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Monday, February 28, 2022
Vol. 138, No. 15
News
A2
Department of Agriculture hosts mushroom cultivation lecture
Anika Chamberlain Contributor
Opinion
A3
Forced to flee or determined to fight: Ukrainians need our urgent support
Culture
A5
Bangor Public Library features ‘Our Changing Landscapes’ exhibition
Sports
A8
Men’s basketball falls in thriller to Albany
Department of Agriculture hosts mushroom cultivation lecture
On Friday Feb. 25 the University of Maine Department of Agriculture hosted a webinar titled “Spring Has Spawned: Getting Your Garden Ready for Mushroom Cultivation” on Zoom. Pamela Hargest, a horticulture professional at the UMaine Cumberland County Cooperative Extension, hosted the lecture and invited Louis Giller, the education and events coordinator for North Spore in Westbrook, as a guest speaker. North Spore sells premium mushroom growing supplies and
kits and focuses heavily on education and outreach to the mushroom growing community. The company’s website has plenty of educational materials and blog posts about growing mushrooms. “Spring Has Spawned” was the first webinar in a fivepart spring gardening webinar series offered through April for Maine gardeners. Giller walked audience members through the process of incorporating mushrooms into their gardens. Mushrooms are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein and have medicinal properties as well. Stud-
ies have shown that mushrooms have antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, they digest things in soil like lignin and cellulose and make those properties more bioavailable. When mushrooms themselves degrade, they enrich the soil and support surrounding plants. On top of these qualities, mushrooms grow in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors. “That’s a huge aesthetic factor,” Giller said. After explaining the benefits of adding mushrooms to a garden, Giller gave a very in-depth introduction
to basic fungal biology and growing methods. Gardeners may already be familiar with beginning a seedling in a pot or otherwise contained area, sometimes inside, before moving the budding plant outside to flourish. Giller explained that the best way to begin growing mushrooms, through spawning is by using a log of wood in a process called log cultivation. Mushrooms can take 12-24 months to “fruit.” Giller went over the necessary tools to spawn mushrooms and growing care for multiple mushroom species. Every species is slightly different and all need
different treatment to thrive. Along with the aesthetic benefits of growing a variety of mushrooms, each mushroom also helps its ecosystem in a different way. Tickets for this webinar, and the upcoming webinars in the spring gardening series, were sold for an optional sliding scale fee. Attendees could choose how much they could afford to pay, and some tickets were free for those who couldn’t afford them. The next webinar in the series is called “How Not to Kill Your Houseplants” and will be hosted by Karen Ramsey on March 4
at noon. “Propagating Trees and Shrubs in the Winter” is on March 7 at 6 p.m. House gardeners can learn about starting vegetable and flower seedlings indoors on March 25 at “Seed Starting at Home.” The last webinar in the UMaine spring gardening series will be on April 1 at noon, “Preventing Wildlife Damage to Home Gardens.” To attend these webinars, you may register here: https:// extension.umaine.edu/ gardening/webinar-series/.
Microbes and Social Equity Speaker Series hosts Jake Robinson
Graphic by Christiana Mosca.
Samantha Sudol Contributor On Feb. 23, the Microbes and Social Equity (MSE) Speaker Series 2022 continued online as Dr. Jake Robinson, an ecologist and researcher, discussed his interests in microbial ecology, ecosystem restoration and social research. His presentation, “20 Important Questions in Microbial Exposure and Social Equity [and] Recent Work on Urban Greenspace Microbiomes” further established the importance of microbes and how they shape our lives
and the world around us. “I explored integrated strategies that take into account this environment microbiome human health relationship and tried to understand some of the co-benefits of these integrated strategies, said Robinson. “So these could include things like nature engagement, activities also known as green prescriptions, or understanding the design and restoration of green spaces and how these affect human health.” There were several themes and research
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questions that were investigated by Robinson and his team to set the agenda for future research in the area of Microbes and Social Equity. These include socio-cultural interactions, indigenous community health and wellbeing, humans, urban ecosystems and environmental processes, human psychology and mental health, the microbiome and infectious diseases, human health and food security and microbiome related planning, policy and outreach. Robinson continued by explaining the importance of a diversity
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of microbiomes in the community and how it helps our immune system. In a diagram, he presented declines in biodiversity would lead to microbial deprivation, followed by microbial imbalance and/ or disturbed immune response, which would conclude to a high risk of inflammatory diseases. This biodiversity/old friend hypothesis stresses just how important our microbes are to us and our environment. “Diversity was associated with a reduced risk of acutely fibroastic leukemia, 35%, which is quite aston-
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ishing from a massive study of 899,000,” said Robinson. “Ecosystem restoration fails because we typically address composition/diversity, when we need to understand interactions and functional traits that provide stability and resilience.” Robinson later presented a graph that illustrates how foraging environments have a high human microbiome community diversity, whereas urban industrial landscapes have a low human microbiome community diversity. “Our skin essentially has the same immune
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system, and microbes play a key role. Pollution can also affect the microbial communities on the skin which could potentially have important health implications,” said Robinson. “So we shouldn’t just be focusing on the gut microbiome, and these are factors to consider in the realm of social equity, particularly if you think about certain social groups that may, you know, living in higher areas of high deprivation, may be more exposed to different kinds of pollution.”
Scan me!
A2• News
Weekly Updates
Monday, February 28, 2022
The Maine Campus
This Week in Student Government
Weekly recap of decisions made by the UMaine Student Government General Student Senate Avery Norman Contributor On Tuesday, Feb. 22, The University of Maine General Student Senate held their weekly meeting in Room 100 in Neville Hall to discuss the winter carnival, the upcoming debate and other general reports. The meeting opened with the general good and welfare section in which any non-member of the senate can speak for no more than five minutes. Dominique DiSpirito, a fourth-year student at UMaine, is the current senior class’s Giving Campaign manager for the University of Maine Foundation and spoke to the student senate about their annual campaign. “It tries to raise support from the senior class and establish a relationship of philanthropy that goes beyond our time at UMaine,” DiSpirito said. The goal of the campaign is to get seniors to donate or volunteer to causes of
their choosing.
tion season.
“As of right now, graduating seniors can donate $20.22 [a nod to the class of 2022] or more and what they’ll receive is a philanthropy chord, philanthropy pin and an exclusive invitation to a True Blue Champagne Toast the night before the commencement,” DiSpirito said.
According to Chaplin, last year only 500 students voted in the student government elections, so they want to see that number increase this year.
This event is going to be hosted by Jeff Mills, the CEO of the University of Maine Foundation. According to the senate, there are also multiple student events happening this week, including the Student Organization Fair. “There will be over 100 amazing student organizations to connect with and join,” Bailey Lewis, vice president for student organizations of UMSG said. “There are going to be prizes every hour on the hour and student government is going to have a table there, so we hope to see a lot of you.”
Tune Into This!
The Student Organization Fair is set to be held in the Recreation Center on campus from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24. Winter Carnival is also in full swing this week. Dylan Taplin, vice president for student entertainment of UMSG has been very instrumental in putting together events for this week. “We have a really big slide which is super fun and an ice-skating rink,” Taplin said.
There is now a snow globe meant for students to take photos in and UMSG is coordinating with student life to have many other fun activities for this Winter Carnival. A significant event for the student senate are the upcoming elections. There is going to be a debate on Wednesday, March 2, at 5:00 p.m. in the North Pod, for the student government elections. Jacob Chaplin, the chair of the fair election practices commission, spoke on what he hopes to see happen this elec-
Connor Bray, chair of the policy and procedure committee for GSS, is also on the ballot running for Vice President of UMSG. “If you elect Connor, you will have elected a VP who cares about student voices,” Bray wrote on his campaign instagram page. Election day is going
In community association reports, Megan Keast, the chair of Feminist Collective, announced that the group will be hosting a self defense class. The course is going to be held on Sunday, March 6 at the Rec Center, and more information and sign ups are going to be posted on the UMaine’s Feminist Collective Instagram page. Feminist Collective meets normally on Thursdays at 5:00 p.m. in the IFRC. Jinyoung Park, a representative of the International Student Association also spoke about the International Dance Festival which occurred on Feb 26. The senate moved to executive session during their meeting this week, in which all non-members of GSS were asked to leave the meeting as they discussed private matters pertaining to the senate.
What’s happening this week at UMaine & Beyond
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
On this day in 1983 the final episode of the sitcom M*A*S*H aired. Based on a novel written by Maine resident Richard Hooker, M*A*S*H follows a surgical hospital unit on the front lines of the Korean War. The series finale was viewed by 106 million people, making it one of the biggest TV finales of all time.
On this day in 1872 Yellowstone National Park became the first established national park in the world. It was later dedicated as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1978.
On this day in 1904 Theodore Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss, was born. He is best known for his children’s books including “Cat in the Hat”, “One fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
2/28 The Canadian-American Center is hosting a discussion entitled “Whose Home and Whose Native Land?” at 2 p.m. over Zoom.
Currently on the ballot of the upcoming election is the current Vice President for Student Leadership, Alyssa Ciasullo who is running for Student Body President of UMSG alongside her running mate, Peter Alexander. Ciasullo and Alexander’s campaign is centered around student wellness, mental health and sustainability.
to be Wednesday, March 9 and voting is going to be open for all students from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
3/1 The men’s basketball team will be playing against the University of Vermont at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Tip off is at 7 p.m. and tickets are free for students who present a valid MaineCard ID.
3/2 The Zillman Art Museum is currently showing seven exhibitions both curated from the museum collection and of guest artists. Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Thursday Today marks the anniversary of “The Star Spangled Banner” being named the official anthem of the United States in 1931.
3/3 The Center for Student Involvement is hosting a Star Warsthemed crafts night at 8 p.m. in the North Pod of the Memorial Union.
Friday Today is Antonio Vivaldi’s birthday. Vivaldi was most well known for his influences on Baroque music and his use of the concerto style.
3/4 The Center for Student Involvement is hosting a Star Wars trivia night at 9 p.m. in the North Pod of the Memorial Union.
3/5 The Center for Student Involvement is hosting a Nerf War at 9 p.m. in the Rec Center.
Opinion Monday, February 28, 2022
Opinion • A3
The Maine Campus
Forced to flee or determined to fight: Ukrainians need our urgent support
Photo by Olivia Schanck.
Emma Vannorsdall Opinion Editor On Feb. 24, 2022, Russia commenced an unprovoked invasion into their democratic neighbor Ukraine. The destructive military attacks have displaced tens of thousands both within the country and on an international level into neighboring countries including Romania, Moldova and Poland. “Poland expects as many as one million Ukrainians to enter its territory not counting those headed to Slovakia, Hungary, or Romania,” reported Drew Hinshaw for the Wall Street Journal. While Russian and Ukrainian officials have agreed to meet and discuss negotiations, innocent Ukrainian civilians continue to fear for their safety as they enter the fourth day of intense armed con-
flict with Russia. The world has watched in disbelief as bombings, shootings, civilian casualties and building collapse live on Tik Tok and other social media sites, leaving many wondering how individuals can help Ukrainians during this unprecedented modern war. Correspondence with 23-year-old University of Maine graduate Iaryna Iasenytska has provided some insight into the unfolding events in Ukraine. Iasenytska graduated from UMaine in 2021 with an international affairs degree with a concentration in security and minors in Spanish and legal studies. She currently resides in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine and the epicenter of Russian-Ukrainian conflict, and has updated us on the current state of affairs. She has shared
with us detailed information on the essential support currently needed by Ukrainians. Iasenytska emphasized three major ways allies can extend support to Ukraine immediately: reach out to representatives, donate to military and humanitarian organizations and follow and share official information. “Reaching out to your representative officials to urge them [to] act on the current Russian invasion and terrorism in Ukraine (Russian forces are bombing, firing, targeting civilian buildings and civillians, including women and kids),” said Iasenytska. “Ask your government to support Ukraine with military aid, financial support, humanitarian resources, as well as employ stricter and more diplomatic measures, [like increased]
sanctions.” Maine’s representatives can be found on the Maine.gov site. Enter your address to find your respective elected officials and contact them by their listed phone or email. Financial support is another crucial element for helping provide food and resources for displaced refugees as well as military aid for those bravely choosing to fight back against the Russian force. Donations can be made to the Return Alive Foundation which helps to fund the Ukrainian army. Donations should also be made to UNICEF, the Ukrainian Red Cross and Doctors without Borders to provide support to those in Ukraine, especially children, bearing the consequences of the evolving humanitarian crisis.
It is also vital to support and protect independent journalists helping to keep the world informed of the rapidly evolving conflict. The Kyiv Independent is an example of high quality, independent journalism that provides insightful news stories on Ukraine’s current events in English. They can be supported financially through their Patreon. Lastly, Iasenytska strongly encouraged following and sharing information from Ukrainian officials and remaining vigilantly aware of fake news, unreliable resources and Russian propaganda. Updates from the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, can be followed on Twitter and Instagram, as well as updates from the Ukraine Minister of Foreign Affairs. “Ukrainian war is
a war for democracy and peace for all of Europe. It was Russia that started this invasion. We are simply defending our state and the ability to choose our government,” said Iasenytska amidst the turmoil escalating in her home country. “While being in the US and studying with many of you [at UMaine], I saw that we share similar values of democracy, which are certainly worth defending and fighting for no matter what might come and who might come to challenge them,” said Iasenytska. Her bravery to speak up should be met with global solidarity for her and the people of Ukraine as well as immediate action and support.
ND Paper should increase environmental regulation to protect community resources Sydney Jackson Contributor As a University of Maine student, you may be all-too familiar with the sulfur, almost rotten egg smell wafting through UMaine’s campus, perhaps even making its way into your dorm on particularly windy days. The pungent odor’s origin is the ND Paper Old Town Mill. The mill closed in 2015, but reopened in the fall of 2018 after it was purchased by ND Paper, a subsidiary of the Chinese company, Nine Dragons Paper Ltd., according to the Bangor Daily News. The mill has been in operation for over 150
years, fluctuating between opening and closing, bouncing from owner to owner. Despite its benefits of revenue and providing jobs for hundreds of Penobscot County locals, the pungent odor and the negative environmental effects far outweigh the positives. ND Paper produces unbleached softwood kraft pulp at the Old Town Mill, which can be used to produce paper, cardboard or construction products, according to The University of Maine Office of Sustainability. This process involves the use of caustic soda to break down wood chips, which contains
sodium sulfide, which along with the gas mercaptan, produces the familiar rotten-egg smell. The mill also produces air pollutants such as hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, which can cause changes in air quality and gather in waterways via rainfall, causing a variety of environmental issues that can be detrimental to human health, according to the University of Maine Office of Sustainability. The smell aside, the mill and its production have negative effects on the environment and on the residents in its own community. There seems to be a large lack of regulation
when it comes to what NP Paper is allowed to put out into the environment. The argument for stricter regulation was further validated in October 2020, when a spill of more than 30,700 gallons of harmful chemicals flowed from the ND Paper Mill into the Penobscot River. Brian Kavanah, the director of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Bureau of Water Quality spoke about the negative environmental impacts the spill had, saying that the specific material that spilled into the river was a caustic, sodium hydroxide substance that caused
a significant rise in that part of the river’s pH level. After the leak happened, the pH value of the water in the spill area was up around 12 on a scale of 14, according to Maine Beacon. “It appears it created a fish kill because there were 40 to 50 fish found soon after the leak was discovered in that area,” said Kavanah. Old Town is the home to roughly 7,395 residents from all walks of life, who are active and proud of their community. It is also home to the beautiful Penobscot River, which houses a variety of fish, some endangered, who provide
life to eagles, osprey, kingfishers, otters, seals and more. However, this flourishing ecosystem and the residents surrounding it are in danger. Without significant repercussions, discussions of more intense regulation or closure, ND Paper is polluting our air and filling our water with toxic chemicals. Maine is one of the most naturally beautiful states in the country, with wildlife and greenery filling every square mile and a very proud population of people, but if environmental regulation isn’t prioritized, then there won’t be much left to admire.
A4• Opinion
Monday, February 28, 2022
The Maine Campus
Celebrating Black American style Alex Cross Contributor February in the United States marks the celebration of Black History Month. Initially conceived by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who founded what is now known as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in 1915 and in February of 1926 introduced the first week dedicated to the observance of African Americans’ contributions to the history of the United States and world, Black History Month is an opportunity to illuminate the often overlooked contributions to society made by Black Americans. This month
at the Maine Campus, we have been honoring Black History Month by lifting up the experiences and accomplishments of Black Mainers. This week’s focus is the influence African American culture has had on popular culture at large. Most prominently beginning with the Harlem renaissance of the early 20th century, Black creative expression has pushed innovation in nearly every aspect of modern popular culture, including fashion, entertainment, sports and language. In at least one time of their history, modern staples of everyday fashion have been the subject of intense scrutiny for their rebel-
lion against the mainstream white-dominated culture of the United States. Long acrylic nails, hoop earrings, monogram prints, bucket hats, camouflage pants, oversized styles and sneaker culture are only a few examples of trends that were popularized by Black communities. The flapper dress, an iconic product of the roaring 20s, was pushed into the mainstream through women of Harlem and the South shedding the influence of the Victorian fashion influences in favor of dress that allowed for more freedom of movement. In this way, styles of clothing and accessorization popularized
by Black communities have often incorporated a subversion of the contemporary mainstream and other political commentary. Trends in Black self-expression have seen an integration into mainstream fashion throughout the rest of modern history as well –– from the zoot suits of the 40s to the afros and black leather of the 70s, to the distinctive style of dress associated with hip-hop of the 80s, to modern pop culture which has taken such strong inspiration from Black celebrities and influencers that conversations about cultural appropriation have taken off in just the last half-decade.
Other communities, such as the LGBT community and drag subculture, have also been at the forefront of revolutionizing self expression. This is in part due to the prevalence of members in those spaces hailing from Black communities, as well as their inspiration taken by non-Black members of those spaces. This has made a recent impact on culture propagated throughout online spaces, with the use of slang that has its roots in African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Terms like “slay,” “cop,” “woke” and “shade” are easy to find in internet comment sections, and are too often regarded
simply as online slang rather than recognized as parts of a legitimate dialect. Far too many aspects of culture within the United States and abroad are popularized and made profitable –– without due credit or compensation –– through the originality that can be seen blossoming within the Black communities of America. Cultural exchange is a beautiful thing to witness; however it is imperative that the achievements of and inspiration from Black Americans are celebrated in a way that does not discard, exploit or plagiarize the communities that supported their development.
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Culture Monday, February 28, 2022
Culture • A5
The Maine Campus
Bangor Public Library features ‘Our Changing Landscapes’ exhibition
Photos by Brinley Martell.
Bethany Rozzi Contributor The Bangor Public Library’s current art exhibition, “Our Changing Landscapes” opened at the beginning of February and will be open until March 31. The exhibition aims to showcase the work of Maine artists that demonstrate their interpretation of the theme of ‘Changing Landscapes.’ The exhibition is held on the third floor of the library and is open to the public during the library’s regular hours. Due to the pandemic, the Bangor Public Library briefly switched to an online virtual gallery so that they could continue to safely showcase the work of local artists, but they are excited to be able
to bring their in-person exhibitions back to life. Candis Joyce, the library’s adult program coordinator, helped put this event together. “This was the first physical exhibit that we’ve had in the building [since the pandemic], and we worked with Kate Dickerson and our art committee to coordinate the theme with this year’s science festival, and the theme ‘Our Changing Landscapes’ came out of that,” Joyce said. The exhibit features multiple artists and displayed a variety of different styles of art including several different types of paintings, a bas-relief carving, mixed media art and photography. With the theme being open to the artists’ interpretation, there is a lot of
variation of works on display. The exhibition features the work of Mary-Michael Billings, who has an acrylic oil painting being showcased titled “Empty Chairs.” Her artist statement explains that this painting represents ‘Changing Landscapes’ for her in two ways, the first one being that there is a physical change in the colors and lighting across the landscape in her paintings that depict the visual difference of the landscape at different times during the day. “...The empty chairs have often been interpreted as representing the spiritual presence of a lost loved one,” said Billings in regard to the symbolism found in her painting.
“Such a loss changes the tone and texture of our lives. Something is missing in the landscape. Someone once cherished is gone.” Renate Klien’s “Growth and Production” is a painting made from watercolor on yupo that shows a different interpretation of the ‘Changing Landscapes’ theme. “[Yupo] is a plastic material that does not absorb water. The water sits on the material and dries slowly, leaving the pigment behind,” said Klien. “In the drying process, the pigment can be moved around and natural forces like gravity, wind and melting ice participate in making the image.” Klien’s artist statement also explained that “Growth and Pro-
duction” was created during 2020 in which Klien’s work dealt with the complex topic and process of photosynthesis. Right now, the art exhibitions at the Bangor Public Library do not see much participation from students at the University of Maine, but are excited to hopefully see more involvement and are open to art students inquiring about collaborating on an exhibit. “I would love to get the word out… the more artists interested in applying for a show the better, and I think it would be great if some students wanted to pull together a collaborative show,” Joyce said. The Bangor Public Library welcomes artists of all backgrounds
and ages to submit their work. Artists being featured in “Our Changing Landscape” range from 12-yearold Izraelle Allen, who submitted the acrylic painting “Shifting Tides” to Eddie Harlow, a retired physician who has lived in Maine for 40 years and is showcasing bas-relief carving “Sandhill Cranes.” Art exhibitions at the Bangor Public Library are ongoing. If you are interested in learning more about an exhibit or submitting your artwork you can visit www.bangorpubliclibrary.org/artist or reach out to Joyce directly via email at candis.joyce@bangorpubliclibrary.org.
UMaine women’s rugby packs a punch MK Jones Contributor The University of Maine is home to over two hundred unique clubs and organizations, ranging in a variety of hobbies, crafts, philanthropic or even social activities. One of these organizations is the Women’s Rugby Club. Rugby is a contact sport originating from England in the 19th century. The game has two major variations, 15s which involves two teams of 15 players who play for 80 minutes, and 7s which is played by two teams of seven players for 14 minutes. The ball
can only be thrown or passed backwards, so forward progress is only possible by running toward the opposing team’s try line and avoiding being tackled. Points can be scored by grounding the ball in the ingoal area which is also known as a try, subsequent conversion kicks, penalty kicks or drop goals. Rugby is believed to be the ninth most popular sport around the globe. However, women’s rugby only recently started to gain popularity both for players and fans alike. For some, the idea of joining a club sport — and one you haven’t
played before nonetheless — can seem scary. For current members Sam Lang and Maddy Gernhard, they fought back their nerves and decided to play for the first time themselves at UMaine. Gernhard, a fourthyear English student, never played sports in high school. However, she learned about rugby in a history class, and her teacher happened to be a sponsor for a local club. “He told me that I should try it because I had the ‘moxy’ of a rugby player … Two years later I was at a student org[anization] fair and I saw the table for the Rugby Club and
a girl threw the ball at me, so I decided to try it out.” It seems intimidating physically, but the benefits outweigh the nerves. Gernhard spoke of a sense of empowerment that has boosted her confidence across her life, and Lang describes a “click” when she joined the rugby team. “It is such a safe and fun environment and is truly like no other sport I have been a part of,” said Lang. “I think all ruggers can agree that rugby is a part of them.” Lang, a first-year environmental ecology student, had a similar
experience to Gernhard and liked playing contact sports like soccer. Or, at least, as close to a contact sport as possible. “My dad was in the military and at one point we had all moved to Ireland,” said Lang. “While I was there, I saw a couple matches and thought it was absolutely incredible… seeing that rugby was an option at UMaine, I knew I wanted to join as soon as I could.” UMaine’s rugby team helps build trust where teammates learn to communicate effectively. “Our team is like a family,” stated Lang. “This year there are so
many new members and it’s incredible how welcoming everyone is. On and off the field we try hard to make it a safe space.” The rugby team travels across New England to play other colleges and universities during their season. They compete against other schools in the New England Collegiate 7’s Circuit, and usually play games every weekend of October. Practices are held twice a week year round, but level of commitment can vary based on your personal preference.
A6• Culture
The Maine Campus
Monday, February 28, 2022
UMaine’s IMRC Center holds ‘Visiting Artist Lecture Series’ featuring artist Alexis Hope
Photo by Izzy Pankey.
Emme Aylesworth Contributor On Feb. 22, the Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center (IMRC) hosted media artist Alexis Hope from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab for a lecture on the use of hackerspaces for design purposes. The IMRC, located in Stewart Commons, hosts six presentations each semester that are free and open to anyone in the community. “[Artists] cover a wide range of practices from 2D, photography, video, performance, sound art and social practices,” said Susan Smith, director of intermedia programs. The presentations can be viewed in-person or virtually. “Intermedia is committed to bringing a diverse roster of artist practitioners, both emerging and well-established artists, rep-
resenting the gamut of creative practice,” said featured artist Alexis Hope. “Students can hear how professional artists are not only making, but supporting themselves through their work. Theories, philosophies behind the works are discussed, and students have the opportunity to talk to the artist themselves about topics of their choosing.” Hope has contributed to some scientific advancements in the media lab. For example, she helped contribute to the expansion of accessible scientific tools that can be easily used in typically uncooperative environments such as deep sea surveillance and data collection. Hope is also a part of Lifelong Kindergarten, a research group that is built on the principle of constructivism. Lifelong Kindergarten developed the software SCRATCH, a programming language
for children that uses blocks that kids can stack and create code. Hope’s lecture covered her thesis on the use of Hackathons to promote community innovation. Hackathons are a recent form of community gathering that was centralized to the technology industry. These gatherings occur as a weekend seminar where people from diverse organizations and institutions trade ideas or strategies to create more effective technology advancements. Technology companies would use these events to scout out potential hires or features they could use in their platform. However, Hope and her team used Hackathons to tackle an issue infrequently in the spotlight: breastfeeding. The idea came from her fellow student at MIT who began to express distress over the atmosphere of breast pumping in the work-
place. She recognized that there was no safe space for her to pump as she would begin the painful process of breast pumping with outdated equipment on the bathroom floor. She would rather breastfeed her child, but that was not an option. Breastfeeding is not an option for 25% of moms that go back to work after maternity leave. Many women go back to work 10 days after their child is born, which many express is hard for their unhealed bodies and mental health. “‘Inventing the future’ is the motto for MIT’s media lab, so why are women and children left in the past?” Hope said. It was with this idea in mind that Hope and her team, with the help of a post that went viral and the emails of thousands of moms, that they contacted local organizations to create a Hackathon that was a safe and open space
where women could share their ideas for a more effective way of breast pumping and dissolve the stigma of the post-pregnancy experience in the workforce. “Solutions for the problems came from the community,” Hope said. “People can be experts on their own problems and the solutions that surround them.” The Hackathon proved to be successful and occurred yearly after the first meeting in 2018. Women not only found ways to create changes to the breast pump itself, but found ways for women in socio-economic hardships a safe way to feed their children. For instance, a woman from New Orleans created a disaster relief kit that allowed for women affected by natural disasters to pump safely. She raised enough funds to create a prototype and marketed it to the Red
Cross. From there, the kit was distributed to clinics around the New Orleans area. The Hackathon, however, is still a new platform. There have not been many other organizations or institutions that have used it to bring awareness to these problems like Hope has. But in recent years, Hope has seen Hackathon growing in popularity. “Who’s in the room [at a Hackathon] really changes what is addressed at one,” Hope said. “We publicize the event schedule on our university website and always run on the digital sign at the football field,” Smith said. “Access to virtual events can be had by emailing umaineintermedia@ maine.edu.” For more information on upcoming events, visit the IMRC website at https://imrccenter.umaine.edu/.
‘S.W.A.T.’ drama series powerfully touches upon important societal issues MK Jones Contributor 2017 crime drama “S.W.A.T.” may be worth revisiting if you’re looking for an engaging, high-caliber action series similar to “Criminal Minds.” “S.W.A.T.” depicts more than just the highly trained team’s dangerous encounters, and places emphasis on some of the serious issues plaguing the U.S. today. The show discussed relationships outside of typical heteronormative behvaior such as polyamory. One of the Catholic team members’ wives expresses discomfort with another team members’ lifestyle choices, but the show doesn’t shy away and immediately terminate the relationship. Chris Sanchez,
the woman in the polyamorous relationship, is tested by society’s opinions of her, and the show navigates character building and conflict perfectly. The show even takes on toxic parents with Jim Street, the newest S.W.A.T. member whose mother was recently released from prison for murdering Street’s father in self-defense. Street recognizes that he can’t fix his mother’s problems, but still tries to anyway. While these personal connections make the show that much more enjoyable, navigating toxic parenting is yet one more theme “S.W.A.T.” explores to elicit viewer reflection. The theme that sticks out the most is presented in season 2 episode 11 called
Photo via tvline.com. “School.” In this episode, S.W.A.T. members juggle emotions from a call six years prior of a school shooting where seven people died, including one of the shooters. “S.W.A.T” reflects on what it means to experience one of these
horrific events, illustrating the full array of impact and consequence during this episode. It serves as a vital, fictional anecdote of what students, teachers and families are aware of on the daily. “S.W.A.T.” also
takes on issues such as immigration, attacks on journalists (very Litvenenko-like), organized crime and turf wars. Overall, “S.W.A.T.” deserves an 4/5 star rating. While it may not be some people’s cup of tea, if you en-
joy a good cop show that has the same feel as those high-stakes episodes of “SVU” or even “Chicago PD,” then “S.W.A.T.” is most certainly for you. The first three seasons are available on Hulu.
Monday, February 28, 2022
The Maine Campus
The Clash expresses politics, war and hardships through ‘Combat Rock’
Reviews• A7
Photo via guitar.com.
Emme Alyesworth Contributor 4/5 Stars The Clash is one of those bands whose music remains relevant to every decade and is important for the freedom to express political ideas through music. The Clash was not the first punk rock band to use music as a political strategy with equally political U2 to compete with. However, they were certainly the most effective in their delivery of their music ideas, so much so that their catchy tunes are played over
and over again on classic rock radio stations. In 1982, they released their most successful album “Combat Rock.” To cease misconceptions, The Clash is not your parents’ typical band, reaching their height around the 80s, yet still popular with youthful generations through familiar, political themes. The Clash were known to use themes of religion, government and climate change as inspiration for their songs. The band became an inspiration for popular 90s punk bands Green Day and Rage Against the Machine.
The band broke up in 1986, but they’ve come together a few times to perform for benefit concerts and joined musician Damon Albarn on his “Gorillaz” tour. The band was made up of English musicians Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Nicky Headon. “Combat Rock” was the last album to feature the original lineup before the band let go of Headon for excessive drug use. The album features two of The Clash’s most popular singles, “Rock the Casbah,” which is about Iran’s ban of
Western music in 1979 and “Should I Stay or Should I Go,” which became the anthem of many political statements. It opens with one of the most recognizable guitar riffs and notable Spanish lyrics as backing vocals to make the song an instant classic in the rock genre. The song is also used as a pivotal plot device in season one of the Netflix show “Stranger Things.” “Combat Rock” should not only be remembered for only two of their greatest pieces of music, as it is the other 10 songs on the record that make it a
radical piece of art. Drawing on themes of religion and anti-war sentiments, the album is a motif for the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Songs such as “Straight to Hell” discuss the abandonment of children during the war and the jazzy sounding “Seann Flynn” is about a photojournalist who disappeared while reporting on the war. The album is often described as melancholic and a trippy, foreboding reflection of the war. The compositions of a few of the songs, “Straight to Hell” and “Red Angel
Dragnet,” transport us to the sounds of the Vietnam jungle with the use of whistles and rhythmic drumming. The Clash, like The Police, was heavily influenced by reggae music. Their early music, for example “London Calling,” has a reggae sound to it. “Combat Rock,” however very minimal, uses the reggae sound and begins to embrace more of a post-punk, experimental sound that captures the angst and frustration from the war.
‘The Shape of Water’ is an acquired taste for viewers
Faculty Art Exhibit
Bethany Rozzi Contributor 3/5 Stars Fox Searchlight Pictures’ 2017 Oscar winning film, “The Shape of Water,” may leave viewers wondering how it found so much success. The movie has a run time of just over two hours and can be streamed on Hulu. This fantasy romance film attempts to tell a love story despite seemly insurmountable social pressure, but instead creates an uncomfortable dynamic that is difficult to take seriously.
Photo via vogue.com. This film is directed by Guillermo del Toro, who is known for his work with fantasy films. del Toro is also known for “Pan’s Labyrinth,” “Pacific Rim” and “Crimson Peak.” “The Shape of Water” stars Sally Hawkins as Eliza Esposito, a mute maid, and Doug Jones as her love interest Amphibian Man, a humanoid amphibian creature. Jones is best known for portraying non-human creatures such as in roles including Abe Sabian in “Hellboy” and Saru in “Star Trek.” Other notable actors in the film include
Octavia Spencer as Zelda, Michael Shannon as Strickland and Richard Jenkins as Giles. This film is about Esposito, a woman who is working as a maid in a high security government research laboratory who is unable to speak. Kidnapped from South America, Amphibian Man, whose mannerism, size and general shape is that of a human but otherwise resembles an amphibian, is held captive in the same government facility where she works. Esposito stumbles across this creature
during one of her shifts and they immediately form a connection. With the help of her friends, she embarks on a mission to save Amphibian Man. In doing so, their emotional and physical connection grows. The setting of the film takes place in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland in a seemingly oppressed society that appears to have a distinct social pattern. The costumes throughout the movie stay relevant to the time period as well as the occupation, style and social class of each character. Amphibian Man’s
costume was a large, full-body commitment which consisted of extremely realistic amphibious characteristics including scaly blue-green skin that covered him from head to toe. The attention to detail that was put into creating this costume is admirable and left Jones looking far more like a water-dwelling creature than a human throughout the film. Fox Searchlight Pictures fell short in creating a romance film that depicted a relationship that felt real and authentic, which made it difficult to become emotionally invested
in the film. Although the acting in the film was impressive, there was something about watching a human form an intimate relationship with something so animalistic that puts the overall impression of the film somewhere between disturbing and corny. “The Shape of Water” is an acquired taste that deserves a shot from anyone who appreciates del Toro’s work in fantasy romance. Otherwise, this movie may just find itself at the bottom of your Hulu watch list.
Sports A8• Sports
The Maine Campus
Monday, February 28, 2022
Men’s basketball falls in thriller to Albany
Photo by Olivia Schanck.
Michael Corrado Contributor With interim head coach Jai Steadman taking the reins from former head coach Richard Barron earlier this month, the Black Bears welcomed the University of Albany Great Danes to the Memorial Gym for a midweek clash of conference foes. Just a few weeks prior, the Black Bears traveled to Albany for their first meeting of the year, which Maine won 73-63 behind a fantastic all-around performance from second-year guard Vukasin Masic. The game marked Steadman’s second game at the helm of the group, with the former University of Texas Rio Grande head coach winning his first game in charge last week against the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Both sides traded
blows early to the tune of an 8-7 UMaine lead about five minutes into the contest. Throughout the match, UMaine second-year forward Peter Filipovity used his 6’7” frame to create space down low and halting numerous Albany fastbreaks and drives to the basket. While UMaine had the lead early, Albany didn’t roll over and quickly fought back to take a three-point lead with ten to go in the first half. Filipovity was in the middle of things, spinning through Albany defenders to lay-in an acrobatic finish after another Maine bucket to reclaim the lead at 16-15. Maine’s defense stepped up a notch from this point on, with fourth-year forward and captain Stephane Ingo switching on most defensive possessions, locking up any Albany players that attempted
to meander their way through the paint. Almost instantaneously, Ingo’s defense had allowed his side to jump out to a much more comfortable 35-19 lead. In addition to Ingo’s defense, UMaine third-year guard Maks Klanjscek’s shooting ability was on display, hitting a three pointer to extend Maine’s lead to 11, before Peter Filipovity found second-year guard, Adefolarin “Fofo” Adetogun gliding through the air, connecting with his teammate to throw down a vicious alley-oop slam, igniting the home crowd. Albany ended Maine’s run there, eventually closing the gap to only seven, with the score reading 37-30 at halftime. Heading into the second half, the goal was clear for coach Steadman’s group: hold the lead. Third-
year guard Ata Turgut gave his best effort to fulfill his coach’s wishes, hitting a three just after the break to push Maine’s lead to 4234. The Great Danes seemed to finally hit their stride though, as Albany fourth-year guard Jamel Horton had his way with Maine’s defense, getting to the basket and finishing strong in traffic on two consecutive possessions. Albany’s night started to look a whole lot brighter following Horton’s buckets, as his team clawed their way back to tie the game up at 48, thanks in-part to great defense from Albany. While both sides traded baskets, a big block on Masic under the basket turned into a transition three for the Great Danes, and an easy two the next possession found Maine down 55-52, and momentum going completely against
them. Continuing an already explosive firstyear campaign, guard Sam Ihekwoaba gave it his all to keep Maine in the game, hitting tough shot after tough shot, getting Maine back ahead by two. Defensive confusion, and the inability to corral a defensive rebound led to a three from Albany’s fifth-year guard Matt Cerruti. The very next play, Albany’s third-year guard Trey Hutchinson was fouled on a three, and nailed each of his free throws to put the Danes ahead by four with just under five to go. Cerruti stuck another dagger into the hearts of the Black Bears with an and-one three pointer to extend Albany’s lead to eight, almost sealing the game. Though third-year guard Ja-Shonte Wright-McLeish hit an and-one three of
his own, he missed the free throw, and on Maine’s last chance possession, Ingo’s tip at the rim bounced out, forced a Maine foul, and inevitably led to a 72-68 UMaine loss. “We got a great group of guys that work hard, practice hard, so really no complaints,” coach Steadman said following the loss. “I wanna win, I wanna win so bad for this university, for this state, for the alumni, the students, for everybody that works here, and I put a lot of pressure on myself but I wanna win and I’m gonna win.” The Black Bears last home game of the regular season see’s them welcome the University of Vermont Catamounts to the Cross Insurance Center on Tuesday, March 1.
UMaine women’s hockey advances to Hockey East semifinals Patrick Silvia Sports Editor On Friday night the University of Maine women’s hockey team traveled to Boston College for the first round of the Hockey East tournament. In the regular season, BC won both matchups between the two by one goal. This time, the Black Bears ended up on the right side of a one goal contest, winning 2-1 and advancing to the semifinals. BC struck first midway through the first period. BC fifth-year forward Willow Corson picked the puck up behind the net and tucked it past UMaine goalie Jorden Mattison, who was unable to cover her post in
time. The clever play by Corson gave BC a 1-0 lead. Second-year forward Caroline Goffredo and third-year defender Alexie Guay picked up assists on the BC goal. It looked as if BC was going to enter the first intermission with a one goal lead, but a game-altering play occurred in the dying embers of the period. With only six seconds left, BC second-year defender Sidney Fess made a costly pass in front of her own net to second-year defender Maddie Crowley-Cahill. Crowley-Cahill fumbled the pass and UMaine first-year forward Alyssa Wruble pounced on the loose puck in front of the net and cashed in the
opportunity to tie the game 1-1 at the end of the first period. The decision by Fess to make the pass in front of her own net in that situation was a bad one and flipped the momentum of the game. Late in the second period, Crowley-Cahill again was involved in a play that ended up costing BC. She sent the Black Bears into a power play after getting called for tripping. On the power play UMaine hemmed BC in their own zone trying to set up a goal, but BC came out unscathed. This was until late in the powerplay, when UMaine fourth-year forward Celine Tedenby passed the puck to first-year forward Mira
Seregély in the slot. Seregély immediately bounced the puck back to the point where fifth-year captain Taylor Leech’s one-time bomb beat fifth-year BC goalie Abigail Levy to put UMaine up 2-1. This big goal by the Black Bear captain was the eventual game winner, as Maine slowed the game down and kept BC off the score sheet the rest of the night with solid defense and Mattison making some key saves down the stretch. Mattison was the shoe-in starter when fifth-year goalie Loryn Porter was injured in late January, averaging less than two goals per game since. In two games last weekend
against the University of New Hampshire, she only let up one goal and luckily for UMaine, that form carried over to the playoffs. Mattison stopped 26 of 27 shots faced and picked up her first career playoff win. Levy was also good for BC despite the loss. The BC goalie stopped 29 of 31 shots, and neither goal was really her fault. Both goalies played at a high level, and the team that made less costly mistakes came out on top. Next, UMaine will face the no. 1 seed, Northeastern University Huskies. Northeastern is coming off of a 8-0 first round win versus Merrimack College. They’re currently ranked the third best
team in the country, with a gaudy 28-4-2 record to back it up. The team won the last four Hockey East tournaments, along with the last four Hockey East regular season titles. Beating them would unquestionably be the biggest win in UMaine women’s hockey history. The semifinals game versus Northeastern will take place at Northeastern at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday March 2. If UMaine wins, they will earn their first ever trip to the Hockey East title game.
Monday, February 28, 2022
Sports •A9
The Maine Campus
Black Bears win America East regular season title by defeating the Retrievers twice
Photo by Olivia Schanck.
Dalton Bartlett Contributor After a close first quarter, the UMaine Black Bears easily took down the University of Maryland Baltimore County Retrievers 70-59 in their second to last game of the regular season on Saturday. The Black Bears entered the game on a 10-game win streak, without a loss since Jan. 19 when they fell to University of Massachusetts Lowell 60-55. UMBC came into this game with a 3-20 record and on a fivegame losing streak, losing a tight game against the Hartford Hawks 74-71. The Retrievers dominated the first seven
Dalton Bartlett Contributor Last season, the Black Bears went 22-22 and fell in the America East playoffs to Stony Brook. With many key returning players, the Black Bears look to get back to the tournament and try to win it all. Head coach Nick Derba is entering his fifth season as the head coach of the Black Bears. He has a record of 83-131. UMaine is currently 1-5, but three of those losses came against the eighth-ranked Louisiana State Universi-
minutes of the game thanks to missed baskets on both ends. Thanks to a strong end of the first by third-year forward Maeve Carroll, who scored 12 points in the first quarter, the Black Bears were able to start producing on offense. She ended the quarter with a buzzer-beater layup to put UMaine up 18-16. In the second quarter, the Black Bears continued their success from the previous quarter thanks to Carroll dominating both sides of the court again, scoring four points along with a steal and a block to help UMaine lead 3626 at halftime with momentum on their side. The third saw more of the same with as-
sists and great defense from Carroll. Thirdyear guard Anne Simon had a strong quarter as well, becoming the second most utilized weapon on the offense for the Black Bear, scoring seven points in the quarter. Second-year guard Alba Orios made a last-second layup before the end of the quarter to put UMaine up 57-44. At one point during the fourth quarter, UMaine led by 19 points thanks to layups from Orios and Carroll. The Retrievers mounted a futile comeback at the end, but it was already too little too late. The final score ended 70-59 in favor of the Black Bears. Carroll, on her birthday, played her finest
game of the season by shooting an outstanding 15-17 and scoring a career-high 32 points to go along with a team-leading seven total rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. “Our team has been doing [good] and [I] like how I’ve been doing individually, I just felt really good going in there, and it was a great day to have a career-high,” Carroll said after the game. While she was overshadowed by Carroll’s career performance, Simon had a great game as well, scoring 17 points with five total rebounds, four assists and one steal. “17 points, and we’re not really talking about her. But 17
points is a good showing,” Head coach Amy Vachon said about Simon’s performance. Orois also contributed 13 points and a team-leading seven assists in a solid outing. Fourth-year guard Keelah Dixon led UMBC, scoring 16 points to go along with three rebounds and three assists. Fifthyear forward Janee’a Summers was second on the team with 11 points, three rebounds, and one assist. UMaine outshot UMBC 54.9% to 46.9%, especially excelling on rebounds where they outrebounded the Retrievers 31-22 while also dominating in the paint.
Black Bears start the season slow on the diamond
ty Tigers. The Black Bears were blown out in all three games by scores of 13-1,17-8 and 21-6. They were able to pick up their first win on Saturday, beating Penn State 5-3. UMaine has lost a lot of talent on the pitching end, coming into this season losing their All-American ace pitcher Nicholas Sinacola, who was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh-round of the 2021 MLB Draft. The All-American UMaine alumni was the fourth-highest Black Bear ever drafted.
Along with Sinacola, pitcher and outfielder Alex McKenney was signed by the Phillies. After transferring from University of California Davis, fifth-year pitcher Brett Erwin has pitched the most innings for the Black Bears so far. He had a solid game against Penn State, where he only gave up two hits in the first four innings, but gave up three runs over the next two innings. Erwin totaled 7 strikeouts in the outing. So far through 11 innings pitched, Erwin has a 3.27 ERA and will be key for UMaine going forward.
Second-year Noah Lewis is the top returning pitcher for the Black Bears, but is looking to have a stronger season after posting a 4-6 record, along with a 5.16 ERA last year. Lewis pitched the second most innings for the Black Bears last season, only trailing Sinacola. So far, he has appeared in two games this season and is 0-1. Fifth-year first baseman Joe Bramanti led the Black Bears offensively with a .293 batting average last year with 44 hits, 28 RBIs and six home runs. So far, it’s more of the
same this season with a .292 batting average, leading the team with seven hits, two home runs and eight RBIs. Fourth-year catcher Ryan Turenne is also back this year after posting a .308 batting average to go along with 37 hits, 21 runs, five home runs and 19 RBIs. This season, he started out fine with a .263 average, and hopefully can find his form from last year again. This year, watch out for first-year infielder Myles Sargent, who is starting as a first-year. Second-year shortstop Jake Marquez,
The following day, the Black Bears clinched the America East title by beating UMBC again, this time by a similar score to the day before, 71-47. Orois, Simon and Caroll led the charge again with all three reaching double digit point totals. Orois also led the team in assists with nine. With Maine securing the regular season title they earned the first seed in the America East tournament and home court advantage throughout the tournament. They will open the playoffs taking on the to be determined eighth seed on Saturday, March 5 at home.
who is second on the team in hits with six. Fourth-year outfielder Jeff Mejia, who did not have a significant role last season but this season, returns hoping to have a more prominent role offensively. First-year Pitcher Caleb Leys, who has been solid in his first two outings, with a 3.00 ERA over 9 innings pitched. Next, the Black Bears will travel to face off against George Washington University for a three game series starting on Friday, March 4.
UMaine Softball Season Preview Michael Corrado Contributor With the spring season just around the corner, many of the University of Maine’s teams are ramping up training in preparation for their regular season matchups. The UMaine Softball team has already had a head start to their season by wrapping up the Liberty Classic in Lynchburg, VA. Following a season where this group finished on an 11-22 record, they will be looking to improve
on that mark. In nine games so far this year, the Black Bears have posted a 1-8 record. With a total roster size of 20 and 10 seniors on the gameday lineup, this season will certainly pack a punch on Kessock Field. Fourth-year infielder Kelby Drews looks to lead the team in home runs again. Last season she was able to hit moonshots on seven different occasions to accompany her team-leading .882 OPS and .535 SLG%.
Third-year first baseman Izzy Nieblas will look to extend her offensive output from the previous season, as her 18 RBIs led the Black Bears overall. In 2021, she was tied for the team lead in doubles (seven), runs (14), and led the team in total bases with 40. Tied with Nieblas last year for runs was fourthyear Keely Clark, also the team leader in hits last season, managing to get on base 27 times over the course of the season. Clark additionally racked up
the best batting average on the team, hitting to a .360 clip. Her .853 OPS was good enough to be second on the team as well, only behind Drews. Tied with doubles last year was fourthyear Kya Enos, who played and started in 30 games last season, only missing one the entire year. Her 90 at-bats led the team, and she was fourth on the team in on-base percentage. While her ability with the bat may not be the best on the team, her speed is un-
matched, successfully stealing on 12 of 14 attempts in 2021, doubling the next highest total on the team. Third-year pitcher Caitlyn Fallon will likely slide into the picture as the team’s ace following the graduation and departure of last year’s number one starter, Kyleigh O’Donnell. Fallon ended the year with a 5.21 ERA and a WHIP of 1.76 to accompany a 1-7 record in her starts, featuring on four other occasions for relief appearances as well. Additionally,
fourth-year pitchers Emily Reid and Gabbie Sicilliano will most likely see more action with the graduation of bullpen arm Lilly Volk, and only one first-year addition to the staff in Alexandra Gruitch. The first opportunity for Black Bear fans to catch a game in Orono this season comes on Wednesday, April 13. In the meantime, the team will travel to Utah, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and Massachusetts before their lone home stretch of nine games in April.