October 2014

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2 THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

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INNOVATION AT REPORTER EDITOR IN CHIEF Alyssa Jackson

Since becoming EIC I can’t tell you all how often I received emails or comments

PRINT MANAGING EDITOR

on our Facebook page asking for a technology section. Such a simple task would

Joan McDonough

be easy enough to implement, so the Reporter staff started to brainstorm what

ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR

we could do with the section. We hired a technology section editor, Natasha,

Nathaniel Mathews

who will be spearheading our efforts to bring the RIT community the latest and

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greatest information about technology on and off campus.

NEWS EDITOR Taylor Derrisaw

On Oct. 6 we will be celebrating the launch of the technology section in the

TECHNOLOGY EDITOR Natasha Amadasun

SAU. Be sure to drop by to talk with us, tell us what you want to see in the

LEISURE EDITOR Gino Fanelli

technology section and grab some swag.

FEATURES EDITOR Nicole Howley

In addition to the technology section, we have decided to join the 21st Century

SPORTS EDITOR Alexander Jones

by producing our own app! Our new iOS developer, Sam, will build the app to

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be available both for Android and iOS devices and will be premiering on Feb. 1

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of this year. We will have a party for the launch of the app that you will all be

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invited to! Stay tuned with us for more details on that.

Angela Freeman, Nicole Howley, Gino Fanelli, Taylor Derrisaw

In our November issue you will begin to notice that our magazine looks a little different. For the next issue we will be revamping our design to make the entire publication more cohesive. Reporter’s Art Director, Rachel, will be working hard on the design of the magazine to make sure that we are giving you our very best.

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Our website is changing and improving every day, thanks to Joe, our web

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Emily Butler, Halli Rosin

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3

TABLE OF CONTENTS 6

TE3

20

NEW CENTER FOR INNOVATION

7

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS

23

OVERDOSE OF INNOVATION

8

WALLACE CENTER REDEFINED

24

THE POLISSENI CENTER

10

AYL: PIZZA MONTH

26

HOUSTON, THERE’S STILL A PROBLEM

12

PAT-DOWNS AND PARTY HOPPERS

27

TO EXPLORE IS HUMAN

14

HAUNTED ROCHESTER

28

WORD ON THE STREET

16

SPACE AT RIT AND BEYOND

29

RINGS

The bus service’s progression through SG

Understanding your RIT bill and debit

A walk through the library renovations

A celebration of national pizza month

A look into Magic City and the East Avenue club scene

Exploring Rochester’s haunted spots

Space tourism through the years

The new facilities offered in Rosica Hall

RIT’s famous buzzword

A photo story covering the arena’s grand opening

Our focus should be on Earth

Space exploration is crucial for advancement

The challenges of zero gravity

Parking and emoji woes

Left: RIT’s mascot “Ritchie” stands in the lobby of the new Gene Polisseni Center during its dedication on Sept. 18. The Polisseni center will serve as RIT’s, men’s and women’s, new home hockey arena.

Right: RIT student Ryan Kinney cheers with members of the RIT corner crew during the dedication ceremony of the Gene Polisseni Center. See page 24 for the photo story.

reporter.rit.edu @reportermag

Correction: In “The Lost Art,” published in the September Issue, it was incorrectly stated that the art work that Alex Vadas painted over on the Cobbs Hill water towers was done by Dr. Wilson. The artwork was in fact done by a local grafitti artist who went by HIAR. We apologize for any confusion.

/reportermag

TE3 A PROGRESSION THROUGH STUDENT GOVERNMENT

by Taylor Derrisaw | photography by Kim Bubello design by Teysia Parks

D

uring the Student Government (SG) presidency of Greg Pollock (2011-2012), the TE3 was introduced. The TE3 is a bus service that allows RIT students to venture into the city of Rochester over the weekend for free; it still continues and has become a popular service and a part of the campus’ culture. The service also allows students to find new and adventurous things to do outside of the RIT main campus in Henrietta. The TE3 was originally supposed to be in a testing phase in order to move to a paid model in the future. While plans for that change are still in the works, finding the right way for students to adapt has been a challenge.

Paul Darragh, a fourth year Software Engineering student and the SG president for the 2013-2014 academic year, had been working on modifying the bus service to move toward the paid model. Currently, the 6 News

Parking & Transportation department pays for the weekend service and will be doing so for the rest of the year. The service was planned to cost $1 per student per ride. The main issue was finding a way to make the payments quick and painless for students.

“Their initial vision was to test it out with the free version for a year to see how it goes,” Darragh said, “and then transition to not students paying for all of it but for the students who are really utilizing it to help contribute towards it.”

The plans that were in the works for the paid model included the use of punch-cards that students would purchase on campus that would allow them to ride the bus. A few of the immediate problems with that include students losing or forgetting to buy a card whenever they wanted to ride the bus.

It would also add an additional cost for RIT to purchase the cards. Talks with the bus

“The service also allows students to find new and adventurous things outside of the RIT main campus in Henrietta.”

company, Regional Transit Service, were set to try to find ways to integrate student IDs into bus payment. Nothing significant has advanced from those conversations yet, but Darragh said he would like to see the current SG check up on its status.

“I would love to see them [SG] check up and see how it’s going, but every year’s SG has its different goals and visions,” he said.

Ashley Carrington, fourth year Finance and Management Information Systems majors and current SG president, doesn’t foresee any changes to the system this semester and is sure that the service will stay free for the year. She said she doesn’t have any current plans to continue what Darragh started unless advances are made that require SG’s attention.

“If it were to change and it actually affected students, then it would be something that would be handled by Student Government,” she said.

She noted that Parking and Transportation works hard to accommodate students as much as they can. If changes are to be made in the future, she said she is confident that they can handle them with the students’ benefit in mind.

Photo: Students pile onto the TE3 night bus on RIT’s campus that takes them to multiple locations in downtown Rochester on Sept. 20.

WELLNESS

WEDNESDAYS Understanding your RIT Bill & Debit

by Taylor Derrisaw | illustration by Tiffany McFarlane | design by Emily Butler

N

avigating the tough financial waters of college can be a daunting task.

Bills entering quintuple digits and a lack of clarity can add a lot of stress to college life. Luckily for RIT students, the ladies of the financial wellness team are here to help.

On Sept. 3, Bernadette Lynch and Sharon Kompalla-Porter of the Financial Wellness Team and Kathy Cole of the Student Financial Services office gave some insight to the student bill found on eServices and tips on how to understand the features contained on the website.

Cole started off the presentation by saying, “If you log into eServices you have the ability to look at your account, make payments online, add money to your food debit or Tiger Bucks, you can view grades, you can view schedules and you can see your financial aid …”

The ability to view financial status online, according to Cole, is useful to both students and parents alike. “The most important part [of your eServices bill], at least from my perspective, is that you can give [access] to parents,” Cole said. Student Financial Services also sends a billing notice via email to parents and students.

The student doesn’t need to give his or her login information to the parents, as they will receive their own email and login information to view the bill and other information found on eServices. “They can pay for you or they can add money to your food account or Tiger Bucks,” Cole continued.

“So if you call them and say ‘I need money,’ they can add money for you fast.”

Adding parental access allows parents to monitor the student’s financial aid status, but they are not able to fill out any paperwork.

If the student fails to pay the bill by the assigned date, a late fee will be placed on the student’s account, along with a financial hold. Multiple emails will be sent to the student reminding him or her to pay the bill.

Charleen McMahon, the manager for business systems and applications for Student Auxiliary Services, then gave a presentation to help students to better understand their debit and meal plan.

McMahon started the presentation by explaining how debit can roll over between semesters, a question she says she receives often. “Your debit will roll over between semesters … There is a law that we have to follow that says we can roll over to the current academic year, but we’re not allowed to roll it over to the following year.”

McMahon says she and Executive Director of Dining Services Kory Samuels went to multiple universities to examine the prices and varieties of meal plan options found across New York.

When asked about students who were dissatisfied with their meal plan, McMahon responded by saying “For the fall semester you have two weeks starting with orientation … for spring you have until the first week of classes to change your meal plan.” Students are able to change their meal plans right on eServices, under the Dining Accounts tab.

McMahon expressed a deep concern and willingness to work with students who may have food-related allergies and wish to change their plans to better suit their needs.

“I’ll be able to meet with students and talk over the situation and see how we can best service them,” McMahon said. “Any sort of concern, I’d be glad to sit down with them.”

Understanding your college finances and meal plan can make your time at RIT less stressful, whether it’s avoiding financial holds on your accounts or helping you budget your meal options and food debit.

The Financial Wellness Team and tools like eServices are just some of the sources on campus that can help.

We will be covering Wellness Wednesdays for a new online series for news. For more Wellness Wednesdays articles visit reporter.rit.edu.

7 News

[

THE WALLACE CENTER

]

REDEFINED

O

by Taylor Derrisaw | photography by Kim Bubello | design by Halli Rosin

ne of the most common idioms

the first floor seating capacity increased

presentations by prominent members of the

in the English language is “Don’t

by 40 percent; they accomplished this by

Deaf community. Some deaf studies classes

judge a book by its cover.” The same

relocating some of the collections that used

are taught there as well.

idea doesn’t apply to the library, though.

to be housed on the first floor.

Renovations will be planned for the floors

RIT’s Wallace Center went through some

“The architects who designed the space

renovations to its main entrance and first

are really good at coming in and identifying

on as of yet. The focus will be to increase the

floor to provide a more welcoming space and

those kinds of ‘dead spaces’ and figuring out

space available for the special collections.

to foster a more open learning environment.

ways to put seating in those areas that could

On Sept. 12, the Wallace Center brought in

then be utilized,” Bower said.

new furniture to replace the older furniture

The renovations, designed in part by HBT Architects, started in spring of 2013 and ended in fall of the same year.

Bower noticed that students didn’t want

above, but nothing solid has been decided

on the third floor – the start of a series

circular tables, as they made it difficult to lay

of changes that, according to Bower, are

out materials. As a result, the Wallace Center

intended to accommodate the amount of

account for the renovations were student

now includes octagonal tables to allow

students coming into the Wallace Center.

input and student workspaces. In fact, one

students more space while still being able

“We have so many students coming into the

of the highly influential designers of the

to collaborate with each other. The tables

building. Our gate counts are around 3,500

renovation is a 2010 RIT graduate.

include power strips for student use.

[students] a day,” she said.

Some of the main concerns taken into

Shirley Bower, director of RIT libraries, was involved through the entire process.

“As we were doing the renovation, we were

The renovations increased integration of

Bower stressed that student input is

technology into the workspace: new monitors

important to helping the Wallace Center

were introduced to computer stations,

increase its effectiveness as a workplace and

working with a group of students who were

modern collaboration stations allow for

as a study area. “We want to create a space

doing a project on the first floor,” Bower said.

groups to view activity on a single laptop and

that is conducive to their wants,” she said.

The data taken from the group of students gave the designers and architects the inspiration to change things in order to create a more welcoming and useful workspace.

“The goals of the renovation were to

a laptop bar has been included between the reference desk and the Writing Commons.

In 2013, the Wallace Center allowed for the

of the Wallace Center or to give any sort of

inclusion of the Writing Commons and the

feedback on the renovations, email her at

RIT American Sign Language and Deaf Studies

slbwml@rit.edu.

achieve better lighting, because our lighting

Communication Center (RADSCC), which were

was really poor,” Bower said. The renovations

both previously located in the Student Alumni

also included new carpeting and more room

Union. The Writing Commons helps students

to take advantage of. According to Bower,

with their writing, whereas the RADSCC gives

8 News

If any student wishes to contact Bower and assist in the design of the future renovations

9

L Y A

A Z Z I P

AT YOUR RE LEISU

L A ION

T A N PPY

HA

M

A History of Pizza

by Gino Fanelli | illustration by Mali

ya Travers-Crumb | design by Teys

I

t might be a bold statement, but almost everyone loves pizza. Whether it’s a deep dish, Chicago-style pie packed with endless layers of artery-clogging deliciousness or a vegan flax pizza with caramelized onions and apricots, there’s a type of pizza tailored for each of us. As synonymous as pizza is with parties, late-night snacking and good times in general, the history of what became the modern slice is a mystery to most.

Though people have been eating flatbreads with toppings since the days of Mesopotamia, the first occurrence of what resembles the modern pizza popped up during the 18th century. It all started with the introduction of the tomato to classic flatbread recipes found throughout southern Italy, namely Naples. Tomatoes had actually been brought over from the New World 200 years prior to this, but many Europeans believed them to be poisonous.

Though often thought to be Italian in origin, pizza actually stems from recipes dating back to Babylonia and other Ancient MiddleEastern cultures.

10 Leisure

*

3000 CAL

!

H T ON

Once this was proven to be untrue, pizza took on two incarnations in Italy: the Marinara and the Margherita, named for the queen during the mid-late 1800s. Of these two, though very similar ingredientwise, the Marinara – with its addition of tomato sauce instead of simply sliced tomatoes – would become the basis for the modern American pizza.

It was during the late 1800s, when the Industrial Revolution hit full swing in the United States, that thousands of Italians left Naples in search of factory work in the New World and brought their traditional recipes with them. Havens for immigrants, such as Chicago and New York, would become bubbling hotspots for new cuisine to hit the American scene.

As Italian-Americans became more assimilated into American culture throughout the early 1900s, their culture did as well. Once seen as niche ethnic cuisine, foods like pizza became beloved staples of American culture,

picking up endless tweaks as so often happens to foreign foods when they are dumped into the melting pot.

Today, of course, pizza has gone the way of the hot dog and hamburger; it has become so absorbed into American culture that its modern form defies its heritage, creating something that is uniquely American. The fact of the matter is though, that the story of pizza is much more poetic than simple appropriation of an ethnic food; rather, its creation was a constant trade-off between the Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Tomatoes from the New World merged with recipes from the Old World, which were then brought back to the New World, continuously being modified along the way.

So, the next time you pick up a nice, steaming slice, remember that you’re about to take a bite of a true embodiment of a global society.

rown carry the C Pizza Huts n ade er m st a Ea zz Middlezza — a pi seburger Pi d miniature an ts n ie Crust Chee ed burger ingr is weighs in with cheese e crust. Th dded in th be large pie. a em r s fo ie es patt 3,000 calori g n pi op h at a w

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3 BIL

In America, there are a total of 70,000 pizzerias operating, dishing out 3 billion pizzas per year.

ia Parks

280 CAL

There are 272 calories in a standard slice of cheese pizza; of these, 80 come from cheese alone.

Mozzare lla cheese , the most is also th e most p common opular in pizza che America America n citizen , with the ese, consumin average g 11.5 po unds per year.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE ACROSS 5 Sweet accompaniment 7 Tomato foundation 9 Greek pie focal point 10 Salty strips 11 In bad taste 15 Chicago classic 16 Dry green flakes 20 Salty swimmers 21 Pizza's bashful cousin 22 Pre-serving preparation 24 Poultry topping 26 Sauce application action 27 Cooking tactic

28

28 Tear-jerking vegetable 29 Spherical beef topping 31 Thin-slice attribute 33 Mother of all mushrooms 35 Tiny tomatoes 37 Highly cooked onions 38 Common side dish 40 When things go wrong 41 Common dipping sauce 42 Cooking contraption 43 Healthy crust option 44 Serving apparatus 45 Crust must 48 Savory tree fruits

49 Unwanted side effect 50 Finely sliced fungi DOWN 1 White sauce necessity 2 Pie foundation 3 Spicy meat 4 Spicy regional sauce 6 Hot green slices 8 Variety with ham and pineapple 12 Aromatic green leaves 13 Flowery green veggies 14 Musical peppers 17 Number one American

topping 18 Spicy sprinkles 19 Popular Australian topping 23 Pizza homeland 25 Vegan-pie topping 30 Cheesy classic 31 Meltiness major 32 Spanish spicy sausage 34 Italian bacon 36 Dough risers 39 Fancy cooking surface 46 Stain inducing by-product 47 Crunchy edges

29

11 Leisure

PAT-DOWNS AND PARTY-HOPPERS: MAGIC CITY

by Gino Fanelli | photography by Alexandra Genova | design by Rachel Fox

12 Leisure

A

line composed of young men dressed

as reported by YNN, was sliced several

The man stepped away, adjusting his pants

in flashy clothing and women

times on his upper-body with a knife

and leering over his shoulder.

in tight-fitting garb moved at a

after becoming involved in an argument

If anything, the situation at Magic City

snail’s pace off of East Avenue. The sound of

with another club-goer. Though the man

raises questions about the state of the club

mainstream hip-hop reverberated through

survived, low-security measures have been

scene in general. Yes, of course we would

the stone walls. Ahead, a broad-shouldered

blamed for allowing this incident to occur.

all love to live in a world where violence

man in a black t-shirt marked “Security”

Though the most notable incident of

doesn’t exist and a club does not need metal

stood with arms crossed and a stern

violence to occur within the club’s walls,

detectors. However, this is clearly not the

expression. Patrons slowly tumbled through

this is certainly not the first violent act in

world we live in. We live in a society where

the door, passing through an airport-style

Magic City. On June 6, two men in their 20s

violence is never in short supply; where

metal detector. When the alarm beeped, a

were shot in a parking lot on East Avenue

near-sighted, cutthroat decisions are made

young woman in a black mini-skirt stepped

upon leaving the club, according to WHEC

on whims by people carrying box cutters and

back and removed her keys from her pockets,

Rochester. Both victims survived. Coupled

.22 caliber revolvers. This is a realization that

handing them off to the security guard. Upon

with these incidents were near constant

must be made as a culture, and perhaps the

passing through, a second security guard

reports of fights and threats of violence.

events and precautions taken at Magic City

stopped her, and ran a hand-held metal

Shortly following the stabbing incident in

serve as a wake-up call that the nightlife

detector over her shoulders, down her sides

July, Mayor Lovely Warren sent a formal

in Rochester needs moderation, lest it

and up between her legs, patting her down

request for Magic City to close to revamp

devolve into anarchy. Though this issue has

with short, yet deliberate movements. Finally,

security, WHEC reported. Magic City accepted

been chalked up to media sensationalism,

the guard took her ID card and scanned

the request, opting to undergo an overhaul

racism and “outsiders” from inner-city

it through a computer which resembled

of their security program.

neighborhoods traveling to the East End or

something out of a supermarket checkout

On Aug. 22, following a $20,000 investment

some mix of the three, applying blame is a

line. He handed her back the ID and pointed

in the aforementioned metal detectors and

moot point. The true, unfortunate reality is

her up a flight of stairs.

the state-of-the-art card scanner, which

that this aesthetic is often a deterrent for

keeps a log of everyone who’s in the club at

those looking for a party spot.

This is Magic City, a nightclub located in Rochester’s lively East End neighborhood

all times, Magic City re-opened to the public.

Two men, both dressed in polo-shirts,

and these seemingly drastic security

Though the security measures are thorough

one in khakis and the other in blue jeans,

measures are a response to a history ripe

to say the least, owner Robert Monteneri,

stepped up to the door, looking up and

with controversy.

who has made a point to cooperate and work

around the large metal detector with wide

Standing at the former site of Heat,

with police following the previous violent

eyes, leering over at each other and then

a similarly themed hip-hop dance club,

incidents at the club, is not content to say

back up at the metal frame. As the line

Magic City opened its doors in February of

the job is complete as of yet.

thinned and they made their way to the

2014, filling the void in the night club scene

“Ya know, we just re-opened. I can’t make

front, the security guard raised a hand to

following the closing of Heat early this

any comment on whether the new security

wave them through, motioning with two

year. A welcome contribution to the East

has made an impact yet,” Monteneri said.

fingers. The pair looked at the guard and then back at each other.

“Fuck this.”

End, however, soon became the subject of

“We’re just trying to cooperate with the city

controversy as Magic City stepped into its

and make the place safe and fun for everyone.”

first summer.

In the center of the club there is a lowered dance floor, a circular space where

Of course, with the heavy security screening in its infancy, it is natural to see some resistance from club-goers.

young men grind viciously along young

“Damn yo, you gotta cup my nuts like that?”

women, who dance with rapid, in some

a man in a gray hoodie said as a security guard

cases almost seizure-like gyrations. It is in

performed a pat-down. The guard smirked and

this spot that on July 6, a 36-year-old man,

gave some final pats before waving him on.

13 Leisure

The White Lady’s castle is located in Irondequoit, N.Y. and across the street from the beaches of Lake Ontario. Although it is known as a haunted location by night, it serves as a beautiful viewpoint and relaxing area during the day.

HAUNTED ROCHESTER

by Gino Fanelli | photography by Kim Bubello and Paula Ospina | design by Teysia Parks

‘

T

is the season. The season for goblins, ghouls and mischievous spirits to take the spotlight– but it isn’t just in Halloween time when restless souls wander the streets of Rochester. Far from it, in fact; ghostly legends of demons and the damned linger in the air throughout the city and its suburbs. Hidden in plain sight, the shadows of lonesome ghosts may still creep across the unassuming walls and dimly lit corners.

THE ROCHESTER RUNDEL LIBRARY 115 South Ave. Notably featured on SyFy Channel’s “Ghost Hunters” in 2012, the Rochester Rundel Library has become legendary for creatures that bump in the night. Built in 1932, the 14 Leisure

Rundel Library, perched atop the abandoned Rochester subway, may not be so far-fetched of a spot for casual readers and paranormal researchers alike to catch a ghostly glimpse.

Ralph Esposito, guide for the Seabreeze Ghost Walk goes on to talk about the Rundel Library, with its strategic location near the abandoned subway, as a hotspot for railway– related specters.

“I’ve actually never had any experience there personally,” said Esposito, “but I am giving a lecture there at the end of October.”

“I’ve heard stories of several people witnessing the shadow of an engineer in the building,” said Esposito. “Just as well, in the basement, many witnesses have claimed to have seen the ghosts of passengers

seemingly getting on and off trains.”

Esposito, though without direct experience with the Rundel Library’s haunts, is confident that his upcoming visit will be fruitful.

“I’m very much looking forward to an investigation of the library,” he said. “It’s a place that seems to have a constant flow of eye witnesses, and I think that’s enough to give some credit to the idea that there is something there.”

THE WHITE LADY’S CASTLE Lake Shore Blvd, Irondequoit Perhaps the most hotly debated tale in the Rochester area, the White Lady’s Castle is not a castle at all; rather, it is a wall made from stone overlooking the edge of Durand-

The Rochester Rundel Library is located on South Avenue in downtown Rochester. The Rundel Library is the original downtown site of the Rochester public library and was constructed in 1932.

Eastman Park in Irondequoit out towards Lake Ontario.

The story of the White Lady, a ghostly trope found in legends throughout the world, is one that comes with dozens of variations, though almost all surround the loss of her beloved daughter. Author S.E. Schlosser compiles three of the most popular legends of the White Lady in her anthology, Spooky New York: Tales Of Hauntings, Strange Happenings, And Other Local Lore.

Some say the daughter of the White Lady went out one evening with a group of friends, some of which were young men. When her daughter never returned, the mother sent out a search party the following morning, and her body was found floating on the shore of Durand Lake, raped and strangled.

Other stories say the White Lady was an eccentric recluse who kept her daughter locked away from society until one fateful evening, a mysterious man came to the door requesting her daughter’s hand for a date, which she reluctantly allowed. Once again, her daughter disappears, only to be found in the same condition as the previous story, the man from the previous evening having presumably disappeared in to the night.

And in some tales, the story says the White Lady’s daughter simply vanished without a trace.

The mother, with the assistance of her two German Shepherds, wandered the beach, searching for her lost daughter or the men who had murdered her. Eventually, crazed with grief, she threw herself off a cliff into Lake Ontario. At night, often under a full moon, she returns as the White Lady, and wanders through the beach and park, sometimes with her dogs and other times without. She is thought to exist to protect women brought to the park and to attack men whom she believes are posing threats to a woman. In general, she is thought to be naturally resentful of men and to wander in a mournful, melancholy way.

In reality, the ruins of the White Lady’s Castle aren’t ruins at all. They are, in fact, the remains of a community dining room constructed in 1911 following the construction of the park.

Nonetheless, local legend claims that the White Lady is as real as they come, and still haunts the grounds of Durand-Eastman Park, punishing young men who accompany young women.

Superstition? Maybe. But it still may not be the best make-out spot.

“I was actually there a couple days ago with a psychic friend of mine,” Esposito said. “Out of the three psychics I’ve brought there, all have claimed that there is definitely the presence of a female dressed in white with disheveled hair

and an unkempt look who is very angry.”

Esposito goes on to recount a particularly creepy tale from the area of the White Lady’s Castle.

“A gentleman who I know was in a van traveling down King’s Highway towards Lakeshore Boulevard,” said Esposito. “At the intersection, he said an apparition appeared of a female dressed in all white which charged his van. Scared the living something or other out of him.”

There’s a skeptic in all of us. But nonetheless, there is always a skeptic of the skeptic – a little voice that defies logic, keeping us peeking over our shoulders and the hairs on the backs of our necks standing up. Most of the year, we can stifle and ignore that voice. But for those who are openminded, maybe once a year is enough to give in to those voices and try to catch a view of what might lie beyond.

“Ya know, Rochester is really full of stories like this,” Esposito said. “It’s really a hotbed for this kind of activity that not lot of people know about. I’ve actually had a few friends from Queens travel here just to investigate some of the legends of the area, claiming they’ve felt powerful presences here that they haven’t felt anywhere else”.

So, if just once in this Halloween season, stifle that skeptic, get out there and find a scare of your own.

15 Leisure

SPACE at RIT &

“Imagine if you just flew to South America. You have 500 minutes in South America to get a general idea about what the entirety of Earth is like. Do you think it would be sufficient?” asked Anthony Hennig, a fourth year Mechanical Engineering major and graduate student in Science, Technology and Public Policy.

He used this example to describe how limited space exploration to the planet Venus has been. According to him, human technology has only collectively spent 500 minutes on the planet’s surface. Answering his own question, Hennig said, “Not at all! But how fascinating would it be to have those 500 minutes there, and then keep on staying and keep on exploring?”

RIT isn’t currently planning any major planetary space exploration missions, but a new club on campus and many older initiatives by the university show that RIT houses a great deal of interest in space exploration, from the Mechanical Engineering department to the Hospitality and Tourism Management department.

Space 2014 Hennig has been interested in space for as long as he can remember, and in recent years he has had more opportunity to pursue his interest through work with the NASA Langley Research Center in both high school and during his time there this past summer.

Over the past six months, this interest has driven him to found the Space Exploration Club at RIT, also known as

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gn by Teysia Parks

ion by Ashleigh Butler | desi

by Nicole Howley | illustrat

SPEX. Although they are currently wading through the club approval process, they are already making headway as a club and as an active part of the RIT community.

“We had an information session during finals week last semester, and about 10 to 15 people showed up,” Hennig said. Other, more recent meetings have had similar turnouts. “Just this weekend, we had a four-hour engineering design review from 2 to 6. Kids got together on a Saturday afternoon to talk about satellite concepts.”

Currently, the members’ main focus is working on a proposal for the CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) run by NASA. CubeSats, or cube satellites, are small satellites typically developed by educational institutions that NASA is currently sending into space to collect scientific data. Some have successfully done this with iPhone-level technology running the satellite, while others can be more or less complicated. Typically measuring 10-by-10-by-10 centimeters (about the size of a softball) or up to 10-by10-by-30 centimeters (about the size of a pineapple), these CubeSats can fit into extra space on shuttles which are already scheduled to send up payloads, or small satellites, to the International Space Station (ISS).

“Typically, they hitch a ride somewhere within the structure

of the rocket up near where the real payload is,” explained Hennig. “… After the big thing – the one that everyone spent a lot of money on – is deployed, then you launch the CubeSats.”

Due to this waste-reduction measure and the small size of the CubeSats, their production can be very inexpensive.

“The cool thing about these satellites is that they embrace low cost … so you can do some really cool science and just embrace it,” Hennig said. “… That’s probably what we are going to aim for, for our first CubeSat: something simple, something that does the science well and that’s that.”

Organizations such as SPEX can send a CubeSat into space for free with CSLI. Through this program and CubeSats themselves, “everyone’s getting a chance to hitch a ride into space,” Hennig said.

Before SPEX does so, though, they need to finish filling out the proposal for their satellite, which is due to NASA on Nov. 25. So far, SPEX members have decided on a concept for a laser communications receiver that will allow the satellite to receive and respond to messages from Earth. The model

is based on communication stations, but more elaboration must be done before the deadline.

“We need to have a 10-page document, at least, that outlines our mission, our concepts behind it, our reasons, our educational goals, our engineering goals – and we are going to do our best to submit that proposal as a brand new team,” Hennig said.

Although this may pose a challenge, Hennig said the primary goal is for the group to learn. Part of the requirement of the CSLI itself is to include an educational component in the project.

“It would be great if we could just get a few people – super geniuses – to sit down in a room and crank out a CubeSat in a couple of weeks, program it by themselves, do everything by themselves,” he said. “But that doesn’t have the kind of educational feasibility that we need for [CSLI] and that also doesn’t have the kind of contagious passion, contagious excitement that we need to keep a program sustained.”

Although he acknowledges that many of their projects,

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from CubeSats to radio and visual tracking, are highly technical, he hopes that the SPEX group can also do outreach and develop lesson plans that they can share with the wider Rochester area in order to encourage even more excitement about space.

This passion and excitement, according to Hennig, can be found in anyone regardless of their age or major. “I mean, how many people growing up said, ‘I want to be an astronaut’ … and a lot of people, they move on,” he said. “They go through education and everything and their views change, but we’re finding … in my lifetime, with the career path I’m going down and the classes I’m taking, with the people that I’m meeting, I can still do space.”

Space 1999 Professor CJ Wallington of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management in RIT’s College of Applied Science and Technology was able to participate in space program development as well, spending two summers at the Johnson Space Center working with NASA and ISS as a summer faculty fellow, and later working with additional space program development at RIT. During his time at NASA, he made the remark, “‘… you don’t have any tourism people. You’ve got engineers, you’ve got astronauts.

What do you know about tourism?’ And they looked at me like, what do you mean?” Wallington said. “And I said, ‘I teach in a tourism department. You’re not even thinking about that.’” “… They said ‘Would you do it?’ And I said, ‘I’m probably not the person that you want. Take my boss [Dr.] Francis Domoy.’” After participating in a panel with astronaut Buzz Aldrin, Domoy, previous director of the School of Hospitality and Service Management, decided that the department should start a course on the topic of space tourism. “Then he turned to me and said, ‘That’s you.’ And I said, ‘Okay.’ So I started the space tourism course. It was his idea, but I did the execution.”

Despite his participation, when Domoy first told him that space tourism would happen soon, Wallington was skeptical. When this class was started in 1999, there was talk of space tourism, but many people didn’t believe that it would happen for a long time. “And two years later, there’s a guy in the space station,” said Wallington.

“We never thought Russia would sell a seat up to the space station.”

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Dennis Tito, NASA engineer-turned-investor-turned-millionaire, was the first space tourist to pay $20 million to the Russian space agency in order to visit the ISS for a little over a week in 2001.

Since Tito, six more tourists have also gone to the ISS. “In 2001 we had an idea … that space tourism would come but it would be more slowly developed,” said Wallington. “We had no idea that Dennis Tito and these rich people would get to ride, and that was a real game changer.”

Now the issues being dealt with in the space tourism class seemed more relevant than ever. Domoy was even quoted in a 2001 Wired article saying that the department intended to host a bachelor degree program dedicated solely to space tourism within three years. Although this dream has not been realized, the class itself still dealt with the many issues that accompany space travel, from how to get people out of the atmosphere and back to how training for tourists would work to how tourists would get by in zero gravity; which is a problem much more complex problem than it may seem at surface level.

Wallington described some of the discussions his class had about the lack of gravity in space, bringing up simple questions about how tourists could drink liquids, avoid scattering crumbs of food and simply sleep in an environment where everything floats. He also encouraged his students to think about the less pleasant aspects of space travel. “Some people get sick and throw up,” Wallington said. “Now work that through. If the orange juice floats, what else floats when you throw up?”

Attending to other forms of human waste is also an issue.

“When you go to the bathroom [on Earth], it’s gravity that takes care of the waste,” Wallington said. “There’s all these little tiny problems.”

Even when the issues of basic survival and cleanliness are dealt with, there are issues of finding entertainment for those on these week-long trips – and then there are larger issues as well, such as those of training.

According to Wallington, astronauts go through two years of training before their first space ride. “As a tourist, you would never buy that … Now, what can we do to shorten the training period? What can we do to keep people happy because they’re paying for the ride?” Tito was luckily able to complete the training in only one year.

With all of these bases covered, there is still the issue of federal regulations. After all, Tito, an American citizen, had to go to Russia in order to get on a space flight. “The Americans don’t do it. The Russians do it, interestingly enough. America has laws against that,” Wallington explained.

Currently, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates commercial space travel and, due to a lack of movement on the policy front, these regulations were the same as those regulating commercial air flight for a long time. This means that if you want to get to space from the U.S., you must have enough life jackets for everyone on board, a pilot and second pilot and, of course, pre-flight briefing indicating where all the exits on the aircraft are located.

This lack of movement by the FAA led to some delays in the progression of space tourism in the U.S. “That’s the problem they’re running into. It’s political,” Wallington said. The FAA finally made some progress on that front this past May by signing a deal with space tourism company Virgin Galactic to allow commercial space flights to take off from New Mexico.

These flights were scheduled to start by the end of this year, but the start date was recently pushed back to some time next year.

The progress of space tourism at RIT has stalled, too.

According to Wallington, the class ended in about 2006. “It

ended, I think, by accident,” he recalled. The department planned to offer the course in the fall of that year. “It just never got put on the schedule. I don’t know whether anybody ever made a decision. I didn’t yell and run and fight for it; I was busy doing a lot of other stuff. So it just kind of faded away by accident.” Now that Domoy has retired, less focus has been placed on the topic, and Wallington doesn’t predict that it will come back soon.

There were other RIT initiatives that faded away with time, too, and Hennig has been working to pull them back together.

“We’ve been slowly collecting up pieces of these old relics of really, really cool space engineering that already happened at RIT and trying to start it again,” he said.

SPEX advisors Dr. Mihail Barbosu, head of the School of Mathematical Sciences and Dr. Dorin Patru, associate professor in the Electrical and Microelectronic Engineering department have been two of the many people helping Hennig and the club’s other members to collect some of this previous space-centered engineering.

One major infrastructural find has been the on-campus mission control. Between 2003 and 2008, Patru actively worked with students to develop an RIT-based launch system through a project he called METEOR, or Microsystems Engineering and Technology for the Exploration of Outer Space Regions.

They planned to lift a small satellite 25 kilometers, or 80,000 feet, into the air by balloon and then launch the vehicle from that point, “… the idea being you’re closer to space so less air resistance and everything. You can take a small payload for less fuel …” Hennig explained.

“Technically, we can’t call anything we build at RIT in terms of satellites RITSAT1. That’s already been taken because RITSAT1, I believe, flew up on the bottom of a high altitude balloon,” Hennig said with a good-natured laugh. “It’s already been done, so we’re going to have to do SAT2 or something like that.”

“But, throughout all of this, Dr. Patru and his colleagues and the students who worked there managed to have a small mission control,” he continued. “We’ve got a mission control sitting there, ready to go. There’s some upgrades necessary, but it’s ready to go and it’s a tremendous head start … It was there, waiting for someone to use it.”

Space 2030 With SPEX’s initiatives growing in momentum and with the club’s leaders bringing together space initiatives across the university, the topic of space could be brought closer to the forefront of students’ attention, a trend that Hennig believes is also happening outside of RIT. “There’s a lot of very public, very cool science going on right now and everyone’s starting to figure out how to connect people with that science going on.”

Wallington is a little bit less optimistic about gaining the public’s attention. “I think it’s faded away because of two things: the recession, which cut NASA’s budget, and we’ve got a lot of other things going on … So, I think it’s been crowded out, especially with the recession. People thought at one point that this was affordable. Now they are thinking ‘Do I have a job at all?’ So that’s pushed it to the back burner. If that changes, I think it will come back.”

Wallington believes that it will be difficult for most people to make it to space in their lifetime unless they are willing to pay large sums of money for it. But with projects like those that SPEX is working on, there might be other options for people to get their space fix and to continue exploring their interest in space. “It’s a different type of group right now,” said Hennig. “We’ll see how it all plays out.”

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THE NEW CENTER FOR INNOVATION:

ROSICA HALL

by Angela Freeman | photography by Joyce Kasab | design by Halli Rosin

“Vision without execution is hallucination.”

S

o reads Rosica Hall’s atrium wall, in the words of Thomas Edison. Rosica Hall itself is a vision realized and executed by

NTID in order to keep its work at the forefront of contemporary research.

Although RIT has multiple centers for students to explore their creativity and ideas, such as the Simone Center for Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship –- fondly known as the “toilet bowl” by students –- none have catered to the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing community at RIT quite as closely as this hall.

Colleagues James DeCaro, NTID dean emeritus and current professor, and Gary Long, associate dean for research at NTID, have worked on the Rosica Hall initiative from its very conception, and continue to raise awareness about what happens within its walls.

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SETTING THE FOUNDATION “From the minute we opened the door, the building was fully funded,” DeCaro said.

With nearly $2 million in grant money and

original goals for the hall, calling it “a sandbox for research, a focus, a physical presence.”

HBT Architects kept this concept in mind

For now, there is plenty of flex space that comes with adaptable furniture as well. “All furnishings can be mixed and matched,”

the addition of private funds from various

for their space planning of Rosica Hall.

DeCaro said of the bright green, orange and

sources, Rosica Hall construction was

Touchdown spaces with seating and tables

purple furnishings as he pushed open the

completed in early October 2013.

are located at every turn. Wide hallways

door to an interview room.

“This was a ‘build it and they will come’

leave room for chance encounters and

“And they have been!” Long finished,

effort,” Long said with a laugh. “We had

conversations, as well as extensive lines of

surveying the now-empty room and laughing.

some research groups that were funded, but

sight from different vantage points in each

“This used to have tables and chairs in it!”

the goal of this was to be a sort of research

space –- a crucial aspect of ASL-friendly

hub for students and faculty.”

design. Brick walls and solidity have been

have taken to ‘borrowing’ furniture and

all but rejected in favor of strong natural

rearranging it freely to suit their purposes.

Advocates of the facility hoped to forge

Rosica Hall students and faculty alike

new ties between the deaf, hard-of-hearing,

light, and frosted glass partitions that

Students have also been quick to take

hearing students with faculty alike, citing

allow curious onlookers to witness the

advantage of the variety of writing surfaces

Technological Education Center for Deaf and

silhouetted activity inside. These integral

in the hall, including movable whiteboards

Hard-of-Hearing Students (DeafTEC), Research

design elements came from a report of

and walls with invisible coating that make

on Employment and Adapting to Change

recommendations written by Phil Reuben,

nearly every vertical surface a viable space

(REACH), the Research Center for Teaching

one of DeCaro’s past Civil Engineering

for writing. Indeed, DeCaro and Long

and Learning (RCTFL), the Collaboratory on

students who is now a successful architect.

admitted with amusement, Rosica Hall

RIT’s watchword “innovation” as the core of Rosica Hall’s intended mission.

Specifically, NTID’s webpage for the hall cites “development and adaptation of access and instructional technologies” and “innovative cross-disciplinary projects involving science-, engineering-, imaging- and business-related fields” as its design intent.

Prior to the official opening of the building in 2013, NTID hosted the university-wide Rosica Research Festival in September of that year. There, researchers from RIT and NTID set up displays and talked about their research activity with the goal of expanding public awareness of the hall and its endeavors.

Now, over one year later, Rosica Hall is home to five distinct research centers, each with its own focus and funding — including over $1 million in new grants since the building was opened. These include the

Economic, Demographic and Policy Studies

During original discussions with the

students have become so accustomed to

architects on the project, accordion-style

writing on unconventional surfaces that

room dividers were considered but rejected

the faculty have had to place signs on

wide range of facilities: conference rooms,

in favor of simple internal walls that do

desks, tabletops and walls coated in regular

an ‘Imaginarium’ and even a meditation

not contain any electrical, plumbing or

sealants that specifically warn people

garden. The aforementioned centers and

structural elements. That way, if a research

that they are not included in the scope of

their administration are housed on the

facility receives grant money several

writable surfaces.

first floor, while the second floor contains

years down the road, the spaces can be

laboratories and multi-purpose spaces.

reconfigured to accommodate yet another

and the Deaf Studies Laboratory.

Additionally, the building contains a

research initiative or center.

INSIDE THE FLEX SPACE Adaptability is a prominent aspect of

REARRANGING RESEARCH Rosica Hall has also had an impact

When asked about whether or not there

beyond the physical space it provides

are any concerns regarding the loss of ‘flex

students and faculty. “This has been a

the hall that has been emphasized by

space’ as grants are acquired and rooms are

complete change in the way that research is

its proponents both before and after its

repurposed, DeCaro answered, “Yes ... but it’s

organized at NTID,” DeCaro said.

completion. Long emphasized the idea of

a problem that comes from success. I love

“flexible space” and DeCaro repeated his

that sort of thing.”

He cited Strategic Decisions 2020 as the essential foundation for making Rosica Hall 21 Features

not only a reality but also a success. “It really

forged ties with seven different prestigious

and hard-of-hearing students resulted in a

is the genesis,” DeCaro said.

industry partners and is currently undergoing

$400,000 grant from the NSF and hold the

applications for further grant funding.

potential to earn even more funding in the

The document was compiled by NTID in 2010 in the form of a 10-year plan that

In relating Rosica Hall’s nontraditional

future.

essentially serves as a road map for the

research methods, DeCaro also spoke of

college. It explores “strategic initiatives” in

the ‘teacher-scholar’ model that Rosica Hall

separating students into groups and forming

student involvement, program development,

promotes. “The idea is that your teaching

‘mixed’ teams of deaf, hearing and hard-

cross-college communication and countless

informs your research, and your research

of-hearing students. The groups are then

other critical components to foster

informs your teaching.”

encouraged to take advantage of Rosica Hall’s

innovation. By consolidating the efforts

That way, the center can explore and

Marchetti’s teaching methods include

tools for communication, which include the

that were happening with varying levels

bring issues to attention that faculty feel RIT

rolling chairs that can be moved into circular

of awareness all over NTID and RIT, Rosica

needs to address.

formations for clear lines of sight, the portable

Hall’s advocates gave research a place where it would be recognized.

For example, Ron Kelly, the REACH Center

This concept is exemplified in the work of Carol Marchetti, whose Rosica Hall

whiteboards and the walls with coating.

“It changes the way they work together,”

efforts take place in the Research Center

Marchetti said. “Standing, there’s just a

director, participates in work on stereotype

for Teaching and Learning. Marchetti is

different energy in the room. They’re more

threat and associated issues, which recently

a professor at NTID and RIT’s College of

engaged that way.”

earned REACH a $500,000 grant from the

Science, and currently teaches Introduction

National Science Foundation (NSF).

to Statistics I. Leading a team of tutors,

commenting, “This is low-tech but with a

interpreters and deaf students who have

high-tech strategy!”

In another branch of research, DeafTEC

DeCaro indicated the whiteboards,

focused on collaborating with high school

gone through the class, Marchetti is working

and college students in the science,

to create video resources for students

a question of what it has done so far, but

technology, engineering and mathematics

that foster and facilitate communication

rather where it’s going next. “People ask me,

fields to promote best practices for their

between deaf, hard-of-hearing and hearing

‘What’s going on? What are you doing?’”

future employers and assist them as they

students and educators. Both her teaching

DeCaro said, shaking his head with a laugh.

graduate and enter the working world. From

and research work on the best practices

“I tell them ‘Whoa, calm down.’”

its first $4.5 million grant, DeafTEC has

for teaching statistics concepts to deaf

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It seems that with Rosica Hall, it’s not

He smiled. “We’re doing fine.”

Overdose of

Innovation

by Evander Sousa | design by Liz Mc Grail and Rachel Fox

I

t’s difficult to think about RIT without

the potential to be innovative, it should be

measurable. “Innovation is about introducing

associating it with innovation. Innovation

labeled as such.

change into relatively stable systems. It’s

is the school’s go-to buzzword, and RIT’s

Despite the benefits of this broadness

not afraid to slap that label on anything that

in the description of innovation, there are

slightly resembles innovation.

issues with this approach. If the definition of

To the employees of RIT, the word

also concerned with the work required to make an idea viable.”

Furthermore, Theodore Levitt, an economist

a word is stretched too far and includes too

and professor at Harvard before his death

varies in meaning. Dr. Richard DeMartino,

many ideas and concepts, the definition and

in 2006, wrote: “What is often lacking is not

the director of the Simone Center for

the word itself can lose meaning altogether.

creativity in the idea-creating sense, but

Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship, defines innovation as “both the creation of something new and the use of it.”

To Christine Corrado, the organizer for the Innovation Hall of Fame, innovation means “The coalescence between the perceived need and the unperceived need, and a novel approach to meeting that need.”

innovation in the action-producing sense, i.e.

INNOVATION TAKES WORK. IT TAKES SUCCESSES AND FAILURES, BUT THAT’S

nearly limitless ideas that RIT students

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL.

said that of all the ideas and projects the

DeMartino seemed most comfortable

these ideas are innovative, however. Of the produce, only a few are realized. DeMartino Simone Center takes on, only three or four

student innovation, provided the simplest Of these three leaders in RIT’s innovation,

RIT is a well of creative ideas; we celebrate them every year at Imagine RIT. Not all of

Richard Notargiacomo, the director for definition of innovation: “creativity plus value.”

putting ideas to work.”

percent are taken into the real world. This low Unfortunately, RIT’s definition and the “spirit of innovation” may have done just this.

According to many other definitions of

success rate is something to keep in mind.

Innovation takes work. It takes successes and failures, but that’s what makes it

articulating RIT’s innovation ideals, saying

innovation from experts outside of RIT,

special. The reason innovation is such an

that RIT uses a similar meaning to his own.

innovation must go further than having

important buzzword is because it is difficult

potential; it must actually be implemented

to accomplish. Making a creative idea work

in some form.

in the real world is hard to do and should be

He said that RIT leaves its definition vague to remain inclusive. According to him, each college and even each professional would

Vijay Govindarajan of Harvard Business

recognized and praised.

define it as something different, so leaving the

Review said that “Creativity is about coming

overall definition vague allows more freedom

up with the big idea. Innovation is about

take away from the meaning of innovation; it

as to what is called innovative and allows for

executing the idea – converting the idea into a

can trivialize the hard work necessary to join

the inclusion of more definitions of the word.

successful business.”

creativity with the real world. Anyone can be

On the subject of RIT’s wide use of the

In contrast to the more vague definitions

RIT’s broad definition of the word may

innovative, but what separates the creative

label, Notargiacomo said that RIT does this

at RIT, Business Insider contributor

from the innovative is the ability to implement

“in the spirit of innovation.” If something has

Drew Marshall wrote that innovation is

their creativity and bring about actual change.

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Left, top: RIT students, faculty, staff and alumni along with residents of the Rochester community take self-guided tours where they explore and discover the new and exciting aspects to the Gene Polisseni Center.

POLISSENI CENTER

photography by Maridelis Morales | design by Kim Bubello and Rachel Fox

24 Sports

Right, top: RIT President Bill Destler, Polisseni Center sponsors and members of the RIT men’s hockey team pose for an overhead photograph before the men’s hockey team makes the first even goal in brand new home hockey arena.

Right, middle: Matt Abt, Max Mikowski, Ken MacLean and Jordan Ruby, all members of the RIT men’s hockey team, attend the dedication of their new home hockey arena. They will play their first game in the new arena on Oct. 4.

Right, bottom: Members of the RIT Corner Crew cheer and sign “R-I-T” in American Sign Language. The corner crew plays a large role in RIT men’s and women’s hockey when it comes to their fan base and came to show their support for the new home hockey arena.

Members of the RIT and Rochester communities joined together for the dedication of the new home hockey arena, the Gene Polisseni Center, on Sept. 18.

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Houston, There’s Still a Problem The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

by Nathaniel Mathews | illustration by Ashley Butler | design by Annie Wong

T

he 2015 NASA budget is expected to be $17.46

computation and medicine are direct consequences of

billion. To put that in perspective, the U.S.

the space race. But that’s an inherently inefficient method

Department of Education requested $22.8 billion

of advancement. We’d advance faster, with less fiscal

for Pell Grants, which provide education to lower-

waste, if those tax dollars went directly into scientific

income families. That may not seem like much of a

institutions. Each launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 Heavy

disparity, but consider this: there are, at time of writing,

Lifter costs $27 million. That’s a lot of money for a service

three people in space: Alexander Gerst from Germany,

with questionable-at-best benefit to the average citizen.

Maksim Surayev from Russia and Reid Wiseman from

If it is the side-benefit technologies we discover along

undergraduate institutions this fall. Perhaps some

the way, we might as well put that money directly into

PEOPLE ALSO TEND TO TALK A LOT ABOUT A “UNITED EARTH” OR A “BORDERLESS SPACE,” BUT WE’VE SEEN THE REALITY IN PRACTICE, AND IT IS NOT THE SAME.

serious thinking is in order.

A lot of space exploration ideas

development. Perhaps it’s the jobs that the industry creates – but those intelligent employees could well

seem great on paper, but break

work elsewhere and probably for better pay and

down when seriously considered.

greater societal impact. It’s certainly not in the hope of

Asteroid mining is a great example;

permanent extraterrestrial colonies; the economic strain

sure, it would provide access to a

of that sort of venture is completely prohibitive, even if

lot of resources that are scarce on

technology was sufficiently advanced to sustain human

Earth’s surface, but it costs $10,000

life in space. Robotic exploration is far cheaper. It could

per pound to launch something

be to learn about the composition of the universe, but

into space. The cost to set up and

detector advancements make that easier to do from

maintain any sort of mining facility

Earth all the time. Even if that were that not the case, we

would create such an overhead that

have more pressing scientific concerns at present.

it could never break on-Earth market shares.

People also tend to talk a lot about a “united Earth” or a “borderless space,” but we’ve seen the reality in

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We have to ask: what is the goal of space exploration?

the U.S. Meanwhile, 21 million students are attending

Simply put, space exploration is of no benefit to the average citizen of Earth.

Because you or I, we’re not going to space. That

practice, and it is not the same. The LA times reported

category is very selective. And even if we were able to,

last May that, “After railing against U.S. sanctions in

what benefit is there? We could go on and on about the

response to Russia’s annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea

poetry of viewing Earth from afar or the advancement

region, Rogozin, chief of the Russian space and defense

of mankind, but I think curing cancer would be a pretty

sectors, suggested that ‘the U.S.A. ... bring their

big advancement. I think putting every human through

astronauts to the International Space Station using a

a college education would be a pretty big advancement.

trampoline.’” It’s exactly that sort of tension that has

I think not having 15.9 million children living in food

stimulated NASA’s turning to SpaceX.

insecure households would be a pretty big advancement.

I’m not saying that there aren’t side benefits to space

Maybe we should get our shit figured out here on Earth

exploration — there are loads of them. Much of modern

before we think about infesting other reaches of space.

To Explore is Human

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

by Anthony Hennig | illustration by Ashleigh Butler | design by Annie Wong

T

he societies that have embraced the age-old instincts of curiosity and exploration have prospered.

The societies that make the financially and morally sound decision to maintain the

of any space probe. There are hundreds of

status quo of their society have faltered and

worlds out there in our own solar system,

failed as their understanding of the universe

each with their own unique climates,

and their economies fail to accommodate

geologies, chemistry and maybe even biology.

new ideas and prevent threats to existence

Many societies throughout the universe

that time naturally brings. The universe isn’t

have most likely made the financially sound

the most hospitable place.

decision to stay on their home planets,

By exploring and finding out more about

waiting out the death of their parent star

nature, we learn about ourselves, we develop

or the depletion of natural resources,

technologies that push our society forward,

the inevitable climatic events or

we create new economic markets and we

the disasters of their own creation.

protect ourselves from future disasters.

Exploration of space does come

Over the past 60 years, we’ve managed to

with a cost, but the technologies

peer through the clouds of Venus and see

that come from this exploration,

terrain with 100-kilometer-wide craters

termed “spin-offs” by NASA, pay

filled with lava (Ishtar Terra). We’ve managed

for the exploration in full and then

to discover that Mars has harbored liquid

some. Besides the incredible value

water and potentially life (see Phoenix

added by the accumulation of knowledge

Lander, Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and

from other worlds to the field of science and

Opportunity and Mars Science Laboratory

the excitement, focus and general unifying

Curiosity). We have begun to explore the

effect that space exploration has on a

hiring many people in the process. Planetary

systems of moons surrounding our gas

society, these benefits take technologies that

Resources is putting together the framework

giants, Jupiter and Saturn – systems with

push the frontiers in their own fields and

and investment model for the mining of

moons that could harbor life (Europa -

bring them to consumers and industry.

asteroids to double or triple the amount

Jupiter; Titan and Enceladus - Saturn).

However, the list of places where we’ve

As of right now, new businesses are

of precious materials, like platinum and

changing the landscape of employment

metals, that are available to mankind as a

put footprints is small: only the moon and

in America and the world. Companies

whole. Besides this new type of space startup

maybe a small asteroid in the near future.

are looking towards Low Earth Orbit to

company, technologies from ingestible

We’ve only collectively explored an area

put up new remote sensing technologies

toothpastes to wireless headsets to robotics

no larger than a small town on the moon.

to provide real-time observations of the

to portable medic imaging tools and beyond

Our satellites and probes can give us great

Earth,or potentially to put up crystal growing

have all started out with the space program.

insight and explore in ways we can’t, but

satellites to grow insulin crystals and other

we’re natural born explorers with some of

medicines more quickly, in larger quantities

we can make ourselves better and push our

the best processors (our minds), scientific

and more efficiently than before. With the

understanding of the universe. This struggle

tools (our hands) and safety and exploration

movement toward the Space Launch System

takes time and finances, but the scientific,

programming (our training and experiences)

and Evolvable Expendable Launch Vehicle

moral and economic benefits over time from

BY EXPLORING AND FINDING OUT MORE ABOUT NATURE, WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES.

Ultimately, space is the frontier by which

by the United States government,

spin-offs, the resulting papers written and

some in the private sector are

new companies founded make up for the cost

putting their names into the race.

and more. It is worth it to explore because

Companies like Orbital Sciences

it is there; it pushes us to do more and we

and SpaceX are developing new

become better as a collective through it.

and inspiring technologies and 27 Views

WORD ON THE STREET photography by Maridelis Morales | design by Raven Reynolds and Rachel Fox

“What do you think would be the most difficult part about living in zero gravity?”

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

ALOK MEHTA

Manufacturing and Mechanical Systems Integration, first year graduate student “I will not be able to work out and swim in the pool which will affect my health.”

MARGARET SOMMERS Graphic Design, first year

“I have problems with vertigo if I go up high, so I get dizzy really easy. If I lived without gravity I feel like I would be dizzy all the time since I couldn’t control how high in the air I was.”

28 Views

JOEY RESSLER

Photojournalism, first year

“Taking a decent shower would be quite difficult because the water wouldn’t shower me.”

FRANCES GARROTE

Industrial Design, third year

HUNTER ROTONDO

Mechanical Engineering Technology, first year “Playing sports, because things would be floating around.”

JIMMY HERMAN Physics, first year

“Getting dressed in the morning,

“The most difficult thing I could

because you cant really see how

think of would be eating and drink-

everything fits if it’s floating around.”

ing. The lack of gravity would mean extra effort in swallowing food and drinks, and there would be nothing pulling them into your stomach.”

CONNOR MASKELL

DANIELLE MARINO

New Media Technology, first year

Industrial Design, fourth year

“Drinking liquid, because it would

“Going to the bathroom could

just be hard.”

be a bit messy!”

29 Views

I T ’ S N E V E R T O O E A R LY T O

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RINGS

compiled by William Hirsh design by Annie Wong

“College is the perfect time to be a [doe].” #overheardatRIT Friday, August 29, 12:39 p.m. [Text]

I just spent 20 minutes and had to try four different parking lots before finding a parking space, all the while passing around 50 or so open reserved spots.

Don’t worry though, kids, there’s not a parking problem on campus.

Just saw a kid sitting on the escalator backwards to get to the second floor of Barnes & Noble.

Really? After only Week 1?

Monday, September 1, 1:00 p.m. [Text]

Tuesday, September 2, 10:24 p.m. [Text]

Rings, sometimes I feel like I’m the only person who folds their underwear before putting it away.

It’s a lonely feeling.

Sunday, August 31, 4:09 p.m. [Text]

Call or text us at: 585.672.4840

My roommates and I are discussing how frustrating it is that the iPhone emoji for poop smiles because sometimes you just need an angry or non-expressive poop to explain how you feel in a text message.

Just saying.

Monday, September 8, 9:33 p.m. [Call]

The opinions expressed are solely those of the students and do not reflect the views of REPORTER.

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