UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PRSRT STD 902 PRICES FORK ROAD U.S. POSTAGE SPRING 2021 PAID UNIVERSITY GATEWAY CENTER, SUITE 2100 LYNCHBURG, VA BLACKSBURG, VA 24061 PERMIT NO. 542 VOL. 43, NO. 2 NO. 43, VOL. CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED magazine SPRING 2021 magazine LIFE ONLINE Expert tips for cyber safety SPACED OUT From parking garages to gardens, Virginia Tech faculty create avant garde classrooms Amy Pruden uses next-generation DNA sequencing to examine Legionella and antibiotic resistance in water systems and fight the spread of disease. Pruden VTMAG.VT.EDU has made public safety her priority. BREAKING THROUGH The many layers of substance misuse: How research, technology, and Ut Prosim uncover opportunities That’s her role. Claim yours... vt.edu for support, recovery, and awareness on campus, at home, and in the community 1 Join us BE BOLDER: Rec Sports’ new Venture Out Center, which officially opened Jan. 28, offers students the opportunity to develop their JUNE 8-11 climbing skills via an indoor bouldering wall. ranking by The Princeton Review), we • Physical well-being (having good are also doubling down on our efforts health and enough energy to get to embrace a related but much broader things done). WELL-BEING concept of well-being. With education • Community well-being (a sense of In lieu of spring break, Virginia and intention, all of us have tremendous engagement where you live). Tech scheduled five separate influence over our well-being, and when The important point is that all of us can well-being days in the spring se- we do this well, we take good care of mester: Feb. 5, Feb. 25, March 17, build a plan around the five essential ourselves and others around us. April 6, and April 26. elements of well-being and make mean- What is well-being? It’s the presence of ingful progress toward building a foun- As a part of these days off, Stu- positive emotion, a sense of satisfaction dation for a life of well-being. According dent Engagement and Campus with life, a feeling of purpose, and an af- to Gallup, 66 percent of people are doing Life Hokie Wellness, and Rec firmative holistic evaluation of one’s life. well in one of these areas nationally, but Sports partnered to ensure well- We endeavor to see well-being empha- just 7 percent are thriving in all five. The ness opportunities are available for students. Based on the dimen- Join Hokie Nation online from anywhere sized in every aspect of the Virginia Tech primary obstacle for well-being is our- sions of well-being, each day will experience. To guide our interventions, selves, and that includes you and me. Let’s Reunion Weekend is going virtual! Join us for happy hours, a panel exploring 100 Years of Women at include options and tools to help we’ve adopted a broad understanding of join together in committing to building students feel rested in the areas Virginia Tech, a performance by Paula Poundstone, and a chance to get the Fightin’ Hokies Lager. well-being as outlined and thoroughly our own well-being and chart a course of mental, spiritual, emotional, so- researched by our partners at the Gallup toward holistic health in 2021. Our world cial, sensory, creative, and physi- Organization. These include: and our students are absolutely worth our cal well-being. We’re celebrating all alumni and recognizing milestone anniversaries for best efforts. • Career well-being (liking what you But well-being isn’t just for stu- Frank Shushok Jr. is the vice president the classes of 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 do every day). dents. Whether it’s taking part in for student affairs. a wellness activity, exploring the from wherever Hokies are. • Social well-being (having strong outdoor offerings in your com- relationships and love in your life). munity, reading a book, or simply Registration is $30 and includes all online PICTURE OF HEALTH relaxing at home, all Hokies are programs—plus a box of Hokie gear with • Financial well-being (effectively Share your photos and tips for strongly encouraged to set aside managing your economic life). promoting well-being at [email protected]. a tumbler, coaster, stickers, snacks, REGISTER NOW AT: some time to relax and recharge. and pennant flag. ALUMNI.VT.EDU/REUNION2021 RACHEL DEBUSK RACHEL FEATURES 28 LIFE ONLINE What information is safe to divulge online? How can people stay connected virtually without exposing themselves to digital threats? Virginia Tech experts weigh in. 34 BREAKING THROUGH When it comes to substance misuse, there are no easy answers. Through medical and behavioral research, Virginia Tech is peeling back the layers, revealing the problems, and uncovering meaningful solutions. DEPARTMENTS 4 PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE 6 AROUND THE DRILLFIELD 18 Corps 19 Athletics 21 Question 22 What's In It? 24 How Tech Ticks 26 Moment: Linsey Marr 50 AROUND THE HOKIE NATION 50 Alumni Profile: Mehul and Hema Sanghani 55 Class Notes 58 How To 62 Young Alumni 64 Family CONTENTS 66 STILL LIFE DESIGNING SAFE SPACE 76 END NOTE The Virginia Tech School of Architecture + Design is one of only a few design schools in the country offering in-person studio courses this year for students ON THE COVER: Through research, support services, and like Alyssa S. Jeffries, a first-year architecture student. outreach education, Virginia Tech is breaking through School faculty and staff—and even current students—worked the problems associated with substance misuse. (at right) Even though pandemic restrictions lim- diligently over the summer to preserve the studio experience in ited gatherings, alumni around the globe joined Cowgill and Burchard halls. Together, they crafted an evenly spaced, together virtually for activities like the first-ever Hokie Hike. physically distanced studio with desks placed throughout the buildings, along with colorful Plexiglas barriers and directional signage for traffic flows. RM, COURTESY MEGAN REMSEN RM, COURTESY EDITOR LETTERS Erica Stacy ART DIRECTOR Shanin Glenn SECTION EDITORS/WRITERS Jenny Kincaid Boone, Richard Lovegrove, TO THE EDITOR FROM THE EDITOR Travis Williams, Rosie Hutchison (student intern) CONTRIBUTORS THE HOKIE STORY STAY IN TOUCH Dom Benjamin, James Mason, Annie McCallum, Albert Raboteau, I enjoyed reading the fall 2020 issue of At Virginia Tech Magazine, we enjoy Brian Snell, Summer Woodard Virginia Tech Magazine. hearing from our readers. Please keep DIGITAL DESIGN us posted on your career and per- From the very start with President PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE Bruce Harper (webmaster) sonal experiences. Send your updates Sands' message, to the last page, this VISUAL ASSETS to [email protected]. Don’t forget to Dawn Jefferies, Megan Zalecki particular issue made me very proud ADVANCING BEYOND BOUNDARIES: On Jan. 13, President Tim Sands delivered his include your pictures! See example to be a graduate (and supporter) of fifth State of the University address. The presentation was streamed digitally, in PHOTOGRAPHERS below. keeping with the university's coronavirus mitigation guidelines. Lee Friesland, Ray Meese, Erin Williams, Virginia Tech. Ryan Young And if you move, please be sure to I was impressed by the school's response CREATIVE DIRECTOR update your address with the uni- Brad Soucy to the pandemic and have been pleased versity so that you keep receiving EXECUTIVE EDITOR with how Virginia Tech is involved not the magazine without interruption. Jesse Tuel only in inventing the future, but also Visit alumni.vt.edu/contact or email SCIENCE-BASED APPROACH PUBLISHER in dealing with today's issues in a prag- Tracy Vosburgh your updates to [email protected]. matic and intelligent way. More than a year after the pandemic changed our world, Vir- focused on addressing complex problems facing our world today. Be sure to include your full name and CONTACTS Thank you for telling the Hokie story ginia Tech continues to adapt, using a science-based approach to The Fralin Life Sciences Institute and Fralin Biomedical Research STORY IDEAS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: class year in the email. in this issue. planning and decision-making to fulfill our education, research, EMAIL: [email protected]. MAIL: VIRGINIA TECH MAGAZINE; Institute at VTC have expanded their roles in direct response to the 902 PRICES FORK ROAD; UNIVERSITY GATEWAY CENTER, and engagement missions. pandemic, serving our communities with COVID-19 testing and SUITE 2100; BLACKSBURG, VA 24061. ADDRESS CHANGES: Very respectfully, other important outreach. Our expansion in the greater Wash- EMAIL: [email protected]. PHONE: 540-231-6285 We advance into spring and early summer with caution, but BETWEEN 8 A.M. AND 5 P.M., MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. J. Scott Burhoe ’76 also with the hope that vaccines and the work of talented scien- ington, D.C., area is hitting important milestones, including Alex- CLASS NOTES: EMAIL: [email protected]. MAIL: Purcellville, Virginia tists here at Virginia Tech and around the world will lead us to a andria City Council’s approval of the Innovation Campus’s first CLASS NOTES, ALUMNI ASSOCIATION; HOLTZMAN ALUMNI CENTER, VIRGINIA TECH; 901 PRICES FORK RD.; new normal in which Hokies can once again gather in numbers. building. And the Virginia Tech-led Commonwealth Cyber Initia- BLACKSBURG, VA 24061. ADVERTISING: BRENDA WATSON, Meanwhile, our faculty and staff continue developing innova- tive has amassed $85 million in active research grants to advance [email protected], (540) 739-0048. tive solutions for both in-person and remote learning, and our research, innovation, and workforce development in this sector. Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of age, color, disability, gender, gender students are rising to the challenges, participating in Virginia Undergraduate applications for admission to Virginia Tech rose identity, gender expression, national origin, political affiliation, Tech’s enhanced pods and seeking out new ways to define their race, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, or veteran more than 30 percent over last year, including a significant increase status; or otherwise discriminate against employees or applicants college experience.