ASU News - Alumni + Alumni

Cluster Devils prepare for battle in cyberspace

jkullman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:38:40 -0700

ASU engineering students take on a supercomputing challenge before an audience of industry heavyweights

After months of intense training, a team of Arizona State University students is set to compete in an especially challenging marathon on an international stage. But it isn’t a road race. This race takes place in cyberspace.

Six students in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering will have their computing skills vigorously tested in a contest that demands roughly 48 straight hours of brain power, technical ability, and mental and physical endurance.

The ASU Cluster Devils will face several teams from universities in the United States and other countries in the Student Cluster Competition during SC09 – the Supercomputing Conference 2009 – Nov. 14-20 in Portland, Ore.

Cluster computing involves networking (or “clustering”) at least several advanced computers together to provide the computing capacity necessary to work out especially complex mathematical and technical problems.

“It’s about having many computers communicating with each other, except these computers are powerful enough to do something in hours that would take your typical personal computer at home about a week or so to do,” says Benjamin Jimenez, a senior ASU aerospace engineering student.

He is joined on the ASU Cluster Devils by Richard Wellington, a senior computer science student; Tricia Hurd, a senior chemical engineering student; Megan Kearl, a junior computer science and biology and society student; Patrick Lu, a junior computer systems engineering student; and Michael Johanson, a senior computer science student.

At SC09 they will be given a series of science and engineering problems to analyze and solve in an allotted period of time – and with an allotted limit of power – using an array of computers they have assembled and linked.

“Sometimes we will all be working at once, other times we’ll go in shifts,” Jimenez says. “It’s pretty much nonstop for a couple of days. You usually end up with students sleeping under tables and behind banks of computers.”

The competition is designed to test students’ mastery of analyzing codes and optimizing computing performance. “They give you tough problems that reveal your ability to think logically and creatively,” Wellington says. “It really tests your levels of patience and determination. It’s a mental marathon.”

Fortunately, the Cluster Devils have strong allies. The team is sponsored by the Microsoft and IBM companies. Microsoft’s high-performance computing team has provided software and IBM has provided hardware for the Cluster Devils’ systems.

The team will use Microsoft’s Windows High Performance Computing Server 2008 and IBM’s System x iDataPlex.

Both companies also have sent representatives to help demonstrate the equipment for the Cluster Devils, and provided team members trips to Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Wash., to get training from professional computer scientists and engineers.

“The trips were phenomenal,” Jimenez says.

“We’re excited about this competition,” says Matt Blythe, a member of Microsoft’s Windows marketing team. “This is a fun part of our academic outreach. This will help us test the quality of our products, to see how well students are able to use this technology and be successful.”

In addition, the team has been able to make use of hardware, work space and power sources at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering High Performance Computing Initiative (HPCI) center. The Cluster Devils are now part of HPCI’s undergraduate student outreach team.

The Cluster Devils also are getting the benefit of coaching from Earl Duque, manager of applied research for Intelligent Light, a high-tech company specializing in high-performance computing for fluid flow simulations (www.ilight.com).

Duque also is a mechanical engineering associate research professor at Northern Arizona University (NAU). A former member of an advanced computational research methods group for NASA, he currently teaches and develops high-performance computing software and methods for computational fluid dynamics.

Team members are drawing on his expertise in these advanced areas of engineering and computing to guide their competition strategy.

The Cluster Devils will compete in front of a global audience, including some of the computer industry’s leading companies and research institutions. SC09 is expected to draw several thousand participants and more than 10,000 overall attendees from throughout the world.

Besides Microsoft and IBM, such companies as Hewlett Packard, Lockheed Martin, Intel and Dell will be represented, as well as national laboratories such as Oak Ridge, Sandia and Los Alamos, and NASA labs.

Along with exposure to heavyweights in the computer world, ASU team members get an opportunity to gain engineering career experience beyond the classroom.

Two members of last year’s team, including Patrick Lu, were hired for internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory as a result of their participation in the student supercomputing competition.

Jimenez and Wellington also were on last year’s team – the first ASU student team ever to compete at the supercomputing conference.

They say there’s more of a lure to the event than the spirit of competition. “All of our team members either got internships or made some contacts that could lead to future opportunities,” Jimenez says.

Supercomputing “is a fascinating and cutting-edge field that’s going to be more important in every area of science and engineering,” he says. “I think more students need to become aware of what great opportunities there are.”

For more information, see the ASU Cluster Devil’s Web site and blog at http://clusterdevils.com/

Liberal Arts and Sciences honors 2 alumni, 3 faculty members

chughes3 — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:45:40 -0600

ASU alumnus Spencer Silver, who in 1968 discovered a formula for the slightly tacky adhesive on the back of those ubiquitous Post-it® Notes, is this year's recipient of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame Award.

The award, the highest honor the college confers to a graduate who has achieved professional distinction, will be presented Oct. 30, along with Distinguished Achievement and Distinguished Faculty Awards, as part of this year's Homecoming Week festivities.

College graduate Samantha Johnson will receive the Distinguished Achievement Award, which recognizes alumni, citizens of Arizona or others who contribute to the advancement of the college.

David William Foster, Nancy Jurik and Ronald Rutowski will receive Distinguished Faculty Awards, which are given to faculty members who exemplify the college's mission of instructional excellence, special dedication to students and performance that makes an impact in the community or a professional field.

Spencer Silver, who earned an ASU bachelor's degree in chemistry in 1962 and a doctorate in 1966 from the University of Colorado, was a 3M scientist when he invented a microsphere adhesive, comprised of tiny bubbles, that caused the substance to stick only slightly to surfaces. Years later, 3M colleague Art Fry came up with a practical use for the glue – Post-it® Notes.

In recent years, with more than two dozen patents to his credit, Silver has turned his creative energy to art and is an accomplished painter in pastels and oils.

"My desire is to find an artistic bridge between the practical and theoretical aspects of chemistry and the allegorical and fantasy world of images from plants and landscape," he writes on his Web site www.spencerfsilver.com. With a studio that is now his laboratory, Silver says of his art: "You will see lots of trees, leaves, flowers and whirly things with dots and dashes that try to deal with chemistry in a non-deterministic way."

In 2004, Silver was selected to the University of Colorado Heritage Center's "Hall of Excellence." He also is the 1998 recipient of the Award for Creative Invention from the American Chemical Society, which is given to an inventor for the successful application of research in chemistry or chemical engineering that contributes to the material prosperity and happiness of people.

Samantha Johnson, a case manager for Mercy Care Plan, actively pursued servant leadership while a student at ASU, assisting with a national conference on women with disabilities. She graduated in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in women's studies and has expanded her service and leadership to the broader community by serving on the city of Phoenix Mayor's Commission on Disability Issues and on the Phoenix Women's Commission.

Johnson is a founding board member of Arthritis Introspective, which provides wellness education and support systems to persons living with arthritis. She has been recognized for her activism with a "Forty Under 40" award from the Phoenix Business Journal. She also was named to "Real Hot 100," a group of young women from around the country who are breaking barriers, fighting stereotypes and making a difference in their communities.

This will be the second ASU alumni award given to Johnson. In 2007, she received the ASU Young Alumni Achievement award.

David William Foster is a Regents' Professor of Spanish, the humanities and women's studies, but even this expansive title does not fully encompass his interests and accomplishments. A noted scholar of Spanish and Portuguese literature, film and cultural studies, he also is an eminent authority on the history and urban landscape of Phoenix.

An ASU faculty member since 1966, Foster's scholarly articles count in the hundreds. He is an influential figure in the study of Latin American literature and film, Latin American Jewish studies and Latin American photography. One of his new projects is a pioneering examination of Latin American documentary filmmaking. He has received funding for and organized five National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminars: two for high school teachers and three for college and university faculty. He was an Outstanding Graduate Mentor in 1980, Researcher of the Year in 1994, and a Last Lecturer selection in 1999.

Foster, a professor in the School of International Letters and Cultures, also is a highly conscientious teacher. One student wrote the he "is extremely knowledgeable about the subject and conveys clear enthusiasm about what he is teaching."

Nancy Jurik's dedication to students can be seen both through her individual teaching and mentoring of graduate and undergraduate students. One graduate student sums it up this way: "Dr. Jurik possesses a unique talent of making students feel comfortable in the classroom, which in turn leads them to her when they need advice and guidance."

For the past three years, Jurik has served as graduate director for justice and social inquiry. As a result of her intense mentoring, Jurik's graduate students have uniformly completed their program in a timely manner. She also has served as chair or member of 15 completed doctoral committees, including chair of six. She has also served as chair or member of more than 40 master's committees and a dozen honor's thesis committees.

Her knack for mentoring lead Jurik to design, and for many years supervise, a writing mentorship program in justice and social inquiry. In the decade it's been in existence, the program has provided assistance to more than 1,000 students.

Jurik, a sociologist in the School of Social Transformation, has been an ASU faculty member since 1981. She is a past recipient of the college's Gary S. Krahenbuhl Difference Maker Award.

Ronald Rutowski is an internationally recognized researcher, scholar and undergraduate educator. He steadfastly and aggressively creates opportunities, expands access, offers training and leadership, and establishes an atmosphere of growth and empowerment in ASU's School of Life Sciences, most particularly for the next generation of scientists. He has been described in student reviews as "awesome, always helpful and concerned, accessible, an excellent professor and enthusiastic teacher, dedicated, interesting informative, entertaining and approachable, motivating."

From 1988-1992, Rutowski was director of undergraduate programs in the former department of zoology. Since 2006, he has served as director of the School of Life Sciences Undergraduate Research Program, where he led an expansion of undergraduate research opportunities with the development of the Arizona Biosciences Network – matching students with mentors from Arizona's businesses, industry, research groups and medical institutions. More than 1,000 students have participated in the program.

Since joining ASU in 1976, Rutowski has contributed roughly $17 million in support for undergraduate research and interdisciplinary training in the sciences, including two Howard Hughes Medical Institute awards, two National Science Foundation awards, and a Beckman Scholars Program award.

Alumni Association rewards service, support with Homecoming awards

emassey — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:33:26 -0600

The ASU Alumni Association will present its awards for Alumni Service and Alumni Appreciation during the halftime program of the ASU-California Homecoming game on Oct. 31. Jim Kane ’88 B.A.E. and Carol Peck ’71 B.A.E., ’75 M.Ed., ’79 Ed.D. will receive the Alumni Service Award, and Migs Woodside and Donald V. Budinger will receive the Alumni Appreciation Award.

Maria Hesse ’77 B.S., ’84 M.B.A., immediate past chair of the association’s board of directors, also will be honored during the award ceremony for her service to the Alumni Association.

Alumni Service Award: Jim Kane ’88 B.A.E.

Kane began his lifetime connection with ASU playing on the offensive line for ASU’s football team between 1966 and 1968. He was selected as an All-WAC (Western Athletic Conference) pick in 1968. After military service and an active early career, Kane returned to finish his degree in 1988. He is being honored for his service to ASU as an alumni volunteer, which includes participation on the ASU West Campus Advisory Council, the ASU Business School’s Council, the Sun Angels Foundation, and the ASU Foundation’s Board of Trustees. His other community involvement includes positions on the board of the College of Southern Nevada and the board of the Arizona State Chamber of Commerce.

Kane has worked for more than 35 years in the energy industry, working for Arizona Public Service as a district manager, sales supervisor and assistant engineer. He joined Southwest Gas in 1984 and has worked as a customer relations manager, a division vice president and the executive vice president of operations before becoming the organization’s president in 2004.

Alumni Service Award: Carol Peck ’71 B.A.E., ’75 M.Ed., ’79 Ed.D.

A three-time graduate of ASU, Peck is being honored for her contributions to education and teacher training in the state of Arizona. While superintendent for the Alhambra School District in Phoenix for 16 years, she was honored as Arizona Superintendent of the Year and National Superintendent.

Peck has been a tireless advocate for the development of the College of Teacher Education and Leadership at the university, and received an ASU Visionary award from the university’s West campus in 2007. She also has been inducted into the Mary Lou Fulton College of Education’s Alumni Hall of Fame and received the college’s Distinguished Achievement Award.

Peck is CEO/President of the Rodel Charitable Foundation of Arizona. Peck collaborated with ASU in the development of the Rodel Community Scholars program, an initiative that recruits 30 undergraduate students at ASU’s West campus and pairs them with a local high school, where they will work with education experts to develop a comprehensive plan that will address community issues affecting education.

Alumni Appreciation Award – Migs Woodside

Woodside is being honored for her efforts as a senior advisor for the Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC), an ASU center that conducts transdisciplinary minority health and health disparities research, training and community outreach. She is a leader in the field of public health, with special expertise in the family dynamics of substance abuse. She has been instrumental in facilitating SIRC’s community outreach and engagement efforts, including a recent restructuring of the center’s Community Advisory Board. In addition to her work with SIRC, Woodside also serves as a board member for the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics at ASU and the board of ASU’s College of Public Programs.

Woodside was the founder and president (1982-95) of the Children of Alcoholics Foundation, and currently chairs the Harvard School of Public Health’s advisory council for its Center for Health and Society.

Alumni Appreciation Award – Donald V. Budinger

Donald V. Budinger is a founder and the former president of Rodel, Inc., a start-up company that grew to become the world’s largest manufacturer of surface finishing chemicals used to make computer chips, rigid memory disks and specialty optics.

When Rodel was sold in 1999, a significant portion of the proceeds was used to create the Rodel Foundations, nonprofit organizations in Arizona and Delaware dedicated to the improving the public education systems in both states so that they will be widely recognized as two of the best in the nation. Budinger then became Chairman and Founding Director of the Rodel Foundations. In his work with the organizations, he has provided leadership for the development of two programs in partnership with Arizona State University: the Rodel Community Scholars program, which pairs deserving undergraduate students with local schools who benefit from their skills, and the Rodel Teacher Initiative, which identifies promising student teachers and pairs them with Rodel Exemplary Teachers in order to train highly effective teachers to serve in high-poverty schools.

Budinger also supports ASU’s future as a member of the university’s President’s Circle. He is a graduate of the University of Arizona.

Past Chair’s Award – Maria Hesse ’77 B.S., ’84 M.B.A.

During her term as chair in 2008-09, Hesse supported the emergence of the Alumni Association as a model alumni organization. Under her guidance, the Alumni Association successfully transitioned to a new Alumni Board structure and launched the ASU National Alumni Council, which extended the association’s capacity to meet the needs of ASU graduates across the country.

Hesse also was involved in the planning and execution of the 2009 Founders’ Day Dinner and Awards ceremony. This year’s event broke previous attendance records and provided a signature venue for introducing the Challenges Project at ASU to the university community. She also supported the development of new career-related initiatives at the association, including the Maroon and Gold Professionals and Women In Business networking groups.

After her term as board chair ended on July 1, Hesse became vice provost for transfer partnerships at ASU. Prior to her joining the university as an employee, she was president and CEO of Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

“Our award winners are exemplars of the kind of fervent ASU supporters crucial to involving all graduates of ASU in the life of the university today,” ASU Alumni Association President Christine Wilkinson said. “We thank this year’s honorees for their hard work on ASU’s behalf.”

For more information on all Homecoming-related activities sponsored by the Alumni Association, visit http://www.asu.edu/alumni/homecoming/index.shtml.

Alumni Association offers members special Homecoming perks

emassey — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 11:35:09 -0600

This Homecoming, the ASU Alumni Association is rolling out the maroon and gold carpet for its members to thank them for their continued support. Playing off of the Oct. 31 date of the celebration, the association has a “spooktacular” good time planned for those who stop by the organization’s area at the Block Party between 9 a.m. and noon.

The fun will actually get started at 8 p.m., Oct. 30, when the Alumni Association invites all Sun Devils to participate in the Lantern Walk, an ASU tradition dating back to 1917. Participants will gather at the base of “A” Mountain (aka Tempe Butte) near 5th Street and College Avenue and join a candlelight procession up the mountain.

On Oct. 31, the association’s Maroon and Gold Lounge will be a members-only relaxation zone, featuring plenty of seating, live entertainment and refreshments. The association’s Arizona State Young Alumni group, open to Sun Devil graduates under age 35, will have an area of their own within the lounge that will feature opportunities to network and a prize wheel filled with fabulous prizes.

All dues-paying members who stop by the Alumni Association’s Block Party area also can claim a special gift reserved just for them. Members must present their Alumni Association membership card to be admitted into the Maroon and Gold Lounge and claim their gift.

Sun Devil families can visit the Alumni Association’s pumpkin patch, hosted by Sun Devil Generations, where children can pick their own paper pumpkin to color and decorate.

For more information on Alumni Association activities at Homecoming 2009, visit http://www.asu.edu/alumni/homecoming/index.html.

ASU celebrates Homecoming

gcampbel — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:12:01 -0600

Friday, Oct. 30 events:

FestDevil & Open House
Time: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Location: Taylor Mall, Downtown Phoenix campus
Sponsor: Downtown Phoenix campus, Public Affairs, Programming & Activities Board & Department of Student Engagement
Celebrate ASU’s Homecoming by showing your ASU Spirit and Pride awhile enjoying free entertainment, activities and goodies.

Boo Bash sponsored by Williams Campus Housing
Time: 6-9 p.m.
Location: Student Union Annex, Polytechnic campus

Lantern Walk
Time: 8 p.m.
Location: “A” Mountain (Tempe Butte), Tempe campus
Contact: Ian Contijoch, icontijo@asu.edu

“Devilish Haunted Ball”
Time: 9 p.m.-midnight
Location: La Sala Ballrooms, UCB, West campus
Sun Devils – dance the night away at this semi-formal event. Donate a canned food item for admission.

Saturday, Oct. 31 events:

Homecoming Parade and Block Party
Time: Block party kick-off begins at 9 a.m., parade begins at 10 a.m., game time is 12:30 p.m.
Location: University Drive, Tempe campus
Contact: matthew.brinkmoeller@asu.edu

For more Homecoming information visit homecoming.asu.edu

More from ASU Homecoming

10/26/09

Faculty and Staff | Alumni: Liberal Arts and Sciences honors 2 alumni, 3 faculty members

The Hall of Fame Award, as well as Distinguished Achievement and Distinguished Faculty Awards, will be presented Oct. 30 by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences during this year's Homecoming Week festivities.

10/23/09

Alumni: Alumni Association rewards service, support with Homecoming awards

The ASU Alumni Association will present its awards for Alumni Service and Alumni Appreciation during the halftime program of the ASU-California Homecoming game on Oct. 31.

10/23/09

ASU News: Homecoming spirit rocks events at Polytechnic

ASU Polytechnic is rocking Homecoming this year with its biggest celebration yet.

10/23/09

ASU News: Downtown landscape shines in maroon, gold

ASU's Downtown Phoenix campus will be showing its heart of maroon and gold as it prepares for Homecoming 2009.

10/22/09

University | Community: Initiative challenges ASU community to engage in global issues

ASU's future as a New American University and the pressing challenges it intends to tackle will be the focus of activities on Cady Mall during the Homecoming Block Party Oct. 31.

10/22/09

Alumni: Alumni Association offers members special Homecoming perks

This Homecoming, the ASU Alumni Association has a "spooktacular" good time planned for those who stop by the organization's area at the Block Party between 9 a.m. and noon on Oct. 31.

10/19/09

University | Community: Liberal Arts and Sciences brings bits and pieces of labs and classrooms to Homecoming Block Party

ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is bringing reptiles, "Lucy," meteorites and "meteorwrongs," physics experiments and Jiu-jitsu demonstrations to this year's Homecoming Block Party on Oct. 31.

10/13/09

University | Faculty and Staff | Students | Community: Weeklong celebration of 'Devilish Homecoming' at West campus Oct. 26-30

From an academic expo to a haunted ball, and from flag football to a talent show, ASU's West campus is the site of a weeklong celebration of the university's "Devilish Homecoming."

10/08/09

Business: Top business leaders named members of W. P. Carey School Homecoming Hall of Fame

For their significant contributions to our economy and community, two top business executives will be honored as new members of the W. P. Carey School of Business Homecoming Hall of Fame this month.

09/21/09

University | Students | Community | Alumni: 'Devilish Homecoming' heads to West campus

An open house and a wide variety of events and activities highlight the ASU homecoming celebration on the West campus, Oct. 28.

Alumnus performs in Broadway tour of 'Phantom of the Opera'

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:41:49 -0600

Laureen Vigil’s upcoming visit to Tempe will not be her first. The ASU alumnus and opera singer received her master’s degree in music in 1988 and has since returned to the Tempe campus three times as a cast member in the “Phantom of the Opera” Broadway tour – a tour she has been part of for 14 of its 17 years.

Vigil credits her experience at ASU as having helped her navigate a successful career in theater.

“My experience at ASU was tremendous, and it helped set me up in New York,” she says. “I couldn’t have had a better opportunity.

“It’s hard to make a living in opera,” says the self-described working soprano. “My voice is suited for opera, but I have a passion for music theater. ‘Phantom’ is the perfect crossover piece for opera singers who are interested in music theater.”

The 23-year-old acclaimed musical, created and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, tells the haunting story of the beautiful singer, Christine Daaé, who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius known as the Phantom of the Opera. The show’s U.S. tour opened in Seattle in December of 1992, and it already is the longest-running Broadway show in history after celebrating its recent milestone of more than 9,000 performances on a stage that has stretched from London to Budapest to Nagoya, Japan.

ASU Gammage is pleased to open its doors once again for theatergoers to experience the "music of the night" beginning Oct. 28 and lasting through Nov. 22.

Vigil’s extensive time with the show has made it difficult for her to pinpoint a favorite city in which she has performed. After having lived in New York for 10 years along with nearly every corner of the world for anywhere from five to eight weeks, she says that Vancouver is her favorite Canadian city and Orlando, Fla., home to Mickey Mouse, is among her favorite American cities.

“I’m a Disney kid,” she says. “But I love to travel and find out what is wonderful about every city. I love to say that I know my favorite restaurant in 80 different cities.”

To see the ASU alumnus and Broadway veteran perform in the “Phantom of the Opera” at ASU Gammage, visit asugammage.com or call the box office at (480) 965-3434 to purchase tickets or to find out more information.

Sparking innovation in engineering education

jkullman — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:20:30 -0600

Dean and faculty member taking roles in national academy’s effort to bolster country’s competitive edge in engineering and technology

Winslow Burleson is convinced that budding engineers and scientists could be better educated if colleges and universities gave them more opportunities to fail. He encourages “failing early and often.”

It may be the most effective way of helping novices overcome the fear of failure that is “a significant barrier to learning,” says the Arizona State University engineer.

Some of the world’s most successful people and leading experts have excelled precisely because they have failed again and again, he says.

He also thinks students would be better served by pushing them to strive for solutions to the most complex and difficult problems, rather than letting them settle for taking small steps toward easy goals.

Burleson is incorporating that philosophy into his development of “motivational environments” – using interactive educational technologies that foster “intrinsically motivated mixed-reality cyber learning experiences.”

Such innovative work and unconventional ideas have earned Burleson an invitation to the first Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium, organized by the National Academy of Engineering (NAE).

He’ll be one of about 50 of “the nation's brightest young engineering researchers and educators” attending the Nov. 15-18 event near Washington, D.C., to share ideas and co-author a charter for implementing new educational approaches at their institutions.

Deirdre Meldrum, dean of the ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and director of the Center for Ecogenomics at the university’s Biodesign Institute, is on the symposium’s seven-member planning committee, along with leaders from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, The Boeing Co., and the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Burleson and other participants were chosen to participate from a highly competitive pool of applicants nominated by fellow engineers or deans.

"We want the young engineers involved in the Frontiers of Engineering Education program to become forceful agents of change in exploring and inventing new and effective teaching and learning approaches,” Meldrum says.

“It will require exceedingly well-educated and creative engineers to maintain our nation’s competitive edge globally in the coming decades,” she says. “That makes it critically important to find ways of improving engineering education.”

NAE leaders want to expand the endeavor beyond the university level. Meldrum says fostering awareness of the importance of engineering, and recruiting and retaining the best students, “means this advancement of innovative teaching has to reach into elementary schools, high schools and life-long learning programs.”

Burleson is an assistant professor of human-computer interaction in the School of Computing, Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering, a part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering.

He also is on the graduate faculty of the School of Arts, Media and Engineering, a partnership of the engineering schools and ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

He is integrating engineering, science, design, entrepreneurship and industry collaboration in developing a learning-by-doing approach that couples classroom education with students’ exposure to research pursuits.

The overarching goal is to more fully prepare students “to pursue and excel at highly ambitious and profoundly meaningful activity,” he says.

He sees his work as one example of “radically transforming the university in ways that Dean Meldrum and others at ASU are calling for. It’s about broadening of minds and making the next generation of engineers capable of facing society’s biggest technological challenges, and succeeding.”

The National Academy of Engineering is an independent, nonprofit institution that serves as an adviser to government and the public on issues in engineering and technology.

Its members consist of the nation's premier engineers, who are elected by their peers for their distinguished achievements. Established in 1964, NAE operates under the congressional charter granted to the National Academy of Sciences in 1863.

Alumni Association announces inaugural members of Young Alumni Council

emassey — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:51:46 -0600

The Arizona State University Alumni Association recently announced the members of its newly formed Young Alumni Council. The council was formed to direct and facilitate the development of the association’s Arizona State Young Alumni program, which is aimed at ASU graduates age 35 and younger.

Jennifer Holsman, executive director of operations for the Alumni Association, said the organization had recruited a team consisting of more than two dozen volunteers to help plan and execute the program's events.

“Engaging new graduates with the Alumni Association in the years immediately after graduation greatly impacts whether we keep them connected to the university,” Holsman said. “The Arizona State Young Alumni program will be guided primarily by the Young Alumni Council, who will shape the organization into a powerful connection for keeping Sun Devil graduates embedded in both the ASU and the general community.”

Although the council is only a few months old, Holsman said its members were already establishing a clear direction for the group.

“We've been impressed by the initiative our volunteer leadership team has shown,” she said. “While we have only recently started this program, our volunteers have jumped in and are providing excellent input on social events, traditions and community service projects designed to engage young alumni with the University and to create a network of Sun Devils throughout the Valley.”

The following ASU graduates will be part of the 2009-10 Young Alumni Council:

Council member biographies

Mahilani Akiona ’05 B.A. is a corporate recruiter for Republic Services, a company providing waste disposal services for commercial, industrial, municipal and residential customers. Akiona was a founding member of a nonprofit organization called Growth Improvement for Female Teens and actively participates in the community through Junior League.

Jennifer (Boop) Bonney ‘98 B.A. is the pharmacy program director for DestinationRx, a healthcare technology company focused on providing Internet-based tools that help consumers better understand, choose and use their health plans and medications. Prior to joining DestinationRx, Bonney held account management, marketing, and event management positions with Caremark and the National Council for Prescription Drugs Programs. Outside of her day job, she is a group fitness trainer at Fitness Works and teaches dance classes for the city of Chandler Parks and Recreation.

Meghan Dorn ’02 B.I.S. works for the Arizona Office of Tourism as the Community Development Coordinator. Dorn also serves as the assistant to the director for the Arizona Centennial Commission, the organization charged with planning the state’s 100th birthday celebration in 2012. She also serves as a community outreach ambassador for Susan G. Komen for the Cure and is president of the Interdisciplinary Studies Alumni Club of the Association.

Patrick Dostal ’02 B.S., ’04 M.Ed. is manager of Global Network Services Partner Servicing at American Express and an active member of the board of directors for the W. P. Carey School of Business Alumni chapter.

Jeffrey Dreyer ‘06 B.I.S. is the founding partner of MJM Capital Group, a commercial finance and advisory firm specializing in structuring debt and equity for small businesses and commercial real estate. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer. He is also a principal and a founding member of Opto-Lighting Solutions, a green tech start-up headquartered in Gilbert. Originally from New Jersey and Connecticut, Dreyer enjoys mountain and street biking, reading, investing, traveling and any adventure he can find.

Kendra Ehler ’09 B.S. graduated from ASU with a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness marketing and is now pursuing a master’s in agribusiness at the university. Ehler was a founding member of the Senior Class Council, a component of the Alumni Association’s Senior Year Experience program for graduating underclassmen.

Maribeth England ’05 B.I.S. graduated from ASU with a degree in communication. She works for RJ Reynolds as a territory manager.

Lisette Flores ‘00 B.A, ‘03 J.D. is an assistant city prosecutor for the city of Phoenix. Prior to her work with the city, she served as chief investigator for the Arizona State Board of Education. She is active in the Los Diablos chapter of the ASU Alumni Association and Laveen Village Planning Committee, as well as the City of Phoenix Design Review and Standards Committee.

Julian Galindo ‘08 B.S.E. is a rotator engineer for the Salt River Project. An Arizona native, Galindo was a three-time recipient of the Los Diablos Scholarship. Besides his work with the Young Alumni Council, he volunteers with the Special Olympics and the Los Diablos chapter of the ASU Alumni Association.

Matt Gervin ‘01 B.S. works as a professional liability broker for Travis Pedersen & Associates. He is on the ASU Alumni Association’s National Alumni Council and also serves on the Sigma Phi Epsilon - Arizona Alpha board.

Brandon Goad ’04 B.A. is a Phoenix native. He works as a quality assurance manager with the government professional services firm MAXIMUS. He has served on the Phoenix Human Relations Commission, co-chaired the Phoenix Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Breakfast subcommittee, and has volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona.

Tara Gregory ’08 B.S. is the product marketing and development manager at Global Crossing in Phoenix. During her time as a student, participated in marketing internships with Coca-Cola and GlaxoSmithKline. She is active in the alumni chapter for the Leadership Scholarship Program at ASU.

Crystal Gustavson ’03 B.S. is owner and managing partner of The Fluent Agency. Prior to founding her company, she worked as an account manager with Terralever and an interactive Project Manager with Riester. Gustavson began her career in politics, where she worked on several successful congressional, gubernatorial and initiative campaigns, including U.S. Sen. John McCain’s re-election campaign.

Raquel Hakel ’05 B.A. is a group sales manager for the Tempe Convention & Visitors Bureau. In her spare time she enjoys running, dancing, spending time with friends and brushing up on her Spanish.

Eric Hernandez ‘06 B.S. is a project manager for Chase Bankcard Services. Prior to Chase, he became involved with the Inroads Organization, a nonprofit internship program that exposed him to various corporate opportunities as well as developmental training programs. Hernandez received a full-tuition scholarship through the Los Diablos chapter of the ASU Alumni Association to complete his bachelor’s degree; he now serves as treasurer of the chapter’s board of directors.

Stephanie Kaufman ‘08 B.A. is a realtor in the Phoenix metro area. Her hobbies include golfing, hiking, singing, dance, and reading and writing poetry.

Jayson Matthews ’03 M.P.A. is the assistant director at the Tempe Community Council. He has also worked for the city of Tempe as a management intern for former Tempe City Manager Will Manley and as an executive assistant for former Tempe Mayor Neil Giuliano. He is an advocate of human services and has volunteered on the boards of the Tempe Transportation Commission, the City of Phoenix Commission on Housing and Neighborhoods, the City of Phoenix License Appeals Board, and the Tempe Leadership Board of Directors.

Patrick Maurer ‘02 B.A. is a speaker and educator who runs his own business, PMauer Communication LLC. He is the communication chair for the Leadership Scholarship Program’s alumni chapter. In his spare time, he enjoys theatre, hiking, film, and cheering on his alma mater at sporting events.

Brian McNamara ’04 B.S., ’08 J.D. is an attorney with Beus Gilbert, specializing in commercial litigation.

Fredrick Nijm ‘04 B.S. is a regional market manager for Insight and the president of Addoway.com, a free site that allows users to create a social media storefront to market themselves and their businesses. Prior to launching Addoway.com, Nijm was president of PriceBeats.com.

Sean J. O'Hara ‘03 B.A. is an associate with the law firm of Snell & Wilmer LLC. His practice focuses on products liability, commercial litigation and medical malpractice defense. Sean and his wife Amy are avid Sun Devil fans who rarely miss an ASU football or baseball game.

Sophie O’Keefe-Zelman ’05 B.A. is a senior associate at FirstStrategic Communications & Public Affairs, a bipartisan firm focusing on corporate communications strategy, public relations, and government relations. She interned with the U.S. Department of State at the U.S. Embassy in Asunción, Paraguay, in the economics and commercial section. She also serves on the board of the Arizona Refugee Women’s Rights Project, an organization that helps refugee women and their families successfully integrate into their new communities and lives.

Brent Pearlstein ’09 B.S. is an associate with Cushman & Wakefield, a commercial real estate services firm. Prior to graduation, he completed internships with Bank of America and ING.

Martín J. Quezada ’01 B.S., ’08 J.D. is an attorney living in west Phoenix. He spent five years working as Research Analyst/Policy Advisor to the Democrat Caucus in the Arizona Legislature before being accepted into law school at ASU. After receiving his law degree, Quezada served a judicial clerkship for Judge Patricia Orozco on the Arizona Court of Appeals. Quezada was named as one of the Univision/AZ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Top 40 Hispanic Leaders Under Age 40 in 2009.

Nicole Severson ’99 B.S., ’02 J.D. is an attorney practicing primarily in the areas of family law, juvenile law and criminal defense. She practices exclusively in Pinal County and is a member and former president of the Pinal County Bar Association. She is currently serving her second two-year term as representative of District One for the Young Lawyers Division Executive Council of the State Bar of Arizona.

Drew Seybold ’08 B.S.E. is a project engineer for Huitt-Zollars, beginning his association with the company as a college intern. He specializes in transportation projects and commercial development, particularly airports and solar energy facilities. He enjoys travel, hiking, camping, hanging out with good friends and anything outdoors.

Ashlea Taylor ’08 B.A. is a career services representative at Everest College Phoenix Online. She is the second vice president of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated Beta Mu Sigma Alumni Chapter and the undergraduate advisor of the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Incorporated Beta Pi Chapter. She enjoys going to the movies, singing, traveling, dancing and trying different foods.

Heather Watkins ’08 B.S. is a community development specialist at Toolbox.com, an Internet knowledge sharing community. She is active in the alumni chapters of Delta Zeta Sorority and Phi Beta Lambda, and will begin mentoring for Florence Crittenton in the fall. She enjoys traveling, reading, hiking and yoga.

Vernetra Young ’06 B.S. is a business management associate for General Mills. She is the events chair for the ASU Black Alumni chapter. She is also actively involved in local theater, having played roles in productions by the Southwest Shakespeare Company and others.

Additional positions on the council remain open and ASU alumni under age 35 are encouraged to apply by contacting Jennifer Holsman at jholsman@asu.edu or by calling (480) 965-2586.

Alum named among top minority attorneys by Texas publication

shibner — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 10:55:55 -0600

Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law alumnus Jesse E. Guerra Jr. (Class of 2006) is one of the top 25 minority attorneys in Texas, according to Texas Lawyer.

Guerra, a partner in the law firm of Hilliard Munoz Guerra in Corpus Christi, was profiled in the October issue in an article, "Extraordinary Minorities in Texas Law," which celebrates the strength and diversity in that state's legal community.

It wasn't until Guerra, the father of four children, became a personal-injury attorney for plaintiffs involved in lawsuits over injuries and deaths in swimming pools that he began thinking seriously about making pools safer. He launched an online campaign to educate people about pool safety, and has appeared on local television to discuss the topic.Guerra is working on a way to make the Texas Administrative Code standards regarding public pools available in Spanish, since a majority of pool maintenance workers in the lawsuits he's handled were Spanish speakers who could not read the guidelines, he says.

In less than two years, he has settled more than $11 million in cases that he says involve avoidable injuries and deaths in pools, Texas Lawyer reported.

With his success, Guerra has established two scholarship programs, for students at the College of Law, and for college-bound Hispanic high school students, through the League of United Latin American Citizens. He also mentors local Hispanic students considering law school or already studying law.

"This is a great profession," he says. "I truly believe anyone can do it if they put their mind to it, if they're willing to put the sweat in. If you have the ganas - the desire - you can do it."

To read the full article, click here.

Janie Magruder, Jane.Magruder@asu.edu
(480) 727-9052
Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law

Nurturing next generation of innovators

jkullman — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:29:10 -0600

Engineering: Go For It magazine, published by the American Society for Engineering Education, features ASU engineering faculty member Armando Rodriguez in its “Class Acts” section.

Rodriguez, a professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, is lauded for his work recruiting and mentoring young students in science, engineering, math and technology fields.

He leads a National Science Foundation-funded program that provides scholarships to students pursuing education in those areas.

Note: The web site link takes you to the online edition of Engineering: Go For It. Flip through to Page 58 to see the article about Rodriquez.

Note: The magazine now is supplemented with an interactive web site for K-12 students and their teachers.