Vol. CI Issue 13 by The Vector

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Vol. CI | Issue 13 Week of December 5, 2021

An Update on Changes in Athletics By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor After a year of adapting to new routines in the athletics department, students and staff are now almost back to their pre-pandemic practices. The newfound advantage, according to Associate Athletic Director Peg Heffernan, comes from having a more controlled environment with vaccinated members of the NJIT community. “Last year's competitive seasons were significantly impacted. The number of competitions were reduced by at least 50%. There were no competitions in the fall semester except for basketball games in December. All the fall sports ended up playing their competitive season during the spring instead,” Hefferan explained. “Frankly, it was challenging.” Now, there are normal seasons and number of competitions; the fall sports just wrapped up their seasons, and winter sports have begun theirs. All athletes had to be tested for COVID-19 three times per week last year, but now only the ones with vaccine exemptions — a group of less than ten students — are required to test that frequently. Non-athletes need to test twice a week. “Something that carried over from last year is the general knowledge of doing an assessment each day. Last year, the athletes were sent daily texts to remind them to log into their app to complete their symptom check,” Hefferan mentioned.

Photo by Ethan O'Malley The Department of Sports Medicine monitored the activity, and any time an athlete checked off a symptom or that they had been in a position where they may have been exposed to a COVID-19 positive individual, the athletic trainer would follow up with the athlete. “This year, we don't have to send the daily symptom check. Instead, the athletes have been proactive and notify the Sports Medicine staff when they are not feeling well,” she said. “In 2020-21, so much was restricted. The areas that stood out were the reduced number of practice hours and practicing with masks,” Hefferan recognized. Last year, the two volleyball teams and two fencing teams were masked during actual competition. All other teams did not mask during their actual competition, but were masked while on the sidelines or benches. This year, the teams are back to their normal 20-hour countable athletically related activities weeks. Teams were restricted from the locker rooms last year except on game days, but the rooms are back open this year. The only provision with the rooms is that the athletes must be masked when possible. Masks are also required while traveling on team buses and vans. The athletes are still self-monitoring for symptoms, and they know to alert the Sports Medicine staff if they are not feeling well. Re-

gardless of the vaccination status, if an athlete is feeling ill, a rapid antigen test will be administered. Additionally, “it is fantastic to have the fans back in the stands,” Hefferan said. “The only concession that we're making this year is that masks must be worn by our spectators regardless of their vaccination status.” There are fewer restrictions on using the Wellness and Events Center than last year, with the most notable being a return to Open Rec, lap swim and the use of the locker rooms. There are several practices that have remained in place from last year such as requiring masks being worn inside, except in the pool, and restricting capacity — but not to the extent of last year's reduced capacity. Anyone looking to use the pool, the fitness center, Open Rec or the tennis center must schedule an appointment through IMLeagues; walk-ups are still not permitted. While concerns are lower than last year regarding the virus and spreading it throughout the athletics department, she spoke about the most alarming aspect: travel. The possibility of exposure increases as more travel is implemented. “Fortunately, the National Collegiate Athletic Association made comprehensive recommendations for this year especially, pertaining to unvaccinated in-

dividuals in Tier 1 — athletes, coaches and support staff. All indicators are that intercollegiate athletics has embraced the idea of getting vaccinated and overall has a very high vaccination rate,” Hefferan said. “We do know that breakthrough infections — fully vaccinated individuals becoming infected despite the vaccine — are occurring as we have had six within our department.” There was a men’s basketball game that was cancelled due to the opposing team having breakthrough infections within their basketball team. She also mentioned that “the NCAA did allow for groundbreaking legislation as it pertains to an athlete's Name, Image and Likeness. The legislation is allowing athletes to be compensated for marketing their name, image or likeness.” NJIT students in particular have been asked to not use the university logo and name and not to promote any product or service prohibited by law or affiliated with tobacco, alcohol, gambling, marijuana, controlled substances or adult entertainment. The Athletics Pandemic Recovery Subcommittee continues to meet as needed. Hefferan said, “We are monitoring the situation and especially any updates by the CDC and state and local officials, the actions of the NJIT Pandemic Recovery Committee and the recommendations of the NCAA.”

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT

GSA RESEACH

NEW LYFT PROGRAM ON CAMPUS

MY YEAR OF ANIMES

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Week of December 5, 2021

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POLICE BLOTTER

NJIT Vector Summary 12/6/2021 For 11/27/21 through 12/3/21 Times Shown are Times Reported

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10:35AM Officers arrested a non-affiliate at James Street and University Avenue for simple assault in connection with domestic violence. A statement was taken from the victim. Subject was processed.

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News

Week of December 5, 2021

Ph.D. Candidates Present at GSA Research Day By Sreya Das | Senior Staff Writer On Nov. 30, guest speakers, faculty judges and student researchers gathered in the Campus Center ballroom and gallery for the Graduate Student Association’s annual Research Day. Held annually since 2004 (barring 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions), the event showcased presentations from 38 Ph.D. candidates and one master’s student. The day started off with greetings from GSA President and Event Organizer Shomik Mukhopadhyay, a chemical engineering Ph.D. student. Mukhopadhyay stressed the importance of research by referencing the speed at which COVID-19 vaccines were developed, noting that it would not have been possible without the years of prior mRNA research. After opening remarks from Dr. Sotirios G. Ziavras, Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Dean of Graduate Faculty at NJIT, Princeton University Professor Robert K. Prud’homme was welcomed onstage for his keynote address: “Nanomedicine: from high tech to global health.” During the keynote, Prud’homme described how he helped develop a technology which was used to scale up the production of COVID-19 vaccines.

Photos by Sreya Das After the keynote address, student researchers gathered in the gallery to present their posters, displayed on widescreen monitors. Projects were judged based on poster, speech and relevance, with winners receiving funds intended for conference travel expenses and research equipment. First place was awarded to Aida Lopez Ruiz, a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate from Barcelona, Spain, whose project was titled “Encapsulated Platinum Nanoparticles, Targeted Therapy for Triple Negative Breast Cancer.” Essentially, platinum nanoparticles have anticancer effects without being toxic for healthy cells, in contrast to currently used common chemotherapeutic drugs. By using encapsulation and targeted delivery techniques, Ruiz’s project is looking to improve breast cancer treatment. She attributes her inspiration for this project to her prior education and mentors. “I was doing my master’s thesis at Northeastern University, and the lab where I was working had a lot of projects on the use of metal nanoparticles for cancer or infectious diseases,” said Ruiz.

“I came up with the idea of working with platinum and silver for anticancer and antibacterial effects, but when I finished my master’s, I decided to focus on platinum for the anticancer effect. After that, I found Dr. McEnnis at NJIT. She was doing drug delivery with polymers, and we decided to combine our ideas, using platinum nanoparticles for triple negative breast cancer and encapsulating them with a polymer to target the cancer cells.” Alina Emelianova, a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate from Moscow, Russia, won second place. Her project, titled “Revisiting the TraPPE Force Field for Organophosphorus Compounds: Sarin, DMMP, and DIMP,” develops “the theoretical framework and computational methods for modeling the mechanical effects of fluid sorption and to employ these methods to resolve a number of problems in the area, including capturing and sensing materials for highly toxic gases, such as organophosphorus compounds.” She is also working on developing intermolecular potential models for chemical warfare agents and their simulants. “Overall, my goal for the future is to further contribute to solving the challenges humanity is facing: climate change, environmental pollution, and civilian peace and security, with help of computational physics and chemistry,” said Emelianova. “In my work and research today, I am driven by curiosity and desire to contribute to the solutions of large-scale problems, with help of my mentor, colleagues, and the chemical engineer's society.” Third place was awarded to Arun Reddy Ravula, a neurobiology Ph.D. candidate from Warangal, India. His project, titled “Repeated Low-level Blast Induces Chronic Neuropathological and

Neurobehavioral Changes in Rat Models,” quantified the adverse effects of blasts on rat brains, from motor deficits to short-term memory impairments. The purpose of this study was to draw attention to the negative impact of repeated low-level blasts on soldiers and other individuals who are exposed to such blasts repeatedly for years as a part of training or combat readiness. “Compared to any traumatic brain injury research, there are very few, approximately 20 research papers published so far, on repeated low-level blast,” said Ravula, who has been working on traumatic brain injury research in Dr. Namas Chandra’s lab since 2017. “This inspired me to do a Ph.D. thesis on repeated low-level blast.” Additional honorable mentions were awarded based on the researcher’s presentation skills. Applied mathematics Ph.D. candidate Binan Gu won honorable mention for best oral presentation for his project “A Graphical Representation of Membrane Filtration,” while environmental science Ph.D. candidate Indrani Gupta won honorable mention for best visual project for her project “The Development of Nanocarbon Immobilized Membrane for Elimination of Thermophilic Bacteria via Membrane Distillation.” Craig Iaboni, studying computer science, was the only master’s student to present amid all the Ph.D. candidates; his project was titled “A Real-Time Method to Detect and Track Multiple Mobile Ground Robots Using Event Cameras.” From improving breast cancer treatment, to detecting and capturing toxic gases, to drawing attention to blast-induced neurotrauma in soldiers, these students are determined to make the world a better place through their research.

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News

Week of December 5, 2021

The World Meets for Climate Change By Sebastian Lopez Cruz | Staff Writer A significant conference for our planet, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP), took place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 12. At COP26, the twenty-sixth iteration of the conference, big carbon emitters like the United States, China and India agreed with more than 200 countries on tackling climate change. According to The Guardian, scientists "estimate that emissions must be reduced to net-zero by 2050 if the world is to have a good chance of remaining within the 1.5C threshold." The 1.5C threshold is the preferred temperature rise, described as a "must-have" to prevent sudden catastrophic consequences in the world. According to The Guardian, "1.5C would still result in rising sea levels, bleaching of coral reefs, increase in heat waves, droughts, floods, fierce storms, but these would be far less than the extremes associated with a rise of 2C." After weeks of discussion, agreements regarding deforestation, methane use reduction, carbon use and the U.S.-China agreement became somewhat real. A major deforestation deal reached support from 110 leaders for better measures. It seeks to fund developing countries to restore damaged land and support indigenous communities. According to the BBC, the pledge contains $19.2 billion of private and public funds. 28 countries will seek to stop involving deforestation with the trade of food and agricultural products. In addition, more than 30 countries have committed to stop funding activities linked to deforestation. Another deal regarding methane emissions was signed by more than 100 countries. The pledge simply commits

countries to reduce methane emissions by 30% by the year 2030. It emphasizes reducing methane leaks from fossil fuel infrastructures like oil wells, pipelines and gas wells. In an action plan document, The White House revealed several programs to tackle high methane emissions. One of the U.S. government's programs is called "climate-start," which focuses on rewarding farmers and ranchers for reducing methane emissions. The U.S. government is also planning on launching research initiatives to provide "clean and efficient building heating and cooling systems." According to The White House, methane emissions account for 10% of the U.S. greenhouse emissions. Despite progress for coal agreements, India and China opposed phasing out coal, instead suggesting phasing down. During final discussions on The Glasgow Climate Deal, India suggested that the phrase "phase out unabated coal" be replaced with "phase down coal." Small islands stated that they needed 1.5C in temperature rise; otherwise, it would mean a death threat to their nations. India's Environment Minister said, "How can anyone expect that developing countries make promises about phasing out coal and fossil fuel subsidies? Developing countries still have to deal with their poverty reduction agenda." India is the third-largest carbon emitter in the world. The two largest carbon emitters globally, the U.S. and China, agreed they would cooperate with carbon-reducing actions. The U.S. Department of State specified its agreements in a press release: "The two sides intend to cooperate on: regulatory frameworks and environ-

mental standards related to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases on the 2020s, maximizing the societal benefits of the clean energy transition, policies to encourage decarbonization and electrification of end-use sectors, key areas related to the circular economy such as green design and renewable resource utilization, and deployment - application of technology such as CCUS [Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage], and direct air capture." While some measures seem vague, it is essential to recognize that these are the most concrete proposals in the entire conference. U.S. Special Climate Envoy John Kerry said, "I'm absolutely convinced that this is the fastest, best way to get China to move from where it is today." The United States and China currently account for about 40% of the world's annual carbon emissions. While these agreements were in the works, many people took to the streets to protest climate action. According to the BBC, around 100 people marched around Glasgow to demand more effort on the climate crisis. Activists like Greta Thunberg and Vanessa Nakate were present at the rally. Speeches at the protest came from representatives of indigenous people from around the world. Nakate, a Ugandan activist, asserted: "Leaders rarely have the courage to lead. It takes citizens, people like you and me, to rise up and demand action. And when we do that in great enough numbers, our leaders will move." Charlie Gardner, an associate lecturer at Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, said, "Over 15,000 scientists declared that we're in a climate emergency, but most aren't acting as if it's an emergency." As world leaders struggled to agree on financing

climate change actions, young protesters demanded efficacy in protecting the world. As global leaders make slow progress, local companies, organizations and institutions can make initiatives. NJIT Green, a student-led initiative to bring sustainability on campus, seeks to transform and maintain campus in a renewable way. They recently implemented recycled bins throughout campus. According to Erin Foody, president of the club, the staff separates the recycling bag if it contains over 70% recyclables and nothing gross; "they may not open the bag and separate it," Foody said. The organization held a planting event this year, which included planting flowers in the new green area by Eberhardt Hall. “The goal is to increase both the biodiversity and beauty of the campus,” she added. “As for larger energy projects, we are awaiting the PSE&G energy audit results, which will help the administration to decide what they will upgrade next. If anyone wants to know more about NJIT's plans for sustainability, they can look at the 2025 strategic plan.” NJIT also recently partnered with ENGIE, a renewable energy supplier which is part of the Environmental Coalition at the America East Athletic Conference. According to an article on NJIT’s website, “the university will purchase renewable energy from a portfolio of hydropower facilities equal to nearly 100% of its forecasted electricity consumption. This agreement achieves one of the strongest commitments for renewable power procurement in a retail energy purchase.”

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News

Week of December 5, 2021

Tech House in Newark By Ethan O’Malley | Photography Editor On Sept. 30 the Urban League of Essex celebrated the completion of the Tech House. The new facility is located in the Fairmont Heights neighborhood of Newark adjacent to the Newark Collegiate Academy High School on Littleton Avenue. According to its website, the project intends to “bridge the digital divide in urban and underserved communities” by providing access to technical training and high-speed internet to the local community. In addition to high-speed broadband, the Tech House will provide 3D printers, robotics kits, programmable drones, video production equipment and virtual reality workstations. This is not the first time that the Urban League of Essex County has worked in developing technical skills within the

Newark community. The organization has had success in the past with Newark Kids Code, a program which worked closely with NJIT and other educational institutions to train Newark youths in programming skills. Programs like these can greatly benefit from the resources available at the Tech House. For the Urban League of Newark, the Tech House and Newark Kids Code are parts of a much larger national scheme known as the “Lewis Latimer Plan.” This plan, devised by the National Urban League, aims to increase broadband access and adoption in underserved communities as well as to ensure that the economic opportunities from network rollouts are well apportioned.

This program synchronizes well with the Newark Fiber initiative launched by the city in 2019. The public-private partnership aims to leverage the fiber optic facilities located within the cities to provide high speed internet access to businesses as well as public institutions like schools. Thus, it came as no surprise that Newark Fiber was one of the sponsors of the Tech House initiative providing it with its broadband connection. Given its potential to aid the local Newark community, many NJIT students may be wondering whether there are opportunities for them to get involved. Unfortunately, as of now there are no plans from the NJIT Office of Community & Public Service for any official partnership with the Tech House. However,

students are able to volunteer with the Urban League of Essex County through its website. Additionally, NJIT continues to maintain its partnership with the Newark Kids Code program. Overall, the developments at the Tech House appear to be quite promising and will hopefully be part of a larger citywide or national push to increase access to technology in areas that have been historically underserved. Training in the cutting edge of technology should not merely be reserved for those with the ability to pay for it, and it is very beneficial that projects like these open in Newark.

New Lyft Program on Campus By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor NJIT recently partnered with Lyft, an on-demand ridesharing service, to “promote late night transportation convenience and safety for students” according to an email sent by the NJIT Transportation Department to students. This is an initiative the Student Senate has been working on throughout the semester.

public transportation within late hours,” she said. “Hillier College of Architecture and Design students especially spend hours in their studio working on projects and can be in the building until 3 or even 4 a.m.”

Lauren Azer, the Senate Vice President of Student Affairs and second-year biomedical engineering major, has worked closely with this project.

The Senate considered the university’s Department of Public Safety giving rides to students, but “it wasn't feasible because of the cost to pay public safety officers overtime pay as well as the logistics of how many cars and drivers they would need,” Azer explained.

“The Student Senate has been hearing a lot of concerns mainly regarding the safety for commuter students who take

A representative of Lyft contacted Azer and Senate President Anuja Badeti to schedule a meeting about a Smart

Ride Program to implement on campus. NJIT administrators, Badeti and Azer met with the representative and discussed logistics, ultimately selecting it as the most ideal option. “The Lyft representatives mentioned a silent in-app feature that allows a rider to contact 911 directly if they find themselves in an emergency. The app is programmed to send ‘Smartrip Check In’ notifications, to which the rider can respond to ensure their safety,” Azer mentioned. “This program was implemented by the university for the safety and comfort of the students in the latenight hours and has already proven to be successful.”

The initiative began on Nov. 15 and is planned to go until May 15, 2022 as long as the program cap is not reached. Right now, it is available for all students to use, but the Senate is working towards the entire campus being able to utilize this service. For more information, visit https:// www.njit.edu/parking/late-night-lyftprogram. Eligible students should have received an email from Lyft inviting them to join the program. If anyone did not receive the invite, they should reach out to the NJIT Parking and Transportation Department at ParkingSystem@njit. edu.

COLLECTIONS voices from around campus

What on-campus thing did you appreciate most during the Fall 2021 semester? "Seeing people again" "An excuse to touch the grass" "Being able to ask teachers questions "The ACM room" after class" By Sreya Das

"Interacting with my classmates"

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News

Week of December 5, 2021

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Winter Wonderland

3D Printed Bridge Competition

One of NJIT's biggest events of the holiday season, last Wednesday NJIT students were treated to holiday snacks, an ice skating rink, games, crafts and more in the Campus Center.

By Ali Jamil | Contributing Writer On Saturday, Nov. 20, NJIT’s Makerspace held the first 3D printed bridge design competition within the region, allowing both high school and university students to compete and utilize their creativity, ingenuity and analytical skills to create bridge designs that could bear the immense demands of modern-day society. Competitions like this are important because they help expose students to 3D printing technologies, which greatly help engineers in the workforce. For example, while structural engineers cannot 3D print an entire skyscraper (unfortunately), they can however 3D print prototypes that allow them to test your designs and find flaws before creating the real thing. Considering that 3D printing technology saves an absurd amount of money, leads to significantly less development time and overall makes the engineer’s job a hundred times easier, it comes as no surprise that this technology is being adopted everywhere. This is why it's truly inspiring to see that colleges and universities are taking steps to familiarize their students with this technology and allow them to become leaders of innovation through its uses. Participating high schools included Applied Technology High School located in Paramus, Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Technologies located in Edison and STEM Academy of the Oranges located in South Orange, while participating universities included New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University and Stevens Institute of Technology. Each team brought in their own unique design philosophies creating unique structures, each utilizing different factors to give them an advantage. According to Professor William Pennock: “The teams spent a lot of hours collectively designing and 3D printing their bridges. I am super impressed with their efforts. The designs were diverse, and the ways that they collapsed were diverse, too.

The teams brought a lot of creativity to the competition.” Each design was judged with multiple variables in mind, which included presentations, least support material, fastest assembly time, best aesthetics and stiffness of the bridge. Both NJIT and Princeton University were tied for first place, with NJIT winning the stiffest bridge plaque by creating an incredibly impressive design which weighed less than a kilogram yet only collapsed upon bearing a load of over 127 kilograms. One team member stated that the most exciting part of the competition was seeing the moment when their bridge withstood over 100 kilograms and kept going, a truly awesome moment and one that the entire team should take pride in. Both NJIT and Princeton teams took home a $1,000 3D printer as a reward for their impressive design work. All teams that participated took home at least two awards for each different category of judgement. The primary goal of this competition, however, was to promote the application of 3D printing to create real world solutions. Considering the amount of creativity and ingenuity each of the different teams have shown, it seems that this goal has been met and surpassed. This competition has undoubtedly shown the potential for innovation in the next generation of engineers. It is also an amazing example of the lengths the staff at NJIT will go to support their students in every way possible. Staff who have assisted with creating this competition include: Taha Marhaba, Sylvana Brito, Stephen George, Nasser Channaoui, Valerie Batista,Nasser Channaoui and William Pennock. Competitions like these are what truly ignite the passion of learning and innovation within students and the staff members that have made this come to life should be commended for all their hard work and efforts. A special thank you to you all for helping create an awesome event for every student involved.

Snapshots

Week of December 5, 2021

Photos by Ethan O'Malley

Spectrum Drag Show NJIT's Spectrum hosted a performance by several drag artists last Thursday, hosted by Vanity Ray and featuring Jolina Jasmine, Tina Twirler, and Victoria Courtez. Dance, music and plenty of crowd interaction were offered at the event. Photos by Rushi Desai

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Features

Week of December 5, 2021

'RUST' Documentary Featuring Newark Is Shown at NJIT By Yukthi Sangoi | Managing Editor 27.4% of the Newark population lives in poverty according to United States Census Bureau. To address this, two Newark-based filmmakers, Marylou and Jerome Bongiorno, produced the documentary "RUST." The film first premiered on PBS in May of this year, and the couple appeared at NJIT to show the film to students in October.

Forte PIZZERIA

“RUST” is the third in the couple’s 3Rs Trilogy of documentaries on urban America; the first, “REVOLUTION ‘67,” was released in 2007 and covers the civil uprising of 1967, and the second, “THE RULE,” was released in 2014 and focuses on urban school reform. “RUST” features Newark and Rust Belt poverty, also touching on aspects like industrialization, deindustrialization, racism and mass incarceration that have affected poverty levels. “This is all told through the voices of scholars, economists, physicians, activists and the community,” the Bongiornos said. They shared the inspirations behind making this documentary: “We live in Newark. Newark has a high poverty rate near 30%. So, every day, we see and feel the misery caused by this poverty and want to see the poverty reduced.” This poverty as a result manifests itself in high crime and low graduation rates. The Bongiornos believe that any city with a poverty rate over 15% needs to take action now to reduce the poverty because that’s when crime and low graduation rates begin to rise to unacceptable levels. “There is only one way to improve cities like Newark - reduce poverty. There is no other way - not build buildings or

makeover the downtown,” they said. “This can only be done in the following three ways: improve the educational system so that it responds to the specific needs of inner city kids, stabilize families and ensure people have jobs.” These proposals are mentioned in “RUST.” Having degrees in biology, the couple has extensive knowledge on how to not only look logically at the causes of problems, but present time-tested solutions to alleviate them. They then attended a New York University Graduate Film School to learn how to create something that would allow them to “reach large global audiences over long periods of time.” Marylou Bongiorno is the producer and director, and Jerome Bongiorno is the cinematographer, editor, animator and musician. The filmmakers spoke about the reactions they received during the showing at NJIT. “First, [the students were] horrified by both the insidious and very blatant racism throughout U.S. history as well as the effects of poverty on health,” they mentioned. “Then, they were befuddled as to why, even though we have time tested solutions for educational improvement and jobs creation, the school system and government don’t get behind a comprehensive plan to reduce inner city poverty.” The couple pointed out that students often raise the question of how they can get involved in our Newark community. One idea that’s been repeated by several students is a National Service Program, like Americorps, which is featured in “RUST” and is happening on campuses throughout the state and country to support anti-poverty work.

Image from Jerome and Marylou Bongiorno Getting involved with the community is often brought up in Newark Narratives, a class run by Senior University Lecturer in the Humanities Department Jon Curley. He put as part of the course description, “This course is a comprehensive survey of Newark; it will be provisional and investigative, based on knowledge accrued and acquired, delving into various possible lines and intersections of inquiry. We will be cartographers of the cosmopolis, generating new insights into the various meanings about cities and city life.” Curley added, “I work in Newark and have lived in Newark. I realized that Newark has important cultural productions worthy of critical scrutiny and most NJIT students have very little vital contact to the city and its issues despite living or commuting here.”

The Bongiornos met Curley when he attended a screening of “REVOLUTION ’67”; he invited them to his classes, and they visit Newark Narratives regularly. Along with Curley, the couple “loves to cerebrate” with professors Tony Schuman, Maurie Cohen and Miriam Ascarelli. “If NJIT students want to make a difference after they graduate, they should live and work in a place that needs their intelligence and talents,” the Bongiornos advised. “So, stay here in Newark. Sure, it's a challenge, but challenges make vocations.” For more information on the documentary and the filmmakers, visit http://www.bongiornoproductions. com/RUST/Rust.html.

Opinion

Reflection as an Exchange Student By Giray Arat | Contributing Writer “How do you like it so far?” is the first question I get asked after people find out I am an exchange student. When they ask me that, I cannot think of anything to say but “Yes, it is really good to be here!” However, the real answer is not so short. I ask myself this same question too. What is it that makes the U.S. so fascinating for me?

Campus Center Lobby 11AM - 8PM Mon. - Fri. 11AM - 5PM Saturday

Growing up in another country, you build an image in your head about what life in the U.S. would be like from all the music and TV you get exposed to. That image is usually full of false assumptions and exaggerations. Before coming here, I was aware that it wouldn’t be anything like that. The public had such a distorted view of the U.S., and I didn’t have that. But still, I knew, whatever my expectations were, they would prove to

be wrong. And life here was very really different. What surprised me the most was the impact of people.

this country with soul. Everyone who somehow ended up here, they get together and add some of themselves into the patchwork of this country.

The city I am from was founded in 657 BCE. Back home, I go to sleep and wake up on 2678 years of history. It has been a capital for 1691 years straight. All of that really shows around you. Walking the streets, you feel the generations that lived there before. Their lives still impact daily life, through shops, buildings and through descendants. The city really has a soul, you could say.

The songs, the buildings and the shops may be younger than those in my country, but the people who sing them have been singing them in the same spirit way before they came here; more come here every day, and they are fascinated like me when they see for the first time, the whole world coming together in one small city, on one big country.

I didn’t expect to find that in the U.S. Even New York is only about 400 years old and has no direct traditional inheritance from its previous occupiers. But I found a lot of soul here, thanks to the people who inhabit it. The people infuse

My first week here, I was brought to New York, and in a day, I went first through Koreatown, then through Little Italy and then made my way through Chinatown to end up in Brooklyn. That on its own was enough for me to be star

struck with this country. The only thing I would recommend to other students growing up and living here is to travel outside of their comfort zones. I truly believe that the only reason I was able to appreciate individual beauty was because I grew up curious about other people and diversity. You must see that what makes this place so unique and so beautiful is the people and the diversity of people. It is a newfound joy to be able to see so many different lives coexisting together and becoming one. And one must go out of their way to seek out and witness it for their own.

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of December 5, 2021

THANK YOU AND SEASON’S GREETINGS By Department of Public Safety As we approach the end of another year, I would like to again extend my sincerest gratitude and appreciation to the university community for all of the support as we close yet another successful and productive semester. Our success in the Department of Public Safety is a direct result of the mutual assistance, cooperation and many relationships we have developed and fostered with the various student organizations and aca-

demic departments. The mutual open communication and exchange of information existent in these relationships have enabled the department to deliver the highest quality of service to the university community. The tenets of the Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving model, C.O.P.P.S., establishes honest dialogue to gain mutual trust which leads to a collaboration of ideas to address concerns that ultimately forms a

long lasting partnership and a platform for success. Our programs and initiatives with the university community, as we have transitioned back to in-person and vibrant interaction, have been well received and is directly correlated and the resultant feedback and input from students, faculty and staff regarding our initiatives. We will continue to seek input and explore new and creative ways to interact, reduce crime and address

any concerns while maintaining a level of transparency that does not impact or hinder confidentiality. On behalf of the Department of Public Safety, I want to thank you again and wish all of you and your families a happy and joyous holiday and best wishes for a prosperous and healthy New Year. — Chief Joseph Marswillo and the staff of Public Safety

My Year of Animes By Isaac Scafe | Senior Staff Writer

I Want to Eat Your Pancreas Despite the name, “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas” does not involve the consumption of human organs. The main protagonist of the story, a loner high school student, learns that his cheerful classmate, Sakura, is suffering from a terminal illness. Despite her limited time left to live, Sakura insists on spending the rest of her life with the main character. Your classic "introvert meets extrovert" story, viewers are treated to Sakura's funeral in the opening scenes of the movie. With the fate of one of the story's characters revealed in the first 5 minutes of the film, what exactly is the point of watching “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas?” “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas” is more than your typical romance anime. The two main characters never say “I love you” nor do they even date. However, their relationship cannot be summarized simply as being best friends. In the months leading up to Sakura's death, the two grow to depend on each other and are inspired by one another. The main protagonist learns the importance of developing relationships with others while Sakura sees value in not having to rely on others. Their relationship was not formed from mutual attraction, but each grew to better themselves. Yet, no matter how much viewers enjoyed their relationship, it was inevitable that Sakura was going to die. “I Want to Eat Your Pancreas” had its ups, its downs and its really questionable moments. Even if it isn't the greatest of films, viewers can be caught with tears in their eyes. While it may not be obvious, life itself is fragile, it can end at any moment. The constant reminder of Sakura's illness shows how life can end at any given moment. No matter how morbid that may seem, it is just reality. It is important that each day, good or bad, is enjoyed to the fullest. Movie Trailer: MONVPR1dnRQ

school love between two students who seem to have nothing in common. There's nothing else to the plot. So how does a generic and relatively bland story make itself stand out from the rest of the anime crowd? Hori, a popular student at her high school, meets Miyamura, a gloomy classmate, outside of school although she doesn't recognize him at first. Over time, the two get to learn more about each other and agree to hide each other's personas outside of school. There's nothing special about the story at first glance, but Horimiya does the typical high school story differently than others. Most anime tend to exaggerate certain aspects of their characters, having everyday occurrences appear larger than life at times. With “Horimiya,” on the other hand, everything done within the show is subtle. The characters act and resolve their issues like normal high school students. Misunderstandings are resolved quickly instead of boiling over for episodes. Everything about their interactions seem natural and organic as if the characters were human. For once in an anime, high school students actually act like high school students. “Horimiya” serves as the normal in all of the strange and weirdness anime usually has to offer. It's not going to change how people view life or change the anime world. It's a simple story that doesn't need any unnecessary drama to make it interesting. Clip from the show: https://youtu.be/ rAhMwVeQxoQ

Kono Oto Tomare! Every anime watcher has at least heard of “Your Lie in April.” The story of a young prodigy rediscovering the joy of playing the piano is often regarded as one of the best in anime history. While “Your Lie in April” undoubtedly receives heaps of applause, there are still other music-centric anime waiting to be seen.

https://youtu.be/

Horimiya “Hori-san to Miyamura-kun,” or “Horimiya,” is your typical story of high

“Kono Oto Tomare!” offers a different experience than “Your Lie in April.” The sole member of his school's koto club, Takezo Kurata recruits unlikely help to help keep his promise to his seniors. Despite joining for their own purposes, the

group eventually share a common goal, to perform at nationals.

of returning home but viewers are given no reason for his behavior.

While “Your Lie in April” dealt with overcoming one's mental blocks, “Kono Oto Tomare!” showed how to deal with unfortunate circumstances. Each member of the Koto club seemed destined to fail from outside forces. Whether by being labeled as a delinquent or exiled from their family, no one expected the Koto club to do anything. Through their own determination, the Koto club were able to string together performances that left viewers in awe.

Most people have felt the urge to escape from their small hometown yet most of the time, it isn't worth throwing your life away. This makes his actions throughout the film seem unjustifiable and self-centered when compared to the greater plot. One of the important elements of storytelling is having sympathetic characters, but this flaw keeps “Weathering with You” from being a great film.

Just like “Your Lie in April,” the music of “Kono Oto Tomare!” will move viewers to tears through raw emotions. Each performance is further enhanced by spectacular visuals highlighting each musician. Even the characters show incredible development over two seasons which can be seen through their interactions with one another and in how they view the Koto. Despite how dramatic the show may portray playing an instrument is, “Kono Oto Tomare!” properly portrays the hardships one must go through to reach their goals. Clip from the show: https://youtu.be/ u5LDoMHlqHw

Weathering with You Makoto Shinkai has earned himself the reputation as one of the greatest anime directors of all time. His work on “5 Centimeters Per Second,” “Garden of Words,” and “Your Name” are masterpieces combining stellar visuals with an intriguing plot. However, his latest film “Weathering with You,” released in 2019, pales in comparison to his earlier work. “Weathering with You” is again a masterclass in terms of animation and soundtrack. The movie's plot is also original where Hodaka runs away from home to Tokyo where he meets Hina, a girl who can control the weather. With the makings of a great film, what “Weathering with You” lacks is sympathy. Hodaka is difficult to root for during the story as no one knows what his motivations are… All viewers knew about Hodaka was that he ran away from his rural home because it was too "constricting." Throughout the film, Hodaka is adamant against the idea

Movie trailer: https://youtu.be/Q6iK6DjV_iE

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of December 5, 2021

'My Universe' Review Fed up with being isolated, two groups came together to create a song to bring the world together. “My Universe” is a collaborative single between world renowned South Korean boyband BTS and British pop rock icon Coldplay. This collab wasn’t out of the blue, as both groups have a mutual admiration for each other, with the prime example being BTS covering Coldplay’s “Fix You” during their MTV Unplugged Performance Series. This collaboration was possible due to both groups’ desire to return to live performances. This song is in Coldplay’s ninth studio album, “Music of the Spheres,” and was released on Sept. 24 as a preview to their album. This song is clearly an anthem song with a lot of meaning behind it. It has a powerful beginning because all eight singers are vocally present, along with a symphony of pumping synths and a commanding bass line. The song feels like a tool that BTS and Coldplay are using to make a grand declaration of love. This song was clearly made for the live stage that both groups crave for so much, with the EDM breaks for BTS’s dance routine and the drawn-out vocal refrains for Coldplay to move across the stage. This combination has more value than you think; the song is also a representation of a union between two groups that is creating cross-cultural art. Despite the bridges that separate them, the two icons from two different realms of music have the ability to come together for a common mission. This aspect is further shown in the music video. When two big groups like BTS and Coldplay get together, you know the music video is going to be intense, but who

knew that there was going to be a threeband interstellar storyline involved? The video, which is a little less than five minutes long, continues the theme of overcoming bridges by telling a simple but powerful story about rebelling and coming together through the power of music. In a futuristic world where music is forbidden, three bands on three different planets, light years away from each other, collaborate and help each other rebel against the music ban. Now, the question is: Who is involved in this rebellion? Naturally, BTS and Coldplay are involved, but who else? Radio DJ LaFrique, played by actress Joe Diao, and fictional alien band Supernova 7, comprised of seven animated aliens Angel Moon, Loop & Switch, Kasio Mars, Eko, Dorean Delorean and Blaze, join them on this quest against the “silencers.” This is a call back to Coldplay’s album “Mylo Xyloto,” which took place in a fictional world called Silencia, where “silencers” are soldiers whose job is to make sure that the world does not have sound or color. Some of the names from Supernova 7 are also taken from that album. The plan is quite simple; BTS on the planet Calypso, Coldplay on the planet Floris and Supernova 7 on Super Solis are all simultaneously performing the song “My Universe,” while DJ LaFrique “holoband” broadcasts it live to unite the universe from the ship. When the broadcast starts, you see the bands as holograms in the other bands’ performances. As the song comes to a climax, DJ LaFrique gets a warning of the approaching “silencers,” and as stated on the alarm screen in the ship, they are charging down these musicians.

By Saanika Joshi | Staff Writer The aesthetics of the planets and the ship are all unique, especially the planets. BTS’s planet, Calypso, is industrial themed with the group performing on a ruined helipad or docking bay — it’s not very clear which it is. The dystopian world is quite clear here, with the Star Wars rebels-type outfit layering, haircuts and boots. Even the earthier color scheme plays on them being rebellious heroes. Floris, Coldplay’s planet, on the other hand, gives off an urban vibe compared to the ruins of Calypso, with Coldplay performing in an abandoned swimming pool complex that has a lot of colorful graffiti. Coldplay themselves have a metropolitan look with a more colorful and casual style. Supernova’s planet, Super Solis, and DJ LaFriques’ spaceship give off more personality from the people inhabiting it then the environment itself. If you want to see these, you can just search them up. The performance and symbolism in the video are amazing. The silencers’ design was based on the COVID-19 particle. This symbolizes that the characters are fighting against COVID-19

Photo by Coldplay & BTS itself, which makes sense because the song was created based on their longing for live performances. The music ban could possibly be symbolism for the hate and prejudice in the world, and the two bands jamming together despite being in different places represents how only when we all come together no matter what, then and only then can we defeat this “evil.” Overall, I found this song to be a beautiful representation of what can be possible if two groups who have a pure passion for what they are doing come together to create something brand new. Along with the song and music video, there is also a documentary that you can check out on YouTube – it’s a must see!

Komi-san Can't Communicate “Komi-san Can't Communicate” was one of the most anticipated anime of 2021. It has been well received so far by fans, being faithful to its source material. However, this faithfulness to the source material is what deters new fans from watching it. Starting a new school year, the beautiful and popular Shouko Komi cannot communicate with anyone. She relies on fellow first-year student, Hitohito Tadano, to assist her with making friends. Their overall relationship is genuinely wholesome as Tadano seems to actually want to help Komi get over her inability to interact with anyone. Episode 1 captures their relationship perfectly, setting up a heartfelt story. As the season progresses, its fatal flaw starts to show.

Review of 'Love Hard' A typical Christmas chick flick, very predictable and stereotypical — that’s what my first impression of “Love Hard” was. But to me, that doesn’t necessarily mean a bad thing; I’m definitely part of the target audience for those kinds of movies. Give me some romance, some drama, some kitsch and I’m all in. At first glance, “Love Hard” does exactly that: The romantic comedy film directed by Hernán Jiménez revolves around Natalie Bauer, played by Nina

Dobrev, a dating column writer from Los Angeles who has one disastrous online date after the other. That is until she matches with Josh Lin, played by Jimmy O. Yang. She falls so head over heels with him that she decides to surprise him for Christmas — only to be surprised in the worst way possible: Natalie’s been catfished. Josh is not the guy she thought he was and the pictures he sent her were not of him but of his friend Tag Abbott, played by Darren Barnet. Josh is a regular Asian guy, a little shorter than her

Just like the manga, the show takes a long amount of time to make any progress. “Komi-san Can't Communicate” introduces a giant cast of characters even though most of those characters are unremarkable. While most casual viewers would want to see more of Komi's and Tadano's relationship develop, they are instead stuck meeting characters they're uninterested in. Some anime have "filler" episodes to help move the plot from start to finish. Not every episode in a series has to advance the plot substantially. With “Komi-san Can't Communicate,” there does not seem to be a final destination anytime soon. Photo By Netflix

— and nothing like his handsome tall friend Tag. Nevertheless, Natalie and Josh start to fake-date for the sake of his family and Josh promises to help her get together with Tag in return. So, here’s what I thought was going to happen: At the very beginning of the movie, it was clear to me that Josh would not turn out the way he seemed to be online. I was correct. However, I was also convinced that Natalie and Josh would still end up with each other — I will not say if I was correct with this one, but throughout the movie, my conviction in this prediction definitely faltered. Which is good because the very predictable movie at times wasn’t so predictable anymore. In some scenes, it seemed as if Josh not only faked his appearance but his personality and the way he cared for Natalie when they were still only talking on the phone, as well. At the same time, Natalie really seemed to get along with Tag — and let’s be honest, in most chick flicks, it’s the hot guy that gets the girl. This little twist in predictability wasn’t the only thing I enjoyed in “Love Hard.” The way the movie dealt with catfishing portrayed our modern-day insecurities very well. Especially on social media, everything and everyone always

By Alicia Tedesco | Senior Staff Writer have to look good, sound good, be good — even more, be perfect. It’s the little lies that start turning into bigger lies and the movie directly addresses this problem in one particular scene. It’s when Natalie and Josh are asked to help some residents of a retirement home set up online profiles on a dating site that the residents start twisting the truth about their ages and physical abilities. Even though Josh calls them out, they still continue to do so. And there’s another twist: Natalie, who knows what it feels like to be catfished, starts being the catfisher herself. To put it in other words: “Love Hard” encourages its viewers to stay true to themselves because if you don’t, you’ll end up at your fake-engagement party with a fake fiancé — who knows he’s fake — and a fake boyfriend — who doesn’t know he’s fake. Yes, that’s how the whole catfishing lie is going to blow up. Curious? Then better watch “Love Hard” to kick off the Christmas season. I’d give it a solid 3.5 crabs — just because I’m being considerate of those who might still think the movie is very predictable. But for me, as a wholehearted chick-flickfan, I’d give it a 4. The only reason I’m not giving it a 5 is its — in my opinion — a little awkward kiss scene at the end — but you’ll have to see and decide for yourself!

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Horoscopes

Do You Even Sudoku?

By An Anonymous Aquarius with an Affinity for Astrology

Sudoku

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

People gather around a fire pit to relax and warm themselves, but who keeps the fire pit warm? Don’t forget to fuel yourself and take some rest!

It’s not the end of the book, it’s the beginning of a new chapter. So don’t worry about new changes in your life!

It can be difficult to stay focused in the final stretch, but thinking of your goals may help motivate you.

1 6

Id: 48193 Level: Very Easy Set Numbers: 27

LEO

VIRGO

This may be the time for big changes in your career. Go forth and seek inner confidence!

Great adventures await you, but don’t forget to look both ways before crossing the road!

Here’s hoping that all your hard work will pay off in finals season and you can take a well-deserved break afterwards!

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

Last week the horoscopes said that December would bring with it a great cold, but it turned out to be 65 degrees. So take everything said here with a grain of salt!

Your friends appreciate you for checking in with them. Few signs are as fiercely loyal and protective as the Scorpio!

Here’s hoping that your birthday is as warm and fun as you are!

Dear Capricorn, I know that you don’t believe in astrology, but I appreciate you sticking around this semester to semi-consistently check out The Vector.

Did you know that it’s still autumn until December 21? That’s the winter solstice!

2 6

4 6

2 5 3

Id: 161423 Level: Easy

MEDIUM

9 6

Set Numbers: 25

Sudoku

4 8

1 3

Sometimes, if emailing someone doesn’t work out, you have to just pick up the phone and call them.

Sudoku

6 7

2 1

2 7

6 2

HARD

5 2

Level: Moderate

8 9

Id: 170976

6 4

Solution 5

Sudoku

2 7

Id: 29184

3 Solution

2 9

By Sreya Das

Set Numbers: 25

7 8

EVIL

Solution 3

PISCES

Level: Difficult

3 1

Comic

AQUARIUS

EASY

CANCER

CAPRICORN

Week of December 5, 2021

6 2

Crossword Crossword credited to onlinecrosswords.net

Tweet @TheNJITVector a photo of your completed crossword puzzle (only if you can solve it, though)! Across 1. Meddler 10. Lady's man 14. Any sense, say 15. Soup for junior 16. Went too far with a role 17. Kick out 18. Attack 19. Camera technique 21. ETS test 22. OT causers 23. Co. based in Vienna 24. Fare at some film festivals

26. Camera type 27. Some recycled railroad cars 29. __ the finish 30. Golden, in Grenoble 31. Offer formally 33. Like some music 37. Got comfy 38. Ornamental shells 40. Sen. Shelby's state 41. It means "straight" 42. Within practical limits 44. Monitor part 47. Base

49. Man in chains 50. Operates 51. Year Solution in the reign of Claudius 52. Literary signature 54. "A Man in Full" novelist 55. Drop a hint 57. Smoothed 59. Winner of seven Tonys 60. Carmichael tune 61. Spring observance 62. Type of swim meet 5

Down 1. Promotes 2. Introduce 3. Be unsteady 4. Shul scrolls 5. Perseverance motto starter 6. Sports div. since 1969 7. Squelches 8. Beamed with pride 9. __ : Tokyo :: New Amsterdam : New York 10. Casual sign-off 11. First 12. Have fun

13. Couldn't take 15. Laborer 20. Gave 12 to North and 14 to West 23. Mumbai server 25. Papal bulls, e.g. 27. Ninny 28. MTV toon 30. Anything triangular 32. "Survivor" locale 33. The 38th, for one 34. Inspirational 1950s song 35. Quit 36. Classical starter 39. Caterer's need

43. Something easy 44. Virginia, once 45. Get ready to go on 46. Housefly cousin 48. Glinda, in "The Wiz" 50. Never-seen title character 53. Ill-gotten gains 54. ABC and UPN, to "Variety" 56. Giants' #4 58. "Steve Allen Show" regular