We Belong - Miami

W E B E LO N G AT T H E FO R E F R O N T O F E D U CAT I O NNew 3D Lab Helps EducateTomorrow’s Engineering LeadersThe new facility simulates the look,feel, and flow of a real hospital—withoutputting any patients at risk. The useof microphones, cameras, controlrooms, and an intricate network ofadvanced tools and technology allowsnursing faculty and other specializedsimulation instructors to manipulateand observe each scenario as it unfolds.“Here we create a simulated environment where, all at once, the phone isringing, physicians are giving youorders, and the patient is telling youthey don’t feel good. It’s a sort oforganized chaos—and yet you canthink about what you’re going to do,how to respond, and then have thetime immediately after to debrief“Additive manufacturing lets youenvision what’s possible.”Joseph Sendra, B.S. ’93, M.B.A. ’96,worldwide vice president ofmanufacturing engineering andtechnology at Johnson & JohnsonThe “collaboratory” is helpingto educate tomorrow’s technologyleaders.Through the process of 3D printing,students add materials such asplastics or metals in successive layers.8 University of Miami 2018 President’s ReportA biomedical engineering studentuses a 3D printer to optimize themanufacturing process for a newtype of catheter. An aerospaceengineering student prints a 3Dcomponent for a hybrid motorThis high level of experientialpropelled rocket. And a group oftraining is advancing effortsmechanical engineering majors usesto reduce medical error, currentlya series of 3D printers to turn theirthe third leading cause of deathclassroom projects into reality,in the United States.creating prototypes for novelvegetable cutters, juice extractors,The facility is also helping firstand mobility devices, among manyresponders prepare personnel andcommunities for adverse events such other gadgets.as natural disasters, terrorist attacks,Not long ago, such additive manufacand infectious disease pandemics—and enabling corporate partners and turing techniques were out of reachresearchers to beta-test technologies for engineering students. But with thenew College of Engineering-Johnsonand conduct studies aimed at& Johnson 3D Printing Center oftransforming health care educationExcellence Collaborative Laboratory,and clinical practice worldwide.students now have the means tocreate objects limited only by their“While simulation has been aroundimaginations.for years, the hospital represents anand reflect on what you did,” saysSusana Barroso-Fernandez, assistantprofessor of clinical and director ofsimulation operations at the school.exponentially bigger piece of theeducational experience—similar tome learning to use a slide rule in highschool and now having a supercomputer,” says Dean Cindy L. Munro.Housed within a 5,850-square-foot“maker space” inside the McArthurEngineering Building and featuringan impressive lineup of 3D printers,the center supports joint research,materials development, and testing ofadditive manufacturing technologiesand processes. And students workalongside Johnson & Johnsonengineers and scientists, gaininginvaluable experience.“A collaboratory” is how Jean-PierreBardet, dean of the College ofEngineering, describes the facility.“An engineering education hasto give students the chance forhands-on creativity and allowtheir imaginations to soar,” hesays. “This new lab is yet anotherresource to educate tomorrow’stechnology leaders.”Laptop Ensemble studentsare among the first in thecountry to use laptops astheir primary performanceinstruments to createcontemporary masterpieces.Music School’s Laptop EnsembleBlends Technology and Talent“Additive manufacturing lets youenvision what’s possible,” says JosephSendra, worldwide vice presidentof manufacturing engineering andtechnology at Johnson & Johnsonand one of three UM alumni whohelped bring the new lab to theUniversity.Faculty are just as excited about thenew center, as researchers within thecollege are making use of it to propelprojects in fields that range fromthe aviation and aerospace industriesto biomedical engineering. “Thenew Johnson & Johnson Lab,”says Ashutosh Agarwal, assistantprofessor of biomedical engineering,“is a game changer for the college.”You watch them click away on laptops,shifting sliders on a MIDI controllerto mix effects, textures, and instrumentsand then sending the remix soaringthrough speakers to fill the room withsound. Yet these are not club DJs whosimply manage and massage the soundsof others; these multitalented studentsare musicians themselves—membersof the Frost School of Music’s LaptopEnsemble.Students in the Laptop Ensembleembody the Frost School’s mission tonurture well-rounded musicians andare composing a new score in musiceducation: They are among the firstin the country to use laptops as theirprimary performance instruments tocreate contemporary masterpieces.“Imagine someone with excellentproduction skills remixing other people’smusic—many are doing this and are verysuccessful. Now what if you took peoplewith music talent and made sure theyknow how to use these same technologies and platforms—that was our goal,”says Joe Abbati, studio director of theContemporary Media PerformanceStudio Program (CMP), which helpedcreate the Laptop Ensemble, and lecturerin the Music Engineering Program atthe Frost School.When they launched CMP a few yearsago, Abbati and Rey Sanchez, associatedean for strategic initiatives andinnovation at Frost, sought to fuse thepower of modern music-making toolswith the most talented of musicians.“Frost and other schools are inundatedwith students who want to learnproduction skills. Our goal was to takemusically talented people and get themtrained on these techniques as a tool forreal-time expression,” Abbati explains.The professor duo was challenged toshow that their approach and curriculumwere deeply rooted in musical tradition.Students in the Laptop Ensemblepractice their own musicianship inprivate classes and study new waysto perform and produce electronicmusic in innovative ways—which meansreal-time improvisation and solos, andemotive expression with sound viacontemporary musical interfaces. Mosthave mastered a performance instrument and, as part of their music degree,are required to perform.Contemporary MediaPerformance Studio fusesthe power of modernmusic-making tools withthe most talentedmusicians.Conner Golden, a junior in Frost’s MusicEngineering Program, played classicalpiano and sang in the choir for manyyears prior to joining UM. As a sophomore, he switched from Classical Voiceto the CMP and Laptop Ensemble.Golden has delved into the worldof music engineering and technology,but not abandoned by any means hismusicianship. He now dedicates himselfto the LinnStrument, which resemblesa key-tar (keyboard/guitar hybrid) and isa relatively new addition to the musictechnology scene.“The possibilities of the LinnStrumentare endless, and I know I have onlyscratched the surface of what ispossible,” Golden says.University of Miami 2018 President’s Report 9

If We Can Talk About It,We Can Learn From ItWe build trust and strengthenconnections through the willingness to address—not ignore—thorny issues that are often thebasis for discord and alienationyet are rarely discussed in society.A range of programs and projectsare underway that complementthe culture of belonging initiative,which is guided by the Office ofInstitutional Culture (OIC).WEBELONGto Each OtherOur diverse experiences and thoughts bring uscloser. We listen and seek to understand.We are committed to mutually enriching ourexperiences by celebrating our differences.Over the course of human history,few subjects have proven to be as “roselike” as religion—to believe or not tobelieve—given its potential to prick andpolarize while offering the possibilityfor comfort and solace. Might there bea way to frame or approach thispowerful domain to yield less prickliness and more fragrance?The Intergroup Dialogue followsa well-structured curriculum thatgenerates empathy and understanding of inequality andprivileges, and optimizes learningopportunities for students.“When I was able to tell my storyto my group, it allowed me tobreak through so much of theuncomfortableness I’d beenfeeling. An experience like thiscould help a lot of students bridgedifferences and build solidarity,”says Wilson Mejia, a graduatestudent and intern in the OIC.10 University of Miami 2018 President’s ReportNew Endowed Chair Demonstrates University’sCommitment to Knowledge Through Deep InquiryAnjan Chakravartty, the University’snew endowed chair for the study ofatheism, humanism, and secular ethics,wholeheartedly believes there is. Hejoined the U officially in summer 2018to assume the first such chair in thecountry, and his first course offeringthis fall, Science and Humanism,explores that very framework.Christopher Doell, the director ofprograms of Academic Excellence andsenior advisor for residential colleges,heard about the new endowed chair,was impressed by the “bold andforward-thinking” decision, andregistered for the course.“Some might think that this personis coming to teach a course thatcondemns the belief in God, but that’snot the case,” Doell says. “Like a lot ofphilosophy, we’re looking at reason,evidence, and observation through aprocess of inquiry and argument toarrive at varying levels of truth.Reason, evidence, and observation fuelengaging conversation in courses likeScience and Humanism that deepeninquiry and enhance understanding.University of Miami 2018 President’s Report 11

WE BELONG TO EACH OTHERThe Promise of Team Science“Professor Chakravartty is a maestroof conversation and cultivatingdialogue. He’s very, very encouragingof people offering their views,and then he presents some of thehistorical or deeper philosophicalcontext to help us continue to thinkthrough,” Doell says, adding “courseslike these are invaluable.”The new endowered chair, madepossible by a generous 2.2 milliongift from the Louis J. AppignaniFoundation, comes as secularizationis rising, and demonstrates theUniversity’s commitment to rigorousacademic leadership and to exploretopics critical to modern culture.“These complex issues need tobe addressed, and it’s importantto talk about them and to haveresources to analyze them carefully,”says Otavio Bueno, chair of thephilosophy department, who wasclosely involved in the selectionof the new endowed chair.In its second year of University funding,the UM Laboratory for IntegrativeKnowledge, or U-LINK, is advancinga new model for collaborative researchby encouraging and enabling researchersto work across disciplines to tackle someof the world’s thorniest problems.And that’s by design.“It’s outstanding and a feather in thecap of the University that it took thisleadership role,” says Chakravartty.“The University of Miami seems like theperfect place where this kind of mandatemight flourish, given the wonderfuldiversity of students who come fromso many different parts of the world—exactly what you want to have a richdiscussion about these kinds of issues.”U-LINK provides a model for researchers to collaborate across differentdisciplines and tackle some of the world’s most challenging problems.“A lot of a team’s success depends on how team members communicate.” Susan Morgan, associate provost for research development and strategyThe ultimate goal of the newUniversity-wide platform is to developinterdisciplinary research projects thathold great promise for addressing someof society’s toughest challenges—and thepotential to attract the external fundingneeded to advance solutions for them.12 University of Miami 2018 President’s Reportaccomplished in their respectivedisciplines often don’t speak the samelanguage as experts from other fields.“Collaborative interdisciplinary researchis hard work, and we don’t take it forgranted that everyone knows howto do it,” Morgan says. “A lot of a team’ssuccess depends on how team memberscommunicate. They need to create a new,unique intellectual space where theirdisciplines maybe don’t overlap but atleast speak to each other.”That’s why all grant recipients—Phase Iteams and those designated as Phase IIfor renewed funding—in U-LINK’ssecond year will begin the next funding“We aren’t just funding awesome ideas,”cycle in January by attending asays John Bixby, vice provost for research mandatory seminar on the “hows” andand U-LINK’s lead coordinator. “It has to “whys” of team science.be something important to society.”And that’s because the world’s mostBut a secondary and, for now, even more compelling and difficult problemsimportant goal is developing a cadre ofare complex and multidimensional,interdisciplinary collaborators who canrequiring multiple experts with variedshare best practices for creating effective perspectives, skills, and knowledge tointerdisciplinary teams.come together.Bixby and Susan Morgan, associateprovost for research developmentand strategy, acknowledge that goalis a challenging task. After all, highlyspecialized researchers who are“Dialogue Across Differences isgeared to getting you out of yourcomfort zone because there you’renot really learning.”Professor Miriam Lipsky“Each discipline has a little piece of thepuzzle,” Morgan says. “We need to putall the pieces together to assemble thecomprehensive picture and create moreinnovative solutions.”The conversations—on ethnicity,race, sexual orientation, andgender—are intended to provokedeep, personal sharing, yeteveryone knows they are in asafe space.Dialogue Across Differences:Creating Brave Spaces to Build Stronger BondsIt’s been said that courage is contagiousand that every time we choose courage,we make everyone around us a littlebetter and the world a little braver.A new course at the University ofMiami is intent on just that: creatingbrave spaces, which allow forcontroversy with civility and wherestudents can engage in a genuineway by talking about challengingtopics and thereby learn to respectdifferences, heighten awareness,and increase understanding.The course, Dialogue AcrossDifferences, stems from theIntergroup Dialogue (IGD) program,transplanted here in part by LauraKohn-Wood, dean of the School ofEducation and Human Development,and which took root at UM under theleadership of President Frenk.“Many at the University felt that wewanted to create a culture of belongingby having these conversations so peoplecould get to know each other better andcan work toward a more socially justcommunity both on campus and offcampus,” says Miriam Lipsky, a professorand senior learning and facilitationspecialist in the Office of InstitutionalCulture and a lecturer in the School ofEducation and Human Development.IGD began at the U as a work group, waspiloted as a class this past spring andsummer, launched as a course elective infall 2018, and is taught by Lipsky togetherwith Renee Dickens Callan, UM director ofmulticultural affairs.The conversations—on ethnicity, race,sexual orientation, gender—are intendedto provoke deep personal sharing, yeteveryone knows that they are in a safespace and that whatever happens in classstays there, Lipsky explains.During a recent class, studentsparticipated in an outdoor exercisewhere they positioned themselves onan imaginary continuum line as theyanswered an array of questions.The experience of finding themselvesstanding alone or bunched togetheror seeing a classmate all bythemselves invited students tophysically experience the impactof their beliefs and biases.“This class is geared to getting youout of your comfort zone becausethere you’re not really learning—that’sa space of ‘oh, I get it, I know that,’”Lipsky explains. “But we don’t wantyou in the danger zone either, wheresomeone may have said or donesomething that triggered you and youshut down.“Intergroup Dialogue is about locatingyou on the learning edge,” she says.Bersabeh Mesfin, a sophomore,registered for the class out of herinterest in social justice and sociology.Born in Ethiopia, Mesfin moved toSt. Louis when she was 4. She grew upvery aware of “differences.”The outdoor exercise motivated her toknow her classmates better. “I wantedto know their reasons why,” she says.“Generally whenever we’re challenged,we fall back on ‘oh, I don’t want to talkabout it.’ I know that I’ll learn a lot inthis class, especially from those whoare very different.”University of Miami 2018 President’s Report 13

WEBELONGto the CommunityAt the University of Miami, we impact andinfluence Greater Miami, Florida, and the nation.We play a critical role in helping to fostermore vibrant and harmonious communities.’Canes Surge to Success—On and Off the FieldOur football ’Canes won 10 gameslast year for the first time in 14 years,including wins against rival FloridaState and powerhouse Notre Dame.The buzz spread far, fast, and wide andprompted ESPN’s College GameDayto broadcast live on the Coral Gablescampus for the first time.“Service is a pillar of our program. From the first day ofrecruiting, we emphasize that the players have tremendoushumility for the blessings they’ve been given, and thereforethey must share.”Women's Basketball Head Coach Katie MeierWomen’s basketball players support communitychildren in one of many service events.14 University of Miami 2018 President’s ReportThe success for these ’Canes spreadbeyond the gridiron: Touchdowns andtakeaways were matched by classroomachievement and solid support forcommunity kids and families.Defensive lineman DemetriusJackson, a senior political sciencemajor, embodies this classof student-athletes with a passionfor paying it forward. With supportfrom the U, Jackson launched theYoung Men of Tomorrow foundationto help the Overtown communitywhere he grew up.“Everyone has to try and work togive a helping hand and make theircommunity better. You can’t just talkabout it. You have to be about it.You have to try and do something,”says Jackson, who was twice votedHurricanes Community ServiceMan of the Year.Making a DifferenceWe are the University of Miami,founded as part of the vision anddevelopment of this city. It’s anintegral part of our culture andethos to positively impact the cityand the region.Our focus on performativeresearch demonstrates ourcommitment to help resolve localand regional challenges. Risingsea level, for example, poses aproblem for Miami and for theworld, and we offer unparalleledexpertise in climate science andurban planning through ourRosenstiel School of Marine andAtmospheric Science and ourSchool of Architecture. We striveto be active participants in findingsolutions especially suitedto Miami.Our mission is to educate andnurture student changemakerswho will go out in the worldand make a difference, and thatexperience begins while hereat the U.University of Miami 2018 President’s Report 15

WE BELONG TO THE COMMUNITYClosing the Medical Research GapAnd the football team is far fromalone in its focus to foster wellrounded student-athletes.In the classroom, 12 of our programswere recognized for perfect scores of1,000 in the 2016-17 NCAA AcademicProgress Rate (APR) report. Threeprograms were ho

2 University of Miami 2018 President’s Report University of Miami 2018 President’s Report 3 At the University of Miami, we are answering the higher calling for higher education—building bridges across . organized chaos