A Call to Action

A workshop led by HMC President’s Scholars inspires participants to shape their campus and community for the better

As part of the fall 2024 Annenberg Leadership Forum, HMC President’s Scholars Leila Bensaid ’26, Brock Bownds ’27, Broderick Bownds ’27, Miranda Brandt ’26, Octavia Herai Garrison ’28, Isabelle Kemp ’25 and Marcella Todd ’25 hosted a Lunch and Learn session. Through presentations and discussions, the student leaders highlighted the importance of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasizing their alignment with HMC’s mission and showing how current research at Harvey Mudd has a potential impact on these global challenges.

Ratified by all UN member states in 2015, The SDGs are a set of 17 global goals aimed at achieving a more sustainable and inclusive world by 2030 and cover areas like poverty eradication, quality education and climate action. The goals are interconnected, with success in one area often supporting success in others, and they encourage collaboration between governments, businesses and individuals.

Despite progress (a reduction in global infant mortality and increased access to water and sanitation), only 17% of targets are on track, hindered by COVID-19 and geopolitical tensions. At the fall forum, President’s Scholars highlighted various research initiatives at the College that align with multiple SDGs and underscored the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and research in achieving global sustainability goals. Education and exposure to the SDGs can help Mudders continue to promote and work toward these goals in their careers. HMC is applying to join the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, a group of organizations achieving the SDGs worldwide.

A Sampling of Research at HMC that Aligns with SDGs

• Engineers are working on heat pump systems to reduce CO2 emissions. The project focuses on making heating systems more efficient by using heat pumps and energy storage systems, targeting cold climate areas and multi-family residences. The work is part of a collaboration with the Department of Energy, national labs and companies. Dre Helms, assistant professor of engineering
• Faculty members are developing a curriculum that incorporates ecological impact, social impact and ethics to create engineers conscious of their work’s broader impact. Engineering professors Leah Mendelson, Sophia Bahena, Whitney Fowler, Dre Helms
• Research to detect water purity using self-assembling nanofibers aims to provide a low-cost method for international communities. Researchers are engineering nanofibers to detect synthetic materials and hazardous substances in water, contributing to improved water quality. Whitney Fowler, assistant professor of engineering
• Non-invasive methods for analyzing plant root systems are being studied. Researchers use optical techniques to measure crop health, contributing to agricultural sustainability and environmental health. Josh Brake, assistant professor of engineering
• Research on wavefront shaping through flexible multi-fiber bundles could improve optical technologies for brain imaging and interventions. Wavefront shaping and neurophotonics enables scientists to observe, monitor and manipulate brain activity, potentially leading to better treatments for mental health conditions and neurodegenerative diseases. Josh Brake, assistant professor of engineering
• Research on atmospheric chemistry focuses on understanding the impact of air pollution on climate and health and involves collaborating with other scientists in the U.S. and abroad to measure air pollution properties. Lelia Hawkins, Professor of Chemistry and Hixon Professor of Climate Studies, director of the Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment; Chris Clark, professor emeritus of engineering; Julie Medero, associate professor of computer science
• Researchers are studying green energy initiatives, promoting sustainable practices in waste management and discovering ways to reduce exposure to toxic substances. Work includes efforts to transition undergrad labs to greener alternatives and collaborations with biologists and other experts. David Vosburg, Donald A. Strauss Endowed Professorship in Chemistry
• A National Science Foundation grant for a project involving Math for America Los Angeles, founded in 2007 by USC, Claremont Graduate University and Harvey Mudd, aims to improve access to high-quality math and CS instruction in secondary schools. The project funds 34 master fellows who create improvement plans for their schools’ math and CS programs and participate in professional development, advocating for equal access to higher education. Zach Dodds, Leonhard- Johnson-Rae Chair in Computer Science; and Colleen Lewis, associate professor of computer science, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Karen Gallagher, professor and Veronica and David Hagen Chair of Women’s Leadership in Education, USC Rossier School of Education
• Researchers are developing a cross-verification approach for identifying deep fake material, using a two-hypothesis method to test authenticity of audio-visual content. TJ Tsai, associate professor of engineering
• In collaboration with experts in cardiology at UCLA, HMC researchers are using tensor models for cardiac imaging to provide a diagnostic tool with potential applications in reducing gender inequality in medical diagnoses. Jamie Haddock, Iris and Howard Critchell Assistant Professor of Mathematics