & Mrs. Gregg E. Brandow Mr. & Mrs. Elmer F. Kaprielian Mr. & Mrs. John D. Dr. Robert J. Sclabassi Dr. George V. Chilingar Dr. & Mrs. Jerome H. Kay McConaghy Settle (Arthur G.) Trust Mr. & Mrs. David Chonette Drs. Susan & Gregory Kay Mr. & Mrs. Ralph L. Mr. & Mrs. Edmund H. Shea Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Patrick L. Connelly Mr. Lawrence Andrew Keller McCormick Spitzer (Samuel J.) Estate Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth C. Mr. Peter Y.S. Kim Dr. William J. Moffitt Mr. Timur Taluy Dahlberg Mr. & Mrs. Eddie T. Kishimoto Mr. John Mork Ms. Dianna L. Tetz Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Epstein Mr. Kenneth R. Klein Mr. Tony Morreale Mr. Mihailo D. Trifunac Mr. & Mrs. T. Page Eskridge Mr. & Mrs. C. Richard Knowles Mrs. Jennifer A. Mow Mr. & Mrs. Graham Tyson Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Evans Mr. Jonathan T. Kong Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth I. Mrs. Doris Uncapher Mr. James R. Fei Mr. Lester C. Kranhold Mullen Mrs. Lisa Van Ingen Pope Mr. & Mrs. Charles P. Flanagan Mr. & Mrs. Robert Lee Dr. Jack Munushian Mr. David A. West Fulton (Robert) Foundation Ms. Angela Lian Mr. Daniel R. Nelson Dr. Charles H. Wilcox & Mrs. Sulie Fulton Mr. Jeffrey W. Lin Mr. Mac Pilon Mr. & Mrs. Wendell Wilson Mr. & Mrs. Patrick R. Fuscoe Lockhart (Frank J.) Trust Mr. Harold L. Potter Mr. Mark William Wong Mr. & Mrs. Samuel H. Giesy Mr. Gerald J. Lopopolo Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Quan

Leadership Gifts New or continuing commitments from the following individuals in Anonymous (2) Mr. & Mrs. Charles B. Evans Ms. Angela Lian Mr. Harold L. Potter fiscal year July 1, 2002 through Mr. Gordon M. Anderson Fulton (Robert) Foundation Lockhart (Frank J.) Trust Mr. & Mrs. F. Edward June 30, 2003 place them in a Dr. George V. Chilingar & Mrs. Sulie Fulton Mr. & Mrs. Philip R. Reynolds Jr. special category of gifts “above Mr. & Mrs. David Chonette Mr. & Mrs. Samuel H. Giesy MacDonald Settle (Arthur G.) Trust and beyond” annual contribu- Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth C. Gill (Merwyn C.) Foundation Mr. John H. McCall Spitzer (Samuel J.) Estate tions. Depending on pledge size, Dahlberg Mr. & Mrs. Roderick M. Jones Mr. & Mrs. Ralph L. Mr. Mihailo D. Trifunac these commitments also bear Mr. & Mrs. Daniel J. Epstein Dr. & Mrs. Jerome H. Kay McCormick Mrs. Doris Uncapher membership entitlements at the Mr. & Mrs. T. Page Eskridge Mr. Kenneth R. Klein Mr. John Mork Mr. & Mrs. Wendell Wilson Dean, Provost, and Presidential Associate levels. Past Associates Gifts were made in previous years at the Dean, Provost, and Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Mr. Joseph F. Foster Dusanka Maletkovic Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Sanders Presidential Associate levels by Abronson & Hon. Juaneita Veron Mr. & Mrs. C. Larry McMillan Scalise (George M. & the following individuals. Mr. & Mrs. Dean K. Allen Mr. & Mrs. Richard R. Grey Mr. & Mrs. Eugene L. Mleczko Dorothea K.) Family Trust Mrs. Doris J. Atteberry Mr. Rudolf W. Gunnerman Moore (Bernice C.) Estate Mr. & Mrs. John F. Shea Mrs. Beatrice E. Bickford Mr. & Mrs. Ernest H. Hix Prof. James E. Moore II Mr. & Mrs. Scott R. Shoults Mrs. R. Lucille Billings Mr. & Mrs. Richard Hunsaker Mr. & Mrs. Richard C. Nelson Mr. & Mrs. Mark A. Stevens Ms. JoAnn M. Boss Mr. & Mrs. Paul E. Iacono Mr. & Mrs. Loren C. Phillips Dr. & Mrs. Marvin S. Stone Mr. & Mrs. Robert N. Britz Jordan (Julian) Estate Dr. & Mrs. Hugo P. Pomrehn Mr. & Mrs. John E. Tahl Mr. & Mrs. Jack K. Bryant Mr. & Mrs. Jay L. Kear Mr. Theodore Posch Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Paul L. Traylor Mr. Glenn A. Bustrum Mr. & Mrs. James J. Keenan Dr. & Mrs. Allen E. Puckett Mr. Ronald N. Tutor Mr. & Mrs. Richard F. Chew Mr. & Mrs. Donald H. Keltner Dr. Irving S. Reed Dr. & Mrs. Andrew J. Viterbi Mr. & Mrs. John V. Crowley Mr. & Mrs. Ronald A. Kolar Mr. & Mrs. D. Kenneth Mr. & Mrs. John Wakerly Mr. & Mrs. John M. Doyle Mr. & Mrs. Ronald L. Lash Richardson Mr. & Mrs. Emrick A. Webb Mr. Gerald D. Dunn Mr. Anthony D. Lazzaro Mr. & Mrs. Thomas L. Dr. Peter S. Willcox Mr. Richard L. Farr Mr. Marcus S. Luk Rothwell Mr. Fred Zohouri

* WHILE EVERY EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THIS INFORMATION, SOME NAMES MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY OMITTED OR INCORRECTLY LISTED. PLEASE NOTIFY THE ENGINEERING OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS AT 213-740-2502 IF YOU NOTICE A DISCREPANCY IN YOUR LISTING. snaps hots

snapshots,, USC School of Engineering Events Late Summer & Fall 2003

Susan and Lawrence A. Keller (BSAE ’91, MSAE ’92) Judith Miller, ARCS National President (l) with former Natalie and Ken Klein (BSBME ’82) and James at the pre-concert dinner. ARCS scholar Sally Jercha (BSChE ’00) and her Braze (BSME ’68) at the Weekender reception. husband, Tony. Dean’s Circle Dinner ARCS National Weekender Reception and Concert at the Visit Dinner in San Francisco Hollywood Bowl Dean Nikias hosted the national members of On Friday, September 26, the School of Over 40 of the School of Engineering’s alumni the Achievement Rewards for College Engineering hosted nearly 70 Northern and friends gathered on the Museum Patio of Scientists Foundation (ARCS) on September California alumni, parents and friends during the Hollywood Bowl for a private dinner with 25 at an intimate dinner at the California Club its annual Weekender reception. Held at the Dean C. L. Max Nikias on Saturday, August 9. in Los Angeles. Judith Miller, national ARCS Hyatt Regency San Francisco overlooking the The group of the School’s most consistent and president, along with sixty other members Embarcadero, the event attracted many from generous supporters then enjoyed an evening attended the dinner and listened to remarks the USC East Bay Alumni Club, members of under the stars with John Mauceri conducting presented by Dean Nikias entitled “Time for a the USC Alumni Association and others the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, special guests New Hollywood”.The ARCS National Board traveling for the USC v. Cal football game. Carol Channing and Michael Buble, and a meeting was held the next day at the Dean Nikias was given a special introduction spectacular fireworks display. University of Southern California campus. by alumnus speaker Kenneth R. Klein (BSBME ’82), COO of Mercury Interactive Corp. and member of the School’s Board of Councilors.

40 USC ENGINEER snaps hots

Alumni Reception in Chicago Dean Nikias and other School of Engineering leaders hosted several dozen alumni, parents and friends at an alumni reception at the Hyatt Regency in Chicago on Friday, October 17. Also in attendance were members of the Mid-west alumni club and other USC friends traveling to the USC v. Notre Dame football game. Dean Nikias was graciously introduced by alumnus Chris Kittides (BSAE ’63, MSAE ’65), the president and CEO of BEI Associates, Inc. in Detroit. The group followed the reception with a Spirit of Troy pep rally also Dean Nikias, Y. H. Cho, Cho family members and representatives from Inha University open the Jung Seok Memorial Library. at the Hyatt.

2003 Homecoming Dean C. L. Max Nikias Helps Dedicate New Library Celebration Built in Memory of C. H. Cho Over 250 alumni and friends of the School of Dean C. L. Max Nikias traveled to Inha University in Incheon, Korea on September 17 and 18 for Engineering celebrated their Trojan status at the the dedication of the Jung Seok Memorial Library built in memory of Choong Hoon (C. H.) Cho, School’s 2003 Homecoming and Reunion late father of Y.H. Cho, member of both the USC Board of Trustees and the School of Picnic. The group joined thousands of other Engineering’s Board of Councilors. Trojans for one of the most highly attended “It is the most advanced digital and multimedia library in Korea, and a wonderful tribute to a homecoming celebrations in USC history. great man,” says Nikias. “The six story building was designed by USC Trustee Gin D. Wong and Many of the School’s picnic guests were winners C.H. Cho was able to see the site and the design while he was still alive.” of USC and Engineering products from During the dedication ceremony Nikias and Joseph Aoun, dean of the USC College of the raffle held to raise money for student Letters, Arts and Sciences, named C. H. Cho as the first honorary alumnus of both the College scholarships. The group then went on to cheer and the Engineering school. They presented Y.H. Cho and his mother with a framed certificate the Trojans as they enjoyed a decisive victory honoring his father for spawning Korea’s modern transportation industry and for his lifelong over Washington. support of higher education, engineering, research and Korean studies. The two deans also attended the Inha-USC High Tech Conference, which focused on information technology, biotechnology and nanotechnology. The speakers included Nikias, who gave an address on “The New Hollywood,” and Priya Vashishta, professor of materials science, who described the use of high-performance computing in nanotechnology research. Ken Nealson, professor of earth sciences, spoke on geobiology. Chris Kyriakakis, associate professor of electrical engineering and director of sensory interfaces at the Integrated Media Systems Center (IMSC), demonstrated IMSC’s Remote Media Immersion (RMI) Internet technology for capturing, streaming and rendering big screen video and multi-channel audio. Kyriakakis set up a complete RMI technology package that is permanently located on the fifth floor of the new library. It will be used for joint trans-Pacific experiments Dean Nikias and Dean Joseph Aoun of LAS between Incheon and Los Angeles. present Y. H. Cho with an honorary alumnus Alumnus Doug Litchfield (BSCE ’80) and his family, certificate in his father’s name. wife Patrice and kids Cheryl and Jesse enjoying Homecoming.

USC ENGINEER 41 snaps hots ChevronTexaco and School Establish Center for Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies The USC School of Engineering and ChevronTexaco Corp. announced plans August 29 to establish a new center to develop advanced technologies to improve oil and gas exploration and production efficiency. Provost Lloyd Armstrong Jr., Dean C. L. Max Nikias and Don Paul, vice president and chief technology officer at ChevronTexaco, signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the establishment of the Center of Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies (CiSoft). ChevronTexaco will provide R&D funding to establish the center, which will draw upon faculty expertise and resources within the School’s Information Sciences Institute, the Integrated Media System Center and the Dean C. L. Max Nikias, Donald L. Paul and Provost Lloyd Armstrong signing the memo of understanding. Petroleum Engineering Program. CiSoft will focus on the research and development of integrated technologies program, which is focused on the integration of field automation, targeted to the operations of instrumented, intelligent oil and gas fields. reservoir simulation technologies, new and emerging well technologies ChevronTexaco employees will directly participate in the center’s R&D and real-time reservoir management. Advances in i-field technologies program and the company will provide real-world drilling and and enhanced workflows will help reduce field development costs, speed production data from oil and gas fields from around the world. up the analysis of information and enhance operational reliability. ChevronTexaco also plans to provide additional research investments CiSoft’s co-executive directors will be Mike Hauser, i-field program as expanded programs develop manager at ChevronTexaco Exploration and within CiSoft. Production Technology Company, and Iraj “Through this partnership, Nikias says the School Ershaghi, professor of chemical engineering ChevronTexaco and USC hope to create and director of the Petroleum Engineering an exceptional learning environment for will create a new master Program. engineering students, while accelerating CiSoft is the most recent center formed the development of advanced oil field of science degree as part of ChevronTexaco’s strategy to technologies in this area,” says Nikias. develop unique, new research and In addition to research and program which uniquely educational partnership structures between development, CiSoft will support a strong the energy industry and universities. Last educational component drawing top integrates information year, ChevronTexaco joined with the graduates from across the world. Nikias University of Tulsa to form the Center of says the School will create a new master technology and Research Excellence in production fluid of science degree program which uniquely flow, which is conducting research in the integrates information technology and petroleum engineering. areas of flow assurance, specifically the petroleum engineering. study of emulsions and multiphase flow, “The USC School of Engineering is dispersions and heavy-oil chemistry. recognized for leadership and innovation in many areas, but has earned U.S. News & World Report has ranked the school’s overall graduate particular distinction for its work in information and communications program eighth in the nation for the past two years and ranks the technology, advanced visualization and petroleum engineering. Adding Petroleum Engineering Program ninth. energy to the strong relationships the school has with the defense and Based in San Ramon, California, ChevronTexaco is the second- entertainment industries will make this a unique environment for largest U.S.-based energy company and the fifth largest in the world developing new technologies for real-time engineering and operations,” based on market capitalization. More than 53,000 ChevronTexaco says Paul. employees work in approximately 180 countries around the world. CiSoft will form an integral component of ChevronTexaco’s i-field* * i-field is a trademark of ChevronTexaco Corp.

42 USC ENGINEER

classn otes

Alumni news notes KSummer and Fall 2003

1968 1988 on August 8, 2002. Brian recently moved to James J. Braze (BSME) is an attorney in Elaine Iba (MSEE) has put her U.S. San Jose, California and is currently a the San Francisco office of Gordon & Rees Skeleton National Team career on hold and software engineer for IBM. and is defending personal injury and wrong- returned to work as the senior principle 1999 ful deaths arising out of product liability systems engineer for Raytheon in Fullerton, Omesh Piryani (MSEE) and Sadhna claims and construction site accidents. Both California. She will aid in the support of the Jaisinghani were married on April 13, 2003. he and fellow alumnus Richard Grey company’s Capability Maturity Model 2000 (BSAE ’62, MSAE ’65, MSME ’71) are Integration for the Network Centric Systems Marisela Avalos (BSBMME) returned to planning to help form a Northern California division. Elaine hopes to return to school this fall at the University of California, School of Engineering alumni club. competition for the U.S. Skeleton National Berkeley where she was awarded a Graduate Championships later this season. (See profile 1985 Opportunity Award. Marisela is working on Elaine in the Spring 2003 USC Engineer) Frank Principe (MSSM) is currently towards a masters degree in mechanical consulting for House for Urban Development 1990 engineering with an emphasis in design. (HUD) on a new data management system Peter Sabido (BSCHE, MSENE ’95) Sally A. Jercha (BSCHE) married Anthony called MCB. He is also a part-time professor has earned his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, L. Jercha on April 26, 2003 at St. Rose’s for the University of Phoenix and Learning from the Northwestern School of Law of Catholic Church in Simi Valley, California. Tree University. He resides in Mission Viejo, Lewis and Clark College. He is currently an California with his wife Nancy. attorney at Kolish Hartwell in Portland, 2001 William L. McGill (BSAE) was recently 1987 Oregon. named ASME Government Fellow for the Bob DeFeo (MSCENG) has been appoint- 1991 Department of Homeland Security. ed as Teranex’s new chief executive officer. Judith Redpath (BSAE), her husband Prior to joining Teranex as president in April Steve Redpath and daughter Veronica, Staff News 2002, DeFeo served as president and execu- happily announce the birth of Carlton Frank Bob Calverley was named executive tive VP of sales and marketing at Optibase. on February 27, 2003. director of communications for the School in October. Bob is also the managing editor of David Jenn (Ph.D EE) was recently 1995 USC Engineer. promoted to full professor of electrical and David W. King II (BSISE, MSISE/MBA computer engineering at the Naval ’98) and wife Melissa are happy to announce Margaret Dufford was named senior Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. the birth of their daughter, Emma Lauren associate dean of administration for the David’s research interests include microwave King, on January 12, 2003. School on July 1, 2003. She was previously the senior associate dean of administration at antenna design, stealth technology, 1996 the USC Marshall School of Business. microwave-powered autonomous unmanned Joyjeet “Bobby” Bhowmik (MSCECS) vehicles, and reducing wireless network vul- and his wife Madhumita “Monty”,celebrate Kelly Goulis, executive director of the nerabilities in support of Homeland Security. the birth of their first daughter, Rituja, on School’s Distance Education Network, and her John Ramirez (BSEE) and his wife Darlene January 14, 2003. Joyjeet is a software husband Chris, are happy to announce the are proud to announce the birth of their son architect/scientist with Agilent Technologies. birth of their daughter, Jiana, on July 18, 2003. John Ryan on February 24, 2003. John is the 1998 Anna Norville, the School’s executive owner of Digital Image Studios Brian Karl Hiatt (BSCECS) was married director of corporate relations, and her

44 USC ENGINEER classn otes Board of Councilors News Alumni Recognition

Gregg Brandow (BSCE ’67) is the president of the board Laksen Sirimanne for Professional Engineers and Land Surveyors in California In December 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright created aviation this year. history with the first powered flight, soaring over Kitty Hawk, Ed Glasgow (MBA ’70) received a number of awards in North Carolina. One hundred years later, in July 2003, 2003. He was selected as 2003 Engineer of the Year by the Sri Lankan-born Laksen Sirimanne (MSAEAN ’03) and co-pilot San Fernando Valley Engineers’ Council; he received an award Assaf Stoler whizzed through those same skies, touching down at the 48th Anniversary Honors and Awards Gala Banquet at at First Flight Airport, Kill Devil Hills in a Diamond Star DA40. the Sportsman Lodge in February. He was also selected for In doing so, they etched their own names into aviation’s Fellow grade of membership in the AIAA, receiving the history books. honor at the International Air and Space Symposium and Their flight, which originated at Santa Ana’s John Wayne Airport Exposition in Dayton, Ohio in July. That same month he was and lasted over 17 hours, set three aviation records for a plane selected to serve a three-year term on the scientific advisory under 2,205 pounds, board for the National Institute of Aerospace. In September, including the world speed he received the SAE Aerospace Engineering Leadership Award record for a transcontinental at the SAE Aerospace Congress and Exposition in Montreal. flight. Their average Ken Klein (BSBME ’82) has been added to the Wind River speed—a blazing 137 miles Systems Company Board of Directors. Wind River Systems is an hour—smashed the the worldwide leader in embedded software and services. previous record set in 2000 Wind River provides market-specific embedded platforms that of 52 miles an hour. integrate real-time operating systems, development tools and “Everything on the flight went as planned,” says Sirimanne. technologies. Wind River’s products and professional services “We did a lot of preparation and took many test flights together are used in multiple markets, including aerospace and defense, to understand the performance characteristics of the aircraft.” automotive, digital consumer, industrial, and network They loaded engine performance data into Excel spreadsheets infrastructure. Founded in 1981, Wind River is headquartered and ran a number of computer models simulating ideal flight in Alameda, California, with operations worldwide. Ken is also conditions. the chief operating officer of Mercury Interactive Corp. As if Sirimanne’s summer wasn’t busy enough, he managed to Regina Smith is happy to announce that she and her complete a degree at USC just one month after this flight, having husband Henry welcomed Eric Alexander Schaefer to the taken classes through the Distance Education Network (DEN) world on April 11, 2003. He was 9 pounds 3 ounces. She also since the fall of 2000. He earned a master’s in aerospace has a book called DNA due out in fall 2004 and has been engineering with a concentration in astronautics. “I found the named director at a new service called Bioinvestments.com. course offerings very broad with a great choice of classes,” he The company provides the general public with background says. “USC definitely has some excellent professors who really information about pharmaceutical companies with pending enjoy teaching and enjoy the subjects—a great mix of academic drug approvals, technical terms and drug programs. teachers and industry professors.” Richard Miller joined Information Systems Laboratories An Irvine resident, Sirimanne currently works at Edwards in San Diego. He is vice president and general manager of Lifesciences, where he directs research on artificial heart valves. the Technology Development & Manufacturing Group. The He also has an application pending with NASA’s astronaut company is privately held and primarily serves the DOD and program. intelligence community, providing services ranging from He says the importance of his flight is just beginning to sink in. R&D, engineering, systems integration, testing and ISO-9001 “The media attention was quite unexpected, and we have been certified manufacturing. overwhelmed with the enthusiasm of friends, family, co-workers, and the general public.” husband Michael Walsh, happily announce the birth of their first He pauses, and then adds, “It still seems like a dream.” child, daughter Cora Mary Virginia Walsh, on September 4, 2003. Gaurav Sukhatme, associate professor of computer science, and his wife Kalyani, joyfully announce the birth of their son, Please keep us informed of your personal and professional Mihir Gaurav, on October 13, 2003. progress, as well as changes in your contact information by visiting www.usc.edu/engineering and clicking on Alumni. Or Binh Tran has been promoted to director of instructional by writing to the Alumni Relations Office at the USC School of technology for the Distance Education Network. Engineering, Olin Hall 300, Los Angeles, California 90089-1454

USC ENGINEER 45 classn otes In Memoriam Douglas Aircraft, and was drafted into the military in 1943. After training as an Army Air Corps Cadet, Hood was assigned to Paul E. Hood (BSCE ’49) passed away on February 19, 2003 in gunnery school at Tyndall Field in Florida and was then shipped — Los Angeles. He served in World War II in the U.S Army 8th Air Force literally — to England aboard the Queen Mary, thanks to bad weather Second Air Division, 93rd Bombardment Group, and flew 35 combat that forced cancellation of his trans-Atlantic flight. missions as a right waist gunner in a B-24 Liberator — a four-engine heavy bomber airplane that was said to fly Hood and his 8th Air Force bomber crew flew dozens of successful higher, faster and farther than any other plane in combat missions over Nazi Germany, until their unit was ordered to World War II. stand down in May, 1945, when there were no enemy targets left in Germany to attack from the air. Upon returning from the war, Hood enrolled at USC on the GI bill. In 1949, he joined the State As soon as he was back in the U.S., Hood applied for admission to of California Department of Water Resources in USC, where he served as treasurer of the student chapter of the Sacramento as an engineer, working on the American Society of Civil Engineers, and graduated in 1949. state’s water and dam projects for more than 34 According to Hood’s daughter, Julie Hood, “Attending USC changed years until his retirement in 1983. He and his the direction of my father’s life. He could have gone into the booming colleagues helped to create many of the construction industry with his three brothers, or into an aviation- engineering marvels that have shaped the state and served the people related field after his service in the Air Force. But he found his of California for many decades, including the California Aqueduct, engineering classes at USC to the Feather River Project and the Whale Rock Dam Project. be challenging — even after Hood grew up in a small Irish farming community in Clare, Iowa. the challenges he faced during After graduating from high school, he worked at the Donahoe World War II — and he decid- General Store, which was such a perfect example of mid-western life ed to build a career with the that the building was later moved and preserved at the Fort Dodge Department of Water Museum in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Resources. He also used his In 1940, at the age of 19, Hood hitchhiked to California. One of his engineering skills to design first jobs was working as a flight dispatcher at Mines Field, now and construct our family home known as Los Angeles International Airport. He then joined Donald in Westchester.” Hood was very proud to be a USC graduate, and wore his USC ring every day of his life. He greatly enjoyed participating in his 25th and 40th year reunions at USC. Alumni Recognition “My father knew from his own experience the value of a good education, which he emphasized to all eight of his children,” says Julie Alumnus Nagui Mankaruse (MSME ’73), president of Hood. “I guess he expected some defections to rival UCLA, and three Delta Engineers, was chosen to present at the IMAPS of my four brothers did go there. He would pontificate about the Advanced Technology Workshop on Thermal Management superiority of USC and its football team to them at every opportunity, for High-Performance Computing and Wireless and he kept a coffee mug on his desk at home, with the inscription, Applications on October 22-24 in Palo Alto, California. ‘My favorite team is USC and whatever team is playing UCLA.’ He IMAPS is the largest symposium related to the microelec- was very proud when I received a scholarship to USC.” tronics and the electronic packaging industries in the world. The workshop attracts presenters and attendees Hood was an active member of Visitation Catholic Church, a Fourth are from the microelectronics industry as well as from Degree member of the Knights of Columbus, and a member of the universities all over the world. This year’s conference American Legion Post 177 in Venice, California. He spent several hosted a large gathering of technical experts and years managing his sons’ Little League baseball teams. He was an avid intellectuals from the United States, Britain, Germany, bowler, an enthusiastic precinct worker during local elections, and Austria, Italy, Canada, Japan, and Taiwan. enjoyed traveling throughout the world. The presentation topics centered on new research and The School of Engineering is proud to call alumni like Paul Hood their development of products and processes in thermal own. He epitomized the phrase “life-long Trojan”.His story, his spirit management and cooling for high-performance and his many accomplishments are an inspiration to all USC alumni. computing and wireless applications for things like He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Martha; children Diane, Julie, consumer electronics, space and military equipment. Tom, Paula, Marilyn, Phil, Joe and Jim; grandchildren William and Mankaruse’s presentation was entitled “Thermal Cooling Jacob; sister Rosemary Shanahan; and many nieces and nephews. of High Heat Flux Electronics Using Delta Engineers High Memorial contributions may be made to the Paul E. Hood Performance Cold Plate”. Scholarship Fund, c/o American Legion Venice Post #177, 6430 Firebrand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90045.

46 USC ENGINEER classn otes John W. Marshall (BSEE ’41) of Glendale, In Memoriam California, former director of industrial relations for the School passed away Robert Blumenthal (BSME ’50) was born in Santa Monica, California on January 23, at his home on February 26, 1923, and died in Beverly Hills on April 20, 2003. He is survived by his wife, Eloise; chil- 2003 at the age of 85. dren, Jan, Andy, Ellen, Karen, Steve and Tony; his adoring grandchildren, Annika, Marcus, Brandon, Nastachia, Erynn, Jennie, Barbara, Amanda and James and many loving cousins. Jack was born in Bob will be remembered for his sense of humor and his creative and artistic talents in all San Francisco and later mediums. He will also be remembered for his love of aviation, tennis, skiing and acting. moved to Baltimore. After graduating from Loyola Robert C. Cooley (MSEE ’68) passed away on July 30. Born in Los Angeles to Donald Blakefield High School, he and Lois Cooley, he was a U.S. Navy veteran, earned a masters degree and Arch Circle moved with his family to Award from USC and retired from Hughes Aircraft/SBRC as a program manager. Survived Pasadena, California. Jack enrolled at USC and by his wife Jennifer Cooley; daughters Jennifer and Sarah Francis, and granddaughter graduated in 1941 with a bachelors in electrical Natalie Francis. engineering. Upon graduation, he was one of very Charles R. Dippel (BSME ’49) of Saratoga, California, passed away on June 23 at the age few selected by General Electric Company to study of 79. From 1962 until his retirement in 1986, he was employed at Westinghouse Electric advanced electrical engineering courses in order to Company where he was the director of U.S. airforce programs. Charles is survived by his pursue his career in electronics. wife Rose Marie; his sister Mary; sons Steve, Jim, and Wayne; daughters Susan and Elissa During World War II, Jack served in the Navy and 13 grandchildren. directing the installation of radar systems on US Ervin S. Dean (MSEE ’56), a longtime resident of Palo Alto, California, died on July 16 ships in the Pacific. He was also involved in the at the age of 79. After 8 years at Pacific Gas & Electric, Ervin transferred to the Sunnyvale atomic bomb experiments at the Bikini Atoll. After campus of Lockheed Martin where he served as an engineer and project manager for his return from the war, he continued to work for nearly 35 years. Upon retirement, he became an active volunteer for many organizations, General Electric in various capacities. friends and family. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Karen Strickler Dean; two Jack attended Loyola Law School and after daughters, Pamela and Lucie; two sons, Nathan and Thomas and four grandchildren. graduation in 1951, he successfully entered the Thomas J. Foley was a member of the Trojan Football team, and was also a member of California Bar Association. The Newman Club. He was a very successful engineering contractor for 47 years. He also In 1968, Jack returned to USC as director of served as a 1st Lieutenant in the 8th Air Force during World War II. As a B-17 pilot, he was industry relations for the School of Engineering. engaged in 35 missions. He was a valiant fighter against heart disease, cancer and other Until he retired in 1986, he was the key contact physical ailments. He is survived by his beloved wife Elaine Foley, loving brother Dan person to many major companies regarding (Mary) Foley, Loretta and Bob Collins and many relatives and friends. fundraising, student employment and other Wesley D. Gerber (BSEE ’59) died at the age of 71 on May 29 following a short battle activities. During his time at USC, Jack also with cancer. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War and enjoyed a 29 year career worked with many international students. at Ford Aerospace in Newport Beach, California. He was a dedicated family man and is In addition to providing educational counseling, survived by his wife Lois, two stepdaughters and a stepson; his son, four grandchildren and he helped the students adapt to life in America. two great grandchildren. Ram C. Mukherji (MSEE ’70, MSMgmt.Sc ’74) was Donald G. Hardy (MAOM ’71) Cmdr., passed away in his sleep at home on April 8, 2003 one of the students Jack assisted. “I was one of the at the age of 72. He worked as an engineer in the aerospace industry before starting his own very fortunate people to meet Jack in September, custom embroidery business. He is survived by his wife Judith, and her daughters Caryn 1968. He guided me through the US Immigration Gregory, Susan Freudenberg, Sharon and Collene Gregory. He is also survived by his first process to obtain special permission to work in the wife Jean Hardy, and their children Susan Sneddon, Pamela Catalano, Lance Hardy and first year in the US, and he introduced me to the Meredith Hardy, as well as by his sister Dorothy Kirchner, nieces, nephews and grandchildren. company where I worked for 26 years prior to Edward E. Johnson (BSME ’58) passed away on April 9, 2003 at the age of 71. He is retiring. He picked up my wife from LAX when she survived by his wife Sara Jo, his sons, and two sisters. He was a member of Phi Sigma came to join me here because I was not driving at Kappa fraternity. Ed loved his years at USC and remained a loyal Trojan his entire life. His that time. He taught me how to drive and many, career included positions at Beckman Instruments, Servonic Instruments, Bertea, and ACL many other things that have allowed me and my Technology. family to flourish. Without Jack Marshall, the William J. Miller (MSAE, MSME ’70) of Bridgman, Michigan passed away unexpectedly Mukherji family would not have settled in this great on Sunday, April 20, 2003 at the age of 60. William served his country for 30 years in the land. His impression lives with many others in this U.S. Army. He earned a bachelors of science degree from the U.S. Military Academy, West country and as well as in many foreign lands”. Point and holds a masters from the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. William is Jack is survived by his wife Bertha of fifty-eight survived by his wife Carolynn J. Ott, his children Michelle and John Brusard, his parents, years, his brother and best friend Frank; children sibling, and grandchildren. John, Nancy and Laurie; and six grand children.

USC ENGINEER 47 development f ocus

Firm Foundations: Charles Lee Powell’s Generous Legacy

Charles Lee Powell was a pioneering, self-taught engineer who invented and patented new methods for building concrete structures underground. He is credited with building much of Los Angeles’ early infrastructure, including the Second and Third Street Tunnels and the Angels Flight funicular railway in the historic downtown Bunker Hill district.

Following a successful career as a contrac- executive director since the tor, Powell made provisions in his will for a mid-1980s. charitable foundation that would carry Although Powell laid the forward his legacy of innovation and foundation for his professional entrepreneurial spirit. For nearly 40 years, career in Southern California, he the La Jolla-based Charles Lee Powell hailed from storied Southern stock. Foundation has supported groundbreaking He was born on the campus of the engineering programs at USC, Caltech, Virginia Military Institute in 1863, Stanford, and U.C. San Diego. during the Civil War, and his “The foundation’s directors identified mother was a second cousin of a select group of universities in California General Robert E. Lee. Powell was that had quality engineering programs,” the youngest son in a family of 11 says Joel Holliday, president and chief children – a family that lost all its executive officer of the foundation. land and assets during the war, Charles Lee Powell “Given the relatively modest size of the before young Powell’s second foundation’s endowment, they felt it would birthday. just as each of his brothers had done. be best to limit the number of schools they Powell’s entrepreneurial spirit and Perhaps it is true that good deeds do fund, in order to provide sustained support ingenuity were evident from the start. not go unnoticed, for later that year Powell for leading-edge research and teaching in When he was six, he paid for a sow by was offered work supervising a street areas where it would make a difference.” shucking corn for his grandfather’s hogs, paving job in Neosha Falls, Kansas — the Since 1970, the foundation has and made money raising and selling the first of several construction projects he provided more than $13 million in grants resulting piglets. He worked steadily at a managed in that state. By 1893, he had to the USC School of Engineering, funding variety of odd jobs throughout his youth, saved the princely sum of $10,000, the Charles Lee Powell Hall of Information and by the time he was 18, he had saved which he carefully carried with him on a Sciences and Systems Engineering, the westward-bound train to Los Angeles, to Charles Lee Powell Chair in Computer launch what soon became one of the most Engineering, the Charles Lee Powell Chair By 1893, he had saved the successful construction businesses in in Electrical Engineering and Computer Southern California. princely sum of $10,000, which Science and the Charles Lee Powell In addition to landmark structures, Foundation Photonics Industrial Laboratory. he carefully carried with him on Powell’s firm built one of the first “Thanks to the Charles Lee Powell a westward-bound train to modern sewerage systems in downtown Foundation’s generous support, the School Los Angeles, replacing the open redwood of Engineering is pushing the boundaries Los Angeles, to launch what soon sewer trenches that had served city of research and teaching in fields that are became one of the most residents. As a contractor, he was admired of enormous importance to this nation and for implementing numerous worker safety the world as a whole,” says Dean C. L. successful construction business- measures in what were often dangerous Max Nikias. es in Southern California. underground construction projects. “The core of our giving centers on Powell died in 1959, at the age of 96, ‘bundle grants,” says Holliday. “We leaving the Charles Lee Powell Foundation fund exciting research, along with the $158 (equivalent to $2,764 today). to continue his legacy. “Mr. Powell clearly equipment and graduate fellowships that When he was 21, Powell received his was a man of great vision, compassion and are required to sustain this work.” Holliday share of a small inheritance from his entrepreneurial drive,” says Christopher has been president and CEO of the father’s estate. Jobless, he was living in Stoy, the School’s CEO of External foundation since 1999. He succeeded the Kansas City at the time and wore folded Relations. “We are grateful to him, and to late Herbert Kunzel (LAS ‘33, LLB ’34), a newspaper in his shoes because they had the foundation he created, for supporting San Diego trial and corporate attorney who so many holes. Nonetheless, he signed his exciting new frontiers of engineering served as the foundation’s chairman and entire inheritance over to his mother — research and teaching at USC.”

48 USC ENGINEER HIREHIRE THETHE NEXTNEXT GENERATION!GENERATION!

Your degree got you this far. See what the next generation of USC Engineers has to offer!

Put their abilities to work for you!

The USC Cooperative Education Program matches top-quality undergraduate Engineers with employers offering degree-related work experience.

CO-OP IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY:

Los Angeles, CA 90089 Gain fresh ideas from ࡯ www.usc.edu/engcs enthusiastic students The Cooperative Education ࡯ Identify outstanding Program is the cornerstone of IBM’s future employees College recruiting process. I have ࡯ Free for employers! been associated with the Office of ࡯ Serves as a low-cost Engineering Student Affairs at USC training & development since the mid-90s. The staff has program always provided a personal touch of ࡯ Maintain ongoing hospitality coupled with a strong desire to give their students the best possible industry experience. There are many successful alumni from relationship with USC USC’s Engineering School that have For more information about Co-op and hiring joined IBM who participated in outstanding Trojan engineers, contact: our Co-op program. The strong Engineering Career Services partnership between IBM and USC is necessary to continue to attract top 213-740-4530 [email protected] fax: 213-740-8690 ࡯ ࡯ talent to meet our industry’s needs. 3650 S. McClintock Ave OHE 106 JOIN USJOIN US DESTINATION: THE FUTURE THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING’S FUNDRAISING INITIATIVE

Please join Dean C.L. Max Nikias and other alumni, friends, parents and partners of the School of Engineering for a celebration to launch the School’s new fundraising initiative.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2003 6:30PM Reception 7:30PM Dinner

THE RITZ-CARLTON MARINA DEL REY 4375 Admiralty Way Marina Del Rey, California

Business Attire Complimentary Valet Parking

For more information on the Launch Celebration, please call the School of Engineering at 213 740 2502

Non-Profit Organization US Postage PAID School of Engineering University of University of Southern California Southern California Olin Hall 300 Los Angeles, CA 90089-1454