University of Houston Magazine - Fall 2014

A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI, FRIENDS AND SUPPORTERS

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

ARTS • ENERGY • HEALTHHow These ‘Big Rocks’ at UH are Helping to Build a Solid Foundation for Success

FALL 2014

40thANNIVERSARY OF A ROYAL SUCCESSUH has been Presenting the Houston Shakespeare Festival to Appreciative Audiences for Four Decades

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGESome changes at UH are monumental, like a football stadium, and some are subtle, like the UHin4 program. All are important.

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REFLECTIONS FROM THE REGENTSBoard members share insights about higher education and their own college experiences.

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NEWS BRIEFS TDECU Stadium kicks offand students REEcycle theirway to national prominence.

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CAMPUS AFFAIRSUH ‘likes’ social media … Recordsare set as campus enrollment climbs and fundraising soars.

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inside

WELCOME TO THE POWERHOUSEA preview of the upcoming campaign that will salute what is special and significant about this institution. Prepare to see it all around town … and beyond.

F A L L 2 0 1 4

PUBLISHERRichie C. HunterVice President for University Marketing, Communication and Media Relations

EDITOREric Gerber (’72, M.A. ’78)Executive Director/University Communication

CONTRIBUTING EDITORSRichard BonninKeidra GastonShawn Lindsey

CREATIVE DIRECTOREnita Torres (’89)

ART DIRECTORAlese Pickering (’98)

GRAPHIC DESIGNERSTammi BuiDamisi J. Delaney (’11)

SECTION EDITORSMike EmeryJeannie KeverLisa Merkl (’92, M.A. ’97)Marisa Ramirez (’00)

CONTRIBUTING WRITERSMelissa Carroll Sara HillRamanan Krishnamoorti Kristina MichelFrancine Parker Padgett PowellJohn Roberts Earl Smith IIIJeff Sutton

PHOTOGRAPHERSJon ShapleyJessica Villarreal

CHANCELLOR AND PRESIDENT Renu Khator

UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTSTilman J. Fertitta, ChairmanWelcome W. Wilson Jr., Vice ChairmanDurga D. Agrawal, MS (’69) and Ph.D. (’74)Spencer D. Armour III, (’77)Jarvis Hollingsworth, J.D. (’93)Beth Madison (’72), SecretaryPaula M. Mendoza, UH Downtown (’95)Asit R. ShahPeter K. Taaffe, J.D. (’97)Roger F. Welder

Send address and email updates to: University of Houston Donor & Alumni Records5000 Gulf FwyBldg 1 Rm 272Houston, Texas 77204-5035

uh.edu/magazineSend feedback to: [email protected]

The University of Houston Magazine is published by the Division of Marketing, Communication and Media Relations.

Printed on Recycled PaperThe University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

10.2014 | 92,000 | 150752 Copyright © 2014 by the University of Houston.

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20 38NEW FACULTY Recruiting new professors is a painstaking process … but worth it. PLUS: A list of tenure-track faculty who joined UH for the fall semester.

BUILDING THE ‘BIG ROCKS’It’s crucial to know what your ‘big rocks’ are. At UH, they include Arts, Energy and Health. HEALTH

Enhanced programs and new clinical services will benefit the University and serve our neighbors.

THE ARTSBringing culture to the campusand the community. PLUS: Memories of Donald Barthelme.

PROFESSORS EMERITI: MAMIE MOY The longest-serving faculty member talks about chemistry, in the classroom and in life.

ENERGY Houston is the energy capital of the world, and UH plays a powerful role in maintaining that distinction.

GIVING & ALUMNI The people and events that played a vital role in supporting UH, including “super alums” Randy Pike and research professor Larry Hill.

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ON THE COVER: MIRRON WILLIS IN “HENRY IV, PART 1,” FROM THE HOUSTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL’S 40TH ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM

UNIVERSIT Y OF HOUSTON Magazine • FALL 20144

Dear Alumni and Loyal Friends of UH,

Each year, I deliver a Fall Address assessing the state of the University of Houston. Although this is done in the spirit of transparency and shared governance, I consider it a pleasure as much as a responsibility. It provides a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge our University’s collective accomplishments and the common goals we share.

This year’s address – my sixth since coming to UH – was certainly no exception. I was reminded of what a blessing it is to travel on this journey of transforming a great University into a greater one.

One topic close to my heart is our transformation of the undergraduate experience, building on the pillars of access, affordability, relevance and success. We are awarding more degrees than ever before, and our one-year retention rate (from freshman to sophomore) has reached the nationally competitive level. In fact, we have now surpassed the average of national universities, recognized by U.S. News & World Report, and are closing in on the average of public Tier One universities.

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Although our graduation rate is still not where we want it, significant improvement is underway. Even if nothing else were to change, the new UHin4 program – with fixed four-year tuition rates and University-guided completion plans – will move our graduation rate above the national average. This is the power of one program. Just imagine the combined effect of everything we have initiated on campus!

Perhaps the most telling statistic is the largest.

• Our enrollment, after taking a dip last year as a result of recent changes such as new admissions standards, is back on its upward trajectory. It is up by nearly 4 percent, with nearly 41,000 students

UH FIRST YEAR RETENTION | NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE

2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Source: US News Academic Insights, 2015

79%

88% | Public Tier 1 Universities

81% | National Public Universities

77% | Texas Emerging Research Universities

86%

Average SAT: 1143

48%

96%

32

47%

National Merit Scholars

Living on campus

Participating in UHin4

Enrolled full time

Source: Institutional Research, Honors College (National Merit)

THE CLASS OF 2018

Reflecting the steady enhancement of our academic environment, our entering freshmen, the Class of 2018, are more numerous, academically stronger and more diverse than ever before. For example:

• The average SAT is 1143.

• There are 32 National Merit Scholars (compared to three in 2008).

• 96 percent are enrolled full-time, with 69 percent enrolling in 15 credit hours or more.

• 47 percent have chosen to live on campus.

FALL 2014 • UNIVERSIT Y OF HOUSTON Magazine 5

enrolled. But more importantly, semester credit hours are up by nearly 5 percent – indicating more students understand the value of completing their degrees on time and getting into the workforce early.

Just as our improving first-year retention rate is an indicator of future student performance, the submission of proposals suggests what we can expect in upcoming research performance. Thanks to strategic hiring of faculty and a growing emphasis of cross-disciplinary projects, there has been a dramatic shift in our submission rate:

• Research proposals have increased, in dollar amounts, by nearly 50 percent in the past fiscal year, from $508 million in 2013 to an astounding $734 million this year.

Looking forward, however, our next defining moment in research at UH will come from acquiring a large, federally-funded national research center. Right now, we have at least two areas of superior strength to compete for such a center: superconductivity and subsea engineering. We are committed to aggressively competing in both areas.

Of course, our plans depend in large part on the level of support we receive from the community.

• Our fundraising efforts broke another record this year, with $126.7 million … making this the third year in a row to reach a higher mark. What could be a better vote of confidence in the direction of our University than that? With every gift, our alumni and other donors are making UH a better place in which to live and to learn.

There is so much more that excites and encourages me …

• Plans to expand our UH Health initiatives to include a primary care clinic on campus; doctoral programs in nursing, physical therapy and health sciences; and, down the road, a community-based medical school.

• The creation of a new College of Arts.

• The launch of a dynamic “Welcome to the Powerhouse” branding campaign that emphasizes innovation as our University’s driving force. For a preview, please see the following two pages.

Our commitment to student success is a no-excuse priority. We were founded on the promise of making education accessible to the average working-class man and woman. Our dreams and aspirations are testimony that they deserve more than the average, they deserve the best. At UH, that is our challenge … and the source of our energy!

Renu KhatorPresident, University of Houston

“WE ARE AWARDING MORE DEGREES THAN EVER BEFORE, AND OUR ONE-YEAR RETENTION RATE (FROM FRESHMAN TO SOPHOMORE) HAS REACHED THE NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE LEVEL.”

RESEARCH PROPOSALS ON THE RISE | Funding Pursued (in Millions)

Source: UH Division of Research

$561 $606 $612

$497 $508

$734

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

2012 2013 2014

Source: UH Division of Research

+16% $108.9 $109.7

$126.8

RAISED A RECORD $126.8M | Annual Fundraising Totals (in Millions)

THIS IS THE HOUSEINNOVATION BUILT.

Welcome to the Powerhouse.

The University of Houston is fueling

research to tackle the energy crisis

and drive industry trends. We built

partnerships with Fortune 100

energy companies.

Now, we’re using

nanotechnology to

harvest sunlight on

cloudy days.

uh.edu/powerhouse

THIS IS THE HOUSEINNOVATION BUILT.

Welcome to the Powerhouse.

The University of Houston is fueling

research to tackle the energy crisis

and drive industry trends. We built

partnerships with Fortune 100

energy companies.

Now, we’re using

nanotechnology to

harvest sunlight on

cloudy days.

uh.edu/powerhouse


BOARD OF REGENTS

1. What is the strongest (or best) memory of your own college experience?

2. What is the University of Houston’s greatest strength?

3. What are the greatest challenges facing higher education today?

TILMAN FERTITTA, CHAIRMAN The University of Houston’s greatest strength is that it is located in one of the most vibrant and biggest cities in the world and it has some of the greatest leadership in Houston overseeing the future of the school.

WELCOME WILSON JR., VICE CHAIRMAN Our greatest strength is passion. The passion of the students, faculty, deans, staff, alumni and, more than anything else, of Renu Khator, our great leader and president. If you expect to go where no university has gone before, break records and make historic advances in academics, research and recognition, you must have passion. UH does.

JARVIS HOLLINGSWORTH, IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIRMAN The greatest challenges facing higher education today are 1) ensuring continued access to higher education 2) keeping higher education affordable and 3) increasing completion rates. There are many reasons why these areas present significant challenges to higher education institutions today, but one of the most compelling is the changing demographics of our college campuses. While this increased diversity is a wonderful and very positive development, it also presents challenges as our institutions of higher education must develop strategies to ensure access, affordability and completion to a broader cross section of students from different cultural and socio-economic backgrounds than ever before. Higher education’s ability to successfully educate and prepare this ever-changing demographic of students for the workforce of the future will have a major impact on our nation’s ability to continue to compete in a more global world.

Editor’s Note: We invited members of the University of Houston System Board of Regents to share their thoughts with our readers, choosing to answer one of three questions:

Their responses provide a quick glimpse into the individuals who help shape the policies and establish the direction of the University of Houston. For detailed information about the board, you can visit www.uhsa.uh.edu/board-of-regents/board-members/

Reflections From The Regents


SPENCER ARMOUR My experience at the University of Houston was enlightening for this small–town boy. I lived just a few miles from campus but was late for my first class because I had never experienced anything like Houston traffic or UH parking. I was forced to adapt quickly or be left behind. I soon decided to major in economics. The study of how we allocate resources, goods and services was fascinating to me. Being a

member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity was also an important part of my UH experience. But my fondest memory is meeting my future wife at a Pike party in September of 1974. UH has played a significant role in my life. I feel fortunate to be able to give my time, energy and support to the University of Houston.

DURGA AGRAWAL I am very proud to be a graduate of the Cullen College of Engineering. Professors like Dr. Ben Rhodes, Dr. Charles Donaghey and many others were amazing and influential in shaping my future. My education exemplified UH’s commitment and dedication to teaching. They put their heart and soul into educating every student. I came here in 1968 —

46 years ago. I had no idea Houston would become my home. My education at UH prepared me well for starting my business. I was fortunate enough to continue to work to support my family while finishing my education. UH makes this possible—go to school and have a part-time job. This is how my dreams were achieved. I believe one can achieve any goal with hard work, persistence and determination. My life’s philosophy is to always be optimistic and not to dwell on negative things. These things were further instilled in me and my family during my time at UH. It has a very special place in my heart; we, the alumni, must keep the torch of knowledge, excellence and innovation growing and glowing. I am very honored to serve as a member of the Board of Regents. I am delighted for this new opportunity to make a difference and shape the future of this remarkable institution under the leadership of Chancellor Renu Khator. Go Coogs!!

ASIT R. SHAH UH’s greatest strength is its receptivity to change. Many institutions are set in their ways and respond slowly to technological improvements, a global economy and growing enrollment. Our diversity, students, location and leadership create a University that constantly outperforms expectations. We encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, and, as a student, I know this makes for a powerful learning environment where we all

strive for excellence. Whether it is 1927 or 2014, Houston’s hometown institution is committed to providing a globally competitive education that’s affordable. It’s what makes UH strong, purpose-driven and cutting-edge.

PETER K. TAAFFE This University has many strengths:

• Our students. They reflect what the city of Houston is all about—they come from many different backgrounds and are working hard to make this city, country and world a better place.

• Our administration. We are served by excellent leaders at each of our UH System campuses.

• Our faculty. We are fortunate to have world–class faculty who are leaders in their fields.

PAULA MENDOZA From my perspective, the greatest challenges facing higher education today are the reduction in funding for public institutions, the imbalance in college readiness, particularly among Latino and African American youth, and the proficiencies required for a growing STEM workforce. Student success requires

preparation in elementary, middle and high school. Many Latino and African American students are not receiving the academic support to master math and science, which are key to the degrees and programs for the current workforce demands. Once enrolled, the journey to completion can be peppered with challenges. Financial hardships and balancing work, family and life concerns can extend a student’s college career beyond the expected term. Higher education institutions must consider these factors in scheduling and fee-setting and offer flexibility in its graduate level programs. UH is proactive in this respect and its corporate stakeholders are able to have employees pursue advanced degrees while working.


NEWS BRIEFNEWS BRIEF

2 DINE FOR: NEW DINING OPTIONS ON AND AROUND CAMPUSIn the evening, on any day of the week, you can find groups of college students gathering on a rooftop patio overlooking the downtown skyline. In the adjacent establishment students are congregated around booths in a popular Houston-based pizza chain, and a few doors down they are enjoying a gourmet ‘Cougar

A remarkable new chapter in the University of Houston’s history has begun with the launch of TDECU Stadium, the impressive facility that is home field for the Cougar football games and a site for a multitude of other community events, including concerts and high school football.

The 40,000-seat venue, which replaced historic Robertson Stadium, officially opened Aug. 29, with UH’s nationally televised game against UTSA. Naming rights for the stadium were acquired by TDECU, the largest credit union in the Houston area, following a gift of $15 million for a 10-year period.

“This stadium is a powerful symbol of our commitment to athletics and student success that brings together faculty, staff, students, alumni and the city of Houston,” UH President Renu Khator said. “We cannot thank TDECU enough for helping us to make this important development possible.”

Construction began in late December 2012 with the demolition of the previous stadium (which had been built in 1942), and a groundbreaking ceremony for the new facility took place Feb. 8, 2013.

The new stadium, which cost approximately $120 million, features an exterior of red, powder-coated corrugated metal and aluminum panels that allow for

TDECU STADIUM KICKS OFF NEW ERA IN UH ATHLETICS

optimal air flow and natural lighting into the concourse areas. Unlike the previous stadium, TDECU stadium uses an “East-West” orientation that allows for an optimal view of the downtown Houston skyline. It was also designed to readily accommodate an expansion to 60,000 seats at some point. A recent Houston Chronicle article praised the stadium’s configuration, noting “there isn’t a bad seat in the Coogs’ house.”

UH Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mack Rhoades made sure to applaud the vital role the UH student body played in supporting the new stadium. In a 2012 referendum, students approved an increase in their fees to provide crucial initial funding for the stadium project. “That was a real game-changer,” he said, “and a real turning point for our University.”

—Staff Reports

—Staff Reports

Blend’ coffee while studying. These students are not in popular Midtown or Upper Kirby … they are on Calhoun Road, just across the street from the University of Houston (perceptively on campus for many who don’t realize this particular strip of land is not UH property).

In addition to the development at 4701 Calhoun — which is home to Jimmy John’s, The Nook coffee house, Pink’s Pizza, Café 101 UH (Asian-fusion) and the newly opened Calhoun’s Rooftop Bar and Grill — a variety of new vendors have opened on campus, including inside the food court of the University Center, which opened in early 2014 following an $80 million renovation. UH also hosts rotating food trucks on two food truck pads, and a new late night food truck service for residential students in front of the Student Service Center. A new concept called Freshii will open inside the UC this spring, offering organic and vegetarian food options.


The competition was certainly daunting when a group of four undergraduates from UH’s Cyvia and Melvyn Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship met their opponents at their first business plan competition at Baylor last spring: there were teams from Harvard, Yale and MIT, among others, and all their members were graduate students.

Members of REEcycle had a secret weapon. Although they were selling an innovative technology, their real advantage was the support of their mentors and professors at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, which is ranked the nation’s No. 2 school for undergraduate entrepreneurs (2014).

REEcycle won first place at Baylor’s New Venture Competition, later repeating the feat in the Department of Energy’s (DOE) regional Clean Energy Business Plan Competition at the California Institute of Technology. They then won first place at the national DOE contest in Washington, D.C. (where the team took all three of the top prizes).

The REEcycle business plan and startup is based on a technology developed by Allan Jacobson, Robert A. Welch Chair of Science and director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH, who developed a way to extract rare earth elements from electronic waste. Rare earth elements are used in

A RARE ACCOMPLISHMENTUH Student Team REEcycles Its Way to Success

REECYCLE TEAM MEMBERS, FROM LEFT, SUSAN TRAN, CASEY MCNEIL, CASSANDRA HOANG AND BOBBY JACOBS

cell phones, computer hard drives, catalytic converters, wind power generators, energy efficient lighting and other “green” technologies.

Rare earth elements are generally not found in high concentrations, making it difficult to extract them economically. China controls more than 90 percent of the world’s supply, and Jacobson became interested in developing a way to recycle these after reading DOE reports about critical materials for future energy use. Jacobson discovered a chemical reaction that can extract the rare earth elements neodymium and dysprosium from discarded electronic waste.

Now, REEcycle is no longer an academic exercise. It’s part of Real Life 101.

Team members Casey McNeil and Cassandra Hoang graduated in May with degrees in entrepreneurship; team members Susan Tran and Bobby Jacobs will graduate in December. All are working on the startup, at their office in the University’s Energy Research Park, as they juggle additional jobs and look for investors.

— Jeannie Kever


NEWS BRIEFNEWS BRIEF

CREATING AN IRRESISTIBLE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM

UH is partnering with a group of investors to commercialize technologies created by its faculty, advancing the UH Energy Research Park (ERP) as a focal point for entrepreneurial activity in the Houston region.

The deal will be worth as much as $25 million, including $15 million for a new building at the research park, which will house laboratories and startup businesses.

The agreement involves three entrepreneurs who came together to form the Texas Collegiate Regional Center (TCRC). It includes a venture capital fund that will attract funding in part from foreign investors through the EB-5 visa program.

Rathindra Bose, UH’s vice president for research, said the deal offers value for both the University and the city, as well as investors, because it will more firmly establish the ERP as a base for technology incubation.

“It’s not just the technologies, it’s the whole ecosystem,” Bose said. “The city will benefit because this is going to foster new technologies. Some of them are going to employ hundreds or thousands of people in the years to come.”

David Franklin, one of the TCRC principals and executive vice president at Consumer Media Network, said business people and

inventors often speak different languages, making it a challenge to create a successful company.

“Bridging the language gap between business minds and academic minds is just the first challenge of many in commercializing technology,” he said. “By working through questions about license terms, funding, space, process and structure up front, we think this first-of-its-kind partnership between UH and TCRC will turbocharge our ability to bring great technologies to market.”

Franklin and the other principals in TCRC, Huan Le and James Tao, co-founded Houston Health Ventures, an angel investor group that helps finance early-stage health care–related technologies, but all three also have other business interests.

“This partnership between UH and TCRC is the culmination of our vision to create an irresistible ecosystem for the world’s best entrepreneurs, researchers, advisers and companies in Houston and at UH,” Tao said.

Jarvis V. Hollingsworth, immediate past chairman of the UH System Board of Regents, noted that UH was recently ranked No. 1 nationally in royalty revenue among public universities without a medical school. “This new partnership is another important step in our commitment to make sure the University’s considerable research resources are being used productively,” he said.

—Jeannie Kever


FROM STEM CAREERS TO DEGREE ROI: HOUSTON GRADS HAVE LIFTOFFThe Houston metro area ranked fourth in a recent listing of the nation’s top places for graduates working in fields related to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

NerdWallet, the financial literacy website that published the study, noted the University of Houston STEM Center as a factor in the ranking. NerdWallet indicated the center “helps attract and retain students in STEM careers, both locally and nationally.”

“We’re deeply honored by the recognition,” said Professor Bonnie J. Dunbar, director of the UH STEM Center, as well as director of the University’s aerospace engineering program. “It is our intent to try to meet the challenge of increasing the number of engineers and scientists in this nation.”

For UH grads, their degrees are paying off— literally. UH was recognized as one of the “50 Most Affordable Colleges with the Best Return” by Affordable Schools, an online guide to higher education institutions across the country.

In its 2014 rankings, Affordable Schools balanced universities’ tuition costs from the 2013–14 academic year with the expected income of students graduating with bachelor’s degrees. UH’s in-state undergraduate tuition (at the time data was compiled) was $9,318. The salary for graduating students is approximated at $49,500 and mid-career earnings are approximately $85,200. Based on Affordable Schools’ criterion, the 15-year return on investment is $1,010,250.

UH was the only Houston institution to make this list and one of three Texas colleges to be ranked by Affordable Schools. UH’s inclusion in the “50 Most Affordable Colleges” list complements previous rankings that reflect the institution’s commitment to delivering a quality, cost-effective education including ranking No. 4 in Policymic’s “12 Colleges Where Students Get the Best Bang for Their Buck” (2013) and being listed among U.S. News and World Report’s list of “Colleges that Lead Students to the Least Amount of Debt” (2012). —Staff Reports

Whole grain lasagna, all natural snack chips and soda with antioxidants are just a few of the products that may jump off the supermarket shelves as healthier options. But at some point, says UH Professor Temple Northup, you have to wonder about the nutritional worth of any packaged food product that needs a buzzword-laden label to make its case.

“If there’s a health statement on a label trying to make a case for how healthy it is, it’s generally not a healthy choice,” said Northup, an assistant professor at the Jack J. Valenti School of Communication. Northup recently conducted a study that examined the degree to which consumers link marketing terms on food packaging with good health. To sum it up, approximately 33 percent of study participants picked Spam as the healthier option over salmon.

“Food marketers say there are nutritional labels, so people can find out what’s healthy and what’s not,” he said. “Findings from this research study indicate people aren’t very good at reading nutritional labels, even in situations where they are choosing between salmon and Spam.”

In a survey of 318 study participants, Northup found when participants were shown the front of food packaging that included one of those trigger words — organic, whole grain, heart healthy, antioxidants and all natural — they would rate the items as healthier.

Northup says a “false sense of health,” as well as a failure to understand the information presented in nutrition facts panels on packaged food, may be contributing to the obesity epidemic in the United States.

—Staff Reports

BEWARE OF FOOD BUZZWORDS, SAYS UH PROFESSOR


It’s becoming clear that UH ‘likes’ social media – and vice versa.

UH continues to maintain a high-ranking position among universities as an innovative user of social media with award-winning recognition during the last three years. UH President Renu Khator leads from the top, with acknowledgement from Education Dive, an online education news site, as one of the “10 College Presidents on Twitter Who are Doing It Right,” in 2013.

“We are incredibly lucky to have a president who is wonderful at using social media,” said Jessica Brand, social media manager at UH. “President Khator shares a good mix of insight into her personal world, achievements at UH and things that inspire her about the University. Her tweets and blog posts open up conversations about UH that help people feel connected in a special way.”

#RemainConnected Khator’s social media participation is part of Brand’s overall social media goal for UH to engage and remain connected with its students, prospective students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans, friends, donors and the community.

“The UH social media team is a resource helping people stay involved with football games, art events, career services and many different kinds of events

and information,” said Brand. “We cross-promote campus events to keep people with different interests engaged.”

Her greatest success so far is the “Keep Houston Red” campaign, where the social media team asked UH students, faculty and staff to wear Cougar Red on Fridays.

“There were many components of this social-based campaign, and it was incredibly successful,” said Brand. “We organized ‘Red Rewards’ on Fridays, where teams of students and staff would roam campus to hand out free T-shirts to students wearing red and arranged visits to classes with the UH marching band and mascot, where social media cards were handed out and photos taken of students for the social media sites.”

#GoingforGold The Council for Advancement Support of Education (CASE) awarded the “Keep Houston Red” campaign gold awards for social media integration and the UH Facebook social media networking page; the silver award for social media creativity; and a bronze award for UH Twitter in 2013.

The American Marketing Association (AMA) Houston awarded the campaign two Crystal Awards, including “Judge’s Favorite” and the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Houston awarded a Gold Excalibur Award for Integrated Marketing Campaign and a Bronze Excalibur Award

COOGS DEVELOPING THEIR SOCIAL GRACES CAMPUS AFFAIRSCAMPUS AFFAIRS

UH SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER JESSICA BRAND HELPS STUDENTS WITH ONLINE ACTIVITIES AT FRONTIER FIESTA (LEFT) AND SOCIALIZES WITH THE UH MASCOT SHASTA.


The University of Houston started off the 2014-15 academic year with its highest enrollment in history—40,959 as of the 12th day of classes—and a record number of students living on campus. Simultaneously, UH finished out the 2014 fiscal year with new records in fundraising— $126.8 million in total commitments for private support.

“More important than even the dollars is the impact this generous support has on students, and the impact it has on making Houston an even greater city, as it benefits from UH becoming an even greater research university,” said Eloise D. Stuhr, vice chancellor/vice president for University Advancement.

With the student population growing 3.6 percent over last fall, there are more students than ever before to benefit from the University’s philanthropic efforts. Among the 32,980 undergraduates are 4,057 first-time-in-college students who make up the most impressive freshman class in UH history. The Class of 2018 has an average SAT of 1143 and includes 32 National Merit Scholars, up from three just six years ago. Almost half of the class has chosen to live on campus, and 70 percent of freshman are taking 15 credits or more.

“As we continue to achieve new milestones, including establishing an enrollment record this fall, we will remain focused on achieving overall excellence, with student success remaining our highest priority.” said Renu Khator, UH System chancellor and UH president. “These institutional milestones reflect the undeniable, palpable energy on display on our campus. It is an exciting time to be a Cougar.” —Staff Reports

—Melissa Carroll

for Grass Roots Program/Guerilla Marketing in 2012. PRSA Houston awarded a Silver Excalibur Award for Excellence (Interactive PR) for a social media campaign in 2011.

“UH is successful with social media because we look at things a little differently,” said Bill Herndon, director of web and new media communication at UH. “We are willing to try things to figure out what works and what doesn’t.”

UH receives between 10 to 50 questions a day regarding all aspects of the University on social media.

“Being responsive is the most important part of our job. We have a great network with the Social Media Alliance (a group developed by the UH social media team to meet with communicators across the UH campus on a regular basis) and that is key to providing the best customer service,” said Brand.

UH’s commitment to social media also led it to become the very first university on Snapchat. The timing couldn’t have worked out better. About a month after UH’s launch, the NCAA announced that Snapchat would be an acceptable recruiting tool for the upcoming academic year.

RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR UH ENROLLMENT, HOUSING AND FUNDRAISING

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/universityofhouston - 105,000 followers

Google+ https://plus.google.com/+universityofhouston - 199,100 followers

Twitter https://twitter.com/uhouston - 24,000 followers

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=19529 - 153,000 followers

Instagram http://instagram.com/universityofhouston - 8,100 followers

Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/univofhouston/ - 500 followerws

Snapchat (using the handle UHouston) https://www.snapchat.com/ Followers - 2,200 followers

UH WAS NAMED AS ONE OF THE “MOST INFLUENTIAL COLLEGES ON GOOGLE +” IN 2014 ON COLLEGE ATLAS.ORG AND AMONG THE “TOP 100 SOCIAL MEDIA COLLEGES” BY STUDENTADVISOR.COM IN 2013.

TODAY, UH USES SEVERAL SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS TO REACH COMMUNITIES ON CAMPUS AND BEYOND, BUILDING AN EVER-GROWING TRACK RECORD OF NOTABLE STATISTICS, INCLUDING:


NEW FACULTY MEMBERSNEW FACULTY MEMBERS

The University of Houston would not be the Tier One institution it is today without the significant contributions of its world-class teachers and researchers. But exactly how does UH consistently recruit a first-rate faculty?

It’s more complicated than you might think.

In identifying and hiring new tenure-track faculty positions, the colleges must take into account several factors, including budget allocations, student demand, curriculum, research needs and the instructional needs of the degree program. Once these factors have all been considered and confirmed, the department creates a specific job description and search committee.

When a new faculty position opens, the Office of the Provost works with the college and department leadership to ensure they have the strongest pool of applicants available. In addition to advertising on numerous job boards, search committees will recruit at professional conferences hosted by national and international academic organizations. Applicants typically submit a dossier that includes a letter of introduction, a summary of research, letters of recommendation and teaching philosophy. The biggest challenge, says Associate Provost for Faculty Development F. Richard Olenchak, is competing with so many institutions in the U.S. and abroad.

HIRED EDUCATIONUH Employs Detailed Process for Faculty Recruitment

by Kristina Michel

“Every university in the world wants to employ the most outstanding faculty talent possible,” Olenchak said. “The good news for UH is that we have remarkable leadership, a lovely urban campus, a tremendous collection of existing faculty and student talent and a pleasant, supportive atmosphere.”

Another important consideration in faculty recruitment is diversity. Equal Opportunity Services (EOS) reviews the language of the ads, the list of candidates and the makeup of search committees to ensure the University is adhering to equal opportunity laws. EOS compares UH’s faculty diversity levels to census data to determine areas within a department where diversity might be lacking. With this information, it makes recommendations to the hiring department of how best to encourage a strong, diverse pool of applicants. Though EOS and the Office of the Provost assist in the faculty hiring process, it is the hiring department that makes the final hiring decision.

Richard A. Baker, vice president of EOS, compares the whole process to a race. “We’re looking for the best runner in that race, and we want to encourage all different types of groups to participate,” Baker said.

To the candidates, the race is not so much a sprint as it is a marathon. The entire process can take a semester or longer, says Maria Elena Soliño, associate professor and president of the UH Faculty Senate.

To ensure a department is covering as many areas of learning and research as possible for the benefit of the students, each professor must have a very specific area of expertise.

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Roberto Ballarini, professor, Civil and Environmental EngineeringTasneem Bawa-Khalfe, assistant professor, Biology and BiochemistryAaron Becker, assistant professor, Electrical and Computer EngineeringJason Berger, assistant professor, EnglishEmily Berman, assistant professor, LawJakoah Brgoch, assistant professor, ChemistryRobert Bronk, assistant professor, Information & Logistics TechnologyCameron Buckner, assistant professor, PhilosophyDong Cai, assistant professor, PhysicsRyan Canolty, assistant professor, Electrical and Computer EngineeringMichael Ray Charles, professor, ArtJinghong Chen, associate professor, Electrical and Computer EngineeringLi Chen, assistant professor, Biology and BiochemistryErica Ciszek, assistant professor, CommunicationScott Clifford, assistant professor, Political ScienceCourtney Crappell, associate professor, MusicKerri Crawford, assistant professor, Biology and BiochemistrySteven Crawford, assistant professor, AccountingAndrew Daire, professor, Educational PsychologyChristian Eberhart, professor, Comparative Cultural StudiesSarah Ehlers, assistant professor, EnglishChristine Ehlig-Economides, professor, Chemical and

Biomolecular EngineeringLeslie Frankel, assistant professor, Educational PsychologyNickolas Freeman, assistant professor, Decision & Information SciencesWilla Friedman, assistant professor, EconomicsXin Fu, assistant professor, Electrical and Computer EngineeringAlin Fumurescu, assistant professor, Political ScienceHadi Ghasemi, assistant professor, Mechanical EngineeringJose Angel Hernandez, associate professor, HistoryAndrew Hines, assistant professor, Human Development and

Consumer SciencesSam Hui, associate professor, Marketing & EntrepreneurshipMargarete Jadamec, assistant professor, Earth and Atmospheric SciencesSara Jones, assistant professor, Educational Psychology

Sheila Katz, assistant professor, SociologyKonstantinos Kostarelos, associate professor, Chemical and

Biomolecular EngineeringBeom Chan Lee, assistant professor, Health & Human PerformanceDong Hun Lee, assistant professor, Health & Human PerformanceDaan Liang, associate professor, Construction ManagementAuritro Majumder, assistant professor, EnglishMelissa Markofski, assistant professor, Health & Human PerformanceJason Marsack, assistant professor, OptometryDavid Mayerich, assistant professor, Electrical and Computer EngineeringArjun Mukherjee, assistant professor, Computer ScienceRosenda Murillo, assistant professor, Educational PsychologyDuy Lap Nguyen, assistant professor, Modern & Classical LanguagesLisa Ostrin, assistant professor, OptometryJeremy Palmer, assistant professor, Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringGopal Pandurangan, associate professor, Computer ScienceJiming Peng, associate professor, Industrial EngineeringPablo Pinto, associate professor, Political ScienceClaudia Ratti, assistant professor, PhysicsAnthony Rolle, professor, Educational Leadership & Policy StudiesJonathan Schwartz, professor, Educational PsychologyAhmed Senouci, associate professor, Construction ManagementJuan Carlos Silva-Tamayo, assistant professor, Earth and

Atmospheric SciencesKavita Singh, assistant professor, EnglishThamar Solorio, associate professor, Computer ScienceThomas Teets, assistant professor, ChemistryRoberto Tejada, professor, EnglishJulie Tolliver, assistant professor, Modern & Classical LanguagesGomika Udugamasooriya, associate professor, Pharmacological and

Pharmaceutical SciencesLiliana Varela, assistant professor, EconomicsSteven Woods, professor, PsychologyHong K. Zhang, associate professor, MathematicsYingcai Zheng, assistant professor, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

TENURE–TRACK FACULTY HIRED IN FALL 2014


“Everybody who’s hired is very specialized,” says Soliño. “That offers our students a range that other universities don’t tend to have.”

Tenure-track candidates must have more than teaching ability and subject mastery. They must also demonstrate their capacity to do research throughout their career. Candidates for a tenure-track position in Soliño’s field, humanities, are often asked to deliver a public lecture about their research. They may be asked to teach an actual class, and participate in a lengthy stream of interviews with deans, department chairs, search committee members, administrators, students, alumni and others.

When the search committee finishes reviewing the data and feedback from key stakeholders, it selects a sole finalist. After an administrative review to ensure all qualifications have been met, that finalist is offered the position.

As painstaking as the process can be, the results are evident in the expanding research funding and numerous academic awards UH faculty members are receiving. And there’s still plenty of room to grow.

“Clearly, UH is still developing,” Soliño says, “and our new faculty will play a crucial role in shaping that growth.”


Building the ‘Big Rocks’Arts, Energy and Health Initiatives Providing the Pathway to Success by Eric Gerber

ARTS • ENERGY • HEALTH


enu Khator is not a geologist, but she’s certainly interested in Big Rocks. After she accepted the position of president of the University of Houston in 2008, she quickly reached out

to the campus community and the general public to share their thoughts about where she should be leading UH. This first “100 Days” campaign generated a wealth of suggestions – all told, more than 12,000 were received. President Khator and her team set about evaluating the responses, using the results to help shape the objectives of her administration. Two mandates became clear: UH should strive to achieve nationally competitive recognition – that is, Tier One status – and it must bolster the city whose name it shares.

While President Khator embraced this general vision, she realized it was essential to identify specific priorities to accomplish it. These became her Big Rocks – that is, areas of principal concentration.

“Simply put, there are Big Rocks, which are those things that are very important, and there are Small Rocks,” she explained. “It’s crucial to know the difference. You don’t ignore the Small Rocks, but you always make sure you are taking care of the Big Rocks first. Those are your cornerstones.”

At UH, Khator said, her Big Rocks would be Student Success, Athletics and three areas of academic and research concentration – Arts, Energy and Health.

For some, the president’s ‘Big Rocks’ approach was as novel as it was engaging. But others nodded knowingly, recognizing the source of this innovative organizational concept.

It had been popularized a few years before by Stephen R. Covey, the celebrated business management guru and author of such thought-provoking books as “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” and “First Things First.” Covey championed the value of determining what is clearly meaningful then making sure those objectives are always considered first and foremost when assets were allocated.

That’s not revolutionary thinking — and Covey didn’t claim to have invented the concept. What Covey contributed was trumpeting the importance of truly understanding that approach and adopting it unequivocally.

For Khator and her staff, the key to choosing their “Big Rocks” was the symbiotic nature of UH and Houston. Simply put, UH needed to enhance those enterprises that help make Houston vibrant and successful (allowing Houston, in turn, to support its public university). With that in mind, along with her personal commitment to Student Success and Athletics, Khator zeroed in on three initiatives that would help UH become nationally competitive and support the community: Arts, Energy and Health.

ArtsThe UH Arts Initiative reflects the University’s realization that a truly successful city requires a vibrant cultural community, where creativity flourishes. As the Center for Houston’s Future “Arts & Cultural Heritage Community Indicator Report” notes, “increasing evidence attests to the integral role that a robust arts-and-culture scene plays in economic competitiveness, community development, quality of life and social cohesion.” To that end, the University is committed to its role as an anchor institution, working to educate and encourage young artists and entrepreneurs, to provide a nurturing environment for performance and inspiration and to share our own artistic resources with the community. UH serves as a work of art in itself, courtesy of a groundbreaking Public Art program that covers our campus with a dazzling array of sculpture, paintings and other media. The impact of UH Arts is felt through numerous live performances, art and design exhibitions, community programs, literary publications and innovative artistic collaborations.

EnergyHouston is known as the Energy Capital of the World. Nearly half of our city’s economic base is driven by energy and more than 3,600 energy-related companies are based in Houston, including 150 pipeline transportation businesses and nine major refineries. Houston has almost 40,000 jobs devoted just to oil and gas extraction. The UH Energy Initiative serves as a platform to integrate UH’s various efforts and enable the University to be a strategic partner of the energy industry by producing skilled workforce, leadership, research and development and technology incubation. In addition to supporting conventional, petroleum-based industry, UH is making extensive advancements in the areas of sustainability, solar energy, wind energy, superconductivity and grid issues. The 75-acre Energy Research Park represents UH’s highest profile commitment to the initiative, but just about every inch of campus plays its part in helping Houston keep the “Energy Capital” crown.

HealthSimilarly, the UH Health Initiative is born out of a compelling economic reality. Health care is the largest and fastest-growing industry in Texas, and UH serves as a principal supplier of trained personnel and cutting-edge research. Houston’s Texas Medical Center (TMC) alone has a local economic impact of $10 billion annually, with more than 52,000 people working within its facilities. To support the TMC (of which UH is a member) and the city’s numerous other health operations, UH awards one out of every four degrees in health care-related disciplines and more than half of UH research dollars are spent in health-related fields such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious diseases, genomics, proteomics, visual sciences, nanotechnology and drug discovery. As health care issues grow in scope and significance, the UH Health Initiative is prepared to expand accordingly.

These three “Big Rocks” at UH continue to profoundly shape our University’s ambitions and accomplishments, leading the way as it becomes the great university a great city deserves. In the following pages, we offer a snapshot of each one, providing an interesting glimpse into how we are powering forward.

“SIMPLY PUT, UH NEEDED TO ENHANCE THOSE ENTERPRISES THAT HELP MAKE HOUSTON VIBRANT AND SUCCESSFUL (ALLOWING HOUSTON, IN TURN, TO SUPPORT ITS PUBLIC UNIVERSITY).”

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University arts programs across the country serve not merely to educate the next generation of actors, creative writers, dancers, singers, musicians and visual artists, they also serve as bridges and gateways to the communities in which they are situated. This reality undoubtedly played a significant role in UH President Renu Khator’s designation of the arts at the University of Houston as one of the “Big Rocks.”

Initially conceptualized as foundational pillars upon which the University would elevate its reputation and visibility as a Tier One University, “Big Rock” initiatives, which include the arts, have allowed the University to align its established and potential programmatic strengths with areas of growth and strengths in the greater Houston metropolitan area. By identifying these initiatives for further investment, UH has positioned itself to claim its role as a significant contributor to future cultural, economic and social expansion in the region.

With a growing and vibrant arts community in Houston and surrounding communities, the arts programs at UH play a vital role as incubators of expertise and talent to support the continued growth and expansion of local cultural arts programming. The vibrancy of the local arts scene was recently confirmed in a study jointly sponsored by the University

of Houston and the Houston Arts Alliance. This groundbreaking study, “The Creative Economy in Houston,” concluded that Houston has one of the fastest growing creative economies in the country. It further noted the need for education and training to maintain and expand the creative sector in our large and burgeoning city.

In developing both creative and technical expertise to fuel a growing creative economy not only locally but also nationally, UH presents arts students with a decided advantage. Our students are given the opportunity to study with some of the most creative and talented faculty in the country. These faculty members, most of whom are practicing artists themselves, play a significant role in providing students with the knowledge and skills to become exceptional performers of their crafts and eventual leaders in their fields. Through internships and other cooperative arrangements with local cultural institutions, our students also gain real-world experience by working with and learning from practicing artists and other creative professionals.

The arts, however, figure in another important way in the effort to align University and area strengths in productive and synergistic ways. As an institutional priority, the designation of the arts as a “Big Rock” initiative

UH Arts: Enriching, Entertaining, Educating


by John W. Roberts

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also recognized that UH is not only one of the most diverse universities in the country, it is also situated in one of America’s most diverse cities. In significant ways, our arts programs have, and continue to play, a pivotal role in the University’s effort to highlight diversity as one of our and the nation’s most important assets.

Through our arts curriculum and engagement in performances, productions, exhibitions, and other arts events and activities, our students, faculty and audiences are exposed to new ways of thinking and conceptualizing the arts in a societal and world context where diversity is rapidly becoming the norm. The arts serve as forums for engendering mutual respect, an appreciation of differences, and cross-cultural understanding for success in all facets of life within our University and beyond. Through our curriculum and programming, the experiences of our students and audiences are enriched as we actively, and with conscious intention, engage in an exchange of ideas, perspective and experiences that represent all voices as well as the diverse artistic and creative communication that reflect our global community.

As one of the most important points of access and exchange between the campus and the community, the UH Arts Initiative serves as a model of community and institutional engagement. In ways different from most other academic programs at the University, the vitality of our arts programs depends on public engagement and support to fulfill its educational and pedagogical mission. The presence of supportive patrons at creative performances, exhibitions, recitals and other public events contributes to the economic viability of university arts programs and, thereby, ensures the maintenance of these culturally enriching activities for enjoyment and study by future generations. In turn, patrons are afforded access to activities and programs that provide cultural enrichment and entertainment that contribute to the quality of life in our community.

Roberts is dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences.

“OUR STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY WITH SOME OF THE MOST CREATIVE AND TALENTED FACULTY IN THE COUNTRY.”

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Dramatic Club debuts with “Ghost Parade”

Cullen Performance Hall dedicated on Halloween

UH begins policy dedicating 1% of construction costs to the acquisition of public art

UH presents first Houston Shakespeare Festival

Creative Writing Program established

First opera performed, Moores Opera House opens a decade later

Edward Albee joins School of Theatre & Dance

Immanuel and Helen Olshan Texas Music Festival founded

$20 million gift establishes Cynthia Woods Mitchell

Center for the Arts

Spirit of Houston Cougar Marching Band performs at Super Bowl XXXVIII

Blaffer Art Museum undergoes major renovation

Fine Arts Building and Blaffer Gallery open


Celebrity watchers were in for a treat a couple of years ago when a team of prominent entertainers who learned their craft at the University of Houston returned to take part in an alumni event called “An Afternoon with the Artists.” Onstage were Dennis Quaid, Cindy Pickett, Robert Wuhl and Brett Cullen.

While that was certainly an impressive lineup of talent, with such TV and screen credits as “Batman,” “Ferris Bueller,” “Arli$$,” “West Wing” and “The Right Stuff” among their accomplishments, it was hardly comprehensive.

Those particular “artists” might have been joined by ...

“Big Bang Theory” super-geek Jim Parsons … Brent Spiner, best known as Data from “Star Trek: Next Generation” … That other Quaid, Randy … His former comedy partner and “Raising Arizona” star Trey Wilson …Fresh from “House of Cards,” Derek Cecil … Loretta Devine, from “Dreamgirls” stage fame and “Grey’s Anatomy” … and TV veterans Larry “Hogan’s Heroes” Hovis and Peter “Big Valley” Breck, to mention a few.

On the musical side, notable Cougar alums range from country stars like Larry Gatlin to hip-hop luminaries like Paul Wall and

Grammy-winning Chamillionaire. Falling somewhere in between was Townes Van Zandt, who became a folk music icon, along with jazz and cabaret standouts Billy Stritch and Sharon Montgomery. Of course, leading this list would be Kenny Rogers, who studied at UH before a tremendous music career filled with hits like “The Gambler,” “Lucille” and many others. And, for the technically inclined, you could include the incomparable Lyle Lovett, who received an honorary degree from UH in 2010.

Deserving a category of his own is Tommy Tune, the multi-talented Broadway performer who has won a long string of Tony awards as actor, choreographer, dancer, singer and director of seemingly countless productions on the New York stage.

From a literary perspective, along with the renowned Donald Barthelme, UH can also lay claim to such successful writers as Thomas Cobb (“Crazy Heart”), sci-fi standout Gene Wolfe (“Book of the New Sun”), William J. Cobb (“Goodnight, Texas”), crime writer Kathryn Casey (“Singularity”), Alice Sebold (“Lovely Bones”) and the highly respected poet Vassar Miller.

On the artistic front, perhaps the highest profile alumni would be Julian Schnabel, who combined his success as an avant-garde painter with forays into moviemaking, directing such films as “Basquiat” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” And The Art Guys ( Jack Massing and Michael Galbreth) have built a reputation based on simultaneously spoofing and saluting the world of fine arts.

Showbiz buffs and culture aficionados can rattle off dozens of others, of course … such as comedian Bill Hicks ... “All the President’s Men” producer Walter Coblenz … Songstress Sally Mayes … Best-selling self-help author Brene Brown … Sax man Tony Campise … Opera singer (and “America’s Got Talent” runner–up) Barbara Padilla … Fashion designer Victor Costa … Composer Christopher Theofanidis … Romance novelist Shane Bolks … Poet Pattiann Rogers … Rapper Lil’ Wayne … Animated voice actor (“Spongebob Squarepants”) Greg Baldwin … Pianist Yvar Mikhashoff … Architect and fashion designer Laura Bennett …

As UH continues to produce Creative Coogs, it is a list that grows longer every day.

NOW PLAYING … CREATIVE COOGS

—Mike Emery & Eric Gerber

FROM LEFT: PICKETT, QUAID, CULLEN AND WUHL: SHOWTIME!


‘SPOILING PAPER’: BARTHELME MEMORIESEditor’s Note: Post-modernist writer Donald Barthelme studied journalism at UH before achieving international acclaim for experimental works like “Snow White” and “Come Back, Dr. Caligari.” In 1979, he returned to UH as a faculty member and co-founder of the Creative Writing Program. Padgett Powell, his student, became a successful novelist – his first work “Edisto” was nominated for the American Book Award – who now teaches at the University of Florida. In an unorthodox tribute, Powell recalls Barthelme’s influence on him …and countless other writers.

My time at the University of Houston had a couple of remarkable moments. One was teaching Doug Drabek remedial English, which he technically did not need, and at his invitation going to the stadium and watching him fan The University of Texas, at the time I believe (ranked) #1, and later seeing Doug pitch in the big leagues and telling everyone, “I taught that boy on the mound the simple sentence,” which was a lie.

Another moment – after languishing in the writing program for a year and being told my writing was “jimcrack and corn” by a teacher who did not deign to shake hands – was meeting Donald Barthelme, who shook hands, and who wrote in the margins of that same writing “erstaz Faulkner,” then crossed the comment out on the grounds he “didn’t know if [I] could take it.” I told him he still did not know if I could take it, that he was never to withhold a comment from me, what was the big deal, it was supposed to be ersatz Faulkner, and that I was not here to be coddled and be told I was a writer and write a thesis, that I came here to meet women, and if I had to write something it would not be a thesis but a book. “By all means,” he said, chuckling – and that if we ever had to do this manuscript thing again it would not be in this barren office it would be in a bar, and Don Barthelme closed the manuscript and we adjourned, if not then, soon, to a bar. We got along.

Here are six things I learned from Donald Barthelme, the hiring of whom by UH ranks in my mind with Princeton’s hiring of Einstein:

Observation A good editor will stop reading if you show her a usage error or a typo.

DB: Okay, we have wacky mode. What must wacky mode do? We: [Silent, clueless, sitting on our hands] DB: Break their hearts. Class dismissed.

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by Padgett Powell

PADGETT POWELL (LEFT) LEARNED THE FINER POINTS OF ‘SPOILING PAPER’ FROM DONALD BARTHELME, ONE OF THE FOUNDERS OF THE UH CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM

Observation The obligation to supply emotion is not lessened in the experimental mode, it is heightened if it is different.

MB: Don, the neighbor’s dog nipped Katherine today. DB: Does she warrant it not rabid?

DB: I spoiled a lot of paper before anyone got interested. Student: How much? DB: [having moved on, taking a sip of vodka tonic] What? Student: [breathless] How much paper did you spoil? DB: Boxcar. [Sip] Two boxcar.

At the typewriter overlooking the street, with circular water stains from wine-glass stem on the wood of the desk, Don Barthelme wrote of seeing early joggers running toward “rude, red health.”

DB: Give them a clean, perfect manuscript.

MB (Marion Barthelme, Donald’s wife): Don, there was a strange boy at the door today, somehow menacing— DB: Was there a linoleum knife in his pocket?

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Observation (regarding lessons two to five): The main strategy is to say something new using two syllables or two words not heard in a while, perhaps never heard together, perhaps not heard before.


On any given day, Houstonians can attend a performance, exhibition or reading at the University of Houston. In fact, UH hosts more than 175,000 visitors to its campus arts events annually. Yes, the arts loom large on campus, but the University strives to enhance the creative landscape of the entire city.

Numerous endeavors go beyond campus stages, studios, galleries and auditoriums. Many of these initiatives do what the arts do best – entertain audiences — but a number of efforts focus on educating, informing and inspiring the public.

A perfect example of UH using its talents to captivate Houstonians is the Houston Shakespeare Festival (HSF) presented by the School of Theatre & Dance at Miller Outdoor Theater each year. One of UH’s most visible community engagement vehicles, HSF celebrated its 40th anniversary this year with milestone performances of “Henry IV, Part 1” and “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.”

“It’s simply not summer in Houston if you don’t see free HSF shows at Miller,” said Jim Johnson, director of UH’s School of Theatre & Dance.

While HSF has become an integral part of the city’s fabric, Johnson added that it does much more than transport audiences to the Bard’s world.

THE ARTS OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

“While we want to entertain audiences, we also want to engage them before the curtain is raised,” he said. “We conduct pre-show discussions for groups and are adding educational activities throughout the year, including film screenings.” Additionally, HSF contributes to the region’s artistic growth through its HSF Conservatory, providing professional theater training to high school students who learn stage skills from veteran actors and theater pros.

Blaffer Art Museum also works with Houston–area students through the Young Artists Apprenticeship Program (YAAP). Since 1998, YAAP has offered arts training for Houston high schoolers, complementing other Blaffer programs that bolster public arts education, all under the umbrella of Blaffer’s Art Focus.

“Creative activities are vital parts of people’s lives,” said Katherine Veneman, curator of education at Blaffer Art Museum. “It’s our hope that an exhibition or experience might inspire them to have a deeper understanding of art.”

Students aren’t the only ones who benefit from UH’s creative reach into the community. For 25 years, Houston high school educators have learned about literature through the Common Ground Teachers Institute. Hosted by UH’s Honors College, the summer workshop offers teachers new insights on classic and contemporary texts. Workshop participants emerge refreshed and ready to share new perspectives with their students.

William Monroe, dean of the Honors College, who recently guided Common Ground participants through literary activities, said creative offerings like this are essential for many teachers.

“We see a lot of burn out in our educators. Common Ground lets them become excited again. More than that,” he said, “they can recharge their batteries and be ready when school is back in session.”

Some projects are less literal, aiming instead at physically enhancing the city. A number of initiatives at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, for instance, explore creative ways to enrich Houston. These include the Collaborative Community Design Initiative, which promotes collaboration with civic leaders and proposes innovative

by Mike Emery

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WHETHER IT’S A GRADUATE DESIGN/BUILD STUDIO INSTALLATION, LIKE ‘REFRAME X FRAME’ (LEFT) IN HERMANN PARK, OR A HOUSTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL PRODUCTION, UH TAKES CULTURE OFF CAMPUS AND INTO THE COMMUNITY.


urban designs for aging neighborhoods. Another notable project is Professor Patrick Peters’ Graduate Design/Build Studio, which contributes functional structures (designed and constructed by students) to city parks, schools or nonprofit organizations.

Peters’ studio has contributed many special amenities, including a small amphitheater for T.H. Rogers School, a solar shade tree for McReynolds Middle School, a solar-powered classroom for Alief’s community garden and, most recently, a solar-powered education portal for Paul Revere Middle School. Peters’ projects have connected creativity and community outreach for decades. His Graduate Design Build Studio just completed its 21st project.

Meanwhile, new community-oriented programs continue to emerge including the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for Arts’ forthcoming INTERSECTIONS. The project will expand awareness of Muslim

cultures on campus and in the community through the work of four artists-in-residence.

INTERSECTIONS uses creativity as a mechanism to communicate across cultures, and that is the beauty of using the arts for community engagement, said Karen Farber, Mitchell Center director.

Finding solutions to problems through innovation is a daily occurrence at UH, but using the arts to do so further connects community and campus in a special way.

“Only the arts can render complex realities in equally complex ways,” Farber said. “Artists work outside silos and across disciplinary boundaries. At UH, we connect artists with subjects in our community and help them to create something transformational for all involved.”

by Mike Emery

Those who knew Wilhelmina Daisy Cullen Robertson Smith will recall her devotion to the arts and the University of Houston.

This fall, the University welcomed a campus enhancement that is named for its longtime supporter and friend.

Wilhelmina Grove officially opened, welcoming arts patrons and members of the Cougar Community who frequent UH’s Arts District. The Grove connects UH’s principal arts venues including Blaffer Art Museum, Moores Opera House, Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre and the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts. It also offers a versatile outdoor area for personal meditation, conversation and pre-performance activities.

The $2.2 million project was completed just in time for the Alley Theatre’s yearlong residence at UH and to greet the Creative Coogs returning for the fall semester.

An abundance of trees characterizes the Grove’s serene setting, while concrete seating areas offer spaces for socializing and studying. At night, hanging lanterns transform the space into a perfect pavilion to host events before and after plays, concerts or exhibitions.

“I’m especially excited about the new lighting and what the Grove will look like for people who are coming on campus for arts events and performances,” said Jim Johnson, director of UH’s School of Theatre and Dance. “I think many of them will be pleasantly surprised to have this as their first experience of the University of Houston.”

While student artists and campus visitors are enjoying the revamped space, Smith’s family is pleased to see the Grove as yet another chapter in the campus’ evolution.

WELCOMING WILHELMINA GROVE

Her daughter Lillie T. Robertson said the space complements her mother’s passion for both UH and the performing arts.

“It is just the kind of place she’d create – a modern and elegant plaza in an old grove of trees that invites people to gather and enjoy the outdoors,” she said. “My family – Beth Robertson, Corby Robertson, Carroll Ray and Alison Baumann – and I are delighted by its functional beauty that honors her so well.”

The Grove’s namesake was not only a valued friend to the University, she was a proud alumna – having earned her degree in 1944. Smith, who passed away in 2009, was the last surviving daughter of UH’s founding family Hugh Roy Cullen and Lillie Cranz Cullen. Her husband, Corbin J. Robertson, was the namesake of UH’s previous football stadium.

The Grove was made possible through the generosity of supporters, whose contributions totaled $1.7 million. Those who made this project possible include the Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts; Lillie T. Robertson/CJ Foundation Fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation; The Wortham Foundation Inc.; Carroll R. Ray and Hugh M. Ray/CRL Family Fund of the Greater Houston Community Foundation and Houston Endowment Inc.


UH Energy as a formal entity is fairly new – President Renu Khator introduced the idea of making energy a primary focus for the University of Houston in 2008 – but its roots go back decades.

UH Energy brings together faculty, students and industry to meet a number of key goals: providing a trained workforce and technical leadership, researching and developing hydrocarbons and alternative energy sources, setting regulatory and public policy, and devising commercialization pathways and other business practices, as well as promoting technology incubation.

UH is best known for its technical energy-related educational and research programs, which began almost as soon as the University was founded.

The Cullen College of Engineering was created in 1941, and its engineering programs – including chemical engineering, petroleum engineering and graduate programs in subsea engineering, well completions and interventions, along with well design engineering – maintain UH’s standing as a leading academic institution for the development of unique educational programs that target the energy industry.

Those programs, coupled with geoscience programs in the College of Natural Science and Mathematics and related certificate and degree programs, including construction management and petroleum technology in the College of Technology, are just part of the array of academic programs that make up the UH Energy Initiative.

The Global Energy Management Institute at the C. T. Bauer College of Business, along with its Executive MBA programs aimed at energy executives, contribute to the goal, as do energy and environmental law programs at the Law Center. Similarly, educational and research programs in architecture, history, economics, political science and international politics have focused on policy issues in energy and environment.

An interdisciplinary minor in energy and sustainability, launched in 2013 under the guidance of UH Energy, now provides students in all fields of study an introduction to the topic.

Many of these programs, and much of our research, are driven by our beneficial partnership with industry – we work with industry to better understand both their workforce needs and their technical challenges.

UH Energy: Engaging, Encompassing, Empoweringby Ramanan Krishnamoorti


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Industry’s commitment to the growth and success of energy-related programs at UH can be recognized through the outstanding corporate leaders on the UH energy advisory board. The continued vibrancy of UH Energy will be achieved by addressing regional, national and global needs for the sustained development of energy resources.

We are gearing up to address these challenges.

Just a few examples: the growth of the Allied Geophysical and Well-Logging Laboratories and, more recently, the Unconventional Resources Center of Excellence have mirrored the growth of the oil and gas exploration and production industry and the increased interaction between our University and industry on critical issues in research and development.

You can add to that the recently started bachelor’s degree programs in petroleum engineering and master’s degree programs in subsea engineering, along with more specialized master’s degree programs, all at the request of industry.

These programs grew from the University’s foundations in energy research. In the early 1970s, the chemistry and chemical engineering programs developed research strengths in organic and inorganic synthesis, catalysis and reaction engineering to complement the growth of the chemical refining industry in the Houston area, becoming global leaders in downstream hydrocarbon processing.

In the 1980s UH researchers, led by physicist Paul Chu, investigated pioneering materials capable of exhibiting high temperature superconductivity and established the University as the leading academic entity to advance the science and technology required for the development of high-temperature superconductors.

The Energy Research Park, a 74-acre industrial park purchased by the University in 2009, has helped take those accomplishments to a new level. The establishment of the Texas Center for Clean Engines, Emissions and Fuel, the Energy Device

Fabrication Laboratory, the Applied Research Hub for the Texas Center for Superconductivity and the National Wind Energy Center take advances in fundamental science and engineering and develop impactful technologies.

That important work continues, even as we plan for the future.

Programs focused on conventional energy will continue to remain important to UH Energy, including critical issues in nuclear and pipeline

infrastructure, safety programs addressing research and training, cybersecurity and analytics research to ensure responsible energy production. But alternative energy — including innovations in solar energy technologies, thermoelectric materials and advanced energy storage, as well as research to rethink urban development and ensure access to clean water — is also a critical part of our mandate.

Taken together, those pathways will not only define UH Energy during the coming years but will also change the world in the process.

Krishnamoorti, chief energy officer at the University of Houston, is a professor of chemical and biomedical engineering.


‘UH IS BEST KNOWN FOR ITS TECHNICAL ENERGY-RELATED EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS, WHICH BEGAN ALMOST AS SOON AS THE UNIVERSITY WAS FOUNDED.’

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19631987

19912001

20032009

20092009

20102013

Courses in electricity, diesel motors and aircraft engines for WWII workers

Cullen Family donates $5 million for first

Engineering Building

Paul Chu makes high temperature superconductivity

breakthrough

Global Energy Management Institute

founded

Doctoral programs in chemistry, physics, electrical, chemical and mechanical engineering approved by state

Physics Department named one of 10 most influential in America by Science magazine

Texas Center for Clean Engines, Emissions & Fuels opens

74-acre Schlumberger property becomes UH Energy Research Park

One of country’s first courses in carbon trading offered

Undergraduate degree in petroleum engineering begins

Master’s degree program in subsea engineering launches

DOE funds National Wind Energy Center at UH


One of the most chilling assessments in the reams of reports that have followed the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico came this summer, when investigators for the Chemical Safety Board said it could happen again. With energy companies moving to more challenging environments to explore and produce hydrocarbons over the next decades, the challenges and risks continue to grow.

The Subsea Systems Institute is designed to lower the risk.

The institute, led by the University of Houston, will be a go-between for industry and government regulators, testing and validating equipment, setting safety standards and other best practices, developing new materials and science-based policies, as well as overseeing workforce training. Rice University and the Johnson Space Center are also involved.

Federal regulators have promised more oversight since the oil spill. Brian Salerno, director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, the top offshore regulator, told an audience at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston last spring that safety is more crucial than ever because the BP oil spill made Americans wary of expanding drilling in the Atlantic and Alaskan Arctic.

Ensuring Safety Ramanan Krishnamoorti, chief energy officer for UH, said a neutral third party operating as a public-private partnership can ensure that technologies needed for safe and environmentally responsible operations in such an environment are tested and validated, and that policies required for a decreased risk of failure are developed and implemented.

The Institute could certify that the most effective safety regulations and standards are developed and shared with industry, building upon previously established relationships.

UH began building those relationships years ago, working with industry on research and offering workforce training. It restarted the University’s undergraduate petroleum engineering program in 2009 and a master’s program in subsea engineering in 2013, both at the urging of industry. The UH Energy advisory board is filled with executives from global energy companies, most of them based in Houston.

Partners With UT, A&M Last fall, UH joined with Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin to form the Ocean Energy Safety Institute, a five-year, $5 million collaborative created by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to provide both government regulators and industry with the latest safety information about offshore drilling.

The Subsea Systems Institute will go beyond that, Krishnamoorti said, not only setting safety standards but also offering testing of equipment and conducting research to promote safety and efficiency in the ultra-deep Gulf of Mexico and the Alaskan Arctic. In those deep waters high pressure and high temperature pose technical challenges members of the partnership are well-suited to address. It also will oversee workforce training programs, both through community colleges and area universities.

Darrin Hall, executive director of governmental relations at UH, said some research could focus on reasons for safety equipment failures, to reduce future failure rates.

“You always should have a plan if a spill occurs, but what if a spill never happens?” he asked. “You should always have a remediation plan, but what if you could avoid it?”

Much of the testing and related research will be conducted at labs that will be built at the UH Energy Research Park, just a few miles from the main campus. Each of the three partners brings special expertise: In addition to its subsea engineering program, UH has master’s engineering degree programs in well design and well completion, along with expertise in offshore

GOING DEEP … UH INSTITUTE SAFEGUARDSOFFSHORE ENERGY EFFORTSby Jeannie Kever


composites, superconductivity and safety protocols, including a graduate certificate course in upstream energy safety that will start in January.

Rice University offers expertise in nanotechnology and materials corrosion, computational science, energy policy and visualization and imaging. NASA’s Johnson Space Center has additional testing facilities, including the neutral buoyancy labs, remotely operated vehicles, and expertise in risk assessment and in high pressure-high temperature materials.

Unique in the U.S. The Institute will be unique in the United States, formed in response both to the catastrophic Gulf oil spill that continues to play out in courtrooms and across Gulf shores and wetlands, and to the relentless push by energy companies to move forward.

Krishnamoorti said while the Institute is geographically near the Gulf of Mexico, which accounts for about 23 percent of all crude oil produced in the United States, it also will work with companies exploring in the Alaskan Arctic and the North Sea.

The Institute, which hasn’t yet received funding, is modeled in part on a similar project in Bergen, Norway, where drilling in the North Sea has spawned world-renowned technology centers in conjunction with Bergen University College. The subsea engineering program there is affiliated with the program at UH, which began offering a graduate certificate in 2011 and a master’s degree less than two years later.

The UH program joined with Bergen and those at the National University of Singapore, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Curtin University in Perth, Australia, to form the International Subsea Engineering Research Institute earlier this year. That will allow the group to provide “one-stop shopping” for companies looking for institutions to provide testing or research in specific areas, said Matthew Franchek, founding director of the UH subsea engineering program and director of the international research institute.

Like the testing facility in Bergen – which Krishnamoorti said has a 2½ year waiting period for its testing facilities – the planned facility in Houston will take advantage of geography: With more than 3,600 oil and gas companies in the metropolitan area and an estimated statewide economic impact of $308 billion, Houston is an obvious choice, Krishnamoorti said.

“A center focused on prevention is the right thing to do,” he said. “A center in Houston is the right place to do it, and UH, Rice and NASA is the right team.”


UH Energy addresses the top issues facing the industry today during its “Critical Issues in Energy” upcoming symposium series. Now in its second year, this series features four discussions:

• U.S. Energy Independence: Is it good for the nation? – Sept. 30

• America’s Energy Transportation Infrastructure: Is it safe? – Nov. 11

• Private Profit vs. Public Good: Do energy companies have a social responsibility? – Feb. 10

• STEM: Where will our next energy workforce come from? – March 31

The moderated debates, followed by a question-and-answer session, are held at the University Center Theater. They begin at 5:30 p.m. This year’s series is sponsored by Chevron Corporation. For more information, see the UH Energy website, www.uh.edu/energy.

UH Energy Symposium Focuses on Big Ideas

100K

80K

60K

40K

0KCivil

Engineering

$62,100

ManagementInformationSystems/Business

$62,100

Electrical/Electronics &

CommunicationsEngineering

$62,300

EngineeringTechnology

$63,900

MechanicalEngineering

$63,100

ChemicalEngineering

$66,000

ComputerEngineering

$66,600

Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering

$67,000

ComputerScience

$67,300

PetroleumEngineering

$95,300

AVERAGE STARTING SALARY (from all disciplines) = $45,473

As employers increasingly seek workers with global experience, an international network of subsea engineering programs will allow University of Houston students to study with experts around the world.

Still others may work from a laptop while on a break from their job on a rig in the Gulf of Mexico, now that the UH subsea engineering program is fully online.

“Two-thirds of the earth is covered in water – and oil is everywhere,” says Matthew Franchek, founding director of the University’s graduate program in subsea engineering.

Franchek and leaders of five other subsea engineering programs presented plans for the Global Subsea University Alliance at the 2014 Offshore Technology Conference. Led by UH, it includes Bergen University College in Norway, Curtin University in Australia, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, National University of Singapore and the University of Aberdeen in Scotland.

The first step was to standardize curriculum across the six universities, says Franchek, who started UH’s subsea engineering program as a graduate certificate program in 2011. It became a full-fledged master’s degree program in 2013, and remains the only subsea engineering program in the United States. One alliance goal is to encourage additional universities to offer the courses.

“This is a very serious need,” Franchek says. “We have to generate a new workforce.”

UH SUBSEA ENGINEERING JOINS GLOBAL ALLIANCE

TOP-PAID MAJORS (STARTING SALARIES) FOR THE CLASS OF 2014

Source: April 2014 Salary Survey, National Association of Colleges and Employers. All data are for bachelor’s degree graduates.

Engineering majors, especially

petroleum engineering, continue to

rule when it comes to top salaries

for graduates. Engineering majors

command eight of the top 10 spots for

average starting salaries for graduates

with bachelor’s degrees, according to

the 2014 Salary Survey by the National

Association of Colleges and Employers.

Those with a degree in petroleum

engineering earned $28,000 more than

the next highest average starting salary.

Can anyone say energy boom?

by Jeannie Kever


SUPERCONDUCTIVITY FUELED NEW ERA OF ENERGY RESEARCH A discovery nearly 30 years ago at the University of Houston set off a frenzy, with scientists around the world joining in after physicist Paul Chu and his colleagues created the material that brought high-temperature superconductivity into the modern era.

Huge strides in energy, medicine, transportation – anything that involved electricity – seemed possible, now that a material able to carry energy without any loss due to resistance was within practical reach.

The work was fueled by his passion for science and research. “But in the back of my mind, it was for application,” Chu said. “People knew this had promise.”

Zhifeng Ren, now a physicist at UH, was a graduate student in China when he read about the discovery. “There was so much hope it would change the world overnight,” he said. “Of course, it didn’t happen. Science takes time.”

That moment in January 1987, when Chu and members of his team created a material based on a compound of yttrium, barium and copper oxide, known as Yttrium 123, has had a lasting impact on both UH and Chu. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1989 and remains in demand as a speaker and scientific collaborator. In August, the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers presented him with the Max Swerdlow Award for sustained service to the applied superconductivity community, the latest in a string of honors.

“He’s a worldwide figure,” said Allan Jacobson, Robert A. Welch Chair of Science and director of the Texas Center for Superconductivity at UH (TcSUH), founded just months after Chu’s discovery. “As a result, the center is internationally known.”

Chu brought in scientists working in related fields from the beginning. Jacobson was part of the Corporate Research Laboratories at Exxon Research and Engineering Company and an expert on superconductivity and energy materials when he joined UH in 1991. Ren was recruited from Boston College in 2012. Ren is now M.D. Anderson Chair professor of physics and principal investigator at the Center for Superconductivity.

Superconductivity was discovered in 1911, but until 1987, high– temperature superconductivity meant 420 degrees below zero Fahrenheit, far too cold for most applications. Chu’s work, building on research at IBM Zurich, brought it into real life.

With their discovery in 1987, first of superconductivity at above 77 degrees Kelvin, and later that month at 90 degrees Kelvin (about 300 degrees below zero Fahrenheit) Chu’s team created a material that could be cooled with liquid nitrogen, dramatically reducing the cost.

Superconducting materials now are used for energy generation, storage and transmission, as well as for ultra-fast and ultra-sensitive signal detection, levitated trains and magnets for magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI.

Much of the innovation has taken place at TcSUH, where Chu is founding director and chief scientist, TLL Temple Chair of Science and professor of physics. (He spent eight years as president of Hong Kong University of Science and Technology while maintaining his research here, returning to UH in 2009.)

Today, Yttrium 123 remains a popular material, and Chu still holds the record for high-temperature superconductivity – now at 164 degrees K (under pressure). He and members of his lab also continue to develop new materials, as competition once again intensifies.

“There are high-paying jobs at stake for the eventual winner,” said Alan Lauder, executive director of the Coalition for the Commercial Application of Superconductors and a member of TcSUH’s advisory board. “And that needs to be the United States, and Texas and Houston.”

by Jeannie Kever

AS SEEN IN THIS CIRCA 1980S PHOTO, PAUL CHU CAPTURED THE SCIENTIFIC SPOTLIGHT WITH HIS EARLY BREAKTHROUGHS IN SUPERCONDUCTIVITY.

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There’s a tremendous demand for health care, and the University of Houston is ideally suited to help meet it.

Since we’re centered in a city with a substantial health care infrastructure, we can take advantage of the many educational and research opportunities this offers, particularly in collaborating with our fellow Texas Medical Center institutions.

The UH Health initiative is expanding our health-related portfolio by enhancing existing programs and bringing in new ones, as well as creating new clinical services that will benefit the University while serving the community.

The hub for UH’s ambitious enterprises will be a new 10-story building on a fast track for completion by early 2017. The Health and Biomedical Sciences Building Two (HBSB 2) will be interconnected to our J. Davis Armistead Building and the Health and Biomedical Sciences Building One, creating an extraordinary complex. For one thing, it will serve as the new home for the College of Pharmacy, allowing it to increase class size and become the largest pharmacy program in Texas.

Along with pharmacy, the building will host basic research, with a center for drug discovery. Pharmacy faculty can interact with our most productive biological scientists on site, developing new pharmaceutical agents and other breakthroughs.

Significantly, the new building will also offer an ambulatory care center. This primary care facility will provide clinical services to faculty, staff and students, as well as health services to the under-served neighborhoods surrounding UH. To do this, we’ll be partnering with a federally qualified health center (FQHC), which will have primary care, OB-GYN, family practice and pediatric physicians.

In addition to continuing UH’s tradition of community engagement, this will also provide our professional students with invaluable interdisciplinary experience. For example, our optometry students see many patients with diabetic eye problems, but they don’t have a chance to observe the systemic management and manifestations of diabetes itself. Having our optometry students working with

UH Health: Teaching, Training, Treating


by Earl L. Smith III

32 UNIVERSIT Y OF HOUSTON Magazine • FALL 2014

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primary care doctors and nurses in this FQHC will considerably expand their clinical experiences. Similar benefits will be available to our pharmacy and social work students, along with those dealing with counseling and with health and human performance issues.

In short, the multidisciplinary educational opportunities for all our UH professional students are nothing less than awe-inspiring.

The new building will bring together all the clinical services currently on campus. Clinical psychology, health and human performance, nutrition counseling, social work, educational psychology and communication disorders are all providing clinical care and services and share many commonalities. We have a good deal of expertise in addictive behaviors, for instance, as well as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and the prevention of those conditions. With these entities working together in an interdisciplinary fashion, our students can gain real-world experience while delivering real-world services to both the UH and neighboring communities.

UH will also partner with an outside group to create a behavioral health center that, in addition to mental health counseling, will focus on two targets. One is addictive behaviors, such as alcoholism, drug abuse and smoking. The other is obesity, diabetes, hypertension and all the co-morbidities of those conditions. The neighborhoods surrounding UH have a high prevalence of these problems, and we want to help reduce the impact of these health issues on our neighbors’ quality of life.

Finally, the building will be home for our new professional programs. Most developed at this point is the nursing program. While that program won’t change, it will expand to include a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Ph.D. in nursing science. We anticipate the doctoral-level nurse practitioner students to have clinical rotations in the new ambulatory care and behavioral health services.

Another significant addition will be a brand new doctoral-level physical therapy (PT) program. After evaluating a number of potential allied health programs – among them occupational therapy, physician assistants, public health and epidemiology – we determined PT is the best fit. With plans for a PT clinic and teaching labs, we envision productive collaborations between PT and the Department of Health and Human Performance. PT will also interact with our other programs because when you have obesity, diabetes and hypertension, you encounter stroke and many other resultant problems – and PT plays a vital role in helping with those disabilities.

Right now, health care is in an evolving state. UH has a proven history of strong professional programs and great basic research in biomedical sciences. It’s clear, though, that the health care industry is expanding dramatically. Texas’ growing population, the aging of that population, and the increase and prevalence of chronic diseases are all straining our current health care system. Providing first-class health care education not only benefits our students, but also serves Texas. When you factor in high retention rates and favorable graduation rates of students in these disciplines – not to mention the attractive salaries and guaranteed employment for our graduates – UH Health makes a lot of sense and has never been in better shape.

Smith, who served as dean of the College of Optometry, is the interim chief health officer at the University of Houston.


“THIS PRIMARY CARE FACILITY WILL PROVIDE CLINICAL SERVICES TO UH AS WELL AS HEALTH SERVICES TO THE UNDER-SERVED NEIGHBORHOODS SURROUNDING THE UNIVERSITY.”

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College of Pharmacy founded

College of Nursing opens (closes ‘56)

College of Optometry founded

College of Pharmacy establishes Texas Medical

Center location

Health Law and Policy Program ranks best in the nation

The $81 million Science and Engineering Research and Classroom Complex opens

to support collaborative biomedical research.

30-year research pact signed with Methodist Hospital

Jan-Åke Gustafsson launches Center for Nuclear Receptors and Cell

Signaling

Health-related research more than 50 percent of total research expenditure

Center for Neuromotor and Biomechanics Research

named a founding member of National Center for

Human Performance

Health and Biomedical Sciences Building opens


Lupus, Latin for “wolf,” is an insidious disease, aptly named for the way that ravenous creature devours its target.

Lupus, or systemic lupus erythematosus, is a progressive, degenerative disease in which the immune system turns against itself, attacking a person’s healthy tissue, cells and organs. Confounding doctors and devastating sufferers, the symptoms can range from debilitating pain and fatigue to organ failure and a host of other impairments. The Lupus Foundation of America estimates 1.5 million Americans, and at least five million people worldwide, have a form of lupus.

Although there is no cure, a new researcher at the University of Houston thinks there could be one in the future, and he is on a quest to find it.

FOLLOWING THE HOLISTIC PATH TO TAME THE WOLF CALLED LUPUS

Starting out as a physician, Dr. Chandra Mohan found a majority of the patients in his rheumatology practice had lupus. He was always asked, “Is there a cure?” Although the answer is, “no,” Mohan couldn’t help thinking, “Why not?” From there, a second career was born, and he decided to get behind the microscope.

Mohan, who has an M.D. in pathology and rheumatology and a Ph.D. in cellular immunology, joined UH in 2013 as the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor in biomedical engineering. He and his research group moved here from UT Southwestern in Dallas. He says a number of people reached out to him about the opportunities Houston and UH have to offer that would give him the chance to expand his health-oriented research.

“One thing I found very attractive is that UH is in the middle of the Texas Medical Center (TMC), so there is tremendous access to patients and patient materials,” Mohan says. “Another motivation was that Houston is a hub for technology. So many institutions are engaged in cutting-edge research and in developing new technologies for diagnostics and therapeutics. I’m glad I came here. We have many collaborations with TMC physicians, not only in the area of lupus, but also other diseases.”

While lupus is of primary interest, his lab also is investigating related rheumatic autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic sclerosis. According to the National Institutes of Health, there are more than 100 rheumatic diseases afflicting more than 46 million people in the U.S. Specifically, Mohan’s team is working to understand both their genetic and non-genetic origins.

Launching an Attack Against ItselfAs with lupus, these illnesses occur when a person’s immune system, which normally generates antibodies to defend the body from invading organisms, turns to launch an attack against itself. In rheumatoid arthritis, an inflammatory disease causing pain, swelling, stiffness and loss of function in the joints, a person’s antibodies wage battle on the membranes lining the joints. In systemic sclerosis, often better known as scleroderma, the skin and lungs are affected, with the skin becoming very tight and a similar sort of pathology taking place in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe.

Seeking new ways to diagnose and manage chronic disease, Mohan and his colleagues are investigating which cells cause these diseases and which are the culprit genes. Over the years, however, he has found the triggers that activate many diseases are partly genetic and partly non-genetic, so he has expanded his research to consider both.

“We’re also very interested in understanding non-genetic factors that may contribute to rheumatic disease,” Mohan says. “This could include the food we eat, environmental chemicals, sunlight exposure and infections. Most of these factors are very poorly understood or studied. The second important aspect is management. Once patients are diagnosed, how do we monitor and treat them?”

by Lisa Merkl


Much of his lab’s work is invested in identifying new biological indicators of disease, called biomarkers, that could predict which patient will fare better and which will fare worse. Since most of this boils down to protein biomarkers, his team has established technologies that interrogate levels of large numbers of proteins to identify the few that may be predictive of who is going to develop what over time. Biomarker studies are also of interest therapeutically, he says, because some are good therapeutic targets. Once biomarkers that can predict disease progression are identified, the next step will be to test those particular proteins as therapeutic targets. While most targets would require antibody or molecule inhibitors, Mohan is also interested in trying out natural therapies that may potentially have fewer side effects.

Entire Landscape of Genes“An important technological change is that we now can study biomarkers in a global fashion, whereas we previously were limited to studying one gene at a time,” he explains. “But now we can look at the entire landscape of genes in the body. This is called genomics. Likewise, we now can engage in proteomics and metabolomics, which mean studying proteins and metabolites globally, instead of just one at a time, as was the case in the not-too-distant past.”

Mohan’s lab is active in applying proteomic and metabolomic approaches to rheumatic disease. This gives them a global snapshot of all the molecules in a given person and disease and has led to another important change in their understanding of chronic illnesses.

“There’s a lot of overlap in what activates different diseases, with several common themes among them,” Mohan says. “For instance, in a study we did on lupus patients that revealed findings quite different from what we see in people who have other rheumatic diseases, we found that lupus seems to be quite striking in its metabolic changes. Those with lupus had a large faction of metabolomes shared with those who have metabolic syndrome, diabetes, chronic renal disease and some cancers. This tells us we can no longer think of a disease as a single entity. We must consider the entire landscape of molecules as changing in a given patient, as well as realize that people often have multiple conditions coexisting at the same time.”

Findings such as these led Mohan to the realization that it’s important to think in a holistic fashion, leading him to cast a wider net and expand his research to other diseases.

“These same approaches could be very useful in investigating other chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disease,” Mohan says. “We’ve been successful in setting up technologies to systematically examine different body fluids of potential biomarkers. Since the technologies are working so well, we thought we should apply them to as many chronic conditions as we could get our hands on, because it could make a difference in how they are managed. We have collaborations with the Texas Medical Center, so it takes us beyond rheumatic disease.”

Other researchers closely collaborating with him are Tianfu Wu, an assistant professor of biomedical engineering, specializing in biomarker discovery and therapeutic interventions for autoimmune diseases; Research Assistant Professor Yong Du, a nephrologist with an M.D. and Ph.D., specializing in kidney disease; and research associate Simanta Pathak. Rounding out the team are research technicians Kamala Vanarsa and Sneha Ravikumar, as well as a mix of post-baccalaureate, graduate and post-doctoral students, and clinical fellows.

A Taste of Medical School Mohan is excited to be the inaugural instructor of a new class called “Introduction to Diseases.” The course is designed to bring a taste of medical school to the undergraduate level and will be critical to students planning careers in health care. Furthering the mission of UH Health, Mohan hopes it will inspire the younger generation to focus on what’s important in health and health care and better understand the needs of society.

“The future is very bright for health-oriented research, not just in my lab, but in any lab in Houston,” Mohan says. “We’re definitely in the right place at the right time in Houston.”

“THIS TELLS US WE CAN NO LONGER THINK OF A DISEASE AS A SINGLE ENTITY. WE MUST CONSIDER THE ENTIRE LANDSCAPE OF MOLECULES AS CHANGING IN A GIVEN PATIENT.” DR. MOHAN’S RESEARCH GROUP MOVED HERE WITH HIM FROM UT SOUTHWESTERN IN DALLAS TO

CONTINUE ITS WORK IDENTIFYING NEW BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS.


REDUCING OBESITY’S GROWING EPIDEMIC Finding yourself at the “top” isn’t always as great as it sounds.

For many years, Texas has ranked in the Top 20 of the most obese states in the country. Unfortunately, ‘bigger in Texas’ has come to mean … us. Obesity is an epidemic and a critical public health issue.

“During the last 40 years, we’ve seen obesity rates increase dramatically,” said Dan O’Connor, University of Houston associate professor of health and human performance and interim director of the Texas Obesity Research Center (TORC). “Being overweight or obese puts a person at risk for a lot of chronic, disabling diseases and premature death. And it’s all preventable.”

TORC opened its doors in 2007 as part of UH’s Department of Health and Human Performance. Now a University center, TORC is home to nearly two dozen diverse faculty affiliates who research obesity as a multi-faceted challenge influenced by social, cultural, environmental and policy issues.

“The reasons why we’re seeing such an increase in obesity are complex,” he said. “We sit in front of computers all day. Calorie-dense food is cheaper than fresh food. Traffic and construction may make it difficult to exercise outside. We need an interdisciplinary approach to combating obesity.”

It’s estimated that more than 31 percent of adult Texans are obese, as are 13 percent of children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, medical costs for those who are obese are $1,400 more per year.

“The center is completely focused on health, and our aim is to create research teams to study all these different aspects of the issue so we aren’t working in isolation,” O’Connor said. “While we collaborate with researchers and centers on campus, we also reach out to other universities and entities like the Texas Medical Center.”

Current projects are exploring weight management for women with mobility impairments, impact of drug abuse on nutrition and obesity, and teaching parents to feed their pre-school children by example. The largest grant to date is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The four-year, $4.25 million grant will create an evaluation method for three comprehensive childhood obesity programs in the country to provide recommendations to policymakers.

In addition to scholarly work, TORC is interested in nurturing the next generation of researchers. To date, TORC worked with eight doctoral students and six master’s degree candidates. With more than 100 publications, 20 external collaborators and 50 community partners, TORC is now recognized as a leader in interdisciplinary obesity research.

“My goal is to make UH the destination university for interdisciplinary and transformative health research,” O’Connor said. “It’s ambitious. But our success is critical.”

The room is empty except for the woman sitting in a chair. On her head is something that looks like a motorcycle helmet. Though her eyes are concealed, her head slowly moves to survey the room. She grabs at the air and examines what she’s grasped. She does not see an empty room. She sees a party, a pool, beer and cigarettes. She’s walking through a virtual environment.

Directed by Professor Patrick Bordnick, the Virtual Reality Clinical Lab is a place to study behaviors and addictions and find interventions. The custom-made virtual environments become innovative tools to observe and safe places to practice coping skills. The lab is housed in the Graduate College of Social Work. Study participants enter the virtual worlds by wearing the virtual reality (VR) helmet, while the environments are uploaded by computers in an adjacent room.

What are the limitations of traditional therapy that can be resolved through VR?

Virtual reality brings the real world into a clinical or controlled laboratory setting. Traditional approaches to assessing and treating addictions or phobias consist of therapists conducting sessions in an

VIRTUAL REALITY VS.VERY REAL PROBLEMS

by Marisa Ramirez

by Marisa Ramirez


office, using role playing to teach skills, but this method lacks context. For example, the best treatment for a smoker is to accompany them to places that trigger their smoking and teach them skills not to smoke. But that’s impractical. Virtual reality bridges the gap. Different environments are available at the click of a mouse, and coping skills learned in these environments carry over to the real world.

How old is your lab and what kinds of research projects have you directed?

I launched the Virtual Reality Clinical Lab in 2008 when I first joined the faculty. We have conducted projects ranging from food addictions to heroin addiction. All of our projects are supported by both private and federal grants. Some projects to date have explored:

Nicotine Addiction – This project assessed craving for cigarettes in various virtual reality smoking settings. In the virtual world, patients could actually grab a pack of virtual cigarettes and beer as we explored ways to assess and treat their addiction.

Alcohol Dependence – We developed 10-12 virtual environments with alcohol drinking contexts. For example a sports bar, a party, an airport lounge, a home. Then we tested these as part of a treatment designed to teach coping skills and relapse prevention strategies.

Heroin – This project is currently underway and will assess craving responses for injecting and non-injecting users. We’ll also explore methods to decrease craving and relapse.

How do you work with animators to create a virtual environment?

The process is a lot like making a movie. We start out with a story board and move up to full scale 3D models. The software we use relies on

video game advances and technology. Though these are usually used to create games, our goal is to create the real world in the virtual space.

What is the most innovative environment you’ve created?

The most technically advanced environments we’ve created are two heroin houses for an NIH–funded study. One environment is a row house in an urban setting designed to replicate a shooting gallery (house where injection drug use occurs). The other is a party where people are drinking and snorting heroin in a bathroom. Each virtual environment consists of high-definition avatars that are state-of-the-art and resemble real humans. All elements in the environments are true to life and go well beyond the fantasy level of a video game. Our goal is to recreate the real-world environment exactly; this is the key to our success in achieving realism.

What’s next for this technology and research?

The marriage of this technology with academics has driven new ways to research behaviors. Virtual reality can be used to provide interventions for public health crises, such as drug and alcohol abuse and HIV/AIDS, help returning soldiers with brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder adjust to civilian life, or help future clinicians learn diagnostic skills through simulated interactions with patients. Additionally, researchers can layer the VR sensory experience with smells (of alcohol or cigarettes) to further trigger cravings and practice coping skills. And future environments may not require the bulky helmet. Participants may enter the virtual environments by wearing special glasses to see 3D environments displayed on the walls, or download an app that replays coping skills whenever they near a place that triggers cravings. It’s very exciting, and UH will be on the cutting edge of this innovation.

PROFESSOR BORDNICK (LEFT) USES A VR HELMET (ABOVE) TO ALLOW PATIENTS TO PRACTICE COPING SKILLS. SCENES FROM TWO 3D SIMULATIONS (RIGHT).


PROFESSORS EMERITIPROFESSORS EMERITI

Mamie Moy’s life would likely have been totally different if her parents hadn’t defied traditional Chinese-American culture.

In the 1940s, women in the small, but growing, Chinese-American community in Moy’s hometown, San Antonio, were expected to marry, raise children and care for their aging parents. Moy took a different course, one that led her to the University of Houston, first as a student then as an instructor. In time, she would become UH’s longest-serving tenured faculty member. Today, Moy holds the title of professor emeritus in chemistry, earning that distinction in 2013.

“My father wanted us to go to college,” Moy said, including her brother and sister. “He said, ‘If I can’t give you anything else, I can give you an education.’ We still live by that philosophy: When you have your education, you’re able to make a life of your own.”

Indeed, Moy has made quite a life for herself.

Teaching at UH for more than six decades, she has enlightened thousands of students and received numerous accolades, including being named a fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2010. Moy also was honored by her former students, friends and family members who endowed a Tier One scholarship at UH in her name.

Despite such honors, Moy remains an unassuming woman with a quick wit, charm and a tenacious spirit. She attributes much of her success to the encouragement of her Chinese immigrant parents. The values they instilled in her were invaluable as Moy pursued a career in the male-dominated field of chemistry.

It was a high school teacher, though, who genuinely sparked her interest.

by Francine Parker

MAMIE MOY: CHEMIST, PROFESSOR, PIONEER


“I had a science teacher who was so much fun,” Moy said. “When I would ask a question, she would say, ‘Why don’t we just find out?’”

Moy’s own inquisitiveness continued throughout high school and college, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from UT-Austin in 1950. Shortly after graduation, she landed her first job in Houston.

“Back then, women just weren’t hired in chemistry labs, so I took a job with a clinical lab,” Moy said. “After three months, I quit.”

Undeterred, Moy decided on graduate school at UH. Petite and soft-spoken, Moy was determined to succeed.

“There were two or three Asian faculty members here then,” Moy recalled. “There may have been other Asian-American students, but I didn’t encounter any. I did not have much time to be involved in campus activities,” she said.

Ducks on the Pond“At that time, the old science building housed chemistry, biology, geology and pharmacy. The Student Service center was the gym. Instead of the really nice fountain we have now, it was a pond. It actually had ducks.”

After receiving her master’s degree in chemistry, Moy accepted a full-time position as an instructor.

During the next 20 years, Moy’s career flourished. In the 1970s and 1980s, she served as associate chair of the chemistry department, overseeing undergraduate and graduate programs. Moy visited prominent universities in China and Europe, recruiting their best students to pursue advanced studies. The number of graduate students more than doubled. The department also saw a significant increase in research funding, teaching fellowships and top faculty hires.

A Tragic LossDuring that time, Moy suffered a tragic loss: Her husband, an engineer, died in a car accident in 1978. Her son, Clifford, was 17 years old. Following her parents’ good example, she did the same for Clifford, single-handedly paying his tuition. He now practices psychiatry in Houston.

In addition to her teaching and administrative duties, Moy took on yet another task—leading a new program by ACS to teach chemistry to high school students.

A passion to engage children in chemistry and science grew and she began working with children at various elementary schools.

“Kids are like sponges,” Moy said.

For the next three decades, Moy initiated several community outreach programs, including the Robert Welch Foundation Summer Scholars program that brings bright high school students to UH. She founded the Science & Mathematics Applied Resources for Teachers Center, which trains pre-college math and science teachers. She also worked to

improve the quality of chemical education as the regional director of the Associated Chemistry Teachers of Texas.

Her work earned her two distinguished ACS accolades — the Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach and the Camille and the Henry Dreyfus Foundation Award for Encouraging Women into Careers in the Chemical Sciences. She also is a recipient of a UH Teaching Excellence Award, a Distinguished Service to Science Education Award from the National Science Teachers Association and the American Association of University Women of Texas Woman of Distinction Award.

Keeping BusyMoy, who turned 85 in September, retired from UH last year, but retains an office on campus and is still involved in community engagement. Moy also stays busy attending opera and theatrical production and dining with friends and family. She remains Cougar proud – pleased by the University’s rapid expansion and progress, but not surprised by its “national presence.”

Looking back, Moy said her UH years have been fulfilling. “I’m so grateful for having known and met so many wonderful people, not only my colleagues, but also my students.”

It was one of those students who expressed his gratitude in a recent e-mail. In the late 1960s, the man, undecided about his career, took her chemistry class.

“I found your lectures so fascinating and engaging that I declared chemical engineering as my major,” the man noted. He went on to have a successful career in the auto industry. “It was only later that I came to appreciate the influence you had on my life,” he wrote. “And for this I extend my very belated thanks.”

A VERY YOUNG MAMIE AT HOME IN SAN ANTONIO


CELEBRATING THE YEAR WITH ALUMNI AND LOYAL FRIENDS

THE NEW UNIVERSITY CENTER OPENING“Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive since we opened the transformed University Center — as soon as the building opened, students were taking to Twitter to call it ‘perfect,’ ‘fantastic’ and ‘the spot to be.’” —Keith Kowalka, assistant vice president for Student Affairs

REBECCA EATON/DOWNTON ABBEY HOUSTON PUBLIC MEDIA EVENT“This special evening drew an A-list crowd of almost 300 for Houston Public Media’s treasured mission of providing content that elevates, educates, entertains and inspires the citizens of Southeast Texas.” —Lisa Shumate, executive director and general manager, Houston Public Media

RODEO PARADE“We always say if it’s important to Houston, it’s important to the University of Houston. And the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a great example.”

—Renu Khator, chancellor, UH System, and president, University of Houston

“We have held numerous notable events this past year, and all have strengthened and confirmed the fact that we are a University that

mirrors the energy of this great city. Whether we are ushering in a new era in athletics or hosting a world-class speaker, we are changing

the climate of the city of Houston for the better. We celebrate the times we were brought together, and honor the spirit of ingenuity,

diversity and creativity that enlivens the UH experience.”—Eloise Dunn Stuhr, vice president for University Advancement

GIVING AND ALUMNIGIVING AND ALUMNI


SCHLUMBERGER BUILDING OPENING“This facility was at the epicenter of the energy industry’s technological evolution for much of the 20th century. It is both humbling and exciting to think that UH will carry on the tradition of innovation that Schlumberger began here.” —Eloise Dunn Stuhr, vice president for University Advancement

ALLEY THEATRE PRESS CONFERENCE“You can feel the vibrant energy the students bring as they train under one of the great American theatre companies.”

—Jim Johnson, director of the UH School of Theatre and Dance

BLAFFER GALA“What an impressive night! Everyone loved the decor, music, art and overall vibe. It was amazing, and quite a few people who have never been to the Blaffer Art Museum now have it on their radar.” —Ryan Gordon, Gala co-chair and Blaffer Art

Museum Advisory Board chair

SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS LEADERSHIP CELEBRATION“Individually, private support organizations and foundations affiliated with the University of Houston bring myriad voices, opportunities and benefits to our campus. Working together, these organizations will play a pivotal role in reaching our goals and pursuing unprecedented levels of excellence.”

—Renu Khator, chancellor, UH System, and president, University of Houston

UH VANGUARD SOCIETY – CHEVRON“Each company represented in the UH Vanguard Society has given and continues to give so much to this University. These 11 companies account for more than $130 million in donations to the University of Houston. This society is our way of saying ‘Thank You’ to each of them.” —Mark Putnam, director of Corporate and Foundation Relations

60TH ANNUAL ALUMNI AWARDS GALA“The University of Houston is a lot like the real world. It is a lot like the city of Houston. It’s big, it’s scrappy … and it’s wide open to give people chances.”

—Philip Zelikow ( J.D. ‘79), former executive director of the 9/11 Commission and professor at the University of Virginia

INAUGURAL BOARD OF VISITORS MEETING“The members of this group were selected for their expertise and excellence in a variety of fields. This board is comprised of people who care about Houston and are confident that UH can play a vital role in advancing the city.”

—John T. McNabb II, chairman,

Board of Visitors


Space and social work are unlikely bedfellows. But not so in Houston, a city known for both innovation and its innovators. Located in the heart of Space City – Houston’s most recognizable nickname – the University of Houston thrives as an engineering, technological and innovative epicenter, a mark of academic excellence that both enhances and owes much to NASA’s legacy. UH continues to fuel and enrich these industries with groundbreaking, multidisciplinary programming and graduates poised to assume leadership positions in myriad fields. In a city and University full of innovation and collaboration, a social work professor and alumnus works to unite science, engineering, secondary and university education with philanthropy and community engagement. Larry Hill (Ph.D. ‘11) has taken the lead in inspiring a new generation of Space City’s youngest engineers to reach for the stars, literally.

Hill was drawn to UH in 2006 not for its reputation in engineering or physics but because of its Ph.D. program in social work. Eight years later, Hill is still on campus and working as a research professor in the Graduate College of Social Work (GCSW). With expertise in community engagement and currently supporting 26 diverse projects around the globe, Hill sees his primary role as a facilitator.

“Working from the provost’s office and the GCSW, I mobilize resources, interest and involvement in projects that create significant impact in communities with the greatest needs,” Hill said.

Addressing Community NeedsOne of Hill’s first projects engaged residents of Sunnyside, one of Houston’s oldest communities that has experienced numerous socioeconomic issues including poverty and unemployment. In 2009, as an adjunct professor, Hill created and began teaching Interdisciplinary Community Development. From this course emerged an idea that helped the University secure $75,000 in American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds to launch a pioneering economic development and academic support initiative dubbed Green for Sunnyside. The program’s objective has been to build stronger levels

SUCCESS: LARRY HILL HELPS AREA STUDENTS REACH NEW HEIGHTSBy Jeff Sutton

of trust between communities and the University – trust that leads to new knowledge and breakthroughs in job creation and decreased economic marginalization of impoverished communities.

Hill challenged his students, and the University, with a primary issue, ‘How do you create a program that addresses environmental issues and socioeconomic issues at the same time?’

After brainstorming and discussing several ideas, Hill and his students arrived at a unique solution – they encouraged Sunnyside youth to explore alternative energy through designing and constructing solar-powered doghouses. Equipped with seed funding, energized students and a target community with considerable needs, the program launched. “It was a crazy idea,” said Hill. “It had never been done before. [The class] loved it. They jumped all over it and started to put together all the details.”

Bringing a Crazy Idea to LifeHill’s Interdisciplinary Community Development students began developing an eight-week program that would introduce Sunnyside youth to architecture, weatherization, energy efficiency, alternative energy and multiple career pathways through the construction of solar-powered doghouses. Each was equipped with a rechargeable battery, a thermostat, a fan and LED lights. Among the program’s initial community enrollees were a single mother and her four children. Through Hill’s and his work-study students’ guidance, the children designed and built five solar-powered doghouses that were auctioned at community events. All proceeds were returned to the family. Meanwhile, their mother excelled in the green jobs training at SER Jobs for Progress, an organization that provides education, training and employment services to communities in the Texas Gulf Coast Region. A $3,500 adjunct teaching investment by the GCSW has yielded more than $500,000 in grants and in-kind support for the Sunnyside community.

LARRY HILL (PH.D. ‘11)


“The contemplation of celestial things will make a man both speak and think more sublimely and magnificently when he descends to human affairs.” –Cicero


The success gained from merging social work with alternative energy provided a similar opportunity with aerospace. After Green for Sunnyside concluded, the oldest doghouse designer asked Hill for a letter of recommendation to apply to Booker T.

Washington High School for Engineering Professions (BTW-HSEP) in the Independence Heights neighborhood of Houston — a neighborhood with a per capita income of $12,500.

A New ChallengeOnce he enrolled at BTW-HSEP, the young student, Angelo Lindsey, introduced Hill to Nghia Le, who runs alternative energy and rocket design, construction, launch and operation programs at the school. Le’s rocketry program immediately sparked both interest and familiarity for Hill. He grew up hearing about space exploration from his parents, who worked in the space industry for more than 30 years, on projects including the Space Shuttle Main Engines and the International Space Station.

“The project is amazing,” said Hill. “I look for projects that are outside the box and can address social issues. There’s really nothing like this program. At the center there is something that has never been done, which is for high school students to launch a rocket to a height of 100,000 feet. That’s something that adults do. That’s something that engineers do. Schools in impoverished areas don’t do that. They do a lot of great things, but they don’t do that.”

Launching a Rocketry ProgramThe rocketry program at BTW-HSEP is part of SystemsGo Aeroscience, which began at Fredericksburg High School in Fredericksburg, Texas, and developed a rocket design curriculum that is now used by schools across the nation. The program is endorsed by NASA, certified by the Space Foundation and enjoys the support of industry and government partners such as Boeing and SpaceX.

At BTW-HSEP, rocketry students go through multiple building levels, including “one mile, one pound” and transonic. After completing these two levels, they enter the high altitude program that ultimately leads to students launching their self-designed and constructed rocket at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.

“It’s a very challenging program for students,” Le said. “The whole rocket program consists of learning how to design and build the smallest rockets to the largest rockets that can be built.”

BTW-HSEP graduate, former SystemsGo participant and UH student Glenda Reyes was so

inspired by her participation in the project, she returned to her high school alma mater to assist Le’s current students with their rockets. With direct support from the University and work-study funding, Hill recruited Reyes to work as a project director for the launch program, thus realizing his top priority of placing UH workers in the community. “The rocketry program changed my life,” said Reyes. “I learned so many skills, not just engineering. Now, I mentor students so they can value what the program is about. That’s what is so important to me.”

Le sees collaboration, both in general and with UH, as critical. Hill is the key to this collaboration; whether by providing a work-study position that allows Reyes to mentor students at BTW-HSEP, or commissioning a group of Bauer College of Business students to develop and implement marketing strategies for the program, he continues to bridge University innovation with community need.

The Meaning of Success From Hill’s perspective, the students at BTW-HSEP are learning different ways to define success. One of his favorite quotes comes from the autobiography “Up from Slavery.” In one of the book’s pivotal moments, Booker T. Washington wrote, “I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.” Hill has given this concept a great deal of thought in his role as a facilitator responsible for helping youth such as the Lindsey family, in challenged communities, achieve outcomes beyond what they may have dreamed possible.

On July 30, after seeing their launch date pushed back, the team from BTW-HSEP got their chance at White Sands. Unfortunately, due to a faulty valve and no time to attempt a fix, the students were unable to launch. While certainly a disappointment, Hill pointed out, the rocketry program and the students who are a part of it achieved success throughout the year. He challenged the students, many of whom returned home disappointed, to think of their experience as part of the process of success, which includes overcoming obstacles.

Hill mused, “We’re already looking forward to next year’s launch! Success is not an outcome, it’s a process.”

“SUCCESS IS NOT AN OUTCOME, IT’S A PROCESS.”

BTW-HSEP STUDENTS DEMETRINS HOLLINS AND JOSHUA EPKINS


NAVIGATING NEW GENERATIONS OF SUCCESS: RANDY PIKEFor Randy Pike (M.B.A. ‘93), there’s nothing quite like the peacefulness and tranquility of sailing beneath a full moon. That’s one of the reasons he named his sailboat the Moondance. That, and because the moniker is a nod to the famous Van Morrison song of the same name. Pike is somewhat of a music aficionado. He spent his high school days as a drummer in garage bands and his college years at Vanderbilt University playing gigs at fraternity parties and

Nashville bars. “The Eldorados, my fraternity band, played our very own version of the James Brown song, ‘Cold Sweat,’” he remembers, “which I chose as the name of my first offshore sailboat.” Upon moving to Houston, he was captivated by Rockefeller Hall, where he saw many live shows, eclectic in their range, from Gregg Allman to Dizzy Gillespie. One of his favorite bands, he recalls, was the Houston rhythm and blues band, Luther and the Healers. “I lived in a Montrose bungalow at the time, close to all the clubs—and I would just see everything I could!” he said.

His passion for education, however, led him to define a considerably larger legacy at the University of Houston – one that honors his roots and inspires future generations to succeed. While music has been an integral part of Pike’s life, so has sailing. Pike has been sailing since he was a 6-year-old in Venezuela, where he spent his childhood. Sailing will play a big part in his early retirement; he plans to embark on a year-long trip along the coast of the southern United States, rounding the tip of southern Florida and then up the coast as

far as Massachusetts later this fall. He enjoys the ports, the many characters he encounters and the local wildlife in the places he visits, and he always finds

a friendly place to “drop anchor.” Pike has discovered that it behooves him to keep his “mind and body busy, as a retiree.”

Pike is fond of his boat and certainly worked hard to obtain it, in both his academic and professional careers. When he casts off this fall, he’ll spend most of his time in front of the helm, guiding his way toward new adventures. If a captain is one who guides, Randy Pike is a captain in the fullest sense of the word. He not only guides his own career and retirement successfully, but also guides young engineers toward their own goals and success by providing them with the means to attend the University of Houston, and he does it with finesse and acumen.

Pike and UH’s EMBAHis retirement is well-earned after 31 years in the engineering industry at Shell Oil. He ascended through the ranks, thanks in large part to the University of Houston’s Executive Master of Business Administration program from which he received his graduate degree in 1993. The learning environment and the constant weekday studying helped him to hone skills that opened up even more opportunities at Shell. “Receiving my EMBA,” he says, “helped me learn the ‘language of business’ and strategic planning.”

In the final third of his career at Shell, Pike spent six years working within the company’s subsea engineering division. His career always consisted of a good balance of tried-and-true projects mixed with new experiences and exciting techniques. “In a word, my job has always been challenging,” he says. After working offshore, working on wells as a production engineer and executing a four-year stint in Rio de Janeiro as a completion engineering supervisor, he eventually became the production engineering business lead on the Enterprise Architecture program for Shell Oil’s Onshore Gas Division. “Enterprise Architecture” is a single integrated architecture that defines how data is collected, stored and reported. “It was a great decision, going to work for Shell,” he concludes. “I’ve always liked people, and I got to work with engineers from a lot of different disciplines through my work.”

Philanthropic SpiritPike wanted to share his accumulated wealth with the University of Houston. Through a UH

By Sarah Hill

PIKE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING THOSE ENGAGED IN ENERGY EDUCATION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON.

PIKE, AT THE HELM OF HIS SAILBOAT, THE MOONDANCE



UHAA CELEBRITY GOLF CLASSIC@ Quail Valley Golf Club in Missouri City

Registration opens at 9 a.m.

Shotgun start at 11 a.m.

golfquailvalley.com

Points of Pride mailing he received in 2013, and through the patient counsel of both his attorney and assistant vice president for gift planning at UH, Lisa Holdeman, he realized just how a scholarship endowment could help financially challenged students become world-class engineers. He was surprised to learn there are only a handful of subsea engineering academic programs in the world. This includes UH’s subsea curricula that, in 2012, became the first and only higher education degree program established in the United States.

Pike recognized immediately how critical funding was, especially considering that Houston is the “energy capital of the world.” If years in a highly specialized niche such as subsea engineering taught Pike anything, it was that subsea protocol was technologically more advanced than the processes used for land wells, and that industry would be well served by specialized training at the university level.

Once Pike decided to focus his gift in engineering, he was certain his legacy would include paying tribute to his father and mother, who provided him with an exceptional education. His mother, the first child in her family to attend college, became a teacher and then, later, a flight attendant. It was on a flight to Caracas, Venezuela, that his mother met his father, a native Houstonian. It was their steadfast belief in the power of education and their adventurous spirit that led Pike to his rewarding career in engineering — and initiated his love of sailing.

Creating an EndowmentPike directed his sizable bequest to the Allen G. and Cleo V. Pike Scholarship Endowment in the Cullen College of Engineering. This gift, in honor of his supportive parents, is set as a source of scholarship funding for financially challenged students who wish to learn engineering in Houston.

Now, committed to meaningful generosity and supporting his alma mater, Pike is passionate about helping those engaged in energy education at the University of Houston. He is interested in providing funds to a pioneering institution, one in need of resources and one with the demonstrated ability to provide those resources to deserving students. As the Energy University, the University of Houston is at the top of that list.

COUGAR 100 LUNCHEON@ The Bayou City Event Center

11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

9401 Knight Road

Join us as we recognize the top Cougar 100 owned or operated companies.

houstonalumni.com/cougar100

INAUGURAL CLASS REUNIONS 2014

HOMECOMING WEEKNOV. 2-8, 2014

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7

@ Hilton University of Houston

6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

@ University Center Ballroom

7 - 9 p.m.

@ Blaffer Art Museum

7 - 9 p.m.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8

50 YEARCLASS OF '64

25 YEARCLASS OF '89

10 YEARCLASS OF '04

For more information and to RSVP, visit houstonalumni.com/homecoming

HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME & PARTY ON THE PLAZA

UH vs. Tulane@ TDECU Stadium

@ the Alumni Center with Curtis Poullard and the CZ Band.

ON THEPartyPLAZA

houstonalumni.com/partyontheplaza

houstonalumni.com/golf


class notesDavid Levin (‘70, J.D. ‘73) announced the publication of his latest novel, “Demon Dust,” a paranormal/fantasy thriller set in Galveston. His other published literary works include novels,

“Promise” and “The Demons of San Antonio” and a nonfiction guide for youth, “Teen Law.” He and his wife live in Houston and have two sons and a special dog.

1970

UH Alumni Making News Around the Globe

W.H. “Bill” Easter III (‘71), retired chairman, president and chief executive officer of DCP Midstream, was recently appointed to the Baker Hughes Inc. board of directors.

1971

1988

We invite you to submit your alumni news and updates at [email protected].

Mike Brem (‘79, M.B.A. ‘81, J.D. ‘90) has been elected to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Board of Directors.

1979

Steve Monks (‘84) was elected to serve on the board of directors of the Group Legal Services Association (GLSA), formerly the American Prepaid Legal Services Institute.

1984

Mark Polimeno (‘88) published a new cookbook titled, “Mother Teresa’s Fine Foods.”

Shed Boren (M.S.W. ‘89) has joined Camillus Health— a leading provider of health care services for persons who are homeless in Miami— as its executive director.

John D’Amico (‘91) was installed as the mayor of West Hollywood on April 21. He was first elected to the West Hollywood City Council in 2011.

1991

Patrick Dennis (‘01) has been named a partner in the law firm of Doyle Raizner LLP, based in Houston and Phoenix, specializing in insurance, maritime and pharmaceutical law.

2001

Juan F. Vasquez, Jr. ( J.D. ‘01), attorney with Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, has been recognized by Chambers USA as one of the top tax controversy attorneys in the United States.

Melissa Krisztal (‘03) is now talent acquisition specialist for Hearst Media. She will be actively recruiting entry level sales and marketing candidates in the Houston and San Antonio markets and is hopeful to help UH alumni with their careers.

2003

Jake Donaldson (‘06), Three Square Design Group principal, recently saw Three Square named a top design firm by ENR Texas and Louisiana.

2006

Nichala Davidson (‘08) received her Master of Arts in counseling from Prairie View A&M University in 2010 and also received her Licensed Professional Counselor Certification from the State of Texas in August 2013.

2008

Isabel Soto (‘13) is a presidential appointee and confidential assistant for the U.S. Department of Education – Office ofCareer, Technical and Adult Education in Washington, D.C.

2013

Paula Santamaria (‘14) is a presidential appointee and the special assistant to the chief of staff for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C.

2014

1989

Michael Hainkel (‘78, M.S.Accy. ‘79) has been named executive vice president and chief tax officer at Lions Gate Entertainment.

1978

HOOPS, THERE IT IS …Providing a first-rate training center for the towering student-athletes who play basketball is, you might say, a tall order.

But UH is giving it a shot.

Construction has recently begun on the new Basketball Development Facility, a $25 million project adjacent to Hofheinz Pavilion on the UH campus. The two-story, 53,000 square-foot building will feature separate practice courts for both the men’s and women’s teams, sports performance and sports medicine areas, locker rooms as well as

academic and film study rooms and offices for coaching and support staff members.

“When you are playing in a conference with the defending national champion and other tradition-rich programs, we need to have competitive advantages like those this facility will provide,” men’s head coach Kelvin Sampson said. “Teams become better from October to March. For players to get better, it has to be from March to October. We will now have a place where our players can practice, work out, shoot, develop chemistry and improve their work ethics. They can do this, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with this facility.”

0073040572

DONOR & ALUMNI RECORDS5000 GULF FWY BLDG 1 RM 272 HOUSTON, TEXAS 77204-5035

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U . S . P O S T A G E

P A I DHOUSTON, TEX AS

PER MI T N O. 5910

C H A N G E S E R V I C E R E Q U E S T E D

What’s old is new again. The University Center, which opened in 1967, has been undergoing a major transformation, which concludes with the grand opening of Phase 2 in January 2015. The original (left) and the renovation (right) still share some reassuring similarities.

LAST LOOK

Documents

University of Houston Magazine - Fall 2014