THE MAGAZINE OF ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY MARCH 2009 | VOL. 12 NO. 3 rising to the Challenges Focusing Sun Devil energy to solve the world’s toughest problems Extending ASU’s global outreach Arts research program F.A.R.-sighted Academic consolidations spark intellectual fusion Show Your Pride. ™ Introducing Arizona State Alumni Association checking from Bank of America Celebrate your alumni pride every day. Open an ASU Alumni Association personal checking account from Bank of America today and generate contributions to the ASU Alumni Association—at no additional cost—with every check card purchase. Enjoy benefits like checks( and a check card that feature the ASU logo. And enjoy key features like free Online Banking with Bill Pay, plus Mobile Banking on your cell phone.< In addition, get automatic savings when you enroll in Keep the Change®—where each check card purchase is rounded up to the next dollar and the difference is transferred from your checking to your savings account. Plus, as an ASU Alumni Association member, Bank of America will match 5% of the transfers, up to $250 every year. And to help you get started, we’ll match 100% for the first 3 months.+ To open your ASU Alumni Association checking account, visit your neighborhood Bank of America or bankofamerica.com/asu today. Get $50 when you open a qualifying new account and enroll in Keep the Change® by 3/31/2009. Use Offer Code CUP50.‡ To find a banking center near you, visit bankofamerica.com/locator. ( Standard check order fees apply. ‡ To take advantage of this offer, you must use the Offer Code provided to open your qualifying new Bank of America personal checking account by 3/31/2009. This offer is valid only to new customers who open a new personal checking account and enroll in Keep the Change. Keep the Change requires a checking account, check card and savings account. The new customer is not eligible for this offer if they were a signer on a Bank of America checking account that was closed within the last three months. All accounts are subject to our normal approval process. We will deposit the $50 incentive directly into your new checking account within 90 days of its opening; if unable to do so, a check will be issued. The new customer will receive the incentive upon verification of qualification in the incentive programs. The minimum deposit required to open a new personal checking account and receive this offer is subject to the normal opening deposit requirements of the specific account being opened that appear in our Personal Schedule of Fees. For example, the opening deposit for a Bank of America MyAccess Checking® account is $25. Limit one offer per household. Offer does not apply to current checking customers or student checking accounts. To the extent required by law, Bank of America will report the value of the offer to the IRS. Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the account holder. Reproduction, purchase, sale, transfer or trade of this offer is prohibited. For interest-bearing checking accounts, the Annual Percentage Yield (APY) on any balance is 0.05%. (In CA, for Tiered Interest personal checking accounts, the APY is as follows: less than $5,000, 0.05%; $5,000-$9,999, 0.05%; $10,000-$24,999, 0.25%; $25,000-$49,999, 0.50%; $50,000-$99,999, 0.75%; $100,000-$249,999, 1.00%; $250,000 and over, 1.00%). APYs are accurate as of 12/22/2008. The interest rate and APY may change after the account is opened. Fees may reduce earnings. Bon.12.08 +Upon enrollment, we will round up your Visa® Check Card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfer the difference from your checking account to your Bank of America savings account. We will match your Keep the Change savings at 100% for the first three months and, for ASU Alumni Association customers, 5% thereafter. The maximum total match is $250 per year. Matching funds are paid yearly after the anniversary of enrollment on accounts still open and enrolled. We will only match Keep the Change transfers on up to five checking accounts per depositor (including joint depositors) or up to five checking accounts per household, whichever is less. Eligible savings accounts include, but are not limited to, Regular Savings (or Market Rate Savings in WA and ID) that requires a minimum opening balance of $25 ($1 in WA and ID) and pays a variable Annual Percentage Yield (APY) that was 0.20% as of 12/22/2008. Money Market savings accounts are also eligible. Fees may reduce earnings. The promotional matching funds will be reported to the IRS on form 1099. Patent pending. KTC.9.08 < Web access is needed to use Mobile Banking. Check with your service provider for potential access rates. Mobile Banking is not available with accounts in WA and ID. By opening and/or using these products from Bank of America, you’ll be providing valuable financial support to the ASU Alumni Association. Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. ©2008 Bank of America Corporation AD-12-08-1036 T H E M A G A Z I N E O F A R I Z O N A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y Vol. 12, No. 3, March 2009 HIGHLIGHTS D E PA R T M E N T S 16 2 ASU View 40 Alumni News SkySong unfurls its iconic shade. 4 University News Graduating seniors glean finance tips from Alumni Association speakers; sign up for a summer Sun Devil Send-Off today! ASU announces two major academic consolidations; José Cárdenas becomes general counsel. 44 Sun Devil Network Making a world of difference Global engagement has come a long way from its roots in study abroad programs. ASU is focusing its international efforts on sharing good ideas, reaching out to qualified students and researching practical solutions to universal issues such as terrorism and environmental degradation. 26 Rising to the Challenges The Challenges Project at ASU crystallizes hundreds of individual educational and research initiatives into a compelling, cohesive communication of the university’s purpose and value to society. It brings the big, bold ideas that are at the core of the New American University concept to life. 14 Reports from around the Sun Devil nation. Sports Updates on top Sun Devil teams and players. 50 Class Notes Alumni news, notes and milestones. 36 Arts & Culture ASU proves to be F.A.R.-reaching with new applied research program; book reviews and more in Shelf Improvement. 2 VIEW MADE FOR THE SHADE The most distintictive feature of SkySong, the ASU Scottsdale Center for Innovation, recently made its debut. SkySong’s iconic shade structure will cool occupants of the 1.2 million square feet mixed-use project, which is located on 42 acres at the intersection of Scottsdale and McDowell roads. The official publication of Arizona State University Volume 12, No. 3 PUBLISHER Christine K. Wilkinson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Tracy Scott MANAGING EDITOR Liz Massey EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Melody Orak ART & DESIGN DIRECTOR Robert Cao-Ba SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Karen Windsor-Worrel GRAPHIC DESIGNER ASSISTANT Alyssa Yatabe ADVERTISING SALES, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS RELATIONS Rhonda McClintock (480) 965-5051 WEBMASTER Benita Iafrat PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY Tim Trumble Tom Story ASU Magazine is printed on paper that is certified to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Standards. ASU MAGAZINE PO Box 873702 Tempe, AZ 85287-3702 (480) 965-2586 alumni@asu.edu ASU Magazine (USPS 024-438; ISSN 1940-2929) is published quarterly by the Arizona State University Alumni Association, PO Box 873702, Tempe, AZ 852873702, (480) 965-2586, FAX (480) 965-0225. Subscriptions are sent to all ASU alumni. You may become a friend of the Alumni Association regardless of university affiliation. Annual dues to become an active member or friend are $45 for individuals and $60 for couples. Life member dues are $500 for individuals and $650 for couples. Periodicals Postage is paid at Tempe, AZ and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to ASU Magazine, Attention: Circulation, PO Box 873702, Tempe, AZ 85287-3702. Permissions: Portions of this publication may be reprinted with the written permission and proper attribution. Contact editor. If you’ve been reading these pages, you know all about the exciting things happening at ASU right now. ASU is the New American University, breaking the mold of higher education and making advancements in cutting-edge research, academic excellence and community involvement. We invite you to get in on the action. Become a member of the ASU Alumni Association today and be plugged-in to the dynamic ASU community making an impact across the world. Additionally, your dues help support the vision by enabling many programs and activities within the ASU Alumni Association to serve both students and alumni. You can find out more about membership benefits and join online at www.asu.edu/alumni or by calling 1-800-ALUMNUS. Annual Membership costs $45 a year ($60 for couples); Life Membership is $500 a year ($650 for couples). www.asu.edu/alumni 4 NEWS Strenghting the Tribe Strenghting the Tribe The heart of the matter Strenghting the Tribe University news briefs Strenghting Ancient Ink the Tribe Strenghting Tribe Dollars and the sense The President’s own Law and order Getting to the heart of the matter Joint alumni contributions to bioengineering boost cardiovascular research Research at ASU into treatments and cures for cardiovascular diseases is being boosted by a joint contribution from foundations led by two ASU alumni. The Crown Foundation and the Haven Charitable Foundation announced Nov. 17 a gift of $198,000 to support research led by Michael Caplan, an assistant professor in the Harrington Department of Bioengineering in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. The Crown Foundation was founded by Eric Crown ‘84 B.S., co-CEO and chairman of Insight Enterprises and a 2008 inductee into ASU’s W. P. Carey School of Business Hall of Fame. Kari Yatkowski ‘94 B.S. and her husband Paul are the founders of Haven Charitable Foundation. Caplan’s project, which focuses on intracellular signaling in response to biomaterials, will use the funding to examine the behavior of cells that come into contact with materials used to make stents, artificial vascular grafts and similar medical devices. There have been cases of patients developing blood-clotting (thrombosis) and recurrence of their original cardiovascular problems (restenosis) caused when blood comes into contact with the materials of which the devices are made. “We and others in the field of biomaterials are trying to make better materials that will avoid problems like this,” Caplan said. “If we are successful, we would not only be able to make better stents, but we would also be able to make artificial vascular grafts for replacement of small blood vessels.” “As an Arizona State University alumnus, it is an honor to help with potential scientific breakthroughs and to fund a project that might otherwise have gone unfunded,” said Kari Yatkowski, who is vice chair of the American Heart Association’s 49th Annual Phoenix Heart Ball. University News Briefs New school rules Two rounds of academic realignments create leaner, more synergistic university Two rounds of academic consolidations within schools and colleges on ASU’s campuses will reshape the academic landscape when the changes take effect later in 2009. On Nov. 20, the Arizona Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee voted to disestablish the School of Global Management and Leadership on ASU’s West campus. The W. P. Carey School of Business now oversees the business education needs of ASU students on both the Tempe and West campuses. The College of Public Programs, a founding college of the Downtown Phoenix campus, will welcome the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, the Department of Recreation and Tourism Management and the Department of Social Work, all formerly part of the College of Human Services at West campus. The college was dissolved during the Fall 2008 semester. All three academic programs will continue to have a presence at the West campus, in keeping with University Provost Elizabeth “Betty” Capaldi’s commitment that students who began at West will be able to complete their academic programs there. Future offerings at West will depend on the outcome of faculty curricular planning and budget constraints. Within the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, three new schools were approved at the Nov. 20 Regents’ meeting: School of Government, Politics and Global Studies; a School of Social Ultrasound shown to exert remote control of brain circuits In a twist on non-traditional uses of ultrasound, a group of neuroscientists at Arizona State University has developed pulsed ultrasound techniques that can remotely stimulate brain circuit activity. Their findings, published in the Oct. 29 issue of the journal Public Library of Science (PLoS) One, provide insights into how low-power ultrasound can be harnessed for the non-invasive neurostimulation of brain circuits and offers the potential for new treatments of brain disorders and disease. Transformation; and a School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies. ASU announced its second major academic reorganization, this one involving more than a dozen colleges and schools, on Jan. 21. The changes were driven primarily by opportunities for intellectual synergy, but they also will result in $2.7 million in cost savings for the university. The changes will not reduce ASU’s academic offerings, eliminate any tenured or tenure-track appointments, or diminish access for students. Major aspects of the plan include: • Establishing the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts. • Establishing the Mary Lou Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education to focus on research and doctoral education programs. • Consolidating all teacher-preparation programs across the university into the College of Teacher Education and Leadership. • Establishing a School of Geographical Sciences and Urban Planning within the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. For a complete list of schools, colleges and units affected by the Jan. 21 reorganization, visit http://asunews.asu.edu/20090121_reorg. “Studies of ultrasound and its interactions with biological tissues have a rich history dating back to the late 1920s,” said lead investigator William “Jamie”Tyler, assistant professor of neurobiology and bioimaging in the School of Life Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. “Several research groups have, for more than a half-century, demonstrated that ultrasound can produce changes in excitable tissues, such as nerve and/or muscle, but detailed studies in neurons at the cellular level have been lacking.” Led by Tyler, the ASU research group discovered that remotely delivered low intensity, low frequency ultrasound increased the activity of voltage-gated sodium and calcium channels in a manner sufficient to trigger action potentials and the release of neurotransmitter from synapses. Since these processes are fundamental to the transfer of information among neurons, the authors pose that this type of ultrasound provides a powerful new tool for modulating the activity of neural circuits. Tyler and the other ASU researchers now will focus on further characterization of the influence of ultrasound on intact brain circuits and translational research, ASU MAGAZINE UNIVERSITY NEWS 6 7 taking low intensity ultrasound from the lab into pre-clinical trials and treatment of neurological diseases. Researchers try to grasp effects of carpal tunnel syndrome Grasping an object is as easy as reading a newspaper for most people. But take away several of the sensory inputs (as happens when a person suffers from carpal tunnel syndrome), and the brain is left grasping at straws in trying to decipher incomplete and “noisy” information from only a portion of its normal inputs (fingers). The result can be a noticeable loss of hand dexterity for the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) sufferer. Help may be on the way for that person thanks to a new five-year, $1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to a research team led by Marco Santello, an associate professor of kinesiology at Arizona State University. Santello says the goal of the project is to fill in the knowledge gaps that exist concerning CTS and its effect on hand dexterity. CTS currently affects the quality of life for 6 to 14 million people in the United States. The project, which Santello will perform with Dr. Anthony Smith of Mayo Clinic in Arizona and Jamie Johnston of the University of Calgary, will use CTS as a research model to improve the understanding of how tactile, or touch, feedback is utilized by the central nervous system. Santello said it also could provide insight into how electro-diagnostic measures of nerve function relate to specific aspects of grasp control, in turn, improving the interpretability and applications of clinical assessments. Santello’s project, which was funded in the first round of ASU-Mayo seed grants, is the first project to secure major federal funding as a result of its involvement in the program. Scholars explore governance of indigenous genomics A dozen scholars from across the globe met Nov. 6-7 at ASU’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law to discuss current efforts to transform indigenous people’s governance of genomic research. The workshop, first conceived as being focused on the United States and “tribal” governance of genomics, was broadened to include scholar practitioners working in other parts of the world in recognition that strategies for governing genomic research cannot be contained by national borders. “This is a select group capable of drawing on their past experiences to envision the future,” said Rebecca Tsosie, Executive Director of the Indian Legal Program at the College of Law, who is principal investigator of the National Science Foundation grant that funded the workshop, “Genomics, Governance, and Indigenous Peoples.” Discussion topics at the genomics workshop included: cultural harm and transforming the legal system; charitable trusts, biobanks and partnership governance of genetic research; and tribal-genetic research agreements, indigenous research, and governance implications. Participants included experts in human genetics and the social, legal, and ethical aspects of genomics in different national and cultural contexts. The “no-PowerPoint” format of the workshop had participants share written responses to several questions before convening, and then participate in several recorded dialogues that will be used to produce a written document. Music students hit all the right notes in Italian organ competition Three ASU students journeyed to Italy last fall to play on historic organs and compete for prizes in the International Organ Competition,“Agati-Tronci,” in Pistoia, in the Tuscany region of Italy. Master’s of organ students Christina Hutten and Kristin Holten and doctoral student Skye Hart were named as semi-finalists in the competition, and Hutten moved on to the finals and came away with second place and a prize of 2,000 Euros. The competition repertoire featured music from the 16th through the 18th centuries. The organs were in the Propositura di San Marcello and the Pieve di Santa Maria Assunta in Gavinana, small towns near Pistoia. Hutten said playing on ASU’s own historic organ, the 1742 Traeri housed in Organ Hall on the Tempe campus, prepared her well for performing on the organs in Italy, with their “unique sound, specifications and keyboard action.” “Nevertheless,” she added, “the opportunity to experience the instruments in their original acoustics, while being surrounded by breathtaking art and architecture and the beautiful Italian language was priceless.” Kimberly Marshall, Goldman Professor of Organ and director of the Herberger School of Music, said,“The presence of three ASU organists among the nine semifinalists of this major international competition is astounding and did continued on page 8 Left: ASU’s Organ Hall Left: The last living Kalinga tattoo artist, Whang Od, is 89 years old. Near left: Jaime Alos, Dananao Village. Bottom: Pedro Bangiak and George Casing of Lubo Village. Photos: © Lars Krutak 2009 Ancient ink Tattoo researcher preserves history, culture Tattoos may be all the rage in modern culture, but ironically, traditional indigenous tattooing practices are waning. Working hard at documenting the history and meaning behind these fading customs is archaeologist and cultural anthropologist Lars Krutak. A doctoral student in Arizona State University's School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Krutak has served as the anthropological consultant on National Geographic documentaries, was the co-winner of the 2003 American Book Award in Literature and is currently the technical advisor for a major tattoo Web site. Adding to his list of unique accomplishments, Krutak is preparing to pen the first book to detail the Kalinga Batok, a more than 1,000-year-old Philippine practice that bridges tattoo ritual and nature in what he deems a “show of Kalinga artistic ability, cultural pride and status.” Krutak plans to include interviews with and photographs of all living Kalinga tattooed elders in the bilingual Kalinga and English book, “Voices of the Ancestors: The Living Tradition of Kalinga Batok.” The tome is designed to preserve cultural knowledge for future Kalinga generations and will present a little-known ancient practice to the outside world. Krutak also recently worked with the sole surviving Kalinga tattooist as part of the new television series “Tattoo Hunter,” that premiered Feb. 27 in Europe on the Discovery World channel. In the 10-part television series, Krutak seeks to understand the meaning behind sacred traditions that date back thousands of years by immersing himself into the daily life of tribal peoples worldwide. Viewers are exposed to unique customs including tattooing and scarification practices in Africa, Asia, Oceania, North and South America before these fascinating cultures disappear. Krutak personally experiences the art of the tattoo and scarification masters, who cut and tattoo his skin, as viewers learn how these painful rite of passage ceremonies continue to shape the very essence of indigenous identity, religion, and cosmology in the cultures in which they are still practiced. A recap of a 2006 exhibit of Krutak’s work at the ASU Museum of Anthropology,“Skin Deep: A Cultural History of Tattooing,” is online at http://asuma.asu.edu/Exhibits/2006/SkinDeep. Dollars and sense Grant grows business journalism at ASU Photo: Jeff Holeman Great Wall of China not go unnoticed by the European arts community. Our university’s emphasis on excellence and impact was amply fulfilled by these ASU students in their performances.” to viable economic, social and environmental systems. The center is part of the School of Community Resources and Development, located in the College of Public Programs. Tourism expert speaks at China forum Helios invests $1 million in ASU history teaching programs Timothy Tyrrell, director of the Megapolitan Tourism Research Center in Arizona State University’s College of Public Programs, spoke about “balance as an economic development strategy” to governmental officials, experts from international organizations, companies, media, universities and scholars at the 2008 Leisure Development International Forum in Hangzhou, China. Tyrrell was one of only two American scholars and four non-Chinese scholars who spoke to the group. The 2008 Forum took leisure and the economy as its central theme. The phrase “a rising tide floats all boats” is the unquestioned basis for many economic development strategies. Unfortunately, not all boats are floated by growth. Tyrrell suggested that development strategies should focus on the individual boats instead of on the tide. He argued that balanced development plans that seek positive economic, social and environmental impacts on many different community groups lead to growth. Floating all boats may not require a rising tide. “The balanced strategy is particularly important for development of sport, leisure and tourism industries because of the many residential and visitor markets served and the many economic, social and environmental impacts that are generated,” says Tyrrell.“The balance strategy is most important because it directly supports the community sustainability goals.” The Megapolitan Tourism Research Center is devoted to studying the role of tourism in community development in order to strengthen its contribution The Helios Education Foundation, a local philanthropic organization dedicated to enriching the lives of individuals by creating opportunities for success in postsecondary education, has responded to the need for highly qualified history teachers with a $1 million gift to the Arizona State University Department of History. The Helios organization will establish two endowments at the ASU Foundation, providing permanent funding for fellowships for students in the master’s of teaching history program, as well as a mentoring program for history teachers in Arizona. The new endowment funds will be named for William C.“Bill” Jenkins, a founding director of the Helios Education Foundation. Jenkins, who died this past summer, earned his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Arizona State in 1952 and a master’s degree in history from ASU in 1963. He taught American and Arizona history, American government, and economics for more than 25 years in the Scottsdale Unified School District. From 1966 to 1974, he served on the Scottsdale City Council and from 1974 to 1980 was the city’s mayor. “This investment from the Helios Education Foundation will help us prepare future teachers by building their historical knowledge base and grounding them in historical thinking skills,” says Mark von Hagen, chair of the history department, which is located within ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Arizona State University received two grants totaling more than $5 million from the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in November, which will help establish the university’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as a global hub of business journalism education through the endowment of a faculty chair and the integration of curriculum from the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism. The Reynolds Center, created by the Las Vegas-based Donald W. Reynolds Foundation in 2003 and charged with inspiring improvement in the quality of business journalism nationwide, will receive more than $3 million to continue its operations for another three years. The center was launched at the American Press Institute in Reston, Va., and moved to the Cronkite School in 2006. The center has reached more than 7,000 working journalists, journalism educators and university students across the country with intensive one-day workshops, weeklong residential seminars for journalism educators and a variety of Webinars and its Web site, www.businessjournalism.org, is a highly popular destination for journalists and students seeking information about the latest concepts and techniques in business journalism. The tenured chair position carries the faculty rank of full professor. Andrew Leckey, the founding director of the center, will be appointed as the inaugural Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism at the Cronkite School. The Donald W. Reynolds Endowed Chair in Business Journalism is the third endowed chair at the Cronkite School, joining the Knight Chair in Journalism, held by Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Steve Doig, and the Frank Russell Chair in the Business of Journalism, held by former Minneapolis Star Tribune Editor Tim McGuire. YOUR LOOK Alumni Style New Year, New Looks. Introducing the 2009 Alumni Collection Something new to show your Sun Devil pride. ASU Alumni Clothing and Accessory styles for men and women from Cutter and Buck, Gear, Champion, and Tommy Hilfiger are available now at the ASU Bookstore. Shop Online Now and get FREE DOMESTIC GROUND SHIPPING at http://bookstore.asu.edu. Simply enter promotional code 04-91008 for all orders placed by 03/31/09. Shop Online: http://bookstore.asu.edu .edu means it’s the REAL ASU Bookstore 525 E. Orange Street • Tempe, AZ 85287 1.800.567.5306 José E. Nánez Margaret C. Nelson Max Underwood The President’s own Exemplary faculty members named President’s Professors Three outstanding professors who have made exceptional contributions to undergraduate education at Arizona State University have been named President’s Professors. The awardees for 2008 are José E. Nánez, psychology professor in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences in the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences and director of ASU community outreach; Margaret C. Nelson, associate dean of Barrett, the Honors College at ASU and a professor in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, which is part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and affiliated faculty in the Global Institute of Sustainability; and Max Underwood, professor in the School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture within the College of Design. Designation as a President’s Professor recognizes a faculty member’s mastery of their subject matter, their enthusiasm and innovation in teaching, the ability to engage students both within and outside the classroom, the capacity to inspire independent thinking in students, innovation in course and curriculum design, and scholarly contributions. Nánez has had a life-changing impact on many students, notably those in his lab who have gained entry to prestigious graduate schools and those who may not have even considered pursuing a college degree without his influence. Nelson is known for being involved, caring, responsive and innovative in her teaching, placing students in the center of her attention, her life and her career. She is a leader in improving educational opportunities and instructional quality for students. As an archaeologist, she invites students to participate in her field research, combining archaeological analysis with deep and encompassing theoretical insights. Few architecture professors in the United States are as highly respected and recognized as Underwood, who combines the art of teaching with the realities of professional practice. In 32 years as a teaching architect, he and his students have undertaken 36 collaborative visioning projects in the community that evolved into commissions for local professionals, making him a popular resource for practicing architects and an exemplary teacher for his students. The professors were honored during a Dec. 4 ceremony. Numbers gain ASU supercomputer will boost biomedical research at TGen The Saguaro 2, a new supercomputer in the facilities of ASU’s High Performance Computing Initiative (HPCI), will be helping the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) in Phoenix speed up its efforts to advance biomedicine. The unit, housed in the Barry M. Goldwater Center for Science and Engineering, is capable of performing 50 trillion mathematical operations per second. “That’s the equivalent of taking a calculator and doing one operation per second, by hand, continuously for the next one and a half million years,’’ said Dan Stanzione, director of HPCI, a part of the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering. TGen will use that speed to continue its research into the causes and potential cures of a variety of human diseases through the use of data-rich DNA sequencing, genotyping, microarrays and bioinformatics. The organization’s researchers study and develop new treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, autism, diabetes, coronary heart disease, melanoma, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, colon cancer, multiple myeloma and breast cancer. The new computer system doubles HPCI’s capabilities. More importantly for TGen, the system has 20 times the computational power previously available to TGen researchers. The computational power “is crucial to the competitiveness of our research at TGen and at ASU, and is increasingly crucial to our economic competitiveness as a state, and nation, as well,’’ Stanzione said. High performance computing addresses the needs of science beyond theory and experimentation to “the ever more important role of simulation,’’ Stanzione said. “As we move in science into the nano scale of materials and molecular design and diagnostics, or into the macro scale of global climate or the motion of the galaxies, experimentation becomes more expensive and difficult, and simulation becomes invaluable,’’ Stanzione said. “The speed of those simulations determines the speed of progress.’’ Law and order Not a drop to drink ASU names José Cárdenas as general counsel Study finds link between water availability, distress Prominent Phoenix attorney and community leader José A. Cárdenas took the reins as ASU’s senior vice president and general counsel of ASU on Jan. 1. He replaces Paul Ward, who was named vice president for legal affairs, general counsel and secretary to the Board of Trustees at Southern José Cárdenas Methodist University. Cárdenas is a familiar face in Sun Devil country, as he has been a member of the ASU Minority Advisory Council and is the host of “Horizonte,” Eight/KAET-TV’s public affairs program that explores Arizona issues through a Hispanic lens. As senior vice president and general counsel, Cárdenas is the chief legal officer of the university. He is responsible for management of ASU Audit & Advisory Services, and he also will serve as a university representative on the boards of directors of ASU-affiliated and ASU-related entities, such as the ASU Foundation, the Sun Angel Foundation and the ASU Alumni Association. Prior to his assumption of the general counsel role at ASU, Cárdenas was the chairman of the law firm of Lewis and Roca and a partner in its commercial litigation practice group. Cárdenas received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas in 1974. In 1977, he graduated from Stanford University Law School, where he served as an articles editor for the Stanford Law Review. He joined Lewis and Roca in 1978 following a one-year federal district court clerkship. After becoming a partner in the firm in 1982, Cárdenas served in numerous management roles, including as the firm’s managing partner (chief executive officer) from 1999 to 2003, at which point he was named the firm’s first chairman. Cárdenas is a member of various bar associations, including the Hispanic National Bar Association. “José is an outstanding lawyer and a gifted administrator,” said ASU President Michael Crow.“I consider it a major coup that ASU has been able to attract a man of his talent and dedication to be our senior vice president and general counsel.” Thirsty? Imagine the fear, anxiety and desperation of not knowing when or from where you will get your next sip of water. Consider the shame of begging for or borrowing enough water to meet the basic needs of you and your family. Amber Wutich, a cultural anthropologist in Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, is taking an in-depth look at the pressing issue of water insecurity and how it affects people on an emotional level. Along with Kathleen Ragsdale, assistant professor of anthropology at Mississippi State University, Wutich has produced the first systematic study of intra-community patterns of water insecurity in an urban setting. Their findings will appear in an upcoming edition of the journal Social Science & Medicine. For the scene of the study, Wutich and Ragsdale chose Cochabamba, Bolivia, site of the famed “Water War” of 2000. Specifically, they worked in Villa Israel, a squatter settlement on the fringes of the South American metropolis. What they found during the course of their work in the region carries global resonance, and is particularly pertinent to areas of persistent drought. “The study revolved around three aspects of water insecurity: insufficient access to water distribution systems; inadequate water supply; and dependence on seasonal water sources,” explains Wutich. The results point to a significant link between emotional distress and access to water distribution systems but virtually no relationship to water supply or dependence on seasonal water sources. In addition, the women in the study reported feeling more emotional distress than the men. But the crux of the findings is that social inequities and the perception of unfairness and instability of the water distribution system are the major players in creating emotional distress, not the lack of water itself. Wutich, who is a core faculty member in ASU’s Center for the Study of Institutional Diversity, is expanding her research on water insecurity by planning for a study of 40 squatter settlements and coordinating with a community organization in Bolivia. In the meantime, Wutich’s and Ragsdale’s findings have been made available to organizations in Cochabamba with the hope they will help the people and local government better understand and deal with the issue. i n m u Al Friends for life ASU MAGAZINE 14 The ASU Alumni Association welcomes the following new life members, who joined between September 24 and December 16, 2008. Roma Lee Adams ’71 B.A.E., ’78 M.M. Sean C. Armah ’04 B.S. N Jason J. Ayala ’99 B.S. Michelle Y. Beasley ’91 B.S. N Dave L. Bennett ’01 B.S. Melanie E. Bermudez ’90 B.A. Marianne Bertini ’89 B.S. Dawn A. Bilodeau ’99 M.Ed. Matthew G. Bingham ’03 B.S.E. Peter K. Bolton ’75 B.S. Mark N. Brenner ’98 B.A. Marla A. Bridgewater ’92 B.S. Barry L. Brown ’91 B.S. Daryl A. Fellows ’83 B.S. John W. Lowe III ’74 B.A. Mary S. Fellows ’87 B.S. Don A. Luttenegger ’76 M.B.A. Karen M. Fifield ’90 B.S. Joy V. Luttenegger ’81 B.S. N Dorothy L. Sawyer ’73 B.S. Robert A. Firth ’70 B.A. Linda A. Madrid ’81 B.A. Richard L. Sherer ’65 B.S. Susan T. Ford ’84 B.S., ’90 M.B.A. Jose L. Madrigal ’99 B.S.E Robert A. Schoenfeld ’00 B.A. Maj. Clifton G. Furedy ’68 B.S. Cheryl A. Margetin ’76 B.S. N Michael R. Shoemake ’98 B.A. Douglas E. Gallagher ’77 B.S. N Diane Marlowe Todd L. Siffren ’91 B.S. Kristen M. Giatzis ’87 B.S. Deborah L. McCollum ’74 B.S.N. Rinda Simpson ’93 B.A.E. Robert J. Glass ’79 Ph.D. Shirlene H. Melton ’01 M.S.W. Robert D. Sloan ’96 B.A., ’96 B.A. Janet B. Glass ’80 M.A.E. Christine A. Michaels ’87 B.S. Patricia H. Small ’73 B.S. Laura B. Green-Schoenfeld ’01 B.A. Chuck Michaels ’83 B.S. Jennifer M. Harley ’07 B.A. Robert O. Mock ’48 B.A.E., ’51 M.A.E. Thomas M. Small ’75 B.S., ’79 M.B.A. Jonathan C. Garcia ’01 M.B.A. Thomas L. Hartzler ’80 B.S. N David H. Marlowe Jr. ’92 B.S. Miriam C. Rivera ’80 B.A.E. N Darrell A. Sawyer ’57 B.S. N Tamara V. Shoemake ’00 B.S. Dominic Stabile ’82 B.S. Peter F. Starrett ’70 M.P.A. Marisa F. Calderon ’02 B.A., ’02 B.S. N Ronald W. Hanson ’68 B.S., ’69 M.S., ’72 Ph.D. Virginia M. Mock ’50 B.A.E. Marc Montini ’96 B.S. Mildred J. Starrett ’68 M.A.E. Consuelo S. Campbell ’99 B.A. Manuel R. Herrada ’71 B.A.E. Samantha L. Montini ’94 B.A. James K. Stevenson III ’69 B.S. Linda S. Campbell ’89 B.S.N. Barbara M. Herrada ’71 B.A.E. Gloria L. Morrissey Lindsy M. Castro ’04 B.S. Ethan A. Hill ’90 B.A. James W. Morrissey ’53 B.A.E. Janice K. Stevenson ’75 B.A.E., ’79 M.A.E., ’00 M.C. Richard H. Chabowski ’81 M.P.A. Michael D. Hosek ’99 B.S. Debra L. Motta ’81 B.S. Catherine E. Chrisman ’94 B.A.E., ’02 M.Ed. Connie G. James ’74 B.S., ’77 M.S.W. Gregory L. Mulligan ’70 B.S. Timothy A. Burrows ’93 B.S. Walter W. Chrisman ’90 B.S. Norman E. James ’69 B.S. Annie L. Christoph ’69 B.S.N. Suzette J. Johnson ’01 B.S. Frank J. Christoph ’70 B.S.E. Susan V. Karis ’80 B.S. Cynthia A. Connor ’80 B.M. Karen L. Keith ’98 B.S. Joanne R. Coppola ’68 B.A.E. Judith A. Kelley Richard Daniels ’72 B.S. Sheldon Kelley Jr. ’67 B.S.E, ’68 M.S.E. James E. Murphy ’79 B.S. David Murray ’62 B.S.E James E.B. Stewart ’74 B.S.E. Sara K. Stuhan ’04 B.S.E. Dondrell D. Swanson ’96 B.A. Frank Tanori ’67 B.A.E., ’73 M.A.E. Kathryn L. Murray ’80 M.C. Florence T. Tanori ’67 B.A.E., ’72 M.A.E. Jill C. Nelson ’76 M.A.E. Charlotte J. Thomas ’83 B.A.E. Linda J. Neumann-Wright ’82 B.S.N. John J. Versosky ’97 M.B.A. Russell Newlin ’69 M.A.E. Carson B. Williams ’00 B.A., ’00 B.S. Jeffrey B. Okrepkie ’07 B.A. Cheryl L. Williams ’67 B.S. Dale J. Kennedy ’79 B.S., ’97 Ph.D. John E. Pappas ’96 B.A. Carol A. Withrow ‘52 B.S. Kathleen M. Kennedy ’80 B.S.N Patricia M. Pecqueux ’94 M.S. Randal H. Youngland ’74 B.A.E. Janice L. Decker ’70 B.A., ’72 M.A. Katherine J. Kenny ’89 B.S.N., ’96 M.S. Kristen M. Peil ’91 B.A. N Edward Yue ’74 B.S. James P. Dettmer ’01 B.A. Lucille G. Pendergast ’49 B.A.E. Elaine M. Kern ’71 B.S. Zoe R. Zickuhr ’00 B.S. Debra J. Dimmick ’83 B.A. James F. Krieger ’84 B.A. Nathan M. Perry ’99 B.S., ’08 M.B.A. Deborah R. Dixon ’73 B.A.E. Cary L. Lackey ’95 J.D. Zenith A. Perpignani George Dobos Jr. ’93 B.S.W., ’95 M.S.W. Edward R. LeFevour ’88 B.A. Charis Philippou ’01 B.S.D. Diane S. Leon ’95 B.A.E., ’98 M.Ed. Barry J. Quist ’75 B.S., ’76 M.B.A. Loraine Lermabarr ’80 B.A.E. William C. Reubart ’97 M.P.A. Debra S. Davis ’96 B.S. Judith A. Dawson ’68 B.S. George H. Dean ’70 B.S. Lynn M. Drew ’79 B.S.N. Wendy J. Farr ’00 M.Ed., ’08 Ph.D. N = indicates a member who has joined at the Gold Devil Life level. A Gold Devil Life membership, offered in honor of ASU’s 50th anniversary as a university, costs $650/individual, $800/couple, or $150 to upgrade from an existing life membership. Show your Sun Devil pride for life. Become a life member or upgrade to the Gold Devil life level at www.asu.edu/alumni or by calling 1-800-ALUMNUS. The Greatest Thing About Having A Choice Is The Freedom to make it. Life can be a wonderful adventure at any age, especially when you have the freedom to choose a place to live that will enhance your lifestyle today — and as your needs evolve. Brookdale® Senior Living communities offer unique lifestyles, one of which is sure to meet your needs or those of a loved one. Call to schedule your visit at a Brookdale Senior Living community today and stay for lunch. 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James Harden, the Sun Devils’ star sophomore, appeared on the regional cover in November, along with women’s star Briann January. Now, can Coach Herb Sendek lead the team somewhere else it hasn’t been in a long while – deep into the NCAA tournament? Harden made most pre-season All-America teams, and it’s refreshing to hear Sendek talk about the attention the team has gotten (the Sun Devils were ranked in the Top 25 of most sports polls). And the Sun Devils did indeed get off to a fast start, winning 6 of their first 7 games, their best effort since 2004-05. By early February their record stood at 16-5. “I think expectations are a good thing,” Sendek said at the pre-season media day.“I’m glad that people are talking positively about Arizona State basketball. I’m glad we’re in the discussion. I don’t want to shy away from that. We welcome that. It certainly beats the alternative.” Indeed, the alternative doesn’t land you many magazine covers. Women’s basketball hopes to meet expectations, build on success High expectations are nothing new for ASU’s women’s basketball team. So much so that senior guard Briann January, who appeared on the pre-season cover of Sports Illustrated, told the magazine,“We’re trying to maintain a tradition of success, while our men are just beginning to have that kind of success.” In other words, success is something the team now expects, and anything else is a letdown. Indeed, falling short of the Sweet 16 in the 2007-08 season was a disappointment – the team had advanced that far in two of the previous three seasons. The Sun Devils returned 11 players, including starters January, Sybil Dosty and Lauren Lacey, for the 2008-09 season. Things got off to a successful start, with the team running 15-6 in early February and ranked in most Top 25 polls. “I would stretch to say this is the best team I have been on,” January told radio station KTAR. And with the team’s history of winning, that’s saying something. Left: James Harden ‘Voice of the Sun Devils’ broadcaster Tom Dillon dies Tom Dillon, a former play-by-play announcer for ASU athletics and the Arizona Cardinals, died Dec. 1. He was 65. Dillon called ASU games from 1979 to 1997 — announcing the Sun Devils’ two Rose Bowl appearances — and was voted Arizona Sportscaster of the Year 17 times. He also worked for Fox Sports Arizona for five years and had worked for the Sports USA Radio Network since 2005. He had been scheduled to announce the Territorial Cup game between ASU and the University of Arizona on Dec. 6. “He was a professional,” said Arizona Diamondbacks announcer Greg Schulte who worked with Dillon on ASU games for 15 years.“Each broadcast he wanted to be as good as he could possibly be … he’ll always be remembered as the voice of the Sun Devils.” Dillon is survived by his wife, Bonnie, and two daughters. Wrestling program survives, thrives after funding scare Talk about your comebacks. Arizona State University’s wrestling team didn’t come back from a heartbreaking loss last season. It came back from non-existence. The University decided to end the program in May; the woeful economy led to budget shortfalls that have crippled athletic departments all over the country. Then, 10 days later, a private funding plan was announced that would fully fund the program. “The wrestling community, both locally and nationally, accepted this as a challenge to do something wonderful for the sport,” Vice President For Athletics Lisa Love said at the time.“ASU is forever grateful for that passion and unwavering support. Something special is happening on our campus, thanks to civic leadership that cares deeply about ASU wrestling.” On the mat, the Sun Devils are extremely young, returning only one senior – Kelsey Campbell, who wrestles at 133 pounds. Coach Thom Ortiz will depend on young wrestlers to carry the load. The team performed well in early season action, running 3-2 after its first five matches, By mid-February, the team was struggling, with a 5-7 record. But no matter how the season turns out, the team’s biggest victory was already won, off the mat. Left: Lauren Lacey. Above: Briann January. Right: Tiana Jean. Gymnastics team expects more spring in its step There’s strength in numbers. Just ask John Spini, coach of the Arizona State University women’s gymnastics team. Ask him what he’s looking for in the 2008-09 season and his answer is deceptively simple. “This year you should see us be a lot stronger in all four events, have a little more depth and be a little bit more healthy,” he said. And why is that even more important than it sounds? Because by the end of the last season, the Sun Devils sustained so many injuries they could enter only five participants in each event. This year, the team can go with six, the usual number. “They’re in much better health, and the quality of our routines is a little more difficult,” Spini said, adding that the team will rely heavily on its sophomore class, as well as returning senior Tiana Jean.“I think we have more numbers to actually take some chances, and put some routines together that aren’t so watered down,” he said.“Last year we were so beat up we couldn’t lose another kid.” The team opened the season in Las Vegas on Jan. 4. By mid-February, they were still looking for their first win, but were still in the Top 25 and hopeful for better results by season’s end. Kathleen Fairfax Director for ASU’s Center for Global Education Services M a k i n g a ASU’S GLOBAL ENG w d EFFO RTo S rBlR INGo INfT PERSPECTIVES TO A Cd ON N E CrTe LO Cc ALe EF i f f e n LARGER INITIATIVES A university’s conception of “being global” used to begin and end with its junior year abroad program, says Kathleen Fairfax, the director of ASU’s Center for Global Education Services. It was usually – and only – during a junior year abroad program that students were exposed to the world beyond their university’s walls and beyond their nation’s borders. And, says Fairfax, there was some truth to the stereotype that these experiences tended to be had by a select group of young women in the humanities, who might discuss Proust over a steaming café au lait along France’s Seine River. “That probably started changing 15 years ago,” says Fairfax, who notes that now it’s not uncommon to find students going abroad even when they’re studying health, business or science. Of course, study abroad remains an important part of higher education. In fact, the number of Americans studying abroad increased by 8 percent in the 2006-07 academic year (the latest for which data is available). According to the Institute of International Education, this surge marks a “decade of unprecedented growth” with an increase of close to 150 percent in the last decade. About a quarter of a million American students now study abroad in a given year. At ASU, that number has been about 1,500 per year for the past few years. “A generation ago, it was considered a luxury to have an international experience and now it’s, in some ways, a vital component of any university education,” says Fairfax. But having students spend a few months learning in another country is only one part of a university – and, indeed a higher education system – that is increasingly international. Where foreign-born faculty used to mainly consist of the German and Italian professors, today, large numbers of faculty across ASU’s campuses and across disciplines hail from distant shores. And colleges and universities that once drew from – and engaged with – a single state, or even the whole of the United States, now find themselves competing for foreign students and working across a global tableau. GAG NALTENGAGEMENT ASE U’SM GLE OB ORA TSTBIRO ING IN TEL RNATIONAL TEPERFEFRN N A SPECTIVES TO ARIZONA, ARCOIZ NNO ECN T LA OC,AL EFFORTS TO L ARR GET RS INITT IAO TIVES FFBY O LEE GIMPEL S 18 old model of American universities dealing “I think the ARTS & CLUTURE with foreigners42 is that, ‘We know all the answers and we’re going to tell our poor little brothers how to run their economy or grow their crops or run their universities or whatever.’ Well, I think that day is over.” ASU MAGAZINE Kathryn Mohrman Director, ASU University Design Institute American University, Global Roots There is some irony to the fact that ASU’s quest to become the model for a New American University will, in point of fact, make the school less American in many respects. “It is a new university concept for the 21st Century that could as easily be applied anywhere in the world. It happens to be applied in America at the moment through ASU,” says Bud Rock, vice president of global engagement. What it means to be an exemplar to other American universities – and, indeed, to other universities around the world – is changing. Rock says that when he went off to college, his parents thought of his studies as happening in seminary-like isolation. Today, there is less acceptance of such a town-gown divide, a sentiment borne of the realities of the age. So while only one of president Michael Crow’s design imperatives for creating the New American University is explicitly “global” in nature, international influences seep into other aspects of the evolving institution. Thus, aspiring to leverage place or to be socially embedded might be seen as very locally focused, but those aspects of ASU’s vision are still inherently global. “While it is true that global engagement appears as a design imperative, in some ways, it is a mechanism by which the other imperatives are made that much richer,” says Rock, a former senior U.S. Department of State official. Building better institutions Another example of spreading the New American University and its boundary-transcending ideas beyond American shores is ASU’s University Design Institute, which grew out of a 2005 collaboration with Sichuan University. The multinational UDI consortium now includes a dozen schools that bridge the East-West divide. Kathryn Mohrman, the institute’s director, sees great possibility in the two schools finding common ground as they grow. Both ASU and Sichuan are located in their respective nations’ interior, both have similar student populations and both offer many courses of study. And both seek to engage with their local communities. Of course, over the past year, Sichuan’s need to be involved locally took on special significance when the region had to react to and recover from a series of major earthquakes that killed more than 60,000 people on the eve of the 2008 Olympics. Lessons that Sichuan is learning about civic engagement will resonate in the Grand Canyon state as ASU embeds itself in Arizona’s social fabric. “I think the old model of American universities dealing with foreigners is that, ‘We know all the answers and we’re going to tell our poor little brothers how to run their economy or grow their crops or run their universities or whatever.’ Well, I think that day is over,” says Mohrman. Global U The university has hosted a center for Russian, Eurasian and East European Studies since 1984 (it was renamed the Melikian Center in 2007) and other international researchers have had a presence at the university going back decades. However, there is now a new crop of global offices at the university’s Valley of the Sun locations, and each one focuses on a distinct piece of the planetary picture. because of our history, because of our geography, our dominance, we, for a couple of generations, have not had the imperative for a global consciousness.” Photo: Mark Duran With a recognition that the university, as well as individuals within it, must learn from the world and reciprocate in kind, changes in ASU’s global focus abound. Perhaps the most visible symbol of commitment is the Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement, opened in October 2006. It is one thing to simply make “global engagement” an item on an institutional wish list but another thing to create what is, in effect, a cabinet-level post charged with the institution’s globalization. Rock draws a line between going out and “planting the ASU flag” in foreign countries as other institutions have done — some even creating whole new campuses in foreign lands — and ASU’s strong emphasis on bringing global perspectives to Arizona. Institutionalizing a global mentality has started with a consolidation of international activities – including bundling what were disparate study abroad offices under one roof – and supporting ASU faculty who are involved in research and teaching projects in approximately two-thirds of the world’s countries. Also championed through the office are deep partnerships with a small number of institutions around the world: Dublin City University in Ireland, Tec de Monterrey in Mexico, Monash University in Australia, Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and China’s Sichuan. Each institution has strengths – such as Monterrey’s in entrepreneurship and technology – but the cadre is important because it allows ASU to replicate and test ideas and research that begin in Arizona but which are examined, refined and proven in similar institutions around the world. Director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict notoriously parochial … Linell Cady “Americans are Joining Rock’s office in the march to extend the university’s vision and offerings are the School of Government, Politics and Global Studies, a part of the College of Liberal Arts & Scicences, and the Global Institute of Sustainability. Both are emblematic of a move to forge entirely new global-based programs. Both entities owe their existence to the recognition of a need for practical solutions to universal issues such as terrorism and environmental degradation. And while empire building abroad is not the Sun Devil way, several very successful programs have brought ASU educational expertise to foreign citizens on their home soil. ASU now has graduated four classes of MBA students through its Shanghai program, a unique partnership between the W. P. Carey School of Business and the Chinese government. The MBA ASU MAGAZINE GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT 20 21 program targets the most senior executives in some of China’s biggest state-owned companies; the faculty for the program are mostly ASU professors who go to China and lecture. to sponsors like Boeing and Honeywell that put up funding so the students could visit each other and interact in the flesh. Henderson also began the Nomadic Academy in 2004, which he believes was the Open Doors university’s first study abroad Although it’s easy to program for engineering students. concentrate on the tangibility The summer offering in design of the vice president’s office, and manufacturing took the School of Government, American students to France, Politics and Global Studies England and Spain. As Dan Hart, and the Global Institute of assistant director of the study Sustainability (with its hard-toabroad office, points out, the ignore wind turbines turning STEM disciplines (science, over Cady Mall), doing so misses technology, engineering and the bigger picture of globalization math) usually have been underat ASU – which is happening served when it comes to foreign on a smaller, more distributed experience for students. scale. It may be an increase in “It helps them understand the number of foreign speakers that not every place is like the on campus, the frequency with United States – that’s good. which faculty members can meet And it also helps them not be counterparts on other continents afraid of the world,” says or the degree of research with a Henderson of the program. foreign component, such as efforts Henderson now is involved with the United Arab Emirates with an organization called to look at issues of sustainability GlobalResolve, which he in arid regions. cofounded in 2006 with Brad It also may be seen in Mark Rogers ‘92 Ph.D., an associate Henderson’s engagement efforts. professor of engineering Engineering as a profession is technology, retired energy an international discipline where executive (and ASU alum) an aircraft frequently comes to life Mark Kerrigan ‘74 B.S. and on virtual drawing boards located several others. GlobalResolve across the globe. Still, Henderson, is a practical social entrepreneuran engineering professor in the ship program where ASU Department of Engineering in students work to improve the College of Technology and the lives of underprivileged Innovation at ASU’s Polytechnic people throughout the world; campus, didn’t see his students rural villages become a classroom getting foreign exposure before and proving ground. graduating. In 1997, he began The program currently the Global Engineering Design focuses on projects in the Team where students from ASU, African nation of Ghana. Singapore and England would There, ASU faculty and students collaborate. The project spoke are helping to address health concerns from cooking fires. The proposed solution is engineering a new stove that runs on a gel fuel which would be developed and produced within the country, thereby improving the local economy and improving health. It is an on-campus/off-campus blend of engineering, business, health, entrepreneurship and no small degree of on-the-fly anthropology. Across campus, globalization is popping up in a place both expected and not: the religion department. There is now a greater impetus and acceptance to go out and engage around the world on the topic of religion – and its numerous manifestations in secular and political life – says Linell Cady, director of the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. Although the center looks at religion in the United States, it also has turned its sights on very real – and often very pressing – issues that happen far from Tempe but which have far-reaching implications. In one project supported by a $775,000 grant from the Ford Foundation, Cady and her colleagues are exploring the appropriate role of religion in secular democratic states with religiously diverse populations. “Americans are notoriously parochial … because of our history, because of our geography, our dominance, we, for a couple of generations, have not had the imperative for a global consciousness,” says Cady. A similar objective lies at the heart of what happens at SkySong in Scottsdale, a project supported by the ASU Foundation. “It helps students understand that not every place is like the United States – that’s good. And it also helps them not be afraid of the world.” Mark Henderson Brad Rogers Engineering professor Engineering technology associate professor “ASU is here acknowledging that we’re part of a global community … the idea behind SkySong is to be a site Nate Summer Director of strategic partnerships where global business can converge.” Currently there are 37 companies from 11 countries that have taken up residence in the Enterprise Arizona Venture Center business incubator. Yes, the companies are for-profit, which sets them apart from the usual campus-related laboratory. But getting a foot in the American door works both ways. On one hand, the foreign companies get to stand on the shoulders of a giant with ASU’s institutional support. On the other hand, the ASU community gains another dimension of multiculturalism and globalization right down the street – as well as good jobs it’s hoped – and students have a greater opportunity to gain work experience and interact with foreign businesses without hopping a plane. “ASU is here acknowledging that we’re part of a global community … the idea behind SkySong is to be a site where global business can converge,” says Nate Summer, director of strategic partnerships. Local Changes There is an old truism that is almost cliché in education: the best learning often doesn’t happen in the classroom. Still, what happens in ASU’s classrooms vis-à-vis globalization is changing because of who’s sitting at ASU’s desks. As the university has marched toward globalization, it has seen more and more students who can speak from a non-American perspective. In 1960, the university could have packed all of its 61 international students into a single classroom. By 1998, that number rose to 2,916. This fall, the number of international students is 3,478 – more than the entire freshman class at Cornell and just about half the total enrollment at Princeton. Having so many de facto global voices “infuses the (university) curriculum with an international flavor,” says Fairfax. Those voices are augmented by a growing number of American students who, like global explorers before them, have journeyed out to other lands and come back with new perspectives. The study abroad office offers hundreds of options, but rather than focus on yearand semester-long programs, many are now quite short, consisting of a few weeks instead of months. Also, many students choose to do what Hart characterizes as “starter” programs where ASU faculty teach ASU courses abroad so the perceived risk to students is decreased. And in what might otherwise seem like a small move, the ASU Alumni Association is now working to update information for former students who are living abroad, both those who came from overseas originally and those who have since taken up residence outside the United States. The alumni office estimates that some 20,000 Sun Devils may have foreign addresses now. The association is finalizing its first alumni group on foreign soil, in London, and hopes to have three such groups in the next year and 10 in the next three years. The association is also collaborating with University Student Initiatives on developing the International Alumni Admissions Ambassadors program, a faculty-nominated and invitation-only corps comprised of distinguished alumni living overseas. The first group of ambassadors, who were named in December, will serve for two years, making connections in their country or region and identifying highschool students who may be a good fit to attend ASU. The ambassadors will host seminars and presentations by notable faculty and staff in their home countries and be able to bring the cutting edge of ASU expertise closer for potential students, their parents, and members of the ambassador’s local community. The joint Alumni AssociationUSI program is being supported by the Global Engagement office. Stephen Barnett, director of student international advancement for Global Engagement, explained, “We see this as an excellent opportunity to grow our enrollment of international undergraduate students. Furthermore, we want to ensure there is a big payback to the (ambassadors), and we think organizing such seminars is a win for them as they bring state-of-the-art information to their community/network. We also think it’s a win for ASU, as it demonstrates to potential students, parents and others why ASU is a great higher education value.” Barnett added that the presentations also provide another vital point of connection between ASU faculty, who nominate the ambassadors, and Sun Devil alums living outside of the United States. From hardly an international face on a state school’s campus to a school that now reaches way beyond state borders, it’s a whole new world at ASU. Lee Gimpel is a freelance writer based in Richmond, Va. Stephen Barnett Dan Hart Director of student international advancement, Global Engagement Assistant director, study abroad office Jeremy Meek Abroad education Queensland University of Technology, Australia Students speak out about their overseas educational experiences There’s no education quite like experiencing a new country firsthand. We asked an American-born ASU student who studied in Australia last year and an international student from Ireland studying at ASU this year to compare notes on their experiences studying outside their home country. JEREMY MEEK Year: Senior Studying: Construction Management at the Del Webb School of Construction, in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering Study Abroad: Spring 2008 – Queensland University of Technology, Australia. What experiences did you get while abroad that you wouldn’t get at ASU? I was exposed to a number of different construction practices not used in the United States. For example, Australia uses Quantity Surveying. This was the first time I had exposure to this form of estimating and accounting. Outside of academics, I was able to experience a completely different culture. There were a variety of activities I had the opportunity to pursue, but the highlights were learning to scuba dive and attending a game of the State of Origin, the Super Bowl of rugby. How do you think your time abroad helped you as a student or a person? My time in Australia broadened my perspective on construction, education and life in general. A direct result has been the development of a student organization called Construction Students Abroad (www.asucsa.org). The club seeks to expand the global vision of my fellow construction students and provide them with the necessary resources to have study abroad experiences of their own. What did you come to appreciate about ASU in your time away? While in Australia, I came to appreciate the cross-disciplinary nature of the construction management program at ASU. ASU’s program is set up in three major segments: Construction, Business and Engineering. QUT’s program emphasizes the construction side, so many of my peers at QUT had less experience in business and engineering. Emma Davey Howth, County Dublin, Ireland How do you think your time at ASU has helped you as a student or a person? ASU so far has been an incredible experience. I have been taken out of my comfort zone and pushed academically. Sharing opinions and participating in class interaction are strongly encouraged, whereas the teaching style at home is based on the classical lecturing method. I prefer ASU’s approach, as it challenges students and enriches the learning experience. But more importantly, my independence has been incredibly strengthened, helped by traveling around the States on road trips and meeting some many wonderful people. EMMA DAVEY From: Howth, County Dublin, Ireland Year: Third year Studying: Economics, Politics and Law at Dublin City University Study Abroad: 2008-2009 at ASU What do you hope to get out of studying at ASU? I hope to gain new friends and experiences. Mostly, I wanted to get a broader experience of education in the United States. The 2008 election was very important in the history of the United State. and I wanted to be part of it. Arizona is John McCain’s state, and I decided after looking at what ASU had to offer – along with the magnificent weather – I would really like to study here. America and Ireland have always been closely involved. As a student of politics, I really enjoyed the excitement of the election campaigns. What experiences did you get while in your home country that you won’t get at ASU? Dublin City University has 8,000 students. Due to the enormous size of ASU you don’t get the experience of bumping into your friends every day. There are positives and negatives connected to the expansive campus. Also, I do miss the formal balls thrown at every holiday. There isn’t such a strong sense of community as there is at home. We have a student council at DCU and every week there is a theme, which ranges from art to charity fundraising to STD awareness. Students have no choice but to be involved in the daily life around campus. What experiences have you had at ASU that you wouldn’t be able to get back home? I was completely baffled by Greek life when I first arrived. After attending some of the parties and speaking to members of fraternities and sororities, I now understand the attraction to such a “community” and lifestyle. The gathering together of everyone to partake in tailgating followed by the football game is a tradition which I’ve really taken to. The range of courses at ASU are fantastic. I have taken Human Sexuality, Intro to Psych, African American Politics and Society and Origins of Civil Rights Law. I would never have been able to study those topics at home and feel my education has been greatly broadened. And the facilities for students at ASU are second to none. I have enjoyed and will miss the cultural exposure I have gained. I have met many different people from all backgrounds and have learned so much from them. g gristoin the Challenges new initiative to focus collective Sun Devil energy to solve the world’s toughest problems By Sarah Auffret What keeps you awake at night? Is it the gloom hovering over the economy, or your child’s difficulty learning in a classroom with a new teacher? Maybe it’s worry over soaring energy costs and global warming, or the eerie prospect of terrorism. It could be the specter of a hungry child’s face, seen on the nightly news, or concern over your own health. ASU MAGAZINE 28 RISING TO THE CHALLENGES 29 people outside ASU to readily understand what we are doing, and to engage in areas that they think matter.” To rectify this problem, ASU is unveiling the Challenges Project, “ASU is refocusing the core responsibility of the American university as the service of the public good—an obligation that has largely been lost in the landscape of higher education.” ASU Foundation President/CEO Johnnie Ray Whatever the challenges that rile your sleep, ASU is probably working on a solution. As one of the top 20 universities without a medical school in research expenditures, ASU has researchers who are examining many of the world’s most intractable problems. There’s been only one problem with this situation — people outside the university who could champion these research projects are not aware that the work is being done. “There’s lots of work being done at ASU, but universities are fragmented, and it’s hard for people to understand these often-esoteric research topics,” says Terri Shafer, associate vice president for marketing and strategic communication. “Important research is buried under layers of ‘academicspeak,’ so it’s not easy for an ambitious initiative that aims to identify the most pressing local and global issues we face as world citizens, determine the crucial work being done at the university on each one, and invite everyone—alumni, students, faculty, staff, the public—to help the university tackle them head-on. It’s a way of magnifying the impact of the university, by asking people to pitch in and work on issues that concern them the most. Hunger, disease, improving education, alternative energy, the local economy, sustainability, teaching peace, strengthening families—all are challenges that have been suggested at the project’s Web site, www.asuchallenges.com. ASU hopes alumni and others will go to the site between now and May to identify the issues they’re passionate about. Later this year, they will be able to return to the site to volunteer to provide expertise, serve on a panel, work on a team, donate resources, or serve as an advocate for problems identified and selected to be part of the initiative with the public. “Most people don’t have any understanding of what they, as individuals, can do right now,” says Shafer, a member of the project’s steering committee. “The Challenges Project establishes big goals, bringing resources together to reach the goals. We can take discrete pockets of research and combine them, and we can address all the problems and issues that need to be addressed, to get research to market in a shorter time frame. If people know what we’re working on, then an interested individual, company or government entity might see something they’re doing that could advance the goal.” The ASU Foundation is partnering with the university in this idea-driven campaign, and Foundation President and CEO Johnnie Ray says that the Challenges Project, which posits that a public university can be a key player in solving the world’s most pressing problems “literally opens up the horizon.” “This is a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to re-invent American higher education,” Ray asserted. “Our prestigious national universities are just not playing the right game anymore. We need a new compact. We need a new idea – and we have it right here in a New American University. Investing in the ASU challenges will help institutionalize this vision and spread it across the American higher education landscape, not merely for the glory of ASU, but for the common good of our region, nation and world.” “The breadth and depth of expertise at ASU, and the way they’ve been able to connect me with people and mentor me, have been phenomenal. ASU inspires young people to dream and to think and to believe that it’s possible to create whatever it is they’re looking to create. I can’t tell you how powerful that’s been.” Courtney Klein The project sprang to life after Bruce Mau, a visionary designer and founder of the Center for Massive Change, was asked to bring clarity to the New American University concept more than a year ago. His philosophy is in tune with President Michael Crow’s, in that he sees ASU as major catalyst for social change, a university that can work at the local level to find real-world solutions to global problems. He believes the Challenges Project will allow ASU students to tap into the issues that concern them the most, becoming self-directed learners and entrepreneurs, able to explore problems across disciplines and boundaries. “ASU is refocusing the core responsibility of the American university as the service of the public good—an obligation that has largely been lost in the landscape of higher education,” says Mau, who has also worked with clients as diverse as Dell, MTV, Nokia, the Museum of Modern Art and the Seattle Public Library. “The issues that ASU is working on are very real and urgent. Education, energy, local business, community and sustainability are the topics that captured so much attention during the recent presidential election, and it is exciting to see that these are the same issues that ASU has been focusing on.” ASU’s size is a distinct advantage in this effort, in that an institution with 67,000 students and more than 15,000 employees has the critical mass to enact massive change. The university’s location is also key – for the purposes of resolving thorny global issues, it’s a benefit that ASU is situated in a rapidly growing urban area facing sustainabilityrelated challenges. Deans of the ASU colleges and schools were asked last fall to list the grand challenges in their fields that are currently being addressed by faculty or in their plans for the future. As the project progresses, faculty members will be able to see what others are doing that may complement their research and students will be able to submit ideas and offer to work on solutions. The initial five challenges, identified by a core set of university donors at an ASU retreat last fall, were unveiled March 3 at ASU Founders Day and on asuchallenges.com. Throughout the year, the ASU Foundation will work with the university and the public to identify additional challenges, which will be revealed at ASU’s Homecoming celebration in November. Alumni who know about the Challenges Project believe it’s a natural fit for ASU. Courtney Klein ‘05 B.I.S. started a non-profit organization, New Global Citizens, while she was still a senior at ASU, to mobilize high school students to help solve the world’s problems by partnering with grassroots organizations. Klein was one of the first recipients of a grant from the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative. She has since grown the organization to 11 full-time employees with offices in Phoenix and San Francisco. Thousands of high school students across the country work on projects around the world. Klein feels that the Challenges Project will enhance the problem-solving synergy present at ASU that she experienced as an undergraduate. “The breadth and depth of expertise at ASU, and the way they’ve been able to connect me with people and mentor me, have been phenomenal. ASU inspires young people to dream and to think and to believe that it’s possible to create whatever it is they’re looking to create. I can’t tell you how powerful that’s been,” she said. Steve Evans ‘67 B.S., ‘68 M.B.A., president of Evans Realty Associates, says that because the Phoenix area is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the world, it’s possible for ASU to have a huge impact by making small changes. “ASU has made enormous progress since I was a student in the 1960s,” he says. “The major difference between then and now is its impact on the Continued on page 32 faculty projects Bruce Rittmann, director of the Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the Biodesign Institute Bruce Rittmann His challenge: Find organic solutions to help end the world’s use of and dependence on fossil-derived fuels. Rittmann and his team are working on using photosynthetic bacteria to capture work in progress Faculty, students already addressing crucial world problems Once it is fully underway, the Challenges Project will harness the diversity of resources, research and ideas being generated by ASU faculty, staff, students and alumni, and give focus to that collective energy. Put another way, if ASU’s current efforts are sunlight, the university’s contributions, post-Challenges, will be a laser beam. Here are a few faculty and student research projects already underway at the university that tackle some of the world’s most pressing problems. sunlight energy into biomass and convert it to liquid fuels, as well as developing several microorganism-based systems that will be able to convert waste into methane, hydrogen or electricity. Taken together, the research could, at least in principle, provide enough energy to replace our society’s use of all fossil fuels. Laurie Chassin, Regents’ Professor, Department of Psychology, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Her challenge: Trace the origins of substance abuse in children and adults and discover effective prevention strategies. Chassin is legendary for her pioneering longitudinal studies of children and families at risk for substance abuse and dependence; one of Chassin’s research programs has been funded continuously by the National Institutes of Health since she joined ASU as an assistant professor in 1979. Chassin also is the principal investigator on a longitudinal study looking at children in alcoholic and non-alcoholic families with Laurie Chassin the goal of understanding the intergenerational transmission of risk for alcoholism and drug abuse or dependence. “These are incredible public health problems,” she says. “It's motivating to do something, to do research, that’s attached to a real problem.” Tirupalavanam Ganesh, assistant dean for information systems at ASU’s Mary Lou Fulton College of Education His challenge: Increasing the numbers of students interested in and preparing for careers related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). “We don’t have a lot of homegrown scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians in the United States,” says Ganesh. “In order to grow our own, we need to open up avenues.” His innovative program, called “Learning through Engineering Design and Practice: STEM for an Equitable Future,” targets minority and underprivileged youth traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields, and engages them in a year-round, hands-on curriculum that encourages students to think creatively about technology. Ganesh believes in an “engagement model”- students involved in the program build robots to perform specific tasks, for example, instead of studying robotics for its own sake. together on these and timely goals.”Ray was confident about the initiative’s chances of success. “People want to be a part of the solution; and that’s basically what the challenges campaign is all about,” he said. “When stakeholders see the direct connection to what ASU is accomplishing today and every day, they immediately understand that their support of ASU is not about boosting departmental rankings or producing Ivory Tower theories but about helping ASU achieve real-world successes.” Steve Evans Continued from page 30 community and its environment. I see the university as a prime driver for positive change here, and I think that’s what attracts faculty and staff to the university, because their efforts really have a huge payoff.” Mau asserts that the project is so ambitious that it will need the active support and commitment from students, faculty, parents, alumni and the larger local population to succeed. “Our hope is that alumni will become not just supporters, but active participants in this ambition—able to play “We need a new compact. We need a new idea – and we have it right here in a New American University.” a hands-on role to define the issues and to follow through by bringing about meaningful change,” he says. “The ASU community has the opportunity to be mobilized towards a united vision. I believe that we will see that community grow drastically as we work For additional information on the Challenges Project at ASU, visit www.asuchallenges.com. Tirupalavanam Ganesh student projects Jeff Collier, a master’s degree student in alternative energy, in the College of Technology and Innovation Jeff Collier (left) and Colin Tetreault (right) His challenge: Breaking society’s addiction to petroleum products by creating an energy-efficient way to produce and dry algae, for biofuel. He is co-founder of Energy Derived LLC, funded by the Edson Student Entrepreneur Initiative. “ASU has been a leader for the longest time on technology for algae biofuel, and it’s the people at ASU who helped push this along. Our success is the ability of groups to work together. A lot of collaboration goes on at ASU all the time, and that’s what makes the difference.” Colin Tetreault, master’s degree student in the School of Sustainability His challenge: Changing the culture of business to incorporate sustainable practices across the board, to produce a healthier global environment in which ASU MAGAZINE 34 RISING TO THE CHALLENGES 35 business can thrive and people can enjoy the outdoors for generations to come. “I grew up with a love of nature, hiking all over Arizona and California. After getting my bachelor’s in marketing I was a project manager and research analyst at the ASU Foundation, and when I saw that ASU was starting a School of Sustainability, I saw a chance to combine the two fields, something I couldn’t do anywhere else. “I want to show that a business can be more successful, more efficient and more profitable in the global marketplace by operating in a socially responsible way.” Erin Meehan, bachelor’s degree student in applied biological sciences, in the School of Applied Arts and Sciences Her challenge: Reducing animal overpopulation and disease by providing education and affordable veterinary medical services to low-income and rural Arizona communities. She founded the Community Spay & Neuter Assistance Project, through Edson Initiative grants. “There’s a huge correlation between human health and animal health. Animals that are spayed and neutered are less likely to bite, and less likely to contract disease. We offer a low-cost spay-neutervaccination program by contracting with mobile services to go to these communities. In five years, we’ll have our own mobile surgical hospital. “ASU has been fantastic … I wouldn’t be able to do this at any other place.” all together now President Michael Crow on why the Challenges initiative matters Why is ASU taking on this bold project — doesn’t the university have its hands full, trying to educate 67,000 students? Crow: The educational process for our 67,000 students involves moving them to the highest form of a teaching, learning and discovery environment that we can create. The establishment of this high-form environment involves also focusing the institution and its collective energy (students, faculty and staff) on what we consider to be the most important challenges society faces. In doing this, we have found ways to use the challenges as a mechanism to galvanize our teaching and our outreach activities. The end result, therefore, is that we are not weakening our core commitment to our students in any way but, in fact, enhancing it. Why should ASU initiate this project now, in the middle of a global economic slowdown and a state budget crunch? Crow: It is my firm belief that when the chips are down, the strong get going on those things that are most important. Many people sit and quiver from fear and from indecision at these kinds of moments – that will not be Arizona State University. We will advance on those things we think are most important, and we will advance ASU President Michael Crow on those things right now, in the middle of the time when their resolution could be of greatest importance. How do you view the role of Sun Devil alumni in the Challenges project? Crow: Alums should be, first, proud of their institution and the extent to which we have evolved our capacity for focused teaching, learning and discovery. Second, these challenges are truly critical for the success of Arizona and the success of the United States. Many of them, in fact, are critically important for our global success. I think ASU alums should be very interested in the outcome of these projects and should engage where they can in the projects themselves with their time, talent and treasure. 08-09 SEASON Photos: Amy Guip FEBRUARY 20-21, 2009 MARCH 17-22, 2009 MARCH 31 - APRIL 5, 2009 APRIL 7-12, 2009 MAY 5-10, 2009 JUNE 16-21, 2009 Tickets at ASU Gammage & 1-800-982-2787 (ARTS) asugammage.com | Groups: 480.965.6678 Due to the nature of live entertainment dates, times, prices, shows, actors, venues, and on sales are subject to change without notice. All tickets subject to convenience charges. 36 RTS &CULTURE F.A.R. Sighted Shelf Improvement F.A.R. Sighted New research initiative plants seeds of ‘cultural sustainability’ By Oriana Parker The works of Rafael Lozano-Hemmer (above and opposite page) weave together robotics, real-time computer graphics and film projections to create magnificent light sculptures. Working from their modest office, located in a downtown Phoenix apartment building, ASU’s F.A.R. (Future Arts Research) program is rapidly emerging as a major player in the arts both nationally and internationally. A groundbreaking program dedicated to providing an interface between artists and both the university and the greater Phoenix metropolitan community, F.A.R. has attracted outstanding artists, critics and scholars from across the globe. Twenty to 24 participants will be selected on a yearly basis and create works following an applied research method, with a focus on one of three areas of immediate importance to Phoenix: new technologies in the arts, issues of justice and human rights and desert aesthetics. Bruce Ferguson, director of F.A.R., says that the research method and the themes will make this artistic program especially relevant, as well as provide ongoing benefit for ASU. “Artistic production creates bridges between different cultural, expressive and ethnical traditions,” Ferguson said.“This program will link Phoenix and the region to the greater world.” EARLY PROGRAM PRESENTATIONS DRAW ACCOLADES Every participant on the F.A.R. roster is required to share their art with the community via public appearances; these presentations, performances and lectures are presented at various stages around town, including the Tempe Center for the Arts, Burton Barr Library, and the Herberger Theatre, as well as on the ASU campuses. In its first year of existence, the SPRING PRESENTATIONS BY F.A.R. PARTICIPANTS This spring, F.A.R. promises to offer the public a diverse menu of works by intriguing artists. Rafael Lozano-Hemmer, who was slated to make a February appearance, is a Mexican-Canadian electronic artist who weaves ideas from architecture, technological theater and performance into unique artworks. Over the past few years, he has staged interactive performances in which hundreds of people direct searchlights above a city to create magnificent light sculptures. Using robotics, real-time computer graphics, film projections, positional sound, Internet links, cell phone interfaces, video and ultrasonic sensors, LED screens and other devices, the artist creates installations such as Klieg lights dancing in the sky as they record the heartbeats of people in the street below. Later in the season, Phoenix audiences will encounter work produced by Atom Egoyan, a critically acclaimed CanadianArmenian filmmaker and screenwriter. Born in Egypt and raised in western Canada, the artist emerged in the 1990s as one of the industry’s most unique members. Focusing on themes of program snared some impressive names; in October, the world-renowned director and librettist, Peter Sellars, discussed strategies for the arts and humanities to adopt during a dire economic period and how to cope with depleted and non-existent funding sources. This programming coup was followed by performances by MacArthur Foundation Fellowship recipient Anna Deavere Smith of “The Arizona Project: Women, Justice and Law.” The writer/actress spent several weeks interviewing Arizonans involved with the law – ranging from lawyers to prisoners – and created a one-woman play that received enthusiastic critical reviews. alienation and isolation, Egoyan’s creative works are deeply involved with issues of justice and human rights: “The Sweet Hereafter” (1997) earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director and the film “Ararat” (2002), dealing with Armenian genocide, won Best Picture prize at Canada’s Genie Awards. The director’s latest film, “Adoration,” shown at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2008, was nominated for the festival’s coveted Palme d’Or award. Also scheduled to appear later this spring is Lebanon’s Bernard Khoury, one of the most sought-after architects in the Arab world. Faced with extraordinary political and cultural upheaval in addition to the design problems inherent in a desert climate, Khoury is known for solving these challenges with sparklingly creative responses: he wrapped the exterior of a 1920s Beirut villa with wire mesh and topped it off with a sliding contemporary metal roof to create an internationally famed restaurant, and his underground club BO18 is the Beirut’s most popular nightspot. ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS THAT LAST Program organizers point out that F.A.R.’s reach is increased by the on-going relationships being created between audiences and artists as well as between countries.“Because we have chosen three specific areas of interest of importance to the community – technology, human rights and desert issues – we can build up audiences and relationships over time and create ‘cultural sustainability’,” points out Marilu Knode, F.A.R. associate director. To further the sustainable nature of the connections forged between artists, the university and the public, the program already has set up a residency exchange program with the Townhouse Gallery in Cairo, Egypt, one of the Middle East’s leading institutions for the arts. “This partnership is an important step in exploring desert aesthetics, cultural sustainability and human interaction with other desert arts communities across the globe,” adds Knode. For more information, call (602) 258-1852 or visit the program’s web site at www.futureartsresearch.com. Oriana Parker is a Scottsdale-based freelance writer. ASU MAGAZINE ARTS & CULTURE 38 39 SHELF IMPROVEMENT BOOKS AND MEDIA PRODUCED BY ALUMNI, STAFF AND FACULTY Porch Stories: A Grandmother’s Guide to Happiness By Jewell Parker Rhodes, Atria Books Rhodes, artistic director of the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, didn’t spend her entire childhood being raised by her father’s mother in Pittsburgh, Penn., but her grandmother’s influence certainly permeated her entire being. This engaging memoir relates the love, wisdom and power of Rhodes’ grandmother through delightfully crafted anecdotes, touching issues such as discrimination, mixed-blood ancestry and sibling rivalry along the way. The book ends with a vibrant affirmation of the power of story-making, and encourages the reader to record their own grandmother’s stories, with Rhodes asserting that “prose on a page is another form of love.” The Incognito Body By Cynthia Hogue, Red Hen Press Hogue, the Maxine and Jonathan Marshall Chair in Modern and Contemporary Poetry in ASU’s Department of English, has written a slim volume of verse that will leave a deep impression upon the reader. At the heart of her book, metaphorically and literally, is the section of poems related to the book title, which chronicle the changes associated with living with a chronic illness. Achingly visceral and stunningly clear and honest, Hogue’s poems reach into the psyche and soul. Gracie’s Gallery, A Magic Mirror Book Written and Illustrated by Kelly M. Houle ’05 M.F.A., Piggy Toes Press Gracie, a 4-year-old artist, is misunderstood. Everyone admires her drawings but thinks they are just scribbles. It takes the careful efforts of her older brother George to show the reader that her drawings are actually amazing portraits of her family members, records of her trips to the zoo and more. The book, simple in its aim yet enjoyable to experience, has lessons for all about seeing the world with fresh eyes. The physical construction of this children’s book also allows the reader to experience Gracie’s works of art from multiple perspectives, including her own “magic mirror” viewpoint. Fifty-Five Fathers By Jeff Paisley ’74 B.A.E., ’77 M.A., WheatMark When Jeff Paisley’s father passed away years ago, he missed him so much he started talking with other men about their fathers. By asking 55 men (some of them related to each other) about their experiences with their father, and how it had influenced their life, Paisley lifts the lid on one of America’s most-beloved, and at times least-discussed, family roles. Honest and captivating, this simple book will touch your heart. Policing Dissent: Social Control and the Anti-Globalization Movement By Luis A. Fernandez ’95 M.A., ’05 Ph.D., Rutgers University Press In a post-9/11 world, do the greatest threats to the United States come from terror networks such as Al-Qaeda, or from internal dissenters such as peace activists, environmental advocates and independent journalists? Fernandez, now an assistant professor at Northern Arizona University, documents the shift in police tactics used to control mass protests. The electronically enhanced networking strategies of today’s activists have triggered a response from police, who have blended “hard” repression tactics with “soft” negotiation strategies to maintain social order. The book is a fair-minded, incisive look at how exercising key First Amendment rights plays out in the hearts, minds and bodies of modern-day American protesters. $77(17,21 $68 $/801, $UH $ UH