From ranch to forest

Stanford biochemistry professor emeritus Pat Brown, AB’76, PhD’80, MD’82, the founder and former CEO of plant-based meat substitute company Impossible Foods, is the subject of a new documentary, Wild Hope: Mission Impossible, produced by HHMI Tangled Bank Studios as an episode of the PBS/Nature series Wild Hope. The 39-minute program profiles Brown and follows him as he undertakes a new project: converting a former cattle ranch into a forest in order to sequester carbon and promote biodiversity. In the above still from the documentary, Brown pilots a lidar-equipped drone that measures carbon sequestration on the ranch.

Marshall Scholar

Mónica Ruiz House, AB’24, was named a 2025 Marshall Scholar. The scholarship recognizes academic excellence, leadership, and ambassadorial potential by supporting graduate study in the United Kingdom. As a student in the College, Ruiz House advocated for and helped provide resources to migrants and to immigrant communities in Chicago and beyond. She will pursue master’s degrees in criminology and in refugee and forced migration studies at the University of Oxford, developing alternatives to punitive border policies. Ruiz House also received the 2024 Hugo F. Sonnenschein Medal of Excellence from the College in May 2024.

Citizen honor

On January 2 Liz Cheney, JD’96, was awarded a Presidential Citizens Medal by Joe Biden. The medal is one of the highest civilian honors bestowed by the US government. The former US representative (R-WY) was recognized for her two decades of public service and for serving as vice chair of the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.

Bake sale

On January 8 alumna-founded start-up Simple Mills was acquired for $795 million by Flowers Foods, which owns brands including Nature’s Own, Dave’s Killer Bread, and Wonder. Founded in 2012 by Katlin Smith, EX’18, Simple Mills produces snacks and baking mixes made of simple, nutrient-dense ingredients. The company also partners with farmers to promote sustainable agricultural practices. Simple Mills shared first place in the 2014 Edward L. Kaplan, MBA’71, New Venture Challenge. Today the company’s products are sold in over 30,000 stores nationwide.

Oscar nod

Incident (2023), directed and produced by Bill Morrison, LAB’83, was nominated for an Academy Award in the Documentary Short Film category. The film is based on the journalistic work of Jamie Kalven, LAB’65, who also produced the film, and the Invisible Institute. Composed of body camera and surveillance footage, Incident follows the aftermath of the 2018 death of Harith Augustus, who was fatally shot by a police officer in Chicago’s South Shore neighborhood.

Global outlook

Maxime Kpangbai, AB’20, was named a 2025–26 Schwarzman Scholar. She will pursue a master’s degree in global affairs at Schwarzman College, part of Tsinghua University in Beijing. The program, now in its 10th year, aims to prepare future global leaders. Since graduating with her degree in economics, Kpangbai has worked for Boston Consulting Group and the United Nations Global Compact. Returning to her childhood home of Beijing, Kpangbai will study the development work Chinese organizations are doing in Africa.