Winter 2003 - Trojan Family Magazine

Engineering’s Everest By Bob Calverley, Carl Marziali and Diane Krieger
C. L. Max Nikias is attempting a dean’s most daring feat: to hoist his school to the very pinnacle of academe as one of the nation’s elite programs. Think of him as the Sir Edmund Hillary of USC engineering.

Engineering’s Elect
Twenty-one USC luminaries have been honored for their pioneering contributions by election to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering.
The Climb of His Life
In the village where C.L. Max Nikias was born, things hadn’t changed much since Hellenistic times.
USC Engineering, Then ... and Now
Few who remember the basement laboratories and dearth of instruments from the early days could have guessed what lay ahead for USC’s engineering school.

The Masculine Mystique By Diane Krieger
He’s an authority on Enlightenment literature, French cinéma vérité, the history of Western art, rock ’n’ roll and much, much more. Now with his new book on war and manhood, Leo Braudy really blows the lid off the question of just what he’s a professor of.

The Swallows of South Los Angeles By Carl Marziali
In a place where all too many kids get left behind, USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative has helped hundreds of inner-city youths take wing. Somehow they find their way home.

Alumni & Friends
A dream realized: USC’s long-awaited events center is funded.





	Winter 2003 FEATURES Engineering’s Everest By Bob Calverley, Carl Marziali and Diane Krieger C. L. Max Nikias is attempting a dean’s most daring feat: to hoist his school to the very pinnacle of academe as one of the nation’s elite programs. Think of him as the Sir Edmund Hillary of USC engineering. Engineering’s Elect Twenty-one USC luminaries have been honored for their pioneering contributions by election to the prestigious National Academy of Engineering. The Climb of His Life In the village where C.L. Max Nikias was born, things hadn’t changed much since Hellenistic times. USC Engineering, Then ... and Now Few who remember the basement laboratories and dearth of instruments from the early days could have guessed what lay ahead for USC’s engineering school. The Masculine Mystique By Diane Krieger He’s an authority on Enlightenment literature, French cinéma vérité, the history of Western art, rock ’n’ roll and much, much more. Now with his new book on war and manhood, Leo Braudy really blows the lid off the question of just what he’s a professor of. For the Love of Words One of the subtle charms of Leo Braudy’s writing is his prodigious love of words. The Swallows of South Los Angeles By Carl Marziali In a place where all too many kids get left behind, USC’s Neighborhood Academic Initiative has helped hundreds of inner-city youths take wing. Somehow they find their way home. It Takes One to Know One NAI's director is no stranger to the challenges that face neighborhood kids aspiring to make it at USC. Many Are Called, Many Chosen COLUMNS Editor’s Note President’s Page Once again, the rankings are upon us. Last Word Holy Tempestuous Teens DEPARTMENTS Mailbag Reading and writing. What’s New - Shelf Life - People Watch Listening to molecules, brewing up a fuel-cell, very practical math and teaching Hindi to a machine. Reimagining colonial history and the Exodus, from Russia with love, rolling out a virtual press. Movers and shakers at USC. Alumni & Friends A dream realized: USC’s long-awaited events center is funded. Class Notes A running record of Trojan lives. • Glimpses of History Class Notes Marriage, Births and Deaths Alumni Profile From Trojan Hall to City Hall: Tom Levyn ’71, JD ’74 Alumni Profile Herding Jungle Cats: Jack Del Rio ’85 Alumni Profile Swimming Against the Tide: Ian Jaquiss ’88 In Memoriam Howard Payne House