The findings, published in Physical Review Letters, could have implications for nuclear physics, semiconductor design and materials science.

Trions form when three quantum particles bind together. While they appear across many branches of physics, the rules governing how they interact and self-organize have remained poorly understood. The new theory, led by Kaden Hazzard, professor of physics at Rice University, with contributions from Ibarra Garcia Padilla, professor Richard Scalettar at UC Davis, and Rice graduate student Jonathan Stepp, predicts not only the conditions under which trions form but also how they behave once they do.

“Our theory sheds light on how trions form and interact with each other,” Hazzard says. “It predicts the strength of the interactions needed to form the trions, and that, after formation, they arrange themselves in a checkerboard pattern.”

For Ibarra Garcia Padilla, whose research uses computational methods to study quantum many-body systems, the work reflects the kind of collaborative, theory-driven physics research that connects 91̽�� Mudd faculty to questions at the frontiers of modern science.

To visualize the phenomenon, imagine a space filled with equal numbers of red, blue and yellow balls. A trion forms when one ball of each color sticks together. Once bound, the trions space themselves out in a precise pattern, each adjacent to an empty space rather than another trion, giving each formation room to move without interference.

The team’s simulations showed this checkerboard arrangement emerges only under a specific Goldilocks density, meaning that, like Goldilocks’ porridge in the classic fairy tale, the density needed to be just right for the trions to form the checkerboard pattern. With too many or too few particles, the behavior shifts toward a liquid or gas instead.

The team used a Monte Carlo computational algorithm, which runs millions of simulations to converge on accurate predictions of trion behavior. Working backward from the simulation outputs, the researchers identified the simple underlying physical principles that produce the checkerboard structure.

“That’s the beauty of physics,” Stepp says. “It’s the same underlying equations describing how things behave in systems as cold as nanokelvin systems to ones as hot as the sun, whether it’s one particle or billions.”

The theory opens new experimental directions. Physicists can now design targeted experiments to test the predictions, refining their understanding of trion behavior across quantum systems, from ultracold atomic gases to semiconductors used in modern electronics.

“Our results are exciting because our findings are experimentally accessible with ultracold molecules and open the possibility of understanding trion formation across other branches of physics such as transition-metal dichalcogenides, which are two-dimensional semiconductors widely studied for their possible applications in nanoelectronics and photonics,” said Ibarra Garcia Padilla.

The research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the W.M. Keck Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy, with computational support from Rice University’s Center for Research Computing.

The three-year project, titled “RUI: Genetic mechanisms that regulate surface protein remodeling during life cycle transitions in the African trypanosome,” targets the molecular inner workings of Trypanosoma brucei—the parasite responsible for African sleeping sickness, a tropical disease transmitted by the tsetse fly that imposes a severe human and economic burden across Sub-Saharan Africa. Current medical treatments are limited and can be toxic. Schulz’s lab is looking to change that by studying how the parasite adapts to survive in different hosts.

When the parasite enters a mammal’s bloodstream, it constantly changes its “surface coat” (surface proteins) to outsmart and evade the host’s immune system. However, once it moves back into a tsetse fly, it switches to a single, unvarying coat.

“If we could understand that switch from the varying surface protein to the invariant surface protein at a molecular level,” says Schulz, “we might be able to force a switch to the invariant coat while the parasite is still in the mammalian host. That way, host antibodies would be effective, and the immune system could eliminate the parasite.”

The NSF grant builds on a discovery by the Schulz lab that mapped exactly where and when the protein Bdf3 binds to the parasite’s DNA during this lifecycle transition. The funding will allow researchers to investigate the precise genetic machinery—including histone acetylation (chemical modifications that alter gene expression) and candidate protein complexes—that recruit Bdf3 and control this vital switch.

Powered by Undergraduates

At 91̽�� Mudd, high-caliber research is driven by students. Over the last four years, HMC students generated the vital preliminary data required to secure this federal funding. Students have been co-authors on papers describing how Bdf3 might be pharmacologically inhibited and what Bdf3 might do in insect cells. “However, we don’t know what Bdf3 is doing once it binds the DNA, and we don’t know how it gets recruited,” says Schulz.

This emphasis on publication-track research is a staple of the Schulz lab. Recent publications from the lab featured eight student co-authors, and subsequent methodological papers included multiple HMC students and collaboration with Pomona College professor Jo Hardin.

Expanding STEM Pedagogy and Community Outreach

The grant will support four to six undergraduates each academic year and two students each summer for a 10-week intensive research period. Student researchers will have the opportunity to perform primary experiments, draft methods sections, design scientific figures and travel to regional and national conferences to present their data to professionals in the field.

A distinct element of the grant is its integration with the wider community, stretching from local high schools to regional health facilities.

• High School Summer Mentorship: The grant funds a four-week summer program for one high school student annually, giving them a look at a professional laboratory environment.
• Innovation Accelerator Lab: The funding will bolster HMC’s newly established Innovation Accelerator Lab for Emerging Health Technology, which supports faculty and student research fellows who bridge high-level research with community education. Schulz is collaborating with HMC faculty peers to deploy student and faculty fellows into local K–12 schools and skilled nursing facilities for annual science events. Current projects pair students with math professor Susan Martonosi to present on the dynamics of vaccine attitudes and disease outbreaks, and with engineering professor Nancy Lape to explore bioengineering concepts related to how drugs are absorbed through the skin.

By weaving together cutting-edge parasitology, undergraduate mentorship and local civic engagement, Schulz’s project embodies 91̽�� Mudd’s mission to cultivate technical excellence alongside a commitment to global impact.

Hae-Seo Kim joins the Department of Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts as assistant professor of science, technology and society July 1. An anthropological scholar and researcher, Kim’s research is at the intersection of political anthropology, environmental anthropology, space studies, Korean studies, anthropology of religion, and science and technology studies. Kim is interested in learning how the proliferation of outer space infrastructures and research/development space industries in South Korea shape new forms of political mobilization. She has conducted research with space activists organizing against the militarization of outer space and organizing for the peaceful interaction with outer space and environmental sustainability.

Kim is also interested in local cosmologies of outer space in South Korea, focusing on Korean shamanic and animistic ways of engaging outer space, and has conducted fieldwork with shamans and astrology readers. She looks forward to working with 91̽�� Mudd students and with HSA faculty who are “dedicated to creating conversations and collaborations between science and humanities,” she says.

Sara Murphy POM ʼ18 is an atmospheric chemist with an interest in the kinetics and mechanisms of gas-phase organic radical reactions. Murphy majored in chemistry and minored in linguistics at Pomona College, and she received a PhD from Caltech in environmental science, specializing in atmospheric chemistry. Her postdoctoral research at UCLA involved work at the intersection of atmospheric and physical chemistry. She is interested in better understanding and modeling the fundamental processes of chemistry that lead to changes in air quality and climate.

“I especially enjoy thinking about new methods to measure and explore these reactions in understudied and unique environments in the laboratory and how these results might apply to the real atmosphere,” she says. Students in her lab will have the opportunity to build instrumentation to measure the production of reactive trace gases of atmospheric importance, both in the lab and in the field. “Together, we will design and perform experiments using this instrumentation to elucidate the various mechanisms by which these reactive trace compounds are formed in the atmosphere.” Murphy will join the Department of Chemistry as an assistant professor in January 2027.

Promotion to full professor

Matina Donaldson-Matasci, a faculty member since 2014, focuses her research on collective behavior in social insects, particularly communication in honey bees and defense mechanisms in ants. At the HMC Bee Lab, she and her team of student scientists study how these colonies coordinate complex group behaviors. Recent projects in the lab include field experiments on honey bee foraging, utilizing drones and computer vision to map the local floral landscape, and conducting a mix of laboratory experiments and simulations to analyze the transportation networks of arboreal ants. Last year, the lab’s NSF-funded research investigating wood ants and their intricate networks was featured in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a project completed in collaboration with Sándor Piross of the Hungarian Ecological Research Centre.

Ambereen Dadabhoy, professor of literature since 2018, focuses both her teaching and research on the role of identity and difference in literature. She offers courses in Shakespeare and early modern English literature, first-year writing seminars and genre electives, and she teaches the Shakespeare class that culminates in a production of a play. She is the author of Anti-Racist Shakespeare and Shakespeare Through Islamic Worlds, which, received a Jerome Singerman First Book Award honorable mention from the Shakespeare Association of America. She is a member of the Modern Language Association, the Shakespeare Association of America and the Renaissance Society of America.

Erin Talvitie, professor of computer science, specializes in applying machine learning to the field of artificial intelligence, working toward the creation of artificial autonomous agents that can learn to act flexibly and competently in unknown environments. A faculty member since 2019, Talvitie approaches these complex questions by utilizing advanced tools within machine learning and artificial intelligence, focusing especially on the study of reinforcement learning. In 2016, she received an NSF CAREER grant, which funded work studying model-based reinforcement learning, specifically in settings where a given model is insufficient to capture the true, real-time dynamics of the environment. Prior to 91̽�� Mudd, Talvitie was a founding member of the department of computer science at Franklin & Marshall College.

Reappointment

Sarah Kavassalis, assistant professor of climate and chemistry, leads the FICUS Lab, where she investigates the fundamental chemistry that shapes air quality and climate, with a specific focus on connecting high-resolution measurements to advanced computational modeling. In addition to hands-on fieldwork, students in her lab address complex questions regarding chemical kinetics and atmospheric modeling while engaging with modern approaches to data analysis and machine learning

Lynn Kirabo, Maria M. Klawe Assistant Professor of Climate and Computer Science, investigates the future of accessible early warning systems by centering the lived experiences of disabled people. Appointed as a joint faculty member in the computer science department and the Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment, she focuses on designing practical frameworks that policymakers can leverage to fundamentally reshape and improve community resilience to disaster events. She leads the CACTI Lab, a research group that concentrates on four core areas: human-centered design, disability, mobility technologies and climate change interventions.

Brooks, assistant professor of mathematics and Barbara Stokes Dewey Assistant Professor of Life Sciences, recently received the Simons Research Enhancement Grant for Primarily Undergraduate Institution Faculty to support her project “Using Continuum Models to Understand Opinion Dynamics on Networks.” This highly competitive national award, funded by the American Mathematical Society and the Simons Foundation, provides $3,000 per year for three years for research-related activities, plus an additional $300 per year toward the grantee’s department and another $300 per year for administrative costs.

“Using a class of opinion dynamics models developed to analyze the mechanisms behind consensus and polarization, my collaborators and I will employ graph limits to explore the asymptotic behavior of opinion states observed in the continuum limit as compared to what is observed in large but finite networks,” says Brooks, who joined the 91̽�� Mudd faculty in 2020. 

Brooks will investigate when graphons can accurately approximate opinion clusters and positions in large random network models, then apply these continuum limits to detect bifurcations between consensus and polarization in the sigmoidal bounded-confidence model.

While Brooks’s work focuses on opinion dynamics as an application, these methods may also be useful in other biological and ecological contexts that involve many interacting agents with underlying interactions, like tracking disease spread, understanding collective animal behavior or studying how large populations of neurons interact to coordinate brain activity.

Funding for this project will support Brooks’ visits to work with collaborators in London and Philadelphia and her presentations of the work at the Joint Mathematical Meetings and Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics conference.

The Henry T. Mudd Prize recognizes faculty and staff members whose extraordinary service has significantly benefited the College. Recipients are honored for contributions that may include superior teaching, leadership in curriculum development or research supervision, effective administrative work or other exceptional service to 91̽�� Mudd. Awardees receive $6,000, with $3,000 designated for use within the College at the recipient’s discretion.

Angemi was recognized for her extraordinary and sustained service to 91̽�� Mudd. Her accomplishments include supporting the College through periods of growth, change and transition; helping ensure continuity, clarity and excellence at the highest levels of administration; and advancing major institutional priorities with precision, discretion and care.

She also was honored for her role as a trusted adviser, steward of institutional knowledge and mentor to colleagues. Through her sound judgment, collaborative spirit and ability to bring clarity to complex work, Angemi has strengthened relationships across the community and helped others succeed. Her service reflects humility, generosity, professionalism and a deep commitment to 91̽�� Mudd’s mission and values.

“Receiving an award that bears the Mudd family name is a profound honor, especially having the privilege of knowing and working with many members of the Mudd family. My respect for their vision, generosity and foundational impact on 91̽�� is immense, and connecting my contributions to their legacy is a privilege,” said Angemi.

Alves was recognized for a lifetime of devoted service to 91̽�� Mudd and for his role in expanding the place of the arts within the College’s academic and cultural life. He has shaped programs, curriculum and artistic opportunities that connect intellectual rigor with creative expression, helping students see the arts as an essential part of a 91̽�� Mudd education.

His accomplishments include decades of teaching, mentoring and welcoming students into musical and artistic practice; creating sustained opportunities for creativity, experimentation and performance; and building a vibrant musical community across 91̽�� Mudd and The Claremont Colleges. Over the span of 25 years, Alves has developed a program of remarkable scope, created hundreds of performances and helped establish The Claremont Colleges as a global center for microtonal music, while also contributing as a leading composer and advocate for innovative forms of performance.

“It’s always been a joy and privilege to bring music to our community and help our students, but this unexpected recognition from the College is a lifetime honor,” said Alves. “I love teaching and facilitating performances by our students, whose dedication, talent and creativity continue to astonish me. I think of what I do more of a service to myself, but I’m glad to be contributing what I can to make the College a place where the arts flourish.” 

The annual Henry T. Mudd Prize reflects 91̽��’s commitment to recognizing exceptional service and fostering a supportive, inclusive workplace community.

Text of the Henry T. Mudd Prize citation awarded to Karen Angemi

For extraordinary and sustained service to 91̽��, carried out with distinction, humility, and unwavering commitment over many years;

For exceptional leadership in supporting the institution at its highest levels, ensuring continuity, clarity, and excellence through periods of growth, change, and transition;

For a remarkable ability to orchestrate complex endeavors with precision and grace—anticipating needs, navigating challenges, and enabling others to succeed;

For serving as a trusted advisor and steward of institutional knowledge, offering wise counsel, sound judgment, and steadfast discretion;

For fostering connection and collaboration across the community, strengthening relationships and advancing a shared sense of purpose;

For mentoring and uplifting colleagues with generosity of spirit, cultivating confidence, belonging, and professional growth in others;

For embodying the highest ideals of service—with an unflappable spirit, a generous heart, and a sense of joy that uplifts those around her and carries the College forward, even in its most challenging moments;

For leadership that enables the success of the College’s most important work with insight, foresight, and exceptional care;

For bringing clarity to complexity and ensuring that the critical priorities of the College move forward with purpose and cohesion;

For being at the very heart of the College’s administration, reflecting in daily practice the values and spirit of the community we each serve;

Karen Angemi, chief of staff and secretary to the board of trustees, is hereby designated as a 2026 recipient of the Henry T. Mudd Prize.

Text of the Henry T. Mudd Prize citation awarded to Bill Alves

For a lifetime of devoted service to 91̽��, marked by humility, generosity, and an extraordinary commitment to the life of this community;

For enriching the College through a vision of education that joins intellectual rigor with artistic expression, expanding what it means to learn, create, and belong at 91̽�� Mudd;

For steadfast dedication to students as a teacher and mentor, welcoming learners of all backgrounds into artistic practice and nurturing their confidence, imagination, and growth;

For leadership that has shaped not only programs and curriculum, but also elevated the place of the arts within the identity, culture, and mission of the College;

For opening sustained opportunities, over many years, for students, colleagues, and the broader community to encounter creativity, experimentation, and joy through the arts;

For a rare generosity of service, giving countless hours—often quietly and without fanfare—to the performances, collaborations, and shared experiences that have enlivened this campus and connected it to the wider world;

For bringing to 91̽�� Mudd an extraordinary breadth of musical life, from recitals and ensembles to internationally recognized artists and innovative new forms of performance;

For helping to make this campus a home for music in all its range and possibility, shaping a vibrant artistic community whose reach extends across the Claremont Colleges and beyond;

For a quarter century of singular dedication to the musical life of 91̽��, personally building a program of remarkable scope, creating hundreds of performances that have become a defining part of this community while also serving as a leading composer and establishing The Claremont Colleges as a global center for the avant-garde genre of microtonal music;

Bill Alves, Louisa and Robert Miller Professor of the Humanities, is hereby designated as a 2026 recipient of the Henry T. Mudd Prize.

A committee of staff and faculty reviewed nominations from the campus community and made selections for Outstanding Mudder, Distinguished Emerging Leader, Outstanding Student Organization, Res Life Community Builder of the Year, Student Award for Community Impact and Leadership, Program of the Year, Dean Sundberg Prize, Dorman Student Altruism Prize and Faculty and Staff Impact Awards.

Outstanding Mudder Award

Recognizes students who embody what it means to be a “whole person” at 91̽�� by demonstrating creativity, leadership, teamwork, ethics, inclusion, community engagement, wellness and communication in both curricular and co-curricular endeavors.

Liesel Hilkemeyer ’27

A nominator wrote, “They are such a powerful force for good and change in the Mudd community in many ways. From their co-curricular activities … to their academic achievements and their impact on the community, I think Liesel fully embodies what it means to be a scientist who is also educated in social sciences and the arts and makes the community they are part of (and the world) a better place.”

Distinguished Emerging Leader Award

This award recognizes a first-year student or sophomore who is engaged in positive, community-building efforts, respected by peers, staff and faculty and exhibits great potential as a campus and community leader. Nominees demonstrate a commitment to leadership and service through participation in organizations that benefit the campus and/or off-campus community.

Ashlyn Green ’28

“Ashlyn leads with the people she is leading in mind,” said a nominator, “She doesn’t take credit when things go well and she doesn’t point fingers when they don’t. … Mudd reminds us a lot about the mission statement that STEM students should go on to make a real difference in the world, and I see Ashlyn embody this with everything she commits to. … Everything she does is oriented around impact, and I think that’s the kind of leadership Mudd should recognize.”

Outstanding Student Organization

Given to a recognized student organization that makes a positive impact on campus or in the wider community and demonstrates integrity, leadership and teamwork while excelling in program planning and the leadership development of its members.

BLAM (Black Lives at Mudd)

BLAM is 91̽��’s Black student organization that seeks to form a community of individuals in support of Black students at Mudd, celebrates Black culture and raises awareness about issues facing the Black community.

A nominator wrote, “BLAM provides a safe space for Black students at 91̽�� and advocates for their rights. Meetings often include discussions about courses at Mudd and changes that can be made to improve them. BLAM also connects students to resources that can help Mudders do and be better and is a leader in asking for justice for victims of racial harm. They lead the charge in asking for equal treatment.”

Program of the Year

This award recognizes a program or initiative that has made a meaningful contribution to the student experience and the Mudd community by engaging students, encouraging participation and creating impactful, memorable experiences. Nominees demonstrate a commitment to connection, learning and community building while fostering a sense of belonging and contributing positively to campus life.

Committee for Activities Planning (CAP) Black Market Flea Trip

CAP is a committee of the Associated Students of 91̽�� and is responsible for encouraging students to partake in activities off campus.

A nominator wrote, “The CAP Black Market Flea Trip created a space where students could come together, support small vendors and celebrate culture in an accessible way. The program emphasized inclusivity and belonging, encouraging participation from a wide range of students. By centering community and shared experience, it reflects Mudd’s commitment to collaboration and meaningful engagement. … As an event for Black History Month, it created a memorable and intentional experience that brought people together. Its success demonstrates both strong participation and lasting impact on the student experience.”

Student Award for Community Impact and Leadership

Recognizes a student whose initiative, leadership and sustained commitment to service and civic engagement have strengthened communities and created meaningful change. Nominees demonstrate a dedication to working collaboratively with community partners, connecting their academic learning to real-world challenges and contributing in ways that emphasize mutual learning and shared impact.

Sayema Lubis ’26

“Through all her positions, Yema has served many of the affinity groups at Mudd, while also doing one of the hardest things you can to Mudders: making them go outside,” a nominator wrote. ”Coming up with things to entice our diverse, sunshine-averse student body is not an easy job, but she has done it time and time again to make sure we are actually taking care of our wellbeing and personal development. After all, it is only through new experiences that we can grow. … In all she does, she is unfailingly kind and understanding, and Mudd would not be the same without her.”

Dean Sundberg Prize

Established by Dana Seaton ’06, and with support from Warren Katzenstein ’04 and Nate Yoder ’06, the Dean Chris Sundberg Prize ($500) recognizes a rising junior who demonstrates exceptional leadership and a positive impact on the College community.

Megan Tran ’28 

An excerpt from Megan’s nomination states, “Megan is compassionate to all of those around her, is a great leader across all her roles on campus and is a vibrant and friendly peer who brings energy everywhere she goes. She puts her heart into everything she does and you can feel her passion for the work she does when you speak with her about it. I always feel inspired by Megan when she talks about her interests and passions because it is amazing to see how Megan is so driven to keep doing what she loves and works even harder to make what she hasn’t accomplished happen no matter what challenges she has to face.”

Dorman Student Altruism Prize

Established by the Dorman Family foundation, this award recognizes one graduating senior who is selected by their peers as the “one who has done the most for their fellow students.” The awardee is selected based on nominations by student peers. The recipient of the Dorman Student Altruism Prize will receive a monetary award.

Kennetta Roebuck ’26 

“Kennetta embodies what the 91̽�� Mudd mission statement seeks to instill within its students,” a nominee said. “She seeks to include all first-years in her project even when doing so would slow down her process because she wants us to have a complete understanding of the science that is taking place and why we should care about it. Kennetta is extremely intelligent, and she has diligently thought of the impact that her work would have on society, choosing a climate major to be able to have a positive impact on the changing climate that looms over our planet. If 91̽�� Mudd seeks to educate scientists on how to be better scientists and have a better understanding of what their work means for society, Kennetta embodies that philosophy.”

Res Life Community Builder of the Year

Recognizes student leaders who have gone above and beyond in creating a welcoming, supportive and inclusive residential community. This award honors a Proctor and Mentor who shows up consistently, leads with care and integrity and makes a meaningful difference in the everyday experience of their peers.

Abigail Samson ’26, mentor

A nominator wrote, “Abby is a deeply welcoming, fun and understanding mentor to her mentees. … She continues to go beyond what is expected of her role by building genuine relationships with her mentees. Abby doesn’t just provide guidance but she fosters a sense of community and comfort, making it easier for new students to navigate Mudd both socially and academically. Her ability to balance warmth with reliability allows her mentees to trust her not only as a mentor, but as someone they can truly depend on. Through her actions, Abby strengthens the culture of collaboration and connection at Mudd, and her consistent care for others reflects a quiet but impactful form of excellence.”

Amelia Acker ’26, proctor

“Amelia is one of the most experienced and capable proctors on staff and manages a very hard job smoothly and effectively,” a nominator wrote. “She does an excellent job ensuring the safety and wellbeing of her residents, and she dedicates so much of herself to her job. … She is there for her residents in ways that she is not obligated to be, going above and beyond by accompanying them to medical appointments and urgent care, helping with obtaining academic and housing accommodations and emotional support well beyond the expectations of the role. Amelia has hugely impacted the East community by being such an amazing proctor and has done wonders in ensuring that everyone is safe, mitigating conflict between residents and fostering a welcoming community.”

Faculty Impact Award

Awarded to a faculty member who goes above and beyond their roles to serve as mentors for students and student organizations, embodies Mudd values, demonstrates leadership in providing quality student support, promotes inclusion, fosters intellectual growth and encourages involvement in campus, local, national and global communities.

Leah Mendelson, professor of engineering

A nominator wrote, “Prof. Mendelson has been an outstanding advisor in many ways. She always goes above and beyond to support the academic and professional development of her students. She has helped shape the E4 program and has gotten many students excited about Mech E and real-world applications in mechanical design! On a more personal level, she has helped connect me to colleagues to talk to about grad school, given me advice on handling team conflicts and navigating tough decisions about academics and been an understanding and supportive research advisor. She cares so much about her students’ learning, and it shows!”

Staff Impact Award

Recognizes a staff member for their positive contributions to the campus, their leadership and willingness to make a difference in the lives of students.

Robert Kingston, senior director, core technology services

A nominator shared that Robert always puts the community first. “Robert is typically the one with boots on the ground making sure the College is supported and critical systems are online.”

This research focuses on the final chapter of Wilson’s book, which examines the National Day Projection Mapping Show (National Day SLS) at the presidential office building in Taipei. The building, constructed in the Japanese colonial era, is a symbol of national pride in Taiwan, similar to the White House in the United States. Using cutting-edge projection technology and original soundtracks and narrations, this annual event transforms the building into a canvas for contemporary Taiwanese identity, shaping viewer understanding of culture and citizenship.

During his summer research, Wilson aims to secure interviews with key creative figures behind the show, including lead designer Agi Chen and composer Wang Hsi-wen. By gaining these insider perspectives, he hopes to shed light on how this spectacle of nationhood is assembled and how it articulates values like democracy, environmental stewardship and inclusion.

In Wilson’s previous interviews with Taiwanese audience members at the National Day SLS, people expressed the desire that this vision of Taiwan would reach a global audience. He hopes his scholarly account might increase Western understanding of the formation of contemporary Taiwanese identity.

To that end, in fall 2026, 91̽�� Mudd students will have the opportunity to take Wilson’s course Documents of an Island Nation: Taiwan through Documentary, Film, and Music, which will be taught in parallel with a course at National Taiwan University via the virtual workspace Gather.Town (provided with support from the Alumni Association Board of Governors). 91̽�� Mudd students and those in Taiwan will meet online throughout the semester to explore diverse viewpoints. At the end of the semester, HMC students will meet their Taiwanese counterparts in person when they travel to Taiwan for a winter break study tour, arranged by Wilson and Sarah Repetto, assistant dean for study abroad. 

Kavassalis and the research team focus on solving an enduring challenge: Despite decades of progress to improve air quality, ozone pollution remains a persistent health risk to Southern Californians. They are examining how volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by native plants, particularly California coastal sage scrub species, interact with nitrogen oxide pollution from transportation and industrial sources to influence ozone formation. The Los Angeles region was once covered by coastal sage scrub, but now it exists primarily in fragmented urban and coastal patches. These native ecosystems are critical for maintaining biodiversity and strengthening climate resilience.

Some native plants can emit highly reactive compounds that may accelerate ozone formation under certain urban conditions, especially during extreme heat. The team aims to identify when natural plant emissions do not meaningfully influence air quality, helping support restoration and urban greening efforts that protect both ecosystem health and community air quality. Their work could help reshape how native vegetation is incorporated into urban landscapes and may ensure that restoration and greening efforts deliver climate, water and biodiversity benefits to support healthier air for communities across Southern California.

The research connects atmospheric chemistry, plant ecology and policy, which can offer interdisciplinary opportunities that can exist even beyond the grant’s continuance. Field measurements will be conducted at the Bernard Field Station in Claremont, which hosts the only AmeriFlux tower in Los Angeles County. This tower, referred to as US-BFS, measures carbon and water exchange over the coastal sage scrub habitat. Laboratory analysis will be paired with ecosystem-scale measurements to build a more complete picture of how plant emissions respond to heat and droughts along with other common environmental drivers.

Kavassalis and the research team aim to identify distinct emission patterns among individual plants during the project period, quantify how these emissions affect the surrounding atmosphere and develop a public archive of coastal sage scrub VOC emissions for use in regional and state air quality modeling. A project goal is to produce easily digestible, culturally valued planting guidance to help cities and decision-makers select lower-emission plant variants while maintaining biodiversity and saving water.

The project provides hands-on experience in environmental chemistry, ecology and policy-relevant science, with undergraduate training incorporated throughout. The work is designed to support decision-making agencies, such as the California Air Resources Board and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, while contributing to broader efforts to understand urban air quality in a changing climate.

Co-authors Johnson, Aaron L. Odom, Remi Beaulac, Mitch R. Smith, James K. McCusker and Chip Nataro designed the textbook to fill a longstanding gap in chemistry education: a single, cohesive resource that goes beyond introductory inorganic texts while remaining more accessible and pedagogically grounded than highly specialized graduate monographs.

“This book was designed to fill a niche where there haven’t been many options,” said Johnson, Ray and Mary Ingwersen Professor of Chemistry and chair of 91̽�� Mudd’s Department of Chemistry. “There are good introductory inorganic books, and there are good, advanced topic books, but not an advanced, comprehensive textbook that prepares students for research.”

A Decade-Long Collaboration Rooted in the Chemistry Community

The origins of the book trace back to an American Chemical Society (ACS) national meeting in San Diego 10 years ago, when Johnson was first approached by co-author and former graduate school colleague Aaron Odom about joining the project.
Johnson said, “We felt that having authors from both R1 and primarily undergraduate institutions would be a strong selling point for the text.”

Over time, the author list expanded to include leaders across multiple subdisciplines of inorganic chemistry. Johnson’s longtime collaborator Chip Nataro joined the project as well, building on nearly two decades of shared work on the teaching resource website ionicviper.org.

Research-driven, Current and Pedagogically Grounded

Johnson began researching his chapters shortly after that initial ACS meeting, with the bulk of the writing completed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He authored the chapters on organometallic chemistry, his primary research area, as well as bioinorganic chemistry, a field he worked in during his postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley.

“Relearning bioinorganic chemistry at a deeper level allowed me to see the similarities between the two fields,” Johnson said. “It really highlighted the importance of the local structure around a metal atom in dictating its reactivity. We have a lot to learn from biology, and these naturally evolved proteins improve our own ability to have such strong control over reactivity in a laboratory-synthesized metal complex.”

Across all chapters, the authors prioritized currency and connection to the primary literature. Johnson’s chapters include references through 2024—“as current as a textbook can be,” he noted. “We wanted students to see what inorganic chemistry actually looks like today.”

Bridging Coursework and Research

The book emphasizes the development of bonding theories that go beyond introductory chemistry, including ligand field theory and symmetry concepts taught alongside group theory and projection operators.

“This level of theory is important to explain chemical reactivity, structure and spectroscopy of metal complexes, which is what the majority of inorganic chemists study,” Johnson said. “But we also outline current research efforts across the discipline, from making new materials for gas separations, to catalysts to make pharmaceuticals, to understanding how platinum anticancer drugs work.”

Johnson particularly enjoyed writing about one of his favorite topics: molecular orbital theory. “This textbook has several chapters that build on knowledge from first-year chemistry to develop molecular orbital theory such that it can be applied to more complex systems. Then, the book uses this theory extensively to explain observed reactivity and spectroscopy.”

To support both instructors and students, the textbook includes advanced optional topics, extensive worked examples, end-of-chapter problems tied to the primary literature and a full answer key.

A Teaching Perspective Informed by PUI and R1 Faculty

Johnson believes the mix of perspectives among the authors is one of the book’s greatest strengths.

“Faculty at primarily undergraduate institutions tend to think deeply about teaching and pedagogy—how material is presented and received by students,” he said. “R1 faculty often focus more on research opportunities and pushing the frontiers of science. Having both perspectives in one book allows more breadth of how the material will be presented.”