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Document ActionsForefront Spring 2009Cover StoryHome safe home: Engineer builds change in the wake of big quakesElizabeth Hausler (M.S.’98, Ph.D.’02 CEE) is no ordinary mason. Through her nonprofit Build Change, she chases down the world’s big quakes to rebuild for the millions left homeless. After kick-starting construction of 4,200 earthquake-safe homes in tsunami-torn Indonesia, she moved on to Sichuan, China, where she hopes to influence the building of tens of thousands more homes by the end of the year. Features
Engineering evolved: Educating the global engineerOnce a very vertical vocation, engineering is quickly evolving to become a broadly multidisciplinary field. Berkeley Engineering, like other American institutions of higher learning, is finding new educational approaches and research paradigms to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in budding technologists to help maintain the U.S. lead in engineering, science and technology. 
Axial myopia: A closer look at a promising new therapyOne of the world’s leading causes of blindness, high axial myopia is caused by progressive thinning and weakening of the eye’s outer wall, leading to elongation of the eyeball and visual distortion. The disorder, more common in Asia that in the United States, could be more safely treated in the future with hydrogel, an injectable biodegradable liquid that solidifies at body temperatures. 
Where in the world is Berkeley Engineering?Two stories demonstrate the global reach of students and faculty from UC Berkeley College of Engineering, from a student project developing a new design for Native American homes that resembles their traditional roundhouse, to another student team harnessing the power of the sun to bring the comfort of a warm shower to households in Guatemala. 
GM’s green guru hangs toughForty-year GM veteran Larry Burns (Ph.D.’78 CEE) has seen his share of challenges, but the current economic crisis and its effect on General Motors tops them all. As he and his colleagues work 24/7 to bring the beleaguered U.S. auto industry back to life, Burns remains remarkably upbeat and focused on his vision of a future that is both sustainable and mobile. Contents |
