The Lilypad Fall 2023 Issue

Premier Student-Led Publication at Duke Kunshan University

The LilyPad

Fall 2023 | Issue 1

Photo by Yinan Wang

“Love recognizes no barriers. It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination, full of hope.”

-Maya Angelou

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Editor’s Note

The LilyPad

Dear DKU Community,

On behalf of the Editorial Board, we thank you for reading the Fall 2023 issue of The LilyPad magazine, centered on the theme of Arrival. After a prolonged period of separation, our inaugural issue celebrates the reunion of different DKU classes and welcomes the achievement of significant milestones by our student body and global community.

Our team has worked hard this semester to revive the university’s premier publication The Blue Dragon under a new name. The name change is in light of the announcement of an official university mascot and our heightened commitment to operate as a hybrid publication, serving as both a print magazine and digital news site.

The LilyPad news site serves as a campus “townhall”, where the latest on DKU happenings can be found as well as where the student body can find their voice. Going beyond campus, the LilyPad site provides a multifaceted platform for reporting on events within the Yangzi-Delta Region and globally. The LilyPad magazine engages the artistic and creative flair of the DKU student body and community via its printed nature and focus on ‘feature’ works. With each issue curated by our creative team with its own theme, The LilyPad magazine will publish on a semestral basis.

The six sections of The LilyPad, in addition to Opinion and News, are designed to engage the diverse talents of our student body and support the cross-disciplinary environment unique to DKU. The LilyPad endeavors to cultivate a culture of curiosity and introspection where students are positioned to learn from each other’s insights and lived experiences in the process of their own becoming.

The LilyPad serves in an archival capacity through the reprinting of former articles by The Blue Dragon, and the publication of The LilyPad magazine works to the digital newspaper. The LilyPad serves as a trusted custodian of the university’s history and present, providing external onlookers with a nuanced understanding of the DKU community throughout its rapid evolution as a young university.

We’d like to thank our hardworking Editorial Board for their efforts this fall semester and we look forward to the future of campus journalism at DKU. Sincerely, Jas Santos Editor-In-Chief

The LilyPad

Graham Wood Deputy Editor-In-Chief

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Jas Santos Editor-in-Chief Magazine Layout Designer Graham Wood Deputy Editor-in-Chief Jordan Bahnub News Editor Mary Mulualem Opinion Editor Maya Peak Arts & Literature Editor Chloe Alimurong Student Life Editor Liam Curaming Travel & Culture Editor Giulia de Cristofaro Global Politics Editor Hidaya Ougui Health & Wellness Editor Enzo Diaz Science & Technology Editor Zihan Chen Global Politics Associate Editor Ellen Yang Media Director

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DKU Courtyards:

Reflections of Community and Sustainability

The LilyPad

01 STUDENT LIFE

by Chloe Alimurong After 3 years of being sprawled across the planet, DKU students now have a place to call home. The long awaited Phase II residence halls first opened their doors to students May 29th, 2023 for summer housing.

Similar to Duke University (NC Campus), DKU’s Residence Life has applied a courtyard system to the campus residence halls. There are a total of 8 clustered buildings dedicated to undergraduate housing, 4 courtyards, and 2 buildings in each courtyard. These spaces mark the beginning of a new community network within DKU. While Duke’s QuadEx seeks to align students with their academic endeavors, DKU’s Courtyards instead tries to reflect the maybe not-so academic interests of the students.

The Living and Learning Community system that started the 20222023 academic year for the 2026 first-year class living in SRH, will now be applied to these 4 courtyards.

Courtyard I (Buildings A and B): Arts Doc Courtyard II (Buildings C and D): Wellness Crossroads Courtyard III (Buildings E and F): Global Citizenship Courtyard IV (Buildings G and H): Emerging Leaders All of which will contain their respective FIRs (Faculty-in-Residence).

Although the courtyard's main audience is the 2027 first-year class, according to Residence Life Coordinator, Katie Zhu, another program will launch this year that will include faculty teaching mini-term classes available for all students in the courtyard classrooms.

There’s something for everyone in this space, and you’re guaranteed to find someone with the same interest in a stable place. For Residence Life, their hope is to see students being involved with their community. One way they plan to try and initiate this is through their upcoming Hall Council program, an all-volunteer leadership position to encourage the students to run and govern themselves, the way that DKU has operated, for the most part, these past 3 years.

Aside from the administrative level, the DKU courtyards were also physically designed to represent DKU’s consistent passion for the environment. One example is the motion sensors built in the bathrooms and hallways that help to save energy when not in use. Also, more notably, each courtyard’s identity would represent each season. The color green and a deer assigned to Courtyard I to symbolize nature’s beauty in autumn.

The color red and a butterfly for Courtyard II to symbolize a warm transformation into spring. The color orange and a dove for Courtyard III to symbolize a calm summer. The color blue and a wolf for Courtyard IV to symbolize one’s navigation through winter.

So, with almost 200 countries represented within the student body, how does Residence Life expect that to reflect in these courtyards? To them, recruiting faculty from as many different countries is the solution. The more diverse the team, the more approaches from different cultures there are.

Residence Life even invites the readers of this article to contribute, make your own traditions.

DKU TA

The courtyard system was organized to provide the students with different kinds of backgrounds the same constant feeling of belonging, being able to live in the same courtyard all 4 years with the same people.

“We're looking to build a place where students can come and move in their freshman year and really get to know all the people who live there with them.”

Charlie Clausen, DKU Dean of Residence Life (former Duke University Residence Coordinator)

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phase II -4-

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Scooping Out The World’s Best Flavors with ‘Ice Cream Travel Guide’

by Jas Santos If Duke has its burger guy, Duke Kunshan boasts its very own ice cream girl.

Ice Cream Travel Guide is a global traveler and Instagram blogger who has kept a low profile curating and sharing the world's finest ice cream flavors online. In the recent WeChat spotlight of Humans for Res Life, our sweets enthusiast reveals herself to be Aleksandra Stryjska from the Class of 2025, better known as, ‘Ola’ by her friends.

In hindsight, the unmasking of Ice Cream Travel Guide’s identity is not particularly surprising. Ice cream recommendations deal with categories of fitness and treasure-finding that are well-within the intersection of who Stryjska is, as a leader of the first tennis club at DKU, a puzzle club, and arguably, Duke Kunshan University's biggest vegetarian movement. Stryjska’s love for neuroscience has even found a way into the delectable equation of her side hobby. “[Ice cream] is like a gratitude turbocharge without any side effects,” Stryjska recounts in the Res Life feature.

In her latest interview with The Lilypad, Stryjska divulges the secret to great ice cream. According to Stryjska, the crucial factor is not so much about the boldness and richness of taste, but to receive exactly what one had ordered. As ice cream varies dramatically across the globe and has a broad spectrum of palates, Stryjska finds it nonsensical to draw parallels between a Family mart popsicle to, say, a Hokkaido-style ice cream. “When I visit a gelateria, my expectations include a denser, smoother, and more indulgent texture, as gelato and regular ice cream are not the same. When I opt for Thai rolled ice cream, I anticipate perfectly rolled ice cream rolls. When I indulge in machine-made creamy ice cream, that’s the time I look forward to the creamy melt-in-your-mouth richness.”

When rating ice cream, Stryjska stresses the importance of preserving the authentic flavors distinct to different regions of the world. For example, the quintessential fragrance of cardamom and saffron blended with condensed milk should not be lost in India's Kulfi. She delights in how certain ice creams pay homage to other culinary delights, and loves the whimsy of Germany's Spaghettieis which cleverly mimics a plate of spaghetti.

The LilyPad

A significant part of Stryjska's ability to discover exceptional ice cream lies in her habit of never passing by ice cream shops she encounters unexpectedly. Even on days when she doesn’t intend to buy ice cream, she makes a habit of walking into the shop to assess their appearance. "You can tell a lot from the color and how they store the ice cream.”

She also tries to cram as many trips to niche ice cream parlors on her trips abroad. Once she managed to walk 22km (or a half marathon) in her visit to 6 different ice cream parlors in Venice.

Stryjska always finds herself in step with the latest trends, and enthusiastically explores flavors she might not typically enjoy during her stay at Duke Kunshan University in Kunshan, China. "Since matcha-flavored ice creams are so popular in China, I've been convinced to try it a few times.

And you know what? Despite not being a fan of matcha in beverages, I actually enjoy matcha ice cream." Tea-flavored ice creams, however, will have to wait another day.

When asked about her favorite ice creams, the ice cream connoisseur defaults to desserts sold in the capital of her country, Poland. “I live far from the capital, so it has almost become a tradition. Whenever I'm there with my family, we go for nitrogen ice cream.” The beloved homogenized cheese snack of Danonki and poppy seed ice cream are also an iconic part of Stryjska’s childhood. “It seems like every child I know in Poland has a story of playfully scooping [Danonki] into a cup with a spoon, popping it into the freezer, and then pretending they were savoring genuine Italian gelato.”

Towards the end of the interview, Stryjska shares her personal aspirations or milestones related to ice cream in the future. “ I remember that when I was applying to college, I made a pact with my sister that if I didn't get in anywhere, we would open an ice cream shop together. As you can see, I'm in college now, so that plan never materialized. It would be nice to have a small ice cream shop in my later years."

As a vegetarian and the president of Plant Futures, the DKU junior is optimistic about the future of vegan ice cream flavors. “People tend to be wary of them, but in reality, they are very good. More and more companies are introducing sugar-free ice cream options, which I consider to be a great choice.”

Ice cream hunting is a passion that makes Stryjska travel more. So far, her journey as ‘Ice Cream Travel Guide’ has been more than sweet.

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The LilyPad

Nothing more queer than resilience:

navigating the makings of home as a visible queer leader

by Leo Medellin

Before college, I didn’t have many gay friends. I came out in the summer of 2016, but I could tell that my family, especially my parents, weren't sure if there was a place for me at DKU. I was part of the second undergraduate class, and the university had not been as visible then when I searched for it online, let alone an inclusive community like GSRM. GSRM, for those who may not know, stands for Gender, Minority, and Romantic Minorities; the acronym was initially an attempt to differentiate our club from other gay/straight alliance clubs at other schools.

Over the years, the name stuck as a symbol of the club's inclusivity, embracing individuals who don't neatly fit into conventional categories such as gay or straight, thus representing more of the diverse community we have here at DKU. I remember joining the club in the Fall of 2019, painfully shy and fearing any sort of rejection. Things only clicked during our first meeting: there were less than 10 people sitting across our table but the vibe of the place felt safe and welcoming. I don’t remember much of the details from that night. What I do remember clearly was that I wanted to come back.

In some ways, GSRM wasn’t that different from a social group. We would steal a team room once a week, talk about LGBTQ+ news, listen to music, and go out drinking to get away from our mountain of assignments. Despite this, it feels like I struck gold, finding people who understood me and shared their life experiences with me. In your first year of university, especially so far from home, it’s important to find people who are going through the same thing, someone to make you feel less alone.

By then, I thought I would be spending the best four years of my life in China, traveling and learning with the people that I met that Fall. Then, second year came and that was a far cry from my first year experience or any normal university experience for that matter, with the pandemic.

The reality was a blur of Zoom meetings, movie screenings, and a difficult adjustment period that no one really knew how to handle. That time also made me realize what this group meant to me. I was thankful for any excuse for us to feel connected to one another. From in-person color runs and film viewings, our executive board team got creative and transitioned to speed dating, coming out day events, and explorations of being Latinx in the community. I found myself hosting hybrid events with three or more time zones in mind. At times, it was as much for me, as it was for GSRM, and that’s the thing about leadership in these spaces.

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I’m going into my 5th year as a member of GSRM, and my 2nd year as a part of the executive board. I’ve grown a lot, and I’ve seen the scope of student and faculty responses to our small alliance. There have been times where our events are restricted and we’re under scrutiny for our publicity, and it still hits as hard every time. I won’t sugarcoat the fact that it can be scary to be openly out on such a small campus. I’ve received comments that range from ignorant to malicious. I know a lot of people wouldn’t sign up for this; I wasn’t this excited to be out and proud when I was a freshman either.

Yet I persist, and so does GSRM. There is something so precious about the community we have here, to know that there’s a pocket of people who support and understand you, even if you are not at the point where you can be out.

These days, I think a lot about privilege, and what it means to use it for good. I’m so immensely lucky to be loved and to share that love with my peers. For every bad experience I have from being out, I’m gifted a handful of positive memories— my safety net from my community that accepts me as I am.

As a club we still do most of the same things: watch movies, celebrate pride, go out to gay bars, and share our worries with one another. It’s the highlight of my week to see friends and to bask in the warmth of a second home. I can’t put into words what it means to us to continue this kind of work, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Few student-led clubs at DKU are as active as we are, and similarly, few clubs have lasted from 2018 until now. Even during the times when the most we can manage is one monthly event, our resilience is something that I’ll always be proud of.

As the current president of GSRM, most of my friends are queer. It’s a common joke that there was something inherent to DKU’s branding that drew so many of us here. I’ve seen the impact of this with our underclassmen and admits. People coming out to their families, finding community for the first time, seeking out DKU specifically because they’ve heard of us on Weibo or Instagram. Our faculty advisor, James Miller, says that he wants DKU to be the most LGBTQ+ welcoming campus in China, and I think we’re doing a good job at it.

I’ve made lifelong friends here, and my hope is that other people can too. If any part of this resonates with who you are or who you want to be, we’re always here to welcome you with open arms.

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The LilyPad

02 ARTS & LITERATURE

What Alien Stories Tell Us

About Humanity

by Maya Peak

It’s 1938.

Folks are driving home when they decide to turn on their radios. It’s cold. It’s dark. It’s the night just before Halloween.

They hear what sounds like a typical broadcast. However, over the course of this broadcast, hearts across the nation will pound as unsuspecting listeners tune into a story about a worldwide invasion stemming from the planet Mars.

The night lives in infamy even today. What Mercury Theatre on the Air was attempting to do was a radio adaptation of the book The War of the Worlds written by H.G. Wells in 1898, not to terrify anyone any more than through the story itself; more Halloween treat than Halloween trick.

Alien arrival stories are often contemplated in the stories that we hear, read, and see today. We think very often about whether there is life outside of Earth and what will happen if and when it is proven that there is life outside of the world we know and love. What we should also contemplate what these stories have to say about us.

One of the more common stories about aliens are fear stories. War of Worlds is a common example of exactly that genre. Aliens come to Earth and are eventually defeated by humans. These are also stories about survival. Families are reunited after the threat of alien-induced violence is dispelled. Independence Day is also an example of this. The idea of it is that the human spirit can overcome any extraterrestrial issue.

Then there are stories that give more depth to this idea. Take examples from–both controversial authors–Liu Cixin and Orson Scott Card. In both the Three Body Problem and Ender’s Game, alien presence on Earth is a method of going through more philosophical questions. Questions of survival and questions about humanity include: What makes a human being beyond DNA? What is humanity, not as a group of people, but our standards for humanity? Does this rule apply to a theoretical group of people who seek the same existential drives that we do?

Wyatt Moss Wellington, author of Narrative Humanism says, “we proceed with the understanding of the unknowable nature of reality, but it behoves us to accept these limitations and make decisions based on our experience of what is real. At the same time, we understand our phenomenal perspective will always be bound to our experience as a human. In deeply understanding other things, thus, we ‘humanize’ them… we consistently need to imagine what it is like for them to be them in order to accept them as worthy of ethical inclusion.

We have no way of knowing whether aliens exist or not, what they may be like, how different or similar they may be to us. One reason for alien arrival stories to be written human experiences go beyond what we understand as humans. We are able to accept the other. We are able to accept what was once unheard of to us.

While there may not be aliens to benefit from this inclusion, humans do benefit from this. We benefit in that we learn that there is no one ‘true’ way of experiencing life. What we may experience may just be one way to experience it. That includes the changes in our experiences over time.

Maybe the change in connection from a more physical presence to a more digital one isn’t entirely terrible just because there is a new medium between two human beings. Yes, there are new problems, just as there were old ones to the former methods of communication which are still available to us–though now with digital media, many of the students reading this publication are able to talk to their families, keep up with them and feel connected despite the disconnection from sociality and nature that technology is often blamed for.

These stories are about us. Can we see humanity beyond the human?

These stories are about the flexibility of our understanding. It’s a way of thinking that accepts that we don’t need for another person to be alike to us to see the value in them. Empathy is free and without condition.

When considering the story of arrival as an indescribable feeling of awe, surprise, excitement, and fear, these stories are made to say that no matter what happens, we will never be the same. Good or bad, usually both, these stories are vessels for a greater conversation about how are we to react to the new, impossible, scary future that awaits us upon arrival.

The answer is clear. With faith in ourselves and hope for the future.

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Journal Entry #312: A View from the Train Seat

BY IVEEL TENGIS

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The LilyPad

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The LilyPad

October 18 There is something missing.

The rice paddies roll past, each one as vacant as the last, each one a framed portrait of my train car. Cars sulk. Houses loom. Shops flicker. Not yet as signs of abandonment, but silently, as if no one was inside.

Knees squeaking, I hoist myself up from my seat. I step out of the train car into a foreign city. The air, though empty as always, has a snug weight. For the first time, I look up and watch the air from underneath. As I gazed into its eyes, I knew it would eventually lift away from me.

The only company to keep are passengers. But it is as if they have another Adam’s apple on the back of their neck, the subtle bump revealing what they must have on their laps. They offer no punctuation, no revelation. I watched the last rays of the sun grasping at their shoulders, until they were sterilized by the glaring LED.

And, despite all the horrors of body and life, I turn around to watch the train dash away, very briefly, only one single moment which looks very much like a snapshot, and then suddenly I am severed from the status of transit. I must call my sister. And then, I must do the laundry. And you are unbridgeable.

It suddenly strikes me that windows that don’t open must be the cheapest kind that money buys. So my eyes don’t water. My face is unbattered by wind. Pure.

Egg-like. Amidst the sterile colors, the red hammer stands out, out, an easy out, heresy and strife. I think, if I smash this window and escape, our daughter will have to inherit the debt.

Gone, years and years awa y go ne.

And then, I remember you, just for a bit. I think of your zero-waste reusable shampoo bottles, and wonder what you must contemplate under the incessant trickle if not the shampoo ingredients. I think of the nights I spent trying to understand anything you might be thinking at all. I think of the nights I spent crying out, out, the easy out, forever out.

I remember how, in my last blog post, I wrote “…and well, I got divorced, and after that I worked fast food, during which…” and I notice that this time, I didn’t even write a “during which” after the divorce. Folded up and tucked away in the corner cupboard my head. Thoughts turn to the plastic bags folded inside another plastic bag under the sink, and I feel like the bigger person. I think of how people will go through the most vile shit, and then they will have the audacity to buy a train ticket, or get a job. Maybe a routine, an addiction, or a new baby.

And they probably have this exact same thought, and they remember everything they desperately wanted to forget. And, eventually, they do.

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The LilyPad

Shanghai Jewish Refugees Museum Jewish Life in Shanghai

by Eileen Xu

Before you visit a refugee museum, you prepare yourself for tragedies.

When you first see the museum's exterior, you may not be too surprised - similar European-style architecture is no stranger in Shanghai. Once you enter the lobby, the dark-toned setting and dim lighting will transfer you to a space from the past - perhaps the Tilanqiao area of Hongkou in 1941 or a travel journal in 1938.

Upon entering the section "Visas for Life," visitors are presented with visa documents that guarantee the beginning of the journey. Dr. He Fengshan, the Consul General of China in Vienna from 1938 to 1940, granted thousands of visas for the Jewish people to travel to Shanghai.

At a time when the Nazis were persecuting and deporting Jews, these "Visas for Life" were tickets to hope in a foreign land. Even today, the Visas, rather than a flight ticket, allows you to travel. For the 20,000 European Jews who came to Shanghai from 1938 to 1941, a visa to a foreign land was an escape ticket for life. Right next to their visa documents, their passports are easily recognized by the "J" mark on the upper left corner of the first page, printed by the Nazis to indicate their Jewish identity. The following sections, "Fleeing to Shanghai" and "Journey of Hope," tell the story of the Sachs family and stand as a glimpse of the many Jewish refugee families who took refuge in Shanghai by boat via Malaysia, with no clue of what lay ahead.

Most exhibits retell forgotten stories; some carry trust and waiting across time and space. One of them is a handbag that Jin Wenzhen inherited a handbag from her grandfather, who used to be the owner of a rice store on East Changzhi Road. According to her grandfather, the handbag belongs to a Jewish couple who came to his shop at night in 1940. They needed to go to the hospital for their sick child but could not afford the hospital fees. They gave Mr. Jin an elaborate handbag, saying that it was a family treasure and that they would redeem it when they had enough money. Mr. Jin gave them a month of his rice shop's income and had been waiting for them to return the handbag, in which Jin surprisingly found a silver bracelet. More than 80 years later, this handbag is now exhibited in the museum as "A Handbag Awaiting Its Owner."

What interested me was two exhibited books brought by Jewish refugees to Shanghai. One is laid open to show the prayer text written in Hebrew with a German translation in the middle of one page; the other is a songbook that says "easy to perform songs for choir" on its cover.

Their owners, while fleeing, may have once prayed for their next day or hummed a song at midnight that their hometown choir used to practice. Although no names were found in these books, they became a paragraph in the biography of life on the run. The appearance of these words in Shanghai made me think about what kind of literature people choose to set sail with when they leave home, especially when the date of return is unknown. Those words that travel with people also leave their birthplace to a foreign land where no one recognizes them, where they are read and sung in remembrance of home.

One of the most highlighted figures in the museum is David Ludwig Bloch, an illustrator who lost his hearing as a child. Bloch was inspired by the underprivileged life in Shanghai Alley and explored watercolors and woodcuts to present Jewish life in Shanghai in his impressionistic and naturalistic way. Interestingly, he acquired his Chinese name because his second last name, Block, is pronounced like "white ( ), green ( ), black ( )." His collection of black-and-white prints, Yellow Cab, focuses on the image of the life of a yellow cab driver in the alleys of Shanghai, vividly demonstrating the hardships of the yellow cab driver's life. His work was highly recognized by the local people in Shanghai and fellow artists. A friend of the Chinese writer Jiang Yang, Dr. Monika Motsch, a German sinologist, and her husband, Mr. Richard Motsch, once gifted a collection of woodcuts by David Ludwig Bloch to Yang because of its skillful capturing and vivid reproduction of Shanghai's cityscape and life.

黑 白

白绿

绿

黑

People like David Ludwig Bloch were forced to become part of the vernacular cosmopolitanism, seeking survival in escape and translation. Their stories documented in this museum survived as part of the vast narrative of war. His story is also a microcosm of the core narrative of the museum – during the time of the war, Shanghai provided shelter for some Jewish people who fled here with their lives, languages, and culture, built communities and new lives in a multicultural environment.

When I walked out of the museum, what I remember is not tragedy, but hope and a deeper understanding of the city of Shanghai and its embracing nature.

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The LilyPad

On the Way

to Kunshan

by Soumya Lahoti

03 TRAVEL &

CULTURE

Soumya's narrative is one among the many stories of DKUers in transit during the COVID era After traveling halfway across the world and back for DKU programs at Duke and Barcelona, we were finally heading to the Duke Kunshan Campus in China. Having secured my flight well in advance, back when two COVID tests were mandatory for departures, I now find myself enjoying a leisurely 2-day layover in Singapore, free from the stress and expense of COVID testing requirements that have since been lifted.

I also explored the neighborhood of Little India, and the sense of familiarity reminded me of the home that I left a day ago. Singapore has a funny way of serving as a sort of liminal space between India and China, or from wherever you are and wherever you are going. They have a huge expat community and people from all walks of life live here. Most people came here later in life, for jobs or to move with family. They all know of a life elsewhere.

This was my second time in Singapore, the first time being when I was three. Not that I remembered much from that trip, but the country had changed completely in almost two decades. I was excited to explore yet another place. Jetlagged and exhausted, I took advantage of my first afternoon to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Since Singapore and Hong Kong share the same time zone, it turned out to be a helpful way to overcome jet lag. While initially frustrated about potentially losing a whole day of exploration, in hindsight, the rest was beneficial.

These people come here with hopes and dreams, aspirations, and this realization rang a faint bell in my head. While I've spent a significant portion of the past year living in the United States and experiencing what some might consider the American dream, I recognize that there are more places where people travel to to build a better life for themselves. My experience is just one small part of it.

Singapore is a stone’s throw from the equator, which means humid, tropical weather all year long. The afternoons are unbearable, and as a solo traveler who would be spending most of her time walking from place to place, I ruled out day travel pretty quickly. On my first evening, I explored the Marina Bay Sands Area and the mall. Then, I walked across the lake and attended a mosaic show in the open theatre. It was a whole new experience, seeing so many people of various cultures just coming together under the open sky to enjoy some good music.

The next day, I started in Chinatown. I feasted my eyes on the ornate, intricately carved gold designs at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. I spent an hour there among the meditating people and deeply felt the soothing ambiance of the place. Exploring the street market at Chinatown was a great preview of Chinese local markets. I found that I could practice my amateur Chinese by conversing with the shopkeepers.

Visiting the Singapore Museum was a must for me, as I loved learning about the complex political contexts through which Singapore came to exist. It made me realize that Singapore is a hub, connecting Asia and the rest of the world, both physically and culturally. This cosmopolitan atmosphere makes people accepting of all lifestyles. People bring their stories, traditions, and perspectives to Singapore, creating a rich tapestry of life.

From the bustling Mustafa market to the serene Gardens by the Bay, the exterior of the casino (which, being under 21, I could only admire from outside) to the colossal shopping malls, the city had a knack for instilling a profound sense of contrast in every corner. Traditional and modern, cultures blending and innovation thriving, I could not have enough of this country.

But alas, all good things must come to an end. I left for the airport that night, filled with the memory of amazing experiences. Soon, I was on DKU campus for the first time, among familiar faces and dearly missed friends.

Now, I would explore the Land of the Dragon in its entirety. And I have, partly, but that is a story for another day.

e e t r t S e h t n Word o New Clubs & Organizations

What ’s Ne w in

Student-led Brazilian Dance Class

Art-Lab

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I Visited China's Hottest Place In Summer— This Is What Happened To My Heart

The LilyPad

by Arabela Valenzuela

A sweltering breeze kissed my face as I tiredly dragged my suitcase out of the air-conditioned premises of Turpan North Railway Station. 38°C was the updated temperature reading displayed on my phone's home screen. Not too bad, I thought. Then I realized it was quarter past six in the morning and the sun had barely risen yet.

Located at an altitude of 155 meters below sea level and well over 2000 kilometers away from the nearest coast, it comes to little surprise that the Turpan Depression of China's vast Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region continuously breaks records as the country's hottest region. In summer, it is not rare for temperatures to climb to 50°C, a temperature widely considered to be unsuitable for human life. Despite this, Turpan is an unmissable stop among Silk Road travelers. The city has been an important cultural hub since the early years of the Silk Road and boasts some of the region's most spectacular landscapes. Furthermore, it is China's capital of grapes, from where the country's finest fresh fruits and raisins originate. Hence, I decided to make Turpan my first stop in Xinjiang after leaving behind the fascinating sights of Ningxia and Gansu Provinces. Little did I predict the detrimental impact this scorching hot place would have on my heart.

It took not long for a taxi to pick me up and drop me off at the only accommodation approved to host foreigners in town, a youth hostel in a tiny neighborhood called Grape Town. Once I entered the small settlement outside of the main city I found myself in another world: the narrow main street I entered on was lined with quaint stone buildings and historic mosques. Old men were sleeping on wooden bed frames covered in Turkish-style carpets and embroidered pillowcases in front of their homes, taking in the last few hours of temperatures below 40°, and the only bustle in this town stemmed from the few street vendors who were awake at this early hour to bake flatbread in large round stone ovens before the town itself turned into an oven.

Hungry from the long journey, I followed the sweltering heat of one of the ovens and asked one vendor if he had anything ready to eat. In response to my question, he just stared at me with his big blue eyes wide open and confusedly repeated: "Chi de?" It was then that I realized that many people in this Uyghur-majority area spoke little to no Chinese!

That was my first shock. My second shock was when I finally checked into the hostel dormitory and was met with the diverse faces and stories of my roommates: a European girl with blonde hair and pinkish sun-burnt skin, who had traveled all the way by road from the Netherlands; a middle-aged Japanese woman who had just quit her architecture job in Tokyo to travel the world; a jolly Vietnamese girl in her early twenties, who like myself, was in her last year of university in China and wanted to use this summer break to explore the country; an American English teacher who traveled for the first time after spending the entire pandemic in Hangzhou; and a friendly HanChinese man from Shandong, who had relocated to Xinjiang many years ago to start his own farm away from the bustle of the city life. After having spent the past month traveling across significantly more touristic regions of China without meeting any other foreigners on my way, I was taken aback by the diversity of travelers in this rather obscure corner of the country. But that is the charm of the Silk Road, I came to realize.

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"Welcome to Xinjiang!" the Uyghur lady at the reception enthusiastically welcomed me in surprisingly flawless English. "Feel free to explore all of Turpan area by shared taxi. Just inform me about your plans an evening in advance and we'll gather a group of tourists to split the costs with!" It did not take long for a small group to form among us travelers and soon enough, the Dutch, the Japanese, the Vietnamese, and I decided to book a taxi to all the major sights around the city for the next morning.

"Since you all are foreigners, I decided to pair you up with a driver who knows some English," the receptionist announced.

However, once the driver arrived I quickly realized that "some English" was a gross understatement. Rafiq Jan*, as our driver introduced himself, spoke fluent English, which he claimed to have all learned during one semester at a tourism development academy in Xi'an. He was a middle-aged father of three, married to his wife since age seventeen, as his father had pressured him upon discovering he had been seeing a girl, and worked as a full-time driver for tourists while managing a small grape farm in his free time. His wife offered homestay experiences and Uyghur cooking classes whenever she was not too busy with her job or taking care of their high-school-aged children.

"Welcome to Turpan, the hottest place in China!" Rafiq Jan announced as we entered the highway leaving the small town. On the left, you can see the Aiding Lake, one of the few lakes in the world that lie below sea level, as well as the beginnings of the Tian Shan Mountain Range, he said while pointing at a snow-capped peak in not-so-far distance. Snow in China's hottest district? How is this possible? I wondered to myself.

However, my thoughts were soon interrupted as we entered the surroundings of the majestic Flaming Mountains. My jaw dropped as we became engulfed by the rugged red mountains that truly resembled flames, but instead of Hell, these flames appeared like a manifestation of Heaven.

"Woah, what a deep gorge!" the Vietnamese exclaimed as suddenly the mountains to our left split into two halves, opening up to the deep abyss that threatened to swallow any souls that dared to get too close.

"Let's stop here to film some Tiktoks!" she urged the driver.

While I was initially convinced the Flaming Mountains got their name from their flame-like appearance, I started to suspect it was due to the scorching temperatures in the valley as soon as I stepped out of the car.

The gush of hot air as I opened the door was enough for the Dutch girl's face to turn even redder than before and for the Japanese woman to let out a shriek "eh!"

"Come, let's take some videos together!" the Vietnamese urged as she pulled my sleeve. I did not object, as I also wanted to take some photos in this stunning landscape. However, we had to cut our content creation session short as the sweating driver desperately called for us to get back into the car, and I nearly slipped down the gorge out of exhaustion.

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"This place is too hot! Let me drop you off in the nearby historical village, where you can roam around by yourselves, while I take a rest in an air conditioned cafe," Rafiq Jan announced.

As the other women and I climbed down the steep slopes to the historical village of Tuyoq, we were greeted by dozens of bright smiles. "Come in!" One shop owner called me over. "We already have another Tajik guest in our shop."

When I corrected him I was not of Tajik ethnicity but had come all the way from America, his family quickly gathered around me asking for selfies.

"Do you also like to dance in America?" One of the kids curiously asked me.

"Yes, why not?" I replied.

"Good, let me teach you some Uyghur moves then!" The girl pulled me into the house behind the shop while a little boy started pulling strings on a local instrument. Two hours went by just dancing with the children, trying to imitate their elegant flap-like hand movements, while the shop owner repeatedly refilled my cup of water. Even though the house was well shaded, I still sweat uncontrollably in this weather. Yet, none of us stopped moving our bodies to the traditional beats until my hostel mates called me over from the main street.

"Arabela, let's go! The driver is waiting for us! We've still got a lot of places to cover today!" the Dutch girl yelled while waving a bag full of fresh grapes with her arms. It was only then that I realized I had barely explored the village and its historical sites as I had gotten so wound up socializing with the local family.

Next, Rafiq Jan took us to a number of historical sites, including an old minaret, ruins of an ancient city, a necropolis housing real mummies, which caused the Japanese to let out the loudest "eh!" I had ever heard, and collection of mountain-hewn caves housing ancient carvings of Buddha. The latter, we barely reached before closing hour as we had spent quite some time talking to friendly locals on the way.

"Come on ladies, let's go! I have a surprise for you!" Rafiq Jan called us to his car at the end of the day. What surprise? We've already covered all the places on our planned itinerary. I thought.

We quickly made our way back to town, passing again by the Flaming Mountains, which appeared even more fiery in the red tinted rays of the setting sun. I had no clue what surprise Rafiq Jan was talking about until he pulled into the driveway of a home near to our hostel, where a beautiful Uyghur woman welcomed us with big hugs.

"Welcome to my home! This is my wife Gul, she speaks neither English nor Chinese but she wants you to know that she's excited to host you at our home!" Rafiq Jan announced. Taking both me and the Vietnamese by our hands, Gul led us through the flower-covered front yard to the living room of the house.

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The other three women and I threw ourselves like sandbags on the cylinder-shaped pillows adorning the Turkish-style carpet that spread across the room. The air-conditioning was running on high speed to counteract the few sun rays that still passed through the embroidered white curtains at this hour, and Gul quickly spread out a colorful table cloth on the floor on which she served hot flower tea from an intricately painted porcelain can. There were no chairs, sofas, or table in the room, yet it felt more comfortable than any hotel I had stayed in over the past two months. We spent a good while talking to the sweet woman with the help of her husband as an interpreter, until he urged us to finish our tea quickly as he had something else to show us before the sunlight was completely gone.

We hugged Gul goodbye, got back into the car, and a short uphill drive later, I could not believe where Rafiq Jan had taken us: his very own grape farm!

"Let me introduce you to the finest grapes in China!" he announced.

"Different varieties are grown for different purposes. Some are best suited to make wine, others are dried to make raisins. However, the ones you find here are best enjoyed fresh!"

He broke a twig off the vine and passed it down to the four of us. I plucked a small berry and took a bite. Splash! The fibrous fruit immediately imploded between my teeth, releasing all its sweet juice at once. Despite Rafiq Jan explaining that we had come a few weeks early for the harvest, the fruits had just the right amount of sweetness. I plucked one fruit after another and so did the other women, while Rafiq Jan disappeared somewhere deep into the vineyard. After a while, he returned with a plastic bag full of grapes. This is for you to take with you.

You can share it among each other. My hostel mates and I were taken aback. We tried a couple of times to decline this generous offer but eventually gave in. Turpan grapes are just too delicious!

That evening, after Rafiq Jan dropped us back off at the hostel, the four of us joined the men for dinner. Apparently, we had just arrived in time to rescue the poor Shandongese from the overly talkative American.

"How was your day? You seem very exhausted," he asked with a welcoming smile.

"How can I not be," I replied with my last bit of energy left, and went on to tell him about our incredible experiences.

"That's Xinjiang for you!" He responded. "There's a reason why I decided to leave my life in Shandong behind and move to rural Xinjiang.

Conditions are not as comfortable and people here work hard to provide a decent life for themselves and their families but in the end, nothing compares to their kindness and hospitality, no matter if you come from the neighboring village, the Northeast of the country, or America."

And he was right. Over the next couple of days, I experienced the warmest treatment by the lovely people of Turpan. From security guards inviting me for tea in their checkposts to shop owners rejecting payment and a farmer offering to give me a ride back to my hotel after a painful scooter accident, the hospitality of the Uyghur people was one of the greatest I had ever experienced. Eventually, I had to move on with my journey along the Silk Road. I went on to travel to Ili and then Kazakhstan, while the Dutch went to Xi'an, the Japanese to Kyrgyzstan, the Vietnamese to Kashgar, and the Shandongese returned to his farm.

However, the more places I checked off my list, the more it became clear that China's hottest place left a profound impact on my heart: not a heatstroke, not a heart attack, but an untamable flame of infatuation that no other place along my journey could match.

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My First Dive Photo by Will Wang

Arrival

到来

WHAT DOES THAT WORD MEAN TO YOU?

“During my college years, I was eager to broaden my horizons and immerse myself in new experiences. I was fortunate to find a circle of friends who shared a profound love for rock music. Together, we volunteered at music festivals. I was part of the photography publicity team, and my mentor playfully challenged me: "Take the leap, and we'll capture the moment!" After much contemplation, I took that leap, preserving the memory in a photograph. Now, every time I look at that picture, it ignites a strong desire in me to continually step out of my comfort zone and embrace the unexpected!”

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Timeless Togetherness Photo by Ruoxuan Wang

Arrival

到来

WHAT DOES THAT WORD MEAN TO YOU?

“An elderly couple’s stroll through old Chinese town speaks of the arrival of cherished years spent side by side, overcoming challenges and embracing the joys that life offers. With each step they take, the couple arrives at the pinnacle of their shared journey, where love, companionship, and the beauty of a life well-lived find their most poignant expression.”

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W

hen considering what arrival means to me, this poem was the first thing that came to mind.

This poem was written and presented by Maya Angelou in 2008 at the start of the Beijing Olympics.

2008 was hard, a global financial crisis rocked the world. Some of you reading may remember it and may have been impacted personally by it. Arrival is more than a threshold into the amazing, awestruck, awful possibilities. Arrival is the fresh instinct of what is and what could be. Please enjoy this poem. Hopefully we will all be inspired by the many arrivals in our lives and in our histories.

Sheer amazement awaits Amazement luxuriant in promise Abundant in wonder

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‘We Ourselves Are the Amazement’ Maya Peak, Arts & Lit Editor

They say Brothers and Sisters, Yes, try.

Then try harder.

Lunge forward, press eagerly for release.

Our beautiful children arrive at this Universal stadium, The amazement which awaits is for you.

They have bathed in the waters of the world We are here at the portal of the world we had wished And carry the soft silt of the Amazon, the Nile, for The Danube, the Rhine, the Yangtze, and the At the lintel of the world we most need.

Mississippi We are here roaring and singing.

In the palms of their right hands.

We prove that we can not only make peace, we can A wild tiger nestles in each armpit bring it with us.

And a meadowlark perches on each shoulder.”

With respect for the world and its people, We can compete passionately without hatred.

With respect for the world and its people, We can take pride in the achievements of strangers.

With respect for the world and its people, We can share openly in the success of friends.

Here then is the Amazement The miracle of joy that comes out of the gathering of our Against the odds of impending war best, In the mouth of bloody greed Displaying the splendor of their bodies and the radiance Human grace and human spirit can still conquer. of their agile minds to the cosmos.

Ah…We discover, we ourselves Encouragement to those other youth caught in the maws Are the Amazement which awaits of poverty, We are ourselves, the Amazement Crippled by the terror of ignorance.

We, the world audience, stand, arms akimbo, Longing for the passion of the animal And the melody of the lark The tiger passion attend the opening bells, The birds sing of the amazement which awaits.

When the Greyhound bus shudders to a stop at the station nobody gets off. I heave myself up the three stairs, backpack weighing like a turtle’s shell on my shoulders, and drop a handful of assorted coins into the cash box. “Keep the change,” I say.

The driver doesn’t even glance in my direction.

ArrivaL

The air is somber, seats feeling like pews at a funeral. Only a few are occupied; an elderly couple, hand in hand, near the front, a teenager sleeping against the bus window, fogging with each hot exhale, a formally-dressed man in the back, hard shell luggage taking up the seat on his left. I go to the back and claim a window seat, setting my bag next to me.

I’m coming. All that’s left is to wait here.

a short story Jordan Bahnub, News Editor

The doors hiss close and we are off.

Out the window there is a thin layer of fog, like the steam coming off a latte. In it flash by halfconcealed structures. A dull rendition of my childhood playground, empty and sun-bleached.

The department store we bought my bedroom’s paint color at (coral pink, what can I say, I was a bold kid). The river where I took my senior photos, murky, a plastic bag afloat in it. My favorite breakfast joint (pancake platter only $8.99). The local hospital, where Did I forget to pack a toothbrush?

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the thought invades my mind, a leeching parasite. And I realize I cannot recall. My hand reaches to the backpack’s zipper but stops just short of opening it. It doesn’t matter. The hotel will have one. The parasite successfully fought off.

A few hours pass. The fog hasn’t cleared outside.

The bus lurches as we run over a railroad at near-fullspeed. Must be that intersection, I think to myself.

Ahead, the teen from earlier stirs, bewildered, and takes stock of his surroundings. The flesh of his face seems to tremble. The corner of his eye glistens. He buries his head in his hands, pressing hard enough to redden the skin.

His sobs reverberate through the near-empty bus. Oh, he’s much too young to-Did I forget to pack my pajamas? the parasite returns with a vengeance. I don’t remember packing. Where am I going, again? To meet someone, yes. Someone I haven’t seen for a long while. That’s why this ride is so long. And why my bag is so heavy.

The bus screeches to a stop. A woman gets on, pays her fare, and takes a seat at the front. Something carnal screams at me to get off, plucks at the tendons in my legs, a ghost haunting my brainstem, twitches in my fingers.

But none of us do

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Stop Asking Celebrities to Get Involved in Politics

by Mary Mulualem When Jamie Lee Curtis posted year-old pictures of Palestinian children holding each other after an air raid by Israeli bombs and falsely claimed the images were instead the aftermath of a recent Hamas attack on Israeli children, I was reminded of why I could never truly support a celebrity who tries to get involved in politics.

Popular culture prioritizes marketable identities over anything else. An average-looking person with openly controversial political opinions is much less brandable than a handsome face with virtually a blank slate for a personality.

Economically, it makes sense why celebrities are so heavily advised not to comment on sociopolitical issues. But celebrities are unfit to get involved for a few other reasons: they often spread misinformation, they cannot help but come across disingenuous, and their involvement tends to turn social issues into prolonged discourses involving themselves rather than urgent problems.

VOICES | SATIRE

Consider this: as head of both a makeup and clothing brand, long-time cast member of several reality shows and mother of four, corporate mogul Kim Kardashian lives her life on a tight clock. Realistically, celebrities simply do not have the time to be able to properly understand the issues they seem to care about. This leads to blatant misinformation being shared to millions of followers. The anecdote shared by American rapper Nicki Minaj during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 had people believing that taking the most popularly recommended vaccine in the US could result in harmful effects on male genitalia.

Unsurprisingly, qualified health officials were able to confirm that her story had not been recorded in tandem with receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. In a country where getting many to believe in the disease was already a struggle, the debate Minaj sparked online was arguably unfavorable to the cause of fighting an ongoing pandemic.

Above all, Jenner’s delivering a police officer a can of Pepsi and thus somehow changing the mood of the advert from divided to together, was particularly tone-deaf given the context of ongoing Black Lives Matter protests in the US at the time, in response to an influx of police brutality against Black Americans.

Given the importance of marketability of famous personalities, I would argue that much of their expressed views are not even really theirs. Celebrity interactions with the general public are almost always scripted by unseen upper management, in order to appease advertisers or appease a target audience. As a real-life example, actor Leonardo DiCaprio became vocal about his concern for climate change and its impact on future generations when he began The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. However, dumping large sums of money towards climate action, his personal life remained lavish: personal yacht trips and flights on private jets and helicopters were not put on hold until he was publicly scrutinized by real climate activists for attaching his name to such a foundation while making no steps to cut back his own over-emission of CO2.

But what did people remember most about this incident?

Pepsi’s nonchalant misrepresentation of Black Americans protests at the very same time? The implicit message behind hiring actors to portray ‘cameraworthy’ protestors for a cause that they did not even bother to make up?

No–instead, it was the fact that Jenner, budding model at the time, had been the face of this ad and that her involvement warranted months of discussion over how “cringe” her screen time had been.

To this point, another problem with celebrity activists arises: weighing in on social issues often results in the narrative being morphed into a lengthy superficial discourse, losing its sense of urgency.

Many of us remember the 2017 Pepsi advertisement starring Kendall Jenner, which attempted to “project a global message of unity, peace and understanding”. It included visuals of attractive actors younger than 30, cheerfully holding vague phrases such as ‘Join the conversation’, the Chinese character for love, , and a plethora of 60s-esque peace symbols.

爱

How to Find a Study Room During Finals Week: A Comprehensive Guide

by Jordan Bahnub You wake up in a cold sweat, heart racing from nightmares about being late to class.

Groggy, you roll over, grabbing at your phone screen. Its harsh light floods your crusty eyes: 3 minutes before your alarm.

Your stomach drops as you lament the receding prospect of simply rolling over and going back to bed. Even though you don’t have any lectures or office hours to drag yourself to, sleeping in is not an option. Welcome to finals week. Goal: find a study room.

Optimistic and naive as you are, you take a leisurely stroll to the school library. It’s still before noon: surely nobody else will be studying, right? Surely there will still be spots left? You realize your mistake as you ascend to the second floor. The cubicle rooms are already occupied, whether it be by bodies or by belongings, empty water bottles like cairns on hiking trails. And--is that a pillow? Have people been camping here overnight? Even the classrooms have been thoroughly colonized by scribbled-over papers and laptop cords. A sense of dread washes over your body.

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OPINION

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I do acknowledge the idea that celebrity involvement in political issues should be empowering. Their ability to reach immense audiences seems like an optimal way to involve more people in the issues that might concern them, or others around the world. For this reason, they do sometimes receive criticism when they do not use their platform to comment on an issue that the public might feel could benefit from their input. However, I have to question why it must take a celebrity personality to be able to inspire these feelings of empathy within a population. Why does one’s favorite singer or model, as opposed to affected civilians, joining a protest inspire them to begin to see its importance?

Long story short: there are countless dedicated political activists–experts in their field who have the knowledge to share to those who will listen. Erasing them by filtering their messages through profitable personas has always just rubbed me the wrong way.

Traversing higher, to the spire where not even snacks are allowed, you see that here, too, has already been conquered by diligent earlybird studiers. Passing by a study table in the corner, a thought crosses your mind: do you risk sitting across a stranger’s belongings? To do such a thing would be to violate the unspoken contract of personal space. The temptation lingers in your mind before you decide to do another lap, just to be sure all the rooms are taken. By the time you return, the seat is already occupied.

Dejected from the library’s boundless cruelty, you leave in search of another frontier. But no matter where you go, something is always wrong. The community centers are too loud, and the team rooms in the dorms are also taken. Even IB is filled with anxious students nursing their third energy drink of the day. Then--an epiphany shudders down your spine, sensation cold and jarring. There is still one building you have dared not enter: AB. A haunted shell of its former self, the fallen angel of student socialization.

You swallow the lump in your throat and walk up its back steps, almost able to feel the ghost of the footsteps of hundreds of students overlapping with your own. The lobby is leaden with the aura of disappointment. Walking towards the aisle of team rooms on the first floor, a graveyard of dark, empty chairs stares back at you. Deeper into the maw of the creature, crawling through hallways as if they were the intestines of a great beast, you finally come across it: a team room barren of the claim of others. You haphazardly toss your bag onto the floor and slump into the chair (which by now might even be a little dusty), prying open your fully-charged laptop. Your reward: 8 consecutive hours of uninterrupted studying. You shall cherish every well-earned moment of the foretold ‘grind,’ and your sleep deprivation shall reach heights never before experienced. You have truly won. But at what cost?

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04

Betting on the Doppelganger

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

The Pivotal Role of Synthetic Data in the AI Privacy Question

by Nazirjon Ismoiljonov

Synthetic Data in Practice

Data is the fuel of modern technological revolutions. Analogous to how vehicles require quality fuel to run efficiently, AI models need highquality data to function optimally. However, sourcing vast amounts of quality data isn’t just challenging, but often expensive, and sometimes even impossible due to privacy concerns. Synthetic data offers a promising solution, a bridge to the gap, ensuring that AI can continue to advance without compromising individual privacy.

Understanding Synthetic Data At its core, synthetic data replicates the characteristics of real data but is generated using complex algorithms. The challenges associated with real data, such as incompleteness, bias, or unavailability due to privacy regulations, make synthetic data an attractive alternative. Synthetic data, on the other hand, can be tailored to specific needs, ensuring a diverse and comprehensive dataset.

Computer Vision Models

The Advent of Generative AI Generative AI, epitomized by models like ChatGPT and DALL-E, and especially by Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs), has played a transformative role in the production of high-quality synthetic data. For instance, a 2020 study by Zhang, Huang, and Lv detailed the potential of GANs in the realm of medical image augmentation. The researchers’ method first employed traditional data augmentation techniques to expand the training dataset. It then harnessed GAN techniques to further amplify the volume and diversity of the data, generating synthetic medical images. Models like PATE-GAN have brought another layer of innovation. PATE-GAN not only produces synthetic data but also employs a principle known as differential privacy. Differential privacy ensures that any data released or analyzed doesn't reveal specific information about individuals. It's a measure that ensures the data remains confidential, even when used for broader analyses, safeguarding individual privacy in the process.

Banking and Financial Transactions

Clinical Trials in Healthcare

In the field of computer vision, synthetic data is used extensively to train AI algorithms in object detection.

By generating varied scenarios and environments, synthetic data ensures that AI models can accurately detect and classify objects in diverse real-world settings. At Verido.ai, synthetic data plays a pivotal role in training computer vision models, especially for OCR (Optical Character Recognition). By generating thousands of image samples that simulate real-world data using only the alphabet of the required language, verido.ai ensures robust model training without compromising user data.

In the field of computer vision, synthetic data is used extensively to train AI algorithms in object detection.

By generating varied scenarios and environments, synthetic data ensures that AI models can accurately detect and classify objects in diverse real-world settings. At Verido.ai, synthetic data plays a pivotal role in training computer vision models, especially for OCR (Optical Character Recognition). By generating thousands of image samples that simulate real-world data using only the alphabet of the required language, verido.ai ensures robust model training without compromising user data.

In the healthcare sector, synthetic data is proving to be invaluable, especially when real data isn't available or is scarce. For instance, data science teams are using synthetic data as a foundation for clinical trials. This ensures that the trials can proceed without compromising patient privacy or waiting for the collection of vast amounts of realworld data.

of the advanced sectors in the use of synthetic data is the autonomous vehicle industry. Training self-driving cars Autonomous One requires huge amounts of data to ensure that they can navigate safely in complex real-world scenarios. However, real-world driving data is time-consuming and often lacks variety. Synthetic data fills this gap by simulating Vehicles collecting different driving conditions, traffic situations, and environments to ensure that the artificial intelligence models in these vehicles are well trained and robust.

As industries around the world struggle with the dual issues of adopting AI capabilities and protecting data privacy, synthetic data makes room for development and protects personal information simultaneously. Synthetic data is evidence of the AI community's dedication to ethical and responsible innovation, and not merely a technological breakthrough. It will play a pivotal role in determining the future of AI, guaranteeing both progress and privacy.

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Ozempic Pills

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Meet The Magic Bullet of The Weight-Loss Industry

by Angarag Gantogoo In a world where weight control and a positive body image is a pervasive struggle across age groups, one medication has emerged as the unlikely hero: Ozempic.

The Hollywood open secret is revolutionizing weight management for non-diabetic individuals, offering a unique molecular approach distinct from traditional methods that heavily emphasize exercise as the primary means of weight loss.

From genetics to hormonal imbalances, weight gain can be influenced by numerous factors, many of which are beyond an individual's control. For instance, the widespread consumption of processed meats in America has significantly contributed to the alarming obesity epidemic, affecting a staggering 41.7% of American adults. In the face of widespread obesity, it becomes evident that weight is not merely a by-product of lifestyle choice. The American Medical Association classifies obesity as a prevalent disease. In this critical context, Ozempic helps mitigate devastating weightrelated effects, and has the potential to not only body image but save lives.

Ozempic owes its effectiveness to semaglutide, a synthetic hormone renowned for its ability to curb hunger by mimicking the action of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), a naturally occurring hormone pivotal in regulating blood sugar levels and satiety. By amplifying the effects of GLP-1, Ozempic not only maintains blood sugar control but also suppresses appetite, making it a formidable ally in the battle against excess weight. Body positive celebrities like Adele and Rebel Wilson have openly shared their Ozempic success stories, documenting their incredible weight loss, through both the gym and the pill.

Like any medication, experts are still wary of potential side effects of this hunger suppressant.

Ozempic does carry some notable side effects that include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting, as well as potential thyroid tumors in animal studies. These side effects highlight the importance of individuals exercising caution and discussing the use of Ozempic with their healthcare providers, especially if they have underlying health conditions.

Rather than a cure, some also view Ozempic as a symptom of a bigger problem. Ozempic’s benefits can seem great to the individual but at a societal level it becomes a "band-aid" solution that policymakers may rely on to alleviate some of the immediate health concerns, instead of fixing the systemic problems in their food systems. Lowerincome individuals and communities often face food deserts— areas where it is difficult to find affordable, healthy food. Subsidies for certain crops can make unhealthy ingredients more affordable.

And there is still so much we can do on the policy end, such as food labeling and sugar taxes, to influence consumer behavior and promote healthier choices.

The discourse surrounding Ozempic extends beyond just sociopolitical and ethical dimensions; it delves into the realm of philosophy. It prompts us to ponder: in whom or what do we place our trust?

Ozempic doesn't offer a panacea; rather, it serves as a lifeline for those who can't afford to wait for the slow wheels of politics, and for systemic problems to grind to a halt before their health deteriorates irreparably.

Another school of thought is that it is perhaps presumptive to assume that weight loss leads to healthier lifestyles.

Something inherently problematic about Ozempic use is that it purportedly puts thinness as the gold standard of fitness. But thin is not always healthy, especially with social media pushing for unrealistic body image standards. This drug may inadvertently worsen pre-existing eating disorders of its users, and it raises questions about who stands to gain from its widespread adoption.

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As the debate over the merits and drawbacks of this drug rages on, it is important to recognize that in the relentless competition for survival of the "fittest”, there are those who emerge as undeniable victors. Whether or not we will bite this magic bullet– thankfully, that decision is still ours to make.

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In August 2021, the National University of Singapore (NUS) unilaterally decided to merge its Scholars Programme with Yale-NUS to form the "New College," rescinding the affiliation agreement between Yale University and NUS. Founded in 2011, the partnership pioneered a liberal arts program in Asia, rejecting the traditional approach of placing students in specialized courses of study. The university gathered students from more than 60 countries to promote globalmindedness and created a liberal curriculum to foster critical thinking and meaningful dialogue. Despite embarking on this bold commitment together, NUS and Yale University held different expectations for the project.

Moreover, the authoritative local context proved difficult to navigate, and the Yale-NUS's academic freedom policy did not surpass Singapore's intricate cultural nuances. Despite opposition and petitions from students and faculty, Yale-NUS will not accept applications for the 2022/2023 Academic Year, rendering the class of 2025 its final cohort of students.

Yale-NUS's case is perplexing due to its abrupt shift in direction. The one-sided decision granulated two decades' worth of aspirations, capital, and scholarly work. It's difficult to tell what will be Yale-NUS's legacy, but what is clear is the emotional and academic toll it exerted upon the hundreds of faculty and students that saw this institution as their home. The end of this ambitious academy speaks volumes about the future of transnational liberal arts initiatives, underscoring the need for effective communication between parties in joint-venture programs and adaptability in complex locations.

Liberal arts projects in non-US contexts have existed since the 20th century. For example, Bard College Berlin, founded in 1999 as a branch of Bard College in New York State, has operated for two decades. One might argue that Bard College Berlin fronted different advantages; it had only one parent institution, free from collaboration struggles. In addition, a liberal arts program is much more likely to blend in a city like Berlin, an open-minded metropolis with unquestionable Western influence. Still, other liberal arts projects have prevailed despite facing limitations similar to those of Yale-NUS, like Sorbonne Abu Dhabi. The 2006 joint venture between Sorbonne University, Université Paris Cité and the Government of Abu Dhabi has more than a decade of existence despite handling multiple affiliations and operating in an authoritative context. These two and countless other examples indicate transnational liberal arts programs are feasible, but what catalyzed such an unfortunate end for the Singaporean joint venture, and what can others learn from it?

While the exact reasons for the Yale-NUS’s closure remain unknown, there are some important lessons to be drawn.

Undoubtedly, cultural contexts and communication between partners matter, as both parties in the cooperation could not reach a consensus on numerous topics like the cost of tuition and curriculumbuilding. It's important to note that the National University of Singapore is a public university aiming to provide education to all Singaporeans regardless of socioeconomic access while Yale University is one of the most expensive institutions in the United States. This stark contrast in financial incentives prompted a problematic question for both parties: who was supposed to have access to this prestigious program? While a low admission rate signaled prestige and exclusivity, NUS embarked on a journey hoping to be a beacon of educational innovation for all Singaporean citizens.

The LilyPad

05

GLOBAL POLITICS

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CLOSURE OF YALE-NUS

The Importance of Communication and Curricular Adaptability

by Sebastian Portilla

The cost of tuition at Yale-NUS more than doubled that of NUS, rendering it an "elitist" institution to many locals and fostering bitterness between sibling institutions.

Nonetheless, many argued that Yale-NUS offered generous financial aid. But the average class size was approximately 250 students, meaning its purpose was not to cater to a large section of the Singaporean population.

In a speech addressing the closure, Minister of Education Chan Chun Sing claimed that merging Yale-NUS with the New College could allow many more to experience a liberal arts education. Both parties viewed accessibility to their institution differently, which led to different expectations that may have severed their bond. Another critical issue is Singapore's authoritative political and educational culture, resulting in unavoidable clashes with Yale University. Singapore's educational system revolves around building a skilled workforce to bolster its economic growth. Indeed, the Minister of Education in 2017, Ng Chee Meng, stated that Singaporean youth must concentrate on "deep skills and expertise to harness technology" to bolster the country's economy. Traditionally, Singapore has not prioritized critical thinking and creative endeavors, core elements of a liberal arts education. Not to mention the government exerts significant control over educational content to avoid divergent perspectives. The Singaporean government strives to promote national identity and social cohesion. A liberal curriculum inherently encourages diverse perspectives and critical questioning, which would result in social disunity and political skepticism. Accordingly, building a liberal arts curriculum with such conditions was challenging, and both parties could not reach a consensus on educational priorities.

In conclusion, despite several thriving international liberal arts programs, Yale-NUS's closure reveals weaknesses that are difficult to unwind. In particular, reaching a consensus on the institution's purpose and curriculum was difficult, given the undeniable cultural discrepancies between Singapore and Yale’s New Haven, Connecticut. The closure symbolizes a failed business venture and the Achilles heel of transnational projects that require the endorsement of a local authoritative superior. Without effective communication, curriculum adaptability and support from the country hosting the institution, the whole endeavor remained one speech away from crumbling down.

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Fall Issue When one thinks of the word ‘fandom’, being a medium for social justice is usually not the first thing that comes to mind. Particularly, the reputation of K-pop fans from an outsider’s perspective has been quite controversial.

ARMY, the term for BTS’s fan base, has been carelessly labeled several times, particularly in the West, as “12-year-old girls who have too much time on their hands”. Of course, the labels vary, but the meaning is clear- K-pop fandoms are being belittled, underestimated, and misunderstood.

K-pop fans are a diverse group of people, some of which are indeed 12-year-olds girls. Still, fandom as a whole consists of many others, including university students, adult professionals- lawyers, doctors, teachers-, and many more. When these so-called ’12year-olds’ are coming together to organize massive projects for good causes, can they really be shrugged off? Why should they be cast aside when coming together is more important than ever, amidst global issues such as inequality and the climate crisis?

Even though I am not a part of the ‘ARMY,’ I have witnessed several times first-hand what K-pop fandoms can accomplish, just as I would like to share in the following story: It was just another day of scrolling through Twitter when I stumbled upon an announcement of a birthday project for my favorite idol, Zhang Hao, who is the center of the new boy group‘ZEROBASEONE’ formed from the survival show, Boys Planet. Within K-pop culture, it is common for fans to organize projects for individual members to celebrate their birthdays, which can range from raising money to rent billboards for advertising, to more heartwarming acts such as raising money to be donated to charity under the name of the idol.

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An Untapped Force for Good?

by Liam Curaming Zhang Hao was a licensed music teacher before he participated in Boys Planet, therefore a group of his fans, who call themselves ‘Zhang Hao’s Rosin,’ decided that it would be a great idea to raise money to donate a music learning playground to Jiehu Elementary School, located in the impoverished mountainous region of Yunnan, China. The name of their fandom, ‘Zhang Hao’s Rosin’, plays a significant role as to why they chose to do this specific project. Zhang Hao is a violin player, and one of the things needed to play the violin is the addition of rosin to the bow, enabling the violin to make music. Debuting from a survival show, his fans (myself included), voted for him every single day so that he could make his debut. Hence, in a sense, us ‘rosins’ quite literally enabled his dreams to come true - just as a rosin makes a violin able to produce music. The sentiment was clear: just as we supported our idol in achieving his dream of making music, we support those who have similar dreams, but do not have the resources to achieve them.

A few months later, I saw a tweet on the updated progress of the music learning playground. To my pleasant surprise, it was revealed that a grand total of over 120 instruments were donated to the elementary school including but not limited to recorders, harmonicas, triangles, and tambourines. Additionally, the instruments were joined with essential equipment such as music stands and alcohol pads. The school was all set to fulfill the musical dreams of their students. The update tweet also revealed the number of donors, and I could not help but notice that only 15 people donated to the cause, yet so much had already been accomplished. Although the donors were likely to be rich, this was nevertheless impressive.

Witnessing this act of good will made me imagine the sheer possibilities of K-pop fandoms in promoting social justice all over the world. With 15 people, a school with unfavorable circumstances is now able to teach music. What more could hundreds, thousands, or even millions of fans achieve when they come together for a good cause?

These days, 4th or even 5th generation K-pop groups commonly sell over a million albums per release, indicating the fast growth of fandoms in the current times.

In fact, the group that Zhang Hao is a part of, ZEROBASEONE, just made K-pop history, with their debut album, “YOUTH IN THE SHADE,” selling over 1.8 million copies. At the time of debut, with the group being barely a month old, this accomplishment was unheard of.

ZEROBASEONE’s fandom will only grow from this point onwards and one can only imagine what the fandom could potentially accomplish in the future.

OBASE

ONE

ZER

K-pop Fandoms

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However, the keyword ‘potentially’ should be underlined.

Despite the untapped potential of K-pop fandoms to be a medium for social justice, the core nature of fandom cannot be ignored as their utmost priority is the worship of their idol. I admittedly share that nature myself, spending most of my energy in relation to Zhang Hao admiring his pictures, watching his performances, tweeting about my excitement regarding anything Zhang Hao-esque and, from time to time, supporting these efforts of social justice when they pop up on my social media feed. However, every fan has a different background and fandoms, when properly organized, have the potential of bridging gaps in power or wealth to support a cause. It may be difficult, but committed fans with time, money, and effort can make a real change -not just to find joy in supporting their beloved idol, but in making an impact in the world we live in today.

That is something myself and many other K-pop fans all over the world hope to be able to do.

Fall Issue

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The LilyPad

06

HEALTH & WELLNESS

“Dima Maghrib!”: Morocco's Women's Football Team to World Cup

by Aicha Slaitane

On July 2022, thousands of proudly standing Moroccans chanted in unison “Dima Maghrib!” (Morocco Forever!) to the top of their lungs at the Prince Moulay Abdellah football stadium in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. A powerful sense of oneness filled their spirits as they witnessed their country making history. During that day, the Atlas Lionesses (Morocco’s national women’s football team) became the first Arab and North African nation to qualify for the Women’s World Cup. They were set to play at the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand from July to August 2023.

Morocco’s national women’s football team played its first international match in 1998, as part of the third Women's Africa Cup of Nations. After that, they played in some regional and international competitions including the Arab Women’s Championship and the UNAF Women’s tournament. However, their biggest achievement before the 2023 World Cup was in the Women's Africa Cup of Nations in which they were the runners up.

In addition to the football games, the Australian & New Zealand World Cup witnessed another significant event. During the Morocco – Germany match, Nouhaila Benzina, a Moroccan Football player became the first player to wear hijab (Islamic clothing) at a senior women’s international tournament.

Morocco documented a lot of firsts during both the men and women’s national football teams’ runs in the last World Cups, which inspired and united millions of Moroccans and attracted attention all over the world. Some of these firsts have far reaching effects. For example, Nouhaila Benzina’s journey paved the path to many other people to pursue their dreams while embracing their differences. Moreover, both teams received international recognition for their achievements, global exposure, and financial rewards that would boost the football infrastructure in their countries and improve coaching and training programs. Last but not least, success in international well renowned competitions inspire future generations, leading to the development of talent pipelines for the national team.

Following the historic run of Morocco’s national men football team during the World Cup in Qatar, in which they surpassed all expectations and reached the semi-finals, the Atlas Lionesses and their fans went to Australia fully motivated to permanently redraw the world’s women football map. Their hopes were severely tested during the team’s first match when they suffered a heavy loss 6-0 to Germany. However, in the next game against South Korea, they won 1-0 and regained confidence. Four days later, they played against Columbia, and won again 1-0, sparking joy amongst all supporters. As a result of these wins, Morocco reached the knock-out stage on its first ever appearance at the tournament, creating yet more history! The Atlas Lionesses ended their first World Cup journey in the round of 16, after their loss to France.

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My friend and I during the qualification match of the Atlas Lionesses to the World Cup

Fall Issue

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R U T E S U PLANT F The Campaign for a More Inclusive Canteen

by Helene Gu Although the new phase II DKU canteen brings students a variety of choices across 3 floors, from cafe sandwiches to Western food to classic Chinese dishes, it is still difficult for vegetarians and vegans to locate suitable dining options.

Ola Stryjska was one of the first people to notice the issues with the plant based options on campus. During the summer, she and her fellow vegetarian friend, Amelia Janiak, both hailing from Poland, faced a recurring issue: having to repeatedly request chefs to eliminate meat from their meals, only to be left with meager and unsatisfying dishes. Although the chefs accommodated their requests at first, there came a point when their pleas were met with refusal. Undeterred by this challenge, Ola felt a deep sense of injustice that the canteen offered nothing more than plain pasta, rice and a handful of vegetables for vegetarians. This ignited a newfound passion in Ola, a supporter who had long been committed to change.

Her initial breakthrough came in the form of the vegetarian sandwich—a small victory that illustrated the potential for enhancing the food choices at DKU. Today, you'll often find Ola passionately rallying others with her inspiring mantra: "Are you dissatisfied with the food at DKU? It’s okay. Join us to improve the DKU canteens” Marielle Williamson is a freshman who has been involved in sustainability outreach and advocacy since high school, particularly about factory farming and plant based milk alternatives. After being told that she couldn’t spread information about plant based milks or criticize the dairy industry, she filed a lawsuit against her district and the USDA for infringing upon freedom of speech.

At DKU, she continues to champion plant based milks, particularly Oatly, working with the administration of Family Mart to introduce Oatly ice cream, as well as pushing for oat milk as an option for coffees in the cafe. With her history in animal welfare, she is a dedicated vegan. When asked how she survives, she says that she has been cooking in her room every day, a time consuming endeavor, especially with the upcoming closure of the kitchen in building G. Even as vegetarian options on campus are increasing, vegan options still lag behind. Although the canteen gets many demands for increased meat options, there is a crucial difference: “They already have options, we don’t have any.”

Keyi Shi is an iMEP student who went vegan during her junior year of undergraduate studies at Shanghai University, persuaded by the environmental benefits of eating plant based food such as the general reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and water use[1]. However, she recognizes the difficulty in being vegan in China. Some faculty and students who were once vegan have had to become more flexible, eating vegetarian or flexitarian. “There is still a long way to go before veganism is a concept that can be widely achieved in China, let alone promoted.”

Plant Futures is an initiative based in the United States aimed to promote awareness of plant based diets. The goal of the Plant Futures campaign is not trying to stop people from eating meat or removing meat from the cafeteria but to provide everyone with the ability to choose the diet that is best for them, and fits their needs. However, the reality is that this is currently hard to achieve.

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The LilyPad Many faculty are adamant about the cause as well. Plant Futures’ advisor Professor Xing Shi Cai is an active facilitator in group meetings, along with professors Emily McWilliams, Quinlan Bowman, Kris Hiller, Coraline Goron, Claudia Nisa, Pippa Morgan, as well as Dean Jill Creighton. Plant Futures has brought together vegetarians and vegans on campus.

“There are more vegetarians on campus than people may think, and when we come together, we can make change.”

With the need to meet food safety requirements and perform a cost analysis of all new dishes in the canteen, as well as getting many layers of approvals, we must be patient.

Nonetheless, progress is clearly coming.

Canteen managers Ray and Kevin of the catering service Pandora have adapted quickly. After 2 meetings with Plant Futures members, and becoming aware there was an unmet need for vegetarians and vegans, they have been working rapidly to bridge the gap.

Today, there you can find a vegan protein option every day on the third floor a la carte and weigh and pay, as well as check out the new vegetarian set menu on the second floor, which students and faculty, vegetarian or otherwise, have enjoyed.

When thanked, the managers only humbly stated “it’s only what we should be doing”. By increasing plant based options, we hope to play a role in a more inclusive canteen for everyone’s needs.

ARRIVAL The LilyPad

Photo by Lunji Zhu