Class Notes

Forrest Xiao, LA11, published a memoir written by ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence: The Inner Life of an AI: A Memoir (December 2022). The book explores the large language model ChatGPT, discussing its journey in learning to communicate, exploring its thoughts on the nature of reality and consciousness, and ultimately challenging the notion of a binary between natural and artificial intelligence.

Adam Pearson, OT11, who has worked in human services in various leadership capacities, was appointed by Mayor Tishaura Jones as the director of human services for the City of St. Louis. Earlier, as chief operating officer at homeless service provider Peter & Paul Community Services, Pearson managed a division of over 70 team members across six programs, providing around-the-clock housing and supportive services in St. Louis.

Patricia Morency, LA11, penned her first novel, Simply Platonish (BlackGold Publishing, March 2023). The quirky, irreverent, coming-of-age story features a college woman of color who is navigating cross-racial interactions within a primarily white institution.

Alex Morel, LA11, and Ezra Smyser, LA11, who met playing basketball at WashU, co-founded Andiem, which makes “function-forward gear for athlete longevity and unmatched performance.” The duo has teamed up with orthopedic surgeons and sneaker experts to develop a basketball shoe designed to prevent ankle injuries — which they call “an unsolved problem from The Swamp at WashU to the NBA.” The first version launched in January, and a second version, The Pivot 1.0, launched recently.

Jessie Atkin, LA11, won the 2023 Shubert Fendrich Memorial Playwriting Contest for “Generation Pan” — a contemporary sequel to the Peter Pan story written for a teen audience. The annual contest encourages the development of quality materials for educational institutions and community and children’s theaters.

Franklin Drumwright, GM10, has retired after 35 years as a science teacher at Arsenal Technical High School and Pike High School, in Indianapolis. Drumwright expressed gratitude and extended thanks to WashU, where he earned a master’s degree in biology and met “fantastic teachers and faculty from across the country and experienced a mind-expanding time.”

Mark Shvartsman, LA09, has grown his business, Retro Gear Shop, from a startup in his garage into a boutique music store that is a top destination worldwide for rare, vintage, high-end recording equipment, synthesizers and effects. His clients include Martin Gore (Depeche Mode), David Bryan (Bon Jovi), Jonathan Cain (Journey), Ray LaMontagne and Gotye. Shvartsman has also assembled a collection of high-quality archival photography of rare equipment.

Biyu J. He, GM09, a research scientist at NYU Langone and a professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, was awarded a Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science for her research leadership in the field of cognitive neuroscience and for groundbreaking work on the biological bases of perceptual cognition and subjective experience. The annual $50,000 award recognizes young foreign-born scientists who demonstrate outstanding early achievement. 

Rob Friedman, LW09, was promoted to the rank of major in the U.S. Air Force. Friedman, who served many years on active duty as a legal officer (JAG), is currently an active drilling reservist with the 913th Airlift Group in Little Rock, Ark., where he serves as deputy staff judge advocate. Friedman was also recently awarded the Armed Forces Service Medal (with two service stars) for his work protecting the constitutional rights of service members during the COVID-19 pandemic. In his civilian capacity, Friedman serves as corporate counsel for a regional public utility company based in Tampa, Fla.

Simeon Papacostas, LW08, an intellectual property attorney with litigation experience in federal courts, was promoted to partner at Benesch. His practice focuses primarily on patent litigation in federal courts and post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He has argued matters in federal district court and before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and has represented clients in bench and jury trials.