Just over eight years ago, Sir Roger Penrose delivered the keynote address during my inauguration weekend. In the address, he expounded on his theory that consciousness originates from processes inside neurons, rather than from connections between neurons – a theory that was a radical departure from the mainstream understanding of consciousness (and remains so to this day). In many ways, this keynote address set the stage for the intellectual and creative energy that would come to define Chapman all these years later: an undaunted spirit of discovery that advances the boundaries of knowledge.
Consider the recent induction of Professor Yakir Aharonov, widely regarded as a leading scientist in contemporary quantum theory, into the Fellowship of the Royal Society, or the work of our Fowler School of Engineering students, who are learning about process engineering and programming using robotic arms from Irvine-based Archytas Automation – both examples of how curiosity and determination drive breakthroughs at Chapman every day.
As the university continues to implement the initiatives of our five-year strategic plan, “Our Path to Greatness,” advances in health care education, delivery and discovery abound. Schmid College of Science and Technology Professors Dony Ang, Cyril Rakovski and Hagop Atamian have leveraged the incredible power of the generative artificial intelligence platform ChatGPT, in conjunction with an algorithm, to quickly generate drug compounds that target proteins causing disease. Further, two studies conducted by Professor Rosalee Hellberg, along with her students, reveal that many supplements do not contain the ingredients they purport to and make untested – and often erroneous – health claims. And, as the global population of older adults is rapidly increasing, scholars from across the university are preparing the next generation of clinicians and researchers to care for an aging population.
The indescribable energy that drives these breakthroughs begins with the people at the heart of our community. This year, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Chapman President Emeritus Jim Doti, whose innumerable contributions to this university continue to propel its evolution into a nationally recognized center for academic excellence. We also celebrated the outstanding graduates of this past spring, including the 2024 Cheverton Award winner, Rachel Berns, whose commitment to her intellectual growth and campus leadership will continue to be felt by generations of future Chapman students.
I was pleased to see many of you at our Chapman on the Road event in Denver and look forward to connecting with other alumni in the months to come. As Chapman continues to expand opportunities for students and the community, I encourage you to engage with the university in the ways that feels most meaningful for you, whether through volunteerism, industry partnerships or giving to the areas closest to your heart. Our campus’s legacy of intellectual intrepidness and our dynamic and engaged students, scholars and staff fill me with tremendous excitement as I prepare to return to the mathematics faculty in the fall of 2025. Our path to greatness has only just begun.
