Harnessing Generative AI page 34 page 5 Compelling Perspectives Launches page 40 What is Your Favorite Lehigh Football Memory? Future Makers Brooke Eby ’10 uses humor in her fight against ALS, raising nearly $1 million for research. She’s among the wide community of Future Makers featured in this issue. page 24 Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN FALL 2023
Michelle Elise Spicer ’12 ’14G could be found climbing trees on the Asa Packer campus recently as she trained her student mentees in treeclimbing safety. Spicer, assistant professor of earth & environmental science, studies canopy plants as part of her community ecology research. Photo by Holly Fasching ’26.
CONTENTS ON THE COVER: Brooke Eby ’10 was photographed in Maryland, where she resides. She has raised nearly $1 million for research on ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. Photo by Lisa Helfert PRESIDENT’S LETTER 3 DISPATCH 45 IN REMEMBRANCE 74 ENDNOTE 80 5 Compelling Perspectives Launches The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, MP, sits down with Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 to discuss the issue of national security. 8 A Decade of Growth Georgette Chapman Phillips to step down after a decade leading the College of Business. 9 Training Future Energy Leaders Research team awarded nearly $3 million from the National Science Foundation. 10 A Love of Maps and a Legacy A new exhibit in Linderman Library includes maps dating back to the 16th through 18th centuries. 14 A Wide Community of Future Makers Alumni, faculty and students are making a difference in their communities—and beyond— through their research, advocacy and entrepreneurship. 28 Ask the Expert: Navigating Hot Button Issues Raihan Alam ’23 addresses the importance of civil discourse in solving problems. 32 Lost, Found, Then Lost Again A brass cannon donated to Lehigh 75 years ago has been recovered and restored. 34 Harnessing Generative AI What does generative artificial intelligence mean for higher education? “I wanted to work on something bigger, something that not just affects one part of the world, but all of the world.” —Ph.D. candidate Ugochinyere Nancy Oloyede Page 19
2 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | EDITOR'S LETTER One of the joys of my job as editor of the Lehigh Alumni Bulletin is the privilege to tell the stories of our dynamic alumni, whether they graduated last spring or decades ago. With the implementation of Lehigh’s strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers, officially launching in September, we set out to highlight the work of some of our alumni, faculty and students across fields who—through their research, courage, advocacy and entrepreneurship—are making an impact in their communities and around the world. We knew there would be no shortage of stories to tell. You will read about a group of Lehigh students who traveled to the Philippines in August as part of their work in tackling the problem of plastic pollution there through upcycling1. You also will meet Chris Zadra ’16 ’17G (above), an innovator in the Drones for Whale Research program, whose work is forging pathways in data collection for the greater good, and Kenny Holdsman ’89, who hopes to empower youth through education and basketball. EDITOR’S LETTER Making a Difference Mary Ellen Alu Editor Among the stories, you will learn about the interdisciplinary work of researchers Hyunok Choi and Breena Holland, who are partnering with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection to investigate the impact of air pollutants on Allentown, Pennsylvania, residents. And you will meet Brooke Eby ’10, who, through her own story, has been driving awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, and has raised nearly $1 million for research2. Though those featured are on divergent paths, their work and their spirit underscore what is true about the Lehigh community— as future makers, we are inspired to innovate and find solutions to complex problems, willing to work together and determined to make a difference. Also in this issue, we explore ChatGPT, which is becoming more widespread in personal3 and professional use. How is generative AI affecting the future of education, especially at Lehigh? We hope you enjoy this issue, which is chock full of stories about alumni, students, faculty and campus life. As always, we’d love to hear from you about the issue and stories that resonated. You can email me at maa614@lehigh.edu. 1. According to World Bank, 2.7 million tons of plastic waste are generated in the Philippines each year. Page 18 3. The author’s spouse tasked ChatGPT with writing a poem about the couple’s newborn, Alexander. Result? She thinks it had an ancient Greek king in mind. Page 34 2. Brooke uses humor to raise awareness about ALS. You can follow her on Instagram @LimpBroozkit. Page 24 Issue Notes
PRESIDENT'S LETTER | FALL 2023 | 3 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin Vol. 108, No. 3, Fall 2023 Editor Mary Ellen Alu Associate Editor Stephen Gross Staff Writer Christina Tatu Contributing Writers Dan Armstrong, Angie Bravo ’24, Lisa Doyle, Jodi Duckett, Kristen DiPrinzio, Haidan Hu, Christine Fennessy, Margie Peterson, Carina Sitkus Class Notes Editor Jessi McMullan ’05 Creative Director Kurt Hansen Art Director Beth Murphy Senior Designers Kate Cassidy, Neha Kavan Photographers Holly Fasching ’26, Christa Neu Business Support Traci Mindler Send class notes and remembrances to classnotes@Lehigh.edu or call (610) 758-3675 Email address changes to askrecords@lehigh.edu or send the mailing label, along with your new address, to Alumni Records/Lehigh University 306 S. New St., Suite 500, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (866) 517-1552 Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs 301 Broadway, 4th Floor, Suite 400, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (610) 758-4487 Email: Communications@Lehigh.edu Published three times a year by the Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs Office, in cooperation with the Lehigh University Alumni Association Inc. Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN Follow Lehigh University on X @LehighU and @LehighAlumni Facebook.com/lehighu Facebook.com/lehighalumni Instagram.com/lehighu Instagram.com/lehighalumni youtube.com/lehighu linkedin.com The release of our strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers, was a milestone, but, as I’ve indicated in my visits with alumni around the country this fall, it was only the “end of the beginning.” The exciting work— and in many ways the challenging work—that will have lasting and meaningful impact on our university began in earnest in September. While we identified leads for 10 key and foundational initiatives, we are calling on the Lehigh community to fully engage with the implementation process as we take concrete steps to maximize the impact of our research, transform the Mountaintop Campus and provide our undergraduate and graduate students with a deeply, even radically, interdisciplinary education that embraces technology, business and the liberal arts. Much work is already underway as we strive to maximize the potential of our students and inspire them to shape the future in positive ways. This fall, we welcomed more than 1,500 new undergraduate students from the largest pool of applicants in our history, as well as more than 500 new graduate and professional students. At our convocation, I was excited to see the new students all together in Baker Hall wearing brown and white. I encouraged them to try new things during their time at Lehigh, push themselves out of their comfort zone academically and professionally and learn from failure. As we implement our plan, you will hear more about our initiatives to better prepare our students for their futures. We will encourage innovation as we broaden Lehigh’s global impact, enhance access and equity, strengthen our partnerships and engage with our community. Lastly, as we gathered on campus this fall to celebrate Family and Founder’s Weekend, I announced that, in an effort to expand access to a Lehigh education, a new Lehigh Commitment will provide a full tuition grant to all admitted and current undergraduate students from families with a household income of less than $75,000, beginning in Fall 2024. I also announced the next phase in our fundraising efforts—Go Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers—to catalyze our plans for the next decade. In the coming weeks and months, as I travel to meet alumni, parents and friends, I hope I have the opportunity to speak with you personally about our exciting work ahead. Joseph J. Helble ’82 President of Lehigh University Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 welcomes the Class of 2027 at the first-year convocation. Let’s Roll Up Our Sleeves SCAN TO WATCH PRESIDENT HELBLE’S VIDEO MESSAGE
4 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST During Family and Founder’s Weekend in September, President Joseph J. Helble ’82 invited alumni and friends to support and participate in life at Lehigh through GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers. The extended $1.25 billion fundraising and engagement campaign helps fuel the new strategic plan, Inspiring the Future Makers. “GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers will continue to build a community of engaged philanthropists and volunteers,” said Helble. “It’s an ambitious goal, but I am confident that we can reach it together. I know that all of our alumni and family community recognize how important it is to support the success of our current and future students.” Top priorities include scholarships, renovations and building projects, and the Lehigh Fund, which supports the university’s most immediate needs. Helble is sharing his perspectives on the strategic plan and the GO Beyond campaign at a series of events across the country this fall and next spring. “Endowed scholarships ensure that the best students can come to Lehigh, participate fully in experiential opportunities, and successfully launch their post-Lehigh lives,” said Associate Vice President and Campaign Director Deirdre Kwiatek. “And restoring and reimagining our buildings across Lehigh’s campuses will create the places where new generations of learning, research, and community can thrive.” For more information, visit GOcampaign. lehigh.edu. CLASS OF 2027 MOVES IN It was a festive welcome for the more than 1,500 students who joined the Lehigh family at the start of the Fall 2023 semester. This year’s incoming undergraduate class came from 39 countries and 48 states. They were joined by nearly 500 new graduate students. Students arrived first at Iacocca Hall on the Mountaintop Campus, where they received keys and orientation packets, then headed to their assigned residence halls on the Asa Packer Campus. Lehigh’s MOOV (Made of Our Volunteers) representatives helped—directing traffic, unloading cars and delivering students’ belongings to their rooms. This year brought out 1,300 volunteers, including 150 faculty and staff volunteers, who helped at activities throughout the week. Fundraising Campaign Extended Top priorities include scholarships, renovations and building projects, and the Lehigh Fund. GO BEYOND HOLLY FASCHING ’26
FROM THE NEST | FALL 2023 | 5 CHRISTA NEU A sold-out crowd filled Baker Hall in the Zoellner Arts Center on Oct. 24 for the inaugural Compelling Perspectives speaker series event featuring The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2016 to 2019. Hosted by President Joseph J. Helble ’82, Compelling Perspectives aims to create a forum for fostering respectful discourse among differing perspectives on issues of critical and societal importance. The topic for the 2023-2024 academic year is national security. Mrs. May engaged in an hourlong discussion with Helble. The conversation spanned topics that included what Mrs. May sees as the greatest threat to national security for Western democracies; the path forward in the Israel-Hamas war and the implications of the Ukraine war. She spoke of concerns about increased terrorism threats stemming from the current conflict in the Middle East, but encouraged broader consideration of the issue. With the current trend of political polarization, she said, an absolutist view of politics and increasing isolationism around the world pose the most significant threats to national security. Earlier, Mrs. May met with students nominated by their advisors for a private question-and-answer session. Addressing polarization, she stressed the importance of compromise and balance, and productive, meaningful conversations. She spoke of rampant misinformation on social media creating echo chambers that amplify one’s own views while disregarding differing opinions, and the dangers that poses to democracies. Mrs. May served as Prime Minister (the second female in U.K. history to hold the position) and leader of the Conservative Party during an extraordinary time in global affairs. She led negotiations during the historic Brexit referendum, implemented substantial boosts to the National Health Service and spearheaded initiatives addressing environmental sustainability. She is currently the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead. A second speaker offering a different perspective on national security will be announced soon. —Kristen DiPrinzio Mrs. May met earlier in the day with students nominated by their advisors for a private question-and-answer session. Compelling Perspectives Launches The Rt. Hon. Theresa May, MP, sits down with Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble ’82 to discuss the issue of national security. SPEAKER SERIES MRS. MAY SERVED AS PRIME MINISTER IN THE UNITED KINGDOM DURING AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS.
6 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST BRATISLAV MILENKOVIC Schematic 1 ELECTRIC POWER SYSTEM Spanning long distances, electric power systems carry high-voltage electricity across variable terrains and can spark catastrophic wildfires in the event of high winds and dry weather conditions. 2 WIND FACTOR High winds can cause conductor cables to oscillate in such a way that they become close to surrounding dry vegetation. Additionally, the high winds could cause broken trees and limbs to fall into the conductors, as well as hinder firefighting efforts. 3 VEGETATION GROWTH AND CLEARANCE The dry vegetation acts like fuel. To reduce risk, regulations call for a minimum distance between conductors and vegetation. Typically, only low-growing vegetation is allowed in a “wire zone.” Taller shrubs and small trees may be permitted in border zones. 4 CONDUCTOR SAG AND SWAY Transmission conductors sag and sway in the wind. Thus, rights-of-way are usually much wider than what is needed for the structures. Wind intensity and vegetation clearance policies are major factors affecting the probability of encroachment. PREDICTING WILDFIRES Electric power systems ignited at least five of the top 20 most destructive California wildfires between 2016 and 2020, according to data from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. As prevention, California electric utilities are authorized to conduct Public Safety Power Shutoffs— causing blackouts that affect millions of people and that impact medical devices, traffic lights and the like. When is a shutoff necessary? Can wildfires sparked by power systems be prevented? Research by Paolo Bocchini, professor of civil and environmental engineering and founder of Lehigh’s Catastrophe Modeling Center, and doctoral student Xinyue Wang provides the methodology for predicting when powerline ignition is likely in high winds. The study is published in Scientific Reports-Nature. The first-of-its-kind research can help decisionmakers determine when a shutoff is warranted, as well as help vegetation managers in allocating resources to minimize risk, Bocchini says. 1 2 3 4
FROM THE NEST | FALL 2023 | 7 Yu Zhang, right, and Ph.D. student Alex Zhao test the lab’s electroencephalography (EEG) system. The study of biomarkers in the brain— powered by cutting-edge machine learning techniques—could redefine the way mental health conditions are categorized and diagnosed and lead to more effective, personalized treatments. That’s the goal of Yu Zhang, an assistant professor of bioengineering and electrical and computer engineering who recently received major support from the National Institute of Mental Health, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The two grants, which total nearly $4 million, will fund projects using brain imaging and machine learning to search for biomarkers in the brain to improve diagnosis and treatment. Redefining Classifications “Our goal is to build objective biomarkers using brain imaging and machine learning that better capture the brain’s dysfunction,” Zhang said. “Those biomarkers will essentially enable us to predict whether an individual patient will respond to medication based on their brain circuits, and that will help guide personalized intervention.” One study aims to improve the treatment of depression. The research team includes collaborators from Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin, the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Stanford University School of Medicine. The other study aims to identify biomarkers in the brain to help in redefining the classification of mental disorders. Currently, mental health conditions are grouped according to subjective behavioral and clinical assessments and self-reported questionnaires, Zhang said. As a result, the range of symptoms within a single diagnostic category such as autism can be vast. Redefining the classification system could facilitate the development of more effective treatment for patients, he said. “This work has the potential to redefine mental health conditions and would be a major breakthrough in the field,” said Zhang. “It could help us establish more effective therapeutics for individual patients, which is something traditional clinical diagnoses can’t achieve.”—Christine Fennessy Identifying Biomarkers NIH grants support AI-driven approach to diagnosing mental health conditions. RESEARCH COPING WITH STRESS Research published in the journal PLOS ONE sheds light on how individuals coped with stress during the dark days of the pandemic and which strategies were associated with better quality of life. The study found that problem- and emotion-focused coping strategies were associated with a higher quality of life, while avoidant coping strategies had a negative effect. “People use different types of coping to deal with different stressors, and people may use all three strategies at different times,” said lead author Fathima Wakeel, College of Health. “What this study demonstrates is how those strategies work during a large-scale traumatic event.” The researchers say the results, while not entirely surprising, provide insights that may help inform individual and societal responses in the future.—Dan Armstrong RESEARCH RICHARD MIA / DOUGLAS BENEDICT
Georgette Chapman Phillips, the Kevin L. and Lisa A. Clayton Dean of the College of Business, announced that she will retire June 30, 2024, after serving two five-year appointments as dean. During her tenure, she oversaw a transformation of the College of Business, down to its name. Her work over the past decade brought enhancements to all areas of the undergraduate and graduate business curricula, robust research activity and overall growth and increased stature for the college, visibly brought to life in the Spring 2023 semester through the opening of the Business Innovation Building. Since 2014, the number of business faculty grew from 79 to 97. She enhanced pathways toward faculty tenure and emphasized the importance of faculty retention within the college. “The expansion of the faculty and the development of new facilities that have occurred in concert with her focus on excellence and her commitment to building deeper focus at the intersection of business and technology have positioned Lehigh Business extraordinarily well for the decades to come," President Joseph J. Helble ’82 said. The College Evolves Phillips is proud of the transformation of Lehigh Business to a “world-class business school.” Such evolution required shifts to, as Phillips noted, becoming “a major research engine,” enhancing the undergraduate, graduate and executive education curricula and building a strong team by supporting and retaining talented faculty committed to research, teaching and service. “Her leadership has been indispensable in moving the College onto this positive trajectory,” Paul Brockman, senior associate dean and Perella Chair of Finance at Lehigh Business, said. Phillips described inheriting a strong foundation on which to build. Using her real estate vernacular, “the house [had] good bones,” she said, reflecting on her start at Lehigh in 2014. “I’m really proud of the fact that we have continuous improvement,” she said. “We are not idle.” Phillips holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School and a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College. A Decade of Growth Georgette Chapman Phillips to step down after a decade leading the College of Business. COLLEGE OF BUSINESS “HER LEADERSHIP HAS BEEN INDISPENSABLE IN MOVING THE COLLEGE ONTO THIS POSITIVE TRAJECTORY.” —Paul Brockman HIGHLIGHTS CHRISTA NEU Brought the BUSINESS INNOVATION BUILDING into reality Launched VISTEX INSTITUTE FOR EXECUTIVE EDUCATION Initiated the joint MBA/MPH with the College of Health 23% increase in faculty Prioritized DATA ANALYTICS by creating • Decision and Technology Analytics Department • Major in business analytics (undergrad and MBA) • Certificates in data analytics and international business • Minor in fintech
FROM THE NEST | FALL 2023 | 9 A team of interdisciplinary researchers led by Arindam Banerjee, professor and chair of the Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics Department, has been awarded nearly $3 million from the National Science Foundation to train a diverse group of future energy-sector leaders across academia, industry, government and policy organizations. The award will allow Lehigh to establish a SEED (Stakeholder Engaged, Equitable, Decarbonized) Energy Futures Training Program to provide Ph.D. and master’s students with the skills needed to explore, collaborate and pioneer solutions to society’s reliance on carbon-based energy sources and energy inequities. “We will be training graduate students to work at the intersection of energyrelated problems,” said Banerjee, principal investigator. “The training would be holistic because the students would also be trained on aspects around policy—to engage stakeholders and bring in stakeholders early in their research program so that the type of solutions that they are working on is actually stakeholder-informed or stakeholder-engaged.” A Need for Solutions “Climate change is upon us,” said Shalinee Kishore, director of Lehigh’s Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy and one of the coprincipal investigators. “There's a major transformation in our energy systems that’s needed to mitigate its effects on society and the environment. And that transformation requires us to think about new types of sustainable energy solutions and how they can be adopted across wide cross-sections of society. …. [They are not] just technology/ engineering solutions. [They have] to be very well married and coupled with policy solutions.”—Mary Ellen Alu Training Future Energy Leaders Research team awarded nearly $3 million from the National Science Foundation. INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH GRADUATE EDUCATION Jedlicka Named Deputy Provost Newly named Deputy Provost for Graduate Education Sabrina Jedlicka now oversees all aspects of graduate education and graduate student life at Lehigh. Previously associate dean for academic affairs in the P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science, she led efforts there to transform and expand academic programming. “Growth of graduate and professional education will be critical to Lehigh’s future,” Provost Nathan Urban said, “and I see Sabrina as well equipped to work with the colleges to expand the scope and scale of graduate education at Lehigh through the development of innovative programs that meet the needs of today’s students.” “It began with a dream and an idea … between Georgette (Chapman Phillips) and Nicola (Corzine, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center executive director), and I can imagine the fun they had that day. And we said, ‘All right, let’s figure out how to make it happen,’ which is one of the things I love most about partnering with Georgette.” Samantha DeWalt The managing director of Lehigh@NasdaqCenter talks about The Startup Academy, which places Lehigh students in start-up internships in Silicon Valley. PODCAST SCAN CODE TO HEAR THE FULL PODCAST FROM SAMANTHA DEWALT. DOUGLAS BENEDICT / ACADEMIC IMAGE / THEO ANDERSON
10 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Duncan MacRae Payne ’63, an international relations major, loved traveling and history—passions he merged by collecting maps. When Payne died in 2021, he bequeathed some of his most important atlases to Lehigh University Libraries Special Collections. The atlases are on display for the first time as part of an exhibit in Linderman Library. “Where Do We Go From Here? Maps and Atlases from the Duncan Payne and Lehigh Libraries Collections” will continue through the Fall 2023 semester. The intricate hand-colored maps, some dating to 1575, depict the geography of the world at the time and reveal the politics, social norms and mythology people believed in. “Maps were so important and near and dear to him, and so was Lehigh,” said Payne’s daughter Eliane Dotson, co-owner of Old World Auctions in Richmond, Virginia. “He wanted Lehigh to be able to start an amazing collection as well as for the students there to have access to this type of historical artifact.” Payne also made other gifts to Lehigh, including support for financial aid and scholarships. Payne was drawn to European mapmakers from the 16th to 18th centuries, with an emphasis on French cartographers. His donations from preeminent mapmakers include a 1587 edition of Abraham Ortelius’ “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum,” four volumes of Braun & Hogenberg’s “Civitates Orbis Terrarum” and Alexis de Tocqueville’s “De la Democratie en Amerique.” “Exhibit visitors will have the opportunity to understand how faculty across the curriculum, from art to archaeology to astronomy, are teaching students about the research value of historical maps,” said Lois Black, director of Library Special Collections. The exhibit includes unique hand-colored maps in Linderman Library and reproductions of 30 city views from Braun’s atlases in E.W. Fairchild-Martindale Library. Students’ education will be enriched by working with the atlases gifted by Payne, said University Librarian Boaz Nadav-Manes. Students can gain an understanding of how early cartographers, explorers and engineers worked. “Awareness of who we are and where we are headed, both in spirit and in the space we possess, is an CHRISTA NEU SPECIAL COLLECTIONS | ALUMNI ʼ63 A Love of Maps and a Legacy A new exhibit in Linderman Library includes maps dating back to the 16th through 18th centuries. Duncan MacRae Payne ’63
FROM THE NEST | FALL 2023 | 11 important facet of our educational mission,” said Nadav-Manes. “We thank Duncan Payne and his daughter Eliane for endowing the Lehigh Libraries with this beautiful gift, which will serve our researchers for centuries to come.” The thick atlases feature colorful maps on heavy, linen-blended pages. Despite being more than 400 years old, they are still vibrant. Printed maps began appearing at the end of the 15th century and became more prominent in the mid-16th century, when printing presses became more widespread. During this time, the Dutch were the renowned map makers, said Dotson, who inherited her father’s expertise and love of maps. The process of making a map involved many steps: The map was engraved onto a copper plate, which was inked and pressed onto paper made of cotton or linen rags; the coloring was applied by hand. Most maps were compiled into atlases for the very wealthy. Because the process was time-intensive, colored maps and atlases were usually reserved for custom orders, Dotson said. Maps had symbols and decorative elements. Sea monsters were often pictured as a way to warn travelers of rough waters or because the mapmaker didn’t want a competitor to discover what might be there. Though detailed, the maps were sometimes inaccurate, Dotson said. Early mapmakers did not have the best survey tools, and there were language barriers when talking to indigenous people. Because the French, Dutch, Italians and Spaniards sent explorers to conquer new land for their own countries, they were secretive about information they gathered. It wasn’t until the 1800s, when education was more prevalent and print-making was less expensive, that maps became accessible to the masses, Dotson said. The maps Payne donated have been used by students studying Spanish, history, English and graphic arts. Students can determine accuracy or learn how places changed over time. On a map of London from “Cities of the World” by Braun & Hogenberg dating to 1575, the Globe Theater, where Shakespeare performed, is labeled “bear fighting pit.” A map of Paris from the same time shows the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral. Leaving a Legacy Payne inherited his parents’ love of travel, heading to Europe after graduating from Lehigh. He eventually became CEO of the automotive lighting business Optronics Inc. and moved to Oklahoma. Payne traveled to Europe and Asia, where he picked up antique maps and souvenirs. Collecting maps remained a hobby until he retired, at which point he turned his collection into a small business, Antique Maps and Atlases LLC. In retirement, his collection expanded to several thousand maps. Payne and his wife relocated to Virginia, and he was often found in his basement “map room,” which included flat file cabinets and floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with maps and cartography books. He loved to share his knowledge of maps, and his family hopes to see that live on at Lehigh. “Part of my father’s legacy was the hope that Lehigh can display these maps, but also make them accessible to students … to learn from them,” Dotson said. “I do think maps are important in understanding history, and giving students access to the original artifacts is so important. You get a better understanding and appreciation for them when you can see the physical piece of history.” —Christina Tatu “HE WANTED LEHIGH TO BE ABLE TO START AN AMAZING COLLECTION AS WELL AS FOR THE STUDENTS THERE TO HAVE ACCESS TO THIS TYPE OF HISTORICAL ARTIFACT.” —Eliane Dotson CHRISTA NEU Ilhan Citak, an archives and special collections librarian, holds a copy of “Atlas Nouveau Portatif,” by Georges-Louis Le Rouge, Paris, 1756. At left, a map of the world, from a 1587 edition of Abraham Ortelius’ “Theatrum Orbis Terrarum."
12 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Bodies of Knowledge How do we take care of our bodies, and how do our bodies take care of us? A multi-site art exhibition that will run through May 24, 2024, explores the many roles that the human body takes in shaping and creating knowledge. Among the themes that the exhibition explores that are related to body knowledge are: movement and sensation; decoration, ritual and costume; the social body; the body in transformation; and extending the body. Lehigh University Art Galleries, in partnership with the Southside Arts District, also is hosting outdoor exhibitions on the South Bethlehem Greenway (near the Lehigh campus) that pair reproductions of work from the exhibition with works of art submitted by community members. In all, 55 artists submitted work and 20 were paired with works from the exhibition on billboards to reflect on the relationship between one’s body, and one’s self. In addition to the greenway, the exhibition will be on display in the Alumni Memorial Gallery, the Fairchild-Martindale Study Gallery, the Siegel Gallery, the Dubois Gallery and the Gallery at Rauch Business Center. Selected images can also be viewed online at luag.lehigh.edu. Exhibition
FROM THE NEST | FALL 2023 | 13 CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, PAGE 12: JUAN DE LA CRUZ SIHUANA (BY HIMSELF) / EL GIGANTE DE PARURO, MARTIN CHAMBI JIMINEZ, 1925; DISPLAY ON SOUTH BETHLEHEM GREENWAY; BILL RUSSEL & ELGIN BAYLOR, LOS ANGELES, CA (LAKERS VS. CELTICS), WALTER IOOSS, 1966; #4, FROM THE SERIES REÍNA POR UN DÍA, LUIS QUINTANAL, 1933. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT, PAGE 13: GREENWAY DISPLAY; LITTLE RICHARD, JUDY LINN, 2012; PRECISION IN MOTION, HONORA CAMPBELL '02, 2022; SKINNY LEGS & BANDAIDS, DONNA FERRATO, 2006; GREENWAY DISPLAY; QUINCEANERA, MARIA EUGENIA HAYA, 1984.
photography by JOHN DEMPSEY, LISA HELFERT, MYKE ODOÑO and CHRISTA NEU 14 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN These alumni, faculty and students are among those making a difference in their communities—and beyond— through their research, advocacy and entrepreneurship. A WIDE COMMUNITY OF FUTURE MAKERS stories by MARY ELLEN ALU, EMILY COLLINS, JODI DUCKETT, STEPHEN GROSS, HAIDAN HU and CHRISTINA TATU
FALL 2023 | 15 TRACY BECKER ’09 A planetary scientist, Becker studies moons, asteroids and planetary rings, with some of her work searching for habitability in the solar system. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, planned for launch in 2024, will investigate Jupiter’s icy moon Europa to try to help scientists understand the conditions of its underlying ocean—how cold, deep and salty is it?—while possibly yielding crucial information about places with habitable conditions in the solar system. Using an ultraviolet instrument on the spacecraft, Tracy Becker ’09 hopes to learn about Europa while making a connection with what’s on its surface and what’s underneath. “We’re going to be looking a lot at the atmosphere,” she says. “Can we see any indications of specific compositions that might indicate the possibility for life? That would be one of the really exciting things to see there.” The Europa Clipper mission is one of many projects Becker has been involved in as she studies moons, asteroids and planetary rings, mainly at ultraviolet wavelengths of light. “When you study asteroids and moons that are different distances from the sun, they would have had different stockpiles of materials from which to build themselves up,” Becker says. “By looking at the composition of each of these bodies in different places in the solar system, we really put those pieces together to understand how the solar system came to be.” Since graduating from Lehigh with a major in astrophysics and minor in Latin American studies, the planetary scientist and group leader at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio has been involved in NASA’s New Horizons mission, which flew past Pluto in 2015 and is still exploring the Kuiper Belt, and led several programs for the Hubble Space Telescope. Becker is also working on JUICE (JUpiter ICy moons Explorer), launched by the European Space Agency, which will pass several of Jupiter’s moons before eventually orbiting Ganymede. She also analyzes data from NASA’s James Webb Space telescope. Becker’s space-related work began at Lehigh, leading to internships, including at Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Observatory and in Chile. At the University of Central Florida, she earned a Ph.D. in physics with a planetary science track and began her first work with a NASA project using the Cassini spacecraft to study Saturn’s rings. Her educational outreach includes Astronomy on Tap, space-related presentations at bars in San Antonio, and school programs that introduce kids to science and engineering jobs in their backyard. The latter helped her earn the American Astronomical Society’s 2023 Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in Public Communication in Planetary Science.—Stephen Gross SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE
16 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN CHRIS He turned his engineering acumen, entrepreneurial spirit and interest in drones into a life-changing career with the the Drones for Whale Research program. Chris Zadra is helping to save the planet, one whale at a time. Zadra flies drones that collect data on whales as part of a critical mission to protect the giants of the ocean from environmental and human threats. He uses a drone called SnotBot® in a groundbreaking project to capture whale blow for biological analysis. And he may be the only person in the world using drones to drop data tags onto the backs of whales to gather unprecedented insight into how whales live. Zadra turned his engineering acumen, entrepreneurial spirit and longtime interest in drones into a life-changing career as program manager for the Drones for Whale Research program of Ocean Alliance, a Massachusetts-based nonprofit whose motto is “Save the Whales, Save the Oceans, Save Ourselves.” Whales are crucial to the world—and not just because they are magnificent creatures. Says Zadra: “A lot of people don’t realize the importance of whales to climate change. Whales capture a huge amount of carbon from the atmosphere because they are so massive. And through eating and pooping, they help to fertilize phytoplankton, which captures carbon and produces the oxygen we breathe. The amount of potential positive impact on humans in the form of improved climate from having more whales is massive.” Zadra’s path to Ocean Alliance was serendipitous. While at Lehigh, he built and flew drones as a hobby. At Lehigh, he met Dan Levy, who now works at a drone start-up in California. When Ocean Alliance wanted to purchase some of the company’s drones, Levy joined its expedition to Mexico to test the drone. There, Iain Kerr, the CEO of Ocean Alliance, asked Levy if he knew anyone who might be interested in working in the new drone program at the nonprofit. Levy contacted Zadra, who received a bachelor's in applied science in 2016 and a master’s of engineering in technical entrepreneurship in 2017 from Lehigh. Not long after that conversation in 2018, Zadra moved from California to Ocean Alliance’s oceanside home of Gloucester to fly drones over whales. He says he didn’t have any special interest in whales before getting the job. What he was interested in, however, was not working at a desk. To say he met his goal is an understatement. Zadra now travels the globe in search of whales to study. He has flown drones in Mexico, British Columbia, the Azores, Puget Sound, Gabon and more. In the past 10 years, drones have become a critical tool in the effort to study and protect whales. Before using drones, Ocean Alliance and other organizations collected biological samples from whales primarily by chasing them in a boat and shooting them with biopsy darts. It is a costly, time-consuming and invasive technique. Then came SnotBot. “Iain will tell the story that he was coming up close to a whale and the whale does a big blow and he gets covered in all this whale blow,” Zadra says. “That was the genesis of the idea. He thought, ‘If there’s all this stinky, smelly stuff, there must be biological data in there that we could get, instead of from biopsy samples.’” Zadra says Kerr spent five years refining the collection method, an uncomplicated system in which petri dishes are attached to 3-D printed arms with Velcro. When Zadra arrived, he became chief drone flyer. “The whale doesn’t even know that we’re there,” Zadra says. The collected data gets analyzed by partner universities and labs, which continue to develop more sophisticated methodology to analyze whale blow. Researchers across the world are now using drones to collect blow. Zadra also puts his engineering skills to work coming up with new ways to use drones for research. “Every year, we try one thing and see where it leads.” Most recently, it led to the tagging system, simiZADRA ’16 ’17G CHRISTA NEU
FALL 2023 | 17 lar to SnotBot in its simplicity. “We ended up with a 3-D printed lawn dart that can hold a tag,” says Zadra. “We drop it from the drone at a certain height and it attaches to the whale with a suction cup.” The tags are designed to fall off after a certain length of time and get collected for analysis. “It’s like putting an iPhone on the back of a whale,” Zadra says. “If you’re studying whales without tags, all that you are seeing is the 10% of their life when they surface. But most of their life is spent underwater— feeding and socializing and traveling.” Zadra has studied many whale species. He first tested data tagging with a drone in Mexico on the blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. He studies the endangered North Atlantic right whales, which feed every year in Massachusetts and get caught in fishing gear and lobster traps. There are only 350 left in the world. Zadra’s background may be in engineering, but he is now a scientist, environmentalist, boat mechanic and boat captain. There’s just one problem—he gets seasick. But, he says, motion sickness medicine works wonders. —Jodi Duckett
18 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN PLASTECH VENTURES The Global Social Impact Fellowship team tackles plastic pollution in the Philippines. Aglobal crisis, plastic pollution has posed significant challenges in the Philippines, where the use of single-use plastic sachets—small, sealed packaging pouches—are prevalent and difficult to recycle. According to World Bank, 2.7 million tons of plastic waste are generated in the Philippines each year, with an estimated 20% ending up in the ocean. PlasTech Ventures, one of Lehigh’s Global Social Impact Fellowship teams, aims to address the problem by introducing a recycling system adept at redirecting plastics away from streets and oceans to recycling facilities. There, the sachets and other plastics can be transformed into products that contain the plastic for an extended duration. The PlasTech Ventures team—Rana Akyildiz ’19, Lizzie Hayes ’24, Evan Woodward ’26 and Sophie Lin ’26—is determined to implement a system that creates opportunities in Filipino barangays (communities) to upcycle plastic waste, create jobs, foster economic growth and reduce waste. Faculty advisers are Khanjan Mehta, vice provost of Creative Inquiry; Brian Slocum, director of Design Labs; and Ganesh Balasubramanian, assistant professor of mechanical engineering. Working closely with students and faculty in the HEED (Humanitarian Engineering, Entrepreneurship and Design) program at the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), the team is developing a pilot research facility for UPD’s campus. In summer 2023, the team conducted fieldwork in Manila and reached significant milestones. The team co-initiated a research facility within UPD to gather and refine campus plastic, serving as a tangible proof of concept for local barangays. The team also strengthened a partnership with Sentinel Upcycling, a buyer of cleanly shredded plastic, and networked with people in the Filipino plastics economy to further the team’s understanding of the industry and pinpoint where it can create the most impact without disrupting existing systems. PlasTech Ventures also met with the Quezon City government to discuss its objectives and existing waste management practices. Documents detailing PlasTech’s scope were shared to foster collaboration and partnerships.—Haidan Hu MYKE ODOÑO
FALL 2023 | 19 In her native Nigeria, Ugochinyere Nancy Oloyede was an aspiring scientist who earned degrees in industrial chemistry from the University of Ibadan. But she wanted to expand her research and impact through graduate work in the United States. She followed the research to Lehigh, where she now works with Robert Flowers, the Herbert J. and Ann L. Siegel Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the Danser Distinguished Faculty Chair in Chemistry. A sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in organic chemistry, Oloyede develops and studies metalmediated reactions in chemical synthesis as part of the Flowers research group. The metal used is titanium, a material that Oloyede explained is readily available, inexpensive, versatile and nontoxic. That makes it attractive as a catalyst in chemical reactions for the synthesis of compounds that are building blocks for therapeutic agents and luminescent dyes. Catalyzing chemical reactions is important because it reduces the energy required to break and form chemical bonds to produce new combinations and substances. It also increases efficiencies in reactions, which reduce manufacturing costs and can accelerate product development and discovery. She explains that titanium catalysts are an alternative to more expensive and more toxic ruthenium and iridium catalysts. “I wanted to work on something bigger, something that not just affects one part of the world, but all of the world,” says Oloyede. “Part of this is looking for ways to better synthesize molecules that could be possible building blocks for antiviral drugs.” Oloyede spends most days in the Mudd Building with her hands in an oxygen and moisture-free glove box trying new ways to trigger reactions. “I’m the kind of person who tries to understand what’s going on in a reaction. That’s the kind of chemistry I gravitate toward,” says Oloyede. “At the same time, I’ve always wanted to look for ways to make the chemistry more affordable, greener and less toxic to the environment.” Oloyede has been a part of a groundbreaking discovery. In 2020, working with chemists at the University of Bonn, she and her colleagues developed a titanium catalyst that used, for the first time, energy from green light for selective chemical reactions. The scientists in Bonn investigated how the desired compounds could best be synthesized with the new catalyst. Oloyede and her colleagues carried out measurements to prove the reaction pathways. The results were published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition and featured in Science Daily.—Jodi Duckett UGOCHINYERE NANCY OLOYEDE The Ph.D. candidate investigates ways to better synthesize molecules that could be building blocks for antiviral drugs. CHRISTA NEU
20 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN KENNY HOLDSMAN ’89 The founder of Philadelphia Youth Basketball hopes to empower youth through education and basketball. The organization is focused on building critical-thinking skills and a love of learning.
FALL 2023 | 21 After graduating from Lehigh as an economics major and an urban studies and Jewish studies minor, Kenny Holdsman ’89 earned his law degree from Temple University and became a lawyer at Ballard Spahr, one of Philadelphia’s largest law firms. But Holdsman didn’t feel emotionally connected to his work. “I was practicing law, I was comfortable,” he says. “I just never felt a full-enough sense of purpose about my work.” Holdsman grew up hearing firsthand about the struggles of students in the Philadelphia School District from his mother, a teacher and then-guidance counselor in the district, and had never stopped thinking about disparity, social justice and racial equity. Two first-year classes he took at Lehigh—Creative Utopia, and Insight, Outlook and Control—also had stoked his idealism and fueled his curiosity, he says. He decided he wanted to make more of an impact in his community. Holdsman left the law firm and joined the Philadelphia School District, building a citywide youth leadership and service learning program. He then focused on national projects with the Academy for Educational Development, now known as AED, for six-and-a-half years. After a stop as CEO of Legacy Youth Tennis and Education, formerly Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, he co-founded Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) in 2015, currently serving as president and CEO. The organization offers programs centered around basketball that also feature at least one “off-court” curriculum hour per program session. He is overseeing an expansion that includes a $58 million campus in North Philadelphia that will allow the organization to increase the number of youth it serves per year from 1,200 to nearly 6,000. “We’re really trying to help young people build critical-thinking skills and habits of mind to build personal identity, a love of learning and the ability to make positive relationships with peers and adults,” he says. “And at the core of our programming is always culturally relatable, well-trained coach mentors. That’s our superpower.” The organization offers seven different neighborhood programs through 20 schools and four recreation centers, serving youth in grades 5 through 12. Kids enroll in either 10- or 20-week programs, which are free, and the organization accepts applicants until all available spots are filled. Summer camps typically reach capacity about a week after they’re posted online. The curriculum components include civic dialogue, journaling, personal identity formation, nutrition and healthy meals and academic support, Holdsman says. The content is often timely and covers social topics in sports. The organization consistently uses The Players Tribune, a media platform for first-person stories from professional athletes, founded by Baseball Hall of Famer and former New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter, and has had the children read, write about and discuss more than 100 articles on the site. “Our students aren't lined up in neat rows with a teacher lecturing from the front,” Holdsman says. In addition to talented staff members that attendees relate to, Holdsman says he’s proud of the deep commitment PYB has had to racial equity and Black empowerment. He notes that PYB has 26 Black-owned and 11 femaleowned professional service firms contracted. On Jan. 18, 2024, PYB plans to formally unveil its biggest project yet: The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center. The 100,000-square-foot center, referred to as “A Center for Community Empowerment” by PYB, will contain four classrooms, seven basketball courts, a financial literacy workshop, a healthy foods cafe, strength and conditioning, a mental wellness oasis and a museum of Philadelphia basketball history and culture, among other features. Its Nicetown neighborhood location was chosen specifically for its close proximity to residential communities and public transportation, but also major roadways. “It will be the most comprehensive and impactful and transformative physical space for young people in the entire country,” Holdsman says. Next year, PYB is scheduled to begin phase two of the expansion about 40 feet away from The Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center, which will focus on workforce development, entrepreneurship and economic opportunity. It is slated to be completed in the winter of 2026.—Stephen Gross CHRISTA NEU
22 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN WILBERTO SICARD ’20 A juris doctor candidate at Yale Law School, Sicard plans to advocate for fair criminal justice after attaining his degree. Afirst-generation college student, Wilberto Sicard ’20 wanted to be a lawyer since the third grade. “At first it just seemed like a great and respected career path, but as I got older, I saw it as a way to initiate change in my community,” says Sicard, who has made it his mission to fight for equality in the Lehigh Valley and elsewhere. Sicard was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania after his parents moved from Puerto Rico. In high school, he participated in wrestling and football. When he played away games, he started noticing disparities between his school and those he visited. “I saw other schools were better funded, had better facilities and more money to spend on extracurriculars and leadership programs,” he says. “It got me thinking, what led to this state of affairs?” The experience inspired his Lehigh senior honors thesis, “City with Limits: An Untold History of Residential Segregation and Education Inequality in Allentown,” which examines how residential segregation created a wealth gap resulting in an underfunded school district. After earning a degree with double majors in history and Africana studies at Lehigh, Sicard worked as a community organizer and helped run Generation Next, a program that helps first-generation students of color in the Lehigh Valley get into college by providing scholarships and helping them navigate the application process. Sicard also became vice president of the board of directors for the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute, where he still serves. At Yale, he was an intern for the Public Interest Law Center and assisted the legal team in a lawsuit filed by multiple school districts, parents and advocacy groups in 2014 against the commonwealth that argued the state’s funding of K-12 education is inadequate. As a result of that lawsuit, a judge declared Pennsylvania’s school funding system unconstitutional. When Sicard graduates from Yale in May 2024, he plans to return to Allentown to serve as a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge John M. Gallagher for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. “I really hope to do something that will make a positive impact in Allentown and make it a better community for the people who grew up in the neighborhoods I grew up in,” Sicard says.—Christina Tatu JOHN DEMPSEY
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