Portland State Magazine Fall 2016

FALL 2016 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 1 2 FROM THE PRESIDENT Time for a new chapter LETTERS That’s me Outdoor Program memories Challenging high school students More public art PARK BLOCKS Calling all Uber entrepreneurs The draw of bigger cities Campus is buzzing Testing for toxins Departments C O N T E N T S 12 16 Features 3 10 ON THE COVER Life on Earth may have begun when molecules— including those delivered by meteorites—found themselves drawn to each other. See story on page 10. Illustration by Chris Butler/Science Source. PORTLAND STATE M A G A Z I N E FALL 2016 VOL. 31 | NO. 1 Hard hats needed You want Figaro with that? $1.2 million to help the blind The hidden hazards of cycling FANFARE Wearing Portland State of Mind Filming the refugee experience Schnitzer students put art on display New Works GIVING Investing in innovation ALUMNI Painting a brighter world Alumni in the news ATHLETICS New branding for winning program LOOKING BACK 70 years ago, our first student newspaper 26 28 29 25 20 22 THE SPARK OF LIFE Chemist Niles Lehman is searching for how it all began. CULTURE CHALLENGE For Korean immigrant parents, supporting their children in American schools can be a confusing and difficult task. YEARBOOK COLLECTION GOES ONLINE Viking yearbooks from 1947 to 1978 and 1989 to 1995 are available on the PSU Library website. AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO PUBLIC HEALTH Dr. David Bangsberg is leading the new OHSU-PSU School of Public Health. HONORING THE HUMAN- ANIMAL BOND For 30 years, Enid Traisman has counseled people through the grief of losing their pets. 8 Page 16 4 Come to campus for fun, free and low-cost events; see list on pages 14-15