Avion Issue 1 Fall 2021

Fall 2021 Issue 1

Hello & Welcome!

H

ello, I am Salim Roig, the Editor-In-Chief of and I would like to welcome all of you to the Fall 2021 semester. Thank you for picking up the first regular issue of Embry-Riddle’s very own student-run news magazine at the Daytona Beach campus.

I am sure that many of you will wonder what we exactly do. ’s primary goal is to represent the students at Embry-Riddle. We achieve this goal by recording on-campus and off-campus events that students might be interested in, holding interviews with student leaders, taking photos requested by Registered Student Organizations and publishing student opinion pieces.

Now, with that in mind, you might be curious who runs this organization. Technically speaking, as the Editor-In-Chief, I do, but it’s the students themselves in reality. I am an Aerospace Engineering student and Resident Advisor here, so you can rest assured that when an issue of comes out, we prioritize students’ interest over anything else.

Let’s say you wish to join us, but don’t know what you want to do. At Photo Courtesy / Annika Anderson , we invite writers, photographers, live-event reporters, or graphic designers to join us. We accept all skill levels and are more than happy to teach you, even if you're interested in one, many, or all of the above.

Our office is located in the Student Leadership Suite in Room 219. Our doors are always open to potential new members, anyone who wants to collaborate with us, or people who just want to stop by and say hi. Our general meets are every Tuesday at 7 p.m. in "The Chamber" (SU 210).

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The Avion

Coke Zero Sugar 400

Daytona International Speedway Wawa 250

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The Coke Zero Sugar 400 and Wawa 250 are endurance races both held at the Daytona International Speedway - mere minutes away from our Daytona Beach campus. With 31 degrees of banked turns and 18 degrees in the tri-oval, the track at the ‘Speedway’ always puts on a show. Here are some pictures from those races. (August 26-28, 2021) ......................................................................

NASCAR Cup Series driver, Denny Hamlin, poses with his best friend before the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

The races were filled with exciting moments, keeping fans on the edge of their seats. One particular moment was a seven-car accident only 12 laps into the Wawa 250 race.

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Justin Haley claimed his second victory of the year under the lights and made his way through his wrecking teammates on the final lap to claim his Wawa 250 victory.

JTG Daughtery racecar driver Rickey Stenhouse Jr.’s team rolls out his car into the infield for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

Brad Daughtery, co-owner of their organization, said they would scale back to a single entry for the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series season, quoting that “more cars don’t equal more success.”

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All photos courtesy The Avion’s photographers: Gianna Castano, Seamus “Hunter” Lyons, and Malik Turner .............................

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Orientation Week Welcome to Embry-Riddle!

The Orientation Week for the fall semester kicked off on the 23rd of August with a series of orientation and welcoming events designed to help the new students with a smooth and joyful transition to the University. With more than 2,100 new Eagles joining our undergraduate programs last week, the number of enrolled students at Daytona Beach campus reached a record high throughout the whole university history with well over 6,900 in undergraduate and over 600 in graduate. Welcome aboard, Class of 2025. Go Eagles!

Students and staff assembled in the ICI Center during convocation, on August 26th.

Students showing their tassel after the orientation in front of the Student Union on August 26th.

Taylor Berley / The Avion

Students taking pictures at the photo booth set up in the Student Union.

Dylan Kowlessar / The Avion

Dylan Kowlessar / The Avion

The Student Court giving a presentation regarding on-campus parking.

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Sunwoong Yu / The Avion

Photo Courtesy / Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

The Class of 2025 gathered on the Dr. Thomas J. Connolly Quadrangle shortly after convocation on August 26th.

The Avion

← Students celebrate the new semester in front of the College of Arts and Science building.

Taylor Berley / The Avion

→ Students gather at the Frank Rendon Park during Beach Bash on August 28th.

Dylan Kowlessar / The Avion

← Sodexo staff presenting their table during Campus Resource Fair in the Student Union.

Taylor Berley / The Avion

→ Students at the Glowcade orientation party on August 25th.

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Orlando Baxter Complain, Explain, and Entertain: A Recap of the Comedy Show

Alisa Tiselska Correspondent

This past Friday, Touch-N-Go hosted an extraordinary comedy show. Boston-based comedian Orlando Baxter hooked the audience from the very beginning. The show began with Baxter’s anecdote about buying sunblock. As a man of color, Baxter was always told that he should be able to absorb sunlight. His jokes were mostly about three topics: school, racism, and sex. Embry-Riddle students could not stop laughing at Baxter’s stories about his love life and college years.

The next guest, Eric O’Shea, warned the audience that he is crazy. Author of “The Richest Comedian You’ve Never Heard Of ” and winner of the 2007 National Best Comedian Award jiggled his arms and made jokes about Italians. He was anything but a typical comedian.

O’Shea’s performance was a combination of anecdotes, interesting body language, and dynamic facial expressions. ERAU students were able to share their opinions on relationships, classes, childhood, and food. Every student had a hilarious story to tell.

Photo Courtesy / Worcester Magazine

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The struggle of being a student was O’Shea’s focus. Back in college, O’Shea was a “bad test taker.” At one point, he considered dropping out and becoming a stripper. Failing classes, getting fired, and being broke were some of the “adult problems” that he described. O’Shea suggested that students start a school called “Dummy Tech for inadequate people.” The audience enjoyed the show because he seemed to understand every single person in the room.

O’Shea’s performance was a successful stress relief. He used humor and irony to complain about the “real adult world”. Good news for those who want to improve their sense of humor: start complaining.

At the end of the night, O’Shea’s performance took an unexpected turn. He sat down and shared a few words of wisdom. The quote, “Get out of your comfort zone because all you ever wanted is outside of fear,” was the highlight of the show. He mentioned how terrible his first days of college were. Laughing at his younger self was his way of telling the audience that feeling down is normal. However, O’Shea chose to make his third day of college better than the first two. O’Shea reluctantly agreed to attend the filming of the sports comedy “Major League”. The movie director was in the middle of the filming process when he noticed O’Shea. As a result, he ended up being on-screen for about four seconds. The comedian could have chosen to stay in his dorm, but he decided to put himself out there. O’Shea’s story serves as a powerful message to the Embry-Riddle community: join that club, apply for that job, take that class, talk to that person. Never underestimate your abilities. Make the most out of this semester and do what you are passionate about!

Eric O’Shea believes that, “the best part of [his] job is bringing people joy.” The comedian added that, “you can choose to be happy every single day.” This Friday night of laughs showed the audience that everyone has a lot to be thankful for. Count your blessings and surround yourself with optimistic people.

Henry Nakaya Correspondent

Many of us love to play video games. Playing video games let us immerse ourselves in to the world that we can never experience in real life. While we are in games, we become protagonist of the game world. NPC’s in games act as they are coded to entertain players. However, what if one day an NPC from the game becomes sentient. Would we feel guilty for shooting them randomly in a mission, would we ask them about their goals and dreams, or would we even care? In Free Guy, a comedy-romance movie, inspired by videos games such as Grand Theft Auto, and starring Ryan Reynolds, we explore these questions.

The movie stars an NPC called Guy in a hit GTA-like massive multiplayer online game called Free City who one day, after bumping into a player called Mil-

lie he suddenly breaks free from his programming. Now, he orders coffee he’s never ordered before, he wears clothes he never thought of wearing, and most interestingly, he steals a pair of shades from a player, letting him see his world like how the players playing the game do. With these shades, he plans to level up so that he and Millie could hang, but unlike other players who harm and kill NPC’s to level, Guy will never do that as to him the others NPC’s are the people he knew his whole life. So he vows to level-up not by being a good guy but a great guy and what follows is a comedic adventure full of action, suspense, and romance.

The movie is full of this light-hearted humor which is not usually found in a story about a man who realized that his life is simulation. Free Guy and The Ma-

All Images Courtesy / IMP Awards

trix has a common that both movies are about figuring out that the world is a simulation. However, there is a difference on how each movie accepts the fact. While Neo from The Matrix is trying to have mid-life, Guy in Free Guy embraces it and uses the fact that his world is a game to make it a better place. This reflects his character quite well. He carries the plot of the movie and solves his issues, not by shooting everything he sees, but by talking things out. Thus, by watching him go throughout his journey, you just can’t help but feel this spark of hope as the movie goes on.

If you want a movie that will teach you how important it is to be kind, than I highly recommend Free Guy. Page 9

Student Senate Contact us via email at sgavpres@erau.edu Visit our Instagram: @erausenatedb

Frequently Asked Questions Q: How do I become a member of the Student Senate?

A: A senator is an elected position in the SGA, election packets are advertised and due in the Spring to campaign.

Occasionally, there are vacancies to apply for, which will be advertised on the SGA and Student Senate's Instagram.

Q: When does the Student Senate meet?

A: We meet every Tuesday from 12:45-2:00 p.m. in SU-210, also known as "The Chamber." If you want to see what your student senators do for you, our meetings are open to visitors!

Q:Where is the Student Senate office?

A: The Student Senate office is in the Student Leadership Suite on the second floor of the Student Union, specifically SU-234.

Q: What are forums?

A: Forums are once a semester outreach events where senators interact with students, listen to their concerns, have giveaways, and other fun activities!

Q: How can I meet Student Senators to voice my concerns and suggestions?

A: All SGA officials have office hours, and your senators' office hours are posted on the senate office window. If you ever can't make it their official office hours, you can always send your senator an email and make an appointment.

Dylan Kowlessar / The Avion

L to R: Paul Beliando, Eyad Mominkhan, Bethany Thompson, Jodie Harmon, Yashika Vadlamani, Kathleen Perry, Oliver Du Bois, Connor Smith, Sofia Lorenzini

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Who Are We? The Student Senate is comprised of senators representing each of the colleges and different groups across campus including international students, graduate students, veterans, housing and residence life, and general student life.

We spearhead various initiatives such as expanding tutoring programs, creating better study spaces, working with faculty to expand course offerings, and much more! Your student senate is your representation to the faculty and the SGA, if you have any concerns, please reach out to your senator or the Vice-President of the SGA.

Photo Courtesy / Savanna Sheahan

Top Row L to R: Brendan White, Connor Smith, Paul Beliando, Jake Homer, John Ferguson, Eyad Mominkhan, Matthew Peed Bottom Row L to R: Sophia Lorenzini, Bethany Thompson, Yashika Vadlamani, Kathleen Perry

Behind the SGA Student Senate

Sunwoong Yu News Editor

The Avion (TA): Can you briefly introduce yourself?

Bethany Thompson (BT): I’m Bethany M. Thompson, Vice President of the Student Government Association. For my job, I’m pretty much the mentor and chairperson for the Student Senate. So, I’m pretty much their resource. I’m the first point of contact whenever they have questions or need to contact faculty or staff on campus. I’m pretty much there just to lead them through their projects and their forums. Outside of the SGA, I’m part of the women’s rowing team, and I’m also the treasurer for Tri-Sigma.

TA: What changes has the Senate made over the campus so far?

BT: One of the big projects that is still ongoing from last year is the College of Engineering upper-level tutoring center. There wasn’t much tutoring available for 300-400 level courses in AE, Civil and ME. So the COE senators, including a returning senator Amanda Jacob, created this tutoring service and hired tutors. That way, whenever someone is stuck on homework, they can go to a peer, just like they could go for

200-level and math classes.

This is just sort of an example of the changes that we try to make on campus.

Many other ones have been on the progress committee - the bike pump by New Residence Hall 2, and also, water bottle filler stations.

Those have been brought forth by the Senate. These are what the Senate does, those small projects that you wouldn’t necessarily notice until it happens.

TA: What is the biggest challenge working as a Senator?

BT: I think the biggest challenge is recognizing what needs to be fixed. It’s tough because every student has different experiences. So, the most challenging thing is reaching out to students and hearing their concerns. The biggest struggle that we have is letting students know that we exist. So, this is something that we are aiming to fix.

This year is our marketing.

So yeah, I’d say the biggest struggle is letting students know that we are here and want to help.

The Avion

job. We’re trying our best to make your time at Embry-Riddle better. And if you see something that you don’t like, just let us know. We’ll do our best to either work it out or talk to you about things that we already have started progressing. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that students don’t really see unless they talk to us. We’re always open to talking with you. One of the biggest characteristics that a senator should have is being vocal and having TA: Is there anything you the ability to talk to others.

TA: What is the one thing would like to say to the stu- Come talk to us, please. that students don’t know dents? about the Senate?

BT: Come talk to us, Page 11 BT: I would say the one please, because that’s our thing they don’t know is how much effort we put into projects. A lot of times, we’ll start something, and then we’ll get so far, and then it just takes one faculty member to shut it down or to say no, which really bums us out because we’re trying to make these differences, but it’s hard. It’s tough when you make it so far just for one person to say, “No, sorry. We can’t support that, we don’t have enough funding,” or “we don’t agree.”

Sexual Harassment Salim Roig Editor-In-Chief

Sexual harassment is a topic that no one is comfortable talking about, yet if left unaddressed it will only get worse. Here at Embry-Riddle, we strive to achieve excellence in both our academic and personal lives, but there is a glaring issue that is met with a wide variety of responses- sometimes advocacy, and other times just plain apathy.

Throughout the summer, I went out and conducted a series of interviews with female and male students of various years, majors, backgrounds and races, who all bravely shared their stories of sexual harassment with me.

The following are my thoughts on the matter after conducting said interviews.

The first topic I wish to address is that of the “Riddle-Ratio” and the problems such a mentality brings. While it is true there are not as many women as there are men here at Embry-Riddle, I frequently see the ratio used as a way to justify abhorrent behavior towards both women and men.

For example, someone I interviewed told me that he was raped by a woman while they were watching a movie in her dorm. He tried to confide in his friends for moral support who instead said to him: “Why are you complaining? There aren’t that many women here,

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be happy you got some action.” No matter how you spin it, you still have a story of a man who was violated and felt miserable after realizing that his friends prioritize the notion that he should be grateful had sex over his right to consent. This is vile. You should support your friends when they are at their lowest, not judge them because they didn’t want sex with a female in a mostly male school.

Another example that I see all too frequently here at this school is that women are harassed by men even when they make it clear they have no intentions of dating. Furthermore, there is a predominant notion that women should just learn to expect this type of behavior because there aren’t that many women, and thus men get desperate.

We shouldn’t normalize a topic as severe as sexual harassment, yet I see it being normalized all the time as essentially, “that’s how boys at Riddle are.” No. That statement is false and does nothing but harm others. I am a man attending Embry-Riddle, yet I will always give a woman or another man the space they ask for.

We shouldn’t say boys at Embry-Riddle will always behave like creeps because in actuality, most don’t, but the few that do, benefit from normalizing said behavior.

The second topic I wish to address is how a lot of sexual harassment here tends to go unreported for various reasons. One common reason I tend to hear from the victim’s point of view is that the harassment “wasn’t intense enough” to warrant a Title IX or a similar report. The Title IX office is available to assist with any situation, no matter the severity. If you feel that someone is willingly harassing you or someone you know, you should report it, because cases like these have the potential to escalate very quickly. For instance, a woman I interviewed said, “At first I wanted to call Title IX but I didn’t think I should because he was only harassing me through text, then he started to get more aggressive when I saw him in class… I still didn’t report him because I thought it wouldn’t matter ‘cause he didn’t physically assault me… one day that changed when I turned him down for the fifth time he forced himself on me.”

A lot of intense sexual assault comes as the result of several smaller instances slowly stacking up. If someone violates the rules of consent with you, including the ability to rescind consent, no matter if it was in person, online, or wherever, you shouldn’t hesitate to report it. I know it’s scary to

do so, but every report contributes to the safety of everyone on campus. Don’t be scared!

Confide in people you trust the most and report what they did, and show them that no abuse will be tolerated.

Throughout this article, I talked about what truly is the heaviest subject matter I may ever write about. Now, to you, the dear reader who sat through this, I offer you advice that I believe could truly change the school for the better. If you see harassment, be it to you or someone else, don’t be silent.

Speak out against it and stay strong. If you see people normalizing this toxic behavior, call them out! Let them know this isn’t, and should never be the norm. If someone trusts you enough to share their story, don’t shame them, but let them know they are not alone.

Everything counts. Every little action adds up and with every step we take towards a safer community, we get closer to achieving it.

This article is not the end of the discussion.

I don’t claim it will solve sexual harassment on campus, but what I truly hope for is that it will start a conversation that could one day lead to a better Embry-Riddle campus community. At the end of the day, don’t we all deserve to feel safe on campus?

If you or anyone you know has been sexual harassed on campus do not hesitate to contact the following: The Title IX Ofiice 386-226-7971 dammerl@erau.edu dbtitle9@erau.eduk Campus Safety 386-226-6480

Dean of Students 386-226-6326 dbdos@erau.edu​ Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN) 800-656-4673 Page 13

Your Window to the Night Sky!

Divyeshwari Vansadia Correspondent

Don’t miss your chance to spot three major planets, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn up in the September night sky without using a telescope. Yes, you heard me right. You can see the three planets with the naked eye. Not only will Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn be out, but you will also be able to observe Uranus and Neptune if you use the proper type of telescopes. If you get lucky with the weather and the timing, you might also spot Mercury just after sunset for a few minutes.

Venus is going to be the easiest planet to find. The only thing you have to do is to look up to the southwest sky 30 minutes after sunset.

You will find a bright star there, which is not a star actually; it’s a planet, Venus! However, Venus won’t be up in the sky for the whole night.

It only appears for a couple of hours after sunset. Just look up at the night sky as you walk to dinner or on the way back to your room after classes. Stargazing apps such as Star Tracker, Sky View Lite, and Stellarium are good resources for finding stars and planets.

Well, you can also observe Jupiter and Saturn with the naked eye in the southwest direction.

Both of them will move from southeast to southwest. Around midnight, they reach the highest point in the south of the sky.

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NameCourtesy Mcname / The Avion Photo / earthsky.org

If you want to dive more into astronomy, consider joining the Amateur Astronomy Club through campus groups. Joining the club is an excellent opportunity to witness and learn about the real beauty of science.

The club has an observation night every two weeks on Wednesday at 8 p.m. During the observation night, you will be able to see celestial objects through different club telescopes and on other Wednesday there will be interactive sessions about astronomy. With a lot of outreach and activities, the club is also planning a camping trip!

Another good opportunity to connect with more people on campus and get guidance for students majoring in Astronomy and Astrophysics is to join the Astronomy and Astrophysics mentorship program.

Freshmen are welcome to be mentees in it, and the upper-classmen can participate as mentors. Just drop a message to Kamila Soto (sotoortk@my.erau.edu) to join the mentorship program.

Photo Courtesy / IG: aacaterau

Teddy West Helps Power Men’s Soccer To Season-Opening Win Kyrin Mayfield Sports Information Intern

ball skipping across the grass just inside the left post and past the outstretched arms of Southern Nazarene’s keeper.

However, the Crimson Storm responded in the 20th minute when Juan Rodarte dribbled through multiple Eagle defenders and sent a shot into the left side of the net to tie the score.

Both teams became more aggressive midway through the first half. A total of four yellow cards were registered from the 15th to the 25th minute, three of which were given to Embry-Riddle.

Neither squad was able #18 Eden Bokobza to score again before halftime.

Following the break, West found an opportunity at the top of the box in the 58th minute. #26 Thomas Loesel

For the first time since 2015, the Embry-Riddle men’s soccer team claimed victory in the season opener by defeating Southern Nazarene 3-1 at the Embry-Riddle Soccer Stadium on Saturday night (September 04).

It was the Eagles’ first regular-season match in 671 days, but the wait was worth it.

Embry-Riddle struck first in the ninth minute when Teddy West converted on his penalty kick. He sent the

#9 Teddy West

#19 Amit Libgot Page 16

Photo Courtesy / Christopher Elwell

Eden Bokobza deflected a throw-in toward West, who ripped it off his left foot and in for a second Eagle score.

Nine minutes later, Amit Libgot joined West in the scoring column with a rocket from outside the box to push the lead up to 3-1. Over the final 20 minutes, Embry-Riddle’s stout defense denied Southern Nazarene the chance to get back in the game as the Eagles held on for the 3-1 victory.

Thomas Loesel, making his Embry-Riddle debut, made three saves in goal for the Eagles and earned the win.

The two squads recorded nine shots each, seven of which came in the second half for the Eagles. Both teams also committed 13 fouls.

It will be a lengthy absence from home for Embry-Riddle as its next five contests are on the road, starting with a short trip up to St. Augustine to face Flagler on Tuesday, September 7, at 7 p.m.

Continue to support our Embry-Riddle Eagles in all sports this season. Tickets are available to ERAU students for free via the ERAU Eagles app. Go Eagles!

Volleyball Improves to 8-0 with Win Over Flagler Michael Pierce Assistant Director of Sports Information

ERAU 3, Flagler 1 September 11 Photo Courtesy / Christopher Elwell

The Eagles got off to a slow start in the opening set, falling behind 4-1. ERAU finally took its first lead on a McBride(#7) solo block that made it 9-8, but the Saints kept things close before retaking the lead at 15-14. A late 5-1 run put Flagler in the driver’s seat at 23-18, and the Saints closed the first set out at 25-20 a few minutes later.

Set two saw ERAU hit .609 on the strength of 14 kills on only 23 attacks without a single attacking error. An early 7-0 run put the Blue and Gold in front, 9-3,

and a 4-0 spurt later in the set extended the lead to double-digits at 19-9. For good measure, the Eagles won the final five points of the set to finish it off, 25-12.

Embry-Riddle began the third set winning four of the first five points, but a 6-1 run gave Flagler a 7-5 lead.

The Eagles responded in a big and impressive way, going on a 17-5 run to take a very commanding 22-10 lead.

Despite a 5-1 rally for the hosts, ERAU’s lead was never threatened as it took the set, 25-15.

FC opened set four digs, and four blocks with four straight (two solo). Weaver(#4) points and continued joined in on the douto lead throughout a ble-double fun with majority of the peri- the first of her career od. A Melanie Can- after totaling 37 assists field(10) kill began a and 10 digs. Taylor (#1) 6-0 run that flipped the led all players in digs advantage to ERAU’s with 18 and Canfield side at 19-16. The chipped in with six kills Saints answered back and four blocks.

The Eagles will return with a 3-1 rally to close to within one (20-19), to the court on Friday, but back-to-back kills Sept. 17, as they open from Gilleland(#5) up Sunshine State Conhelped secure the lead ference play at Florida as Embry-Riddle went Tech at 7 p.m. on to win the set, 2521, to finish off the match, 3-1.

Gilleland (#5) led all players with 20 kills and also added 12 digs for her second double-dou- #5 Cameron Gilleland #7 Jaden McBride ble of the day and third of her career. McBride (#7) tallied a double-double as well, the third of her career, #10 Melanie Canfield #1 Kendyl Taylor with 17 kills, 12 Page 17

Flight Certifications S U M M E R A N D FA LL 2 0 2 1

__________________________ Congratulations to those who received their certification!

COMMERCIAL PILOT (321, 322, 324) ___________________________ Andre Anthony Mitchell Brady Thomas Rollins Bumkyu Koh Daniel Andres Tejada Calderon David Alexander Benning Dominic Michael Barbagallo Elijah Arin Burgess Harsh Murli Sachdev Jessica Emma Chapdelaine Jimin Ahn Jiyoon Kim Jonathan Thomas Shumaker Juin Park Jung Ho Kim Kataleen Ivette Vargas-Hernandez Marcus Levy Gaillard Matthew Ramon Diaz Matthew Vincent Carr Michael Fitzpatrick Heffernan III Patrick Joseph Schroeder Saewon Park Samuel Paul Dahan Sanghoon Park Schyler James Sapinski Sean Christopher Wolf Seonggyu Yoo Shen-Jui Huang Siarm Cho Simon Foster Lovely Son Min Choi Stephen Edward Ziliotto Stephen Ziliotto Suhwan Kim Sungwook Lee Sydney Linnane Pilling Tanner Irish Thomas David Mcallister Trevor Shaw Brawn Tyler Robert Smith Page 18

Viktor Dziuba Vincent James Sciabarrasi Wei-Fan Lee William Lackey IV Wilson Brewer Wilson Rand Brewer Yanni Vardis Alatzas Yongwon Shin Zachary Ayhan Oldac Zachary Michael Friedrichs Zen B Manwani

COMMERCIAL MULTIENGINE ADD-ON (323) ___________________________ Alexander Giang Alexander Hoth Alexander Wilson Andrew Nicholas Garcia Ashwin Kudigram Brendan Kirkpatrick Brittney Porter Cameron Robert Woodall Camryn Cohen Caroline Mckee Charles Stack Cheyenne Jean Parker Chris Varela Medina Christian Alan Flohr Christopher Corkrum Christopher Desjarlais Christopher Shields Craig Newcomb Daehong Kim David Harris Denison Mylon Derek Martin Scafidi Dominic Sorrentini Jr Douglas Denny Dylan Saile Eiki Matsuyoshi Elliott Kelly Emily Dial Emily Kretschmer Garrett Younker Henry Elgin Hsing-Wen Chou Jack Fuller Jacob Hughes Jacob Thomas Schwarm Jarrett English Jason Nemeroff Jeehyun Hwang Jeffrey Coleman Jinwoo Park

John Licardi John Perry Pama Jon Yalcinkaya Jonathan Abarca Jonathan Ellis Jordan Lanham Joseph Gondek III Jun Se Lee Justin Tyler Parks Juwon Kim Kevin Leon Gonzalez Ki Jun Han Kyeong Mook Chung Kyle Allan Tarbox Kyle Holt Lauren Nalson Madeline Knause Marcin Makowski Matthew Lawrence Lemire Matthew Ryan Glass Matthew Thomas Williams Michael Francis Lynch Pandolfo Michael George Miguel Morejon Jr Miles Chance Moyer Mitchell Kihm Nel Azancot Nicholas Christ Nicholas Paukstis Parvathykutty Ghosh Pin-Yen Cheng Rachel Sherrod Arrotta Rahzel Lemott Rebecca Rong Yi Mu Ronak Tanna Ryan Austin Ryan James Powers Sebastian Wood Sung Soo Cho Susan Schmidt Suzanne Stevens Taeyun Kim Teng Hoe Koh Thomas Adams Ting-Yun Su Travis Frye Tristan Edward Weiss Tristan Joost Tyler Joseph Zampino Wei Tan William Coelho William Wenz Wylie Johnson IV Yoobin Moon Zachary Braden Mccracken Zachary Turton

September 12-18, 2021

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The Avion is produced bi-weekly during the fall term. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and editorial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the undersigned writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publication, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 1200 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by both the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.69. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its contents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of The Avion.

WHAM: An Astronomical Grand Slam for Embry-Riddle Kayla Taylor Correspondent Space may often be portrayed as a cold, unwelcoming vacuum, but with the right tools and an open mind, the cosmos might just warm up on you.

That’s exactly what happened to Embry-Riddle’s own Dr. Matt Haffner when he studied the Warm Ionized Medium (WIM) as a graduate student in the early ‘90’s.

Young stars and supernova explosions pump tremendous amounts of energy into space. Hydrogen atoms throughout the interstellar medium (ISM) are excited by these fiery sources, subsequently emitting the familiar red Balmer-alpha line. Although this emission line falls within the visible light spectrum, it can only be detected with very specialized equipment. Dr. Haffner conducts his research with the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper (WHAM), an instrument designed specifically for identifying the emission from diffuse gas in our Galaxy. For nearly two decades, WHAM has helped astronomers study the WIM in efforts to produce the first spectral, all-sky survey of the Milky Way.

Photo Courtesy / WHAM Collaboration

WHAM presents scientists with the potential discovery of something faint that has never been discovered with imaging before. Spectroscopic data from WHAM paired with imaging data from sites such as the SARA consortium telescopes may provide clear insight into the nebulosity of the diffuse ionized gas seen in both the disk and halo of the Milky Way. Stars are born from the gas and dust in nebulae, so exploring the interstellar medium in this way allows researchers to further investigate the life cycles of stars and galaxies.

Since taking over as principal investigator, Dr. Haffner has helped WHAM obtain nearly $7 million in funding, primarily provided by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Several undergraduate students have helped Dr. Haffner conduct data reduction and analysis, and he hopes to expand WHAM-related opportunities to Riddle students in the near future. “Our upcoming proposals look to design and build the next generation of WHAM, blending research and career opportu-

nities for our graduate students in both the Physical Sciences and Engineering departments,” said Dr. Haffner.

“WHAM’s specialized Fabry-Perot interferometer and remote-accessibility have also helped several faculty members gain funding from both NSF and NASA to continue with their research during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

With the exponential growth of the Astronomy and Astrophysics program in the Department of Physical Sciences, Dr. Haffner is using WHAM to give Riddle students another opportunity to observe with a research-grade astronomy facility. Such experience undoubtedly makes them stronger candidates for graduate school or laboratory work. For those that are dedicated, past projects have even occasionally netted a published work by graduation.

Dr. Haffner has only been with Embry-Riddle since 2018, but his expertise and experience with WHAM have proven to be beyond valuable for the university.

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