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ROTARY HUMANITARIAN STAR AWARDS

Science Technology Aerospace Robotics

December 14, 2016

www.rhstar.org

Masonic Temple

200 South Euclid Avenue

Pasadena, California

Rotary Humanitarian STAR Awards

Science, Technology, Aerospace, and Robotics

Honoring outstanding humanitarian achievements in Science and Technology

The Rotary Club of Sierra Madre offers the Rotary Humanitarian STAR

Awards to outstanding humanitarian accomplishments in the fields of

science, technology, aerospace and robotics with the intention of

recognizing and promoting such advancements for the greater good.

In relatively recent years, science and technology have formed a union

that has and continues to produce new discoveries to improve our human

condition and concerns at an inconceivable rate.

Our goal is to recognize and promote creative minds exploring oceans

and skies; discovering methods of information sharing, disaster relief,

and healing, and for overcoming obstacles to personal and planetary

wellbeing. From outer to inner space; from satellites to robotics and

microchips, the impossible is becoming our promise for the future. It is

the hope of the Rotary Club of Sierra Madre, that these awards recognize

these accomplishments and inspire further exploration and innovation

within future generations.

2016 Rotary Humanitarian STAR Awards

Program

6:00 Reception

6:50 Presentation of the Colors

The 2nd Battalion 23rd Marines Jeff Porter, Past President, Sierra Madre Rotary

Pledge of Allegiance

7:00 Welcome, Introduction to the RHSTAR Awards Dr. Alan Unell, President, Sierra Madre Rotary

Rotary International Marilyn Diaz, Assistant Governor, Dist. 5300

7:15 Invocation Joe Widman, Assistant US Attorney

Dinner

8:15 Award Presentations

Dan Alle, Past President, Sierra Madre Rotary, Introduction

Emcee, Marie Csete, M.D., Ph.D.,

President and chief scientist, Huntington Medical Research Inst.

9:00 Closing

2016 Board of Advisors

Pamela R. Aschbacher, Ph.D. (Ret.) Director of Research at Caltech

Pre-College Science Initiative

Dr. Aschbacher was a Senior Research Scientist and Assistant

Director of the National Center for Research on Evaluation,

Standards and Student Testing (CRESST) and the Center for the

Study of Evaluation at UCLA. Currently she is a member of their

National Advisory Board and holds a doctorate in educational

psychology from UCLA. She has consulted for RAND, the US

Dept. of Labor, the Armory Center for the Arts, and has been a

frequent speaker on assessment issues to policy audiences.

David A. Bearden, Ph.D.

General Manager of NASA & Civil Space Division of the

Aerospace Corporation.

Dr. David A. Bearden, Principal Director, NASA Advanced

Programs Directorate, holds a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering

from the University of Southern California. Dr. Bearden

supports NASA interplanetary and earth-science programs. In

2006 he earned the Aerospace Corporation President's Award

for leading the Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Analysis of

Alternatives, and is the recipient of the Aviation Week & Space

Technology Annual Aerospace Laurels in 2000. Bearden leads the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and

Advanced Systems Directorate in Pasadena, Calif.

2016 Board of Advisors

Joel W. Burdick, Ph.D.

JPL Research Scientist.

Richard L. & Dorothy M Hayman Professor of Mechanical

Engineering & Bioengineering at Caltech,

Professor Burdick focuses on robotics, kinematics, mechanical

systems and control. Active research areas include: robotic

locomotion, sensor-based motion planning algorithms, multi-

fingered robotic manipulation, applied nonlinear control theory,

neural prosthetics, and medical applications of robotics.

John F. Raffensperger, Ph.D.

Senior Operations Researcher: Professor; Pardee RAND

Graduate School

Dr. John F. Raffensperger is a senior operations researcher at

the RAND Corporation and professor at the Pardee RAND

Graduate School. Prior to joining RAND, he was a senior lecturer

in management science at the University of Canterbury, in

Christchurch, New Zealand. Dr. Raffensperger holds a B.S. in

industrial engineering from Northwestern University, and an

M.B.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago's Graduate

School of Business. His research includes optimization, risk

analysis, logistics, scheduling, and combinatorial optimization. He focuses on design and

implementation of market environments, especially water.

2016 Board of Advisors

Marie Csete, M.D., Ph.D.

President & Chief Scientist,

Huntington Medical Research Institutes.

Dr. Marie Csete serves as HMRI’s President & Chief

Scientist. She headed the joint Emory-Georgia Tech stem cell

laboratory and became the Chief Scientific Officer of the

California Institute for Regenerative Medicine. Past

achievements include Executive VP at Organovo and Division

Director of the cellular therapies program at the American

Association of Blood Banks in Bethesda, MD. Dr. Csete has

also consulted for academics and industry scientists developing regenerative medicine therapies.

She is on the editorial boards of “Stem Cells Translational Medicine,” “Anesthesia and Analgesia,”

and the “Encyclopedia of Human Biology,”

Philip R. Troyk, Ph.D.

Associate Dean of Armour College of Engineering,

Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor Stuart

School of Business Research

Dr. Troyk is Associate Dean of Engineering, Professor of

Biomedical Engineering, Professor, Stuart School of Business

at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and Faculty Associate,

Division of Biological Sciences – Department of Neurosurgery

at The University of Chicago. He is founder, president, and CEO

of Sigenics, Inc. Sigenics is the only private-label custom

semiconductor company headquartered in Chicago, with offices in Chicago and Irwindale, CA. As

a leader of a large multi-institutional team, he works to develop an intracortical visual prosthesis

for individuals with blindness. As CEO of Sigenics, he leads an engineering organization that

supplies 250,000 custom electronic chips/year placed in modules that control on-board avionics

for Boeing and Airbus planes, as well as develops chips that are in medical clinical trials for

implantable neural interfaces devices.

2016 Board of Advisors

Michael Ryschkewitsch, Ph.D. NASA Chief Engineer and Lead of Space Programs at the

Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

Dr. Michael Ryschkewitsch, currently chief engineer at NASA,

will lead the Space Sector at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics

Laboratory in Laurel, MD, starting in January. Dr.

Ryschkewitsch, a highly regarded expert within the space

science and engineering community, is presently responsible

for the technical readiness of all NASA programs. He previously

served as the deputy director for NASA’s Goddard Space Flight

Center and director of Goddard’s Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate. His career at

NASA includes contributions to numerous science missions, including the Wilkinson Microwave

Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), the Swift Gamma-Ray Burst Mission, the Terra Satellite, and the

Corrective Optics Space Telescope Axial Replacement (COSTAR) for the first Hubble Space

Telescope servicing mission. Dr. Ryschkewitsch has earned numerous awards, including the NASA

Exceptional Service Medal, the NASA Medal for Outstanding Leadership, the Robert Baumann

Award for contributions to mission success, and the NASA Engineering and Safety Center

Leadership Award. He earned his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Florida and

his Ph.D. in physics from Duke University.

Brett Wingeier, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and Chief Technical Officer at Halo Neuroscience

Mr. Brett Wingeier, Ph.D. is a biomedical engineer and

neuroscientist, with research interests in biosignal processing,

non-invasive brain stimulation, EEG, epilepsy, basal ganglia

disease. He co-founded Halo Neuro Inc. in 2013 and serves as its

Chief Technology Officer. Mr. Wingeier was Principal Engineer

and Clinical Scientist at Neuro Pace. He is named on 25 US

patents. He holds a Biomedical Engineering Doctorate with

studies at Tulane, Stanford, and Swinburne.

2016 Rotary Humanitarian STAR NOMINEES

Daniel E. Irwin Nominated by: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

SERVIR: provide developing countries NASA satellite images & data needed to address

environmental issues

Mya Le Thai, Ph.D. Nominated by: Brian Bell Communication Officer UCI

Groundbreaking research on gold nano-wire battery technology

Morteza Garib, Ph.D. Nominated by: Ares J. Rosakis, Ph.D. Professor of Aeronautics & Mechanical Eng. Caltech

Developing & bringing market solutions for cardiac health, glaucoma, 3D dental imaging …

Sierra Madre Search &Rescue Team

Nominated by: Wendie Johnston, Ph.D., Pasadena Bioscience Calloborative

The Development of a search and rescue MapSar technology used around the world

S. Sona Hosseini, Ph.D. Nominated by: Gilda Moshir, President of Rotary Club of San Marino

Design, construction of astronomical instruments for space exploration

Parker R Amstutz

Nominated by: Dana-Nicole B. Samuel

Creating a self-sustaining method to feed starving villages

Julius Su, Ph.D.

Nominated by: Monica Barsever, Science Teacher at Alverno Heights Academy

Collaborative learning app for mobile devices, making high-quality teaching & learning

accessible

2016 Rotary Humanitarian STAR NOMINEES

Core Flight Systems Team, NASA

Nominated by: David C. McComas, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

Committed to increased openness & knowledge sharing within the flight software community

Tore C. Knos, Ph.D. Nominated by: Lance A. Ito, Judge Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the

County of Los Angeles

Developed shelter boxes that provide relief to those in disaster stricken areas

Thomas A. Nazario

Nominated by: Lance A. Ito, Judge Superior Court of the State of California, in and for the

County of Los Angeles

Founder of The Forgotten International

Isabelle Warner

Nominated by: Angie Gomez, Vice President of Pasadena Sister Cities Community

Chair of the Pasadena Sister Cities Armenia Subcommittee

Sorin Grama

Nominated by: Douglas Kerns, Ph.D., Founder & CTO of SIGENICS

Creating off grid refrigeration for rural dairy farmers

Samuel Clamons

Nominated by: Monica Barsever, Science Teacher at Alverno Heights Academy

Teaching young scientists the Laser Interferometer-Gravitational Wave Observation LIGO

Calum I Torrie, Ph.D.

Nominated by: William E. White M.D. & Robert A. Taylor

Laser Interferometer-Gravitational Wave Observation LIGO project

Dr. Julius Su

ROTARY

HUMANITARIAN

STAR AWARDS

2016 Award Recipients

Daniel E. Irwin Dr. Tore C. Knos

Dr. Morteza Gharib

Sierra Madre Search & Rescue

Samuel Clamons

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Daniel E Irwin,

Director of SERVIR, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, as the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient

in the Environmental Improvement Category.

Daniel E. Irwin

SERVIR Director

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Nominated by: Todd May, Director, NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Nominated for: Developing SERVIR: mission is to provide developing countries NASA satellite

images and data needed to address environmental issues.

Daniel E. Irwin is director of SERVIR, the regional, satellite-based environmental monitoring and visualization system jointly operated by NASA and the U.S. Agency for International Development in Central America, eastern and southern Africa, the Hindu-Kush Himalayan region and the Mekong River Basin in Southeast Asia. Recognized in 2007 as one of the "100 steps toward the Global Earth Observation System of Systems," SERVIR has provided key decision-support information for monitoring the land surface, oceans and atmosphere to protect the lives, property and resources of millions on three continents. Irwin co-created SERVIR -- a Spanish word meaning "to serve" -- at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2004-2005. He continues to refine and expand the technology, organizing workshops to train hundreds of scientists and researchers in satellite remote-sensing and GIS. In 2013, he received a "Recognition of Brilliance" award from the Guatemalan government for "two decades of capacity building and technical support for improved management of the Maya Biosphere Reserve and the Guatemalan System of Protected Areas." In 2008, he received the Charles S. Falkenberg Award, presented jointly by the American Geophysical Union and the Earth Science Information Partnership to "a scientist under 45 years of age who has contributed to the quality of life, economic opportunities and stewardship of the planet through the use of earth science information, and to public awareness of the importance of understanding our planet." Irwin also was a 2008 finalist for the Service to America Medals, honoring American public servants who made significant contributions to the nation based on their commitment and innovation, and the impact of their work to address the needs of the country. He received his undergraduate degree in environmental science from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, and his Master's degree in environmental science from Miami University of Ohio in Oxford. In addition to his NASA duties, Irwin promotes small business development in rural Central America, seeking economic alternatives to slash-and-burn agricultural practices in the tropical rainforest. He also leads cultural growth throughout Guatemala and other Central American countries, and has spearheaded efforts to build playgrounds and a library for children in remote Guatemalan villages.

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Morteza Gharib Ph.D.,

professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired Engineering at the California Institute of Technology,

as the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient in the Health and Medical Category.

Morteza Gharib Ph.D.

Professor of Aeronautics and Bioinspired

Engineering

California Institute of Technology

Nominated by: Ares J. Rosakis, Theodore von Kármán Professor of Aeronautics & Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Graduate Aerospace Laboratories (GALCIT) California Institute of Technology Nominated for: Dr. Gharib is a fluid-mechanic by training but chooses to innovate in multiple fields of science and engineering ranging from aeronautics, space, autonomous systems to biomedical engineering. In aeronautics, he invented improved multiple tools to study flows; his impressive studies of vortex dynamics impacts fields ranging from airplane, ship and animal propulsion to heart valve engineering. In biomedical research, his discovery of a universal time scale for vortex ring formation showed that the forces from blood flow guide the developmental patterning of the heart and heart valves. Dr. Gharib later extended this universality to many kinds of flows, including wakes and physiological flows, an important application of the optimal formation time in diagnosing cardiac health. He holds 95 patents that have resulted in a number of thriving start ups that include a shunt for drug-free treatment of glaucoma, a 3D handheld imaging device routinely used by thousands of dentists, and developing a simple, inexpensive, noninvasive solution for monitoring heart failure patients. This has the potential to dramatically reduce the annual cost of hospitalized heart failure patients by more than $40B in the US alone by providing a simple early warning

device that can be easily used by patients at home. Professor Gharib is considered one of the

most prominent interdisciplinary scientists/engineers/inventors worldwide.

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Tore C. Knos, Ph.D., as

the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient in the Disaster Relief and Recovery Category.

Tore C. Knos, Ph.D.

Rotary Zone Representative, Disaster

Response Team Member

Disaster Aid USA.

Nominated by: Lance A. Ito (Retired) Judge Superior Court of the State of California, in and

for the County of Los Angeles

Nominated for: Survival and recovery aids for the nonprofit organization Disaster Aid USA.

Dr. Knos has dedicated his life to disaster relief. He serves on the board of directors for Disaster Aid USA and as an ambassador. As an ambassador Dr. Knos makes presentations and chairs Disaster Aid USA booths at various events. His most important work is serving as a Disaster Aid Response Team member all over the world. His deployments include South Sudan, the Philippines, Malaysia, and the Bahamas, providing family survival tents to those devastated by disasters. The family survival pack provide families with basic tools to rebuild their lives. All products contained in the box meet and exceed U.N. standards with some innovative differences. For ease of transportation, the shelter box has wheels and a handle. Its capacity of 190 liters, with the lid serving as a carpenter’s workbench. It is filled with blankets, water containers, cooking utensils, a stove, pots, pans, children’s rucksacks, mosquito nets and other useful items. The Disaster Aid tent is the largest humanitarian aid tent available. It is inter-connectable, which allows the versatility to be turned into a four classroom school or serve as a community center. Dr. Knos’ commitment to delivering humanitarian disaster relief to people around the world represents the ideals of Rotary’s Humanitarian STAR goals.

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Sierra Madre Search

and Rescue Team, as the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient in the Disaster Relief and Recovery

Category.

Sierra Madre Search and Rescue Team

President: Arnold Gaffery

Nominated by: Wendie Johnston Ph.D., Pasadena Bioscience Collaborative

Nominated For: The development of search and rescue MapSar technology used

across the country and around the world.

Maps are at the core of any Search and Rescue (SAR) operation. Geographic information system (GIS) software allows rescue personnel to quickly generate maps that depict specific aspects of a rescue operation and show what is happening on the ground over time. The maps and operations data can be shared over a network to supply an enhanced common operating picture throughout the Incident Command Post (ICP). Sierra Madre Search and Rescue played a key role in the launch of a new web portal that supplies search and rescue (SAR) personnel with GIS tools, educational materials, and a virtual community for learning and sharing. The launch of the MapSAR website is the result of a community of search and rescue personnel linked together by their use of GIS with a goal to build on that work and supply standards, documents, and training to the international SAR community with the invaluable job of finding lost people.

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Samuel Clamons, as

the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient in the Improved Sharing of Knowledge Category.

Samuel Clamons

Graduate Student at Caltech - Professor Richard

Murray's Bio-engineering Research Group, iGEM

(International Genetically Engineered

Machines) coach

Nominated by: Monica Barsever Science Teacher at Alverno Heights Academy

Nominated for: Teaching young scientists the LIGO project (Laser Interferometer-

Gravitational Wave Observatory)

Mr. Clamons is a doctoral student at Caltech in Biology and Biological Engineering.

He serves as a mentor to the iGEM team of high school girls at Alverno Heights

Academy in Sierra Madre who earned second place in the 2016 iGEM

competition. International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition

is the preeminent international synthetic biology competition. The team conducts

authentic scientific research over an 8-month period, culminating in a synthetic

biology conference, iGEM Giant Jamboree, which includes presentations and

poster sessions. It has been called the World Cup of Science.

Synthetic biology has applications in medicine, biosensors, materials, and

biological research. This cutting edge technology has already produced huge

medical successes, such as ready production of drugs.

The Rotary Humanitarian STAR Award committee is pleased to recognize Julius Su, Ph.D., Co-

founder of Su-Kam Intelligent Education Systems (SKIES) as the 2016 RHSTAR Trophy Recipient

in the Improved Sharing of Knowledge Category.

Julius Su, Ph.D.,

Co-founder of Su-Kam Intelligent Education

Systems (SKIES)

Nominated for: A collaborative learning app for mobile

devices, making high-quality teaching and learning easier and accessible

to all.

Nominated by: Monica Barsever, Science Teacher at Alverno Heights

Academy

Su-Kam Intelligent Education Systems (SKIES) is a collaborative learning

app for mobile devices. Dr. Su’s goal is to make high-quality teaching

and learning easier and accessible to all. SKIES is aimed at integrating

time-tested teaching and learning methods with innovative technology

for every teacher and student. It is an easy-to-browse “class tree,”

allowing teachers to create lessons with embedded multimedia and

assessments, and students to post and answer each other’s questions;

attach web resources, drawings, pictures, video, and data; and add

concept maps and mini-lessons in groups. SKIES transforms the

classroom into a supportive and engaging environment, with full

participation from all learners.

Special Thanks to 2016 RHSTAR

Sponsors

The Honorable Lance A. Ito &

Margaret A. York

Alan D. Unell & Vokouhi Hovagimian

Poser Investments, Inc.

THE FOUR-WAY TEST

The Four-Way Test is a nonpartisan and nonsectarian ethical

guide for Rotarians to use for their personal and professional

relationships. The test has been translated into more than 100

languages, and Rotarians recite it at club meetings:

Of the things we think, say or do

Is it the TRUTH?

Is it FAIR to all concerned?

Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?

Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?