SMU – Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity

May 3, 2022May 3, 2022

April 14, 2022 ImpactNights™ – Food Systems in Urgent Need of Transformation

Even before 2020, before anyone heard of something called “COVID-19,” the world was already facing serious food challenges. But today, with long-term economic uncertainty due to the pandemic, rising inflation, the war in Ukraine, and climate change, the global food system may be nearing a breaking point.

To discuss the crisis facing our globe, Hunt Institute convened three panels of experts on April 14 for its latest ImpactNights™ event, “Food Systems in Urgent Need of Transformation.” The event featured Hunt Institute representatives and Fellows, business executives, medical experts, non-profit leaders, and a City of Dallas coordinator.

The common theme that linked the three panels was the critical importance of building trust with and among all stakeholders – whether it be the farmers that grow crops, the financial institutions that serve the farmers, or those who distribute the products to the market. Panelists also discussed the vital role of health care providers who develop bonds with communities and patients, especially in underserved areas.

“With 3.3 to 3.6 billion people in the world highly vulnerable to climate change, most of them smallholder farmers and vulnerable groups, the urgency cannot be overstated,” said Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of Hunt Institute. “This is a crisis of food production, food security, and livelihoods, and the sharing of global experiences and best practices must inform urgent evidence-based climate action in vulnerable communities around the world.”

Participating in the first panel were Clara Ford, a Hunt Institute Fellow who is working on a community-driven, climate-smart rural development model; Miguel J. Martins, a Hunt Institute Fellow who is working with climate-smart value chains with a focus on mycelium; and Mohan Seneviratne, a Hunt Institute Fellow who is helping build resilience and improve livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Sri Lanka.

“If we’re talking about global value chains, we need to talk with the farmers,” said Seneviratne. “If there are no farmers, there are no cover crops. Sri Lanka, like all emerging countries, is primarily agricultural. If you want to alleviate poverty, we need to address 80% of the people, and that’s agriculture.”

Clara Ford, the founder of Kijiji Innovative Solutions in Tanzania, teaches local farmers how to grow more crops to sell, and thus sustain themselves and provide a better quality of life. “In a small village of about 1000 to 5000 people, the economy is agricultural productivity, but somebody coming from America to Tanzania and telling them this is what you need to do – that is something I figured wouldn’t work.”

To address the issue, Ford created a local center for the village to bring people together, to invest in locals first, and to allow them to start the conversation as peers and stakeholders. She hopes her idea – a center to gather, learn, and take action – can be scaled to other villages as a community development approach.

The second session, led by Corrie Harris, Assistant Director of Hunt Institute, featured Felisa Conner and Dorothy Hopkins, VP of Operations and President & CEO, respectively, of Frazier Revitalization, Inc.; Rabekha Siebert, Urban Agriculture Coordinator of the City of Dallas; Matt Smith, Sr. Director of PepsiCo’s Food for Good; and Meghna Tare, a Hunt Institute Fellow, Chief Sustainability Officer of UT Arlington, and Founder of the North Texas Food Alliance.

“When you’re working in underserved communities, you should never do what they should do,” said Felisa Conner, speaking on the session’s topic of bringing affordable healthy food to South Dallas. “When you’re having events, the idea is that you draw people so you can develop relationships. That’s what your program is built from. That’s what helps people stick together, to see them work through a problem and to help with solutions.”

The final session on food system needs was led by Alex Radunsky, a Hunt Institute Fellow and Postdoc Research Fellow at UT Southwestern. Participants included Sandi Pruitt, Associate Professor in the Department of Population and Data Sciences at UT Southwestern, and Milette Siler, Community Dietitian and Culinary Lead Instructor at the Moncrief Cancer Institute at UT Southwestern.

Attendees Nadia Zrelli Ben Hamida and Haddijatou Njie also shared valuable information about the food security crisis in Tunisia and the challenges of scaling climate-smart solutions in The Gambia.

Panelists agreed that technology has a central role to play in fixing and improving the world’s food systems, but that governance, infrastructure, education, training, and access to financing and markets must be prioritized for the good of all stakeholders and the people most at risk of food insecurity.

Written By: Chris Kelley

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the Institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

March 25, 2022March 25, 2022

March 10, 2022 ImpactNights™ – Women of Impact: Leading Change in our Global Society

March 10, 2022 ImpactMaps™ Women of Impact: Leading Change in our Global Society

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Hunt Institute hosted its first in-person event of the academic year on March 10, titled “Women of Impact: Leading Change in Our Global Society.” The event was attended by about 40 guests and is the latest installment in HI’s ImpactNights series, designed to build awareness, collaboration, and empowerment to lead change in a global society.

Led by Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of Hunt Institute, and Corrie Harris, Assistant Director at Hunt Institute, the event celebrated the impact of women in all areas of society through academic achievement, philanthropic contributions, environmental work, community outreach efforts, and more.

Women of Impact featured a range of leaders in STEM, climate-smart, and DEI spheres, including Kathy Hubbard, a Hunt Institute Fellow and Assistant Dean for DEI at SMU Lyle School of Engineering; Dr. Aurelie Thiele, a Hunt Institute Fellow and Associate Professor of Operations Research and Engineering Management at Lyle; and Dr. Candice Bledsoe, a Hunt Institute Fellow, the Executive Director of the Action Research Center, and the founder of the Collective.

The event was broken into three sessions covering important topics like climate-smart economic development, diversity and inclusion, and decision-making through robust optimization.

“We talked a lot about the different risks people face in their business or area of expertise, and about robust optimization and scenario planning that can help them mitigate the risks they face,” said Dr. Theile, who led a session on making decisions under highly uncertain circumstances. “It’s so impressive to see the projects people have come here to do in the DFW area. You get people from different backgrounds who love talking to different people. There were some very interesting conversations.”

Jared Helmsberger, a Master’s student in sustainability at SMU, participated in Dr. Thiele’s breakout session. “It kind of touches on game theory, which is super interesting to me. It really does come back to the smallest social aspects of all these different things and how the small interactions can empower people to completely change their approach to life. Even in small conversations like this, you can pick up so many small things about how everyone’s operating within the same framework. It can change your whole perspective.”

Leroy Ahwinahwi, a Master’s student at SMU in engineering, said his favorite thing about ImpactNights is being able to hear multiple people from different backgrounds and experiences speak about their passions. “They are able to connect and inspire, which could lead to potential future collaborations.”

During these uncertain times, the ImpactNights series is committed to discovering and embracing stories of women who inspire, empower, and demonstrate resilience even in the most challenging situations.

Written by Chris Kelley with contributions from Bri Flores

Photos by Bri Flores

March 4, 2022March 23, 2022

Dr. Michael Adler, Hunt Institute Fellow

Mike Adler, PhD, joins the Hunt Institute as a Fellow, bringing with him his expertise in community engagement with the Puebloan Nations in New Mexico.

Dr. Adler is an Associate Professor of Anthropology at Southern Methodist University and holds the William Clements Jr. Endowed Executive Director position in the SMU-in-Taos program. His academic training is in archaeology, and his primary research focus is the complex ancestries of Native Americans, particularly Puebloan, communities in the American Southwest. He has also worked overseas in Jordan on early village archaeological contexts. He has a strong interest in the current roles (and sometimes, failures) of archaeology in the creation of knowledge about the past.

He collaborates with Native American communities to investigate concepts of ancestry, cultural identity, and how communities create and recreate that complicated concept called “the past.” He also works with traditional acequia irrigation cooperatives in Northern New Mexico to document their ancestral land and water use systems. He works with his students and colleagues to bring archaeology and knowledge of the past to the public and considers experiential education as one of the most important legacies we can provide to future generations.

When asked what his motivation is for doing impact work he replied, “I would say that I’m privileged to be able to help communities better understand their unique and collective pasts. Every community deserves a past that best reflects their accomplishments and challenges, and to do that one has to listen first to the community needs and interests, and continue listening as the past becomes better understood.”

October 21, 2021February 10, 2022

DeeDee Conway, Ed.D., Hunt Institute Fellow

DeeDee Conway Ed.D. serves as an Associate Dean at the Lyle School of Engineering and Research Assistant Professor in the Caruth Institute for Engineering Education at Southern Methodist University. DeeDee joins The Hunt Institute team as a Fellow, accompanied by her valuable expertise in education.

Her research focuses on engineering education professional development and technical training as a means of understanding what institutions do to prepare students for not only positions in the industry but also positions in higher education, such as organizational and leadership development practices. This includes the analysis of cultural norms within an institution and opportunities for the reform of education to better suit the requirements of today’s industry and higher education institutions. Other research interests include creating a better understanding of culture in education, finding ways to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as understanding the needs of non-traditional learners.

DeeDee’s recent publications are grounded in identifying pathways to prosperity for underserved populations, adult learners, and organizational leadership/culture. DeeDee holds a BBA from American Public University and her M.Ed. in Education and Ed.D. in Higher Education from Southern Methodist University.

When asked what motivates her impact work, DeeDee said, “I want to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to advance and grow in whatever way they choose. I work to advocate and help those that have difficulty navigating through various systems, policies, and processes.”

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

October 8, 2021February 15, 2022

Kathy Jack, Ph.D., Hunt Institute Fellow

Kathy Jack The Dallas Healthy Cities Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas (TNC)

Katherine Jack, Ph.D., brings her expertise in environmental technologies, sustainable development, and community health and resilience to the Hunt Institute as a newly appointed Fellow. Since 2017, she has served as The Dallas Healthy Cities Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in Texas (TNC), working with community partners to create a climate-resilient Dallas and to leverage the power of nature to benefit all residents. Dr. Jack also serves as Co-chair for the TNC Cities Network group to refine shared metrics for human and conservation well-being in the urban landscape.

Dr. Katherine Jack is an experienced Program Director and researcher, with more than twenty years working in both local government and non-profit sectors to advance community conservation, resilience, and sustainability. Her focus has always been at the intersection of people and nature. This includes the social dimensions of conservation and technological innovation, with expertise in renewable energy, emissions science, and nature-based strategies (NBS).

Notably, one of her recent research project publications is “Green Stormwater Infrastructure for Urban Flood Resilience: Opportunity Analysis for Dallas, TX”. This research study was conducted by Dr. Jack and TNC team, as well as Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, to assess the potential for GSI to enhance stormwater flood management in Dallas. Wherein, her team identified substantial cost-effective opportunities to deploy GSI for flood resilience and community benefits within the City of Dallas.

Her other key initiatives include advancing local air monitoring for improved public health outcomes, a collaborative effort of tree planting through Cool & Connected Oak Cliff, serving on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee to Dallas’ Environmental and Climate Action Plan, and on the Best Practices Advisory Committee for the Texas Tree Foundations’ Southwestern Medical District Streetscape Transformation project.

When asked what motivates her to do impact work, Dr. Jack said, “I am solutions driven! I am motivated by the urgency and complexity of the challenges we face at the intersection of society and the environment, and I am absolutely inspired by the richness of creating solutions with people across disciplines, experiences, and perspectives.”

Dr. Jack received her Bachelor of Arts in Environment and Society from Cornell University, a Master of Science in Environmental Resources Engineering, in the International Development Technologies Program at Humboldt State University, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the University of North Texas.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

October 6, 2021February 15, 2022

Summer Internship Experience: Natalie Owings

My time at La Tarte Tropézienne was a reality check on my ambition and my degree. I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy my time there, in fact, it was an amazing experience. Unlike a typically discussed experience, my internship was a path towards self-discovery.

To start, I was beyond excited to begin this summer work adventure. It was a perfect combination of two interests and degrees: French and marketing. Before an official introductory meeting with my boss, I had already brainstormed a social media facelift and marketing strategy. I wanted to apply my ideas immediately.

For the first month and a half, my work was praised and my eagerness to impress grew. I accepted multiple projects even though I didn’t have the time for them. Unfortunately, a health issue combined with work overload halted my progress. Compared to the beginning of my internship, my performance lacked the usual flare. At the time, I didn’t understand what was happening, but I had reached my limits.

I realized my desire to constantly impress caused burnout. I wasn’t meeting personal expectations, so I continued to stress myself. Initially, I loved my internship, but I soon began to fear it. I despised the reality I soon discovered; I didn’t want to do social media for a living. I would like to say I’m knowledgeable in the subject, but I do not have a passion for it. This new reality scared me because I thought I would have to change my major. I love doing creative projects, but that doesn’t mean social media is the only route in creative marketing. I have other options and my skills can be applied elsewhere.

I thought this internship would solidify my career choice, but I’m just entering the work world. Internships are trial runs. I’m young, and I have time to make mistakes and discoveries about myself. The road from an internship to one’s first job is never straight. The path has twists and turns, ups and downs, and tunnels where a sense of direction is unclear. I ingrained in my mind the idea that everyone has their life and career figured out at twenty-one. That’s not true. I wanted that easy path, but I honestly needed this journey to recognize what I truly want. La Tarte Tropézienne provided this introspection, and I’m incredibly thankful for the work opportunity and my newfound knowledge.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

October 1, 2021February 10, 2022

Alex Radunsky, Ph.D., Hunt Institute Fellow

Alex Radunsky, Ph.D. joins the Hunt Institute as a Fellow, bringing his expertise in mixed-methods research in public health and health behaviors. Alex is an innovative research scientist and educator who uses complexity aware methods to disentangle health systems challenges, with a particular interest in how technological and scientific innovation can be leveraged for public good.

Dr. Radunsky is a Visiting Researcher at the Heidelberg Institute of Global Health at Heidelberg University, and he also serves as Director of Global Health and Policy at the Institute for Technology & Global Health. He received his BA in Political Science and his MPH in Epidemiology before earning his doctoral degree in Global Health and Population from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

When asked what motivates him about impact work he responded, “I use data and complex adaptive systems analysis to more deeply understand what we all need as human beings.”

He has conducted multi-sectoral evaluations of health, health behaviors and health service institutions in over a dozen countries while working at the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the University of Pennsylvania. Alex has presented work to expert audiences at numerous international conferences. This work uses qualitative and quantitative methods to focus on individual perception, institutional practices, community traditional practices, gender, marginalized populations, HIV, infectious disease, malnutrition, and more. His published research includes pieces on the quality of global health evaluations by aid agencies and child stunting reduction in sub-Saharan African countries.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

October 1, 2021February 10, 2022

Biodegradable Plastics Research – Where Engineering & Chemistry Intersect for Broader Impact

In the Hunter and Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity’s Global Development Lab, our interdisciplinary teams made up of students, fellows, faculty, and industry professionals are working to create meaningful solutions to promote resilient humanity, all of which address the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Where Engineering & Chemistry Intersect for Broader Impact report addresses biodegradable plastics where engineering and chemistry intersect.

Currently, many biodegradable products in the market are bio-based, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and lipids, and are focused on conventional plastic applications. This approach to the production of biodegradable plastics, however, is facing mounting challenges due to high cost, weaker performance, and environmental issues. Additionally, several biodegradable plastics have proven to break down quickly under specific, simulated environmental conditions, but they may not be effectively degradable under natural conditions. As a result of these challenges and many alike, there is a gap in the market.

As our Project Affiliates, Dr. David Son and Dr. Paul Krueger are investigating a prototype plastic that has predictable degradation and mechanical properties, in order to bridge this gap. In the spirit of interdisciplinary innovation, they seek to develop a joint chemical and engineering approach to biodegradable plastics for broader impact.

Dr. Son says, “As a chemist, I have the capability and knowledge to design a material from the molecular level up. It’s a challenge to synthesize a material with the ‘right’ properties. You can prepare a material cheaply, but it may not degrade. Or you can make a material that degrades too quickly or is not 3D-printable. In today’s world, the plastics disposal problem is not going away anytime soon, and it is exciting that Professor Krueger and our labs can help make a difference.”

Dr. Krueger says, “Material properties are important for durability and functionality of engineered systems. But they are also important for what happens when you are finished using the system. Having materials that can fulfill their design role as well as existing materials and can also easily degrade to facilitate future disposal is extremely valuable, but difficult to achieve. It’s a pleasure working with Prof. Son to achieve this dream and help to reduce plastic waste.”

There are many uses for biodegradable plastics to address our current state of plastics pollution. One potential future application could be biodegradable plastic used in combination with 3-D printing technology specifically designed for use with the unique geometric properties of the biodegradable prototype plastic. Compatibility with 3D printing methods would help to facilitate biodegradable plastic’s replacement of other less desirable materials, especially given its rapidly growing adoption and application for manufacturing both prototype and production components. The lab is developing a 3D printing technology (extrude and cure additive manufacturing, or ECAM) that can simultaneously print and cure thermoset polymers such as those considered in this project.

Another significant opportunity for the biodegradable plastic industry is an application towards alleviating medical waste. Focusing on producing better-quality medical supplies and reducing the end-of-life waste associated with such products, this application works towards the third UN SDG “to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages,” as well as the fourteenth UN SDG, which aims “to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources”[1].

In order to address this challenge, our team of multidisciplinary students and subject matter experts has been working diligently to develop biodegradable plastic with more desirable characteristics and predictable degradation properties. Through this research, they hope to address medical waste and produce a product that could potentially be used in 3D printing. A portion of the report provides a market analysis of biodegradable plastics, a discussion of their applications, and updates from the lab’s progress in their research.

Both the Son and Krueger labs continue to research a biodegradable plastic that is comparable in function and cost to the industry standard while achieving alternatives to traditional disposal and decomposition. Continue to read the Hunt Institute Digest for more information about this project and others like it.

Undergraduate Project Managers: Sydney Lobato and Taylor Grace

Undergraduate Research Analyst: Katherine Nguyen

Undergraduate Lab Researchers: Son Lab: Anderson Wey and Jamie Hall; Krueger Lab: Sami Streb

Global Development Lab Portfolio Manager: Corrie A. Harris, M.A., MBA

Hunt Institute Affiliates: Dr. David Son and Dr. Paul Krueger

[1] Oceans – United Nations Sustainable Development. (n.d.). Retrieved 2020, from https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/oceans/

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

September 20, 2021February 10, 2022

Jin-Ya Huang: Conversations about Community and Resilience

On this episode of the Hunt Institute’s Sages & Seekers Podcast, Jin-Ya Huang discusses the importance of storytelling; her experience founding Break Bread, Break Borders; and what it means to be a social entrepreneur.

The Hunt Institute Social Enterprise Program is proud to have Jin-Ya Huang of Break Bread Break Borders (BBBB) as one of four social entrepreneurs in our founding cohort in 2018.

Break Bread, Break Borders is catering with a cause: empowering refugee women to earn a living through their existing cooking skills while they share their incredible stories with the community.

In the conversation, Huang said, ““We’ve had tough conversations when people ask the women that we work with, ‘Why did you come to America?’ or ‘Why are you taking our jobs?’ As they break bread together at the table, they gain an understanding of each other. They’re breaking down borders.”

What is Hunt Sages & Seekers?

The Hunt Institute Sages & Seekers Podcast shares the stories of innovative social leaders and the resilient communities that have shaped them. The series explores guests’ personal experiences with social issues ranging from inequity in the arts and school segregation to climate change and police violence. Through conversations with these agents of change, listeners gain insight into the history of these matters and discover how we as a global community can work to correct them. Follow us on SoundCloud at Hunt Sages & Seekers Podcast.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

September 16, 2021February 10, 2022

Anna Clark: Conversations about Community and Resilience

On this episode of the Hunt Institute’s Sages & Seekers Podcast, Anna Clark, president of Heirloom Digital and co-founder of the Inclusive Economy Consortium (IEC), discusses sustainability, storytelling, and starting both the IEC and Heirloom Digital.

Anna began her career as a management consultant with PwC Consulting and IBM. In 2005, she founded EarthPeople Media, a sustainability communication consultancy. In 2017, she joined Hill+Knowlton Strategies as a principal, providing senior counsel in corporate affairs and CSR to industry leaders. Her clients and strategic partners have included startups, global corporations, universities such as SMU and Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University in Dubai, and international organizations such as International Finance Corporation, the private sector arm of The World Bank. She is presently focused on building Heirloom Digital, a multimedia company she founded in 2019.

Discussing the founding of the IEC, Clark said, “This is the fourth biggest metropolitan area in the United States. There’s a huge economy in North Texas. What would it look like if we tried to make a change here in a positive way?”

What is Hunt Sages & Seekers?

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.