Powell Scholars - University of the PacificPowell Newsle)er No. 3 January, 2016 Thoughts from the...

PowellNewsle)erNo.3 January,2016

ThoughtsfromtheDirector

Dr.CynthiaWagnerWeick

Powell Scholars Newsletter

RobertandJeanne6ePowell

TheCoastRedwoodsthatgrowinBigSur,Californiabelongtothetallesttreespeciesonearth.Theycanreachover350feetinheight,20feetindiameter,andliveupto2000years.

planned.Whathasendured,however,istheirdesiretoreachhighlevelsofperformanceintheirnextsteps,tomakeanimportantcontribuKontotheworld,andtoconKnuetobroadentheiroutlookandexperiencesinlife.

Whatelsewilllast?Withhope,richrelaKonshipswillendurewithinthiscohortofseniorsandacrossthebroaderPowellScholarcommunityofstudents,allofwhomcametogetherforthecommonpurposeoffindingandfollowingtheirpassions.

Thepersistenceoftheselivingmonumentsdespitefire,rain,anddroughtremindsmeofstabilityandenduranceinaworldofchange.ThechoiceofPfeifferBigSurStateParkastheseOngforthisyear’sPowellScholarseniorcapstoneretreatturnedouttobeideal.Arecurringthemeinthediscussionsregardedwhatvariesandwhatremainsthesame.

OncethesystemhasbeenpilottestedattheFoodBankforafewweeks,theteamwilliterateitasneeded.ThenonApril9,thePowellScholarswillunveilVerdevistostudentsintheCalaverasSchoolSystem,whointendtouseitasaneducaKonaltooltocomplementtheiroutdoorgardens.ThePowellScholarshavealsoauthoredabookforuseintheschools,whichaddressessustainability,renewableresources,thebiologybehindplantgrowth,andotherscienKficaspectsofthesystem.Thebookencouragesreaderstoexperimentandimprovethesystemitself,andtopursueinnovaKvesoluKonstothemanyproblemsfacedintheworldtoday.AwebsitewillmakeothersbeyondtheseiniKalusersawareofthesystemandbenefitsofmicrogreens.Ideallythesystemwillbeusedmorewidelyinotherfoodbanksandschoolsinthefuture.

Lastthoughtsontheseniorretreat.Whatimpressedmemostwasthestudents’recogniKonthatweareallworksinprogress,especiallywhenitcomestobeingleaders.OverourlifeKmesandindifferentenvironments,weneverquitemasterleadership;thereisalwayssomethingtolearn.

HikingBuzzard’sRoostTrailinBigSur~PhotobyShelleyBuford

Thisyear’sseniors,asthoseinthepast,areinsighZulaboutthemselvesandothers.Whathaschangedforthemsincefreshmanyear?Experienceinavarietyofvenueshashelpedtorefinetheirapproachestoleadership.MosthavemadeprogressonovercomingtheweaknessestheyidenKfiedthree-plusyearsago.AndsomeanKcipatethattheirfuturepathsmayveerfromwhattheyoriginally

LunchonPfeifferBeachToprow;leHtoright:Dr.CynthiaWagnerWeick,Dr.BrianWeick,CeljaUebel,RickyEstrada,ChrisNan

Tudino,ConnorMoralesBo6omrow;leHtoright:MadelaineMatej,Siena

Gerbert,CeceSalinas,ShelleyBuford

ThePowellScholars’majorprojectthisyearfocusesonplantlifeattheotherendofthespectrumofsize.MicrogreensaresmallandhighlynutriKousseedlingsofvegetablespecies,whichhavemadetheirwayintomanyhigh-endrestaurants.Whenharvested,theyareonlyaninchorsoinheightandaweekold,buttheycontainmuchhigherconcentraKonsofnutrientsthantheirmaturecounterparts.ThankstothePowellScholars’originalintensivegrowingsystem,namedVerdevis,microgreensarenowavailabletopeoplewhovisittheSanAndreasFoodBankinCalaverasCounty.

VisittotheSanAndreasFoodBankToprow:SabrinaGraceBoggs,JohnLivingstone,

CourtneyBanhBo6omrow:DanielleMacArt,SarahJenkins,

NasserSaleh

PursuingTheirPassions:Gradua6ngClassof2015

AdventuresAbroad

SamCos6ganisaDesignEngineeratEssaiInc.,inFremont,CALindseyCunninghamispursuingaTeachingCredenKalatUniversityofthePacific,inStockton,CAJus6nGibbsispursuingaMastersinEngineeringScienceatUniversityofthePacific,inStockton,CASelenaKafferispursuingaMastersinEngineeringScienceatUniversityofthePacific,inStockton,CAAlisonKobayashiispursuingaDoctorateinPhysicalTherapyatUniversityofthePacific,inStockton,CAJulianLacombeispursuingaTeachingCredenKalwithafocusonSpecialEducaKonatUniversityofthePacific,inStockton,CAPaigeLawispursuingaMastersinMusicManagement,atNewYorkUniversity,inNewYork,NYKatherineTeagueispursuingaMastersinEarthandSpaceScienceatUniversityofWashington,inSea)le,WA

SarahLutzonthe

KeplerTrack(above)

SarahLutzstudiedabroadinNewZealandinFallof

2015.

Chris6anTudinostudied

abroadinJamaicaduringSummerof

2015.

AbelTasman(above)

AimeeMahoneyatthePontduGardaqueduct

(above)

LaBasiliqueNotreDamedeFourvière

(leH)

AimeeMahoney

studiedabroadintheFrench

RivierainFallof2015.

ChrisNanTudinoprovidingmusic

therapyinaJamaicaninfirmary(above)

BostonBeach(leH)

StudentProfiles

NeriahHowardSophomore;BusinessAdministra6on

JohnLivingstoneSophomore;BusinessAdministra6on

MadelaineMatejSenior;MusicPerformance:Voice

AlyssaRodriguezJunior;History

NasserSalehSophomore;MechanicalEngineering

CeciliaSalinasSenior;MusicManagement

Stemmingfromherpassionformusic, CecewasseminaltothecreaKonof thePacificStocktones,whoarethe firstacapellagroupatUniversityof thePacific.Whileservingasthe PresidentofthePacificStocktones, CececreatedtheaudiKonprocessfor members,guidedthegroupin recordingamusicvideo,performedat theirfirstinter-collegiateacappella

fesKval,andrecordedtwosongsfortheirextendedplay(EP)album.CeCestudiedabroadinbothBoquete,PanamaandSydney,Australia.Shehashadtwointernships;onewithConcordMusicGroupin2012,andonewiththeBrubeckInsKtuteinFall,2015.

NasserisspearheadingtheSanAndreas MicrogreenProjectandhasbeen involvedindesigningandcreaKngthe system.Healsowrotetwoofthe chaptersintheeducaKonalbookthat willaccompanytheproject.Beginning Springof2016,Nasserwillbe undertakingresearchwithProfessor JuEunLeeonforcesandheat associatedwithbonedrilling.He

worksasasupervisorforSanJoaquinCountyBehavioralHealthServicestoprovideyoungadultswithdrug-freeacKviKesandcommunityserviceopportuniKes.Nasseralsovolunteersathislocalchurcheveryweek,helpingwithfundraisingeventsandrenovaKons.

AlyssaisTreasurerofPhiAlphaTheta, whichisaNaKonalHistoryHonorsSociety. SheisalsoamemberoftheHonors SocieKesDeltaEpsilonIotaandPhi KappaPhi.WriKngisherpassion.Four ofAlyssa’snovelsandtwoshort storiesareavailableonamazon.com. ShepresentedapaperKtled“CIA: SecrecyandMethodologyofthe CentralIntelligenceAgency,

1960-1975”atthePhiAlphaThetaregionalconferenceatCSUStanislausinApril,2015.AlyssaisalsocurrentlyworkingfortheHistoryDepartmentastheirstudentrepresentaKve.

Madelaineisatalentedoperavocalist. Shehasperformedleadingrolesin Pacific’soperaandtheaterproducKons, andhasalsoperformedregionallyand overseas.Sheexperiencedlanguage immersionandprivatemusicstudyin Assisi,Italy.Madelainecompletedan originalresearchprojectontheroleof Eurydiceinasampleof79operas,and performedtheresultsatalecture-

recitalin2015.ShewasawardedtheAvanKAwardforherresearch,whichwillenablehertoperformthelecture-recitalthroughoutthecountryin2016.ShealsoparKcipatedinthePowellScholarsprojectinDimen,Chinaandisaco-authoroftheresulKngarKcleintheHonorsinPracNcejournal.

JohnservesasaSeniorAssociatefor Micro-loansforStocktonImpactCorps, andwillrepresentPacificattheClinton GlobalIniKaKveUniversityConference inSpring,2016.Heisamemberofthe ExecuKveBoardfortheCouncilof SocialEntrepreneurship.Heisalsoon theSanAndreasMicrogreenProject team,andassistedindesigningand creaKngthesystem.Johncontributed

oneofthechaptersofthebookassociatedwiththesystem.JohncurrentlyworksforUniversityofthePacific’sCenterforCommunityInvolvementasastudenttutorforbusinesslawandfinancialaccounKng.

Sincefreshmanyear,Neriahhasbeen aninternwithPacific’sCenterfor BusinessandPolicyResearch,where shehelpsanalyzeeconomictrendsin theregion.SheisAssistantStudent DirectoroftheHeyborneLeadership Academy,istrainingtobecomea StudentAdvisor,andhasbeenaTiger DancersinceFreshmanyear.Neriahis amemberofDeltaGamma,where

sheservesastheDirectorofScholarshipandDirectorofFunds.SheisSecretaryoftheBlackStudentUnion,andinherspareKme,shevolunteersatherchurchandAtriaBaysideLandingSeniorHome.

PowellScholarsApplyingTheirExper6se:

NewsleVerdesignedandauthoredbyAlisonKobayashi a_kobayashi1@u.pacific.edu

AsFreshmenin2011,PowellScholarsSamCosKgan(ME,2015)andMichaelFeliz(CE,2014)envisionedaninvenKontheycalledHappyTouch.DuringtheirKmeasPowellScholars,theybegandesigningandcreaKngaprototypeofamulK-usertabletopcomputersystem,whichwouldsomedaybeavailableforallofthePowellScholarstouse.Visualswereprovidedthroughavideoprojector,mirror,andparKallyopaqueglass.Thetouchinputwascapturedusingawebcamandinfraredlasers.Aroughprototypeproducedin2012wassuccessfullyabletodetecttouchandrunsimpleprograms.

In2014,SamandMichaelpassedtheHappyTouchprojecttofellowPowellScholarConnorMorales,whoisrefiningtheoriginalprototype.AdoubledegreestudentinComputerEngineeringandElectricalEngineering,Connorismakingthesystemmore

user-friendly.HeisaddingacommercialtouchscreenoverlayandaHigh-DefiniKonprojectorthatsupportsupto32simultaneousinputs,whichwillallowalargenumberofPowellScholarstousetheHappyTouchatonce.ConnorplanstowritecustomsoowarethatisdesignedspecificallyforuseontheHappyTouch,whichcanlaterbereleasedunderanopen-sourcelicense.

ThefinalproductisprojectedtobecompletedinSpring,2016.Thesystemwillincludeagraphingcalculator,Sudoku,andothermulKplayergames.DuetothemusicalcapabiliKesandinterestsofmanyofthePowellScholars,ConnoralsohopestoaddamusiccomposiKonsystem(completewithexternalLEDlighKng),whichwillallowuserstocollaborate.

SamCosNgandesigningtheouterstructureoftheHappyTouch

(above)

MichaelFelizworkingontheHappyTouchprototype

(above)

ConnorMoralesupdaNngtheHappyTouchsystem

SavetheDates!

PhotobyGaryLeonard

TheHappyTouchATourofSingularityUniversityon

February15,2016

AnEveningwithLAPhilharmonicViolinistVijayGuptaon

November3,2016

VijayGupta

ViolinistVijayGuptajoinedtheworldrenownedLAPhilharmonicOrchestrain2007,whenhewas19yearsold.HealsofoundedandservesasArKsKcDirectorforStreetSymphony,anon-profitorganizaKondedicatedtobringingfree,livemusictopeoplewhoarehomelessorincarcerated.GuptaisaTEDSpeaker,andaTEDSeniorFellow.