FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF USC DANA AND DAVID DORNSIFE COLLEGE OF LETTERS, ARTS AND SCIENCES SPRING / SUMMER 2017 MAGAZINE Te Visionaries Issue THESHOOT MOON Vision is the driving force behind change. USC Dornsife’s world-class scholars demonstrate the power of vision to make a better community, country and world. CONTRIBUTOR Dieuwertje Kast ’11, ’14 JEP STEM Program Manager Dieuwertje “DJ” Kast is still haunted by two unforget- table sounds. The first is the glassy tinkle made by shards of candle ice in a thawing Arctic lake. “It’s a strange and beautiful music,” she said. The second is the whining of giant mosquitoes swarm- ing the Arctic in summer. “They’re called the Alaskan state bird for a reason.” Kast spent three weeks using underwater robots to collect specimens from the deep sea off Canada’s west- ern coast, followed by 24 days at an Arctic research station in Alaska. Kast earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences and a master’s degree in marine environmental biology from USC Dornsife in 2011 and then a Master of Arts in Teaching from USC Rossier School of Education in 2014. She is now USC Dornsife’s Joint Educational Project (JEP) STEM program manager. She hopes to inspire the teachers she works with at the USC Family of Schools to apply for similar programs. “Sharing these experi- ences with their students enables teachers to tie science to the real world,” Kast said. “And that makes it more relevant to the chal- lenges we face today.” KAST PHOTO COURTESY OF DIEUWERTJE KAST ARCTIC SKY PHOTO BY ROEE FUNG 2 SPRING / SUMMER 2017 Te Bold Journey 2 From the Dean When we think of a visionary, we are quick to admire his or her capacity to see Contents 4 a new opportunity and affect great change in the world. But the effort involved — Political Life science Line alumnus named INTERIM ASSISTANT DEAN FOR COMMUNICATION the rigorous process of turning dreams into reality — often goes unnoticed. Rhodes Scholar; Dornsife Dialogues Mira Zimet That oversight pushes a critical piece of the story into the background — series launches; Alumnus EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS / ART DIRECTOR the part where ambition is channeled into action, where setbacks are combatted appointed to USC trustee board. Dan Knapp by resilience. Here is where the visionary deconstructs the abstract ideal and EDITOR-IN-CHIEF rebuilds it as a concrete strategy. This is among the most defining elements of 5 SOCIAL DORNSIFE Darrin S. Joy a dynamic liberal arts mindset. Rallying for inclusion; Light pol- WRITERS AND EDITORS At USC Dornsife, we prepare tomorrow’s leaders to both imagine new possibilities lutes; First-gen students convene. Susan Bell and to excel in a journey that brings these to fruition. Whether it is a fresh perspective Michelle Boston on global ecology that Professor Jan Amend inspires through his studies of the deep 6 FROM THE HEART OF USC Laura Paisley ocean foor, or the artistic innovation of literary talents such as Professor Aimee Bender, Study illuminates gender-related DESIGNERS USC Dornsife is creating pipelines through which every member of our academic community stress differences; Students Letty Avila can contribute to society in a visionary way. share art history lessons; Matthew Pla Savino I have the great pleasure of engaging with our talented faculty and students every day. Scientists seek out the reasons VIDEOGRAPHER AND PHOTOGRAPHER And every day it becomes more clear to me that USC Dornsife has something unique for political stubbornness. Mike Glier to ofer the world. We know that a vision cannot simply unfold — it must be earned. COMMUNICATIONS ASSISTANT Our leading thinkers today make the bold journey to transcend the status quo and lead 7 Curriculum Deann Webb the way in developing knowledge that will inspire tomorrow’s solutions. I hope you will CONTRIBUTORS 8 follow the evolution of these visionary ideas with me in the coming years. Archive Ian Chafee, Joanna Clay, Emily Gersema, Beth Newcomb 10 USC DORNSIFE ADMINISTRATION Amber D. Miller Profle Dean of USC Dornsife Amber D. Miller, Dean • Stephen Bradforth, Divisional Dean for Natural 13 Sciences • Peter C. Mancall, Divisional Dean for the Humanities & Social Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair Lexicon Sciences • Steven Lamy, Vice Dean for Academic Programs • Donal Manahan, Vice Dean for Students • Stephen Mackey, Vice Dean for Administration 14 In the Field and Finance • Eddie Sartin, Senior Associate Dean for Advancement USC DORNSIFE BOARD OF COUNCILORS 16 Our Community Robert D. Beyer, Chair • Robert Alvarado • William Barkett • Leslie Berger • Susan Casden • Richard S. Flores • Shane Foley • Lisa Goldman • 51 Legacy Jana Waring Greer • Pierre Habis • Yossie Hollander • Janice Bryant Howroyd • Martin Irani • Dan James • Stephen G. Johnson • Suzanne 52 DORNSIFE FAMILY Nora Johnson • Peter YS Kim • Yoon Kim • Samuel King • Arthur Lev • THE VISIONARIES ISSUE Noted faculty recognized; Rare Robert Osher • Gerald Papazian • Lawrence Piro • Kelly Porter • Michael craft offers unique research tools; Reilly • Harry Robinson • Stephanie Booth Shafran • Carole Shammas • Alumnus turns games into a career. Glenn A. Sonnenberg • Kumarakulasingam “Suri” Suriyakumar 18 USC DORNSIFE MAGAZINE 52 Published twice a year by the USC Dornsife Ofce of Communication HTow doe writers Creative bring their creative vision Eye to the page? Five of USC Dornsife’s leading authors, writing across Faculty News at the University of Southern California. © 2017 USC Dornsife College. By Susan Bell Te diverse opinions expressed in USC Dornsife Magazine do not neces- LEUT genres of fction, poetry, memoir, criticism and narrative nonfction, unlock the mystery. 54 Faculty Canon sarily represent the views of the editors, USC Dornsife administration HOLD 26 or USC. USC Dornsife Magazine welcomes comments from its readers to 55 [email protected] or USC Dornsife Magazine, 1150 S. Olive St. P Alumni News HO T2400, Los Angeles, CA 90015 T O 56 C Te Unconventional Visionary Alumni Canon O Alumnus Julian Leuthold, founder of the frst conference on how to succeed in foreign markets, attributes his URTESY URTESY success to the approach to life and business he learned from the country he calls his second home. By Susan Bell 58 Remembering O F 30 G 60 IN MY OPINION ET GLO Entrepreneurs BA Pattern Recognition L At the USC Image Understanding Laboratory, pioneering research into vision and the mind seeks to reveal how / U ON THE COVER NIC our brains can recognize new scenes, objects or faces in a fraction of a second. By Susan Bell O From deepest ocean to farthest RN PR RN 38 space, exploration is at the core of OD human nature, and every journey UCTI of discovery begins with a vision. O Ripple Efects NS More than 40 USC Dornsife centers and institutes play home to faculty, staf and students who aim to impact the global community through intensive, innovative scholarship. By Susan Bell, Michelle Boston and Laura Paisley SOCIA L DORNSIFE NEWS AND EVENTS Instagram @USCDornsife Twitter 11.3.16 @cassandrapye: What a power- INTERSECTIONS OF HUMAN house group of young people. SECURITY AND GEOSPATIAL I refuse to be cynical about our INTELLIGENCE features STEVE Life Line NOVEMBER future. #hope #Cerrell2017 LAMY, vice dean for academic programs, retired Army Col. @adelaidemcga: @USCDornsife STEVEN FLEMING, professor of the excited to attend the young 11.21.16 practice of spatial sciences, retired women’s leadership conference Army Gen. DAVID PETRAEUS, this weekend! Can’t wait to hear Judge Widney Professor at the “I want to use this visibility all of the speakers and training! USC Price School of Public Policy to champion progressive and former CIA director, and @drchrisisfree: Thanks to policy reform and anti-racist MICHAEL OROSZ, assistant director 12.4.16 @WarrenZanes for speaking consciousness.” The USC DORNSIFE OFFICE OF of the USC Viterbi School of Alumnus OSCAR DE LOS SANTOS DECEMBER to my class at @USCDornsife COMMUNICATION receives four Engineering’s Information Sciences (B.A., political science, ’15) @usc_english about @tompetty awards from the Los Angeles Press Institute discussing geospatial is named one of 32 American and writing and such Club at the 9th annual NATIONAL intelligence and its role in optimiz- recipients of the 2017 RHODES ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ing human security. SCHOLARSHIP, which provides 12.8.16 JacobChackoMD: Thanks JOURNALISM AWARDS ceremony GEORGE LUCAS and MELLODY all expenses to study at the @USCDornsife for hosting in Downtown L.A. HOBSON are named AMBAS- University of Oxford in England. us to watch @USC beat #ND. SADORS FOR HUMANITY by the Was confused by liquid falling 1.2.17 USC SHOAH FOUNDATION – THE from grey puffy objects in the INSTITUTE FOR VISUAL HISTORY sky, but still fun! USC triumphs over Penn State in AND EDUCATION. The award a last-minute, 52-49 win in the JANUARY recognizes those who embody the @PBandJacque: There’s no one 103RD ROSE BOWL. More than 30 institute’s values and mission to I could thank more for helping USC DORNSIFE STUDENTS fill the promote tolerance and mutual LO me make my poli sci dreams roster, including JUJU SMITH- S ANGE respect. a reality! @christiangrose SCHUSTER, who made seven #MVProfessor catches for 133 yards. L 1.25.17 ES P @mridleythomas: TY 4 #Fight- 2.1.17 C RESS “Te main aim of the 4Homeless discussion w/ FREDERICK RYAN JR. (B.A., @BobShrum & Marylouise L Trump administration AWAR UB Oates last night at @USC FEBRUARY political science and speech com- and the Western hemisphere 2.3.17-2.4.17 munication, ’77; J.D. ’80), publisher @GroundZeroUSC! and CEO of The Washington Post, ought to be that of the D USC hosts the second annual FIRST- S IN THIS TOGETHER @sjrodriguez_: I studied poetry is elected to the USC BOARD OF physician: Do no harm.” PHO Professor Emeritus of International GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT TRUSTEES.