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Grand Challenges Scholars leave ASU with prospects for bright future

by | May 10, 2023 | Features, Students

Students in Arizona State University’s Grand Challenges Scholars Program prepare to address global concerns through competencies that impart an ability to see the big picture, consider all aspects of a problem and create value for society. Photographer: Thia Fuller/ASU

The Grand Challenges Scholars Program is a unique experience for engineering and technology students at Arizona State University that encourages them to diversify their academic journey beyond engineering by exploring studies in culture, ethics, policy, human behavior, entrepreneurship and other related disciplines. In addition to earning engineering degrees, the program enables students to graduate with majors or minors in multiple areas of study or enhance their degrees with extracurricular research and service learning.

Known as GCSP, the program is offered by the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU and gives students opportunities to address global concerns through competencies that enhance their ability to consider all aspects of a problem and generate solutions that benefit society.

“Our Spring 2023 graduates have accomplished a lot, and have left an impact on the ASU and Fulton schools community,” says Amy Trowbridge, director of ASU’s Grand Challenges Scholars Program and an associate teaching professor in the Fulton Schools. “But their impact doesn’t stop there; they’ve also had a positive impact on local and global communities, either through their leadership as Fulton Ambassadors, or through various projects they completed in Engineering Projects in Community Service, or Engineers Without Borders.”

Trowbridge says many GCSP students spent their time in the program deeply engaged in research, spending multiple semesters working with faculty mentors to analyze and develop solutions to help people and society. More than half, she adds, also graduated from ASU’s Barrett, The Honors College.”

This spring, 17 Grand Challenges Scholars have graduated through the program.

“Although the COVID-19 pandemic may have thwarted some of their plans to study abroad or implement international service projects, these students were still motivated to put their skills to use to benefit society any way that they could,” Trowbridge says.

“Nearly all of [this year’s GCSP graduating class] participated in EPICS, working on projects to improve medical care, sustainable farming, access to clean water or other important goals for communities in Africa, Vietnam, Kenya, Peru and here in Arizona,” she says. “Several of them used their leadership skills to inspire others to pursue engineering and give back to society as Fulton Ambassadors, through leadership in student orgs and outreach activities.”

To graduate as a Grand Challenges Scholar, students must exhibit five competencies through research or a creative project, a multidisciplinary learning experience, entrepreneurship, a multicultural experience or a service-learning project. 

Utilizing science for a sustainable future

Salma Ly

Grand Challenges Scholar Salma Ly (left) says that considering sustainability as a mindset and in practice is something she is constantly aware of as a researcher and as a person. Photographer: Hayley Hilborn/ASU

Salma Ly, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in chemical engineering, says she encourages students to adopt the mindset of becoming a leader in all aspects of life.

“To become a well-rounded leader is to excel not only in accomplishing things yourself but inspiring those around you to make that change as well, and providing the opportunity for them to do so,” Ly says.

Ly liked the concept of the GCSP program and found the challenges provided useful directions as she participated in competitions and research opportunities, and gave her perspectives on how to view her internship experiences.

When Ly started out in GCSP as a first-year student, she was most interested in the latest fusion reactor technology but has since gravitated toward carbon dioxide, or CO2, capture and processing design.

For the past three years, Ly worked in Associate Professor Matthew Green’s research group, focusing her efforts on carbon capture using polymers to directly capture CO2 from the air.

This year, the San Antonio, Texas, native, was captain of ASU’s ChemE Car, overseeing the technical team that qualified and competed in national and regional competitions.

“We developed a chemical-reaction-run car using sustainable power sources like thermoelectric generators,” Ly says. “This expanded my horizons on sustainability in power and the safety concerns and data conversion involved in transitions from thermal to electrical to mechanical power.”

Sustainability has always been at the forefront when Ly made the decisions that led her into the chemical engineering field.

“I love the forest, plants and the beautiful Earth we live on,” Ly says. “I know where we are headed, and if it takes us away from sustainable practices, it will be a dark place. It will be like the signs of poor health you see in people who must work in nonregulated, unsafe environments. Knowing on a molecular level what we can do about it and being able to scale up a process to take advantage of sustainable practices is my ultimate goal.”

After graduation, Ly plans to work in process optimization for Boeing and will also pursue a master’s degree.

Engineering global health and well-being

Sumi Ramachandran

Grand Challenges Scholar Sumi Ramachandran looks to improve access to health care and incorporate her strengths by providing personalized care for patients. Photo courtesy of Sumi Ramachandran

Sumi Ramachandran, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in chemical engineering, joined the program the first semester of her junior year because it offered an abundance of opportunities to enrich her university experience and career prospects.

“Through GCSP, I have been able to focus on my goals of creating sustainable healthcare practices through a health theme that focuses on improving the physical well-being and lifespan of humans, while reducing the negative ecological impacts on our society,” Ramachandran says.

One of the multiple projects the Gilbert, Arizona, native worked on in her time at ASU was with the Engineering Projects in Community Service program.

Ramachandran joined a team working on smart agriculture, in which she and her peers designed a working model of a rainwater pH monitoring system for eventual implementation in Danang, Vietnam, to increase the efficiency and sustainability for small-scale farmers. Work on the project involved visiting Vietnam.

“Providing reliable access to smart agriculture technologies may not only be good for people’s health, safety and lifestyle, but also have positive economic and societal impacts as well,” Ramachandran says.

“During my ten days there, our team spent time visiting the farmers, touring the area and understanding the problems that they face. We were able to perfect our design from this input and with the help of students and faculty members from the University of Danang,” she says. “The experience emphasized the importance, especially when discussing health in a community, of the interconnectedness of many outside factors such as the economy, culture and demographics.”

After completing the Grand Challenges Scholars Program, Ramachandran realized how it has shaped her into who she is today.

“I am a confident and well-rounded engineer prepared to tackle society’s biggest challenges,” Ramachandran says. “I do not simply recommend engineering students join the program; I strongly advocate for it. It is a great starting point to make the most out of our time at Arizona State University.”

Creating efficient technology for a sustainable future

Daniel Espinoza Peña

Grand Challenges Scholar Daniel Espinoza Peña plans to continue learning about leading-edge robotic technology and apply it to projects that relate to sustainability. Photo courtesy of Daniel Espinoza Peña

Daniel Espinoza Peña, who graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in engineering focusing on electrical systems and a minor in technological entrepreneurship management, got involved with GCSP soon after he was accepted to into the degree program.

“At that point in time I was open to every opportunity offered to me and took it with the understanding that the program would guide me to become an outstanding engineer,” Espinoza Peña says. “Four years later and I am graduating fulfilled and satisfied, and a primary contributor to that achievement is being involved in GCSP.”

Espinoza Peña did not know at first what he wanted to do in the GCSP program, only that he wanted to have a positive impact on the world, no matter how small or grand.

“I decided to go forward with the grand challenge theme of sustainability to help preserve our world while also improving people’s lives,” Espinoza Peña says. “I pondered two outcomes for the future, which are that we develop technology to either make life sustainable on Earth by improving the climate or focus our efforts on building a civilization off-world.”

Among  Espinoza Peña’s projects were leading the Sun Devil Motorsports Formula Electric team and the 2021 Solar District Cup team, which designed a mock business with a team leveraging autonomous electric vehicle technology and reducing manufacturing costs for an industry partner by redesigning an environmental control unit.

“All of these projects follow concepts of reducing waste and creating efficient systems,” the Goodyear, Arizona, native says. “This might be through renewable energy, efficient management structures, cost reduction, etc. I believe as engineers we are always pushing the boundaries of functionality before hitting that failure threshold all in the name of reducing the waste a product or system creates.”

For Espinoza Peña, the field of autonomous mobile robotics is of particular interest because of how robotics is capable of being applied to numerous engineering endeavors.

“There are more and more robots being developed each and every day and the technology will keep advancing in the consumer, industrial and space exploration fields,” Espinoza Peña says. “The almost infinite number of applications is what draws me into this area. I want to use robotics as a means to improve people’s lives.”

He will continue learning about the robotics field, with plans to begin graduate studies next spring in the Fulton Schools Accelerated Master’s degree program in robotics and autonomous systems with a focus on systems engineering.

Removing carbon to preserve the climate

Emily Hagood

Grand Challenges Scholar Emily Hagood (right) plans to start her career in the carbon management industry in San Francisco. Photographer: Erika Gronek/ASU

Emily Hagood, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering in materials science and engineering with a minor in sustainability, has long been interested in sustainability going all the way back to third grade when she started a recycling program at the elementary school she attended.

During her first semester at ASU, Hagood took FSE150 Perspectives on Grand Challenges for Engineering, an introductory GCSP course, that required her to interview an ASU faculty member about their research.

“I interviewed Klaus Lackner, who pioneered research on direct air carbon capture technologies, and fell in love with direct air capture and other carbon removal and storage technologies,” Hagood says. “One of the National Academy of Engineering Grand Challenges is to develop carbon sequestration methods, and I’ve been working on that Grand Challenge since my interview with Dr. Lackner.”

That interview completely changed the course of Hagood’s academic and professional career aspirations.

“It’s all because of GCSP that I discovered and later pursued opportunities in the field of carbon management,” she says.

Hagood’s research primarily focused on the physical durability, or permanence, of various kinds of reservoirs for stored carbon dioxide. She quantitatively explored how long carbon tends to remain sequestered in certain reservoirs — whether the nature of the reservoir is biotic (such as trees or wetlands), oceanic (such as a water column or other storage reservoirs in the ocean), geologic (such as depleted oil and gas reservoirs) or otherwise engineered (such as converting captured CO2 into plastics or fuels).

Climate change is one of the most urgent, far-reaching and complex challenges the world is facing and it’s one the Birmingham, Alabama, native wants to take on.

“Direct air capture and carbon removal are areas of both personal and professional interest because I want to be part of the climate solution,” Hagood says.

Following graduation, she will begin her professional career at Heirloom, a direct air capture company based in San Francisco.

"Christina Aridi Biomedical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “My GCSP goals were achieved both through classes and through academic/professional experiences. I have been able to connect and collaborate with a multitude of individuals from a variety of backgrounds in regards to culture, academic and professional backgrounds, and overall interests.”""Brendan Carella Civil engineering Grand Challenge: Sustainability Quote: “The GCSP program forced me to broaden my engineering horizons which helped me prepare for my post-university engineering career.”""Dhrasti Dalal Biomedical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “GCSP aligned perfectly with my goals of what I wanted to achieve in university and I thought that participating in the program could improve my impact as an engineer, forcing me to ask why, not just how.” ""“In my time at ASU and within the GCSP, I have had the pleasure of being exposed to so many new experiences and learning from many great people, both from my instructors and the faculty as well as from my peers.” "Shreshth Dembla Chemical engineering, business minor Grand Challenge: Sustainability""Daniel Espinoza Peña Engineering (electrical systems) Grand Challenge: Sustainability Quote: “I originally decided to take part in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program to enhance my experience as an engineer and to help provide the world with innovative ideas, progress, and comfort.”""Michael Farrell Biomedical sciences Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “I started out in GCSP wanting to understand more about biology, then when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I transitioned my interest to more of a global health emphasis, taking courses that would inform me about diseases and the health care system.”""Nandika Goyal Computer science Grand Challenge: Joy of Living Quote: “I became involved with the Grand Challenges Scholars Program because I wanted to get a better understanding of how I can have a positive impact in the world and figure out who I want to be as an engineer.”""Emily Hagood Materials science and engineering Grand Challenge: Sustainability Quote: “I love that GCSP challenges students to think broadly and deeply about both problems and solutions.”""Michelle Jang Biomedical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “Through Grand Challenges Scholars Program, I was able to come out of my comfort zone and participate in various opportunities to broaden my perspective and become a well-rounded engineer.”""Jacob Kenny Computer science (cybersecurity) Grand Challenge: Security Quote: “I'm glad I decided to join the GCSP -- it exposed me to new environments, ideas, and experiences that have been integral in my development as an engineer.”""Anna Kylat Biomedical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “As a biomedical engineer interested in completing research in the future as a PhD student, GCSP has been great as a way to develop research skills.”""Kamawela Leka Biomedical engineering and biochemistry Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “The courses and experiences I had through GCSP have helped me realize my passions, become aware of the climate surrounding health issues as they exist today, and aware of the variety of different careers that can make a difference in bioengineering and health outcomes.”""Salma Ly Chemical engineering, business minor Grand Challenge: Sustainability Quote: “What I truly think this program does is encourage you into this mindset of becoming a leader in all aspects of your life. To become a well-rounded leader is to not only excel in accomplishing things yourself but inspiring those around to make that change as well, providing the opportunity for them to do so.”""Jacob Michalik Computer systems engineering Grand Challenge: Security Quote: “I think the most powerful aspect of GCSP is that no matter a student's major, they are not boxed into that specific coursework path.”""Katie Pascavis Mechanical engineering and global health Grand Challenge: Sustainability Quote: “Being a Grand Challenges Scholar has opened my viewpoints in more ways than one. It even took me to the other side of the world.”""Derek Smetanick Biomedical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “As I was slowly shaping and defining my own educational journey within biomedical engineering, fulfilling the GCSP competencies allowed me to explore new areas and see the connection between them.”""Sumi Ramachandran Chemical engineering Grand Challenge: Health Quote: “Through the GCSP program, I have been able to focus on my goals of creating sustainable health care practices through a health theme that focuses on improving the physical wellbeing and lifespan of humans while reducing the ecological impact of our society.”"

A grand future

These graduates have left a mark on the ASU and global communities as they seek to bring the world into a better place than the way they’ve found it.

Through completion of the five components of the GCSP program, the students have had the opportunity to engage in research, explore interdisciplinary coursework, gain an international perspective, engage in entrepreneurship and give back to the community through service-learning projects.

They will be recognized by the National Academy of Engineering as Grand Challenges Scholars, joining a community of more than 2,000 total GCSP alumni across the organization’s international network and 124 ASU GCSP alumni.

“These students embraced interdisciplinary experiences and valued the global interdisciplinary perspective, one of the key features distinguishing Grand Challenges Scholars from other engineering graduates,” Trowbridge says. “Through their experiences, they learned the importance of working on multidisciplinary teams and understanding the sociocultural, ethical and political context of a problem when developing an effective engineering solution.”

“They encouraged others to look at the bigger picture too,” Trowbridge says. “Each of these students followed their passions to develop an individualized pathway to success as a Grand Challenges Scholar, impacting many people along the way. I look forward to watching how each of them continues to create value for their communities and our global society as a whole in the future.”

 

 

About The Author

Erik Wirtanen

Erik Wirtanen graduated from Arizona State in 2001 with a BS in Recreation Management and Tourism. He got his start in the communications field as an undergrad with the ASU Athletics Media Relations office. He worked at UC Irvine from 2002 until 2014 in the Department of Athletics and then The Henry Samueli School of Engineering. In August of 2014, Wirtanen joined the communications office at the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering. Media Contact: [email protected] | 480-727-1957 | Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering Communications

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