Spring 2017 Issue 23

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Thursday, April 20, 2017 | Vol. XCI, Issue 23 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com

Uber, Lyft gain access to upstate NY market Ride-sharing companies raise concerns among local cab drivers Amy Donovan Pipe Dream News

Meredith also said the space may be utilized by biotechnical companies working with faculty and students and seeking to outsource laboratory work. This collaboration could bring new businesses and opportunities to

Getting a ride back to campus on weekends — which often involves the stress of hailing a cab — may now be made easier with a few taps on a smartphone. According to the FY 2018 state budget, which was approved on April 9, ride-sharing apps such as Uber and Lyft will now operate across New York state. Previously, ride-sharing companies were not allowed to operate outside of New York City since they required group-sharing insurance that was previously illegal in New York state. The new budget modifies the insurance law, allowing for the expansion of ride-sharing companies, and stipulates that a statewide board will be implemented to oversee how the ride-sharing industry impacts the state. Numerous petitions emerged in support of bringing ride-sharing companies to the rest of New York state. Uber posted its own petition in December 2016, which garnered more than 100,000 signatures in support of the company’s expansion. While this legislation may improve

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Michael Contegni/Staff Photographer Gloria Meredith, dean of Binghamton University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, announced Wednesday that the University received $15 million in funding for the construction of a new research and development facility. It will be the third building in the health sciences complex currently under construction in Johnson City.

Johnson City complex to house lab facility University plans construction of new building for research and development aims to continue this legacy by bringing scientists and researchers to the area. News Intern At a press conference on April 19, Gloria Meredith, dean of Binghamton The Triple Cities area has long been University’s School of Pharmacy and known as a hub of innovation. Now, Pharmaceutical Sciences, said the the construction of a research and facility will be funded by New York development facility in Johnson City state and will be used to support faculty Alexandra Hupka

experimentation. “It’s a fantastic opportunity to build more infrastructure so we can attract industry to the area and we can increase our research efforts,” Meredith said. “We have been able to attract some topnotch scientists in this area and they have connections to industry.”

Research Days explore undergraduate studies

BU debate team rises to top 10 in nation

Program ranked sixth at CEDA tournament, third-best public debate program Samuel Abaev Pipe Dream News

The Binghamton University Speech and Debate team has rebounded this season after falling out of the top 10 in the nation for the first time in over a decade last season. The team was ranked the sixth best overall debate program in the nation and the third best public debate program at the conclusion of the Cross Examination Debate Association nationals this past season, a prestigious national tournament held in Kansas City, Missouri from March 16 to March 20. At the tournament, the team qualified for the round of 16 as they went to the elimination rounds, winning its first four meetings before losing to the Rutgers UniversityNewark team, which would go on to win the tournament and earn the title of the top team in the nation.

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Sixth annual series of events showcase projects by students, University faculty Alana Epstein Pipe Dream News

Courtney Mitchell/Contributing Photographer Pictured: Guy German, an assistant professor in the biomedical engineering department. He was recently granted $500,000 from the National Science Foundation for mechanics of human skin research.

Professor granted $500K to research skin functions Guy German received NSF funding for his work on the body's largest organ Stacey Blansky Contributing Writer

An assistant professor in the biomedical engineering department became the latest Binghamton University researcher to earn a grant from the National Science Foundation for his work on the mechanics of human skin. Guy German was awarded a five-year, $500,000 National Science Foundation Early Career Development Program grant

ARTS & CULTURE

on March 14 for his research. His proposal was one of 11,000 that was selected by the National Science Foundation, out of 40,000 proposals submitted nationwide. Using human tissue donated from hospitals after surgical procedures, German investigates the properties of skin and works to understand the mechanics of the protective organ. German explained that the scientific premise of his research is his

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This week, the sixth annual Research Days at Binghamton University will showcase various student and faculty projects through seminars, poster presentations and art exhibitions to celebrate scholarship. Research Days will take place Wednesday through Friday and are intended to give students the chance to present their work. According to Rachel Coker, the director of the Division of Research, the Research Days are made to both show the work students have done and inspire other students to get involved in research of their own. “Research Days give the entire Binghamton University community an opportunity to celebrate research, scholarship and creative activities,” Coker said. “It’s a moment to show each other some of our best work, get to know each other as scholars and appreciate the way this campus contributes to the creation of knowledge.” All of the Research Days events are co-sponsored by BU Academic Affairs, the Division of Research, the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation, McNair Scholars Program and the Undergraduate Research Center. Among the events is the Art of

OPINIONS

Science contest, which occurred on Wednesday. This new event gave students with science-related art projects, predominately photography, an opportunity to showcase their work. The contest drew over 65 entries and featured photos of cells, science projects, wildlife and organisms seen under microscopes. Other events new to Research Days are a research roundtable discussion and a creative performance showcase. The creative performance showcase will consist of undergraduate and graduate students singing, dancing and performing poetry readings. All students and faculty have the opportunity to sign up to present their research during the poster sessions, which will be held Friday afternoon in the Mandela Room in the Old University Union. According to Janice McDonald, the director of the Undergraduate Research Center, these sessions are the most popular events of Research Days. “On Friday, there are two poster sessions,” McDonald said. “Between the two there are 130 posters, which represents the work of around 250 students because some are coauthored and others represent the work of a research team. Last year, around 600 people attended the poster sessions to learn more about the students research and creative

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SPORTS

Student defies mental health stigma with new app,

Students and alumni network through art,

Columnist Sarah Saad responds to debate about the wage gap,

Men’s lacrosse falls to No. 5 Albany,

Q&A with Olympic triathlete Joe Maloy,

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