Harvey Mudd College Magazine fall/winter 2013 by Harvey Mudd College

FALL / WINTER 2013

To Flip (or Not)? A study of the flipped classroom

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THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FISH PASSAGE

REIMAGINING ROBIN HOOD

SPECIAL SECTION: ANNUAL REPORT 2012–2013

IMPRESSIONS

Fun is Good In a flurry of Seuss hats and song—and the festive resounding of a gong—the Class of 2017 Orientation Sponsors cheered, sang, danced and greeted each of the 217 first years on opening day. The enthusiastic tradition began a decade ago when sponsors welcomed the Class of 2007 to campus. Students who apply to be sponsors tend to be super psyched about Mudd and thrilled about providing first years with insights about the campus community. This year’s sponsors included Nithya Menon ’16, Christian Mason ’14, Ari Hausman-Cohen ’15, Beverly Yeh ’14, Paul Jolly ’16, Tessa Adair ’14, James Saindon ’16, Christie Thompson ’15, Tyler Marklyn ’15, Mark Mann ’14 (back), Andrew Wells ’15, Jessica Szejer ’16 and Madeline Goldkamp ’14. Szejer said they chose a Seuss theme because it is recognizable to nearly everyone, even international students. And because “Seuss characters represent Mudders for sure—especially the occasional unicycle.”

FALL / WINTER 2013

FROM THE

CONTENTS

PRESIDENT Why Mudd Matters Why does Harvey Mudd College matter today? This fall, I set out with alumni, trustees, faculty and staff to discuss this with many of you. We traveled the country sharing the wonderful things happening on campus: the impact of our new Core curriculum, our increasing visibility as an innovator in undergraduate science and engineering education, the opening of the fabulous new R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning and our upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign. We’ve heard from alumni, trustees and parents about what Harvey Mudd has meant to them and to their families. Through these events, titled “Mudd Matters: Our Character, Our Campus, Our Course,” we’ve shared many stories about our Harvey Mudd experiences. One such story came from Michael Blasgen ’63, an alumnus and trustee, describing his time at the College. Michael commented that the College’s mission resonated with him personally, a common theme we heard from others as well. “The mission statement was written nearly 60 years ago,” he said. “Educating scientists and mathematicians was a given, but the founders added two things that weren’t expected: a commitment to the humanities and social sciences and the importance of understanding the impact of our work on society.” Our mission remains at the heart of everything we do. And, today, we continue to strive to do even more to achieve it. Our goal is a vigorous learning environment in which each of our students will thrive, a curriculum in which students explore broadly and deeply disciplines across science, engineering, humanities, social sciences and the arts, and a community in which every person helps every other one succeed. As we discover new successful approaches, we share these across the nation and the world. Whether it’s transforming computer science and engineering education so more women and minorities can successfully participate or having faculty from across the College teach our introductory writing course, we are playing a leadership role in transforming undergraduate science and engineering education. Harvey Mudd matters for all these reasons and more. That’s what we heard this fall: affirmation that this is the best place to educate the next generation of passionate problem solvers.

Annual Report 2012–2013

Features

On the Flip Side (or Not): Studying the Flipped Classroom Professors explore whether a flipped classroom affects already active learning environments.

26 Go Fish

Maria Klawe, President, Harvey Mudd College

Suzanne Huhta ’92 has made a name for herself in a unique engineering specialty: fish passage.

Departments

Fall / Winter 2013 Volume 12, No. 1

CAMPUS CURRENT

STUDENT NEWS

FACULTY NEWS

MUDDERINGS

The Harvey Mudd College Magazine is produced three times per year by the Office of Communications and Marketing

COLLABORATION

CLASS NOTES

Director of Communications, Senior Editor Stephanie L. Graham

MY MUDD LIFE

BACK TALK

Art Director Janice Gilson

STUDY SPACE

Graphic Designer Robert Vidaure Contributing Writers Anthony Bald POM ’17, Amy Derbedrosian, K. Emily Hutta, Tamara Savage ’15, Koren Wetmore

Heard Online

Conversations on Harvey Mudd social media Facebook, Aug. 9, 2013: Responses to an article about Victoria’s Secret “Pink Nation School Spirit Rally.” (Harvey Mudd College topped the results and made the first letters of the top 20 schools spell “HMC WOMEN IN TECHNOLOGY.”)

Yup, that’s Mudd. –Jose G. Gonzales P12

Actually, I’d say Mudd knows Victoria’s secret. Here’s mudd in your eye! –Caryn Urata

I think VS needs a couple of Mudders as interns in their IT section. –Sharon Stanfill P15

Smart rules the world. –Michael Kearney P12

twitter.com/harveymudd

Editor’s Note Well, this is quite a change, yes? With the completion of an updated institutional brand strategy this past summer, the magazine was one of many publications that we sought to improve. You’ll find that your favorite content remains: important College news and information, compelling student stories, faculty and alumni articles that reflect the values of the College. The magazine continues to be sustainably printed on recycled paper and with soy-based inks. We’re trying some new things (Space Study, Page 18) and bringing back other features (Back Talk, Page 36), and we’re incorporating the kinds of stories you asked for in the 2011 magazine survey, including student and faculty research (Page 14), campus discussions (Page 6) and alumni features. There is a digital edition (currently Flash format) as well as a PDF edition for those who prefer to read the magazine online. In fact, if you’d like to stop receiving the print edition, just let us know (communications@hmc.edu), and we’ll email the link to the online version after each issue is published. Our work on the Harvey Mudd College Magazine is ongoing, and we welcome your suggestions and comments to make this a publication you love to read and can share with pride. Sincerely, Stephanie L. Graham Your editor since 2000

Contributing Photographers Jeff Amberg, Glen Cratty, Keenan Gilson, Jeanine Hill, Kevin Mapp, Cheryl Ogden, Carlos Puma Vice President for Advancement Dan Macaluso Assistant Vice President of Communications and Marketing Timothy L. Hussey, APR The Harvey Mudd College Magazine (SSN 0276-0797) is published by Harvey Mudd College, Office of Communications and Marketing, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711 Nonprofit Organization Postage Paid at Claremont, CA 91711

We welcome your posts and tweets. facebook.com/harveymuddcollege

Proofreaders Kelly Lauer, Koren Wetmore

Postmaster: Send address changes to Harvey Mudd College, Advancement Services, 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711. Copyright © 2014—Harvey Mudd College. All rights reserved. Opinions expressed in the Harvey Mudd College Magazine are those of the individual authors and subjects and do not necessarily reflect the views of the College administration, faculty or students. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without the express written consent of the editor. Find the magazine online at hmc.edu/hmcmagazine The Harvey Mudd College Magazine staff welcomes your input: communications@hmc.edu or Harvey Mudd College Magazine Harvey Mudd College 301 Platt Boulevard, Claremont, CA 91711

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COLLEGE NEWS

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From Celebration to Daily Inspiration It’s the place where people want to be. Not just because nearly all classes are now held here or because key student services, administrative offices and an academic department reside here. Nor because it’s the place where you can get a venti, upside-down, non-fat, decaf, caramel macchiato weekdays until midnight. The R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning—despite its 70,000 square feet—has that small community feel for which Harvey Mudd is known. “I’ve been able to witness the life of the College changing, shifting toward this welcoming destination,” said Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Literature Jeff Groves at the opening celebration Sept. 28. “The new Shanahan Center is a transformative and inspiring addition to our

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campus. …[its design] renders in concrete, glass, and steel shingle, our pedagogies, our mission and our interactions with the world.” In addition to reflections about the building’s impact on the campus community, thanks were extended to donors, including Mike and Mary Shanahan (1), who made the building possible. Guests roamed freely to experience the building’s many highlights, including The Café, Drinkward Recital Hall, rooftop gardens and Caryll Mudd and Norman F. Sprague Jr. Courtyard and Gallery (2). They were treated to presentations by mathemagician and Professor Art Benjamin and Pixar senior scientist Tony DeRose P16 as well as to performances by The Claremont Colleges Ballroom Dance Company (3) and Psyko Taiko drum group (4).

Praise the Roof While the rooftop is a great space for an outdoor classroom and quiet study, it can be pretty inhospitable for a plant. Wind lift, lightweight soils and sparse shade all had to be considered by 2.ink Studio, the landscape architect for the Shanahan Center. Thier solution was to keep the patterning fairly simple, to limit the number of species and to select drought tolerant, ornamental plants with seasonal interest, some of which are highlighted here.

GOLDEN BARREL CACTUS

TUSCAN BLUE ROSEMARY

(Echinocactus grusonii)

(Rosmarinus Officinalis “Tuscan Blue”)

Spiky ball produces flowers in the summer. Also known as Mother-in-law’s cushion. SKYCUBE

FOX TAIL AGAVE (agave attenuata) Plants can grow four to five feet tall by about twice as wide and individual rosettes may reach four feet wide. It’s also called Lion’s Tail Agave and Swan’s Neck Agave.

Soaks up the sun and survives in the toughest environments. When little else is blooming, bees dine on its flowers.

SCARLETT O’HARA BOUGAINVILLEA (Bougainvillea “Scarlett O’hara”) This stunning, hardy climber will eventually encompass the trellis surrounding the outdoor classroom. Butterflies love it.

IMPROVED MEYER LEMON TREE (Citrus x meyeri) To compensate for wind lift, this mediumsized tree is anchored with big straps, and its roots are concrete weighted.

FALL / WINTER 2013

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COLLEGE NEWS

Smart Growth

Board of trustees vote for managed student increase over next 10 years Written by Anthony Bald POM ’17

AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH STUDENTS,

faculty, alumni and staff, the Harvey Mudd College Board of Trustees unanimously voted Nov. 1 to expand Harvey Mudd’s student body to up to 900 over the next decade, with a comprehensive assessment of growth to date planned at the five-year mark. “I was so proud of the board; they were so thoughtful and so interested in how students, faculty, alumni and staff thought about [expansion],” President Maria Klawe said. “That, plus the vote on the campaign, those feel like the two most important votes that have happened while I’ve been president.” The decision to expand came in the wake of student and faculty meetings, student and alumni surveys, and community emails discussing the effects of expansion. In an email sent out to the Harvey Mudd community, board of trustees Chair Wayne Drinkward ’73 outlined four main concerns the board of trustees considered: the decision process; communication; college culture; and, resources for faculty, staff and students. “There was a lot of weight given to those issues, and as we go forward, we’ll work specifically on those areas,” Drinkward said in an interview with The Student Life. Drinkward noted that in the past, resources were not always present, and the expansion of the student body was constant but unmanaged. “It’s not so much that [expansion] is a new idea—in fact the College has been growing every year without having a plan,” he said. “That’s been a steady, incremental thing and there was never a real discussion about it.” The board of trustees meeting in Palm Springs included nine students, 16 faculty members, the president’s cabinet, eight alumni and approximately 30 trustees. Sean Messenger ’15, who attended the retreat, said, “I figured, especially after talking

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to President Klawe and the trustees, that they had put a lot of thought into it, both on the research side and discussing it with each other. We have been growing at the same rate that the proposed growth is, and I think it’s good to be planning for it.” Klawe said that the current 9-to-1 studentfaculty ratio will be maintained, and that the College plans to include more funding for labs and staff positions in highly demanded areas such as computer science. It will also provide additional resources and tutoring for students completing the Core curriculum and the Writ 1 writing course. In addition, the College hopes to hire a full-time staff member who will work specifically with international students. “We’re really committing to do a great job of getting the resources in place,” Klawe said Klawe said that she and the trustees have extensively discussed expansion largely because of the overwhelming interest shown by students and faculty members. “The passion that people feel is only because they love the place so much,” she said. “Nobody is trying to be a difficult person;

Both students and faculty have expressed concerns about how expansion might change Harvey Mudd’s unique culture, which centers on the close relationship between professors and students and emphasizes a small, connected, residential community. Addressing these concerns, Drinkward said that although he graduated from Harvey Mudd in 1973, when the school’s population totaled around 300 students, “a lot of the elements that I value are the same ones that are there now.” The board of trustees discussed the results of the September alumni survey on expansion and the student survey conducted by the Associated Students of Harvey Mudd College. During the retreat, many students and faculty members also discussed their experiences at the College. “The most inspirational thing you can have happen at Harvey Mudd is to have the faculty and students talk,” Klawe said. “They’re so amazing and compelling.” The College already knows that the number of online applications for the prospective

There’s increasing demand for our education... if we [grow] very slowly and carefully, we can preserve the experience for our students and our faculty. –PRESIDENT MARIA KLAWE

absolutely everybody is trying to do the right thing for the College.” Some students expressed that, although they had an opportunity to voice their opinions, they felt the decision had already been made. “Based on those dinners and the attitude in the room, it seemed like it [expansion] was already decided, from what I’ve heard,” Ashka Shah ’16 said, referring to dinner events Klawe held to discuss the proposal. “And now there’s nothing we can do, so people are accepting it,” Shah added.

students of the class of 2018 are up 30 percent from this time last year. Early decision applications are up 16 percent.* “There’s increasing demand for our education, and I wouldn’t want to grow if I genuinely thought we would destroy any of the magic, but I think if we do it very slowly and carefully, we can preserve the experience for our students and our faculty,” Klawe said. Along with the vote to expand the student body, the board of trustees also approved plans for a much-needed, new residence hall, according to the email sent by Drinkward to

STUDENT ENROLLMENT (FTE)

ACTUAL FALL STUDENT ENROLLMENT

PROJECTED STUDENT ENROLLMENT

900 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100

– 69

70 19

– 72

73 19

– 75

76 19

– 78

79 19

– 81

82 19

– 84

85 19

– 87

88 19

– 90

– 93

94 19

– 96

2 9–

2 2–

2 5–

2 8–

– 11

– 14

– 17

– 20

2 3–

2 6–

FISCAL YEAR

the Harvey Mudd community. Currently, some Harvey Mudd students must live off campus due to the limited housing capacity. “We need a new dorm right now, even if we don’t grow,” Messenger said. Now that the plan for expansion has been officially approved, it will go to the board of trustees’ Budget and Finance Committee for the January board of trustees meeting to discuss expansion in the context of the school’s overall budget. “It was exhausting, but pretty wonderful,” Klawe said. “I’m pretty optimistic that, now that the decision’s made, we will all get behind it and move forward.” In its meeting in Palm Springs, the board of trustees also unanimously approved Harvey Mudd’s fundraising campaign objectives and target fundraising amount. (See Page 29 for campaign event information.) Reprinted with permission, this article first ran Nov. 8 in student-written and managed The Student Life, the oldest college newspaper in Southern California. * At press time, early decision applications were up 64 percent.

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COLLEGE NEWS

Trustee Update

The newest members of the Harvey Mudd College Board of Trustees Michael Angiulo ’93 (engineering) is the corporate vice-president of Xbox and Large Screen Hardware at Microsoft Corporation. He has played key roles in the Product Planning discipline within Microsoft and was the first group product planner for the Information Worker Division. He has seven patents.

STEM and Stravinsky Musical performances at a college known for STEM education may seem a bit unusual, but the relationship between science and the arts runs deep at Harvey Mudd. A new concert series began Oct. 15 and runs through May 8, 2014 in the new Wayne ’73 and Julie Drinkward Recital Hall. Performances feature faculty, alumni, students— including groups from the Harvey Mudd Jazz Improvisation class—and the College’s Electronic Music Ensemble and American Gamelan, plus professional groups, such as the New York early music ensemble ARTEK and piano duo Vicki Ray and Aron Kallay. Events are free. Tuesday, March 25, 8 p.m. ARTEK Early Music Ensemble New York City’s renowned ARTEK ensemble performs 16th- and 17th-century Northern European works. Tuesday, April 15, 8 p.m. Claremont Chamber Choir Charles W. Kamm, conductor

Saturday, April 26, 8 p.m. MicroFest Southern California’s festival of music “between the keys” of the piano returns, featuring the Harvey Mudd American Gamelan.

Wednesday, May 7, 8 p.m. Jazz Improvisation Thursday, May 8, 7 p.m. Student Recital

Where there’s smoke, there’s a teachable moment Sparks from power tools ignited a fire Sept. 11 that burned a small portion of The Claremont Colleges' north property and the Bernard Field Station, directly north of the Harvey Mudd campus. Knowledge is now rising from the ashes as students study the effects of fire on carbon sequestration in soil, monitor arthropod populations, look at competition pressures between native and non-native plants and observe lizards recolonizing the burned area. BFS Director Marty Meyer says research will be even more robust during spring.

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Joseph Connolly recently retired from his private law practice after more than 35 years in business litigation. He was formerly a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County and a federal prosecutor in Washington, D.C. Murray Goldberg is the developer of WebCT, the first commercially successful learning management system for higher education. Goldberg is a former tenured faculty member in the Department of Computer Science at the University of British Columbia. Anna Patterson is vice president of engineering, artificial intelligence for Google. Previously, she was responsible for search and recommendations for android and books in Google Play. She is the co-founder of Cuil and wrote Recall.archive.org, a history-based search engine out of the Internet Archive. Previously at Google, she was the architect of one of the world’s largest search serving systems and also led efforts in Web Search, Ads and Shopping. Jeffrey Rosenbluth is a private investor and former head of Fixed Income Arbitrage at Salomon Brothers Inc. He is also co-founder of Applause Code LLC and works part time as the chief technology officer of Elm Partners Management LLC. Scott Smallwood P17 spent 25 years in varied industries. He worked at American Airlines in the Operations Research group (now Sabre Decision Technologies); for Applied Decision Analysis, a quantitative consulting firm; in the fraud department at Capital One; and at PDT Partners. Now retired, he is an avid sports enthusiast.

Illuminating the Blind Spots: Why Gender and Race Still Matter in STEM Excerpts from the Bruce J. Nelson ’74 Distinguished Speaker Series

Because of the unique role of universities as places willing to experiment, they can and should struggle to forge spaces where racial democracy and racial justice flourish. – E DUARDO BONILLA-SILVA sociology department chair, Duke University, on “The (White) Color of Color Blindness: How Race Matters in ‘Post-Racial’ America”

Women faculty, minority faculty and minority women faculty are more likely to use active learning pedagogies in the classroom. They’re more likely to increase or include diverse perspectives in their coursework, and they’re more likely to encourage student input…all of the practices that we know enhance STEM student learning.

Pride Points

Generally, we don’t like to brag, but… Kudos for public service (No. 4) among national liberal arts colleges – Washington Monthly’s 2013 College Guide Professors Get High Marks (No. 10), Best Science Lab Facilities (No. 3), Students Study the Most (No. 5) – T he Princeton Review’s 2014 college guide, The Best 378 Colleges Best in undergraduate engineering (No. 2); One of nation’s best liberal arts colleges (No. 16) – 2014 U.S. News & World Report Highest mid-career salaries of U.S. college and university alumni (No. 1) – PayScale’s 2013-14 College Salary Report Happiest first-years in the nation (No. 2) – CBS Moneywatch report (cites U.S. Department of Education freshman retention rates)

– K ELLY MACK executive editor, Project Kaleidoscope, Association of American Colleges and Universities, from her talk, “That None Shall Perish”

...the emergence of diversity of gender and sexuality in the animal kingdom has been as problematic for scientists as it has been in the religious sector and the political sector.

Prank Alert First-years decide the Shanahan Center should have some warts.

– J OAN ROUGHGARDEN Professor Emerita, School of Humanities and Sciences, Stanford University, speaking about “Straight White Passionate Males and Coy Females: The Others on Earth and in Heaven”

Jocelyn Goldfein, director of engineering at Facebook and Harvey Mudd trustee, will conclude the series Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m. Visit hmc.edu/nelson for details as well as videos of fall talks.

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FACULTY NEWS

Castro’s Quest

Professor’s journey holds enough discovery and passion for a lifetime Written by Koren Wetmore

MATHEMATICS PROFESSOR ALFONSO

Castro has a passion for what he calls the “art of solving equations.” Like a poet searching for the one word that will fit his lyric, so he seeks the perfect solution to his mathematical problem. But, some equations can take 200 years or more to solve. “A simple equation can contain so much information that it gives food for life,” he says. “Every mathematician knows some problem that he/she really wants to solve, which probably he/she will never solve. In this quest for getting behind those problems, the person develops a whole career.” Castro’s quest is a class of semilinear equations first written on a math department wall at the University of Cincinnati where he earned his doctorate. Fundamental to every area of science, they are the subject of his project “The solvability of semilinear equations with discrete spectrum,” for which he received a Simons Foundation Collaboration Grant in 2012. In fall 2013, his book Ecuaciones semilineales con espectro discrete (Semilinear equations with discrete spectrum), was published by the National University of Colombia (NUC). He co-wrote the book with NUC math Professor Jose Caicedo, a man who has been both his teacher and his student. Caicedo’s influence traces back to Castro’s youth in Bogota, Colombia. “Caicedo enticed my high school calculus teacher to become a mathematician who in turn got me to be a mathematician,” Castro says. “When I went to university, Caicedo taught me algebra. Eventually, when I was teaching at the University of Texas, he became my Ph.D. student. So it goes full circle.” Castro remains intimately involved with the Colombian mathematical community. He co-wrote 14 of his published papers with

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Colombian mathematicians, advised six Colombian doctoral students—including Caicedo—and organized four national Colombian mathematical meetings. He’s introduced specialists and thought leaders and presented talks at several Colombian Mathematics Congresses. Yet, before Castro could be awarded his native land’s most prestigious math prize, the Colombian Mathematical Society had to change a rule that required award recipients to live and work in Colombia. And, change it, they did. More than 500 people petitioned for the rule change and, on July 17, the society awarded Castro its 2013 National Mathematics Prize during the 19th Colombian Mathematics Congress in Barranquilla, Colombia. “Professor Castro’s career is a remarkable example for the Colombian mathematical community. He’s one of the most prominent mathematicians in the field of nonlinear partial differential equations,” said National University of Colombia math Professor Jorge Cossio, who presented the award to Castro at the July ceremony. “He was my teacher and Ph.D. advisor. He always helped his students, emphasizing the most important mathematical concepts and the importance of being creative in mathematics.”

Research students Castro has mentored have pursued graduate study, and many have gone on to academic careers. “Students who have Alfonso as a mentor know that they will be given a rigorous, rewarding introduction to the intricacies and beauty of nonlinear boundary value problems for differential equations,” says mathematics department Chair Andrew Bernoff. Although careful to emphasize the importance of knowledge and skill with his students, Castro credits the role of passion when inspiring others. “If you really understand something, you want to explain it to everyone,” he says. “It’s like somebody who went up a mountain. They want to come back and say, “There was this moment going up that was like this.’ Discovery—I think, that’s what moves us.”

A simple equation can contain so much information that it gives food for life. –ALFONSO CASTRO

The Newest Scholars

College welcomes faculty members Charles Doret, assistant professor of physics B.S., physics and mathematics, Williams College; M.S., Ph.D., physics, Harvard University

Most recent gigs: A postdoctoral fellowship in the Quantum

Information Systems group at Georgia Tech Research Institute and teaching fellow and tutor while at Harvard. In his lab: You’ll find him trapping atomic ions for studying quantum information processing. Drawn to this field because: “Experiments on atomic systems offer opportunities to make contributions to many areas of physics and technology and use techniques from many arenas such that no two days in the lab are the same.” A current project: Working with students to construct his laboratory. Projects range from ordering equipment to building lasers and electronics. He’s hoping to have a small set of working lasers by the end of spring semester and to trap an ion over the summer. Other interests: Music, outdoor activities (hiking, athletics), woodworking, board games.

Gordon Krauss, Fletcher Jones Professor of Engineering Design B.S., astronomy and physics, Haverford College; M.S., aerospace engineering and Ph.D., mechanical engineering, Boston University

Mohamed Omar, assistant professor of mathematics B.S., M.S., pure mathematics, combinatorics and optimization, University of Waterloo; Ph.D., mathematics, University of California, Davis

Most recent gig: Postdoctoral fellowship in the mathematics

department at the California Institute of Technology. Research interests: Algebraic methods in graph theory and combinatorial optimization. Drawn to this field because: “It puts some of the most theoretical mathematics to work in understanding the complexity of algorithms. Being able to apply heavy-duty mathematics is intrinsically motivating.” A current project: Studying the algebraic structure of polynomials arising from graph theory. Currently working with a group of Harvey Mudd math professors to understand applications of algebra in statistics. Other interests: He plays on a recreational basketball league and works with high schools to provide math contest enrichment.

This fall, the College also hired Matina Donaldson-Matasci as assistant professor of biology. She is a postdoctoral fellow in the Social Insect Lab research group at the University of Arizona. Her research focuses on how communication strategies of social insects affect collective behaviors such as foraging and defense. She will begin teaching in fall 2014.

Most recent gigs: Lead instructor in the Mechanical Engineering

Department of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. His industry experience includes serving as a staff scientist for Energizer, a technical specialist consultant for Ford Motor Company and as a research and development engineer for Tytronics Corporation. Research interests: Tribology (the study of friction, wear and lubrication) in mechanical and biological systems; bias in the design process; and design education. Drawn to this field because: “Wasted effort to overcome friction and replace worn parts costs on the order of 6 percent of the GDP each year, nearly twice what the U.S. spends on defense. Improving engineering designs to reduce wear and unnecessary friction could have enormous influence economically and environmentally.” A current project: A new Product Development course he’s piloting will include the complete design cycle from need identification through design and validation of an engineered product.

Walking to Work Inspired by the sit-stand desk prototypes E4 students created for her last spring, computer science Professor Colleen Lewis purchased a treadmill desk for her office. “I have no trouble using my computer when walking on the treadmill,” she says. “Usually I walk about 2 mph. One drawback is that I can’t wear headphones when I use it, because the treadmill builds up static and my ears get shocked!”

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FACULTY NEWS

Research, Awards, Activities Fourth Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Chemistry Professor David Vosburg was named a 2013 Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar. He is the fourth Harvey Mudd faculty member to receive the award, which recognizes faculty in the chemical sciences at undergraduate institutions who demonstrate accomplishment in scholarly research with undergraduates, as well as a compelling commitment to teaching. Vosburg established a biomimetic synthetic organic chemistry program centered on plant-derived, natural products. He also helped establish a program that engages high school students traditionally underrepresented in engineering, science and mathematics in two weeks of chemistry research each summer. This academic year, he is on sabbatical at the University of Cambridge in England exploring molecular self-assembly with chemist Jonathan Nitschke.

Online CS Resource for Teachers

Bill Alves

Grammy Nod Music Professor Bill Alves’ “Concerto for Violin and Gamelan” from his album Mystic Canyon was a first-round contender for the “Best Contemporary Classical Composition” Grammy Award, though it did not make the top-five nominee list. The album and this concerto feature violinist Susan Jensen and Harvey Mudd American Gamelan musicians Alves, Sun Hwi Bang ’14, John Choi ’12, Anne Clark ’13, Mark Ellis ’12, Andrew Ho ’12, John Robinson ’11, Julie Simon SCR ’76 , political science and environmental policy Professor Paul Steinberg, Carling Sugarman ’14, Jonathan Williams ’14 and math Professor Darryl Yong ’96.

Efficient Computing Finding ways to improve computer performance and efficiency is the focus of two National Science Foundation-funded projects led by computer science Professor Geoff Kuenning. The first project pairs Harvey Mudd with Stony Brook and Harvard universities to design and develop new data storage devices that can seamlessly trade off performance and energy consumption under varying workloads. The second will fund the continued operation of Keunning’s file system trace repository, which helps researchers nationwide to design file systems that provide computer users with optimal performance and reliability.

Physics Professor Tom Donnelly and student researchers use lasers to study plasma physics.

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An online resource library that will help beginning computer science teachers make their subject comprehensible for their young pupils is being developed thanks to a National Science Foundation-funded project led by Colleen Lewis. Based upon teaching strategies gleaned from experienced high school computer science teachers and university faculty, the library will include resources to help instructors teach 90 basic computer science concepts. “What 10K Novice Teachers Can Learn from Teachers with 10K Hours of Experience,” is part of a broader NSF-sponsored initiative that seeks 10,000 new, well-qualified computer science teachers in 10,000 high schools by 2017.

Laser Focus Physics Professor Tom Donnelly will collaborate with physicist Todd Ditmire on National Science Foundation-funded plasma physics research using a laser with nearly 10 times the power of the U.S. electrical grid. Their work will help advance the understanding of basic plasma physics and may lead to the development of better X-ray and neutron sources for radiography. It may also have potential applications as a test bed for fusion research. Donnelly and his students will build a machine that will deliver sub-micron-sized targets to the focus of the high-power laser. They will then travel to Ditmire’s lab at the University of Texas to participate in laser-target interaction experiments.

A Legacy and a Lounge Daniel Bork â&#x20AC;&#x2122;16 relaxes in the Department of Mathematics lounge named in honor of Robert Borrelli, who passed away Sept. 11. Borrelli joined the faculty in 1964 and retired in 2000 after 35 years of service. He served multiple terms as department chair and as director of the Mathematics Clinic Program (occasionally doing both jobs simultaneously). Borrelli played a pivotal role in the hiring of the second generation of Harvey Mudd mathematicians, including Art Benjamin, Lisette de Pillis and Michael Moody. His legacy in the department includes two awards he endowed (the Giovanni Borrelli Fellowship and the Giovanni Borrelli Prize) and the Interface journal which promotes undergraduate interdisciplinary work. He co-founded the Claremont Center for the Mathematical Sciences and infused the magic of the Clinic Program into a summer program at UCLA, the Research in Industry Program for Students. He has inspired generations of mathematicians at Harvey Mudd and beyond to do great things.

Deb Mashek

An Engaging Course Psychology Professor Deb Mashek worked with Community Engagement Director Gabriela Gamiz to pilot a course that helps students understand their impact on society and its effect on them. Social and Ethical Issues in Community Engagement included reflective reading, writing and discussion about studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; participation in community service projects. Mashek and Gamiz hope the class will signal to students that Harvey Mudd values engagement and that more students will be inspired to get involved in the community.

COLLABORATION

Big Picture Science Research at Harvey Mudd spans the disciplines, and interconnections are everywhere. Take, for instance, history of science professor Vivien Hamilton. A historian of modern science, her work focuses on scientific experts with different educational and disciplinary backgrounds who collaborate on the same project. During an upcoming research trip to London, she will study physicists and doctors who collaborated on X-ray research in the early 20th century, a continuation of her dissertation research at the University of Toronto. This theme of collaboration continues in her classroom as Hamilton partners with students to find where their interests lie. Those who might not otherwise take a history course find Hamilton’s courses intriguing: Science in Fiction, Technology and Medicine, Science and Technology in the Modern World and, this fall, History of Modern Physics. Since arriving at Harvey Mudd in 2011, Hamilton has tried novel approaches to convey the exciting connections between the humanities and sciences.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

It all started because a student came to

me during a survey course in the history of modern science during fall 2011. He really wanted to do more hands-on history of science. Together we came up with the idea of doing historical experiments, and he found a group of four students to create an independent project. Usually we read and analyze texts, so to physically make something and run an experiment is a very different thing. I wanted them to think like historians as well as scientists and engineers. So they came up with a list of experiments and chose Galileo’s inclined plane experiment, which shows constant acceleration of falling objects, and Hans Christian Oersted’s electric experiment using a compass needle, one of the first 19th-century experiments showing that electricity and magnetism are related. The students’ Galileo experiment was a success, but Oersted was a challenge. The students addressed why they thought one worked and why one didn’t and what they learned. I look forward to developing this kind of course in the history of experiment further with students because they bring fantastic hands-on

History Professor Vivien Hamilton with Ileane O’Leary ’14, Kira Wyld ’17, Marisa Kager ’17 and Lydia Scharff ’17.

skills, and I can bring the historical scholarship part of it. I think that’s why this place is so great. I see students as collaborators. Research is often the part that you remember in a humanities class because

you spend the most time on it, but then it’s not always connected to the course. So, I’ve really tried to make research a big part of what we’re doing in History of Physics. It’s a way for them to show off to each other what they’ve done and to have a conversation, because they’re developing a shared expertise. I hope the research makes students feel more connected to the course. What I’m doing in the History of Modern Physics course that I haven’t done before is letting students present their

research in ways other than a paper. I think I wouldn’t have been inspired to allow them to have that choice if I hadn’t done that first independent study. Again, I just really want them to get excited

After she and her classmates read papers by physicists and physics historians, Sophie Blee-Goldman ’16 decided to study the relationship between theory and experiment. Her models are representations of a cyclotron or particle accelerator (left) and Ernest Rutherford’s gold foil experiment that tested the deflection of alpha particles. Blee-Goldman says Hamilton’s class has helped her understand there’s a lot more to physics than one might realize. “Many people are interacting and influencing what develops in physics. You think of the lone giants of physics just sitting and writing, and all of a sudden ideas pop into their heads. But it’s really all these people collaborating and arguing. That’s how progress is made.”

about doing history. So I have students building things. One student is building part of the Michelson-Morley experiment, a quite famous and delicate experiment that attempts to measure the speed of the earth through the ether, the medium that allowed for the propagation of light in the 19th century. Another student is building models of three different physics experiments from the early 20th century to show changes in the scale of experimentation. She’s looking at J.J. Thompson’s experiment that first determined the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron; the gold foil experiment by Ernest Rutherford that first showed that there was a nucleus in the atom; and, a model of an early cyclotron. Another student is interested in how people have grappled with the theological implications of black holes and is planning something visual. The students writing about the conceptual development of quantum mechanics wouldn’t necessarily get a chance to dig so deeply and think about it outside of their physics classes. Right now those in the humanities are grappling with the digitization of material and how that’s going to change our

One of the student projects will employ digital research to study the reception of relativity among different audiences in the early 1900s. Andrew Michaud ’15, a computer science major, will use web crawling software to do textual analysis and study a vast archive of text from select journals and newspapers. He wants to understand how relativity was talked about by looking for instances of words associated with relativity. I’m really excited to see what he finds, because I don’t know that anyone’s done this before. I try to emphasize that there are so many questions that haven’t been answered yet in this field. I like being able to step back and think about the big picture. It’s that perspective

of being able to detach a little bit and look for big patterns. I love it. I don’t have to convince our students that what I do is cool. At other places, sometimes the humanities students don’t want to think about science and the science students maybe don’t want to write. But here, it’s just part of the culture to blend the humanities and the sciences.

research. We’re just drowning in material.

FALL / WINTER 2013

MY MUDD LIFE

I am Number Six

An unprecedented six members of one family are current students or graduates. Meet the latest: Marcelanne Gaebler ’17. By Stephanie L. Graham Photo by Cheryl Ogden

NOT SINCE THE SWITKESES IN THE EARLY

2000s—Jennifer ’94, Jon ’97 and Joshua ’01 —has there been a legacy family of three immediate family members who attended Harvey Mudd College. And there has never been six. Until now. Meet the Gaeblers. A steady stream of siblings has attended Harvey Mudd since 2000 when the first two arrived: Rob ’04 (math), now a database specialist, and David ’04 (math and physics), an assistant professor of mathematics at Hillsdale College. Following them were Philipp ’09 (physics), a graduate of Columbia University, New York, where he received a master’s in medical physics; Leif ’12 (computer science), a software engineer with Digital Insight; and Evan ’15. This fall marked the arrival of the sixth: the youngest and the only sister. Marcelanne—call her Marcie—is adjusting to campus life and all that comes with it, including Humans vs. Zombies and Freshman Prank Day (she forgot to unlock her door, so wasn’t pranked). And she’s experiencing the closeknit community that she’s heard about from her five brothers (there are actually six brothers; Ehren attends Coe College, where he’s studying to become a physics patent lawyer). The unapologetically nerdy Gaeblers— their words—found Mudd to be an extension of their upbringing. Marcie grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enjoying a childhood filled with G.I. Joes instead of Barbies and lots of science and mathematics. The Gaeblers hung out with other kids who shared their passion for STEM and were homeschooled primarily by their mother, Sally, a mathematics major who chose the field after hearing a professor proclaim “Girls can’t do math.” Marcie and her brothers

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

We never thought it was strange or socially awkward to talk about science and math. –MARCIE GAEBLER ’17

blossomed under her tutelage, which went beyond matters of the classroom to life lessons about compassion, humility and respect. From their father, Robert, a software engineer whose home office was a wonderland of tools and electronic components, they learned resourcefulness and experimentation and gained an insatiable curiosity about the world. “We never thought it was strange or socially awkward to talk about science and math at the dinner table or just in general,” says Marcie. Family conversations might range from a discussion of why potatoes hold heat so well (a combination of high heat capacity and good thermal conductivity, they decided) to thought experiments about gravity, portals and modifying the topography of space-time. Marcie read science and history books on her own and received grammar and math lessons from her mother. “By the time she got to me, she had a bit of experience,” says Marcie. “I loved answering the children’s questions about how things worked, and would usually give them as much of an explanation as their little minds (and attention span) could handle,” said Robert Gaebler. “And, if the answer to some questions were too deep and involved

for them to grasp at their age, I might give them a simplified explanation, but include a comment like, ‘Well, you don’t have enough knowledge yet to fully understand the real explanation right now, but when you get to high school, then you can study calculus, and then you would be able to understand it!’ as if calculus was the most exciting thing in the world. I hoped that an eagerness to reach out and learn, and things to look forward to with excitement rather than intimidation, would be a good attitude for them to possess. I think maybe that paid off.” One of Marcie’s fondest childhood recollections is that of the math club, coached by her mother, and the monthly math competitions she and her brothers would attend with other families who were part of the close-knit, homeschool community. From elementary (Math Olympiads) to junior high (Mathcounts) through high school (Great Plains Math League), she spent many hours with family and friends crunching numbers, collaborating and competing. “I really didn't like it when I didn't understand the stuff,” she says. “Then when I started to understand hard concepts, it was kind of

Current Students and their Legacy Families (one or more family members currently attend or are alumni) Coline Devin ’15, Julien Devin ’12 Risa Egerter ’15, Beryl Egerter ’13 Jenner Felton ’16, Gregory Felton ’85/86, P16 Brian Fielder ’14, Daniel Fielder ’11 Greta Gadbois ’15, Lynn Kistler ’81, P15 Shaan Nabeel Gareeb ’17, Nabeel Gareeb ’86/87, P17 Nathan Hall ’15, Lindsay Hall ’12 Johan Hoeger ’17, Katarina Hoeger ’13 Philip Jahl ’16, Lydia Jahl ’14 Meghan Jimenez ’14, Ian Jimenez ’11 Justin Bo-Wei Lee ’16, Alex Bo-Ping Lee ’14 Isabell Lee ’16, Maxwell Lee ’11 Jonpaul Littleton ’16, Erik Littleton ’13 Parents Sally and Robert

Martin Loncaric ’15, Calvin Loncaric ’12

Gaebler (top) pose in 2011

Ross Mawhorter ’16, Peter Mawhorter ’08

with their Mudders and

Colin Okasaki ’17, Maria Ebling ’88, P17 and Christopher Okasaki ’89, P17

Mudders to be: Philipp, GAEBLER

David, Rob, Ehren (now at Coe College), Leif, Marcie and Evan.

Jacqueline Ong ’15, Madeleine Ong ’11 Neil Pearson Jr. ’14, Carl Pearson ’13 Brennan Plassmeyer ’14, Neal Riedel ’85, P14 Emilia Reed ’17, Lena Reed ’14 Kelly Robertson ’16, Cynthia Robertson ’80, P16

exciting. The point of competition was to try hard questions that tested your ability to solve problems. The judges created hard questions to make you think.” In February 2013, Sally Gaebler passed away after battling cancer, but she knew that her daughter was considering Harvey Mudd. “She always said that there was no pressure to apply if that wasn’t where I wanted to go. But she always encouraged us to challenge ourselves,” says Marcie. Marcie’s father and brothers are thrilled that she has chosen Mudd and are rooting for her. “I told her to buckle her seatbelt,” says Dave ’04, a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship recipient and a member of the 2004 Harvey Mudd Putnam Competition team that placed fifth nationally. “Marcie was facing a decision between a college experience where she would have more free time versus one where she might be pushed to the limits. She chose the difficult path, and we’re all cheering her on.”

Evan ’15, who returns to campus next year after a leave of absence, says he gave Marcie pointers about campus life and showed her around. Philipp ’09 says he told her two things: “It’s important to be connected to people, and that if you ever need help with school, don’t worry about some sense of do-it-yourself pride. Go get that help.” Marcie is finding her own way—she admits to procrastinating a bit—and is making connections that are meaningful for her, including joining the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. She’s considering some combination of math, computer science and biology, which means, potentially, a Gaebler graduate in nearly every Harvey Mudd major. Above all, Marcie intends to continue the Gaebler family tradition of working together and pursuing knowledge as a source of delight in itself.

Aaron Rosenthal ’15, Wylie Rosenthal ’12 Paul Sonner ’17, David Sonner ’80, P17 (also, Paul’s uncles Richard ’82 and James ’81) Kate Spiesman ’14, William Spiesman ’81, P14 Ruth Le-Xuan Sung ’17, Jean Ying-Xuan Sung ’16 Alex Swafford ’15, David Swafford ’75, P15 Matthew Tambara ’14, Kevin Tambara ’77, P14

FALL / WINTER 2013

SPACE STUDY 10

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HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

The Café

Sure, the coffee is delicious and the setting is great. But it’s also the people who make this new gathering space in the Shanahan Center the place to be.

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CARLOS PUMA

The comfy couches are a senior gift from the Class of 2012, who dedicated them for “future Mudders to enjoy.” The first Claremont-Mudd-Scripps male to earn All-American honors before his senior year, crosscountry phenom Tasman Loustalet ’16 began running as a way to say in shape for his high school wrestling team. Now he runs to “explore the limits of his capabilities.” He names his racing shoes and has pairs with monikers such as “The Green Monsters” and “Silver Streaks.” Sophia Williams ’15, is a member of DOS Muchachos, which plans and organizes student events. This busy engineering major is also a Summer Institute mentor, dorm mentor, admission office assistant and President’s Scholar. Research on ethnic food and regional cuisines— including tasting dim sum in Hacienda Heights and tamales in Los Angeles—make the Food and American Culture class taught by professor of History Hal Barron one of the most popular on campus. In addition to studying the social and cultural history of food in the United States, Barron encourages students to look at food—its production and consumption—in a more critical and historically informed way.

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Avocado Smoothie Boba, anyone? It’s one of the favorite menu items. Other top sellers include the Starbuck’s Caffe Latte, yogurt parfait, bagels and Thai tea with boba. Mark Dhamma is part of the new, seven-member Wellness team that helps students thrive, achieve a sense of well-being, reduce risk factors and seek life balance. He and the team present educational talks, mental health training and fun activities such as “Shred Your Fear,” an Oct. 31 event where students wrote down and shredded (in a paper shredder) a single fear, and then determined a next step to overcome it. Engineering major James McConnaughey ’14 has built micro hydroelectric turbines for remote communities in Costa Rica and leads a secret club called Storytime, an exclusive email list for people who want to meet and read stories (such as Captain Hook) out loud.

from the HVAC system supplements chilled 10 Airflow beams that, like a radiator, use hot and cold water to raise or lower the room temperature.

You’ll find a fabulous new line of Harvey Mudd merchandise online (store.hmc.edu) as well as in The Café.

Helping first-years transition to college life is how engineering major Joana Perdomo ’16 spends part of her time outside of the classroom. In addition to being a mentor for Chicano Latino Student Affairs, she recently helped local students with their science fair projects during a Pomona Unified School District science workshop. “Maintains a calm demeanor during periods of high volume or unusual events.” This from a Starbucks barista job description, is an accurate depiction of Lead Barrista Alex Tapia, who heads the busy, five-member Café team. It’s great training for a potential career in law enforcement; he’s studying criminal justice and business administration at Cal State San Bernardino.

FALL / WINTER 2013

CAMPUS CURRENT

STUDENT NEWS

Asteroid Warning Network, following many of the group’s recommendations. While on campus in October delivering a $10,000 grant to Astronaut Scholar Joshua Edelman ’14, Schweickart spoke about asteroid avoidance. Later, Edelman, a rocketry enthusiast, former NASA intern and future space explorer, queried Schweickart about his life’s work. Edelman: Why did you become an astronaut,

Astronaut vs. Asteroid

Astronaut Scholar gets inside scoop on space careers and asteroid avoidance THE FILM ARMAGEDDON DEPICTS A

terrifying scenario: a huge asteroid is headed for Earth; can it be stopped? Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart thinks it could. We have the technology to defend the planet from asteroids, he says. Schweickart is so passionate about the subject that he founded two groups—the B612 Foundation and the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) to tackle the problem. The ASE submitted a report to the U.N. General Assembly, which voted in October to create an International

and what advice do you have for those wanting to become one? Schweickart: I was a fighter pilot, a scientist and an explorer. Fighter pilots want to go higher and faster, scientists want to know what’s out there, and explorers want to do what hasn’t been done yet. If you want to be an astronaut the question is: What is your interest—astronomy, biology, meteorology? Find NASA’s principal investigator in your area of interest and become his/her chief assistant and specialize in investigations that can only be done in space. Edelman: What was the most interesting thing that happened on Apollo 9? Schweickart: We tested the Lunar Module on its first-ever flight. I went outside wearing the Apollo spacesuit for the first time. Edelman: What’s the hardest problem you’ve ever had to solve? Schweickart: How do you deflect an asteroid

Popular at Hopper For being so small, Harvey Mudd College had a large presence at the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing, held in October. With 41 participants, we were second only to host school University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. President Maria Klawe was a keynote speaker along with Facebook COO and LeanIn.org founder Sheryl Sandberg.

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Joshua Edelman ’14

that is headed for an impact with the Earth? It turns out that we can actually do this and, surprisingly, with existing technology. But it is really challenging, and we need 15-20 years of advanced warning to get the job done. However, this is quite reasonable since asteroids, like planets, follow very predictable paths around the sun. The trick is to discover them early so that we can get long-range predictions—and then act on them. Edelman: What is the biggest challenge in protecting the Earth from hazardous impacts? Schweickart: The biggest challenge is finding all the near-Earth asteroids that are large enough to do serious damage if they impact Earth. These are the so-called “city killers” like the one that hit in Siberia in 1908. So we need to find all the asteroids that cross Earth’s orbit of that size and larger, project their orbits out into the future and see if at any time in the next 100 years they will impact Earth. This can be done. We’ve already done it for the largest asteroids, but now we need to do it for the remaining 99 percent!

Away from the Comfort Zone

Summer internships provide poignant lessons Written by Koren Wetmore and Tamara Savage ’15

Beverly Yeh ’13 dons her lab coat and begins

prepping materials for the day’s classes at the National Taiwan Science Education Center. She must prepare 20 beakers and two large bottles of copper sulfate for an experiment on crystallization. And she’ll need to do so by navigating eight storage rooms, where all the materials are in Chinese.

of Support for International Change, bringing important information to the people of remote villages. Her program provided HIV tests, and Parker’s group broke her organization’s record for most people tested in one event, with HIV testing conducted on more than 2,000 individuals, including 1,200 who had never been tested before. Parker described her internship as multifaceted and truly impactful. Making a difference a little closer to home were participants of the 10-week Donald and Dorothy Strauss Internships for Social Understanding, which allow students to carry out extended projects of community service during the summer months.

At one point, my job title changed to ‘fugitive cricket catcher’ when several crickets escaped during a field biology course. –BEVERLY YEH ’13

Fortunately, Yeh’s Chinese language skills are adept, and she manages her tasks efficiently. But, not all aspects of her internship at the NTSEC go as smoothly. As a teaching assistant working with students at a summer camp, Yeh had to ensure that students successfully completed activities, including the experiments she planned. But, she said, “Kids misbehave, accidents occur or someone just has a bad day. I had to take away students’ hard-earned reward stamps for misbehavior, make some stand in a corner for running in the hallways, and, on one of the most frenzied days, send six fifth-graders to the nurse because they had burned their hands on glue guns. At one point, my job title changed to ‘fugitive cricket catcher’ when several crickets escaped during a field biology course.” These challenging moments helped Yeh become a more patient problem solver and also helped her pinpoint her academic focus: international studies. Valuable takeaways such as these are among the many desired outcomes for internship participants. Yeh was one of two students selected for the Ben Huppe ’14 Memorial Internship for a Sustainable World, which supports work in renewable energy, environmental sustainability or with underserved populations. Miranda Parker ’14, also a Huppe intern,

spent eight weeks last summer teaching HIV/ AIDS prevention education in Tanzania as part

Emma Zhang-Schwartz ’15 spent her summer as an all-around helper and organizer for The Wellness Community, an organization in Arizona that offers education, support and hope for cancer patients and their loved ones. She helped with soliciting donations and organizing events such as TWC’s Porch Party gala and the Day of Hope carnival. “There are many aspects to healing that are important. Medical procedures are not the only way to make people feel better. Medicine works better in conjunction with psychosocial support. Many people were looking for others who understood what they were going through.”

Natasha Allen ’16 spent her summer working

Potential Energy staff, including intern Natasha Allen ’16 (left),

at Berkeley-based Potential Energy, a nonprofit organization that designs, distributes and monitors the use of safe and efficient biomass stoves in Darfur. “I got my first insight into what it’s like to work in a professional work environment and how to do research. I saw firsthand how technology can better people’s lives. It was great to get my hands into something and effect some change myself.” She worked on both data analysis of stove use and marketing and won a fundraising competition when she and a co-worker raised more than $5,000 for their organization in one month.

display a biomass stove they designed.

Brittany Borg ’15 worked for the local non-

profit, Uncommon Good, writing grants to secure funding. She learned not only about environmentally friendly architecture and what goes into calculating a carbon footprint, but also about applying what she learned in the classroom to real-world problems and helping the underprivileged in her community. “They showed me how a nonprofit works and what dedication, sacrifice and perseverance it takes to run one—what big hearts can really accomplish.” Thendral Govindaraj ’16 worked for the

energy consumption and costs. She learned about the process of retrofitting and worked on data analysis to see how much the homeowners were saving and how that compared to CHERP’s savings predictions. “I learned that if I’m passionate enough about my work, I will overcome all my fears and reservations to do whatever needs to be done.”

Community Home Energy Retrofit Project (CHERP), an organization that updates houses in Claremont so homeowners can save on

CORRECTION: Moriah Gelder ’13 and Liya Temin ’13 worked on a research project to recommend potential energy sources for communities in Haiti. We regret that their names were omitted from the article on page 17 of the summer 2013 issue.

FALL / WINTER 2013

ON THE FLIP SIDE (OR NOT)

Professors explore whether a flipped classroom affects already active learning environments Written by Koren Wetmore

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

OOD IDEAS OFTEN EVOLVE INTO GREAT

projects when the right people come together. In the case of engineering Professor Nancy Lape, chemistry Professor Karl Haushalter and mathematics Professors Darryl Yong ’96 and Rachel Levy, what started as a conversation about a new teaching method soon morphed into one of the first controlled studies of the “flipped classroom” across disciplines. Unlike massive open online courses (MOOCs. See Page 25.), which push all learning online, the flipped—or inverted—classroom shifts only the lecture online and creates more time for student-instructor interaction and active learning in the classroom. Despite its popularity, educators have only begun to study whether the flipped approach improves learning outcomes. “As trendy as flipped classrooms are, there is surprisingly little evidence that it actually is effective in helping students learn or retain their knowledge better,” says Yong. Yong, Lape, Levy and Haushalter were recently awarded a three-year, $199,544 National Science Foundation grant to answer the question: Does flipped classroom instruction increase learning and retention?

The four professors test-drove the flipped model as a pilot program during the 2012-2013 academic year. Now, they plan to extend the program for three more years to scientifically study and quantify their results. Their project involves three courses—Chemistry of Living Systems (CHEM 182), Differential Equations (Math 45) and Chemical and Thermal Processes (E82)—taught in both the traditional and “flipped” format. Students have the same content, tasks and assessments and the same instructor for both the traditional and flipped versions of each course. Working together, the four professors determined how they would run their classes and how they would measure and evaluate results. They also developed hypotheses about potential learning outcomes. Yong and Levy even collaborated on filming their lecture videos since both teach Math 45. “This collaboration helped us all to think through the study design more deeply,” Lape says. “We are interested in seeing if this plays out the same way in chemistry as it does in math and engineering, or whether there is anything different about those disciplines.”

The four also intentionally designed the study to address aspects not considered in previous research. For example, few flipped classroom studies have addressed instructor bias or randomly assigned students to both “traditional” and “flipped” sections of a course. Rarer still is the comparison of flipped classrooms with traditional ones that already include active learning. “A lot of research shows that active learning helps students learn better in a whole range of ways. So when people flip their classrooms and use class time for active learning, how much of the benefit comes from that active learning and how much from the instructor having used video to deliver instruction?” says Yong. “At Harvey Mudd, many of us lecture in a participatory way using iClickers and group activities. Our study attempts to control the classroom conditions as much as possible so that the only thing that is different is how lectures are delivered.” Many flipped classroom studies have relied on subjective assessments such as student surveys and self-reported data, but the Harvey Mudd study will use more direct assessment methods. Each of the three courses has discipline-specific learning outcomes, and students in both the flipped and traditional groups will be assessed for these using identical exams and problem sets. In addition, both groups will complete surveys at the start and end of the course to assess students’ attitudes toward STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields and toward their own learning strategies. Students will also be

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

assessed on how well they retain and apply knowledge in downstream courses. Statistical comparisons will then be drawn between the control and flipped groups. “In flipped classes, increased student learning and retention may occur because of the additional time students have with instructors actively working on meaningful tasks in class. On the other hand, if we control enough variables, we may find that the learning gains are not significantly different from interactive lecture-style courses,” says Levy. During the 2012–2013 pilot program, Levy did notice a shift in the quality of classroom discussion. “I’ve taught Math 45 for six years and I never had the depth of questions that I received with the flipped class,” she says. “With lectures, even interactive ones, students aren’t always ready to ask deep questions. But, if they’ve watched a video or otherwise prepared ahead of time, they can come to class ready to discuss important issues, including connections between the current topic and what we’ve done before. It also provides time for

discussions in student groups and with the professor, who can help provide perspective on the topic.” According to a 2013 report by the Flipped Learning Network (FLN), a nonprofit organization that provides educators with flipped learning resources and research, use of the flipped classroom model in higher education has shown great promise. For example, when San Jose State University flipped its most challenging electrical engineering course, it reduced the student failure rate from 40 percent to 9 percent. And when a University of Washington biology professor flipped his gateway biology class, that course’s student failure rate dropped from 17 percent to 4 percent. In both cases, however, the success rate may have been produced by the incorporation of active learning in place of the previously lecture-based class time. By accounting for so many variables— including the effect of video instruction in settings where active learning is already in use—Harvey Mudd’s study will contribute

significantly to the academic conversation surrounding the topic. “Harvey Mudd’s study is necessary and timely,” says FLN Executive Director Kari Arfstrom. “Flipped learning is still in its infancy, and there is little quantitative and qualitative research on the topic. We’re finding lots of anecdotal evidence, or single classroom evidence, but adding this study to our body of knowledge will be incredible for moving forward.” Information gained from the study will allow Harvey Mudd to provide evidence-based

recommendations to STEM educators via published papers, conference presentations and public workshops. A project website will include study results and tips for STEM educators interested in flipping their classrooms. The study may have implications for institutions seeking to push more instruction online. Although online instruction reduces costs and gives more students access to education, it limits instructor-mediated, active learning. “Classroom inversion has the potential to transform STEM education by increasing student time spent on what research has proven

Building a MOOC from Scratch Elly Schofield ’13 is passionate about STEM education. While at Mudd, she worked with Nate Pinsky ’13 and Professor Michael Orrison to prepare and deliver math lessons to third-graders. She addressed challenges in math education as one of four student speakers at the fall 2012 TEDxClaremont Colleges. Schofield now works with a Computer Science Clinic team to develop two MOOCs (massive open online courses) at Harvey Mudd aimed at bringing computer science and advanced physics curriculum to 10,000 students and several hundred teachers. Here, she describes the project. The Harvey Mudd MOOC. Instead of guiding students through self-directed learning like many MOOCs, the goal is to provide middle school and high school teachers with resources that are as easy as possible to bring to their classrooms: videos, explanations of activities, lesson plans and exercises to check comprehension. We want to empower teachers, not replace them. MOOC make-up. The first project, a computer science MOOC, draws its curriculum from “MyCS: Middle Years Computer Science,” a National Science Foundation-funded program aimed at students from underrepresented groups. CS professors Zach Dodds and Mike Erlinger worked with Harvey Mudd student teams to build upon successful K-12 computing courseware and create a compelling curriculum.

The MyCS MOOC teaches programming basics using SCRATCH, a visual programming language developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Lifelong Kindergarten Project. It also addresses broad questions such as: What is a computer? How do computers interpret data? Why do we use algorithms? The second MOOC under development is a physics course for high school and college students entitled “How Stuff Moves,” with lectures from Harvey Mudd’s Newtonian Mechanics class at its core. Both courses are due to launch in fall 2014. Community partners. Our connection with Pomona Unified School District has been valuable as we develop the curriculum. Feedback from local teachers has helped us to feel confident about launching the MyCS MOOC. Early interest. President Klawe mentioned the project at the 2013 Grace Hopper Conference, and we’ve been getting calls and messages from potential collaborators. It’s a privilege to connect with so many fantastic leaders in STEM education and an exciting chance to reach out to a broader audience of teachers and students.

to be the most effective teaching techniques without sacrificing material coverage or support during the learning process,” says Lape. If the Harvey Mudd study documents significant benefits and learning outcomes, the next phase of the project will be to test the flipped model at a wide range of institutions, including large, state schools.

GO FISH Engineering entrepreneur Suzanne (Pollon) Huhta ’92 helps keep fish—and her clients’ bottom lines—moving in the right direction. Written by Eric Butterman and Stephanie L. Graham Photo by Glenn Cratty

UZANNE (POLLON) HUHTA ’92 LOVES NATURE: HIKING

the terrain of Colorado’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains, skiing the powder of the back country or kayaking in pristine, rushing waters. So it’s no surprise that this entrepreneur found a way to make being knee deep in scenic waterways part of her life’s work. As owner of Fort Collins, Colo.-based OneFish Engineering LLC, Huhta works with individuals and entities to provide and improve fish passage, the art and science of keeping fish moving unimpeded upstream or downstream through a river system. Her work helps mitigate the impacts of development and improves the quality of the fishery while having minimal impact upon multiple users. In the United States, migrating fish face nearly 2.5 million barriers, such as culverts, dams and dikes. Restoring sustainable fisheries helps diversify the U.S. food supply, just one reason for the steady demand for fish passage engineers, especially those with interdisciplinary backgrounds. Along with her Harvey Mudd engineering degree, Huhta has a master’s

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

degree in structural engineering from the University of Washington and is a licensed professional engineer. “I started a job working with bridges, but when different projects came up regarding structures in water, they would land on my desk, and that’s how I had my first fish-related project,” she says. “I found it interesting, so I ended up taking a job with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife doing full-time fish passage.” The field requires a wide range of knowledge, something her general engineering education from Harvey Mudd provided. “It’s part hydraulics, mechanical design, some electrical design. Plus, you’re working with the biology of the fish. If my education had been too focused on one area at the expense of others, I wouldn’t feel as comfortable doing this.” Huhta chose to strike out on her own when she noticed a clear need and limited competition in the mountain and prairie region of the United States. “There weren’t any firms that handled fish passage exclusively, so I felt it was worth it to take a chance and start my own company to fill that gap. It’s a new field, so it leaves a lot of room to innovate.” She has the background and the support to do just that. In addition

EXTRA: Huhta is featured explaining her design of the Holmes Ditch fish screen. http://youtu.be/S1aqtoBXGqQ

Craig Huhta ’91 recently joined OneFish as a full-time partner. The couple works together measuring and monitoring water in rivers and canals and providing fish passage services.

to drawing from her own expertise, Huhta collaborates with her husband, Craig Huhta ’91 (engineering), who, as of this year, is a fulltime partner at OneFish. He was previously a senior research and development engineer for environmental services firm SonTek, where he led the development of several successful water measurement and monitoring devices. The couple has worked together on several OneFish projects, including one of the most challenging: Ray Canal. Located in northern Wyoming, the century-old canal lacked screens to keep fish in the nearby Little Wind River. A 2002 study estimated that more than 100,000 fish were lost during irrigation season. Huhta was hired to assess Ray Canal in 2011 and—after studying the fish, compiling data, hiring and coordinating manufacturers and contractors, and working with cooperating agencies and multiple stakeholders—installed a traveling belt screen as well as consulted on the design of a fish ladder, which takes a major change in water surface elevation (i.e., dams) and creates smaller steps that a fish can either swim up or leap over. “I designed a concrete box for the screen, then a system to lift the screen out of the way if something breaks,” she says. “I also worked with an electrical engineer to set up panels so the screen can be controlled. Maybe it needs to run every 15 minutes, an hour or all the time. This way, it can.” She also devised a novel approach to the fish screen at Holmes Ditch, near Dubois, Wyo. A water wheel located downstream of the device powers hydraulic systems that operate wipers. “You don’t have external power sources

like a solar panel or have to hook up anything. Irrigators get their water and fish don’t get into the ditch.” Completed last summer, the fish screen has improved recreational fishing and the health and strength of the area’s fish populations. The Huhtas are working now on developing remote sensing for fish screens, which would allow irrigators to check in on a cell phone or Internet connection to verify everything is working. Keeping clients informed and happy is one of many challenges. Stakeholders of fish passage projects include government and state agencies, local entities and individual landowners and irrigators. They all have vested interests and, often, competing agendas. Huhta has found networking to be critical, the kind done with a handshake as opposed to a mouse click. “People talk about social media, but here, you have to get out face to face,” says Huhta, who is thankful for the emphasis Harvey Mudd placed on communication skills. “That’s what this industry relates to, and you can’t avoid that kind of contact. “Sometimes I need to be assertive and let those involved realize that I know what needs to be done, but that doesn’t happen too often. On the other side, I need to be a good listener because input can be critical to the success of the screen.” Irrigators, in particular, can be some of her toughest customers. “I have to find a way to show we’re not only protecting the fish but benefiting the client. Making a canal cleaner and taking out fish generally limits the debris that can clog their pumps. Most irrigators care

about the fish, but they have to protect their livelihood too.” Huhta defines a successful project as one that is affordable, has minimal impact to water users and protects natural resources. “Nature should be protected,” she says. “This is definitely a job that fits my lifestyle.”

The Holmes Ditch fish screen, designed by Huhta, is powered with a paddle wheel and keeps fish out of the irrigation canal and in their natural habitat.

FALL / WINTER 2013

Finding Ways to Connect NO MATTER WHERE WE ROAM in our

personal and professional journeys, members of the Harvey Mudd community find ways to connect. In recent months, trips, talks and social gatherings brought Mudders and family members together. Parents and alumni hosted summer sendoff parties in seven cities, welcoming the newest members of the Harvey Mudd family—the students and parents of the Class of 2017. Christopher Okasaki ’89, P17 and Maria Ebling ’88, P17, John Fitch P15 and Diana Willers P15, Gene and Gail Anderson P16, Frank Hu ’83/84, John and Peggy O’Leary P14, and Colin and Lynn Bodell P14 graciously opened their hearts and homes to host events.

Kate Honda ’11 and Masanori Honda ’10 attended the

Lord of the Rings: Two Towers screening in Chicago.

Alumni Association Board of Governors members sponsored several regional events, including the Third Annual Seattle Potluck with Jessica Spaulding ’03 and a special screening of Lord of the Rings: Two Towers with Bob Herling ’67, which featured a live performance by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Another AABoG event, the second Alumni/Student Career Forum in September, brought more than 40 alumni volunteers and 70 students together to discuss jobs, career paths and post-graduation options. The AABoG Outreach Committee, led by chair Ron Lloyd ’80, lent their time, energy and expertise to spearhead the forum.

HMC Entrepreneurial Network The Entrepreneurial Network, coordinated by Gary R. Evans, the Ruth and Harvey Berry Professor of Entrepreneurial Leadership, had some great meetings this fall. Alumni and friends gathered in San Diego, where they heard from alumnus Michael Kai Mayeda ’08, co-founder of SAGE Energy Solutions LLC. At the San Francisco event, Jonathan Schwartz ’13 and Max Friefeld ’13 discussed Layer By Layer (an online marketplace that brings 3-D designers and buyers together) and Y Combinator, which has funded more than 550 startups. Harvey Mudd Trustee Gregory Rae ’00 spoke to alumni in Palo Alto, Calif., about his work producing Broadway plays. Trustee Mike Angiulo ’93 hosted the Seattle meeting, where alumna Linda Miller ’83 of Linda Miller Construction and Engineering talked about Everprint, her new prototype for electronic blueprints. The final meeting of the season was held in Portland, Ore.

Mala Arthur ’82 and Bill Hartman ’62 arranged our biggest adventure: the Harvey Mudd Travel Program along Highway 395 through Owens Valley, which started in Lone Pine, Calif., and ended in Yosemite National Park. The trip began right after the government shutdown in early October, so several parks and visitor centers were closed. Although some jokingly dubbed it the “395 Government Shutdown Tour,” alumni admired the beauty of California’s eastern Sierras (below) and enjoyed stops that included Whitney Portal, the Combined Array for Millimeter-wave Astronomy, Bristlecone Pine Forest, June Lake, Mono Lake and Yosemite.

CLIFF STEIN ’92

MUDDERINGS

On the Road

The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations (ARP) hosted this year’s Mt. Baldy trip, led by physics Chair and Professor Peter Saeta, and an exclusive backstage tour of the Hollywood Bowl by pyrotechnician Eric Elias (his fourth year leading the tour). APR alumni volunteers worldwide hosted our Fall 7-C Happy Hours in more than 50 cities. Faculty members hit the road to visit with alumni and parents and to share the news of all the exciting things happening at the College. Mathematics Department Chair Andrew Bernoff led a series of summer events in Minneapolis, Chicago, New York and Boston. Chemistry Professors Jerry Van Hecke ’61 and Kerry Karukstis hosted a dinner in Williamsburg, Va. In addition, Dean of the Faculty and Professor of Literature Jeff Groves and Emeritus Professor Dan Petersen hosted a walking tour of Los Angeles architecture. Stay apprised of upcoming regional happenings by emailing alumni@hmc.edu or visiting the alumni website (alumni.hmc.edu).

You’ll find a selection of photos from the trip on Harvey Mudd’s Flickr page, www.flickr. com/photos/harvey-mudd-college/sets/

Mudd Matters: Our Character, Our Campus, Our Course Lively discussions centered on the College’s mission, values and future were at the heart of the fall Mudd Matters event series. Alumni, trustees, faculty, parents, friends and prospective students attended 12 events in 11 cities, including Los Angeles, Boston and New York. President Maria Klawe, who attended all of the events, discussed how Harvey Mudd has led the way in computer science and science education. She described Harvey Mudd’s upcoming fundraising campaign, which will begin with an event on campus for donors Feb. 1, 2014. A Q-and-A session followed each presentation and included open discussion. There was great feedback about tuition, faculty-to-student ratios, dorm space, programmatic opportunities and maintaining the College’s unique culture and community. The College is grateful to all the participants as well as to the alumni, faculty and trustee presenters. HMCEN participants Chelsea Fischbach ’12

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

and guest.

Parent Profile

Samuel ’16 and Tony DeRose P16.

Tony DeRose P16

WITHOUT THE MATH, there would be no cascading hair, flowing garments and sparkling

scenery in Pixar movies. The art is important, to be sure, but it is made possible by trigonometry that helps revolve and move characters, by integral calculus that helps light the scenes and by algebra that helps create special effects that make images shine and sparkle. These and other secrets of the trade were shared at the Shanahan Celebration Sept. 28 during a talk by Tony DeRose P16, senior scientist and lead of the Research Group at Pixar Animation Studios. DeRose was a major contributor to the Oscar-winning short film Geri’s Game and has been lauded for his work on surface representations. DeRose also is involved in STEM initiatives, including the Young Makers Program that supports youth in building their own ambitious, hands-on projects. Harvey Mudd College Magazine spoke to DeRose—who is parent with wife, Cynthia, of sophomore Samuel—during his September visit to campus.

How long has Harvey Mudd been on the DeRose family radar? My stepfather went to Claremont McKenna. He knew I had an interest in math and science, and we talked about Harvey Mudd, but I ended up staying in northern California for school (UC Davis). When my son started shopping for colleges, his counselor brought Harvey Mudd up as a great match. We came to campus, and it was love at first sight for Samuel. He’s really hands-on; he learns best by doing, so that emphasis here at Mudd was really the turning point for him. Favorite things about Harvey Mudd? It’s undergraduate and the professors here really love to teach. There’s a research component, so it keeps a lot of fresh material coming into the classroom. Harvey Mudd has a beautiful blend of theory and practice; I couldn’t imagine a better match for our son. Which Pixar movie is Harvey Mudd College most like? Wall-E is the closest Pixar film to Harvey Mudd because the underlying technology needed for the automation, robotics and space travel depicted in the movie is being or will be developed by Mudders.

Harvey Mudd College will host a Feb. 1 campaign launch celebration as well as a series of regional events for alumni, parents and friends who have made a gift to the College’s comprehensive campaign during the past two and a half years. Regional Campaign Events

Our mission is clear. We’re educating the next generation of passionate problem solvers.

Campaign Launch Event | Saturday, Feb. 1 2 p.m. at Harvey Mudd College

Feb. 5

Portland

March 11 Seattle

Feb. 11

Orange County, Calif.

March 25 New York City

Feb. 20

Chicago

March 26 Boston

Feb. 26

South Bay

March 27 Washington, D.C.

Feb. 27

San Francisco

April 5

March 3

San Diego

Los Angeles

For more information, contact stewardship@hmc.edu

FALL / WINTER 2013

MUDDERINGS

Upcoming Events For the most up-to-date information, visit alumni.hmc.edu or hmc.edu/parents. (All events occur on campus unless otherwise noted.)

JAN.

Nelson Speaker Series Jocelyn Goldfein, Facebook

FEB.

Alumni Association Board of Governors Meeting Alumni Association Cookout with First-year Students

FEB.

Harvey Mudd College Campaign Kick-off (For more about the campaign and events, see Page 29)

29 1 1

FEB.

7–8 FEB.

Family Weekend Spring Job and Internship Fair

MAR.

Concert Series in the Wayne ’73 and Julie Drinkward Recital Hall | ARTEK & Les Sacqueboutiers de Toulouse: The Missing Link (For more concert information, see hmc.edu/hmc-arts)

APR.

Annenberg Leadership and Management Speaker Series Jacky Wright, Microsoft

APR.

Michael E. Moody Lecture Anette (Peko) Hosoi, professor of mechanical engineering, MIT

APR.

Annenberg Leadership and Management Speaker Series Venkat Varadachary, American Express

APR.

Annenberg Leadership and Management Speaker Series Tom Secunda, Bloomberg

1 3 8

MAY

2–4 MAY

Alumni Weekend

5–7

Presentation Days; Projects Day (May 6)

MAY

Commencement Mudd Quadrangle

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

Come Have an EGGcellent Time Family Weekend, Feb. 7–8, 2014 Admit it, you miss your student. We understand. That’s why we’ve planned some eggciting fun for Family Weekend. Come visit, explore the campus—including the newly opened R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning—and participate in a variety of activities (including an egg hunt) that will help you reconnect and enjoy time with your student. Visit hmc.edu/parents for information.

Time for a Memory Refresh Alumni Weekend, May 2–4, 2014 Alumni, don't you sometimes yearn for the old days? Maybe not the challenging homework and late-night labs, but surely the great memories and friendships that formed here still linger in your mind. Come back and revisit those times and catch up with friends at Alumni Weekend. Join the reunion classes of 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2009 as they honor the 50th Reunion Class of 1964. Explore the newly opened R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning and reconnect with faculty, friends and classmates through a variety of fun and informative activities.

Online Makeover The new alumni online community is now ready for its closeup at alumni.hmc.edu. Take a look at the fresh design and expanded functionality, alumni profiles, online directory with better search, class notes (view and submit in real time) and social media integration. Get your HMC ID (your student ID, needed for sign-in) from the Office of Alumni and Parent Relations: 909.621.8436 or alumni@hmc.edu.

CLASS NOTES

RUBEN ARENAS ’05

POLLY HENINGER ’80

ALUMNI PROFILE

Rewriting Robin Hood

The legendary outlaw is reimagined Written by Amy Derbedrosian Photo by Jeff Amberg

WHAT IF ROBIN HOOD WASN’T THE

familiar man of legend—or a man at all? That’s what Rachel-Mikel ArceJaeger ’10 wondered as she set out to write her own version of the classic adventure. She had loved the story of Robin Hood since childhood but was disappointed that it lacked a strong female character. “There aren’t any myths that really empower women. From Odysseus to King Arthur, they’re all guys,” says ArceJaeger, who earned a B.S. in computer science at Harvey Mudd College. “Yet, all the Robins I knew were female, so it made sense to me that Robin was a girl. I decided to write that story. It was an adventure for me, too. I thought I’d get halfway through and hit a wall, but that never happened.” Instead, ArceJaeger produced a 2012 novel that rose to No. 1 on Amazon in several historical fiction categories and remains on its best-seller list. The success of Robin: Lady of Legend resulted from more than luck. She’d purposefully promoted and priced the book to encourage sales and served as its publisher. Her book also placed second in Amazon’s breakthrough novel competition, further supporting her marketing effort. But she had a goal beyond rankings and sales. “I wanted to write a book that not only told a good story, but also was credible and written well.” ArceJaeger attributes her publishing savvy

and self-confidence to her college experience. When she came to Harvey Mudd she’d attended a summer robotics camp, but had never taken a single computer science course. “I felt out of my depth when I arrived. Mudd taught me that I could take on a challenge and do it well,” ArceJaeger says. “I doubt I would have been brave enough to try to publish the novel myself if I hadn’t gone to Mudd.” Soon after earning her bachelor’s degree in computer science with distinction, ArceJaeger gravitated to a waiting pile of her unfinished stories, eager to turn one into a book. Three months later, she had written Robin. “Writing is a lot like programming,” she says. “Writing a program is easy; the hard part is optimizing. The same is true for a book. You spend 10 percent of your time writing and 90 percent of your time editing.” As she wrote, Harvey Mudd was still fresh in her mind. “I thought about the mission statement: assuming leadership with a clear understanding of your impact on society. Robin would be a leader with an understanding of impact, of how her small actions with her band would have repercussions for society, some for the better and some for the worse. She also would come to realize that being female doesn’t infringe on her ability to be a leader, and she ends up being a much fuller person.”

Though the lead character in Robin somewhat resembles her author, ArceJaeger says, “I gave her characteristics that were deliberately unlike me because I didn’t want it to be a self-portrait. I gave her some of the self-doubt I felt, as well as some of the ability to rise beyond that doubt, but aspects like her hating to dance—I love it!—were entirely her own.” Currently, ArceJaeger does freelance computer science work and is a teacher in the second year of her commitment to Teach for America in a Lake City, S.C., elementary school. “Writing is very much right brain, and computer science is left brain. Teaching brings in the human aspect,” says ArceJaeger, who may still return to computer science but plans to continue writing on the side. “Anything I do has to meld these together to help people live better lives—not just have more tools or technology but a better quality of life. I’m sure I’ll try a few more things before I find all this in one career.”

FALL / WINTER 2013

CLASS NOTES 1963

Michael Wilson and his sister, James Bond

franchise co-producer Barbara Broccoli, received the David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Motion Pictures Jan. 19 at the 25th Annual Producers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills. The Selznick trophy recognizes a producer’s body of work in motion pictures. Michael joined Eon Productions Limited in 1974 as assistant to the producer of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. He served as executive producer for Moonraker and the next two Bond films. He co-wrote For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, The Living Daylights and License to Kill; the latter three were co-produced with his stepfather, the late Albert R. Broccoli. He and Barbara Broccoli produced Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World is Not Enough and Die Another Day, which coincided with the 40th anniversary of the Bond series. Their latest Bond film, Skyfall, grossed more than $1 billion worldwide.

1968

Jay Labinger published his first book, Up from

Generality: How Inorganic Chemistry Finally Became a Respectable Field (Springer, 2013), a brief and, “hopefully,” entertaining account of how that subfield of chemistry evolved from second-class status to full equality in the mid-20th century. Jay is starting his 28th year as administrator of the Beckman Institute at Caltech, where he is also faculty associate in chemistry. He divides his time between administrative work, research in inorganic chemistry applied to energy issues and work in the intersection between science and the humanities. He lives in Claremont and plans to continue at Caltech indefinitely (or until the commute to Pasadena takes up the entire day).

1981

LanzaTech, led by CEO Jennifer Holmgren, announced in October that the company ranked No. 2 in Biofuels Digest’s annual list of the 50 Hottest Companies in Bioenergy and No. 4 in the publication's list of 30 Hottest Companies in Biobased Chemicals. A producer

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

of low-carbon fuels and chemicals from waste gases, LanzaTech is one of only two companies to be ranked in the top five in both lists. LanzaTech was also honored as one of the top 100 clean technology companies in the world by the Cleantech Group. Prior to joining LanzaTech, Jennifer was vice president and general manager of the Renewable Energy and Chemicals business unit at UOP LLC, a Honeywell Company. She is the author or co-author of 50 U.S. patents and 20 scientific publications, and is the 2003 recipient of the Council for Chemical Research’s Malcolm E. Pruitt Award.

1983

Linda Miller of Los Ange-

les-based Linda Miller Construction and Engineering was the featured speaker at the Harvey Mudd College Entrepreneurial Network meeting Sept. 20. She described Everprint, her new prototype for electronic blueprints, which is two years in the making and ready for a marketing launch. Linda’s computer software/hardware is designed for annotating, viewing, sharing, storing and distributing interactive electronic documents, namely electronic engineering and architectural drawings.

1985

Google employees Craig Berry, Micah Lamdin ’07 and Michael Szal ’02 hosted Harvey Mudd students at the company’s Venice, Calif., office on Oct. 22. The fall break visit, part of the Office of Career Services’ Mudd on the Road program, included a tour of Google’s work and play spaces and lunch in the company’s legendary cafeteria.

1988

“Crazy time!” G. Douglas Green is off to London to help lead Bechtel’s new liquefied natural gas (LNG) project being built in Canada and to share the knowledge of LNG with Bechtel engineers in the London office. His wife, Patricia, is also on the team. Doug, a control systems engineering group supervisor, says, “Companies are finally realizing we need spouses.” If you’re in London, please drop Doug a line.

1989 | Reunion Year

Sucker Punch Productions co-founder and producer Brian Fleming was interviewed in June by GamesIndustry International at E3 2013. He discussed the company’s new title

for Play Station 4, Infamous: Second Son and talked about the acquisition two years ago by longtime development partner Sony Worldwide Studios. He said, “Being an internal Sony studio meant that Sucker Punch had an inside line to PlayStation 4 lead architect Mark Cerny, providing feedback on what was needed for its next game. When they were working on the new controller for [the PlayStation 4], we were able to be a part of that process because we were an internal studio. I believe that wouldn’t have been possible if we were an external studio. It was nice to be able to contribute at that level. To give [Mark Cerny] our feedback as they worked on the hardware specs; what an open-environment game would need, because we’re different than the needs of a level-based game or a linear game. We put different demands on the hard drive and the bandwidth of the disc system. So we’ve been able to contribute in nice ways.” Read the full interview at http://bit.ly/17NpPs6.

1993

Chuck Bean published the novel Stuntman of

God as an e-book this summer. So far, it looks like Chuck has to keep teaching. Ti-Chen is well, and son, Alex, came in 538th at the World Speed Rubik’s Cube Championships. Julio Loza, an engineering graduate who

earned a law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, returned to campus in November to share his expertise about intellectual property rights and their role in technology and commerce. Julio is founder and partner at Loza & Loza, one of the fastest growing intellectual property boutique law firms in the U.S. He has experience in all aspects of patent, trademark, trade secret and copyright protection and enforcement as well as technology licensing and Internet law.

1995

Erika (Kirchberger) Adams has reinvented

herself a few times since Mudd. After another engineering degree, two high-tech careers and an art degree, she’s found a career she loves: designing, building and installing permanent museum exhibits and sculptural works. The Hands On Children’s Museum in Olympia, Wash., opened in November 2012 and features a two-plus story indoor climbing exhibit that is this proud Mudder’s “baby.” The project started as blank, white paper, grew through sketches and client reviews, involved erecting seven telephone poles inside of an existing building

and provided her with the opportunity to weave a full-size eagle’s aerie by hand from freshly harvested saplings. Erika says, “It was awesome when we finally saw children scrambling all over the structure, out of their minds in happy, active play.”

1996

Jake Sullivan shared recent experiences from

his business FlexFORCE (www.flexforce.us) during a Harvey Mudd College Entrepreneurial Network event in Portland, Ore., Sept. 22. Jake’s company specializes in robotics, signal processing and software development used to create products that protect the men and women who protect us. He also visited

campus during fall to speak about government contracting in Professor Gary Evans’ Enterprise and the Entrepreneur class.

1997

Unbroken records in high jump (1995: seven feet) and triple jump (1997: 48 feet, 7.25 inches) have placed Eric Jones among the elite group of athletes inducted into the CMS Hall of Fame. At the Nov. 16 Recognition Banquet, Eric was lauded for being a four-time All-American and three-time SCIAC champion and a key member of four SCIAC men’s track

and field championship teams. Eric learned to triple jump during his sophomore year and won SCIAC titles in that event in 1994 and 1997; he earned a SCIAC high jump title in 1993. During the 1994 season, he scored the fifth-highest number of points (59) in an SCIAC championship competition by any CMS track and field athlete and was named Harvey Mudd College Athlete of the Year. Eric is president of ViArch Integrated Solutions, a company he cofounded with his wife, Angela, that develops custom software applications for the aerospace industry.

ALUMNI PROFILE

Risk and Reward

Futures are formed by educator Ruben Arenas ’05 Written by K. Emily Hutta Photo by Jeanine Hill

RUBEN ARENAS ’05 TAKES RISKS. Not the

kind you see in viral video segments, risking life and limb for an adrenaline rush or personal gain. Arenas pushes the boundaries in his professional life thoughtfully, resolutely, without fanfare. But he pushes them just the same. Arenas is an associate professor of mathematics at East Los Angeles College (ELAC) in Monterey Park, Calif. Uncertain about whether education was the right career for him when he started at ELAC five years ago, Arenas is now all in. He is a passionately dedicated teacher, a proven problemsolver and a prolific education innovator. Which is where that risk-taking thing comes in. “It may seem kind of silly, but I do have to take a lot of risks in my job. Sometimes the decisions I make are going to affect a lot of people. Sometimes there are other peoples’ lives and careers on the line. I think I’d be a

lot more reticent about making those kinds of decisions if I’d gone to a place that was more conservative [than Harvey Mudd College].” The high-stakes decisions Arenas is talking about have to do with his leadership role in a series of initiatives to improve student outcomes at ELAC. Using mathematical precepts like data-based analysis, he and his colleagues are working to describe and address challenges to academic success for the school’s diverse, non-traditional student body. When data revealed that the longer a student waited to take the next-level math class, the less likely that student was to succeed, Arenas developed the Math Advancement Program. Piloted in 2012, this compressed sequence of classes enables students to take two full math courses in one semester. The results already show significant gains in student success and retention.

Arenas also has been working on an ambitious project to help new students—who enter ELAC at very different levels of preparedness— to achieve college-level proficiency in math and English by the end of their first year; new curriculum for developmental math courses; focus groups exploring issues of student success; a Math Supplemental Instruction Program; and, a STEM Enrichment Program. “Being a faculty member gives me lots of freedom to experiment. Our administration is very good, so we can propose new ideas, try new things. I wish I was teaching a bit more, honestly. But at the same time, these programs I’m working on do have large impacts.” And for Arenas, that makes all the risks worth taking.

FALL / WINTER 2013

electronic payment network for United Healthcare, one of the two largest health insurers in the U.S.

CLASS NOTES

2002 1999 | Reunion Year

Online publication Ars Technica reviewed the PicoBrew Zymatic, a machine designed to automate the painstaking process of home brewing. In 2011, Microsoft software architect Avi Geiger joined brothers Jim and Bill Mitchell, the latter a former Microsoft executive, to work on the device that allows users to simply add ingredients, let the machine do its magic, and return to processed beer and an easy cleanup. The review states, “More recent versions of the PicoBrew machine moved to custom AMTEGA controller boards and a number of custom parts, some rendered by Geiger himself. With the level of specificity provided by the PicoBrew, the founders state that users should be able to turn out recipes ‘precisely on spec.’ The machine can also import BeerXML-formatted recipes and translate and scale them to the PicoBrew’s setup.” Read the full review at http://bit.ly/16Kbk7D In October, Katherine Parker was featured in the article “Cambodia Methodist Church Embodies Vision of Hope and Love” on the website of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church. The article describes Parker’s work as a Global Ministries missionary in Cambodia, where she helped develop local leaders and worked on projects that ensured food security, stability and access to biologically safe drinking water. This work relates to her undergraduate degree (biology) and her master of science degree, also in biology (California State University, Sacramento). This year, she began a new assignment as part of the Health Team of the United Mission to Nepal, focusing on water, sanitation and hygiene. Read the full story at http://bit.ly/1hk6iWs.

2000

Harvey Mudd trustee Chris Seib was featured in an InformationWeek Healthcare article about online medical bill payments. Chris is the CTO and founder of Instamed, which provides services for more than 400 hospitals and 60,000 practices and clinics. The Sept. 9 article describes how InstaMed is providing the

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

The Association for Computing Machinery featured Kate Matsudaira on its website in September. She is founder of popforms, software that helps employees set goals and outline the steps to achieve those goals. She has worked in engineering leadership roles at Decide, Moz and Amazon and has worked at Microsoft and Sun Microsystems. Kate builds and manages teams that create technology to solve important problems, and her technical expertise includes the construction of high-performance distributed systems and systems addressing data collection and analysis. Kate maintains a popular blog (popforms.com/blog/) about issues in leadership and management. Read the ACM interview at http://bit.ly/1bZw9fa.

2003

John Cloutier recently released Reflect, a

geometric puzzle game for Android devices. The game challenges your geometric reasoning skills by asking you to match a pattern by mirroring a starter layout within a limited number of turns. John received a Ph.D. in mathematics from UC Santa Barbara, and his game is available at http://bit.ly/1baSrMS. Nate Eldredge is moving to Colorado to start

a job as an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Northern Colorado. He’s looking forward to making new friends, teaching and researching cool math—and hiking the Rockies!

2004 | Reunion Year

Physics graduate Joe Checkelsky has accepted an assistant professorship in the physics department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology starting in January 2014. After graduating from Harvey Mudd, Joe did his Ph.D. research at Princeton in the Ong laboratory, then worked at Japan’s Institute for Physical and Chemical Research and was a lecturer at the University of Tokyo.

2005

Nicholas Carbone married Jessica Ashley

Freeman-Slade Oct. 12 in Larz Anderson Park in Brookline, Mass. Jessica is an editor of cookbooks and other food books at Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, in New York. Nicholas is a National Research Council

postdoctoral research associate at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Washington. Previously, he was the director of research and development at Ener.co, a manufacturer of polymer coatings, in New York. He has a master’s and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Columbia.

2006

The Whistle Activity Monitor was one of several new pet-monitoring devices reviewed in a Sept. 11 article in The New York Times and in October by the website Marketplace. Kevin Lloyd is co-founder and head of technology at Whistle. Co-founder and CEO Ben Jacobs told the Times, “Sudden changes in behavior, like sleeplessness, can alert an owner that it is stressed or suffering from some other ailment before the symptoms are more obvious.” A pet’s movements are registered by an on-collar stainless steel tag embedded with an accelerometer. Data is fed to pet owners via a smartphone app so they can monitor their pet’s happiness and health.

2007

Kapy Kangombe is now a web application

developer at market research firm MacKenzie Corporation in Irvine, Calif. Brian Kirkpatrick returned to campus in

October to present the talk “Lay in a Course!: A Mudd Approach to Astrodynamics, Orbit Determination and Trajectory Control.” Discussion included the problem of trajectory control in orbital dynamics and the impact of noise and assumptions, plus how spacecraft are controlled, maneuvered and modeled. Brian is an aerospace systems engineer for TASC Inc., in El Segundo, Calif. A graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (M.S., aerospace engineering), he was the founding president of the Mudd Amateur Rocket Club and has since explored problems in software engineering, modeling and simulation, and aerospace systems. Ongoing work includes a cloud-based IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) for scientific computing as well as challenges in the aerospace industry. Ben Tribelhorn earned his Ph.D. in computer

science from Oregon State University and is now an assistant professor at Seattle University.

2008

ALUMNI PROFILE Physics graduates David Coats and Vedika Khemani ’10 were married Aug. 24. Vedika is pursuing a Ph.D. in theoretical physics at Princeton. Following his graduation from Harvey Mudd, David earned a master’s degree in financial engineering at the Peter F. Drucker and Masatoshi Ito Graduate School of Management. He works as a quantitative analyst at Citi in New York.

2009 | Reunion Year

In his session at the 13th International Cloud Expo in November, Greg Farnum, a software developer at Inktank, discussed the Ceph architecture, its current status and plans for future development, including how Ceph integrates with major cloud platforms to provide storage for public and private cloud deployments. Greg is one of the core engineers on the Ceph opensource storage project and has been working on Ceph since he graduated from Harvey Mudd. He has also interacted with other open source projects, including Hadoop, Hypertable, the Linux Kernel and Crowbar, in his work on Ceph.

2013

Nathan Pinsky received a five-year teaching

fellowship from the Knowles Science Teaching Foundation. The fellowship provides beginning teachers committed to high school science, technology, engineering or mathematics education with resources that help them develop into leaders and change agents in education. The program offers support and guidance to fellows as they embark on the credentialing process and their teaching careers. Nate is enrolled in the Stanford Teacher Education Program, from which he will earn a master’s degree in education and a mathematics teaching credential. Upon completion of his studies, he will teach in the San Francisco Unified School District as a participant in the San Francisco Teacher Residency Program. Other alumni who have received the fellowship include Greg Borish ’08, Keiko Hiranaka ’12 and Alex Steinkamp ’10.

Cycling to Save the Planet Alumna joins 2013 Climate Ride Written by Koren Wetmore

POLLY HENINGER ’80 LIVES HER VALUES.

An ardent environmentalist for the past 20 years, Heninger has traded car travel for transport by train, bus and bicycle. So when the opportunity arose to cycle 300 miles—from New York to Washington, D.C.—to promote green energy and combat climate change, she signed up for the challenge. But before she could join the 200 riders in the September 2013 Climate Ride, she had to wrestle with some doubts. “My body was changing, and I wasn’t sure if I could do that kind of cycling anymore,” says the 55-year-old Baltimore, Md., resident. “Then, I thought, ‘I can keep worrying about whether I can do it, or I can try to do it and find out.’” She opted to try and underwent a six-month training and fundraising program. Her fitness repertoire included circuit workouts and a riding regimen that began at 50 miles then rose to 140 miles per week. She drafted fundraising letters, started a blog and soon had commitments from 90 donors. In all, she raised more than $5,700 for five nonprofits: Adventure Cycling, 350.org, League of American Bicyclists, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and the National Parks Conservation Association. “I supported Polly’s ride financially and in whatever ways I could, because I admire her devotion and dedication to the environment,” says Debbie Kennison, Heninger’s longtime friend and former coworker. “She rides her bike, stays conscious of water consumption, favors reusing and recycling and has always tried to make the smallest footprint she can on the earth.” The Climate Ride lasted five days and led riders from Manhattan to Washington, D.C., through a particularly scenic route. “One morning, we rode along a stream in a big stand of pines, which was just beautiful, but cold,” Heninger says. Days were filled with riding and all but one night was spent in tents. Along the way, a support team encouraged riders with messages written on the pavement— especially on steep hills. Each night, guest speakers from environmental organizations educated the riders about different climate change issues, further preparing them for Lobbying Day and their entry into the nation’s Capitol. When Climate Riders entered D.C., they were joined by cyclists from the city’s local bike share group. The next day, Heninger and her fellow Maryland riders lobbied for a carbon tax and rebate legislation, making presentations in the offices of Senator Barbara Mikulski and Congressman John Sarbanes. “The research, the training, the ride—all of it—brought home to me that I want to keep working toward saving the planet and doing what I can to help.” When it was time to go home, Heninger took the subway as far as she could and then rode her bike the final 30 miles back to Baltimore.

FALL / WINTER 2013

BACK TALK

Time will Tell Victoria Feudo ’13 began her study abroad experience in Madrid, Spain, and ended up on an archaeology adventure in Israel. The engineering major turned world traveler spent four months last year at St. Louis University, Madrid (SLU) and found herself traveling to Morocco, Switzerland, Germany, Italy—and the Middle East. Inspired by the archaeology class she took while in Spain, Feudo ventured to Tel Regev, Israel, for the Southern Plain of Akko Project led by SLU Madrid Professor Carolina Aznar. It was here, in the fertile Jezreel Valley soil, that an idea took root: to blend engineering with archaeology.

At the end of June, I flew with a group of 17 from Spain to Israel. We stayed at Reut Megiddo next to Ein Ha Shofet, a non-religious kibbutz north of Haifa, our home during the dig. During meals in the common area, we got to know the local people and discussed our experiences at the Tel Regev site. Professor Aznar was really passionate about her work, and the process of archeology really interested me. In her class, I learned the importance of soil stratigraphy, which deals with the succession of soil layers. Artifacts are dated based on where they’re found within the layers. During the dig, I watched an architect from Ecuador spend much of her time drawing every rock. Once you have excavated, that’s it. So it must be well recorded. Stratigraphy is very important in protecting the site. A tell (a mound formed as ancient city walls overflow with sediment) contains layer upon layer of history. In the case of Tel Regev, our excavation unearthed about 3,500 years of history, from the late Bronze Age (ca. 1500-1200 BCE) and Iron Age (ca. 1200-586 BCE). Our team contributed to work that seeks to understand the influence of the Israelites and Phoenicians in the Jezreel Valley, primarily by studying the pottery left behind. Every day, for a month and a half, we dug, often using picks on the hard clay. One day, my friend was using her pick when she struck something and heard a “crash.” We looked at what she’d hit and it was a Phoenician jug. It was really amazing; that just doesn’t happen very often. Our professor was so excited she could barely contain herself. The dig was physically toiling yet quite fascinating, and everyone in the group was invested in the work, really excited about it. Even though it was tedious, having this team camaraderie made the work worthwhile. I also realized how fast time passes. We were only digging about six feet down and

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

finding things from the 9th century BCE. History is right under our feet, nearly everywhere. I’m interested in working as an engineer, but now I’d also like to be involved with archaeology in some way as well. It is so helpful to have had the dig experience and to gain this knowledge so I can speak both “languages.” Engineers and archaeologists aren’t always able to communicate well. Engineers want to keep the project going; archaeologists want to preserve the history that’s been revealed. I can see the importance of both perspectives.

Victoria Fuedo '13 spent six weeks at an excavation site at Tel Regev in Hefa, Israel. She worked with scientists who are studying the economic and social exchanges that took place in the region between inland and maritime peoples.

ANNUAL REPORT

ACADEMIC YEAR

2012–2013

2012–2013 Year in Review

Mike and Mary Shanahan

Shanahan Center The new “place to be” on campus, the LEED Gold-certified R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning was completed in time for fall 2013.

Joe & Jean Platt

20th SCIAC Title

The College mourned the loss of two of its pioneers: Founding President Joe Platt, who died July 10, 2012, and to his wife, Jean, who passed away Feb. 18, 2013. The Platts worked tirelessly to shape and support the College for nearly four decades.

Rafer Dannenhauer ’13, Matt Espy ’15, Chris Gage ’13, Justin Jones ’15 and Bennett Naden ’13 helped the ClaremontMudd-Scripps men’s track and field team win the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championship, marking the 20th SCIAC title in the team’s history.

Huppe Memorial

Fellowships & Scholarships

After the untimely death of Ben Huppe ’14 in July 2012, parents Maggie Lewis and Bob Huppe established the Huppe Memorial Internship to honor Ben’s memory and his passion for science and social justice.

Astronaut Scholar

Gilman Scholar

Goldwater Scholars

National Science Foundation Fellows

Watson Fellows

Whitaker Fellow

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

New Faculty Chair

Class of 2017

Seeing the connection between mathematics and STEM career success, Harvey Mudd Trustee John Benediktsson ’01 and his wife, Rajashree Karwa, both engineers, gave a generous gift to establish the Benediktsson-Karwa Endowed Faculty Chair.

Chosen from more than 3,500 applicants, the 217 members of the Class of 2017 joined the Harvey Mudd community. They hail from 31 states and 14 countries.

Taylor Swift Knows Harvey Mudd It was a concert “Taylor-made” for Mudd. Juniors Travis Beckman and Yeahmoon Hong rallied students across The Claremont Colleges to help Harvey Mudd College win an online contest that brought country artist Taylor Swift to Claremont for an intimate concert.

Clinic 50th Anniversary

Twenty-three members of the Harvey Mudd community traveled down under to view the Nov. 14, 2012 solar eclipse in Australia. Physics Professor Greg Lyzenga ’75 led the 10-day adventure that included snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef and exploring aboriginal culture.

The Clinic Program reached a halfcentury, its gold anniversary marked by recognition from the National Academy of Engineering, which named the Engineering Clinic one of 29 “exemplary engineering programs.”

RANDALL SPANGLER ’92

Aussie Eclipse

FALL / WINTER 2013

Advancement Review MANY WONDERFUL THINGS happened

at Harvey Mudd last fiscal year (20122013) under the umbrella of Advancement: fundraising, alumni and parent relations, and marketing and communications. Thank you to all who played a role in this year’s success through your continued dedication, generosity and partnership. Whether you made a personal gift, volunteered your time, served on a focus group for our new branding efforts, or participated in or hosted one of the many alumni and parent relations events across the country (or did several of these things), you have shown why Harvey Mudd can’t succeed without the support of our broader community. Harvey Mudd enjoyed incredible success in terms of total dollars raised during the 2012–2013 fiscal year, raising $40,622,070 in new gifts and pledge payments from more than 2,500 alumni, parents and friends and nearly 175 corporations and foundations. In addition, we received more than $2 million in pledges and gift intentions that will be paid in future years.

While each gift is critical, one stands out—not just for its size, but also for the spirit in which it was given. Trustee Mike Shanahan and his wife, Mary, made a transformative gift of $30 million, over and above their already breathtaking past support for faculty chairs, the dining complex and the new center for teaching

Written by Dan Macaluso Vice president for advancement

our soon-to-be-public comprehensive campaign as a way to encourage many more to invest in the mission of Harvey Mudd. (See Page 29 for information about the campaign.) While it’s important to recognize large gifts, thousands of gifts of every size consistently fuel the College’s

Thank you to all who played a role in this year’s success through your continued dedication, generosity and partnership. and learning which now bears the Shanahan name. Mike’s passion for undergraduate STEM education “done right” provides a wonderful example for others to follow. The Shanahan gift allows the College to fund significant facility renovations, while also providing up to $15 million to match private gifts of $25,000 or more to priorities in

ongoing work, while also providing a foundation for future success. Every dollar makes a difference, and many donors of large gifts began by making smaller gifts that, over time, grew with the donor’s financial ability and commitment. Therefore, in addition to securing critical dollars from our loyal Annual Mudd Fundd donors, our annual

giving office partnered with student government (ASHMC) and more than 50 student volunteers to initiate a student philanthropy campaign involving all students, not just seniors. The campaign helped strengthen the culture of philanthropy among our students by educating them on the importance of giving while engaging first-years through seniors in raising funds for a collective goal. In just two weeks, the student body raised $5,183 and achieved 36.2 percent overall student participation, with 274 students donating. These funds helped leverage additional gifts, including incentive funds from the alumni association, to establish an endowed ASHMC scholarship. Harvey Mudd continues to enjoy generous support from many corporations and foundations, which see tremendous value in the College’s work to educate the next generation of passionate problem solvers. Spread across many programs—including undergraduate research, community outreach, curricular development,

Philanthropic Giving by Fiscal Year* Annual Mudd Fund Designated/Restricted Endowment Non-Endowment Bequests

2012–2013

2011–2012

2010–2011

2009–2010

2008–2009

$4,256,836

$4,287,554

$3,835,195

$4,333,308

$4,322,728

$2,911,276 $33,411,509 $42,449

$2,108,095 $4,512,517 $177,685

$4,741,254 $14,515,862 $264,010

$1,982,768 $3,300,100 $435,813

$1,194,608 $15,005,674 $1,000,000

* Totals do not include corporate contracts for Clinic or government

Total Philanthropic Giving

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

$40,622,070

$11,085,851

$23,356,321

$10,051,989

$21,523,010

funding

Sources of Gifts

$90,403

$2,718,249

Other Organizations, 0.22%

Foundations, 6.69%

$476,705

$37,336,713

Corporations, 1.17%

Individuals, 91.9%

$40,622,070

undergraduate financial aid, diversity efforts, faculty support and the Shanahan Center—corporations and foundations provided nearly $4 million in new gifts and pledges last year. The Office of Alumni and Parent Relations continued to provide opportunities for alumni, parents and other key constituents to stay connected with the College. Our continued partnership with the Alumni Association Board of Governors and with our incredible faculty enhances our programs and activities, helps us conceive and plan new ones and spreads the College’s message to alumni and parents. Last year, a variety of alumni, parent and prospective student events were held along the West Coast and across the country. Among these well-attended events were summer

sendoffs; a Shakespeare festival with Scripps College; the Hollywood Bowl pyrotechnics tour; networking events; skiing, camping and hiking events; faculty brunches and receptions; and Caltech Cannon Heist events. The two major on-campus events—Family Weekend in February and Alumni Weekend in May—continue to grow in attendance, with Family Weekend drawing 354 registrants and Alumni Weekend welcoming more than 800 participants. I encourage you to visit the updated alumni website (hmc.edu/alumni) where you’ll find a variety of activities to attend. There’s something for everyone. Harvey Mudd is an amazing and unique place, but that awareness has not always extended very far outside our community. Therefore, in addition to bet-

ter defining Harvey Mudd’s brand—with the input of the College community— Communications and Marketing continues important work to enhance national visibility. Last year, Harvey Mudd’s overall visibility in news media, blogs and social media rose by 33 percent, further solidifying the College’s reputation as a leading innovator and provider of top-notch STEM education. President Klawe continues her extensive travel to network with education, industry and government leaders and is invited regularly as a national thought leader on STEM education to speak to a variety of audiences to share why Harvey Mudd is the “best science, engineering and math education on the face of the planet.” The current fiscal year started strong as we welcomed students back to campus

Total Amount Given, 100%

to begin classes in the new Shanahan Center, which was dedicated formally on Sept. 28 with a gathering of more than 300 donors and community members. We have been to many cities across the country this fall with President Klawe, trustees and faculty, to talk with alumni and parents in a series of events titled, “Mudd Matters: Our Character, Our Campus, Our Course.” And in February, we will officially kick off the public phase of a comprehensive fundraising campaign to continue raising funds to support the people, programs and places that make Harvey Mudd unique. We appreciate your loyalty and participation and look forward to expanding our partnerships as we continue to advance this remarkable College.

Gifts from Individuals

$4,155,027

$149,657

$1,795,987

Alumni, 11.13%

Faculty & Staff, 0.40%

Other Individuals, 4.81%

$549,753

$30,686,289

Parents, 1.47%

Trustees, 82.19%

$37,336,713 Total Amount Given, 100%

Trustees = non-alumni and non-parent | Faculty & Staff = non-alumni and non-parent | Parents = non-alumni

FALL / WINTER 2013

Financial Review HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE STAFF ended

the 2012–2013 fiscal year working feverishly toward the completion of the R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning (Shanahan Center), which was completed in time for the start of fall classes. Additionally, the College experienced a positive change in net assets primarily due to a gain in our pooled investments, unrestricted gifts, and gifts to the Shanahan Center. Following are highlights of the 2012–2013 fiscal year.

Financial Position Harvey Mudd ended the fiscal year with assets in excess of $416 million. This total is composed primarily of investments of $307 million and of land, buildings and equipment of $87 million. With the Shanahan Center construction mostly complete in 2012–2013, the College reports an increase in plant facilities. Liabilities of $35 million consist primarily of long-term bonds payable and of accounts payable and accrued liabilities. During the 2012–2013 fiscal year, total net assets increased by $41 million. This increase in net assets resulted from an increase in the value of the investment pool from both realized and unrealized gains in the value of investments and gifts. As of June 30, 2013, net assets totaled $381 million, comprising three net asset categories: 1) unrestricted (those over which the College has full discretion) of $142 million, 2) temporarily restricted (those given to the College for a specific purpose) of $127 million, and 3) permanently restricted (those given to the College to be held in perpetuity) of $112 million.

Financial Operations Total revenues were $80 million for fiscal year 2012–2013, compared to $69 million for fiscal year 2011–2012. This was primarily due to a significant unre-

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

stricted gift and gifts for the Shanahan Center. Total expenses for 2012–2013 were approximately $53 million. For the year ending June 30, 2013, the College experienced an operating budget surplus of approximately $118,000 after transfers to high prior-

Written by Andrew Dorantes Vice president for administration and finance/treasurer

cent of the College’s operating revenues during the fiscal year. The College employs a formula that governs the annual payout of endowment earnings to support operations. Endowment payout will increase in fiscal year 2013–2014 as a result of positive performance. The for-

Harvey Mudd ended the fiscal year with assets in excess of $416 million. ity areas, as approved by the Board of Trustees Budget and Financial Planning Committee, including: additional support for the Renewal and Replacement Reserve Fund, the IT Infrastructure Fund and the Contingency Fund, as well as a down payment for the purchase of 12.21 acres of property from the Claremont University Consortium. The key factors influencing the positive operating balance were increased enrollment, lower than anticipated financial aid needs, additional grant and Clinic revenues and savings from unfilled administrative positions.

We are pleased with the endowment returns and operating budget results for the past fiscal year. The College has a fantastic new facility in the Shanahan Center, which is buzzing with excitement as future scientists, engineers and mathematicians are trained to make an impact on society. With new facilities now in use and recently vacated facilities being renovated, the College is diligently looking to upgrade its infrastructure and to provide the resources necessary to support its mission.

mula is designed to balance the need for endowment resources to support current activities with the equally important goal of preserving the value of endowment funds for future generations of students, faculty and staff.

Total Endowment Market Value (in thousands)

Endowment Investments The endowment produced a performance return of 11.02 percent for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2013. The strong investment performance was impacted by volatility in the bond and commodity markets. The S&P 500 and MSCI EAFE index, measures of the U.S. and international stock markets, returned 20.6 percent and 18.6 percent respectively. However, the Barclays Aggregate Bond index returned negative (0.7 percent). Market value of the endowment was $241 million at year-end, representing an equivalent of $308,795 per student. Endowment payout provided 20 per-

Summary

$150,000

$200,000

$250,000

June 30, 2013

$241,584

June 30, 2012

$225,509

June 30, 2011

$243,125

June 30, 2010

$208,454

June 30, 2009

$194,705

Audited financial statements at hmc.edu/financial-statement

Endowment Payout

Revenue

2013

Other Revenue 2%

2012

Year Ended June 30 (in thousands)

Tuition, fees, room and board Less financial aid Net student revenues Federal grants Private gifts and grants Private contracts Endowment payout Other revenue

$44,345 $-13,619 $30,726 $3,042 $31,728 $1,873 $11,200 $1,241

$42,345 -13,005 $29,340 $3,284 $22,725 $1,347 $11,373 $1,043

$79,810

$69,113

Total revenue

Private Contracts 2%

Net Student Revenues 14%

38%

TOTAL REVENUES Private Gifts & Grants 40% 4%

Federal Grants

Auxilliary Enterprises

Instruction 12%

Expenses

Institutional Support 41% 17%

Student Services

TOTAL EXPENSES

11%

Academic Support

Research Public Service 2%

2013

2012

Instruction Research Public service Academic support Student services Institutional support Auxiliary enterprises Total expenses

$21,914 $3,052 $917 $5,834 $5,757 $8,870 $6,702 $53,046

$21,504 $3,065 $916 $5,773 $5,535 $8,381 $6,921 $52,095

Excess revenues over expenses

$26,764

$17,018

Pooled investment (losses) Other changes in net assets

$13,560 $664

-$20,141 -$719

Change in net assets

$40,988

-$3,842

Year ended June 30 (in thousands)

FALL / WINTER 2013

Building Relationships It is with satisfaction and a measure of awe that I reflect upon the past academic year of my alma mater. As you have read in the previous pages, the year included many highlights, several challenges, and we witnessed some of the fruits of our labor. The new R. Michael Shanahan Center for Teaching and Learning rose from its foundation, and we celebrated its completion and grand opening. When classes began there this fall, it quickly became the community hub that we imagined—faculty, staff and students immediately settled in to working, relaxing and enjoying the creative spaces. The building fulfills a commitment to advance what this College does best— educate leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics who understand the impact of their work on society. The Harvey Mudd community discussion about College growth has been both challenging and incredibly rewarding. A number of issues and opportunities arose from our community’s discussions. During 2012-2013, we heard community members’ concerns that growth could impact negatively the culture of the College—particularly the teaching, Honor Code, sense of community and other critical factors that make the Harvey Mudd experience so distinctive. Faculty, students and alumni shared their thoughts about the need for additional support for facilities and teaching resources. In the past, unplanned growth has stretched the resources of our campus and our faculty. The new academic year began with the board voting unanimously to increase the College’s student body size to as many as 900 students over the next decade while providing the necessary resources to support increasing the size of the College. At the five-year mark, we will evaluate how this growth impacts Harvey Mudd’s culture and core values before continuing with the final stage of the plan. The board also approved a study to build a new dorm, and we are actively seeking student

HARVEY MUDD COLLEGE

input on the project. Members of our Budget and Financial Planning Committee will review a proposal outlining recommendations for enhancing academic resources. I am always impressed with the accomplishments of our remarkable faculty and stellar students. The key element in each endeavor—relationships—surfaced time and again as the community came together in memorable events like Alumni Weekend, Family Weekend and the Taylor Swift concert, as well as branding discussions that explored how we might express the essence of Harvey Mudd. Through focus groups and discussions with alumni, faculty, students, staff, parents, trustees and friends, we shaped a branding concept that will focus our message as we move forward. We’ve known all along that “Relationships Matter,” and we look forward to sharing the College’s distinctive message to a wider audience through new initiatives and materials. Thank you for your input and faithful support and the role you played in the many accomplishments achieved this past academic year. I look forward to working with all members of the College community to continue Harvey Mudd’s tradition of excellence.

Sincerely, Wayne Drinkward ’73 Chair, Harvey Mudd College Board of Trustees

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Supply and Demand Savvy employers know Harvey Mudd and its students: talented, capable, problem solvers who work well in teams and across disciplines. That’s why a record-breaking 91 organizations sent recruiters to the College’s fall Job and Internship Fair held in the Linde Activities Center. Career Services Director Judy Fisher recorded 711 attendees, a capacity crowd. She said, “If we get bigger next year, we’ll have to move outdoors.”