SPRING 2018 IIT Magazine

ALUMNI RESEARCH FROM THE STAGE TO THE STARS Space Elevator Improv Therapy Passive House IIT Magazine SPRING 2018 Contents VICE PRESIDENT FOR EXTERNAL AFFAIRS Jess Goode Letter from the Vice Provost for MANAGING EDITOR Marcia Faye

Research and Academic Affairs DIRECTOR OF EDITORIAL SERVICES Chelsea Kalberloh Jackson

CONTRIBUTORS Jim Daley Olivia Dimmer Amanda Cleary Eastep Richard Harth Steve Hendershot Robin Hunt Luke Siuty

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGN Scott Benbrook

WEB EDITION Brian Bailey Adrian Cabrera Abbey Vargas

IIT MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED 14 TWICE A YEAR 16 BY THE OFFICE OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS.

Returning from a sabbatical in alumni were instrumental in pioneered modern architecture. © 2018 2007, I vividly remember driving creating a billion-dollar company Colleagues include Nobel IIT Magazine is printed on down 31st Street after having (Cleversafe), according to that laureate Leon Lederman and FSC-certified recycled paper. 10 JPL engineer John Brophy (ME DEPARTMENTS Read it, share it, recycle it. been away for many months. company’s founder, Illinois world-renowned architect John ’78) is making space smaller by SEND LETTERS TO harnessing the power of ions for 02 Letters As I passed under the Metra Tech Trustee Chris Gladwin. Ronan. Faculty also maintain the IIT Magazine tracks, I glanced to my right to In this issue of IIT Magazine, rigorous academic programs that Office of Marketing long-distance celestial travel. 03 Philanthropy News and Communications 04 On Campus see Mies Campus and suddenly you can read about our alumni have served our graduates well. 10 West 35th Street, Suite 4D7-1 14 For Kristin Krueger (Ph.D. PSYC 06 Athletics realized that I was home. Illinois today who are making strides in Our return on investment is one Chicago, IL 60616 ’04), life—and therapy—imitate art. 07 Research Briefs Tech was my home. I’ve never their chosen fields of research, of the best in the country! Our OR EMAIL [email protected] 22 Alumni News forgotten that moment. from Carly Coulson (ARCH ’97), faculty are the cornerstone of our SEND ALUMNI NEWS TO 16 Carly Coulson (ARCH ’97) says 32 Rewind who is exploring “Invisible research efforts and inspire the [email protected] that the most effective green- Since then I’ve often thought Sustainability” in building design, next generation of innovators Illinois Institute of Technology, also known as Illinois building sustainability is invisible. about what makes Illinois Tech to John Brophy (ME ’78), an pushing the boundaries of Tech, is a private, technology-focused research university offering undergraduate and graduate special, what makes it better interstellar engineer with NASA’s exploration and discovery. degrees in engineering, science, architecture, 18 Whirr, sizzle, dunk—Mohammed business, design, human sciences, applied than other schools, what makes Jet Propulsion Laboratory. technology, and law. Faraj (EE ’92) and his team determine “The Best” it home. I’ve concluded that the The one common denominator One of 21 institutions that comprise the Association of answer is actually quite simple. Staff members across campus I’ve found is that Illinois Tech-ers Independent Technological Universities (AITU), Illinois gadgets for the Hammacher Tech offers exceptional preparation for professions Schlemmer catalogs. It’s the people—the students, distinguish themselves through sincerely and modestly do their that require technological sophistication, an innovative the faculty, and the staff. their dedication to both students best to build an institution that mindset, and an entrepreneurial spirit. 20 From air purifiers to aerospace and faculty. They serve as mentors, is stronger and better than when MISSION STATEMENT components, Honeywell’s Scott Our student body is truly To provide distinctive and relevant education in role models, and coaches. They they arrived. They support one an environment of scientific, technological, and Zhang (M.S. MAE ’89, Ph.D. diverse, with students attending volunteer to serve on the Student another unlike anywhere else professional knowledge creation and innovation CHE ’92) works to broaden the today from 100 countries. Our Success Committee, they stay late I’ve been; I’ll be forever grateful Armour College of Engineering company’s research capabilities. alumni include the first-known and show up early. Without them, to those who have unselfishly Chicago-Kent College of Law CORPORATION BY OBAYASHI AND COPYRIGHTED PROVIDED IMAGE African-American chemical College of Architecture the university could not function. assisted me over the years. Our College of Science engineer, Charles Pierce (CHE students, faculty, and staff are Institute of Design 1901); the inventor of the cell I hold a particular affinity for Lewis College of Human Sciences why Illinois Tech is my home. School of Applied Technology phone, Martin “Marty” Cooper (EE my fellow faculty who through Stuart School of Business IIT Magazine ’50, M.S. ’57); and even a former the years have built the first Sincerely, ADA STATEMENT Online-Only Content! president of Lithuania, Valdas private nuclear reactor, developed Illinois Institute of Technology provides qualified individuals Read extended coverage of stories featured in with disabilities reasonable accommodations to participate in ON THE COVER: Obayashi Corporation’s Adamkus (CE ’61, Hon. Ph.D. ’99). magnetic recording technologies, the print edition as well as special online-only university activities, programs, and services. Such individuals content at magazine.iit.edu technical manager, Akihisa “Aki” Miwa (M.S. More recently our students and established the New Bauhaus, and Christopher White with disabilities requiring an accommodation should call the OR ’83), looks ahead to his company’s futuristic activity, program, or service director. For further information space elevator project. You can find the cover about Illinois Tech’s resources, contact the Illinois Tech Center story on pages 12 and 13. Christopher White came to Illinois Tech in 1995 as a particle physics researcher and was named a tenure-track faculty member in the College for Disability Resources at [email protected]. of Science in 2000. A professor of physics, he has performed high-profile research with colleagues around the world on the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment Collaboration. In 2016 White and other members of the Daya Bay team received the Fundamental Physics Breakthrough Prize for their discoveries. The recipient of several teaching, research, and scholarship awards, White served as chair of the Department of Physics from 2011 to 2013 and was then promoted to vice provost. Letters Philanthropy News

not only a medallion but also the beautiful careers. I worked for Goodman for a shadow box in which it was displayed little over four years and left at the time M. Zia Hassan: Alumnus, Mentor, and Friend as well as photos taken at the reunion. the Westinghouse Air Brake Company bought the mining division and the When [my husband and I] opened our remaining part of the company was During his years at the university Hassan counted Zia’s guidance and friendship gifts on Christmas day, I saved the best for renamed Mangood Corporation. Sadly, mentored countless students. Alumni among my life’s great blessings.” last: the gift from IIT (and from me). Rich Goodman along with Crane Company who learned from and admired him was very surprised—and a little confused. (South Kedzie Avenue), Kool-Aid [part honored his Illinois Tech legacy by Elizabeth Durango-Cohen, associate Actually, I was a little surprised, too. What of Kraft Foods Inc.] (South Rockwell establishing the M. Zia Hassan Endowed professor of operations management, I didn’t know was that he had also made Avenue), and many others are no longer Professorship fund, with contributions was invested as the first-ever M. Zia a request for a replacement medallion part of the Chicago employment scene. from more than 65 alumni. The lead Hassan Endowed Professor. Her research through the alumni office. As I explained donor behind the fund, Illinois Tech focuses on the formulation, estimation, what I had done, he was touched by my Thank you, Ron, for allowing me to Trustee Ellen Jordan (PSYC ’79, M.B.A. and analysis of models to support effort to obtain the medallion especially mentally time travel to back then. ’81), served for many years on the boards managerial decision making arising in because my life has been quite busy lately, And I did not have to steal a TARDIS. [Left to right] Past Provost Frances Bronet, M. Zia Hassan of advisors for Stuart School and the the areas of supply-chain management Margaret Bonkowski, wife of as you can imagine. Chuck Hresil (ME ’61) Endowed Professor Elizabeth Durango-Cohen, Illinois Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center. and nonprofit fundraising. Earlier in Tech Trustee Ellen Jordan (PSYC ’79, M.B.A. ’81), and Richard Bonkowski (EE ’67), sent a John and Mae Calamos Stuart School of Business Dean 2017 she was awarded Stuart School’s thank you letter this past January to Thank you again for your generosity Endowed Chair John F. O. Bilson “Zia is a man for whom I had enormous Excellence in Teaching Illinois Tech President Alan W. Cramb. and for helping with this memorable Write Back! respect, who made an indelible Award in recognition He had responded positively to her Christmas surprise. IIT Magazine welcomes all signed letters to M. Zia Hassan (M.S. IE ’58, Ph.D. ’65) mark on me both personally and of her outstanding inquiry about obtaining a replacement the editor and edits letters for content and dedicated his entire career to Illinois professionally. He was my professor, contributions to students. of her husband’s 50th anniversary In looking over IIT Magazine from fall clarity. Please send correspondence to: Tech. His academic roles included mentor, and more importantly, he Class of 1967 commemorative 2017, the letter from Ron Dickman professor and department chair of was a trusted friend and advisor. I “Zia always searched for medallion, which was destroyed in (BE ’67) caught my attention. His IIT Magazine industrial engineering, professor of learned so much from Zia,” Jordan ways to make a positive the 2017 Sonoma County California statement on the [local] “mining c/o Letters management science, and dean of said at the investiture, held last difference—whether wildfires. Here is an excerpt: division” sounded like the Goodman 10 West 35th Street Stuart School of Business. Hassan November. Hassan passed away less in the lives of new Manufacturing Company, my first Suite 4D7-1 oversaw the launch of Stuart School’s than one month before the event. faculty like me, or with I was overwhelmed when I opened the employer. Goodman was an employer Chicago, IL 60616 master of science programs and students, or in the package I received from IIT and found for many of us engineers starting our Email: [email protected] guided Stuart’s accreditation in the “I was elated to support this wonderful community. My goal Association to Advance Collegiate and fitting tribute to a man who—for is to use this endowed Schools of Business, a status earned more than half a century—worked professorship to by fewer than 5 percent of the world’s tirelessly to devote himself to his support my research Transitions business schools. In 2002 Hassan students, to Illinois Tech,” adds Jordan. as I work to make a Illinois Tech welcomes the following stepped down as dean and became “I am proud that he was my friend. positive difference,” individuals to the Board of Trustees: director of Stuart’s Ph.D. program. I’m sincere when I say that I have Durango-Cohen says. Judson B. Althoff (ME ’95), Executive Vice President, M. Zia Hassan

Worldwide Commercial Business, Microsoft Corporation DIMMER OLIVA PHOTO: Carter H. Eckert Sr. (CHE ’64), Retired Richard Neil Levy (LAW, M.B.A. ’97), Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Victory Park Capital Mitchell Harris “Mitch” Saranow, Chairman Giving Day 2017: and Founder, The Saranow Group Michael Steven Seedman, Executive Partner, Siris Capital Group Qing-Chang Zhong Tech Yeah! John C. Walden (LAW ’86), President and Chief Executive Officer, FTD Companies Visit magazine.iit.edu to read On November 7, 2017, the Illinois Tech community Illinois Tech congratulates the Online Exclusives about came together to raise money for the university. Donors helped the university unlock thousands following individuals on their Qing-Chang Zhong, Max McGraw Endowed Chair new roles at the university: Professor of Energy and Power Engineering and of dollars in challenge and matching gifts Management that are already making a huge difference for Anijo Punnen Mathew, Associate Professor, Institute student scholarships, educational supplies, of Design, as Academic Director, Ed Kaplan Family Kyllian Griffin, head coach of the Scarlet Hawks Institute for Innovation and Tech Entrepreneurship swimming and diving teams and campus support. R. Russell Betts, Distinguished Professor of Physics, as Interim Hammacher Schlemmer Institute “The Best Personal Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Blender” test Giving Day may be over, but you can support Illinois Tech students all year-round at Robert Ellis, Associate Professor of Applied Leana Osmer (AE ’16), component product engineer Mathematics, as Associate Dean, College of Science for Aerojet Rocketdyne alumni.iit.edu/give. Xiaofan Li, Professor of Applied Mathematics, Brandon Lloyd (AE ’08), NASA International Space as Interim Dean, College of Science Station flight controller

2 SPRING 2018 3 On Campus On Campus “I strongly believe that the future of America rests not on those athletic Illinois Tech Headliners its 43rd year. Chicago-area high PHOTO: OLIVIA DIMMER PHOTO: superstars or entertainment Bridges celebrities garnering schools hold their own bridge building contests in December headlines and idolized by to the today’s youth, but with those or January, with top winners scientists, technologists, and participating in the Illinois Tech engineers charting the new event. Duchossois Leadership Professor Carlo Segre, who information age.” —Bob Johnson (CE ’69, M.S. ’71), contest promoter and heads the International Bridge Future retired structural engineer Building Committee, has been involved in the event since 1993.

“Bridges are built to specs as part of a “TO BE SURE, BOLD PROTESTS kit, but the students can use any glue Freedom to Be Free they want. The design depends on the THAT ATTRACT ATTENTION, specs; there are criteria that state the EVEN IF MOST OF IT IS If there’s one assignment universally loathed by college students, it’s the CONDEMNATORY, CAN PLAY A group project. “For the last number of years before I Computer science third-year students Brendan Batliner [right] retired, I would build a sample bridge CRITICAL ROLE IN CREATING and Vinesh Kannan [left] have experienced firsthand the struggles of and then break it for the classes to THE CONDITIONS FOR coordinating schedules, holding group members accountable for pulling their weight, and communicating these roadblocks to their professors. show how it would be tested. I would POLITICAL CHANGE.” So, true to their entrepreneurial spirit, the pair developed an app to load the bridge and it would eventually Christopher W. Schmidt, Chicago-Kent College of Law professor, solve these challenges. break with a loud bang as the weights in the op-ed “What Trump-Era Protesters Can Learn from the “A problem that we always noticed is that everyone is so busy with their hit the floor. Because of their surprise, Lunch Counter Sit-Ins of 1960” in USA Today individual lives they can’t commit to good teamwork,” Batliner says. “This is I would then need to clean many of the a group scheduling tool to help people not have the excuse of ‘I don’t have students off of the ceiling…” any time.’” —Roy Coleman (PHYS ’64), contest co-founder and retired With some guidance from Illinois Tech Coleman Foundation Clinical physics teacher Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship Nik Rokop, the duo launched Omnipointment in January 2016. The scheduling application allows groups to share appointments and suggests meeting times that work for everyone. It also prevents exact specifications the bridges need to double-booking and keeps group members accountable by showing how “Volunteering to judge this contest allows me to give back to the meet and that is the trick,” he explains. much free time they actually have in a day. engineering community and share my professional skills to help “Then they break their bridges and the “Working on a personal project and applying what students learn in class future engineers gain a better understanding of the engineering one with the highest efficiency wins.” to that project makes their learning much more meaningful and gives the principles.” —Jamal Grainawi (CE ’83, M.S. ’85), contest judge and vice president student a sense of ownership of learning they don’t otherwise get,” Rokop “It’s a biological phenomenon: and Movable Bridges Specialty Group manager at WSP Tinley Park High School junior Todd says. “It is inspirational for me to see my students succeed and to have a Physical activity is good small part in their success. I learn from them as much as they learn from Bajzek, who comes from a family of for our mood.” me, and I develop lifelong friendships with these amazing young people.” ROBIN SUBAR PHOTO: Illinois Tech alumni bridge winners [see The app has recently been sold to Mimir, an Indianapolis-based Student preparing to test his bridge to destruction at the 2018 Chicago Regional Bridge Building Contest Rewind on page 32 about his sister Sasha Michael Young, professor and chair of psychology, in a New York computer science-education business. As part of the acquisition, Kannan Bajzek (CE ’11)], won first place in the Times article on seasonal affective disorder has joined the Mimir team and will launch his postgraduate career as head “It still surprises me every year how nervous the students Chicago South Suburban Regional division. of curriculum development. are before they start testing their bridges. Some of them With a lightweight bridge mass of just The software developed by Batliner and Kannan is currently being used are literally shaking. I try to sit by them and talk to them to over 27 pounds capable of supporting by more than 95 universities around the country, including Illinois Tech. calm them down.” —George Krupa (CE ’72, M.S. ’77), contest chief judge 110 pounds of weight, Bajzek’s creation “We are so proud to say the Illinois Tech computer science department and structural engineering consultant had the highest efficiency rating of any is a customer of ours,” Kannan says. “We not only got to work with and learn from professors and to interview students and professors, but we contestant. Efficiency is measured as the have a business relationship on tap on campus.” he high school students 2018 Chicago Regional Bridge Building ratio of bridge mass to how much weight Since its acquisition by Mimir, Omnipointment has been modified to descended upon Hermann Contest, held on January 23 at Illinois Tech. the bridge can support before it breaks. allow professors to keep track of group projects and to address any issues Hall, some accompanied early on. Both creators say the assistance they received from the university by parents, others arriving In the late 1960s Morgan Park High Bajzek and five other first- and second- “It will give you an answer for almost was instrumental in helping get their idea off the ground. by the busload with their School teacher Roy Coleman (PHYS ’64) place winners will go on to compete “We’re both lifelong learners who are going to enjoy learning whether teachers. Wearing fleece hoodies, down suggested that his students “build a in the International Bridge Building anything: If you type in the letter ‘A’ 17 we’re in the classroom or not,” Kannan says. “We wanted to be able to T jackets, or plaid uniform skirts, the bridge” to better understand the concept Contest on Saturday, April 21. The winner times, Google Translate will give you demonstrate, irrespective of grades and degrees, we are capable of young people formed a queue to check in of force dynamics. He showed some of of the international contest is given a something that looks like a sentence if growing. That’s why having mentors like Nik are super valuable; he has insights that extend beyond the classroom to push us and help us reflect their masterpieces—small-scale bridges his students’ bridges to Illinois Tech half-tuition scholarship to the university, you squint hard enough.” on how we can be better.” —Olivia Dimmer of basswood that they each designed Professor Emeritus Earl Zwicker (M.S. if selected for admission.—Marcia Faye and built in the hope that their bridge’s PHYS ’52, Ph.D. ’59), who then initiated Professor of Computer Science Shlomo Engelson Argamon MORE ONLINE MORE ONLINE in The Times of Israel discussing cracking the code behind the Mimir: www.mimirhq.com strength would earn them a chance at a efforts for Illinois Tech to host the annual Bridge Building Contest: Voynich Manuscript Omnipointment: www.omnipointment.com coveted first- or second-place slot in the regional bridge building contest, now in bridgecontest.phys.iit.edu

4 SPRING 2018 5 Athletics By Marcia Faye Research Brief Women’s Lacrosse Welcomes New Head Coach Meghan Brady, a former star student-athlete at Robert Morris University who went on to rebuild the lacrosse program there, is the new head coach of the Scarlet Hawks women’s lacrosse team. Before undertaking her coaching duties at Robert Morris, Brady served as an assistant coach at Elmhurst College and Davenport University. She also was head coach at Fenwick High School and Barrington High School, both in the Chicago area. As a student-athlete, Brady was a two-time All-American and All-Conference selection.

Teams Take Third Place and a Tight Fourth at the Liberal Arts Championships The Scarlet Hawks men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams placed third and fourth, respectively, at their end-of-season meet, the 2018 Liberal Arts Championships, held February 14–17 at Luther College Aquatic Center in Decorah, Iowa. Student-athlete Karsen Diepholz (CS/AE 2nd year), who took the top score in the 1,650- yard freestyle in 2017 also won the 2018 event, besting his previous score of 16:02.14 with a new time of 15:59.97. He also set a new Illinois Tech record and the Luther College pool record. Brigitte Temple (ME 4th year) The Lady Scarlet Hawks were just two points behind the third-place team and five points behind the second. The women’s 200-yard medley relay team of Katherine Lydon (BME 2nd year), Brigitte Temple (ME 4th year), Briana Tyler (ME 4th year), and Kristin Wills (BME 3rd year) set the school record with a time of 1:49.67. The 2017 200-meter breaststroke record Inside the DNA of Pathogens holder, Temple, won the event again this year with a time of 2:24.22 and a Luther College Figuring out how diseases co-evolve alongside humans can be chal- pool record. lenging, Illinois Tech Assistant Professor of Biology Jean-Francois Pombert says. By looking at the genomes of pathogens, components Read the Online Exclusive “Making Waves” about the men’s and women’s swimming and diving involved in virulence and in host adaptation can be identified. ¶ “If we head coach, Kyllian Griffin, at magazine.iit.edu. have a better understanding of what makes [pathogens] dangerous, Karsen Diepholz (CS/AE 2nd year) we can start devising strategies to fight back or, even better, try to start developing prophylactic techniques to prevent diseases from occurring in the first place,” he says, noting that one of the challenges Women’s Volleyball of DNA sequencing is that the process is almost like a big jigsaw puz- Standout Named zle, except there’s no picture on the box and the puzzle pieces often USCAA Student- have the same colors, the same shapes, and are blurry. ¶ For Pombert, Athlete of the Year the process of mapping out the genomes of human pathogens is the topic of his latest research. By using the fastest cutting-edge genome The United States College Athletic sequencers, Pombert and his team of student researchers have been Association selected Scarlet Hawks able to accurately sequence the DNA of several bacterial pathogens women’s volleyball player Reya Green that have never been sequenced before. In another project funded by (PSYC 4th year) as Student-Athlete of the a National Institutes of Health grant, Pombert hopes to find out more Year, marking only the third time that the about how Microsporidia, a kind of parasite often found in patients USCAA has given the honor to an Illinois Play Ball: Illinois Tech with immune system deficiencies, infect us and how they avoid the Tech student-athlete. In addition to having vs. Aurora University defenses in place in the human body. ¶ One of the sequencers his team been team captain, Green is an involved uses is still in its prototype phase. The MinION Oxford Nanopore DNA academic leader, serving as treasurer and The Scarlet Hawks baseball team will go and RNA sequencer can generate several gigabytes of DNA sequence board member of the Student Athlete bat to bat against the Aurora University data. Researchers can choose to sequence the entire genome of a Advisory Committee and as treasurer of the Spartans in Illinois Tech’s annual ballgame substance or get a snapshot of a particular section. In addition, the Order of Omega, a selective Greek honor at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the MinION streams data in real time, enabling novel applications and society whose members excel in both the Chicago White Sox. The big game will faster responses to outbreaks. —Olivia Dimmer classroom and extracurricular activities. be held on Thursday, April 26 at 7 p.m. MORE ONLINE “Researchers at Illinois Tech Use DNA Sequencing to Fight Parasites”: PHOTOS: STEPHEN BATES, WCS PHOTOGRAPHY illinoistechathletics.com PHOTO: OLIVIA DIMMER youtube.com/Watch?v=LJRK25vLnfY

6 SPRING 2018 7 Research Brief

UPDATE Brilliant Beacons on the Research Horizon

he future of tailored cancer drug therapy lies within the lima bean-shaped image on a computer screen in Illinois Tech’s T Medical Imaging Research Center. The image depicts a whole porcine lymph node illumi- nated by bright red and green points of injected fluorescent dyes and is the first produced with the ADEPT Cancer Imager. The innovative device produces a 3-D high-resolution molecular map of a a piece of tissue such as a lymph node indicating microscopic areas where cancer has spread, and at a far more minute level than existing imagers. “We’ve become leading experts in paired- agent imaging, which allows for quantitative “Lymph nodes drain the primary tumor, which is mapping of the cancer molecules.” the reason physicians look for cancer that is spread —Kenneth Tichauer there. The treatment for metastatic disease is very

aggressive; you would not want to give that treatment BENBROOK SCOTT PHOTO: to somebody who did not need it. Physicians need some way of identifying who should be given the Assistant Professor Kenneth Tichauer [left] and Associate Professor Jovan Brankov (M.S. EE ’99, Ph.D. ’02) with the ADEPT Cancer Imager aggressive treatment,” says Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Kenneth Tichauer, developer of the ADEPT (Agent-Dependent Early Photon “We’ve become leading experts in Family Foundation, established a $1 million now able to perform imaging at a high Tomography System) Cancer Imager. He notes that paired-agent imaging, which allows gift to fund the Nayar Prize I (and later, resolution and has the potential to do current studies indicate that patients who have for quantitative mapping of the cancer Nayar Prize II) to challenge university groundbreaking research in the future.” microscopic levels of metastatic disease and who molecules,” says Tichauer, adding that in faculty, staff, and students to develop would benefit from a more aggressive therapy are b a clinical setting, the images would reveal breakthrough, innovative projects that will, Brankov provides a sobering statistic being missed 30 to 60 percent of the time. “Patients the exact area where cancer cells lie within within three years, produce meaningful that underscores the researchers’ are then coming back later with a more advanced minutes, thereby allowing medical experts results with a societal impact. Tichauer ultimate goal behind the creation disease than before they started cancer therapy. to accurately process the tissue specimen was also funded through a National of the ADEPT Cancer Imager. Our idea is to make the detection of that metastatic and decide upon the course of treatment. Science Foundation Faculty Early Career disease more sensitive than what is now being done.” Development (CAREER) Award in 2017 to “From 90 to 95 percent of [cancer] drugs fail Tichauer came up with the idea for further refine the imager. The researchers at the clinical stage. They have very good Tichauer’s research group is currently working with two-color imaging for cancer detection credit their cadre of undergraduate and results in animal models and in some pig lymph nodes that have been injected with human while he was a postdoc at Dartmouth graduate students with making important preliminary phase 1 stages, but when they cells or cells harvested from human cancer grown College, exploring the kinetics of imaging contributions to the project. Doctoral go into phase 2 and phase 3, they fail,” says in an immune-compromised mouse. These nodes agents in tissue and applying mathematical student Cynthia Li (BME Ph.D. student) Brankov. “The cost of the effective drug is are then injected with biologically active fluorescent models to extract quantitative information. contributed to the development of the pig now high because only 5 percent of the substances (fluorophores, which display as red At Illinois Tech he formed the ADEPT team lymph node procedure. Lagnojita Sinha investment actually pans out to be and green) that chemically interact with the tissue, with co-principal investigators Jovan (BME Ph.D. student), Tichauer’s student something. One of the theories on the seeking out proteins that are over-expressed by breast Brankov (M.S. EE ’99, Ph.D. ’02), a systems since 2013, helped build the imager. heterogeneity of the tumor is that there are cancer. The node is then suspended in the imager development expert and associate various different cancer cells that are and photons, or light particles, pass through the professor of biomedical engineering/ “Although my knowledge of optics was undetected or not differentiated. The tissue, resulting in a cross-sectional image displaying electrical and computer engineering, and limited in the beginning, the lab was a very imager would shorten the time to develop c

a “map” of where the red and green dyes, also known KENNETH TICHAUER IMAGES: Rajendra Mehta, a biologist with IIT supportive and encouraging environment the effective drug and could be a huge as paired agents, have traveled. The tissue specimen Research Institute. In 2016 the ADEPT where all ideas were equally welcomed, as savings not only to pharmaceutical can be rotated 360 degrees in the ADEPT chamber so Cancer Imager was selected over two other we all were experimenting and learning at companies, but also to NIH [National that a 3-D reconstruction can be produced. A larger Pig lymph node loaded with three microscopic human breast cancer lesions: a) The cyan-colored faculty teams to advance to the second the same time,” says Sinha, who has trained Institutes of Health], which is funding most amount of the protein-seeking dye indicates the image is the ADEPT image of the targeted imaging agent distribution (lots of nonspecific retention); phase of Illinois Tech’s Nayar Prize I. Veronica Torres (BME Ph.D. student) to of the research.”—Marcia Faye b) The magenta-colored image is the ADEPT image of the control imaging agent (to account for presence of cancer while an equivalent proportion of the nonspecific retention); c) The lymph cartoon is overlaid with the ratio of the cyan and magenta Trustee Madhavan Nayar (M.S. IE ’68) and take her place on the team. “It was enlight- MORE ONLINE dye distribution would indicate no presence of cancer. images [in red], highlighting the locations of the three microscopic cancer lesions. his wife, Teresa, on behalf of the Nayar ening to build a system from scratch that is Nayar Prize: web.iit.edu/nayar-prize/about

8 SPRING 2018 9 Research | Feature STAR POWER By Richard Harth

oyager 1, having completed nozzles at high velocity. A formula based 3 kilometers, beaming light energy to the its spectacular photo safari of on the conservation of momentum says spacecraft across astronomical distances our solar system, has one more that the desired spacecraft velocity and and providing around 100 megawatts of destination in store. But don’t the rate at which exhaust comes out of power to the spacecraft. The spacecraft Vbother waiting around. Speeding across the rocket engine govern the amount of would carry photovoltaic cells specifically the lonely interstellar void at 38,000 miles propellant needed. Known as the rocket tuned to the frequency of impending laser per hour, NASA’s fastest probe isn’t due to equation, this principle places severe light and convert this power to electricity. approach AC+79 3888—a nearby star—for upper limits on the practicality of conven- “If you had something like that, what about 40,000 years. tional spaceflight over large distances. could you do with it?” Brophy asks. “It Those seeking to travel far beyond “The solution is to decouple the turns out that you can do some pretty Earth face many complex challenges, propellant from the source of energy amazing things.” though according to John Brophy (ME used to accelerate it,” Brophy says. Such technology would permit travel ’78), the most formidable hurdle is These advanced systems, known as ion to an exotic locale known as the solar easily defined: “Space is big,” he says. propulsion, gather energy from the sun gravity lens focus location, a region of Even as stargazers today enjoy an using onboard solar panels to convert this space that begins about 550 astronomical up-close and personal view of the cosmos, radiant energy into electricity to run the units (AU) from Earth. (1 AU is the distance thanks to remarkable ground- and ion thrusters. from Earth to the sun.) Here, the sun’s space-based instruments, the prospect Rather than burning a chemical gravitational field can be used like a of ever visiting a star beyond our solar propellant as in conventional rockets, ion gigantic magnifying glass, permitting system still seems impossibly remote. propulsion creates thrust by producing spectacular imaging of distant planets. The nearest candidate, Proxima Centauri, and accelerating a beam of charged “To put this in perspective, the Voyager winks at us from nearly 25-trillion miles particles, or ions, with electricity. The spacecraft, the fastest spacecraft ever away. Even modest journeys within technique creates very high exhaust launched, has been flying for 40 years our solar system present daunting velocities on the order of 40,000 meters and is at about 140 AU. We want to go to challenges, due to the distances involved. per second. “That is about 10 times faster Brophy is approaching the problem than the best chemical rocket engine,” of the enormity of space by designing Brophy says. “To put this in perspective, the advanced propulsion systems to carry Brophy helped implement the idea of Voyager spacecraft, the fastest probes similar to Voyager, and perhaps ion propulsion on NASA’s Deep Space 1 spacecraft ever launched, has one day human expeditions, over greater mission, which performed a successful been flying for 40 years and is distances with unprecedented speed. flyby of the asteroid Braille and then the at about 140 AU. We want to go He began working on advanced comet Borrelly. He later designed the to 550 AU and we want to do it technologies known as ion propulsion ion propulsion system for the ambitious in 10 to 15 years.” —John Brophy systems at Colorado State University, DAWN project to rendezvous with where he completed his Ph.D. in 1984. protoplanet Vesta and dwarf planet Ceres. 550 AU and we want to do it in 10 to 15 Since 1985 he has been an engineer in In 2015 Brophy was part of the Dawn team years,” Brophy says. “That’s the challenge.” electric propulsion technology develop- that received the Robert J. Collier Trophy Controlled propulsion at such a pace— ment for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory from the National Aeronautic Association around 400,000 to 500,000 mph—would (JPL), in Pasadena, California, where for his ion propulsion system on NASA’s potentially open up a range of other he is now an engineering fellow. Dawn mission. enticing possibilities, including human As Brophy explains, one of the primary Still, as Brophy notes, existing ion missions to Mars and Jupiter, robotic limitations of earlier spacecraft, such propulsion systems have their limitations orbiter missions to Pluto, asteroid mining as the Saturn V/Apollo 11 vehicle, which for long-distance travel. Gaining additional operations, and the ability to deflect carried astronauts to the moon, is the power for the ion thrusters requires nearby asteroids from a catastrophic enormous weight of the chemical fuel that larger onboard solar arrays that add to collision with Earth. ● has to be carried aboard such rockets. This the craft’s weight and reduce its speed. MORE ONLINE approach is simply too heavy, ungainly, The radical solution proposed is to “A Breakthrough Propulsion Architecture for and inefficient for fast, long-range voyages. replace the sun as the external power Interstellar Precursor Missions”:

go.nasa.gov/2FM19EG ANTHONY GREICIUS PHOTO: To propel the spacecraft forward, source with a massive, space-based array God’s Ground: whizbuzzbooks.com/gods- rockets spew gas from their engine of high-intensity lasers, spread over 1 to ground-john-r-brophy

10 SPRING 2018 11 Research | Feature

y most any company’s standards, erecting

PHOTO: BONNIE ROBINSON PHOTO: the world’s tallest tower—the TOKYO SKYTREE®, at a height of 2,080 feet—would be an insurmountable architectural feat. But for the Obayashi Corporation, it was merely a warm-up. In 2012 the global Bconstruction, civil engineering, and real estate Into development conglomerate announced that it had begun research so that it could assemble a 96,000-kilometer (59,652-mile) carbon nanotube cable that will extend from Earth into the cosmos to support a space elevator. Akihisa “Aki” Miwa (M.S. OR ’83), general IMAGE PROVIDED AND COPYRIGHTED BY OBAYASHI CORPORATION BY OBAYASHI AND COPYRIGHTED PROVIDED IMAGE manager of Obayashi’s Technical Division, says that the company, where he has been employed since 1974, the has always had one eye just beyond the horizon. “Regarding technology development, we are spending 70 to 80 percent of our budget on current issues; 20 percent of our budget is for future things—sometimes dreams, too,” Miwa says, with a hint of a smile, noting that no matter the project, his company’s focus is on benefiting society. Sky With a target year of 2050 for the completion of the i Marcia Faye space elevator, whose price tag is as yet undetermined, Miwa, who oversees the project’s engineering team, says that the lift would carry humans and equipment to various celestial waystations for tourism, commerce, How It Works and exploration. At an estimated space cargo delivery ● cost of about $100 per pound, the elevator could The carbon nanotube cable will be anchored underwater near the equator and extend to a geostationary Earth orbit replace conventional rocket launches at a significant (GEO) satellite that circles over the equator. The cable savings both in cost and to the environment. will then extend into outer space and end at a 12,500- On Mies Campus last December to accept Illinois ton counterweight, which serves to balance the entire Tech’s 2016 International Award of Merit, Miwa also apparatus. The elevator will rotate with Earth’s rotation. made a presentation about the space elevator, the ● The cable will have the capacity to support 100 tons of TOKYO SKYTREE, and other innovative Obayashi climbers and transportable equipment. projects including the award-winning Mike ● The floating Earth Port, for departures and arrivals, is the O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, a.k.a., the connection point to Earth’s surface. Hoover Dam Bridge, the longest arch concrete bridge ● The first waystation is the Mars Gravity Center. Training in the Western hemisphere, completed in 2010. In the simulating the Martian environment will be done here. audience was David Arditi, professor and director ● of Illinois Tech’s Construction Engineering and The Lunar Gravity Center will house research and moon training facilities. Management Program, who is confident that Miwa can continue his stellar achievements. ● Artificial satellites can be brought up the space elevator and dropped through the Low-Earth Orbit Gate. “I can safely state that I did not have too many students of the same caliber in the Construction ● Geostationary Earth Orbit Station is a multitask, state-of-the- Engineering and Management Program in later years,” art lab facility. It will be a launching point for GEO satellites and feature modules allowing for microgravity movement to Arditi says about Miwa, who took courses with him in viewing windows for space tourism. 1982 shortly after Arditi established the program. “I knew he was destined to have a super successful ● Beyond this station, the space elevator is open to accommodate spaceships for solar system exploration. career…The mega-projects he has been involved in are remarkable; the research operation under his purview— ● Mars Gate will be a site for Mars transfer vehicles. the facilities, the research projects—is phenomenal. ● The 12,500-ton counterweight will also serve as a Solar No construction company in the U.S. has such System Exploration Gate that ejects spacecraft making research capabilities.”● journeys to the asteroids or to Jupiter.

MORE ONLINE Obayashi Corporation: www.obayashi.co.jp/english Sky Line, The Space Elevator Documentary: spaceelevator.net Akihisa “Aki” Miwa (M.S. OR ’83), general manager of Obayashi’s Technical Division 12 SPRING 2018 13 Research | Feature

icture a scene with several performers. The stage fills with chatter about decorating a Christmas table, but one person interrupts Pclaiming the stove is on fire. There is neither a table nor emergency, no script or direction. It’s improvisational theater, and the people aren’t actors but group therapy patients seeking psycholog- ical treatment. Improvisational theater exercises, more popularly known as “improv,” have long been used in therapy. As early as the 1960s, Viola Spolin pioneered exercises designed to tap into one’s self-expression and creativity. Over the years, psychologists have Lewis College of Human Sciences alumna Kristin Krueger (Ph.D. PSYC ’04) rehearses with fellow found several mental health benefits for patients cast members of The Therapy Players. from integrating improv into their practice, such as reducing anxiety and treating depression. Kristin Krueger (Ph.D. PSYC ’04) first encountered improv when a friend convinced her to enroll in a How is this addressed in practice? Besides doing improv skits, Krueger class in 2006. She says that improv helped her to may select a game that targets a specific concern that commonly affects overcome many of her inhibitions and feelings of self- patients, such as fear of failure. The participants will then engage in a consciousness, helping her extend past her comfort challenging exercise, and they will be required to celebrate every move they zone and improving her personal interactions. Taking make, especially when they fail at it or make some kind of error. After the interest in improv as a cognitive activity, Krueger exercise, the group is given a chance to reflect on the experience. decided to create a small clinical study based on “Improv in and of itself probably addresses several areas; that is the mental health outcomes when she worked for the nature of improv,” Krueger says. “If they can recall a time when they were Cook County Health and Hospitals System. very courageous, they might also be courageous the next time they have to do “I wanted to see if all the great things people say something difficult at work or in a social situation.” about improv could be measured, that it increases Krueger is currently working on a second study that seeks to categorize how you feel about yourself, that it reduces your improv exercises based on cognitive activities. Her method involves inviting clinical neuropsychologists or trainees and having them participate in games, such as “Wind and Rewind,” which sharpens memory. Seated “Improv in and of itself probably in a circle, participants go in order and say words that they associate addresses several areas; that is the with the beginning word. After the last person goes, everyone starts to nature of improv. ” —Kristin Krueger chant the words in reverse order. “I was impressed that Dr. Krueger was able to put this study together so that we can support claims about improv exercising specific parts of the brain and those skills,” says Sherrie All, a clinical depressive symptoms and anxiety and increases psychologist who owns the Chicago Center for Cognitive Wellness. “We’re your self-esteem,” she says. The results of the study getting a lot of new evidence to show that the adult brain can continue to conducted by Krueger along with two Illinois Tech grow or change throughout the entire lifespan.” research collaborators were published in the paper Outside of her private practice in Elmhurst, Illinois, Krueger partakes in “Thera-Prov: A Pilot Study of Improv Used to Treat the Chicago-based improv troupe The Therapy Players, composed solely of better LiVing Anxiety and Depression” in the Journal of Mental psychotherapists, who are all trained in improv. A hit at many mental health Health (July 2017). conferences and meetings as well as at The Den Theatre and Stage 773 in ThroUgh Krueger interviewed each person in her weekly Chicago and Oak Park’s Open Door Theater, the troupe bases about half of its practice treatment group individually, starting with skits on its work. ● an introductory survey on demographic information. She took five qualities designed to highlight mental health outcomes—anxiety, depression, self-esteem, By Luke Siuty satisfaction with social roles, and perfectionism— and found significant improvements in self-esteem, MORE ONLINE “Thera-prov: A Pilot Study of Improv Used to Treat Anxiety and Depression”: anxiety, and depression, alongside a trend for ImproV Kristin R. Krueger, Jonathan W. Murphy & Andrea B. Bink; reduced perfectionism among participants after Journal of Mental Health: bit.ly/2n0h3V8

PHOTOS: ROBIN SUBAR PHOTOS: improv therapy. The Therapy Players: www.therapyplayers.com

14 SPRING 2018 15 Research | Feature

project, which ultimately met passive house standards and became the first building at the university to be LEED-certified at the platinum level. In 2009 she opened her own firm and now proudly identifies as a passive house design rule breaker, a label she hopes more architects will one day wear. “I feel that this is an opportunity for the architecture profession to invent new languages that are generated from modeling and experimentation. It’s a fresh approach to context and climate,” says Coulson, who won a 2016 Chicago Athenaeum Green Good Design Award for two COULSON designs, the MH House and the Pays d’en Haut residence. “By experimenting with the modeling, I’ve been blown away by what is plausible that I would have never guessed would work. One concern of the architecture industry as a whole is whether individuals are going to lose their creative freedom or the ability to create the emotional mood they want for the project. What I’m saying is, they won’t.” Last year COULSON was also recognized by the American Institute of Architects as one of six national architecture firms out of 175 participants to meet energy targets in the AIA’s 2030 Challenge. The call to action is that new buildings, developments, and major renovations be carbon-neutral by 2030 and by 2015 achieve a 70-percent reduction in energy use. “Carly is definitely a leading Passive House architect with a capital ‘A,’ so to speak,” says Ken Levenson, architect, board member of the North American Passive House Network, and chief operating officer of 475 High Performance Building Supply. “She’s serious about the form making, beauty, and social impact of architecture—as much as any architect practicing today. Yet she also shows that sustainability need not impoverish these fundamental aspects. Indeed, she shows how sustainability can be baked into the very DNA of building design and construction.” ● MORE ONLINE “Invisible Sustainability,” The American Institute of Architects website: bit.ly/2necWVp PHOTO: BOB CROSBY PHOTO: Passive House Institute: www.passivehouse.com

By Marcia Faye Bagley Outdoor Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth It’s What You Don’t See Less Is Much More The Passive House Institute was founded in 1996 by German physicist Wolfgang Feist and set the bar for the development of the passive pril high temperatures in Grand (PHI). “It became an experiment in getting to zero “I was shocked at how resistant both architects and Marais, Minnesota, located on the energy, figuring out how small I could build some- engineers were to try to do anything innovative in terms house concept. A structure must meet detailed technical criteria in shores of Lake Superior, average in thing, learning more about the climate zones this of sustainability. This was a bit before LEED, but still, five areas to become a certified Passive House—heating demand, the mid-40°F range, balmy by its would work within, and if it could be accomplished the idea of natural ventilation, passive strategies…I cooling demand, energy demand, airtightness, and thermal comfort. AJanuary minus 40°F low that residents take in in almost all glass.” was really disappointed,” admits Coulson, who was “Basically, I learned how to take a conservation-first approach,” stride. No matter what weather extreme, how- Coulson has designed three prototype retreat back on Mies Campus last fall to attend a special event explains Carly Coulson about her Passive House training. “It’s all ever, visitors to the local artist colony or nature models ranging from the elegantly simple to a at the College of Architecture. “To me, that was always invisible, which is what I’m really excited about. It’s in the insulation, lovers seeking a quiet escape will one day have deluxe model offering a sofa/bed, sink, shower, what design excellence should be. I felt that area was a it’s in the air tightness, and it’s the use of the sun. And it works. It’s the chance to experience life deep within the and refrigerator. Construction began in 2017 with missing puzzle piece that I needed to learn more about almost magical.” area’s boreal forests from a unique perspective. testing and evaluation slated for this year into and to develop the tools that I needed to do it myself.” In the Disappear Retreat, a 8x10x9-foot, largely early 2019, after which production will begin. Coulson found a good fit at Salmela Architect, where She says that the high-performance building components available transparent structure, the temperature will Coulson’s path to triple-zero and passive house she helped to design the award-winning Bagley Outdoor today in the Midwest are both impressive and affordable. Some that never drop below 60°F—and the peak heating design came early in her career as an architect Classroom at the University of Minnesota Duluth, a she utilizes in her projects include thin-film photovoltaic laminates, load is 100 watts, the same amount of power working on the team that designed London’s building anticipated to be the greenest on campus. Larsen trusses to support super-insulated walls, all-glass triple-pane needed to operate a light bulb. Swiss Re building, known affectionately as “The Coincidentally, the North American Passive House façades, and closet-sized air-exchange systems. Architect Ken “The Disappear Retreat started with the idea of Gherkin” for its characteristic shape. The build- Conference was being held in Duluth then. Coulson Levenson notes that while the relative costs of these features can a retreat with a glass roof [where viewers could] ing’s client required that rigorous energy features attended it and discovered her puzzle piece: training in vary a great deal, homebuyers should work with architects early on watch the northern lights and be comfortable in be incorporated into its futuristic design and the Passive House Planning Package, an energy-model- rather than retrofitting their homes later. extreme cold but not be out camping,” says designer Coulson, missing the wilderness and lakes of her ing software program developed by the PHI that allows “If Passive House is as fundamental a requirement of success as Carly Coulson (ARCH ’97), whose Duluth-based firm, native Minnesota, returned home after a few years architects to ensure that all details of their design having the right tile finishes, with an experienced team, then the COULSON, is gaining attention for eye-pleasing eager to employ the green architecture methods concepts meet passive house standards. ‘upcharge’ can be a trivial amount,” he explains. “Passive House, to be commercial and residential projects that meet stan- she expected were the norm everywhere. What “Then it was feet in the fire,” says Coulson, who imme- as cost effective as possible, must be fully integrated on day one of

dards established by the Passive House Institute she discovered was quite the opposite. GREY CANARY PHOTO: diately began applying what she learned to the Bagley the planning process.”

16 SPRING 2018 17 Research | Feature

“The Best” at What They Do By Marcia Faye

Clad in a fresh laboratory coat, Mohammed Faraj (EE ’92) points out glass cases filled with black-and-white headshots of former political leaders, Hollywood celebrities, and sports stars who were loyal customers of the oldest and arguably the most gadget-centric catalog merchandiser in America: Hammacher Schlemmer. While notable figures ranging from United States President John F. Kennedy to baseball luminary Babe Ruth provide a colorful touch to the storied company’s nearly 170 years in existence, Faraj, as director of Hammacher Schlemmer Institute, prides himself on knowing that every customer receives the highest-quality items that the catalog company can offer.

Hammacher Schlemmer’s flagship and sole brick-and-mortar three-year assignment to establish and supervise a UL business retail space located in New York’s Midtown Manhattan district unit in Denmark. Upon his return to the U.S., Faraj spent nine opened in 1848, but the in-house testing facility known as more years with UL, ultimately becoming a global business Hammacher Schlemmer Institute came into existence only and operations manager, and then became a small-business 35 years ago. owner and distributor of green technologies before coming to “We are independent from Hammacher Schlemmer and Hammacher Schlemmer Institute. operate without any commercial bias,” Faraj says about the From an early age, Faraj says that he wanted to find ways to nonprofit institute, which researches, tests, and rates consumer improve things and that his career at Hammacher Schlemmer products, and compiles the popular “Best” category of catalog Institute has expanded his testing universe in unexpected ways. items ranging from heated vests to commuter cups to children’s He and his team drew hungry colleagues after determining the tablets. “When we go out and search for these products, even performance of The Best Toaster Oven and visited a university though we partner with the merchandising team that wants to facility where underwater testing was conducted on The Best sell this product, we don’t care if the product is profitable or what Talking Scale. (Don’t ask him about the crickets that went its price point is, or even if we could work with this vendor. We missing as his team conducted tests on The Best Bug Vacuum.) don’t care. Our job as the institute is to find ‘The Best’ for the Sometimes it’s back to the drawing board. As head of product Hammacher Schlemmer customer. It’s not necessarily The Best development, Faraj, along with his team, had an idea for a car for anybody; it’s only The Best for our customer. Everything we dashboard heater and worked with a vendor to produce one to do here is for the Hammacher Schlemmer customer.” feature in a winter catalog. The item was popular, but too many Faraj’s testing team is composed of a senior manager of customers complained that the heater fell off the dash if the product research, two product research analysts, and a fellow driver applied the brakes too quickly. The item was restyled, but engineer. Depending upon the type of testing being done, team it didn’t project enough heat, so it was returned to the vendor for members work in an intimate laboratory filled with heat guns, further refinements. wind meters, and other instruments; a kitchen; and a more “If only one customer complains about something, I take a spacious room accommodating larger items to be tested, such as personal responsibility to ensure that customer’s happiness inflatable beds. Faraj’s lab coat is especially handy on the day of from a quality point of view,” says Faraj. While he acknowledges the tour as he and his visitor make salsa in a mock panel test to that the web has given purchasers a world of choices, he says demonstrate steps in selecting “The Best Personal Blender.” [See that Hammacher Schlemmer, supported by his team’s efforts, Online Exclusive story at magazine.iit.edu.] qualifies for “The Best.” A native of Jericho in the West Bank who emigrated to Jordan “The Hammacher Schlemmer brand is still there,” he says. “We during the Six-Day War in 1967, Faraj wanted to obtain his understand our customer.” ● college degree in the United States. He supported himself, and his employment at UL (Underwriters Laboratories) in Northbrook, MORE ONLINE Illinois, his last two years at the university paved the way for his Hammacher Schlemmer Institute: www.hammacherschlemmerinstitute.org career. Faraj managed UL testing and certification of electrical “The Engineer Who Tests All Those Hammacher Schlemmer Toys”: and electronic products for eight years and then accepted a bit.ly/2EUzQI0 PHOTO: SCOTT BENBROOK

18 SPRING 2018 19 PHOTO: DIEGO WANG, GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS CONTENT, HONEYWELL TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS Research | Feature

PHOTO: XXXXX

to share my own experience with the young talent and ensure I turn them on to engineering and encourage them to join our field.” his success at HTS, according to Krishna Those campus visits remind Zhang New Horizons Mikkilineni, Honeywell’s senior vice of his own educational experience, one president for engineering, operations, that began with an undergraduate degree By Steve Hendershot and IT. “He is doing a spectacular job and from Shanghai Jiao Tong University in is making Honeywell look good in the 1982 and culminated in a recruiting visit technology strengths in materials science, market. Scott is a rare global citizen with from Illinois Tech mechanical engineering aerodynamics, sensing and controls, a great heart.” professor and solar-energy pioneer Zalman human factors, and software to quickly Zhang enjoys traveling—and it’s a good Lavan (M.S. ME ’62, Ph.D. ’65). Lavan design and manufacture the first local-born thing, considering he spends more than encouraged Zhang to come to Chicago, commercial air purifier. The result is a half the year on the road, away from his a decision that appealed to Zhang as a lightweight, polycarbonate purifier with wife and 6-year-old daughter in Shanghai. budding academic as well as a basketball multiple subfilters that excels at quickly That’s the nature of overseeing HTS’s four, fan. While at the university, Zhang Honeywell executive Scott Zhang Zhang is able to combine his engineering converting toxic environments into healthy, far-flung tech centers overseas as well as frequented the United Center, where he (M.S. MAE ’89, Ph.D. CHE ’92) in a acumen and R&D experience with his sales breathable spaces. making regular visits to Honeywell’s New would buy cheap seats to catch a glimpse of simulated cabin of an airplane. The and management expertise to push HTS “We saw an excellent opportunity to Jersey headquarters. Michael Jordan in action. Decades later, he company's R&D efforts extend into the aerospace industry. toward next-generation innovation. HTS solve an important human problem, as He’s also very involved with Honeywell’s remains a Bulls fan and considers Chicago become a chemical engineer. No problem, has more than 9,500 employees—most of well as a business opportunity,” says Zhang. university outreach programs, particularly to be his second home. He feels similarly Zhang figured. He left the doctoral program them engineers—based in India, China, After a successful launch in China, Air in China, India, Mexico, and the Czech about his alma mater, Illinois Tech. he’d enrolled in and earned his Ph.D. in Mexico, and the Czech Republic. Touch is now sold in additional regions Republic, the countries where HTS tech “IIT is always near to my heart. It was my chemical engineering, while also working “I’m in a perfect position to lead an centers are located. The starting point, the place where I learned part-time at UOP. He has never looked back. engineering organization because I do cornerstone of these efforts the fundamentals,” Zhang says. cott Zhang’s 28-year career at Much of that time Zhang (M.S. MAE ’89, have that background, but I can take “Part of our responsibility as a company is the Honeywell Initiative Three decades after he arrived on Honeywell hinged on an urgent, Ph.D. CHE ’92) spent working in Beijing a lot of the skills I’ve learned from the is to support the research programs for Science and Engineering. campus, Zhang continues to put those radical decision. It was 1990, and as a chief representative with UOP. A business community and apply them and professors that we ultimately Visiting Nobel laureates fundamentals to use—on a global scale. ● Zhang had just wrapped up his Shanghai native, he helped to spur tenfold back to engineering management and spend time interacting benefit from.” —Scott Zhang Smaster’s degree in mechanical engineering growth in six years in China for UOP in back to innovation,” says Zhang. with university students— at Illinois Tech. He had completed a three- the 2000s, a performance that ultimately At HTS, Zhang has done just that. One lecturing, providing counsel month internship at Honeywell subsidiary earned him his next role as vice president example is the Air Touch, an air purifier such as India, Russia, and the Middle East. to them on their projects, giving career Universal Oil Products in Des Plaines, and general manager of Performance initially marketed in China, where Zhang’s combination of marketing talks, and answering questions as a way to Illinois, and loved it, but there was a serious Materials and Technologies, Asia. Since air pollution is a major concern. The savvy and engineering know-how has engage students. problem: In order to pursue a career at 2015 he’s been president of Honeywell Tech- Air Touch is a consumer product that endeared him to Honeywell’s leadership. “Part of our responsibility as a company UOP, he would need to drop mechanical nology Solutions (HTS), the corporation’s makes use of some of Honeywell’s R&D “Scott’s great technical depth and is to support the research programs and engineering, the discipline to which he had technology research-and-development expertise in industries that are very much breadth coupled with superb business professors that we ultimately benefit from,” MORE ONLINE just devoted six years of study, and instead and engineering division. In this role, nonconsumer—it integrated Honeywell’s acumen and people focus” is spurring says Zhang. “Personally, I also want Honeywell: www.honeywell.com

20 SPRING 2018 21 Alumni News Alumni News SPOTLIGHT

CLASS NOTES faculty member at the value of mechanical Institute, a member of Charles Haas Frank Monfeli of the Institute of University College engineering education. the American Engineer- (BIOL ’73, M.S. (CE ’77), Latonia, Ky., Industrial and Systems London. For the past 20 The honor noted that he ing Association, and ENVE ’74), Philadel- retired from COL Engineers for his many 1940s years, Retsky has been pioneered the introduc- served as secretary at phia, received the 2017 Bigelow after 30 years of service and studying a bimodal tion of computer-aided the Chicago Committee Athalie Richardson years of service. innovations in aircraft Charles Ticho relapse pattern in breast engineering into the on High Rise Buildings. Irvine Clarke Prize manufacturing. An (EE ’48), Hackensack, cancer patients based undergraduate curricula. from the National enterprise architect N.J., wrote the book on computer simulation Water Research 1980s and principal investi- From Generation to and has edited a book Roy Coleman 1970s Institute for pioneer- gator for digital factory Generation, describing on the research, Periop- (PHYS ’64), Chicago, has ing and applying Michael Mercer research at Spirit his experiences in the erative Inflammation been fascinated by sports Alexander Kovnat methods to assess (Ph.D. PSYC ’80), AeroSystems, Huffman 1940s as an Illinois as Triggering Origin of cars since viewing an ad (MAE ’71), West and minimize Barrington, Ill., has was elected a technical Tech student. Metastasis Development. in Tech News for a road Bloomfield Township, health risks caused delivered keynote fellow there and is a rally in 1968. He has been Mich., and his wife, by exposure to speeches and seminars past associate technical Robert Gordon running them ever since Diana, welcomed disease-causing in 48 states, five fellow of The Boeing 1950s (ARCH ’63, M.S. CRP and recently purchased their second grandson microorganisms in Canadian provinces, Company. He also serves ’67), Chicago, opened a Mustang. Coleman on August 8, 2017. water and wastewater. the Bahamas, and as an adjunct professor Anthony Trozzolo a one-man show of and his wife have been Switzerland. His of industrial, systems, (CHEM ’50), South close-up prints of nationally ranked presentations are based and manufacturing Bend, Ind., was named neighborhoods in in the top 10 several on business books he engineering at Wichita a Lifetime Achiever by Chicago and Paris, in times by the Sports wrote including Hire the State University. Marquis Who’s Who. October 2017 at Chicago’s Car Club of America. Best… and Avoid the Rest. August House Studio. James McMahon His work at Illinois Tech Harold Mech Elizabeth Byrnes (MET ’81), Temecula, 1960s with Ludwig Mies van (EE ’67), Albuquerque, (M.S. PSYC ’81, Ph.D. Calif., retired from der Rohe, Alfred Caldwell, N.M., retired as a princi- ’83), Jersey City, N.J., is Abbott Laboratories Norbert “Pete” Pointner and others became the pal staff engineer at CTS co-head of the Women after 31 years of (ARCH ’61, M.S. CRP ’62), basis of a career demon- Electronic Components in Technology network service. He is currently Wheaton, Ill., had his strating architecture Corporation after a and championed her writing a children’s article “Sustainability within an urban context. 46-year career. His career employer, Goldman mathematics book. for Plan Commissioners” Gordon has contributed contributions include Sachs, to partner with appear in the April his papers including a developing wire saw the group Girls Who Mark Zerwic 2017 issue of Planning, substantial collection of technology (Motorola Code. With her WIT (M.S. PSYC ’81, Ph.D. the magazine of the sketches to Illinois Tech’s Internally Developed colleagues, she created ’84), Chicago, chief of American Planning University Archives Saw) used to make RF an alumni program for psychologyat the Iowa Association. In addition, and Special Collections, crystals for pagers and girls who attend her City VA Health Care his article “The Snow, where they are available radios and the technolo- company’s summer System, has been with Rain, Street Width to researchers. gy for the radio-frequen- mentorship programs the veteran’s admini- Connection” was cy testing of high-power to have a supportive stration for 29 years published in the spring ceramic filter products community of friends and was chief of 2017 newsletter of the and the servoelectronics and role models and psychology at the Jesse APA’s Transportation updating of the MID opportunities to Brown VA in Chicago Planning Division. saws still in use today. Leana Osmer (AE ’16) examines an Aerojet Rocketdyne SLM (selective laser melt) exit flange. learn about technical for 16 years. Zerwic

The fifth manuscript Mech continues with his AEROJET ROCKETDYNE PHOTO: topics and careers. is one of only a few edition of Pointner’s electronics hobbies and Illinois Tech Life Trustee Patrick Kelly meets his scholar psychologists to be Readings in Urban the restoration of his Alexandra Detweiler (PHYS 2nd year), who spoke during John Huffman named chief of Planning and Design 1972 Dodge Challenger. the annual Donor & Scholar Dinner. Photo: Michael Goss Leana Osmer (AE ’16), Canoga Park, California (CE ’81), Wichita, Kan., two different VA is now available with Component Project Engineer, Aerojet Rocketdyne was elected a fellow medical centers. 60 papers and more Gerald Anderson than 250 illustrations. (CHEM ’69, M.S. ’81), As a young girl, Leana Osmer would stand on the driveway with her parents Each of these papers Fredericksburg, Va., is a and sister, gazing up at the California sky. With anticipation, Osmer and provides further detail Green Party candidate her family searched for NASA’s International Space Station—a small, bright on his book Planning Karl Klessig and participated in the light traveling across the starry night. Osmer’s mother, Diane, had helped to Connections: Human, (PHYS ’63), Santa Fe, 88th District Debate develop the software that determined the orientation of the station’s solar Natural and Man Made. N.M., is chairman of hosted by the University panels. SYNRGO, a post-real of Mary Washington in Michael Retsky estate closing and September 2017. He is a “We always kept track of the space station,” says Osmer. “Looking up and (PHYS ’61), Trumbull, document-retrieval member of the adjunct seeing it in the sky, I knew my mom had a hand in that work, and Conn., received a Ph.D. company. He recently faculty at Germanna I knew there was potential for me to do something like that.” in experimental physics climbed Tanzania’s Community College. from the University Mount Kilimanjaro Mothers and mother figures across the United States will be recognized of Chicago, worked at followed by a safari Robert Johnson this year on Sunday, May 13, in appreciation for their love, nurturing, Zenith Laboratories, through most of the (CE ’69, M.S. ’71), Buffalo and exemplary ways. Leana Osmer was inspired by her mother Diane’s and then made a career parks in the country. Grove, Ill., has been a change into cancer member of the Structur- technological accomplishments and imagined that she would one day research, becoming a Francis Kulacki al Engineers Association attain her own achievements in the aerospace industry. Now, she has professor of biology (ME ’63, M.S. GE ’66), of Illinois for more than joined her mother at Aerojet Rocketdyne, where each are making important M. Zia Hassan Endowed Professor Elizabeth Durango- at the University of Wayzata, Minn., received 40 years and achieved contributions as women in engineering and software development. Cohen [wearing medallion] at her investiture with [left to Colorado at Colorado the American Society of Life Membership status. right] John and Mae Calamos Stuart School of Business Springs. He is now on Mechanical Engineers He is a fellow of the Learn more about this dynamic daughter and mother duo in the Dean Endowed Chair John F. O. Bilson; Shakeela Hassan, the staff of Harvard T. H. 2017 Edwin F. Church American Society of Illinois Tech Life Trustee Marc Hannah (EE ’77) meets Online Exclusive “Upward and Onward” by Amanda Cleary Eastep wife of the late M. Zia Hassan; Illinois Tech Trustee Chan School of Public Medal recognizing Kulac- Civil Engineers and his scholar Kessel Laryea (ECE 3rd year) and Greer at magazine.iit.edu/spring-2018/inspired-trajectory. Ellen Jordan (PSYC ’79, M.B.A. ’81); past Provost Frances Health and an honorary ki’s efforts to promote the American Concrete Foundation Scholar Irvin Delgado-Ramirez (CE 1st year) at Bronet; and President Alan W. Cramb (see story on the annual Donor & Scholar Dinner. Photo: Michael Goss page 3) Photo: Michael Goss

22 SPRING 2018 23 Alumni News The Legacy of a Good Neighbor

Illinois Tech retired faculty gathered at Mies Campus for the first annual Rebecca G. Leslie [left] and Alicia Growney unveil the Robert L. (ME ’74, Retired Faculty Luncheon. Past Provost Frances Bronet spoke about M.B.A. ’92) and Wilma E. Growney Collaborative Space plaque changes to campus and university updates. Photo: Michael Goss at a dedication event in Paul V. Galvin Library. Photo: Michael Goss

Susan Blessing archival publications, growth. Maceda has ing Connect, a signature (PHYS ’82), Tallahassee, conference papers, held other positions program of the nonprof- Fla., a faculty member and presentations. with Bain, including it organization Manu- of the Department heading the Full Poten- facturing Renaissance. of Physics at Florida Michael Rogers tial Transformation State University, has (CE ’83), Murrieta, Calif., Practice and serving Timothy Standish “Illinois Tech played a major role in making me what I am. been elected a 2017 founder of Illinois as the chairman of the (ME ’91), Orland There comes a point when it is time to pass good things fellow of the American Tech’s co-op program, Asia-Pacific region. Park, Ill., and his wife, along to the coming generations. Plus I learn an awful lot Physical Society and is vice president and Michelle, celebrated was honored with the global dams practice Bruce Bloom their 25th wedding from interacting with the students, professors, and fellow society’s 2017 George B. leader for WaterPower (LAW ’88), Evanston, anniversary in alumni in my neighborhood today.” Pegram Award, which & Dams with Stantec. Ill., is chief executive January. They met at Robert Samson honors excellence He has worked in 20 officer of Cures Within an Alpha Epsilon Pi (LAW ’93), Deerfield, — David Dickson (ENVE ’77) in physics education different countries on Reach, a philanthropic event at Illinois Tech. Ill., has been named in the southeastern more than 200 dams. leader in drug, device, regional president for region of the country. Last year Rogers was and nutraceutical Anna Barbara Hantz the Midwest Region of the lead design engineer repurposing research. Marconi Wells Fargo Advisors, Michael Plesniak for the Oroville Dam (LAW ’92), Stratham, leading a team that (ME ’83, M.S. ’84), Spillway reconstruction. N.H., is the 108th includes 714 financial After moving from suburban Naperville, Illinois, back to Chicago Washington, D.C., 1990s associate justice on advisors at 63 branches in 2014, David Dickson (ENVE ’77) and his wife, Marie, decided professor and chair Thomas Sullivan the New Hampshire located in northern that they should invest in his alma mater, which was just down of the Department (ME ’83), Newport, N.H., Jason Bohm Supreme Court. Sworn Illinois, Michigan, Benefits of a Gift in Your of Mechanical and is senior vice president (BA ’90), Springfield, in by Governor Chris- and Wisconsin. the street from their South Loop home. David became a Will or Trust: Aerospace Engineering of operations at Sturm, Va., is the first Illinois topher Sununu last at The George Wash- Ruger & Company, Tech alumnus to August, Justice Hantz David Wiatrowski volunteer with Illinois Tech’s groundbreaking Interprofessional • Help ensure Illinois Tech’s future. Projects (IPRO) Program, and the couple also designated Illinois ington University, has where he is responsible become a brigadier Marconi is only the (M.S. EE ’93, M.A.S. been honored by the for manufacturing, engi- general in the United third woman to sit on ECE ’08), Woodstock, • Leave a legacy of giving back. Institute of Technology as a beneficiary in their will to establish a American Society of neering, and product States Marine Corps. the state’s highest court. Ill., is a Distinguished university scholarship. Now they are members of the Gunsaulus Mechanical Engineers development activities. Member of the • Give without affecting your Society, which honors those who have arranged estate gifts to with the 2017 Fluids Ramiro Atristain technical staff at current cash flow. Engineering Award, James Beyer (M.B.A. ’93), Chicago, Motorola Solutions Illinois Tech with special events and recognition. in recognition for (LAW ’84), Park Ridge, has served as an and serves as the • Reduce any potential estate tax. contributions to Ill., is assistant general executive in residence chief infrastructure David runs his own software company, Crossroads RMC, research and education counsel, associate vice at Brennan School of architect for profes- while Marie has enjoyed a rewarding career in advertising and • Retain control of your assets in fluids engineering, president, and global Business, Dominican sional and commercial during your lifetime by directing government. Both their children are doing well. The Dicksons particularly turbulent head of employment University, since 2016. radio systems. Over your gift to a particular purpose.* flow physics, gas law at Infosys. his career, Wiatrowski, feel an obligation to help those in need—including Illinois Tech turbine, and biomedical Yuuki Kitada who holds 190 patents students who depend on scholarships. applications. Plesniak Emmanuel “Manny” (M.A.S. ARCH ’93), in 14 countries, has is also cited for Maceda Mary Taylor Brooklyn, N.Y., was received numerous outstanding service to (CHE ’84), San Francisco, (EE ’90), Wheaton, awarded a 2017 Ameri- honors from the ASME, which elected worldwide managing Ill., is senior regional can Architecture Prize company, including If you have named Illinois Tech as a beneficiary in your estate plan him a fellow in 2006. director and board director of the board of in the Interior Design Motorola Solutions through your will, trust, IRA, or retirement plan, please let us know Director of GWU’s member at Bain & the Illinois Adult and category for “S Resi- Business Patent of so that we may acknowledge your generosity and include you in the Center for Biomimetics Company, has led the Continuing Educators dence.” He also received the Year, Motorola Gunsaulus Society. and Bioinspired company to a strong Association. She also an Honorable Mention Patent of the Year Engineering, Plesniak business momentum mentors Austin College in the 2016 Interna- awards, and election Visit iit.edu/giftplanning to learn how you can benefit from these giving has authored more and helped it cap & Career Academy tional Design Awards as a Motorola Dan methods and more. Contact Dean Regenovich, Office of Gift Planning, than 250 refereed a six-year period of students in Manufactur- for “K Residence.” Noble Fellow. at [email protected] or 312.567.5018. *Please check with us to make sure the gift can be used as intended. 25 Alumni News Alumni News SPOTLIGHT

Robert Besecker the company OneWeb, officer of the Residential develop the habits of by Alderman Raymond (BA ’96), Tinley Park, Ill., Wyler is working to Real Estate Council, mind and behavior that Lopez of the 15th Ward. celebrated the launch provide global, satel- has been elected to its lead to career success. The program is run by of his book Everest lite-powered high-speed board of directors. An English/Mandarin current Illinois Tech Strong: Reaching New Internet services. version of the book students who volunteer Heights with Chronic William Dec will also be available. their time to teach 15 Illness: An Inspirational Jonathan Carson (LAW ’99), Chicago, is a middle-school students Memoir. [Read his (LAW ’97), Los Angeles, partner in Rockit Ranch Jason Novak from the Gage Park, IIT Magazine story at is co-chief executive Productions, which is (CHE ’00, LAW ’06), Back of the Yards, and http://bit.ly/2edAfYk.] officer of Bankruptcy opening its sushi restau- Moraga, Calif., is a Brighton Park neigh- Management Solutions. rant Sunda in Nashville. partner at McDermott borhoods about STEM. Steven Nargang Will & Emery. (ME ’96), Oak Brook, Mohammad Reza Andrew Stolfi Ill., is a member of the Mostofi Ashtiani 2000s Matthew Siniawski (LAW ’02), Basel, board of directors of (M.A.S. CHE ’98, Ph.D. (ME ’00), Los Angeles, Switzerland, is chief Health Care Institute ’02), Naperville, Ill., has Patrick Bourbon is chair of the Depart- operating officer of the Chicago. He has more been elected a fellow of (M.S. FIN ’00), Chicago, ment of Mechanical International Associa- than 25 years of design, the American Institute was featured in the Engineering at Loyola tion of Insurance Super- President Alan W. Cramb [right] and Dawn Schuette engineering, project of Chemical Engineers. online publication Marymount University visors. He leads and (ARCH, CRP ’92, M.A.S. CRP ’93), chair of the Alumni management, technical He is a lead engineer Voyage Chicago. and is in his 14th year as manages the internal Awards Committee, presented Akihisa “Aki” Miwa sales, and business at Honeywell UOP a faculty member there. operations of the secre- (M.S. OR ’83) [center] with the International Award of

development experience, and is responsible for Varun Goyal tariat, including finance, Merit in S. R. Crown Hall [see story on pages 12–13]. OF BRANDON LLOYD COURTESY PHOTO: with additional back- computational fluid (CPE ’00), Indianapolis, human resources, Photo: Bonnie Robinson ground in mechanical dynamics modeling founded Illuminate administrative support, Brandon Lloyd (AE ’08), Houston NASA Flight Controller for the International Space Station (ISS) engineering and project and analysis of refinery Health, a digital health communications, legal, “Program Organization, Amy Gibson (née development across units. His AIChE startup, building and risk functions. Sequencing Experi- Rapoport) Brandon Lloyd took a trip to the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center when he a range of industries activities have included technology tools ences” at the Harvard (LAW ’07), Chicago, was and applications. leadership roles in the to enable safe and Daud Alwattar was in middle school and says that he fell in love with human space flight University Graduate named one of Chicago’s then. He selected Illinois Tech because it was a small school that offered Chicago section, the accurate medication (M.S. MCOM ’03), School of Design last Most Influential an aerospace engineering degree. Now an average day for Lloyd involves Particle Technology administration by Chicago, president of October. Abloh was Women Lawyers by ensuring that there’s enough potable water for the ISS crew and spending an Forum, the Chemical consumers. He has two Northland Laboratories, introduced by design Crain’s Custom Media. Engineering Technology young boys, Sanmay also became chief critic Oana Stanescu, exciting day investigating space fires. Operating Council, and and Varyan. Goyal’s marketing and sales offi- with whom he has Kristen Prinz the Societal Impact wife, Sumedha, is a cer for Matrix Sciences worked on various (LAW ’07), Chicago, was What does an ISS flight controller do? Operating Council. professor of economics Claudette Soto after the company projects, including named one of Chicago’s For anyone who has seen the movie Apollo 13, we’re the guys with the skinny at Indiana University. (ARCH ’02, M.A.S. STE acquired Northland. Kanye West’s The Most Influential black ties. We look at the real-time data and discern if there are any issues Robert Brevelle ’05) and Rene Barraza Yeezus Tour set design Women Lawyers by with our systems, have the crew respond accordingly, or respond ourselves (CS, M.S. ’98), Rowlett, Lydia Lazar (née (ARCH ’01), Evergreen James Baldwin and Off-White’s Hong Crain’s Custom Media. if we can. I’m a systems flight controller, and my console position is called Texas, is a member of Herman) Park, Ill., welcomed (CPE ’05, LAW ’12), Kong flagship store. ETHOS: Environmental and Thermal Operating Systems. I’m in charge of the the board of directors (LAW ’00), Chicago, their third son, Omi Chicago, is associate Nguyen Vo life-support systems. of TriaSys Technologies, wrote the book Dean Ender Barraza, last counsel at Neal Richard D. Thompson II (LAW ’08), Chicago, is Gregory Wyler a leading provider of Lazar’s Golden Guide: November. Soto, founder Gerber Eisenberg. (EE ’06, CPE ’06, M.S. a patent attorney for What is an average day like? (LAW ’96), Hanover, innovative signal-pro- Pragmatic Career of the Illinois Tech CPE ’08) and Alayna Medline Industries. We spend a lot of time on water balance: We’re turning yesterday’s coffee N.H., was voted Most cessing solutions. Advice for Smart Young summer STEM program Virgil Abloh George Thompson into tomorrow’s coffee. We’re looking at the rate at which we’re collecting Powerful Person in People, which includes VAMOS, was honored (M.A.R. ARCH ’06), (MBB ’08), Deerfield, Mathieu Joerger sweat out of the atmosphere, the rate at which the crew is drinking water, Telecom for 2017 by Lana Vukovljak a set of action steps last September through Chicago, creator of the Ill., welcomed their (Ph.D. MAE ’09), Tucson, and the number of times they’re using the bathroom. We extrapolate all of the readers of Fierce- (M.S. TCID ’98), Oak to help students and a Chicago City Council Off-White fashion brand, first child, Richard, Ariz., assistant professor those inputs to see how full or how empty our tanks are going to get within Wireless. Founder of Park, Ill., chief executive young professionals resolution submitted presented the lecture last summer. of aerospace and the next few days. We also take the carbon dioxide that the crew breathes mechanical engineering and perform a Sabatier process, recombining the CO2 with the hydrogen that Gregory Zinkl at the University of the oxygen generator makes to recover more water. The waste product of (LAW ’06), San Francis- Arizona, is investigating the Sabatier process is methane, and NASA is currently investigating more co, is senior counsel how aviation standards closed-loop technologies such as one that splits methane to give us more for the biotechnology can be applied to the hydrogen to combine with CO —and even more water recovery. pharmaceutical development of robotic 2 company Amgen. cars and is working How about an exciting day? He practices intellect- with researchers at It’s the middle of the night. Six people in the whole world are watching the ual property law Illinois Tech to find including patent ways to make robotic U.S. Segment Systems [on the ISS], and a manual fire alarm hits the board. prosecution. Zinkl cars safe and reliable. A few minutes later the crew calls down, saying, ‘There’s white haze all continues his Chicago across the Russian Segment. We can’t tell where the smoke is coming from.’ ties by serving on the Randy Micheletti Ventilation automatically kicks on 30 minutes after there has been a fire alarm. board of the Lakeview (LAW ’09), Villa Park, On this day it took us 27 minutes to figure out what the source was, so we Orchestra, and in his Ill., launched the law were just in the nick of time to get eyes on it. new home city, he has firm Incubate IP, which joined the San Francis- provides intellectual Why should we explore the cosmos? co Leadership Council property counseling and We are, as humans, explorers. Our job at NASA is to figure out how we get for Lambda Legal. He services specifically for off of Spaceship Earth, because it’s not going to be around forever. We need and his husband reside startup companies and to know what it’s like out there and how to get there, and we’re building the Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin touted Illinois Tech’s Duchossois Leadership Scholars [left to right] Zachary Bonson (AE 2nd in the Bernal Heights IP portfolio manage- initial steps for humanity to do that in the future right now. —Jim Daley S. R. Crown Hall as one of his top picks at the 2017 Open House year), Henry White (AE 1st year), Tiffini Tobiasson (CS 4th year), and Noah neighborhood with ment services for more Chicago event hosted by the Chicago Architecture Foundation. More Reardon (ME 1st year); Duchossois Leadership Professor Carlo Segre; their two cats. established companies. Read the complete interview with NASA Flight Controller Brandon Lloyd than 1,000 people visited Mies Campus from across the nation and Trustee Craig Duchossois; and Ayun Brown (EE 5th year) join faculty at magazine.iit.edu/spring-2018/space-ace. from various countries during the event. member Geoffrey Williamson [seated] for his investiture as the new Visit bit.ly/alumni-event-photos to see more event photos Duchossois Leadership Professor. Photo: Bonnie Robinson from the Alumni Association.

26 SPRING 2018 27 VOLUNTEER NEWS Alumni News Admission Ambassadors: Share the Good Word

“I’m not the most extroverted person,” like big state schools do. We need Shurer says, admitting that she alumni to help make up the differ- was somewhat apprehensive about ence. It’s an easy way to give back becoming an Admission Ambassador. to our university.” “But I learned that it’s easy for me to talk The commitment of an Admission about Illinois Tech because I love it so Ambassador is minimal—the only much, and I want potential incoming requirement is that alumni represent students to share in that love.” the university in a friendly and After she graduated Shurer enjoyed knowledgeable way while helping the higher-education world so much prospective students learn more that she made a career of it, earning about Illinois Tech. Here are some her M.Ed. in counseling psychology ways to volunteer: 2. and working in residence life at the University of North Carolina Charlotte. ● Attend any number of admis- She has since taken on the role of sion events throughout 1. Miranda Shurer (AE ’02) knows it stay-at-home-mom to raise her two the year, as many or as few takes a village, and she’s proud to Cross-Country sons and instills in them the impor- as possible. be a part of hers—the vast, global Presidential Meet and Greet tance of higher education. Illinois Tech alumni network that ● Refer prospective students to Illinois Tech President Alan W. Cramb spent much shares stories about Illinois Tech “It’s almost pure luck that I ended up at Illinois Tech. of fall 2017 and January 2018 on the road, meeting with prospective students. Shurer Illinois Tech in the first place, and ● Communicate with admitted with alumni around the country to share news about volunteers her time as an Admission anything that I can do to get the word students through phone calls, the university and strategic initiatives. During a Ambassador, attending college fairs out to more students is something that letters, and emails. November trip to Seattle, he met with alumni who and events near her Washington, D.C., I’m happy to do,” she says. “We don’t graduated 50 or more years ago, but who were home, spreading the word about have the luxury of having dozens of ● Attend regional college fairs and unable to attend their Golden Society Reunions. Illinois Tech. admission officers around the country visit high schools in your area. Cramb presented each of them with Golden Society medallions during a luncheon. To learn more about becoming an Admission Ambassador in your area, 1. WASHINGTON 4. MARYLAND visit admissions.iit.edu/undergraduate/alumni. During his Seattle trip, Cramb [left], Mary Cramb [back center] Elizabeth Droste conversed with a group (ARCH ’42) [center], of Illinois Tech alumni and Vice President who work at Microsoft for Institutional Laura Rodriguez imaging system for coordinator for Anders Bybjerg and Attribution Summit (November 2017). Advancement Betsy Mosquera pigmented lesions and Gateway House, an (BA ’17, M.S. FIN ’17) last November. Hughes [right] visited (CPE ’09), Seattle, distributed diseases. Indian foreign policy and Sarah Maciorowski 3. 2. SOUTH CAROLINA helped to launch think tank modeled (AMAT ’17), Chicago, Yaroslav Urzhumov at Droste’s home in Cramb [left], with Paula the iOS app for Eduardo Morales after the Council took a two-month Durham, N.C., adjunct Walpole, Maryland Campbell, widow Microsoft Sway. (BA ’10), Chicago, over- on Foreign Relat- cross-country road assistant professor of (October 2017). saw a team to expand ions. Gandhi’s trip after graduation. electrical and computer of the late trustee Matthew Santeford the nonprofit organiza- new role was created Along with their engineering at Duke Calvin “Tink” Campbell 5. GEORGIA (M.A.S. STE ’09), Elk tion Family Bridges and to strategically use Australian shepherd University, developed a Jr., who accepted a Trustee Emeritus Bill Grove Village, Ill., is will be managing the communications dog, Smoky, they visit- study for a water-cloak- resolution in memoriam McCain (ME ’53) [left] assistant vice presi- new branch in Phoenix. in external affairs, ed a number of U.S. ing device that elimi- on her husband's and Cramb met in dent and senior business development, National Park Service nates an object’s drag behalf at Saint Helena Savannah, Georgia professional partner Vikas Patel and fundraising efforts. sites, before settling and wake. The study was at TranSystems. (M.A.S. ITO ’10), Des down in Minneapolis. published online in the Island, South Carolina (November 2017). Plaines, Ill., was named Wesley Kohn Byberg is a photogra- journal Physical Review (November 2017). a 2017 Outstanding (M.A.R. ARC2 ’14), pher in the Twin Cities, E (Volume 96, Issue 6, 3. CALIFORNIA 2010s Young Manufacturing Midland, Mich., received while Maciorowski is a December 2017). Engineer by the Society his State of Michigan catastrophe modeler in Cramb [left] and his wife, Robert Boyer of Manufacturing Architectural License. reinsurance brokerage. Anna, took time out for a (BME ’10), Gladstone, Engineers. He is a He has worked in photo with Ken Petrulis N.J., received a Medical research engineer at architecture at Three Attendees (PHYS ’67) [right] and his Design Excellence ArcelorMittal, where he Rivers Corporation for wife, Dale [right center], Award, a Core77 Design established a state-of- 19 years. Joseph Chura in Corona Del Mar, Awards honorable the-art welding Naperville, Ill., chief mention, and an research lab. Alekya Thalari executive officer of Share Your News! California (January 2018). We want to hear from you. Send International Design (M.S. CS ’15), Redmond, Dealer Inspire, us your class note by visiting Excellence Award Gold Utsav Gandhi Wash., is a member of represented the alumni.iit.edu/class-notes. for his work on the (EMGT ’14), Chicago, is a the Microsoft Windows company at the Submissions may be edited for VECTRA WB360, a 3-D marketing and outreach CORTANA team. Automotive Analytics style and brevity.

4. 5. 29 Alumni News

PASSINGS Robert Bragg John Arima Vincent Turner Edward Bisone E. Woodruff Frances Kokotis James Phillips Distinguished Flying of her career, she was also PHYS ’49, M.S. ’51, Ph.D. ME ’51 M.S. IE ’52 EE ’59 Imberman Kovacheff EE ’76 Cross, he led 147 combat a visiting fellow at the Alumni ’60, Oakland, Calif., Chicago Lima, Ohio Middletown, Del. PS ’63 M.S. DSGN ’68 Albuquerque, N.M. missions in Vietnam, University of New South was a noted physicist Winnetka, Ill. Lansing, Ill. serving in the military Wales and a clinical Samuel Spencer and engineer who Donald Fannon Albert Wigert John Kozlik Philip Noteboom from 1955 to 1991. associate professor at CHE ’39 made contributions IE ’51 CE ’52 EE ’59 Robert Predny Jonas Miniatas LAW ’78 Hernandez conducted Northwestern Univer- Lakeland, Fla. to materials Le Roy, N.Y. Bokeelia, Fla. Scottsdale, Ariz. CHEM ’63 IE ’68 Wausau, Wis. the first strike against sity School of Law. characterization using Park Forest, Ill. Largo, Fla. two surface-to-air missile Lena Xydes X-ray diffraction and Joseph Faul Glenn Workman Charles Pease Terry Sietmann sites in North Vietnam. Mohammad Zia Hassan ARSC ’40 small-angle X-ray ME ’51 CHE ’52 CE ’59 Alan Sicherman Dwight Snow M.S. IE ’78 He served as deputy M.S. IE ’58, Ph.D. ’65, San Jose, Calif. scattering. Early in his Naples, Fla. Summerville, S.C. Park Ridge, Ill. EE ’63 MAE ’68 Broomfield, Colo. commander in chief on Chicago, former Illinois career he worked at Minneapolis Richton Park, Ill. the U.S. Space Command Tech professor and Clarence Votava the Portland Cement Casimir Griglik Marlen Miller Nicholas Petrakos Bertha Ajayi and vice commander dean of Stuart School EE ’43 Association research BE ’51 ME ’53 EE ’59 Mert Thayer Donald Babka PS ’79 of the North American of Business, co-founded Indianapolis laboratory and then at Lake Worth, Fla. Mason, Ohio Parkland, Fla. DSGN ’63 EE ’69 Los Angeles Aerospace Defense the Islamic Foundation Lockheed Missiles and Sesser, Ill. Western Springs, Ill. Command during his School and mosque H. Jack Hansen Space Company, and was Robert Keller William Odahowski Edward Grahn Rakhael Ross last two years of duty. in Villa Park, Illinois, ME ’44 subsequently offered CHE ’51 CE ’53 ME ’60 James Murphy Antons Tutins LAW ’79 and helped to establish Elburn, Ill. a full professorship Basking Ridge, N.J. Orlando, Fla. Arlington Heights, Ill. CHE ’64 EE ’70 Chicago Raymond Tower Chicago’s Muslim and joint appointment Medinah, Ill. Orlando, Fla. Glenview, Ill., had a Community Center. Robert Harper at Lawrence Berkeley John Menke James Karzes Stanley Jackson Richard Dorsey 40-year career with FMC He also served as the ME ’44 National Laboratory CHE ’51 EE ’54 LAW ’60 James Brennan Edward Wolthausen LAW ’81 Corporation, a leading foundation’s chair for Glen Ellyn, Ill. at the University of Minneapolis Sunnyvale, Calif. Baltimore Ph.D. CHEM ’65 PHYS ’70 Oldsmar, Fla. diversified chemical four decades. At Stuart California, Berkeley, Newark, Del. Vancouver, Wash. company. Educated Hassan focused his Edwin Kurek where he served from Albin Stravinskas Stanley Sternasty Paul Cooper Robert Eatman as a chemist, he rose research on business ME ’44 1969 to 1987 (and as chair IE ’51 MET ’54 EE ’61 Bruce Brock Frederic Beslow LAW ’81 through the ranks at FMC, policy and quality Monrovia, Ind. of the Department of Dunedin, Fla. Cincinnati Villa Park, Ill. M.S. CRP ’65 MATH ’71 Los Angeles ultimately serving as management, writing Materials Science and Jacksonville, Fla. Glenview, Ill. board member, president, more than 30 papers Roy Churan Engineering from 1978 to Robert Anderson Henry Zucker John Gravee Andrew Chaloupka and chief operating officer and co-authoring the ME ’45 1981). A Fulbright Scholar, CE ’52 M.S. EE ’54, Ph.D. ’59 BE ’61 Karman Kirti Ghia Katherine Foster DSGN ’82 before his retirement in textbook BASIC Programs Largo, Fla. Bragg worked to provide Palatine, Ill. Little Silver, N.J. Huntley, Ill. M.S. MAE ’65, Ph.D. ’69 M.S. PSYC ’71, Ph.D. ’75 Western Springs, Ill. 1990. Tower then devoted for Production and opportunities and Cincinnati Des Plaines, Ill. his time to helping others, Operations Management. William Burt recognition for minorities George Gallagher Donald McKenney Martin Kozi Marian Donohue including being president Illinois Tech established EE ’46 in both academia and CE ’52 CHE ’56 EE ’61, M.B.A. ’94 James Trawinski Ruey-Rong Lii (née Higgins) of the Lost Tree Village an endowed chair in Bloomington, Minn. the workplace. He Baton Rouge, La. Midland, Mich. Lombard, Ill. CE ’65, M.S. ENVE ’70 Ph.D. CHEM ’71 LAW ’83 Charitable Foundation Hassan’s name before served as an advisor to Barrington, Ill. Hillsborough, Calif. Quincy, Ill. from 2001 to 2006. He his retirement in 2014. Lester Matzek prominent organizations, Helmuth Hansen Lawrence Stukel Albert Zoch had served on Illinois EE ’46, M.S. ’48, M.B.A. ’84 including the United EE ’52 LAW ’56 MATH ’61 Richard Arazi Perry Meyers Patricia Cummings Tech’s Board of Trustees Nicholas Thomopoulos Lombard, Ill. States Department of Savannah, Ga. Cave Creek, Ariz. Chicago MATH ’66 Ph.D. PSYC ’71 M.B.A. ’84 since 1982, becoming a Ph.D. IE ’66, Chicago, Energy, the U.S. Naval Bismarck, N.D. Highland Park, Ill. Dennis Port, Mass. life trustee in 1992 and professor emeritus of Calvin Zehnder Research Laboratory, Lloyd Idelman Wolfgang Eschenlohr Gordon Bartosiewicz trustee emeritus in 2007. management science at ME ’46 and the National ME ’52 PSYC ’57 MET ’62 James Foley Mercurio Oddo John Sharkey Stuart School of Business, Louisville, Ky. Science Foundation. Evanston, Ill. Cincinnati Jupiter, Fla. ME ’66 BE ’71 M.B.A. ’88 Attendees/Non-Degree was a faculty member Harrison, N.Y. Surprise, Ariz. Elgin, Ill. for more than 40 years Arnold Gavin Carl Hermach Alfred Leisering W. Impey John Eubank Nicholas Chaparos and a thesis advisor to 32 CHE ’47 ME ’49 ARCH ’52 LAW ’57 FPE ’62 Larry Roush Loren Schwechter Paul Bauer Cincinnati Ph.D. students. A prolific Minnesota Lake, Minn. Largo, Fla. Lombard, Ill. Silver Lake, Wis. Nashville M.S. SOCT ’66 LAW ’71 M.P.A. ’92 writer, he wrote more Altamonte Springs., Fla. Deerfield, Ill. Chicago Glen Lund than 70 papers that were Donald Norton Frank Mattausch Peter Schutz Peter Novak John Goodin Plymouth, Minn. published in various ME ’47 ME ’49 ME ’52, Naples, Fla., is EE ’57 IE ’62 John Silvis James Weatherbee Jessica Coffey technical journals and Arcadia, Calif. Renton, Wash. credited with preventing Keller, Texas Hoffman Estates, Ill. ME ’66 Ph.D. BIOL ’72 DSGN ’93 Richard Mueller conference proceedings; the demise of Porsche’s Fairport Harbor, Ohio St. Paul, Minn. Raleigh, N.C. Columbus, Ohio he also authored 11 books Robert Ronningen James Bulger classic 911 sports car. Robert Browne Brian Loo with topics ranging from ME ’47 CE ’50 A Jewish refugee from EE ’58 EE ’62 Russell Glastetter Thomas Zeinz Kathleen Gros Arthur Rubin Monte Carlo simulations Flat Rock, N.C. Oak Lawn, Ill. Nazi Germany, he and Titusville, Fla. Buena Park, Calif. EE ’67 CE ’72 (née Manella) Boynton Beach, Fla. to supply-chain and his family settled in Redlands, Calif. Homewood, Ill. LAW ’93 inventory fundamentals. Philip Cox Thaddeus Kolski Chicago. After graduating Robert Ebert John Meisner Hinsdale, Ill. Faculty The recipient of many EE ’48 CHEM ’50 from Illinois Tech and ME ’58 EE ’62 Robert Green J. Richard Hisaw awards including Illinois Lake Worth, Fla. Wilmington, Del. working for the Des Plaines, Ill. Cottage Grove, Ore. LAW ’67 LAW ’73 William Koves Suzanne Ehrenberg Tech’s Outstanding Alumni companies Caterpillar Hilo, Hawaii Chicago Ph.D. MAE ’93 Chicago-Kent College Achievement Award in Leroy Kuston Ben Loper and Cummins, Schutz James Louden John Merwin Elgin, Ill. of Law, Evanston, Ill., 2009, Thomopoulos devel- CE ’48 CHE ’50 was recruited back to MET ’58 ME ’62 John Hourihane Jane Mitchell-Lizars professor of legal research oped new mathematical Seminole, Fla. Clearwater, Fla. Germany to work for Orland Park, Ill. New Lenox, Ill. LAW ’67 LAW ’73 Raelinn Spiekhout and writing, joined and business methodolo- Porsche, where he rose to Evanston, Ill. Eugene, Ore. CHE ’93 the faculty in 1985 and gies and designed forecast Allen Moss Eugene Rezabeck become president and Victor Raimondi Peter Abrams Bourbonnais, Ill. served for many years and inventory software. EE ’48 ME ’50 chief executive officer BIOL ’58 Ph.D. PSYC ’63 Henry Knaack Charles Ziemba as associate director His wife, Elaine Thomo- Los Angeles Carol Stream, Ill. from 1981 to 1987. Schutz Naperville, Ill. Fort Lauderdale, Fla. ME ’67 EE ’74 Former Trustees of the Legal Research poulos (Ph.D. PSYC ’74), implemented engineer- Gladstone, Mo. Mount Washington, Ky. and Writing Program. and three daughters are Milton Oran John Russell ing changes in the 911 and Thomas Stankie Ralph Bogot Diego Hernandez Ehrenberg practiced law Illinois Tech alumnae. ME ’48 ME ’50 helped to revive Porsche IE ’58 ME ’63 Jack Kuhlman Barbara Jacobs PSYC ’55, Miami Lakes, for four years with the Chaska, Minn. Clearwater, Fla. sales in the United States. Crown Point, Ind. Estero, Fla. LAW ’67 LAW ’75 Fla., was a decorated Chicago firm of Mayer, Upon his departure from Parker, Colo. Germantown, Tenn. admiral in the United Brown & Platt and served Arthur Postregna Donald Steichen Porsche, Schutz and Marlin Barklage Raymond Donahue States Navy who headed as a staff attorney with ARCH ’48 FPE ’50 his wife established a BE ’59 MET ’63, Ph.D. ’66 Edward Gurka Thomas Luebker the Pacific Third Fleet. the United States Court of Fort Myers, Fla. La Salle, Ill. business consultancy. Pittsburgh Fond Du Lac, Wis. MAE ’68 EE ’76 Honored with the Silver Appeals for the Seventh Westchester, Ill. Chicago Star, Purple Heart, and Circuit. Over the course

30 SPRING 2018 31 Rewind Last Bridge

Standing Elevate Education at Illinois Tech By Marcia Faye Illinois Tech places a premium on experiential, hands-on, action-oriented learning. We believe this robust The next time you drive across the IL-104 River Bridge over the Illinois River in Meredosia, Illinois, thank Sasha Bajzek (CE ’11) for your safe approach to education transforms our students into graduates who are uniquely equipped passage. She designed the steel plate girders, steel details, joints, and to create, solve, and innovate—people who will change the world. bearings for the structure’s nine approach spans, each at 140 to 200 feet in length. Bajzek won her first bridge building competition at Tinley Elevate at Illinois Tech connects undergraduates with out-of-classroom opportunities and other experiences Park High School and then went on to win a first-place slot in the 2005 that propel their education to new heights. From internships to immersive research to study abroad, Chicago Regional Bridge Building Contest and first place overall in the Elevate programs empower our students to be dynamic leaders and innovators—knowers and doers. International Bridge Building Contest, earning a half-tuition scholarship to attend Illinois Tech. [Read the story about the 2018 Chicago Regional All undergraduates from all majors can participate in Elevate in as early as their first year of study. Bridge Building Contest on page 5.] Now a structural engineer with Illinois Tech supports students with awards of up to $5,000 for qualifying programs. Parsons Corporation, Bajzek shared information about her winning student design and thoughts on why the contests remain relevant today: Alumni can play an important role in the success of Elevate. As a high school pontist, what interested you specifically about participating in a bridge building contest? I love creating things and solving problems. We had to build a bridge for my physics class, and I was fascinated that something so light could hold so much weight. My winning bridge weighed about the same as four nickels but could hold more than 200 pounds. I can’t even come close to picking up 200 pounds! I wanted to learn more about the engineering behind it, and it became very addicting trying to get each bridge to hold more. My bridge was an A-frame design. I got the idea looking at one of the work benches in my parents’ basement. My winning bridge weighed 0.044 pounds and supported 207 pounds, for a total efficiency of 4,738.

Sasha Bajzek (CE ’11) adding weights to her entry in the 2005 Did you learn something from participating in the contests that International Bridge Building Contest helped you in your career? The thing I learned from the contests that has stuck with me the most in my career is tenacity. I built 20 test bridges to perfect my design, learning from each one what I could do to make my bridge stronger and lighter. I use that tenacity every day as an engineer. I work to make things as efficient as possible, which involves a lot of learning from mistakes and keeping at things until you achieve a great design. How Alumni Can Support Elevate Why does the contest continue to be relevant more than 40 years after its founding? ✔ Make a gift to Elevate The contest teaches students about physics and engineering, which are ✔ Provide internships to Illinois Tech students present everywhere in the world. It takes learning about compression and tension in structural members out of textbook learning and into the Make a gift, submit an opportunity, and learn more at physical world so students can better connect to the concepts. It also demonstrates the importance of iteration in engineering design with the best designs having been proven through many test runs. go.iit.edu/elevate-mag The A-frame winning bridge MORE ONLINE PHOTOS: COURTESY OF SASHA BAJZEK Parsons Corporation: www.parsons.com

32 SPRING 2018 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Illinois Institute 10 West 35th Street, Suite 4D7-1 of Technology Chicago, IL 60616

Homecoming Weekend 2018 September 21–22 Join us for a weekend of celebrations on Mies Campus!

REUNION GATHERINGS Calling all reunion classes! Members of the classes of 1968, 1993, and 2008 will share in an exclusive luncheon gathering with President Alan W. Cramb. Alumni from the Class of 1968 and earlier will have the special honor of becoming members of the Golden Society. Class of 2017, don’t miss your first reunion!

GLOBAL SPIRIT DAY Celebrate the fourth annual Ilinois Tech Global Spirit Day at alumni activities around the world and on Mies Campus including the Homecoming Carnival on Saturday, September 22, featuring fun for the whole family.

…AND MUCH MORE! Campus tours, lectures, learning opportunities, and a variety of athletics events—don’t miss out on these and many more activities during Homecoming Weekend 2018. Visit alumni.iit.edu/homecoming for more information.