Portland State Magazine Fall 2018

6 BEFORE SCIENTISTS can find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, they must understand what happens to the brain prior to obvious symptoms. Bruno Jedynak, a Portland State computational mathematician, is helping that effort by using a supercomputer to model the progression of the disease. Jedynak is one of the founding members of the Portland Institute for Computational Science, a PSU-based research tank that is home to a high- performance computing cluster with more than 16 terabytes of RAM. Jedynak is using the supercomputer to analyze thousands of medical clues called biomarkers, provided by the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, which follows elderly subjects with varying stages of cognitive impairment. Computing Alzheimer ’s PORTLAND STATE President Rahmat Shoureshi was presented this spring with the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor. The award is presented annually by the Ellis Island Honors Society to a select group of individuals “whose accomplishments in their field and inspired service to our nation are cause for celebration.” Shoureshi, one of 100 recipients, was recognized because of his leadership and service to higher education and the community. The awards were presented in Ellis Island’s Great Hall, the historic gateway for 12 million immigrants to the United States. Other recipients of the award included Oscar-winning actress Rita Moreno, Sirius XM founder Martine Rothblatt, Segway inventor Dean Kamen, and author and professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. Shoureshi wins national honor PARK BLOCKS