CONTENTS

Streets of Houston

20 Nature Is Healing

Preston Gaines’ pandemic hobby-turnedart form lifts a looking-glass to our relationship with the natural world.

Spotlight

21 Keeper of Memories

The Smithsonian Libraries is the world’s largest library system, housing nearly 2 million books. The UH alumna in charge of them doesn’t take that responsibility lightly.

From the Lab

22 Behind the Vaccine Against Fentanyl Lead researcher Colin Haile speaks from the lab about the discovery that shields the brain against one of the world’s deadliest drugs.

The Spirit World

Office Hours

24 The Power of Data

Dean Catherine Horn believes researchers have the ability—and responsibility—to solve society’s most pressing issues. She’s starting with making education more equitable.

Person of Interest

26 Following Ancient Roads to Find Modern Success

She’s uncovered secrets of an ancient Maya civilization in Belize. Now, Diane Z. Chase is applying those findings to her role as UH’s new provost.

Houston’s Finest

28 The Spirit World

Blair Ault is having visions—visions of a whole new world of craft whiskey on the horizon.

Features Columns

52

We

54 Tip Your Robot Meet Servi, the robot waiter that might be the first wave in an increasingly techdriven dining experience.

56 Murder Most Cozy Writer Robert Cremins discusses our paradoxical appetite for murder mysteries —while devouring them nightly.