Vol. CI Issue 4 by The Vector

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Vol. CI | Issue 4 Week of September 26, 2021

TEDx NJIT Resurgence

By Karim Salem | Contributing Writer On Sept. 22, NJIT had the opportunity to bring new and challenging ideas grouped with experience and advice from a wide set of professionals and students alike during its seventh TEDx event. Organized by Michael Ehrlich and team, TEDxNJIT was hosted virtually with the theme of “Resurgence,” meant to address the impact of the post-COVID world. The theme was highlighted by experts in various fields who shared some technological advancements and words of wisdom. Among the presenters was Julie Ancis, professor and Founding Director of Cyberpsychology at NJIT, who posed the question, “The Post-Pandemic Future:

Photo by Sandra Raju ing and mental state. She offered predictions for the future regarding the role of technology and some of the challenges we may face today. She began with the idea of the spread of misinformation, explaining that it may be one of the biggest challenges within this century. She observed that “beliefs in misinformation and fake news are associated with a range of behaviors and attitudes including health-related behaviors.” Ancis recommended some interventions to help combat the spread of the ”second epidemic” of misinformation, such as increasing critical thinking about the information people are looking at.

“being a CEO and founder, I see that mental wellness is something that is so ignored in entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are seen as sort of these machines, these robots that just churn out innovation.” Rachel Benyola Executive Founder Coach at RKB Consulting

chamber” where algorithms, based on likes and shares, limiting exposure to new and challenging ideas. David Bader, a distinguished professor and the Director of the Institute for Data Science, followed up with his talk, “Solving Global Grand Challenges with High Performance Data Analytics.” The field of high-performance data has gone through several names over the years, but essentially, it is the collection of ever-growing data sets and the ability to calculate and process them in real-time. The applications of this field could be applied to many of today's industries such as cybersecurity, from looking at the network traffic entering an organization or even a country to analyzing patterns of malicious attacks. Another field it could benefit is computational genomics, which could lead to personalized medicine instead of a single pharmaceutical for the entire population. Rachel Benyola, an Executive and Founder Coach at RKB Consulting, discussed ways of improving entrepreneurship with her talk, “Innovating the Entrepreneur: Resurgence of the Human Entrepreneur.”

initiative to find out what exactly are the reasons for bike riders to neglect their safety and she reached two main conclusions; helmets are too bulky to carry around and they aren’t very stylish. After considering this feedback, she launched her company, AnneeLondon, which created collapsible bike and scooter helmets with style in mind. Her talk, however, was dedicated to a different theme, the unspoken truth about the struggles of being an entrepreneur. Benyola noted, “being a CEO and founder, I see that mental wellness is something that is so ignored in entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs are seen as sort of these machines, these robots that just churn out innovation.” In her talk, Benyola pointed out that about 90% of startups fail and she believes that this number could be attributed to the lack of support and preparation offered to founders and innovators. With many other speakers and experts, TEDxNJIT has once again rekindled inspiration into the heart of its viewers and reminded us that sometimes the first step towards innovation, self-betterment and discovery is a conversation.

Are We Ready?” Ancis discussed how COVID-19 has impacted us in a variety of ways such as our work life, social interactions, wellbe-

Another method she recommends is being more aware of where information comes from. According to Ancis, many people are placed inside of an “echo

A young entrepreneur, Benyola noticed that even though there was a great benefit for bike rides to wear helmets, a majority would fail to do so. She took

NEWS

FEATURE

LANTERNFLIES INVADE

NJIT MAKERSPACE

MASK FASHION ON CAMPUS

See page 4

See page 6

See page 7

THE VECTOR

Week of September 19, 2021

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News

Week of September 26, 2021

BioBlitz: On the hunt for plants and animals By Alicia Tedesco | Contibuting Writer Walking around the NJIT and Rutgers-Newark campuses, on the lookout for animals and plants of every kind and reporting them back to the organizers – that’s the “BioBlitz” event in a nutshell. During this year’s BioBlitz, 719 observations of 220 species were made by 132 observers and identified by 87 identifiers as of Sept. 25. According to the Urban Ecology Lab of the Department of Biological Sciences, which consists of Gareth Russell, Dan Bunker, Maria Stanko and Caroline DeVan, the first event called “BioBlitz” happened in 1996, in Kenilworth Park in Washington DC. “Since then, they have become popular citizen science events, occurring anywhere from relatively pristine national parks to urban locations like NJIT,” the lab states. On Sept. 23, a BioBlitz occurred on the NJIT campus, organized under the banner of the lab and coordinated with the Albert Dorman Honors College as part of their freshman environmental focus. “Our campus BioBlitz started as a Rutgers-focused event and then expanded to encompass both Newark campuses.” This year, Russel continued, is the first year that “we will have a coordination hub on the NJIT campus itself.” NJIT had always joined, but “there’s less participation if you don’t have a table on campus.” This year, the participation level was significantly higher. The week-long event covered all the NJIT and Rutgers-Newark campuses, although the Rutgers event had to be rescheduled to another day due to storm warnings. During the last three BioBlitzes in Newark, over 200 different species were recorded each time. “On an urban campus like ours, the main animals people will find are invertebrates such as insects, as well as birds and squirrels. Oth-

Photo by Karim Salem er mammals such as mice are undoubtedly here as well, but hard to spot,”, the lab informed. “But biological diversity includes plants and fungi, and there are lots of those as well.” Once spotted, the data is recorded in the iNaturalist system, which is “an online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature” according to its website. For this year’s BioBlitz, the grey squirrel has been spotted the most (17 times), followed by the Spotted Lanternflies (13 times). “[The Lanternflies] seem particularly attracted to the glass front of the WEC,” said Russel. “They are an invasive species to sweep across our ecosystem.” As of Sept. 26, Russel recorded over 300 species at this year’s event, setting the all-time record across the combined campuses.

tion table with Russel, explained what they do after the data is collected: “We spend time verifying the findings. Is there anything unusual? Do we need to follow up on something? Were there misinterpretations?” The results, she continued, are used to better understand the native and non-native species on campus, as well as for recommendations for the future to ensure a better habitat. In addition to that, the lab states: “The main purpose of a BioBlitz is to bring awareness of the biological diversity that is all around us, even in an urban location like NJIT.” According to them, NJIT’s campus could be a lot more friendly to wildlife. The stuffed birds on the coordination table, for example, are all birds that died because they hit NJIT’s windows. “I’m hoping to make our campus more wildlife friendly,” Russel said.

Stanko, who manned the coordina-

A few steps have already been taken:

the lab reports that the Honors College has been working to improve things with their annual planting design competition. “This has led to the pollinator gardens behind the ADHC itself, and soon will include the slope between Eberhardt Hall and Bleeker Street.” Another competition created by both the Honors College and the lab is to solicit designs for the Campus Center roof garden. “One of the UEL’s visions is to make our campus into a 'Living Lab’ for ecological and environmental research. Anyone who wants to be part of this effort should get in touch!” the lab encouraged. “We now know that exposure to nature brings quantifiable improvement to people’s psychological well-being, especially in settings, like a city, where nature is normally scarce. Even small changes can bring big benefits. We feel that for NJIT, it’s a win-win!”

Threat To Apple Devices Rise Microsoft Gets Safer By Alfred Simpson | Contibuting Writer Apple is urging its users to update their devices following the discovery by The Citizen Lab of a vulnerability within Apple’s image rendering libraries. The Citizen Lab, a private research organization known for its work in cybersecurity, discovered the exploit while analyzing a Saudi activist’s phone. Being referred to as ForcedEntry, this exploit takes advantage of the vulnerability and has the potential to allow Pegasus spyware to infect Apple devices.

from the user by exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. Pegasus can exist undetected within a user’s iPhone, MacBook or even Apple Watch while silently collecting and transmitting data associated with messages, calls, location and more. The spyware can also remotely activate a user’s microphone and camera without alerting the user. This data can then be relayed to NSO or any of the governments and private organizations that they have worked with.

Pegasus, the 2016 brainchild of Israeli spyware company NSO Group Technologies, utilizes a unique technique referred to as a zero-click attack. Unlike traditional cyberattacks, zero-click attacks do not require any interaction

NSO has previously been contracted to spy on activists, journalists and even students by nations and organizations around the world. Bahrain, India, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Mexican drug cartels have all been implicatcontinued on page 4

THE VECTOR

News

Week of September 26, 2021

Threat to Apple Devices continued from page 3

ed in the purchase and usage of Pegasus spyware. Though NSO officially claims to only investigate terrorism, a forensic study by Amnesty International this July revealed “widespread, persistent and ongoing unlawful surveillance and human rights abuses perpetrated using NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware.” Amnesty International recently released their Mobile Verification Toolkit to allow individuals the ability to identify

whether their phone has been compromised by Pegasus. Amnesty’s toolkit is available for both Android and iOS devices. The toolkit does not currently detect any of the other vulnerabilities within Apple’s operating system and cannot be used for laptops. Global cybersecurity expert Kaspersky Labs notes that Apple devices do not often get viruses because Apple’s operating system keeps each application

within a separate virtual space. However, the increasing list of Apple’s common vulnerabilities and exposures, or CVEs, highlights a rising threat to the previously secure space that Apple sat in. Apple’s branding and long-standing history have helped to make it the brand of choice for many students. Microsoft customers were also greeted with a security update last week. This update will prompt users to abandon

their passwords in exchange for what Microsoft hopes is a more secure authenticator through mobile phones. As of a 2020 report by Malwarebytes, Windows remains the more vulnerable operating system. The same study found that, for the first time, Macs are seeing more threats detected per endpoint by a rate almost double that of Windows devices. Regardless of device, students and instructors alike should routinely update devices to protect against vulnerabilities.

Spotted Lanternflies Invade Photo by Rhododendrites | Wiki Media Commons By Anthony McInnis | Senior Staff Writer Students and faculty at NJIT have probably seen a lot of insects sporting colorful spotted wings around campus. The Spotted Lanternfly is quite pretty. They don’t even bite or swarm people. Yet they are a menace and should be killed on sight by anyone who gazes upon their beautiful wings. The Spotted Lanternfly is an invasive species originating from China. Their first impact in America was in 2014 in Pennsylvania. Over the past several years, their population has spread throughout many U.S. states, with New Jersey being a more recent victim of their carnage. Since early August, the Lanternfly population in New Jersey has spread, claiming five more counties. Essex, Morris, Middlesex, Union and Monmouth have all been quarantined for these

pests, bringing the total number of infested New Jersey counties to 13. What makes invasive species so catastrophic is their lack of natural predators. They can run rampant in a foreign environment without a mechanism to keep their population in check. As a result, they disrupt the ecosystem for native species. One famous example is goats on the Galapagos Islands. Goats, being very adaptable, had a population explosion on the Galapagos. Their presence nearly wiped out what remained of the endangered Galapagos Tortoise because the goats would consume all the available food. Eventually the goats just had to all be killed on sight to ensure the survival of the native species. The Lanterfly is a dangerous invasive species because they kill trees and vegetation. They feed off the sap of over 70

different plant species. Many crops are at risk including grapes, cherries, apples, peaches, almonds, walnuts, plums, apricots and nectarines. The trees they feed on include maple, oak, poplar, pine, sycamore and willow. The Lanternflies pose a serious threat to the local timber and agricultural industries. On top of that, the honeydew they excrete attracts other pests like wasps and bees in addition to produce mold. The economic cost of these pests is significant. A 2019 report from the Penn State College of Agricultural Science estimated that Lanternflies could potentially cost the state of Pennsylvania 324 million dollars and 2,800 jobs a year, with the worst-case scenario being 554 million dollars and 5,000 jobs a year. Since New Jersey’s agricultural economy isn’t as big as Pennsylvania’s, the threat to our state isn’t quite that severe. How-

ever, that’s still hundreds if not thousands of jobs at risk in New Jersey. The New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture stated that every person should kill the pests whenever they see one. We are at the time of the year when Lanternflies breed and lay their eggs. Each egg mass will hatch 30 to 50 nymphs come spring. They have already spread from one state to dozens of states over the past few years. If we do nothing, their population could grow exponentially as they rampage through the country. So please, if you happen to see one of these beautiful insects, kill it. They are a living plague to our plants. Protect our stunning trees and preserve what still remains of the Northeast American ecosystem.

THE VECTOR

Snapshots

Week of September 26, 2021

Theta Tau Casino Night Photos by Kwaku Owusu-Anyan

Prospective members of the Theta Tau fraternity arrived on Campus Center on Monday for a night of cards on campus.

Latin Pub Night Photos by Sean Slusarz

In a follow up to the previous Friday's Latin Night, Lambda Theta Phi hosted their own Latin night at the pub. The food and dance brought out quite the crowd.

CaribSO Jerk Social In CaribSO's first event of the semester was full of fun, food and dance. Their spicy wing eating contest was also quite a draw with the winner taking a way a pair of Airpod Pros. Photos by Sean Slusarz

Photos by Sean Slusarz

THE VECTOR

Opinion

Week of September 26, 2021

Club Spotlight

Dice and Decks

By Mrunmayi Joshi | Contributing Writer Dice and Decks is NJIT’s premier card and board game club. At its meetings, members can find almost anything they’d like to play, from board games to role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons. The club aims to bring together students with matching interests to connect with one another in an environment that can be fun, relaxed, or competitive. Meetings take place on Thursday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the Campus Center basement’s Room B35. Starting in October, there will be meetings on another day of the week as well, which is still being discussed by the Eboard. The first ten minutes of the meeting are used to vote on new games for the club and the remaining time is for members to play any games that Dice and Decks have supplied. The game lengths and types are flexible and completely up to members. To get involved, there are various events coming up for the club! Besides the general club meetings, there is a Pajama Party game night on Sunday, Oct. 17 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., with movies and games in pajamas. There is also a board

game tournament that will be taking place in the future! The club is a great place to make friends and enjoy the experience of getting to be back on campus with gaming partners. Something special about Dice and Decks is the sense of friendship and camaraderie it inspires. Starting from the first meeting, students were able to connect with people they had never seen before on campus and form meaningful friendships. Especially after the isolation of the past months, Dice and Decks provides a great way to get to know other students as well as the campus in a fun and relaxing setting. If you’re looking for varied games with worthy opponents in a fun-loving crowd, check out Dice and Decks! It’s a club filled with friendly members providing a great place to destress after classes or just form stronger bonds with your fellow students. Follow Dice and Decks @njitdiceanddecks on Instagram to catch up with their latest updates and remember to join them in Campus Center Room B35 on Thursdays for evenings full of fun and games!

Photo by Zsófia Fehér | pexel

NJIT Makerspace : The Dream Machine Team By Alfred Simpson | Contributing Writer Walking into the Makerspace, students are immediately greeted by a familiar design found in many startups; the layout is open, making all rooms visible to passersby to encourage learning in a hands-on environment. The staff is welcoming, warm and ready to help students make their dreams a reality. All students need to get in is a valid NJIT ID and a 30-minute introductory course covering safety, rules and an overview of the tools they will get access to. From there, the facility is their oyster. Makerspace represents NJIT’s investment into giving their students a handson approach to learning, turning them from students into makers — and what an investment it is. Makerspace claims to be New Jersey’s largest educational facility of its kind, spanning 21,000 square feet and containing over $3,000,000 in state-of-the-art technology and tools. Inside, makers will develop hands-on skills using the technology and tools of the trade. According to the Makerspace’s manager, Justin Suriano, that’s a necessary step forward. “It’s not enough to enter the industry with just book knowledge. You should be able to show that you can actually do something,” he explained. “Working with the technology in NJIT’s Makerspace gives you real-world experience with the machines you might be building parts or technology for.” Phase one of NJIT’s Makerspace added the heavy machinery — includ-

ing band saws, 3D metal printing, CNC lathes, woodworking, metalworking and more. The hazardous level of the tools being used meant an increased need for supervision. However, phase two needs much less supervision. Makers of any level, degree and measure of experience can learn to use the tools of the facility through guided lessons by Makerspace’s helpful staff. The NJIT Makerspace also is unique in that everything created within the space that is designed by the student remains the student’s intellectual property. This differs from traditional makerspace models and allows makers to pursue their vision without fear of losing their rights.

ects. That makes the start of the semester prime time for students to start exploring Makerspace and all it has to offer. To ease back into in-person classes, Makerspace is currently running a rocket bottle challenge where makers can compete to create low-orbit soda bottle rockets, aided by 3D printers, laser cutters and the staff every step of the way. Trials are continuing throughout September and culminate in the competition day on Oct. 1, where makers can win Visa gift cards ranging from $100-$200.

a MakerSpeaks series throughout the rest of the year with industry experts giving talks on technology and their experiences within the industry. Next semester hopes to add a course-long project for makers to test the knowledge they’ve learned in classes and drive their imaginations. Makerspace plans to offer additional long-term courses, adding to the Advanced Manufacturing and Mechatronics Training Program, which incurs extra fees. For more information, visit https://www.njitmakerspace.com or stop by the facility located within the GITC building.

For those that miss the Rocket Bottle Challenge, there is plenty left to be excited about. Makerspace will be hosting

Despite being a mainstay in previous semesters, Makerspace Phase 2 has seen a slower restart as students ease back into their day-to-day lives. “The ongoing struggle is that this is mostly a commuter campus,” Suriano said. “Students go to class and head home. We want to influence the culture in a way that gives students a reason to stay and make!” With less initial demand, makers can get a better understanding of the tools without the pressure to work more quickly. In fact, that’s a motto Make101 students will pick up quickly: “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast.” The demand in Makerspace tends to pick up towards the end of the semester as students begin building their prototypes for final projects and their senior capstone projPhoto by Alfred Simpson

THE VECTOR

Features

Week of September 26, 2021

Mask Fashion on Campus By Alicia Tedesco | Contributing Writer

Face masks have been our steady companions for almost one and a half years now. We wear them when we go grocery store shopping; we wear them when we go to class; we wear them in the lounges of our dorms, and sometimes, we even wear them outside. They come in different sizes, patterns, and colors, some with a wire clip, some without. They’ve become somewhat of a fashion item, too — these students of NJIT prove why. Marian Siri, a 20-year-old junior majoring in computer science, got her mask from Amazon. “I needed a black mask and found one with a cute heart,” she recalled. It came in a pack of two for $8, and she has had them since the start of the pandemic — so for almost two years. “I’ve done everything with that mask,” she laughed and said.

Ximena Martinez is 20 years old and a junior majoring in biology. Her mask has little band aids on it, and she basically got it for free. “I wish I could say that I was bitten by a chihuahua and that they gave it to me at the hospital,” she said. “But in reality, my roommate gave it to me.”

Sujith Madanbhavi is 27 — which is, according to him, “way too old” — and in his 2nd year of his master’s in mechanical engineering. While visiting the Mills and Jersey Gardens with his friends, he got two camouflage masks at the Guess store last December for about $10. “I wanted something different,” Madanbhavi stated, “and I needed a metal strip on top of my nose to fold so that my glasses don’t fog.” If NJIT had camo masks with its logo and metal strips, he would definitely get those as well.

Miles Bardzilowski is a 22-year-old senior majoring in theater. His mask is from Old Navy and came in a bundle of ten for $25. He shared them with his dad because they both needed more masks in April 2021. “So, I took all the nice ones,” he said. “It’s interesting how masks are a fashion item.” But to him, masks are “more function than fashion.” As somebody with glasses, Bardzilowski needs wire and adjustable masks so he doesn’t have to clean his glasses too much. “If [the masks] look nice, it’s a plus."

Jira Uttarapong is a 24-year-old senior majoring in computer science. The clear mask she’s wearing is called “Jelli”, and she got it online for $40. “I really like smiling and hate not being able to do so with a mask on,” she explained her decision to get a transparent mask. At first, Uttarapong wasn’t sure if it would be worth it, but she ultimately decided, “I really like it – it’s more comfortable, and my glasses don’t fog.” Even professors ask about her mask and where she got it. Every day, she cleans the mask with an alcohol wipe; every few days, she changes the filters on the side. “Right now, this is my only mask,” she said. “I might get another one and mess with it in the Makerspace, though.”

COLLECTIONS voices from around campus

What are you most excited about for spooky season? "Ready to carve some pumpkins" "Early voting" "my annual Over the Garden Wall rewatch with friends"

"Horror movies and sleeping with the window open" "Haunted corn mazes!!" "the leaves changing color"

"Flannels" "getting visited by Casper the friendly ghost"

THE VECTOR

Entertainment

Week of September 26, 2021

Horoscopes

Do You Even Sudoku?

By An Anonymous Aquarius with an Affinity for Astrology

ARIES

TAURUS

GEMINI

Chiron and Eris both lie in your house now. This is a good time to heal old wounds and beware of new injuries.

As Uranus remains in retrograde in your sign, it can be good to loosen up and be open to new ideas and adventures. And also naps to gain energy for these adventures.

Just as the moon wanes and waxes between the bright and dark side, not everything in life is black-andwhite. Remember that not everyone sees the gray areas the same way as you do.

CANCER

LEO

VIRGO

Your colleagues may be inspired by your keen observation and work ethic. Keep it up!

The moon has moved into your solar 12th house, and while you’re enjoying the present, you’re focused on your long-term plans.

You may be stressed right now, but surely your careful planning and organization will pay off in the end.

LIBRA

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS

The sun, moon, and Mars are all in Libra this month! This is the time for you to take charge and move forward, but of course only after careful consideration and balance.

Venus is in Scorpio this week. You may find some unpredictable ups and downs in your relationships!

Although some of your plans may get cancelled, everything happens for a reason and you’re sure to find new plans.

CAPRICORN

AQUARIUS

PISCES

You don’t believe in astrology, but you haven’t yet joined The Vector to complain about whoever is writing this spacey cosmic stuff! I’m still waiting for you to come here and try your hand at writing these.

Jupiter and Saturn are both in retrograde in your sign! While it may feel like things have slowed down, remember Hanlon’s razor.

People might think you’re over eager sometimes, but it’s the early bird that gets the worm, so keep doing you!

EASY

MEDIUM

HARD

Comics EVIL

Crossword

By Sreya Das

Crossword credited to onlinecrosswords.net

Tweet @TheNJITVector a photo of your completed crossword puzzle (only if you can solve it, though)! Across 1. Word with course or horse 5. Hit-the-ground sound 10. Wall St. subject 14. "Star Wars" actor Guinness 15. On-board prognostication device? 16. Lengthy account 17. "Charlie's Angels" star 19. Kind of school 20. Contradict 21. James Jones connection 22. Lofty poems 23. Motivates to do great

things 25. Piece of an orchestra? 27. Broadway latecomer's sign 28. Terribly upset 31. Enticing word on a sign 34. "O Brother, Where Art ---?" 37. Bequeath 38. Rock hound's find 39. Routine thing 41. One who cries foul 42. Come-on 44. March movement 45. Agile 46. Intense dislikes

48. Morsel for a meal? 50. Overseas money 51. They'll darken you 56. Where you might turn up a lot of dirt 58. Gershwin and Levin 60. It's discarded 61. It could be in your throat 62. Deserving attention 64. Like some history 65. Photographer's problem 66. List shortener 67. Mass of glass 68. Loon's lack 69. Like a meadow in the morning

Down 1. Yeshiva leader 2. Sci-fi villain 3. Honeycomb units 4. Celestial phenomenon 5. Old French coin 6. Put through the blender, in a way 7. Turkish money 8. Allowing entry 9. Twelfth U.S. president 10. Get married 11. Vegas trickster 12. Double-curved arch molding 13. Snooze

18. One-time Israeli prime minister 24. "Portnoy's Complaint" author 26. Core of a canine 28. Salad veggie 29. Who or when conclusion 30. Stand up to 31. Future junior 32. Pavarotti solo 33. Star seen late at night 35. British pianist Myra 36. Good mo. for candy companies 39. Oscar winner for "Moonstruck"

40. Broadway's "Once --- a Mattress" 43. Buckle 45. Appeared in the lead 47. Events, happenings, etc. 49. Chorus voice 51. "Paradise Lost" character 52. Product requirements 53. Not glossy, as a photo 54. "Fiddle-faddle!" 55. In a demure way 56. Decided failure 57. Halo glow 59. Macbeth, for one 63. Pint-size