Friday, December 3rd, 2021 by The Brown Daily Herald

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

VOLUME CLVI, ISSUE XXXXIV

BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

UNIVERSITY NEWS

ACURM against renaming Watson CIT

Intoxicated students add to R.I. Hospital volume

Ethics committee finds insufficient evidence of Watson Sr.’s connection to Nazi Germany

COVID-19 restrictions, staffing shortages have limited Rhode Island hospital capacity

BY CAELYN PENDER UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

BY NEIL MEHTA STAFF WRITER

The University’s Advisory Committee on University Resources Management unanimously voted against recommending the removal of Thomas J. Watson Sr.’s name from the Thomas J. Watson Sr. Center for Information Technology, according to a July 30 ACURM report. The report was made available Nov. 18 on the committee’s webpage. President Christina Paxson P’19

with Nazi Germany.”

Nazi regime in their goal of the exter-

expressed her support for the recommendation in an Oct. 15 response to ACURM. ACURM’s decision followed a November 2020 resolution from the Undergraduate Council of Students which proposed the renaming of the CIT due to Watson’s alleged connections with Nazi Germany, The Herald previously reported. UCS argued in its resolution that “Watson Senior, as president of International Business Machines (IBM), maintained deep business relationships

The UCS resolution passed with 87.5% of UCS in favor in November 2020 and was sent to ACURM, a University body that is charged with making recommendations to Paxson on ethical expenditures and investments. In its resolution and subsequent petition and presentation, UCS presented evidence from historian Edwin Black’s 2001 book “IBM and the Holocaust” alongside journal and newspaper articles. In the report, ACURM stated that UCS’s claim was that Watson “aided the

mination of European Jews. Whether through a desire for profit, or from innate antisemitism, Watson knowingly aided the Nazi regime in these goals and continued to do so throughout the 1930s until, and possibly beyond, the outbreak of war in 1941.” ACURM wrote that UCS’s April 2021 presentation “was based less upon the sources used for the petition and focused more on the issue of complicity of

VICTORIA YIN / HERALD

Alternatives to renaming the CIT include placing a plaque outside the CIT addressing the ethics of Thomas J. Watson Sr.’s past business.

SEE WATSON PAGE 3

When Madigan King ’25 saw peers carrying an intoxicated student into a dorm lounge, they immediately wondered whether Brown EMS had already been called to the location. “We were scared that (the student) needed medical care that we couldn’t provide,” King said. BEMS showed up shortly after a nearby student contacted its emergency line. Alcohol-related incidents like this are no anomaly on campus — they make up about 25% of BEMS calls, according to BEMS Chief Amy Sanderson, with the majority of calls taking place on weekends. Most intoxicated students that need hospitalization are transported to Rhode Island Hospital or Miriam Hospital, Sanderson said. “We will choose the hospital that

is accepting patients and that is going to provide the necessary care, and Rhode Island Hospital is a level one trauma center,” she said. “If we feel that someone needs that degree of care, that’s definitely where we’re going to go.” Besides its proximity to campus, Rhode Island Hospital has more resources available at late hours, Sanderson said. For the Rhode Island Hospital emergency department, which receives patients from as far as southern Massachusetts, each alcohol-related admission can fill up a bed for hours. About 10% of intoxicated patients in the emergency room are college aged — between 17 and 22 years old — according to David Portelli, director of the Rhode Island Hospital Emergency Center. “For that age group who comes in with alcohol presentation … their length of stay on average is 10 hours, so they’re locking up a bed for almost half of the day,” he said. Since the emergency department measures patient turnaround times in minutes,

SEE HOSPITAL PAGE 4

ARTS & CULTURE

SPORTS

U. sailing teams finish second in country Co-ed, women’s teams conclude seasons with strong showings in New England championship BY NICHOLAS MILLER STAFF WRITER The co-ed and women’s sailing teams competed in their final events of the fall in early November, concluding a season filled with high finishes in regional and national events. The end to their fall season also capped off their first year as varsity programs, after the Excellence in Brown Athletics Initative elevated them to the varsity roster. “We had a terrific season from start to finish,” said Head Coach John Mollicone. Both teams ended the season second in the nation in the college sailing competitive strength rankings, which are algorithmically determined by the Intercollegiate Sailing Association. The teams’ fall successes began in early September, with the women’s team finishing second of 18 teams in

F@B hosts actress Madelyn Cline

the Toni Deutsch trophy and the co-ed team placing second of 18 in the Harry Anderson Jr. trophy. In October, the women’s team finished second in the Atlantic Coast Championship, and the co-ed team won the Atlantic Coast Qualifier. In the final weekend of team competition, both teams placed second in the New England Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association Fall Championships. “We were right in there to win both of those events,” Mollicone said. “It was just a great way to end the fall season.” In individual competitions, Connor Nelson ’24 won the NEISA Singlehanded Championship and was one of 18 sailors across the country to qualify for the ICSA Open Singlehanded Nationals, where he placed sixth. Leyton Borcherding ’25 also qualified, finishing 13th. “It was a great feeling,” Nelson said of winning the NEISA championship. He said he was disappointed by not finishing higher at nationals, but added that “sailing a national championship and representing Brown while doing

SEE SAILING PAGE 6

Cline discusses the acting and fashion industries, and their intersection BY RYA VALLABHANENI STAFF WRITER Actress Madelyn Cline visited Brown for a talk with Fashion@Brown Thursday evening. Cline, best known for her role as Sarah Cameron in Netflix’s “Outer Banks,” was met by a full house of eager, engaged and enthusiastic fans. Doors for the event — held at List Art Center — opened at 7 p.m. By 7:03, there was not one empty seat in the room. The hour consisted mainly of an interview with Cline, facilitated by F@B Events Director Natalia Brown ’23 and followed by a short audience Q&A. Cline and Brown covered a wide range of topics, focusing primarily on Cline’s experiences in both the acting and fashion industries. During the conversation, the duo also joked and

University News University News Sports

Commentary

Performing arts programs return to inperson performances. Page 2

Liu ’25: Asian American media too often exploits Black culture. Page 7

Training for U. shuttle drivers to be expanded starting next month. Page 2

M. Rugby wins 2021 Ivy League title against rival Dartmouth. Page 3

RYA VALLABHANENI / HERALD

Cline discussed her path to her standout role in “Outer Banks” and her perspective on pursuing ambition during the discussion. laughed with the crowd. “Growing up, it always felt like “Was that a burp?” Cline asked one there was a formula for life,” Cline audience member. “That’s incredible.” said. She explained that she initally Cline delved first into her child- sought “something more” through hood. She grew up in Goose Creek, reading books and plays, but those South Carolina — a small town that always felt a bit too tight for comfort. SEE FASHION PAGE 3

TODAY TOMORROW

42 / 26

45 / 29

NEIL MEHTA '25 STAFF DESIGNER

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Brown University Shuttle to increase required training hours for drivers New drivers to complete 66 hours of training in classroom, on road BY EMILY FAULHABER SENIOR STAFF WRITER New University Shuttle drivers will be required to complete 66 hours of cumulative classroom and road session training prior to starting their positions, an increase from the 54 hours currently required for the intensive training program for BUS drivers. The change, which will be finalized within the next month, is part of an universal update to new driver training programs across all locations overseen by First Transit, the transportation operations organization that manages the University’s shuttle services. Travis Mills, general manager at First Transit, explained that the new training will be implemented as an updated version of the company’s previous training protocols and will primarily feature additional classroom instruction. Training modules that will be updated include customer service and defensive driving, Mills said. Defensive driving refers to skills taught to drivers to ensure they can protect themselves and their passengers against unforeseen circumstances such as drunk drivers or inclement weather, according to driversed.com. According to Mills, the updates are being made to keep First Transit’s training procedures in-line with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and Federal Transit Administration reg-

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

New drivers begin with a road training program to gain familiarity with their route around college hill. They also participate in classroom training sessions to gain a thorough understanding of the position’s demands ulations. The changes are “just making sure we’re up-to-date on the (FMCSA and FTA) training standards,” he said. “Oftentimes we meet or exceed the training standards.” The University currently requires its shuttle drivers to participate in a training program over the course of several weeks before they start working, in accordance with First Transit regulations. First Transit began its partnership with the University in July 2013 and now employs roughly 35 shuttle drivers to drive an operating fleet of 19 shuttles, Mills noted. Shuttle drivers also must be “professionally licensed” and pass “extensive background checks” in order to begin

driving, according to the Transportation and Parking Service website. Prior to starting the job, shuttle drivers at the University must also have three years of prior driving experience, though it does not necessarily have to include professional driving experience, Mills noted. But, if drivers came from a similar type of driving job within the past six months, “there is a slight reduction in the number of hours of training required,” Mills said. Al Caberio, a BUS driver on the express route, worked as a RIPTA driver for ten years before arriving at Brown three years ago. Caberio said that driving for RIPTA made navigating the training easier and also reduced his

required training. “I’ve been driving RIPTA buses so (driving the BUS) is nothing,” Caberio said. Since his RIPTA route followed many of the same roads, learning the BUS route was “pretty easy,” Caberio added. As it currently stands, new driver training begins with a road training where drivers start on a closed driving course practicing maneuvers. “They might be doing alley docking, serpentine type maneuvers … and just learning the spacing of the vehicle,” Mills said. Drivers also practice in the neighborhoods around campus in order to gain comfort on roads without too many people and distractions.

During this process, drivers also undergo classroom training where they learn the ins and outs of their position — a part of the training process that will be increased with the updated training procedures, according to Mills. In his training roughly two years ago, William Murray, a BUS driver who covers the daytime connector route, said there was a significant emphasis on classroom instruction. “There are all kinds of videos and classroom training sessions,” Murray said. Once drivers are comfortable with their vehicles, “we go into our advanced road work, driving around Brown, where the roads are quite narrow, a lot of traffic and a lot of pedestrian activity,” Mills said. While shuttle drivers have bus routes displayed on digital monitors to follow if needed, they are expected to learn the routes prior to driving the vehicles, he added. The final step of training, known as cadet training, is when the new driver completes the route they will cover with an experienced BUS driver. “Once you’ve done all the training and (First Transit) feels you’re qualified, you’re given a route, and that’s about it,” Murray said. According to Mills, drivers also play an important role in supporting one another in the learning process. He said that many drivers share a sense of camaraderie as they navigate their routes. “A lot of our senior drivers have been around for several years now,” Mills said. They “share a good rapport together.”

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Students reflect on return to in-person performances Preforming Arts groups express excitement about return to normalcy

BY MAISIE NEWBURY SENIOR STAFF WRITER As COVID-19 restrictions are lifted, student performing arts groups and those involved with the Theatre Arts and Performance Studies department are returning to the stage. On October 1 and 2, theater group Shakespeare on the Green held their first 24 Hour Plays in person since the start of the pandemic. The Jabberwocks, the University’s oldest a cappella group, performed their first arch sing under the Wayland Arch in a year and a half Oct. 10. The TAPS department opened the Leeds Theatre to the public for a play, “Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner,” that ran from Nov. 4 to Nov. 14. Many expressed the difficulty of being involved in performance arts during the pandemic. Sydney Skybetter, associate chair of the TAPS department, taught courses throughout the pandemic and designed a new virtual course for the fall 2020 semester. “I found myself incapable of designing the course without directly contending with our present epidemiological

reality,” he wrote in an email to The Herald, emphasizing the challenges of designing a course when most of the student body was not on campus. The department was not able to hold in-person performances last year, forcing instructors to adapt while classes were remote, Skybetter wrote. Student performance groups were also forced to adapt. Some opted to simply pause operations altogether. “COVID was difficult for Shakespeare on the Green,” Zander Blitzer ’22.5, a member of the organization, wrote in an email to The Herald. “So much of our work is focused on being together in non-traditional, informal spaces, an impossibility during COVID,” she added. Blitzer added that Shakespeare on the Green “did not produce any theater last year,” and remained relatively inactive in the digital space as “it did not make sense for us to pivot our work online.” The Jabberwocks faced similar challenges, said member Dorrit Corwin ’24. “COVID really brought our singing to a halt during the 2020-21 school year,” she said. “A significant part of the reason I decided to take two semesters of leave … was due to the fact that I knew I would miss out on a full year of singing and performing with the Jabberwocks,” she said. Corwin was admitted as a part of the class of 2023, but took a full year leave for the entire 2020-21 school year. During her time away from campus, Corwin noted that “the group became

DANIELLE EMERSON / HERALD

The Jabberwocks performed for the first time in a year and a half under the Wayland Arch on October 10, marking a return to normalcy. much more of a social space,” with semiregular Zoom check-ins and one virtual arrangement of a song, also done over Zoom. For the most part, both the Jabberwocks and Shakespeare on the Green have been able to return to normal operations, given lifted restrictions and high vaccination rates. “We’ve hit the ground running this semester,” Blitzer said. “In October, we produced our biannual 24 Hour Play Festival, and in November, we produced a wonderful student-written play.” According to Corwin, the Jabberwocks became increasingly active over the summer semester as COVID restrictions gradually lessened. “I wasn’t here, but many members were,” she said. “They began hanging out and singing

in person to get to know new members better and to teach them what remained in our repertoire.” The group was also able to reconvene for a retreat shortly before the start of the academic year to bond and prepare for the semester to come, Corwin added. Both Blitzer and Corwin have been pleasantly surprised by student interest in their groups and turnout at their performances. “We were definitely worried that turnout at our performances would falter since COVID, but luckily, this hasn’t been the case,” Corwin said. “We had tons of people audition over Zoom in the beginning of 2021,” Corwin said. The Jabberwocks were able to audition first-years over Zoom in January, when they first arrived on campus. “It was a bizarre experience

for everyone involved,” Corwin said. “But it luckily resulted in us finding great new members.” They also allowed students to wait for in-person auditions at the beginning of the fall semester, she added. “Shakespeare on the Green has been fortunate that interest in our work is relatively consistent with pre-pandemic levels,” Blitzer wrote. “In fact, we might even have more interest than we did before.” The group saw remarkable turnout of both actors and audience members for their 24 Hour Plays, Blitzer wrote. “We actually had to turn audience members away at the door due to COVID limiting audience capacity.” Both groups have several performances planned for the spring semester. “We are so excited to do even more theater in the spring,” Blitzer said. “We’re very excited to be getting back in the groove of things,” Corwin added, noting that the Jabberwocks plan to add new members during their auditions next semester.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

SPORTS

Men’s rugby beats Dartmouth, wins Ivy title for first time in 25 years Club team dramatically expanded recruitment, promoted coach to fulltime BY COREY GELB-BICKNELL STAFF WRITER When Hudson Lee ’22 was a first-year, the men’s rugby team was crushed by Dartmouth, losing 44-0. “I still remember the score,” he said. But just three years later, on November 6, 2021, the team concluded its season by notching a 15-13 victory against Dartmouth to win the Ivy League championships. This was the first Ivy League title for Brown Rugby in 25 years, and the first time Dartmouth did not win the title since 2007. “It felt bigger than any one of us,” Lee said. “It felt like a win for the University (and) the program. … It was something else.” In a video on the team’s Instagram page, players rush the field in excitement after the final whistle. Head Coach David Laflamme said the rugby team had been building to this moment for years, steadily expanding its program to establish its team as a national contender. He believes the team still has higher places to reach for. No longer the underdog Only three people have coached Brown’s men’s rugby team in the 62year history of the program. Jay Fluck ’65 has been with the team as a volunteer since 1980, with Laflamme joining as an assistant coach in 1997. At the time Laflamme joined the team, both of them held full-time jobs outside of

FASHION FROM PAGE 1 were ultimately not enough. “Why are we here, on this floating rock, if we’re not meant to follow ambition?” she asked the audience. So that is exactly what Cline did. She dove headfirst into uncharted waters, deciding to move to Los Angeles with only one known contact there. She landed roles in “Boy Erased,” HBO’s “Vice Principals” and, most famously, “Outer Banks.” Cline described Netflix’s recent hit as “a bit of a love letter to where I grew up.” It was, after all, filmed in Charleston — only a few miles from her hometown. She also found that she was

WATSON FROM PAGE 1 U.S. firms in trading with Nazi Germany in the period in question.” In its analysis, ACURM read Black’s book, read book reviews, consulted historians and spoke with other bodies who had investigated these claims. ACURM acknowledged that many of Black’s claims referenced by UCS are “indisputable,” but decided that Watson’s trade with Germany prior to 1941 “does not prove that Watson himself was either ‘excessively greedy’ and thereby a special enabler of the Nazi regime, nor was himself in any way antisemitic.” “Many other American companies were invested in Germany at the same time and many to a much higher degree,” ACURM added. ACURM ultimately concluded that, contrary to the evidence UCS presented,

coaching. Although the Bears won the Ivy League title in 1996, Fluck said the team had lost its competitive edge by the end of the 20th century. Soon later, Dartmouth became the first men’s rugby

for the team’s club status, which has allowed it to welcome players at all levels of experience and commitment. He added that the increased flexibility also allows players to commit to their academics.

team in the Ivy League to instate a fulltime coach, which drastically improved the Big Green’s team and established the school’s long-standing dominance over the rest of the Ivy League, according to Laflamme. Things began to change for Brown in 2008 when Fluck transitioned out of coaching to become program director. Laflamme became head coach, giving both of them more bandwidth to “divide and conquer,” Laflamme said. “Because we weren’t wearing too many hats, we could focus on what we needed to do. It was at that point that we started to climb the ladder a little bit,” Laflamme said. The team earned a tie against Dartmouth in a 2012 matchup. But Laflamme says the team’s true potential began to materialize when it raised the funds to pay for him to become a full-time coach in 2015. Since then, he has been able to expand recruiting efforts to more than 4000 rugby programs in 75 countries. Now, the club has two assistant coaches, a coaching consultant, strength and conditioning staff and medical staff. “Dave (Laflamme) particularly has made a point to reach out to secondary schools around the world, in search of good rugby players who can meet the academic standards. And his success in recruiting some of these players has been phenomenal,” said Bob Far ’67, a team alum. Laflamme and Fluck said other schools are beginning to catch on to

Brown’s recruiting tactics and coaching decisions. Harvard is currently searching for a full-time coach. “I think we snuck up on them a little bit,” Laflamme said. Captain Jon Kim ’22 said that the team has also implemented more rigorous fitness training this year, which has allowed it to better execute plays. He added that the culture on the team has grown more devoted to training since its players were sent home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, in the past year, team alums have formed a board of advisors to support players with career advice, networking and financial support, according to Dianna Zeller P’23, a member of the board and parent of rugby player Will Zeller ’23. While Brown has made gains in skill over the past few years, Fluck said some other Ivy League teams have had a slump in talent, creating a rift within the league. This year, Brown overwhelmed Columbia 74-0 and dominated Penn 97-0.

After this season, Laflamme says “the biggest takeaway is the confidence that we know we can compete not just at the Ivy League (level) but on the national scene.”

able to connect some of Sarah Cameron’s experiences to her own, especially those full of doubt, insecurity and the desire to belong. “I don’t think imposter syndrome ever really goes away,” Cline said. She spoke of personally experiencing some of those feelings of not belonging over the summer, when shooting the sequel to “Knives Out.” But Cline encouraged the audience to lean into the inevitability of imposter syndrome and acknowledge its fallacy, rather than dwell on it. “Wherever you are, you’re supposed to be there,” she said. To contain her own nervous energy, Cline often turns it into adrenaline.

Being on set, she said, “does sometimes feel like one big pressure cooker.” Whether coordinating with her stunt double or chasing the last of the afternoon’s sun, there is always something to focus on. Although Cline’s personal wardrobe differs from Sarah’s (she is not one for denim skirts), getting to assume such a specific style let her dive further into character. It also helped her land a collaboration with Set Active — a mostly woman-run clothing business that gave Cline the chance to bring some of her own creativity to fashion. Speaking of the fashion industry at large, Cline likened it to acting. “It’s like slipping into another skin, another

character,” she said. She views both as forms of self-expression. But when it came to expressing herself on social media, Cline described a “love-hate relationship.” While she expressed gratitude and love for her fans, she noted that some misinterpret her image, conflating her with her character, Sarah, and expecting her to act as such. “Sometimes, it feels like your only value is through a fictional character,” she explained. Following the audience Q&A — which was animated and included an audience member who gifted Cline a book of poems — Cline left the crowd with a few bits of advice. She encouraged all to maintain a “childlike won-

there was “no direct evidence that Watson knew, especially prior to 1938, that Nazis were planning a Holocaust nor that he wanted to aid and abet them, nor took action to actively do so.” ACURM also unanimously voted to propose alternatives to renaming the CIT, according to the report. These alternatives include the establishment of an annual lecture on ethics in international business, placing a plaque on the outside of the CIT addressing “the ethical question of current day analysis of past business practices” and “the centrality of community harm to our concerns” and the formation of a committee to ensure that current and future names of campus buildings are associated with individuals “whose values and integrity are in line with those of the University.” Paxson expressed her support for establishing an annual lecture in her

letter, declining ACURM’s recommendations to install a plaque on the CIT or establish a new committee. The Office of the President will consult with faculty to determine the department or center to host this event. Paxson also expressed her confidence in the University’s Gift Acceptance Policy and Naming and Renaming Policy. “Should issues about gift acceptance or naming arise in the future, the University will adhere to the principles by which gifts are accepted that advance Brown’s mission and that guide decision-making in the extraordinary circumstance of considering whether to rename or remove a name,” Paxson wrote.

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

The addition of a head coach in 2015 allowed the team to begin to move up the rugby rankings.

The perks and pains of club status Like all men’s rugby teams in the Ivy League, Brown’s team is at the club level, not varsity. Laflamme said their club status can make it more difficult to compete with varsity teams. The team is fully self-funded, with alumni donations covering the costs of coaching, equipment, travel and offices. After struggling to find open field space, the team raised almost half of the cash needed for Brown to build a $2 million rugby field in 2004. Coaches are also not officially allowed to recruit members, though admissions officers accept recommendations for academically strong students who could make a substantial contribution to the rugby program, according to Laflamme. Still, Laflamme says he’s grateful

A promising future The men’s rugby team will soon begin training for the spring season in a modified version of the sport in which seven rather than fifteen players per team are on the field at once. Zeller said the team is aiming higher for next season and particularly next year. “We’re hoping to really make a run at the (Division I) playoffs and … show something on the national stage,” Zeller said. Laflamme said a large portion of the current players are still underclassmen. “I anticipate we’re gonna be as strong, if not stronger going into next year,” he said. Players that The Herald spoke with all emphasized the companionship that Brown’s rugby team has given them, regardless of results. “The commitment and the camaraderie that I’ve seen is the best I’ve ever been a part of,” Kim said, adding that “it wasn’t just the starters” who achieved the championship win — “It was the entire team.” Far, who has been following the team since he graduated more than five decades ago, said he’s excited to see where the future takes it. “When you’re watching these games, you aren’t more than 50 feet from the blood, sweat and tears of the players,” he said. “You can see their pain and their joy and their effort. It’s really a terrific spectator sport.”

der” about the world — something she views as necessary for any art. “Have patience with yourself and your journey,” she said. “It’s not always linear.” One attendee, Mai-Thanh Nguyen ’24, applauded Cline’s risk-taking. “I thought it was really cool to hear that she kind of just went for it — what she wanted,” she said. Nina Mondero ’24, who also attended the event, wrote in a message to The Herald that “seeing how humble (Cline) still is and how she still feels imposter syndrome like all of us was really cool and refreshing to hear. It made me weirdly proud of her!”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

HOSPITAL FROM PAGE 1 this means an average turnaround of 596 minutes. “I need every minute we can have, and yes, that’s a burden,” he added. These cases can increase wait times for dozens of patients in need of a bed in the emergency department. “If you say, ‘That doesn’t sound like too much of a burden,’ I would tell you that I’ve got 20 ... to 50 patients (in the waiting room) depending on what time of day it is,” Portelli said. “And I need every bed I can get.” According to Portelli, hospitals are already especially constrained because of staffing shortages and COVID-19 protocols. “A year and a half ago, we were telling people to stay away from the emergency department because of COVID,” he said. “The problem now is a capacity issue, and much of that is driven by nursing shortages and nursing assistant shortages.” Many nurses have retired or changed professions in the wake of COVID-19, Portelli noted, further exacerbating volume challenges. Longer wait times can make patients more likely to lash out against providers. “We’ve noticed an increase

in violence, … and a lot of it has to do with our capacity challenges,” Portelli said. “The impact is (on) the mental health of the nurse. … It doesn’t help when we’re having a national nursing shortage.” Pandemic-related precautions also eroded efforts to make the emergency department’s patient flow more efficient. In 2016, the emergency center adopted a split-flow model to match patients with resources they need as quickly as possible. “That model was … predicated on the fact that we could put relatively well patients together, two to a room,” a level of density that was no longer possible with the implementation of COVID-19 protocols, Portelli said. Amid staffing shortages and COVIDera challenges, alcohol misuse “certainly impacts the community” that the hospital serves, Portelli said. “The hospitals in the state … are all capacity constrained right now, especially a year and a half into this global pandemic,” he said. “And whatever you can do to control your behavior — whether that’s drinking, … wearing your seatbelt or wearing your bicycle helmet — to avoid a visit to the emergency department is for your own benefit and for the benefit of the larger community.”

At the University, BWell Health Promotion is working to mitigate alcohol misuse that leads to student hospitalizations. “The role we play at orientation is one of the first steps in education around alcohol use and … having a healthier relationship with alcohol,” said Tanya Purdy, director of BWell Health Promotion. “And drinking in ways that are not harmful to them or other people — that’s how we start framing” alcohol use. BWell also responds to cases of alcohol misuse through referrals from the Office of Student Conduct, meeting with individual students to discuss alcohol use following hospitalizations. These referrals are made “so that a student can receive amnesty,” Purdy added. Purdy also stressed the importance of seeking care when needed. “Even if all people are underage, … there is no punishment” for seeking emergency care for intoxication, she said. “EMS is going to do a thorough evaluation,” she added. “Having a medical professional come and evaluate you … is completely invaluable, (and) EMS is confidential.” Despite volume challenges at Rhode Island Hospital, Portelli also stressed the importance of seeking emergency

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

ASHLEY CHOI / HERALD

medical attention when needed. “I’m not telling people not to come to the emergency department,” he said. “What we’re talking about is trying to avoid … (the) dangerous situations that might put you in the emergency department.”

“We’re not there because it’s about alcohol,” Sanderson added. “We’re there because it’s about someone who’s having a medical emergency.”

STAY UP-TO-DATE. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK. FACEBOOK.COM/BROWNDAILYHERALD

CA L E N DA R

COVID -19 AT BROWN LAST 7 DAYS*

DECEMBER S

Completed Tests

People Tested

4,829

4,752

Confirmed Positives

Positivity Rates

0.4 %

11 SINCE AUGUST 24, 2020*

Completed Tests

People Tested

581,495

18,089

Total Cases

Prevalence

854

4.7 %

*AS OF DEC. 2

post-

DEC 3 — VOL 28 — ISSUE 10

FEATURE

See Full Issue: ISSUU.COM/POSTMAGAZINEBDH

NARRATIVE

Ode to Fictional Memories in which i’m john keats writing a poem by Julia Vaz "If you really want to scare yourself off, just think that every breath you take gets you closer to death, and there is no way of stopping it." I watched my Comparative Literature class on Zoom, gulping coffee in anaphora. The camera on the classroom, in a different country, was in a strange position: I could see the faces of all the students, but not the professor's. I can only guess what her expression looked like as she discussed John Keats that afternoon. What I do know is that she brought our attention to the counting down of our remaining breaths, saying "that's one" and "now two" as we...

ARTS & CULTURE

Pandemic Partners

it pulled us together and broke us apart by Victoria Yin illustrated by Connie Liu This Q&A piece explores the narratives of three real, distinct relationships as they crest and trough before, after, and during the global pandemic. The development of these relationships coincided with the emergence and spread of Covid-19, which left partners with no choice but to turn to each other, support each other, and—towards the end—hurt each other. As the urgency of the virus and the memories of their relationships pulse and ebb away, all three interviewees reflect on the beginnings and ends of it all. For anonymity, pseudonyms were chosen by the interviewees and are: Lazlo, he/him, queer;

Lemley, he/him, queer; and Lucy, any pronouns, queer. The responses have been edited for clarity, length, and style. *** Take me back to the beginning. Lazlo: We met at a party two years ago. I was drunk. The LED lights were green. He was cute and confident but still looked like a dork. He was flirting with me, and I kind of brushed him off. Then I ran into him on campus and we started talking. We dated for a few weeks, but I rejected him and we became friends. And by friends I mean platonic wives in denial. Lemley: We met at a party two years ago...

“I should learn welding—for the cows.” “Last week I decided I want to experience being rejected. Today I am deciding I want to experience mockery.”

Spotify Wrapped Red Flags 1. Top 0.01% of Mitski listeners 2. Using Apple Music 3. Publicly admitting to listening to the Glee cast 4. Sharing every Spotify Wrapped slide on Instagram 5. Listening to more than 100,000 minutes total post–

Want to be involved? Email: olivia_howe@brown.edu!

6. Having “Call Her Daddy” as your top podcast 7. Listening to less than 5,000 minutes total 8. Only listening to Albanian nationalist Dua Lipa 9. Broadway is your top genre 10. It’s only ASMR

Finding my Voice the art of singing along by Adi Thatai I think I melted this summer. I think I first knew some day in mid-June. I woke up particularly sweaty in the third-floor apartment in Fox Point that I was subletting for the early summer, the plants on my desk drooping under the weight of the heat. Only one of my plants could withstand the summer fever, a little knobby moonglow I had named Emanuel. Mama always told me to never keep succulents. “It’s bad luck,” she said. I remembered her voice when I found Emanuel in that plant store on Gano. I don’t know why I ignored it. I walked out of the apartment that morning, jostling my headphones into my ears while I put on Jai Paul or Phoebe Bridgers or Lauryn Hill or the Carpenters or whichever favorite artist had come to mind. As the noise filled my head, I pictured the sun’s sizzling rays crawling into my hair and down my scalp. I remember thinking that the boundaries between my skin and the world had dissolved...

LIFESTYLE

Christmas Cable Classics by Alexandra Herrera

Here we are in the final stretch of the semester! One of the reasons why I’m partial to the fall semester is that we end with the anticipation of the holiday season. It’s time to queue “All I Want for Christmas is You,” the Mariah version of course, and make the trek through Providence’s icy streets, made all the less abysmal by the wreaths, lights, and ornaments hanging from buildings and street lamps. To help you get into the festive mood, here’s a list of throwback movies and holiday special episodes that still stand the test of time! December 3, 2021

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

SAILING FROM PAGE 1 that was still an awesome experience.” But while top sailors like Nelson found considerable individual success, a crucial aspect of the program’s success was its depth, according to Mollicone. The number of high-level sailors in the program, he said, allows for challenging practices that mimic regattas. “Our practices are harder than most of the competitions we go to.” The programs’ fall successes come on the heels of a particularly strong spring season that included first place finishes for both teams in the NEISA championships: fourth place for the women and sixth place for the co-ed team in the ICSA national championships, and a sixth place result in the ICSA team race national championships. Co-captain Emma Montgomery ’22 said the team gained a greater appreciation for sailing when it returned to competition in the spring after a pandemic-induced break. “We just came back with a lot of love for the sport,” she said. “More so than a motivation to win … it was that feeling of ‘how lucky are we to go down to the boathouse and go sailing’ … that’s helped us do really well.” Mollicone said the team was sur-

prised it was able to compete so much in the spring since many other sports had their seasons cancelled due to COVID-19. “We were really fortunate that we were able to do as much as we were able to do,” he said. “It really helped us get ready for this fall and put us in a really good place,” he said, adding that the team received a boost through the return of sailors that took the 2020-21 school year off. This has been the first year competing at the varsity level for both sailing teams since they were elevated to varsity status in May 2020 as part of the Excellence in Brown Athletics Initiative. The program previously competed as a club sport, which didn’t hinder its success. The women’s team won the 2019 ICSA National Championship, but its club status limited the resources available to the teams. “The things that we have gained by being a varsity program have been huge for our team,” Mollicone said, mentioning access to strength and conditioning and trainers, greater travel assistance and general administrative support as significant benefits of varsity status. It is also now easier for the program to recruit, according to Mollicone. “We’re able to attract even stronger recruits and a deeper recruiting pool,” he said. “We’ve always had a really

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS

This is the first year that the co-ed and women’s sailing teams are competing at the varsity level after being elevated to varsity status in May. strong program, but we were losing a lot of top recruits to other (schools), and we didn’t have those resources that kids wanted.” Montgomery said the team culture has mostly remained the same since the promotions but added that many sailors feel a greater “sense of responsibility” while representing Brown as a varsity team. But she added that an “unfortunate” consequence of varsity status was that the program now has roster limits. She said that due to Title IX rules related to gender equity in athletics, the team can only roster 10 men compared to roughly 25 women. “It’s made roster spots on the men’s side really compet-

SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Editorial Leadership Editor-in-Chief Kayla Guo Managing Editors Henry Dawson Li Goldstein Senior Editors Kate Ok Kamran King Emily Teng Emilija Sagaityte Editorial Page Editor Johnny Ren

Metro Editors Ben Glickman Ben Pollard Julia Grossman Katie Chen Liza Mullett Victoria Yin News Editors Caroline Nash Caelyn Pender Gaya Gupta Jack Borris Jack Walker Livia Gimenes Science & Research Editors Rahma Ibrahim Claire Liu

post-magazine Editor-in-Chief Olivia Howe Sections Arts & Culture Editors Irene Chou Nicholas Michael

Sports Editor Ryan Handel Commentary Opinions Editors

Augustus Bayard Jaehyun Hong Matt Walsh Clara Gutman-Argemí Johnny Ren Multimedia/Production Design Editors Anya Semizhova Keelin Lyons Lena He Raphael Li Head Photo Editors Areez Khan Nicole Kim Copy Desk Chief Catherine Healy Assistant Copy Desk Chief Lily Lustig Illustrations Head Loki Olin

Graphics Editor Usha Bhalla Podcast Ben Glickman Corey Gelb-Bicknell Olivia Burdette Business General Managers Michael Wang Noah Colón Office Manager Chelsey Barton-Karnes Directors Sales: Annika Sigfstead Finance: Andrew Willwerth Digital Director of Technology Jed Fox

@the_herald

facebook.com/browndailyherald

@browndailyherald

youtube.com/browndailyherald

88 Benevolent St., Providence, RI (401) 351-3372 www.browndailyherald.com Editorial: herald@browndailyherald.com Advertising: advertising@browndailyherald.com

itive,” she said. Still, Mollicone said the advantages of varsity status have already been important to the teams’ success and added that the program will continue to reap the rewards of stronger recruiting. “I don’t think we’ve seen the benefits all the way through yet,” Mollicone said. The teams will now take a break during the winter but will take to the water again in February in hopes of another successful spring season and a strong challenge in the national championships. “We go to every national championship trying to win,” Mollicone said, “so that’s what we want to try to do this spring.”

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021 Montgomery hopes more members of the Brown community will take notice of the program in the spring as it continues to find success. “I wish that there was more awareness of the team on campus,” she said, mentioning that the team will host the New England women’s championships in April. “If there are ways we can rally fans to come down to the boathouse as they do (for) other sports, I think that’d be really cool,” she said. Looking at the big picture, Montgomery believes the future of the Brown sailing program is bright. “We have the resources in place to I think be one of the best teams in the country,” she said, citing the sailing facilities, the increased practice time afforded by the rarely freezing Narragansett Bay, the improved recruiting as a result of varsity status and the coaching of Mollicone, who has led the program since 1999. Nelson echoed Montgomery’s optimism. “We’re really at a starting point right now to unlock a lot of potential in our team over the next five years,” he said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say we’re in a good position to possibly be at the top of college sailing.”

Submissions: The Brown Daily Herald publishes submissions in the form of op-eds and letters to the editor. Op-eds are typically between 750 and 1000 words, though we will consider submissions between 500 and 1200 words. Letters to the editor should be around 250 words. While letters to the editor respond to an article or column that has appeared in The Herald, op-eds usually prompt new discussions on campus or frame new arguments about current discourse. All submissions to The Herald cannot have been previously published elsewhere (in print or online — including personal blogs and social media), and they must be exclusive to The Herald. Submissions must include no more than two individual authors. If there are more than two original authors, The Herald can acknowledge the authors in a statement at the end of the letter or op-ed, but the byline can only include up to two names. The Herald will not publish submissions authored by groups. The Herald does not publish anonymous submissions. If you feel your circumstances prevent you from submitting an op-ed or letter with your name, please email herald@browndailyherald.com to explain your situation. You can submit op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com and letters to letters@browndailyherald. com. When you email your submission, please include (1) your full name, (2) an evening or mobile phone number in case your submission is chosen for publication and (3) any affiliation with Brown University or any institution or organization relevant to the content of your submission. Please send in submissions at least 24 hours in advance of your desired publication date. The Herald only publishes submissions while it is in print. The Herald reserves the right to edit all submissions. If your piece is considered for publication, an editor will contact you to discuss potential changes to your submission. Commentary: The editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial page board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns, letters and comics reflect the opinions of their authors only. Corrections: The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Postmaster: Please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Providence, RI 02906. Advertising: The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion.

The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. is a financially independent, nonprofit media organization bringing you The Brown Daily Herald and Post- Magazine. The Brown Daily Herald has served the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during Commencement and once during Orientation by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Single copy free for each member of the community. Subscription prices: $200 one year daily, $100 one semester daily. Copyright 2021 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | COMMENTARY

Liu ’25: Anti-Black appropriation in Asian American pop culture must end BY MELISSA LIU STAFF COLUMNIST

Asian Americans are racialized in confusing and contradictory ways. Existing somewhere between oppression and privilege, we are often viewed as being closer to whiteness than other racial minority groups. Concepts like the model minority myth have contributed to this unique racialization, one that pits other racial minority groups against Asian Americans, as if Asian Americans hold the key to achieving the “American Dream.” We are weaponized to justify the oppression of other people of color, all the while still experiencing oppression under white supremacy. Largely because of this positionality, it’s common for Asian Americans to stay complicit in and perpetuate anti-Black racism and racism against other non-Asian racial minority groups. Nowhere is this more evident than in Asian popular culture, which has found commercial success in the United States. Often employing problematic ideas akin to color-blindness, many Asian and Asian American pop culture figures profit off of the appropriation of Black culture and music without so much as acknowledging, let alone uplifting, Black artists. Take, for instance, Chinese and Korean American actress Nora Lum, known as Awkwafina, who has starred in movies like “Shang-Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings” and “The Farewell.” Awkwafina has come under fire online for

her use of a “blaccent” in her role in “Crazy Rich Asians,” as well as her reliance on Black stereotypes and aesthetics in her rap career. Awkwafina has built a persona on — and profited from — making a mockery of these stereotypes, which have come to be synonymous with the actress’s brand and humor. Yet when asked about this criticism, Awkwafina simply stated that she was “open to the conversation,” and that the issue

persona in a way that exploits Blackness. The issue isn’t unique to Awkwafina. We’ve also seen the appropriation of Black culture within the Asian and Asian American music industry, from Indonesian rapper Rich Brian’s previous stage name that riffed on the n-word to KPop’s longstanding history of imitating Black hip-hop and rap music. As these Asian musicians and genres gain popularity interna-

“When Asian and Asian American people exploit Black culture, they do so to succeed within a popular culture that white people have historically dominated and continue to dominate.”

was “multifaceted and layered.” This response evokes colorblind language, in which people appropriate ideas of equality to divert from direct discussions of race and racial oppression — think “I don’t see color!” Awkwafina similarly used such evasive language to deflect criticism away from the specific issue of her appropriation of Black aesthetic and stereotypes. This language maintains her position of innocence, enabling her to continue shaping her public

tionally and in the United States, they manipulate and exploit Black culture to maximize clout and profit. People often argue that public figures like Rich Brian deserve to be forgiven, attributing his mistakes to ignorance about anti-Blackness rather than targeted racism. But this ignorance — which is true of many Asians and Asian Americans who don’t quite understand the scope and pervasiveness of anti-Blackness — is

precisely the problem. This ignorance is what allows Awkwafina to claim innocence and what allows KPop bands to ignore their own appropriation of hip-hop and rap. As Asian people living in the United States, our identities are politicized, co-opted and manipulated. It is thus our job to understand the roles we play in the perpetuation of anti-Blackness. Under white supremacy, groups that are perceived as “closer” to whiteness — wealthier and more educated — are granted greater privilege. When Asian and Asian American people exploit Black culture, they do so to succeed within a popular culture that white people have historically dominated and continue to dominate. Making a mockery of Black stereotypes appeals to white audiences, further distancing Asian Americans from Black Americans and positioning Asian Americans closer to whiteness. Black-Asian solidarity is crucial, and true solidarity can’t be achieved without understanding the ways in which Asian Americans capitalize off of anti-Blackness. Ending appropriation of Black stereotypes, culture and aesthetics perpetuated by Asian American pop culture figures is not going to end anti-Black racism, but it is a necessary step that we can and should strive for in our fight against white supremacy. Melissa Liu ’25 can be reached at melissa_y_liu@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@ browndailyherald.com.

Papendorp & Sindhu: GLO demands workplace democracy BY CARIN PAPENDORP AND SIRAJ SINDHU OP-ED CONTRIBUTORS As members of our graduate union, we were proud to agree to a contract with the University on issues that matter to graduate students, such as wages, parental benefits and a grievance procedure. We have also continually done our best to respect and honor the words of our contractually binding agreements since they were made. However, over the past several months, Brown’s administration has made it increasingly clear that they have no qualms about violating the terms of our contract. Their violations of our contract include refusing to follow the dues-collecting procedure outlined therein, making unilateral changes to our working conditions by cutting the pay of some graduate student workers who work remotely, instituting a residency requirement and failing to collect fair-share fees. As a result, earlier this fall, our union filed three claims of Unfair Labor Practices with the National Labor Relations Board. We and other GLO members are deeply concerned about the University’s repeated violations of our contract, and we view the University’s pattern of bad faith actions as an ongoing attempt to undermine our union. That is why over 300 graduate workers are joining voices in a petition to demand that Brown respect our workplace democracy. As a unionized workplace, we make democratic decisions about our

working conditions: The voice of every graduate worker should matter. Brown’s unilateral decisions and violations of the contract have stifled the voices of graduate workers who democratically ratified that contract. We are demanding that Brown make things right. Specifically, we want to share some demands that Brown can act upon immediately — the contents of which we have already presented formally before the NLRB. First, Brown must allow any and all gradu-

working remotely to continue to do so for the duration of the spring semester. Brown should also agree to bargain with GLO over working conditions, including remote work. Instead of making unilateral changes, Brown must come to the negotiating table with GLO, the sole legal representative of the University’s graduate workers, to find mutually agreeable terms. Lastly, the University must publicly commit to respecting the fact that here at Brown,

“We view the University’s pattern of bad faith actions as an ongoing attempt to undermine our union.”

ate students who are currently working remotely to continue to do so in the spring semester. Many graduate workers were displaced due to the pandemic and have been forced for health, family and other reasons to continue their work remotely this fall. Forcing students to relocate on short notice for the spring semester is unacceptable. Brown should immediately change their policy to allow graduate students who are

graduate labor is union labor. This would entail clear and regular communication to graduate students about their right to join a union. Instead, Brown has failed to adequately notify graduate employees about the union security clause — which requires graduate student workers to join GLO or pay fair-share fees as a requirement of employment — even though this is codified in our contract. Brown’s failure

to effectively enforce the union security clause creates a de facto right-to-work workplace, undermines our union as the bargaining representative of graduate student workers at Brown and deprives GLO of the funds it needs to run. Brown’s administration has falsely claimed that, when notified of the University’s remote work policy for the fall 2021 semester in July, GLO had expressed no concerns. To the contrary, GLO expressed several concerns at that time, and we remain concerned about the University’s pattern of presenting false narratives. The administration also claims that they have communicated to graduate workers the requirement to pay dues or fair-share fees. However, these communications have been late and inadequate, leaving many graduate students confused about their right to join the union. Fair share fees cover the basic costs of representing graduate student workers and upholding our contract. By failing to enforce the union security clause, Brown is undermining our ability to protect our coworkers. We are calling on Brown to respect our workplace democracy and to honor the letter of our contract. It is not too late for Brown to make things right. Carin Papendorp GS and Siraj Sindhu GS can be reached at carin_papendorp@brown. edu and siraj_sindhu@brown.edu. Please send responses to this opinion to letters@ browndailyherald.com and other op-eds to opinions@browndailyherald.com.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3, 2021

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD | NEWS

SCIENCE & RESEARCH

Stephon Alexander discusses his book ‘Fear of a Black Universe’ Alexander talks thinking outside the box, being an outsider in physics

BY KATHLEEN MEININGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER Yesterday afternoon, the Center for the Study of Race and Ethnicity in America hosted a book talk featuring Stephon Alexander’s ScM’95 ScM’96 PhD ’00 “Fear of a Black Universe: An Outsider’s Guide to the Future of Physics.” In a discussion moderated by host Chris Rose, professor of engineering and associate provost for STEM initiatives, Alexander discussed his challenges and experiences as a Black physicist, his inspirations for writing the book and what impact he hopes the book will have on young physicists. “This book was a way of inspiring the next generation,” Alexander said. “I wanted to write my own ‘Oblique Strategies’ for young scientists of color, scientists that may find themselves in that stigmatized black space,” he added, referencing the “Oblique Strategies” card deck created by musician Brian Eno and artist Peter Schmidt to help artists think outside the box and overcome creative blocks. The book is “a tour de force … in its insight into how many of the groundbreaking concepts that literally changed

the way we look at our reality came from outsiders who had (to) endure various types of stigma,” Rose wrote in an email to The Herald. An anecdotal approach Alexander is a theoretical physicist whose research focuses include cosmology, particle physics and quantum gravity. As an established jazz musician, he is interested in the link between music and physics, and he teaches the course PHYS0150 “The Jazz of Modern Physics,” where students use musical concepts to explore theoretical physical problems. Additionally, Alexander is the president of the National Society of Black Physicists. From an early age, Alexander struggled with being an “outsider” in science. As a child growing up in the Bronx, Alexander dreamed of being a scientist but didn’t see himself represented in the scientific community. It was the physicist Richard Feynman who first inspired Alexander to pursue a scientific career. Alexander admired the way Feynman “spoke in his genuine Long Island accent, the son of a working class (family) … he didn’t try to hide that,” Alexander said. “He didn’t try to perform as something else, and that was the thing that really inspired me.” “That was definitely one of the inspirations of the book, that Feynman way of expressing ideas through storytelling and having your own genuine voice,” Alexander said.

COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY

In his book, Alexander applies personal experiences and anecdotes to challenge the stereotypical notion of what a physicist looks like. In the first part of his book, Alexander used this storytelling approach to write about the challenges he faced early in his career and the role models that helped him persevere. These inspirations included historical physicists like Michael Faraday, whose unconventional ideas were initially scorned by the scientific community, as well as Alexander’s own mentors like Leon Cooper, who actively encouraged Alexander to believe in and pursue his own unconventional ideas. Breakthroughs in science often involve “crazy” proposals, Alexander said. In this way, coming from a different background and having an “outsider” perspective can be beneficial — it allowed him to better “think outside the box.” Alexander added that although it might be more comfortable to talk with

people that look, talk and think like you, bringing diverse perspectives into the conversation sparks creativity and fuels scientific innovation. “Embracing the natural discomfort means you’re doing something right,” Alexander said. “It’s a good thing for science.” “In society and popular culture there is a very specific stereotype of what a physicist looks like … and if someone doesn’t fit that stereotype it can be difficult to be taken seriously,” said Leah Jenks GS, one of Alexander’s PhD students. “I think that Dr. Alexander’s book does a wonderful job of turning the usual narrative on its head and makes a great argument for why it’s actually a positive thing to be an ‘outsider.’” Cosmic improvisations

In the second part of his book, subtitled Cosmic Improvisations, Alexander tackles some of the cutting edge-ideas in modern physics and cosmology. He paints a metaphor of physics as a “jungle” that can be overwhelming for students to navigate. He encourages students to look at this jungle from a bird’s-eye view so that they don’t get lost in the trees. By focusing on three principles — invariance, quantum change and emergence — Alexander allows students to conceptualize complex physical phenomena without getting lost in the details. To do this, he uses “thought experiments,” or imaginary experiments used to test a given paradigm that one wouldn’t be able to test in real life. Alexander uses these thought experiments to tackle questions like “Are we a simulation in a quantum computer?” and “Why is the universe expanding?” In one chapter, he posits that the universe exists and expands for the purpose of creating life, using a thought experiment to explain the logic behind this theory. “I knew that I would not be able to answer some of these questions in my career, in my lifetime,” Alexander said. “So the book was also meant to be a sort of user’s manual … something to pass on to the next generation, saying these are the things we are struggling with, and these are some devices you can use.”