Last year, a team of Virginia Tech faculty and students landed squarely in the middle of a crisis civic debate over water quality in the Rust Belt town of Flint, Michigan.

As the saga continues to unfold, the spring edition of Virginia Tech Magazine explores the journey of Professor Marc Edwards and his team of students as they determined that Flint faced widespread elevated levels of lead and dangerous Legionella bacteria; united a coalition of Flint residents and others; and helped to expose a citywide health crisis that serves as a warning for all communities facing crumbling infrastructure across the U.S.

The Flint story is a prime example of Virginia Tech serving a world in fast motion. Amid the challenges confronting higher education, Tech leaders are engaged in the Beyond Boundaries visioning process and the implementation of interdisciplinary Destination Areas wherein students and faculty can tackle the world's most pressing problems. Hear from Provost Thanassis Rikakis, Vice President for Research and Innovation Theresa Mayer, and Vice Provost for Inclusion and Diversity and Vice President for Strategic Affairs Menah Pratt-Clarke as they elaborate on Virginia Tech’s trajectory and why they chose to make Tech home.

On May 13, Greg, Steve, Chris, and Kate Lomaka made Virginia Tech history as the first set of quadruplets to enroll and graduate from the university. The  Lomakas discovered distinct academic paths that have prepared them to be scattered across the globe upon graduation. In a story rich with multimedia, Virginia Tech Magazine explores the quadruplets’ experiences as Hokies.

Spring may be upon us, but the latest installment of How Tech Ticks examines the working mechanisms that the removal of snow from campus roads and sidewalks in the depths of winter.

In addition, read about soccer player Murielle Tiernan, Virginia Tech's new brewing facility, the intersection of history and foul odors, the first woman steward for the New York Racing Association, and more.

The web version of Virginia Tech Magazine features online-only multimedia content. Request hard copies by emailing magazine editor Jesse Tuel.

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