Washington People

David Mutch, MD, says the importance and joy of the School of Medicine’s tripartite mission is why he is at Washington University today. “In my mind, Dave Mutch is a glowing example of everything good about being an academic physician,” says George Macones, MD, the Mitchell and Elaine Yanow Professor and head of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Phillip Tarr, MD, is a busy investigator juggling meetings, research, teaching and patient care. And he is a man driven to find answers to fight deadly diseases in newborns.

Her nose habitually buried in a Nancy Drew mystery, little Kathy Miller spent much of her girlhood trying to crack the case. Today, Kathryn G. Miller, PhD, professor and chair of biology in Arts & Sciences, still is playing detective. With Sherlock Holmes-like intensity, Miller studies cells the way a special agent scrutinizes a crime scene.

At 37, Eric Leuthardt, MD, assistant professor of neurosurgery, is No. 5 on a list of the world’s 100 most prolific patent holders. He posts entries to his blog, Brains and Machines, on Tumblr about general brain science and his own work as a surgeon, teacher, researcher and inventor. He directs the Center for Innovation in Neuroscience and Technology, and he has just sent drafts of his first novel to prospective publishers.

Nick S. Argyres, PhD, the Vernon W. and Marion K. Piper Professor of Strategy at Olin Business School, straddles two worlds, balancing his role as professor and researcher with his position as senior associate dean of faculty.

Ken Yamaguchi, MD, the Sam and Marilyn Fox Distinguished Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, fixes shoulders and elbows. Although many think of rotator cuff tears affecting athletes, almost 50 percent of people over age 70 have rotator cuff tears, either with or without pain.

Molly Tovar, EdD, director of the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies at the Brown School, lives her life by four Rs: Relationships, Responsibilities, Reciprocity and Redistribution. “Redistribution is the sharing obligation. Its primary purpose is to balance and rebalance relationships,” she says.

Steve Sobo, director of design and construction, at the School of Medicine, oversees construction of new buildings and remodeling of existing facilities. His relaxed, direct communication style helps his projects go smoothly. “There’s a frank friendliness about Steve,” says Jim Walsh, a principal at Cannon Design. “He has an ability to bring together individuals to get a job done, and he also charts a clear, concise path.”

Tom Bernatowicz, PhD, professor of physics in Arts & Sciences, began at WUSTL studying stardust, tiny crystals of material that formed around dying red giant stars or in exploding supernovae. While he remains interested in these tiny grains, lately he has been devoting much of his time to creating an introductory physics course that is so lively and engaging the students leave understanding why physicists are so passionate about their work.

Jack Engsberg, PhD, took his love of track and field into a study of movement that helps people with cerebral palsy regain mobility. He uses video games as therapy and has been working to teach therapists to create customized games for clients.