Where Research Leads
From engineers to medical doctors, four alumni reflect on how their SJSU experiences have helped them make an impact. Illustrations by Jon Chester.
Washington Square: The Stories of San Jose State University
Consuelo Castillo Kickbusch: “Bring Your Humanity into the Room”
Kickbusch became the highest-ranking Hispanic woman in the Combat Field Support of the U.S. Army before launching Educational Achievement Services, Inc.
Scotty Anderson: Putting PR to Work for Students and Community
Anderson believes his San Jose State education armed him with the communication skills needed to make change. He hopes current and future Spartans will take advantage of the Strategic Media Lab to fine-tune their PR skills and make an impact.
Serving San Jose
San Jose City Manager David Sykes, ’91 BS, ’95 MS, Civil Engineering, sees his work as an act of service.
Marisa and Terell Johnson: Creating Space
For the entrepreneurs behind Inglewood’s La Create Sp_ce, creativity is an equal opportunity resource.
Duane “Michael” Cheers: Sharing the Legacy of W.E.B. Du Bois
Assistant Professor of Journalism Duane “Michael” Cheers has scanned close to 1,000 documents belonging to notable African-American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois, which will be added to the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library.
Richard Sessions: Removing Obstacles For a Better Future
Management information systems lecturer Richard Sessions established a scholarship for SJSU’s Accessible Education Center by designating the university as a beneficiary in his retirement plan
Hadiyah Ghoghari Aims High
Hadiyah Ghoghari, ’20 Computer Science, hopes to work for NASA while creating opportunities for fellow female engineers.
Mark and Kathy Loveless: Rewarding Spartan Service
Kathy and Mark Loveless, ’78 Accounting, have created a scholarship for veterans and service members in SJSU’s accounting department.
It Took us Generations: Anthony LaGrasta, ’92 Advertising
In 1941, my grandparents left for America, my grandfather from Molfetta and my grandmother from Palermo. Upon arriving, they, like millions of others, waited at Ellis Island, yearning to be American.
Like Father, Like Son
Pabel Mijangos, ’20 Finance, learned how his father Octavio Mijangos’ journey to the U.S. informed his own path to an education while writing a paper for his Global Dimensions of Business course.
Geology from the Ground Up
How do geologists measure seismicity and communicate earthquake risk to the communities that could one day be affected?
Evan Low’s American Dream
Evan Low, ’03 Political Science, was the youngest openly gay mayor of an American city.
Finding One’s Way: Proprioception and Biological Research
How do we use sensory information to move, balance, and position ourselves? Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Katherine Wilkinson developed a neurophysiology lab at SJSU to explore how and why the human body interacts with the world around us.
Solving DNA Puzzles, One Worm at a Time
How do neurons transmit messages throughout the body? How are memories formed? Miri VanHoven’s neurogenetics lab at San Jose State explores big questions.
Seeing it Through: A Vision for Student-Centered Campus Spaces
The culmination of alumna Cathy Busalacchi’s 30-year vision for healthy student spaces.
Faculty Spotlight: Electrified Transportation
Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering Mohamed Badawy founded SJSU’s Center of Power Electronic Converters.
On Fire
The only team of its kind in the United States, Craig Clements’ Fire Weather Research Laboratory studies and decodes wildfire behavior to improve fire management and prevention.
Danielle Ishak: Robots for Seniors
Danielle Ishak, ’16 MS Human Factors and Ergonomics, is helping develop products to support the elderly.
Artist and 2018 MacArthur Fellow Titus Kaphar
Kaphar received a 2018 MacArthur genius grant in recognition of his commitment to social justice through art.
Marc Slattery’s Research Under the Sea
Alumnus Marc Slattery researches how the chemistry of underwater organisms might inform drug development.
One Washington Square: Moving the A.S. House and Making History
In January 2019, San Jose State’s A.S. House moved across campus to make room for the Interdisciplinary Science Building.
Power SJSU: Breaking New Ground
San Jose State embarks on an ambitious new plan to push the boundaries of science and innovation.
Job Maestro: How to Start a Research Career
Director of SJSU’s Aspire and McNair Scholars Programs Maria Elena Cruz shares her experience pursuing a PhD and offers guidance on how to start a research career.
