Walk with Wente Archive

President Wente walks and talks with Dr. Tao Ma, professor of internal medicine, about his neuroscience research on the molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and Down Syndrome. His goal: finding a cure. “The future is exciting and bright,” Ma said. Students – graduate students and undergraduates – are a key part of his research. “Many times, people think of science as just one person doing it alone…These days, especially for biomedical research, it’s really teamwork.”

President Wente walks and talks with Professor of Chemistry Patricia Dos Santos about biochemistry, enzymes and current research that could help develop better technologies for natural fertilizers to mitigate the environmental damage caused by artificial fertilizers. “Enzymes are present in all aspects of metabolism and can help us understand human disease and nitrogen fixation in plants,” Dos Santos said. She has seen many of her students go on to graduate school and successful research careers. “As faculty, we are forever learners,” she said. “It is a privilege to be a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students.”

President Wente walks and talks with Errin Fulp, professor of computer science, about his research on computer network systems and what ant colonies can teach us about cybersecurity. “We’d like to have that same sort of resilience, adaptiveness and self-healing in networks,” Fulp said. He encourages his students to take courses outside of computer science and think about how they can integrate ideas from other disciplines to solve complex problems. “Computer science is a field that really touches every aspect of our lives.”

President Wente walks and talks with Mark Curtis, Reynolds Professor of Economics and Chair of the Economics Department, about the challenges of designing policies that both address environmental outcomes and promote economic growth. He shares how his experience working with a non-profit providing microcredit in Peru shaped his career and why he is so passionate about engaging students in current issues. Curtis said, “The biggest impact we have is on the students we are teaching and motivating [them] to go on and make a difference in the world.”

President Wente walks and talks with associate professor Kyana Young about engineering research, hands-on learning and how her students are making meaningful contributions to community projects focused on water quality. Dr. Young said: “As engineers, it is our responsibility not just to provide the technical solution, but also to consider the ethical components.”

President Wente walks and talks with Lina Benabdallah about China’s rise as a superpower, its influence in Africa and what that means for international relations. Dr. Benabdallah challenges her students to think beyond stereotypes about Africa and says she likes to keep an “open door between research and teaching.”

President Wente walks and talks with Dr. Kishida about how the brain works and his research focused on big questions about consciousness and choice. They discuss his collaborations with both neurosurgeons and humanities faculty… and his love for the movie The Matrix.

President Wente walks and talks with Dr. Jurchescu about flexible electronics and how they will change the way we interact with technology and improve our lives. They discuss her love of experimental physics research and her love of teaching. She wants her students to “approach every problem in life with the mind of a scientist.”

President Wente walks and talks with Liz Gandolfo, Associate Professor of Catholic and Latin American Studies in the School of Divinity, about how people of faith respond to major challenges in the world. Dr. Gandolfo’s teaching and research place Christian theology in conversation with human responses to vulnerability, suffering, violence and oppression. They discuss student engagement and how faculty perspectives from various departments enrich her classroom discussions.

President Wente walks and talks with Amol Joshi, Professor in the School of Business, about his work in finding ethical ways to use technology to solve interdisciplinary problems. They discuss his background with artificial intelligence and how he sees AI relating to Pro Humanitate, how literature inspired his career and how he teaches failure as a key to success through experiential learning.