SMU – Page 14 – Hunt Institute for Engineering & Humanity

February 21, 2018March 7, 2022

Applications of Blockchain for Social & Environmental Impact

The Hunt Institute will transform into a conversational hub for computer science, blockchain and social impact during the Hunt Institute Seminar Series on Thursday, February 22 nd.

Xiaochen Zhang, president and founder of FinTech4Good, will discuss the social impact of blockchain. Anna Carroll, a graduate student in the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security in SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering, will join Zhang to discuss the implications of this technology. Chris Kelley, a Senior Fellow in the Hunt Institute, will moderate the discussion.

Before the seminar, Carroll visited the Hunt Institute to explain the use and development of blockchain. She said that blockchain is a system that can be applied to any transaction that should be tracked.

Simply put, blockchain is a system of accountability. If you had to pay a coworker one dollar, it would be smart to pay them in front of an authority figure, for example your boss. That way, the coworker could not later claim that the exchange never occurred. Now, imagine paying that coworker in the middle of a company meeting. Every other employee would be a witness to that transaction. It would be virtually impossible for the coworker to claim that he or she never got that dollar.

Blockchain works in a similar way. By including more people as witnesses to the transaction, blockchain eliminates the risk of a single point of failure.

Blockchain increases in efficacy as the number of users increases. It is better to have 1,000 people using a blockchain than to have ten people using a blockchain. In this system, there is security in numbers. If there are more people invested in the blockchain, there are more people acting as watchdogs for the security of the blockchain. If there was a need for a secure, public transfer, blockchain could be effective.

With both its virtues and challenges, blockchain is an exciting addition to the digital world. Zhang and Carroll will discuss blockchain and its implications at the Seminar Series tomorrow during the 2018 Spring Seminar. Please click here for more information about this event.

Story Contributors

Written by: Anna Grace Carey

Edited by: Maggie Inhofe

January 29, 2018March 7, 2022

Xiaochen Zhang, Hunt Institute Fellow

Xiaochen Zhang is the President of FinTech4Good and World Digital Economy Council. He leads the design and implementation of FinTech4Goods’s strategy which aims to introduce impactful fintech and blockchain solutions to frontier markets through incubation, acceleration and investment. He brings more than 16 years of thought leadership and global experience to build impactful solutions and scale up innovative ideas in North America, Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia. He serves on the Board of Directors and Board of Advisors for many innovative policy, technology and finance initiatives. Prior to FinTech4Good, Xiaochen advised government agencies and multinational organizations on innovation, emerging technologies, and investment in positions at the World Bank, United Nations, and other international partnership platforms. He also taught innovation and venture building at leading business schools and served as mentors for many innovative businesses. He hosts the World Responsible Leaders Dialogue show.

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.

January 29, 2018March 7, 2022

Dr. Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Hunt Institute Fellow

Ahmet Can Sabuncu, Hunt Institute Fellow, teaches Mechanical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His teaching interest is on mechanical engineering design and thermal-fluids engineering. Dr. Sabuncu is eager to bring real-world experiences to his students using collaborations with industry, start-up companies, or using an idea that involves the pain points of stakeholders. His research and professional interests are on engineering education research on laboratory-oriented courses, renewable energy, and the development of biomedical devices from idea to market. Dr. Sabuncu is eager to discover next-generation workforce skills and to educate the next generation of engineers who will carry industry 4.0 forward considering the needs of the global world.

In Toys with Wings: Creating Value through Collaborative Entrepreneurial Mindset Learning (EML), Dr. Sabuncu and his team use EML to, “…students develop entrepreneurial thinking and empathy by intentionally seeking to create an educational toy with a potential societal value.” Their findings are students discover opportunities and insight with these hands-on problem-solving exercises.

His most recent research focuses on the development of bioelectric sensors for tissue and cell diagnostics. The sensor uses bioimpedance measurements in the broadband frequency range to obtain a dielectric data of superficial tissues. These sensors can be effective in determining the locations and severity of lesions. Currently, he is testing this technology on intestinal tumor tissues in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also working on linking cell and tissue impedance spectra to cellular function and structure. In addition to these, he has developed metallic electrodes with fractal topology to enhance dielectrophoresis, whose applications include biological cell separation and nanoparticle manipulation.

When asked what motivates him to do impact work, Dr. Sabuncu answered, “I want to create value for the developing world with my research.”

Preciously, he instructed senior design and biomedical engineering-related courses at Lyle School of Engineering. Dr. Sabuncu is working on low-cost and energy-efficient urban farming technologies in collaboration with the Hunt Institute. His research expertise includes the use of microfluidics and micro&nano sensors for biomedical applications such as single-cell manipulation and cancer diagnosis. The techniques he uses are bioimpedance spectroscopy, dielectrophoresis, microfabrication, micro-particle image velocimetry, finite element, and Monte Carlo simulations.

Dr. Sabuncu holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from Old Dominion University, a Master of Science in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Yildiz Technical University.

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.

January 29, 2018March 7, 2022

Regina Montoya, Hunt Institute Distinguished Fellow

Regina Montoya is the Secretary of the Board of Directors of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and is the Chair of Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings’ Task Force on Poverty. Ms. Montoya is the Chief Strategist of the JMC Strategy Group, and she is currently writing a book about the importance of incorporating Latinos into the economic, political and social fabric of America. In addition, she is a frequent public speaker on a wide range of issues including health care, poverty, diversity and children.

Ms. Montoya is a Harvard-trained attorney who has been nationally recognized as one of the top lawyers in the country, and she is a former award-winning television commentator. She was one of the first Latinas to earn partnership in a major corporate law firm in the United States. In 2014, Ms. Montoya received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Minority Counsel Program of the State Bar of Texas. In addition, Ms. Montoya was awarded the Latina Lawyer of the Year by the Hispanic National Bar Association, the Women’s Advocacy Award from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, the La Luz Achievement Award from the Dallas Hispanic Bar Association, and the Pioneer for Justice Award from the Los Angeles-based Mexican American Bar Foundation.

In 1993, Ms. Montoya served in the White House as an Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. In 1998, she was nominated by the President to serve as a U.S. Representative to the 53^rd Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

Previously, Ms. Montoya served as the Senior Vice President, External Relations and General Counsel at Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, the seventh-largest pediatric health care provider in the nation. In addition, she was the chief executive officer of the New America Alliance, a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote the economic advancement of the American Latino community.

A leader in the nonprofit community, Ms. Montoya is the Chair of the Board of the Mexican American Legal Defense & Educational Fund (MALDEF). She is a member of the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. (National Board), the Texas Book Festival, the Center for Public Policy Priorities, the Harvard Club of Dallas, ChildCareGroup, and the SMU Tate Lecture Series, and she serves on the Texas Lyceum Advisory Council.

Ms. Montoya has received numerous awards for her corporate, philanthropic and nonprofit accomplishments. Among her awards, she has received the Harvard Alumni Association Award, the Susan B. Anthony Award from the League of Women Voters of Dallas, the “Can Do!” Award from the Wilkinson Center and the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas Real Woman Award. Ms. Montoya has been recognized by numerous publications for her achievements, including Hispanic Executive Magazine, which featured her on the cover of its July/August/September 2014 edition and Hispanic Business magazine, which twice named her one of the 100 most influential Hispanics in the US.

Ms. Montoya earned her B.A. from Wellesley College, where she is a Trustee Emerita, and her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She also has served as vice president and elected director of the Harvard University Alumni Association.

January 29, 2018March 7, 2022

Robert Hunt, Ph.D.

Robert Hunt was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1955. After attending school in Austin and Richardson, he majored in History at the University of Texas in Austin. After completing a Master of Theology at Perkins School of Theology (SMU) he served as associate pastor of the Bethany United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas.

In 1985 he and his wife Lilian moved to Kuala Lumpur, where he taught at the Seminary Theology Malaysia and directed extension education programs. He received a PhD from the University of Malaya in 1993, focusing on Christian relations with Muslims in Southeast Asia. From 1993 to 1997 he taught and directed extension education programs at the Trinity Theological College in Singapore. From 1997 to 2004 he was pastor of the English Speaking United Methodist Church of Vienna, and an adjunct professor in Comparative Religions and International Relations at Webster University in Vienna.

Since 2004 Dr. Hunt has been the Director of Global Theological Education at the Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University. He teaches courses in World Religions, Islam, Interreligious Dialogue, Cultural Intelligence, and Mission Studies. Dr. Hunt is author of several books, including The Gospel Among the Nations, A Documentary History of Inculturation, Islam in Southeast Asia, and Muslim Faith and Values: A Guide for Christians.

A strong advocate for using digital technologies to create effective, accessible theological education Dr. Hunt created and manages the Virtual Visiting Professor™ website (http://virtualvisitingprofessor.com), which makes available the best theological teaching from the 2/3rds world to a global constituency. He also created and hosts the podcast Interfaith Encounters that explores interfaith perspectives on contemporary social issues, as well as a blog, YouTube channel, and Facebook pages by the same name.

Dr. Hunt is a certified Cultural Intelligence trainer, Associate of the Tower Center for Political Science, and Hunt Institute Fellow. He is a member of the Board of Scholars of the Journal of Interreligious Dialogue, as well as the Executive Board of the Association of Professors in Mission, the American Society of Missiology, and is editor of the ASM book series. He serves on the steering committees for the SMU Doctor of Liberal Studies and Master of Liberal Studies programs and teaches in both programs

When asked what motivates his work, he replied, “The focus of my professional life, as a teacher and pastor, has been interpretation: helping people understand one another, their history, different cultures and religions, and themselves. I believe that every person, culture, and society has something valuable to offer to others, and that we discover this through critical and appreciative study, open dialogue, and a willingness to learn.”

He has been married for 37 years to Lilian Wong Hunt, a native of Sarawak, Malaysia and has two grown children. Naomi lives with her husband and daughters in Austria and Elliott lives with his wife in Los Angeles.

He speaks Malay and German.

January 29, 2018March 7, 2022

Doric Earle, Ph.D., Hunt Institute Fellow

Doric Earle, Ph.D., is dedicated to helping communities, social enterprises and entrepreneurs achieve collaborative, engaging, and analytical solutions. Social impact is integrated into all of his work, including his co-founded, community-based real estate platform the Dallas Unity Fund LLC and several nonprofits such as Frazier Revitalization, Bridge Lacrosse, Green Careers Dallas, and Miles of Freedom.

Much of Doric’s recent work centers around Restorative Farms, in year two and expanding, whose objective is to be a self- sustaining nonprofit farm that will not only grow local food, but train and grow local urban farming professionals. Dr. Earle engaged his CCPA students in aiding in the communications efforts of Restorative Farms, especially in crafting strategy and content for the website and social media accounts.

A Ph.D. in Public Affairs with a focus on Urban Planning defined the foundation of his work that uses economic development as a catalyst to unlock potential in low-income communities. This economic development and place-building, focusing on entrepreneurship, is further seen through Doric’s developmental facilitation of an incubator for entrepreneurs in South Dallas (The District).

Discussing his motivation for doing impact work, Dr. Earle said, “Social entrepreneurship attacks a broad range of inequities. My mission is to find solutions and implement them.”

Working as a strategic planner and economic developer with Forward Planning, Doric helps individuals, corporations, and municipalities maximize their innate strengths and achieve long and short-term goals through analysis, project management, and leadership development. Dr. Earle spent thirty years in data analysis and development, (during which he earned his Ph.D.) working as an executive for large corporations, creating small companies, and launching new service concepts.

Dr. Earle understands cultural, social, and economic diversity through his global work while balancing the need for collaborative growth and understanding by working with a series of equally educated and diversely experienced individuals to ensure all development is driven with a well-rounded perspective. As a Fellow and a collaborator with the SMU Hunt Institute, he is working on eradicating poverty through the application of technology and a co-created platform that provides accessible housing to Fair Park (South Dallas) with the Dallas Unity Fund, LLC.

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.

January 29, 2018February 9, 2021

Eric Larson, Ph.D.

Dr. Eric Larson is a Hunt Institute Fellow and an associate professor in the computer science department at SMU. He is also a member of the Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity, Center for Global Health, and SMU AT&T Center for Virtualization. Dr. Larson is a founding associate editor for the journal on Interactive, Mobile, Wearable, and Ubiquitous Technology (formerly UbiComp).

His research explores the interdisciplinary relationship of machine learning and signal/image processing with the fields of security, mobile health, education, psycho-visual psychology, human-computer interaction, and ubiquitous computing. Like most academics, he has a passion for teaching and mentoring, and views research as an ideal opportunity to instruct the next generation of computer scientists and engineers. He is in a unique role, supporting cyber-security, education, healthcare, and sustainability applications via the integration of machine learning and ubiquitous sensing, and has become increasingly interested in sensing markers of health and context awareness using commonplace sensors. His research supports many healthcare, educational, and security initiatives by creating applications that (1) manage and diagnose many chronic/infectious ailments, (2) help learners master educational topics, and (3) investigate information leakage in pervasive and mobile devices. His dissertation research has also had impact in the area of sustainable resource usage, where he created algorithms for monitoring water, gas, and electricity usage using machine learning (now a commercial product).

His work has also helped to develop applications for real time cognitive load monitoring, privacy implications of smartphones, newborn jaundice screening, and lung function measurement, among others. These projects have resulted in eight patents of which six have been commercialized by various companies including Google. He has secured over $6 million dollars in federal and corporate funding that support these various initiatives. Dr. Larson has published one textbook and disseminated his research in over 50 peer-reviewed conference and journal papers, garnering more than 3700 citations. He received received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington where he was an Intel Science and Technology fellow. At UW, he was co-advised by MacArthur Genius Fellow Shwetak Patel and IEEE Fellow Les Atlas. He also has an MS in Image Processing from Oklahoma State University, where he was advised by Damon Chandler.

When asked what motivates his work, he replied, “In my work, I hope to bridge the gap between evaluation techniques from human computer interaction and machine learning research and evaluation. Too often machine learning researchers do not appropriately scope their evaluation or use iterative HCI techniques in the design of the system. Through intersecting the research in these areas, I hope to help human subjects research become more computationally technical (in terms of the modeling performed) as well as helping to assist machine learning research in becoming more adaptive and rigorous in its application.”

When he is not working, he is spending time with his wife and three wonderful children, including bike riding, making home improvements, and drinking copious amounts of coffee.

January 26, 2018March 2, 2022

Silvia Rivera ’18

Silvia Rivera ’18

Student Analyst

Senior, SMU Class of 2018
Cox School of Business, General Business
Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, International Studies and Spanish
President’s Scholar
Cox BBA Scholar
McLane Scholar
Research on artisan entrepreneurship and inclusive economic development

“My motivation is closely tied to my personal beliefs and life experiences. Like a perfectly functioning ecosystem, I believe that everyone and everything in this life is (somehow) connected. Growing up, a string of small opportunities opened up the world for me. The idea of giving back by creating even the smallest opportunity for someone else to improve their life, and thereby the lives of others through those they touch, is what drives me.” – Silvia Rivera

Silvia graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.B.A in General Business and B.A.s in International Studies and Spanish. She was also an SMU President’s Scholar and Cox BBA Scholar. As a child, she immigrated to the U.S. with her family from Chiapas, Mexico and is passionate about breaking down complex issues and empowering underrepresented individuals.

At the Hunt Institute, Sylvia conducted research on artisanal entrepreneurship and empowering female artisans and assisted with the Hunt Institute’s Inclusive Economy Consortium.

While at SMY, Silvia build professional experience and developed her business acumen through case competitions, leadership workshops and summer internships, most recently serving as an Advisory intern for global professional service firm EY in Dallas, TX and Bogotá, Colombia.

Currently, Sylvia is attending Boston College where she is pursuing a Masters in Education in Early Childhood Education.

Contributors to this blog post:

Written by: Kim Strelke

Edited by: Silvia Rivera & Maggie Inhofe

Photo by: Alissa Llort

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.

January 26, 2018March 2, 2022

Maggie Inhofe ’18

Maggie Inhofe ’18

Student Fellow

Masters in Design & Innovation, SMU 2018
- Student Senate Scholar, 2018
- Maguire Public Service Fellowship, 2017
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture, Yale University, 2015
- Harvey Geiger Fellowship, 2015
- William F. Buckley, Jr. Fellowship, 2014
- Duncan Robinson Scholar of British Art, 2013

“I came to the Hunt Institute because I believe in design that is beautiful, helpful and accessible. There are pockets in our world, both here in Dallas and across the globe, that lack design fueled by intentionality and integrity. My hope is that the work done here can inspire solutions that can be adopted anywhere, by anyone, to make this world as it ought to be.” – Maggie Inhofe

Maggie studied Design + Innovation at SMU, a new degree that aims to teach human-centered design to students from every discipline. She first fell in love with the field of design through studying the built environment, but now enjoys studying systems and using iterative design processes on all types of projects. She came to the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity because of their commitment to disrupt patterns of local and global poverty.

Maggie was a part of the Evie team in 2016 and also worked on a student housing project in Taos, NM. She was awarded the Maguire Public Service Fellowship to study modular building systems for compressed earth block houses.

After graduating from SMU, Maggie has been working as a Design Strategist for Fidelity Investments.

Contributors to this blog post:

Written by: Kim Strelke

Edited by: Maggie Inhofe

Photo by: Alissa Llort

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.

January 26, 2018March 2, 2022

Alejandro Dominguez ’20

Alejandro Dominguez Garcia ’20

Solar Energy Project Lead

SMU Class of ’20
Mechanical Engineer major
Business Administration and French minor
Engineering intern at Quantum Utility Generation
SMU Multicultural Award of Excellence
Honor Roll
Second Century Scholar
National Society of Collegiate Scholars
Hilltop Scholar
President of National Society of Hispanic Engineers

“As a mechanical engineering student of the 21st century, technology seems to be growing exponentially; however, most engineers focus on the advancements of technology and not of the human race. I am motivated to help fill this gap and make technological advancements affordable so that humanity as a whole can grow and everyone can live better lives.” – Alejandro Dominguez Garcia

Alejandro graduated from Southern Methodist University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and Minor in Business Administration and French. He was also an SMU Hilltop Scholar, Second Century Scholar, and President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers.

He was born in Mexico City, Mexico and moved to the United States with his family as a child. He is passionate about the aerospace and energy industry and how to use these fields to help the progression of humanity. Alejandro conducted research for the Hunt Institute on 3D printed Hydroponic and Aeroponic systems that increased efficiency and lowered the cost of Urban Farming.

While at SMU, he built professional experience through summer internships, most recently serving as an Mechanical Engineering Intern for the energy and utilities company Quantum Utility Generation in Houston, TX.

After graduating from SMU, Alejandro has been working as a Mechanical Engineer at BP.

Contributors to this post:

Written by: Kim Strelke

Edited by: Alejandro Dominguez Garcia & Maggie Inhofe

Photo by: Alissa Llort

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.