[The Stute] February 11, 2022 (Issue 14, Volume CXIX)

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck.

FEATURED: Read the final Editorial from the Editor-in-Chief on page 8

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We write Stevens history VOLUME CXIX No. 14

HOBOKEN, NJ | FEBRUARY 11, 2021

NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

Stevens partners with Via for new shuttle service

Hoboken ends indoor mask mandate as Omicron cases fall

Student opinions are mixed

Masks still required indoors on campus

BY CHRISTA RUIZ, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER When students returned to campus on January 31, the new Stevens shuttle service became available for use. The new service is powered by Via Transportation, a company that licenses its services to cities, universities, private organizations, and more to help build technology-driven transportation networks.

The shuttle picks students up from certain locations of their choosing to campus and vice versa. To ride the shuttle, students book their rides through the Stevens Shuttle app.

The shuttle consists of daytime and nighttime service. The daytime service offers rides between four different sites on campus— Babbio Center, 9th Street Main Gate, Howe Center, and Griffith Building—to the Hoboken Terminal, 9th St. Light Rail Station, and Hoboken University Medical Center. The hours of operation for shuttles are 5:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. during weekdays, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, and 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. The nighttime service operates all days of the week from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. and provides rides between campus and anywhere in the zone that is displayed on the map.

In an interview with The Stute, Commuter Student Union members Mihika Shah and Christopher Engelbart discussed their experiences with the Stevens Shuttle service thus far.

Shah explained she has used the shuttle 4-5 times now, and both Shah and Engelbart use it when coming to campus from Hoboken Terminal and leaving after their classes are over.

“I am very happy that Stevens has implemented this service,” Shah said.

Shah was worried about how she would get to the terminal when coming home from night classes, but the service put her at ease. Engelbart said that he has had “a mostly positive experience” whenever he can get the shuttle, and stated that you can view where your shuttle is on its route to you once you book a ride.

Both Shah and Engelbart emphasized that the shuttle is especially beneficial to have during bad weather.

However, there have been some issues that have

SEE SHUTTLE PAGE 3 + more student opinions

CAROLINE MONTANA FOR THE STUTE

Recent changes to campus life include a new shuttle service, building hours, and Student Life personnel

SGA begins work on Spring 2022 initiatives Building hours and add/ drop period discussed

Chris Shemanski leaves Student Life and begins new role in SES Is “deeply passionate about supporting students prior to and during their academic career”

BY GRACE MIGUEL, SENIOR STAFF WRITER

far during my time in Student Life was being a part of a team of colleagues who helped develop the Peer Leader Program,” Shemanski said. The program began in 2018 when the Office of Undergraduate Student Life partnered with the Office of Undergraduate Academics.

The Peer Leader program was formerly broken into two groups: the Peer Mentor program and the Orientation Leader program. The former was established out of the Office of Undergraduate Academics and focused more on academia, and the latter operated out of the Office of Student Life and had a mission for guiding students in their transition through college and helping them to feel at home. The combination of the two teams was designed to “assist students in their academic and social adjustment into college. As someone who is deeply passionate about supporting students prior to and during their academic career, the Peer Leader Program serves an important function on our campus especially for students in their first-year,” Shemanski said. The program not only benefits the

incoming class, but also serves as a valuable leadership experience for current students. Peer Leader applications will be open February 8 through February 28 for students who are interested.

While he has thoroughly enjoyed his time in Student Life, Shemanski is excited to support students in a more academic way. At Student Life, he focused on supporting students to develop a sense of belonging and purpose at Stevens.

Now he is shifting gears to support student learning in the classroom within their

BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM, EDITOR EMERITUS

The Samuel C. Williams library is a place Stevens students know all too well.

The library offers a multitude of services, including access to scholarly research guides, printers, study rooms available for reservation, and various archives and collections. Not only is the library a source of information, but it is also a place

The City of Hoboken ended a mask mandate on February 7, marking a turning point in the local response to the pandemic.

In a press release, Ravi Bhalla, mayor of Hoboken, said the city repealed the mask requirements this week because Hudson County’s positivity rate fell below 5%. “The numbers make it clear that cases are significantly falling in the region,” Bhalla said. “This data point, combined with Hoboken’s high vaccination rate, robust testing options, and low hospitalizations, make it possible for us to lift our indoor mask requirement.”

Bhalla said that local businesses are no longer required to ask customers to wear face masks, but can continue to do so if they choose.

In the past week, the city has seen almost 60 positive cases of COVID-19 in total. During the height of the Omicron surge, Hoboken reported as many as 150 positive cases each day.

The city’s most recent mask mandate, which required “all residents and visitors over the age of 2” to wear face coverings in indoor public settings, was introduced in December, amid uncertainty about the Omicron variant. Mayor Bhalla signed this executive order two days after he himself tested positive for COVID-19.

By ending mask requirements, Hoboken is joining a growing list of communities that are responding to rapidly dropping cases of the virus, including California and New York. Phil Murphy, Governor of New Jersey, said on Monday that he will lift a statewide mask

SEE LIBRARY PAGE 2

SEE MASKS PAGE 2

BY STEPHANIE SEARING, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER As a new semester begins, and a new Student Government Association (SGA) Cabinet takes over, students begin work on new initiatives. Most recently, building hours in Babbio and Gateway were extended, and extending the add/drop period was discussed but failed to be put into place.

At the beginning of last semester, the SGA proposed a referendum that, if passed, would allow for Cabinet members to hold executive board positions for other organizations, and according to SGA President Gab Poska, “lower the quorum requirement for amending the Constitution.” Both parts of the referendum vote ended up passing. This “allowed several of the current Cabinet members to be ap-

SEE SGA PAGE 2

Students give feedback in recent Library survey

BY TASHA KHOSLA, CONTRIBUTOR

NEWS (2-3)

PULSE (5)

Stevens partners with Via for new shuttle service A new shuttle service on campus has arrived, and students have mixed opinions.

Read answers from the Stevens community to our weekly Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly crossword puzzle and sudoku

FEATURES (4)

SCIENCE (6-7)

Catching up with professional societies at Stevens – ASCE, SWE, SWiCS, SNAME, SWiB, ACS

Read about AI and military technology, generational smoking bans, and research about Venus

Chris Shemanski, former Assistant Director of Undergraduate Student Life, has embarked on a new journey as the Assistant Director of Core Engineering in the Schafer School of Engineering and Science (SES). January 27, 2022 was Shemanski’s final day as a member of the Undergraduate Student Life team.

Shemanski worked for the Office of Student Life for the past eight years and explained in an interview he genuinely feels like a Stevens duck; he believes whole-heartedly in the Stevens experience. In his previous role, he oversaw many programmatic areas such as the New Student Programs, Leadership and Service programs, as well as supporting many of our professional and service-oriented organizations. The Peer Leader program is one of Shemanski’s initiatives that has gained a lot of traction amongst the students, as well as within Student Life.

“One of my proudest moments at Stevens thus

SEE SHEMANSKI PAGE 2

CAROLINE MONTANA FOR THE STUTE

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News Masthead Volume CXIX No. 14 Executive Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF..............................NATALIE TODARO ‘22 BUSINESS MANAGER.......................JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23 MANAGING EDITOR..........................SANJANA MADHU ‘23 LAYOUT EDITOR.....................................KEENAN YATES ‘24 OUTREACH CHAIR.........................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 DIGITAL MANAGER...............................BEMIN SHAKER ‘23 SECRETARY......................................ZANE THUMMBORST ‘23

Editorial Board NEWS EDITOR.....................................TREVOR DAMEIKA ‘23 SCIENCE EDITOR............................RAYNA INDELICATO ‘22 OPINION EDITOR............................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.....................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

Operations Board ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER ..........KATIE BLOOMER ‘25 HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER...........CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER............VANESSA HUERTA ‘23

LIBRARY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 where students can spend time with one another, and finish their work. Nonetheless, in the spirit of innovation, the library constantly seeks to adapt to students’ needs.

On November 17, 2021, the library announced schedule changes to the library hours in order to better accommodate the needs of the students. Included in the announcement was a link to a library satisfaction survey that sought student feedback for how the library could improve.

In an email to The Stute, Romel Espinel, Web Services and Teaching Librarian at the Library, provided information regarding the goals and feedback of the Library Satisfaction Survey. With a total of 204 students participating, including 164 undergraduate, 39 graduate, and one doctoral student, this was the “largest response to a Library survey yet,” Espinel stated.

The purpose of the survey was

Staff & Contributors Matthew Brantl Kayden Cannilla Estefania De Caires Matthew Cunningham Aleksandar Dimoski Nicole Giardino Quentin Jimenez Tasha Khosla Benjamin Knobloch Rafael Lee Li Winston Lee

Erin McGee Grace Miguel Stephen Pachucki Marisa Powers Christa Ruiz Stephanie Searing Leigha Tierney Diem Trinh Emma Tong Daniel Yu

Contact Us GENERAL.........................................EBOARD@THESTUTE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF.........................EDITOR@THESTUTE.COM ADVERTISING.............................BUSINESS@THESTUTE.COM OFFICE......................................STUDENT CENTER ROOM #302

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Disclaimer All opinions and editorials reflect the views of their respective author(s). No Part of The Stute may be reproduced in any form, in whole or in part, without the written consent of the Editor-in-Chief. Cited references of The Stute are permitted.

to learn how students use the library’s abundant resources and what changes the students would like to see implemented.

According to Espinel’s response, “84.3% of the respondents gave their library experience 4-5 stars.” Moreover, from this sample of students, 72.3% gave a positive review of the library’s research services. In fact, of the first year respondents, “61.7% found the CAL 103 Library session… to be helpful.” Unequivocally, the resources the library provides are valuable and applicable to the lives of Stevens students.

However, the survey found that there were specific changes the students wanted implemented, namely the library hours. One student explained, “I always have work to do when the library is closed and would much rather be able to do it in the library than my dorm room, this would greatly improve my work and focus.”

Additional changes included quieter study spaces, revised printing costs, furniture comfort, and more books for use.

SGA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 pointed to their positions,” according to Poska. Additionally, because the quorum requirement was lowered, the SGA has started “talking about some much-needed changes including a Code of Ethics and Inclusivity Statement.”

An initiative from last semester that has come to fruition is extended hours in Babbio and Gateway. The buildings are now open on weekends between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. However, this is a probationary period for these hours, so if there are issues with safety or cleanliness, the buildings will revert to being closed on the weekends. The SGA personally struggled with the previous hours the buildings were open because of meeting times, and after receiving further confirmation of this issue from the general student body in a Quae poll, they brought the issue to President Farvardin and Sara Klein, the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs.

Another concern the SGA tried

Library Director Linda Beninghove reflected, “We are thrilled that so many students took the time to participate in the Library survey. It shows that students really care about the Library, and we will be sure to take student feedback into consideration as we move forward.” In response to the student feedback, Beninghove also shared that library hours will be expanded throughout the spring semester and quieter study spaces will become more available through the enforcement of “improved signage and protocols.”

The library is also looking to expand study spaces by working closely with the Office of the Provost and the Division of Facilities and Campus Operations.

The library staff stated they are committed to enhancing the student experience at the Samuel C. Williams library. They aim for the changes to come to benefit the Stevens community, as a way of embodying their ongoing goal of “fostering an innovative environment with technology, education and culture.”

to address was the add/drop deadline for Spring 2022. According to the SGA, students expressed concerns that since the first two weeks of class were online, students would not get an accurate representation of what the class would entail and could not make an informed decision on whether to drop the class or not.

In a discussion with Eden Luvishis, SGA Vice President of Academic Affairs (VPAA), she stated that due to financial and government aid reasons, Stevens was unable to extend the deadline for this semester. However, Luvishis explained that administration is interested in pursuing an extended add/drop period in the future.

Creating a website for the SGA is another initiative being worked on, that would serve as a place to receive input from students as well as present all of SGA’s initiatives and progress.

The SGA Cabinet is also talking with administration about PE credit requirements and how PE classes could be improved. Reducing the credit requirement or throwing it out entirely. Students can voice opinions on this initiative by contacting Luvishis.

SHEMANSKI

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 respective disciplines and curriculum. His role is new within SES, as the Assistant Director of Core Engineering Education he will be responsible for supporting instructional delivery, student registration and scheduling logistics, and collecting data of all core courses in the undergraduate engineering and science programs. He will also collaborate on special projects within SES, like the annual Innovation Expo.

Currently, the Assistant Director of Student Life position that Shemanski left is vacant, but Dr. Leo Pedraza, Assistant Dean of Student Life, and the Student Life team are searching for a candidate to fulfill the role in the coming days.

MASKS

Policy on Letters to the Editor All members of the Stevens community are able to submit a Letter to the Editor to be published in The Stute. Letters must refer either to a piece published in The Stute or to The Stute in general and must be between 400 – 800 words in length. Submit letters to editor@thestute.com with your name and title (when applicable) or using our Google form. For writers who wish to write a Letter to the Editor anonymously, please see our policy on anonymity.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish a submitted Letter to the Editor based on a majority rule vote, and additionally reserves the right to edit letters for clarity or request authors to revise. Provided that the author approves the final version, The Stute reserves the right to edit letters according to our copy editing procedures, defined in our policies.

Policy on Op-Eds All members of the Stevens community are able to submit a standalone opinion piece (otherwise known as an Op-Ed) to be published in The Stute. Op-Eds must be between 400 – 800 words, but longer submissions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To submit an OpEd please email eboard@thestute.com with your name and title (when applicable) or using our Google form (tinyurl.com/submit-t0-stute). For writers who wish to write an Op-Ed anonymously, please see our policy on anonymity.

The Editorial Board reserves the right to choose whether or not to publish a submitted Op-Ed based on a majority rule vote, and additionally reserves the right to edit Op-Eds for clarity or request authors to revise.

Provided that the author approves the final version, The Stute reserves the right to edit Op-Eds according to our copy editing procedures, defined in our policies.

FULL LIST ON thestute.com/policies

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 requirement in schools in March because of the rapid easing of the Omicron surge, calling the move “a huge step back to normalcy for our kids.”

Although masks are no longer universally required in Hoboken, the city is still asking people to wear masks in city buildings.

“Although our mask requirement for indoor locations is currently coming to an end, it is still important to utilize the tools we have at our disposal to stay safe from COVID-19,” said Bhalla.

“COVID-19 remains a significant health risk for those who are unvaccinated, and I ask anyone who has not yet done so, to get vaccinated or boosted, and get tested if you believe you’ve been exposed.”

Since the pandemic began, the city has reported 9,512 positive cases of COVID-19 as well as 61 fatalities linked to the virus. According to the city’s vaccination numbers released Sunday, 85% of people in the city have received a first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and 75% have received the second dose.

Although the city has lifted mask mandates, Stevens noted on February 8 in an email to students, faculty, and staff, that “Masks are required in all indoor, public spaces.”

MAYOR BHALLA COURTESY OF NJ.COM

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News

SHUTTLE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 arisen over the first week since the shuttle has been implemented.

Shah and Engelbart highlighted how there have been especially long wait times; Shah explained, “I had to cancel the shuttle multiple times” due to extended wait times from 25 to 40 minutes. Engelbart said he has seen messages stating that there are no shuttles available and to try again later. “Depending on the day and what’s going on, it may be impractical to take the shuttle,” Engelbart said and suggested it could be easier for people to walk places if they are not in a rush.

The major change that Shah and Engelbart suggested could be implemented to improve the shut-

tle is by adding more vehicles and drivers. Shah states that of the 4 times she used the shuttle, she was picked up in the same vehicle 3 out of those 4 times. Engelbart shared a similar sentiment, by stating, “Long ETAs for pick-up and no open spots could be improved by having more drivers for the shuttle, so there’s more supply to meet the demand.”

In a February 6 poll on The Stute’s Instagram stories, 356 students voted they have not used the new shuttle service and 148 voted that they have used the service.

In addition, 148 students voted that the new service is better than the old one, and 84 voted that it’s worse. A comment box was also posted on stories for students to voice thoughts on the service, which can be seen in the graphic above.

New local sculptures make their marks

BY BENJAMIN KNOBLOCH, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER Two new public sculptures erected along the Hudson River Waterfront Walkway were formally unveiled in late 2021. Here in Hoboken, a bronze statue of the late singer Frank Sinatra honors a legendary local-born figure in the park named after him. The other sculpture, an 80-foot tall likeness of a woman’s head, neck, and hand christened Water’s Soul, sits prominently on the Newport waterfront and gazes across the Hudson River toward the New York City skyline.

The statue of Frank Sinatra, unveiled December 12 to align with his 106th birthday, depicts the man often called “Hoboken’s favorite son” leaning casually against a streetlamp and tipping his hat amicably. The whole figure stands atop a round pedestal inscribed “Francis Albert Sinatra.” The sculpture is the creation of Carolyn Palmer, resident of Saddle River, Bergen County, who is also known for having sculpted busts of four popes for a permanent installation at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Careful consideration was put into the design of the statue, said Palmer in an interview with NorthJersey.com. Sinatra’s stance against the lamppost is an allusion to a 1954 album cover, and the lamppost itself casts light and flickers atmospherically. Palmer placed his age in the sculpture at 45 precisely, and the ring on his pinky finger is one the real man wore. In addition to the sculptor’s research and meticulousness, these details are courtesy of Tina Sinatra, the singer’s daughter, who had final approval over the statue’s design and contributed her knowledge of her father.

At the official unveiling, Palmer revealed the statue with Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla while Tina Sinatra looked on. Joe Piscopo, a comedian known for his impressions of Frank Sinatra on Saturday Night Live, was also in attendance.

Nearby in Jersey City, Water’s Soul sits as the centerpiece of the newly-constructed Newport Pier.

Spanish sculptor Jaum Plensa was commissioned by Lefrak and Simon Property Group to design the figure, according to the sculpture’s website. It was shipped to the location and constructed piece-bypiece in 2021, officially opening on

October 19.

Water’s Soul attracts the attention of passersby, both on water and on land, with its strangely-proportioned human appearance. Although from either side it appears to conventionally depict a woman with her finger to her lips in an indication for silence, changing position reveals that the figure is contracted widthwise, giving the face an unusual semblance from many perspectives.

The statue’s meaning, as hinted at by its name, is said by the designer to reflect his belief in the importance of bodies of water as unifiers and connecting arteries of the world, represented in Jersey City by the Hudson River. According to the website, Plensa sees water as a metaphor for “individual people [coming] together to create community, exchange ideas and build something incredibly powerful.”

For students interested in visiting the sculptures, the statue of Frank Sinatra is located in Sinatra Park, just south of campus, and Water’s Soul, which is open for public viewing from dawn to dusk through at least the rest of the winter, is located along 1 Park Lane South, Jersey City, on Newport Pier.

BENJAMIN KNOBLOCH FOR THE STUTE

2022 Recruitment goes virtual

BY NICOLE GIARDINO, CONTRIBUTOR After COVID-19 pushed last year’s sorority recruitment to be completely virtual, Greek organizations were excited to host in-person recruitment once again. Recruitment was scheduled to be held before the first week of the Spring 2022 semester. But due to the spread of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, Stevens pushed classes online for two weeks, and as a consequence, recruitment was also pushed online.

In order to give Greek organizations more time to adapt, recruitment was also postponed one week and occurred between January 22 to January 25.

Despite the last minute changes, President of the Stevens Panhellenic Society (SPC), Fallon Link, along with heads of sorority recruitment, Danielle Ragan (Delta Phi Epsilon), Samantha Hessels (Sigma Delta Tau), Alexis Fuda (Phi Sigma Sigma), Roxy Soukup (Alpha Phi), and Amanda Schmitt (Theta Phi Alpha) were able to quickly adapt and create a recruitment experience for Potential New Members (PNMs).

Ragan claimed, “After having a virtual recruitment last year, the sisters of Delta Phi Epsilon were hyped to be going through the recruitment process in-person. When we got the news that it was being switched to virtual, while we were bummed, we still were so excited to meet all the potential new members.” As the Vice President of Recruitment of Delta Phi Epsilon, Ragan mentioned that the sorority had already spent time purchasing and creating decor for their sorority house, while also planning elaborate schedules for recruitment. Ragan continued, “As upsetting as it was to have to put all of that to the side, we quickly got the ball rolling to prepare for it all to be held over Zoom.”

With little time to adapt to a virtual environment, the Delta Phi Epsilon recruitment committee had to work efficiently in order to still make the recruitment process enjoyable.

Ragan explained, “The Panhellenic Community was so supportive

and readily available to answer any questions that may have come up during the transition period. [...]

There were so many little details that went into making a successful Zoom recruitment. As stressful and unexpecting as it was, I truly believe that all organizations did an amazing job as we are so grateful to be welcoming in awesome new members.”

Samantha Hessels explained, “being a chapter with no house it was a lot easier for us to adapt. We didn’t use the decor we buy until two days before so we were able to return a lot and save some of it so each person in Sig Delt could decorate their walls with their decor.” Hessels also noted that the move to virtual recruitment was expected, and used recruitment techniques from last year’s virtual recruitment to ease the transition.

Hessels also explained that changing the dates of recruitment last minute resulted in many students being unable to attend recruitment, which was one of the biggest obstacles that they faced. Another huge challenge included “[the] retention of PNMs. It’s a lot harder to ‘wow’ someone and see if your values compare on Zoom. There were also a good chunk of PNMs that dropped either from the format or our inability to get as many PNMs round after round due to the low total.”

Overall, according to the recruitment heads, virtual recruitment was successful. Hessels explained, “honestly, I think it went really well and although many of us would have liked to experience an in-person recruitment in order to pass down our traditions and legacy before we all graduate, Sig Delt was really able to pull together and I am so proud and grateful for everyone in my sorority, I could not have done anything without them. Our Kappa class is really amazing and I am so excited to see what they do.” Additionally, with lower attendance in this year’s formal recruitment, many students were recruited through Continuous Open Biddings (COBs), allowing other students who may not have been able to attend formal recruitment to have the opportunity to join a sorority.

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Features CATCHING UP WITH

PROFESSIONAL SOCITIES

American Society of Civil Engineers The President of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Yanqing Liang, stated that the ASCE is focusing on professional development this semester. In the coming weeks, ASCE plans to host a professional development workshop to develop pre-professional skills like resume building and interview tactics. Liang also shared that they intend “to host a Professional

Network Night, where we invite professionals and alumni to mingle with students and share their experiences.”

To put their skills to the test, ASCE also plans to build models together in an Engineering Kit Night. Liang stressed that the ASCE can benefit all members of the Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering program in a variety of ways. The ASCE is the na-

tion’s oldest engineering society, and has a multitude of resources “including an internal job board, mentorship programs and salary search systems that will strongly benefit those going into the professional field,” said Liang. In a collaborative effort, the ASCE, ASME, AlChE, BMES, and SEEPS are hosting an Engineering Olympics, with prizes for engineering challenges.

Stevens Women in Computer Science Stevens Women in Computer Science (SWiCS) focuses on “empowering and creating a safe space and network for women at Stevens,” said President Aparajita Rana. This semester,

SWiCS plans for a variety of events, from company recruiters presenting on campus, Hackathons, and resume workshops, to de-stress events like their Galentine’s Day event.

She notes that members

have a range of experience that can provide career resources and that everyone is welcome, “whether it’s to make a new friend or to learn how to get an internship, everyone has something to learn.”

Stevens Women in Business Stevens Women in Business (SWiB) is a professional society committed to professional development, networking opportunities, and education about issues and ideas in business.

As stated by SWiB President Eden Luvishis, her goals for the society this semester are “to increase awareness of opportunities in the business world after graduation, especially for women on campus [...] I want to also in-

crease mentorship within the club itself as we have a lot of members with very valuable experiences that could benefit younger members.” According to Luvishis, any Stevens student who is interested in learning about careers in business and general preparedness for entering the professional world is welcome at SWiB events.

Luvishis also noted that “all genders are welcome at all of our meetings and events.” This semes-

ter, SWiB will be hosting a “spring ambitions” workshop, followed by a Galentine’s mentor/ mentee reveal event, as well as many other events throughout the semester.

According to Luvishis, SWiB values both the “career and personal” aspects of professional preparedness, with events focusing on skills such as time management and ambition setting as well as resume development and LinkedIn workshops.

Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) is an organization dedicated to fostering connections between students and professionals as well as increasing interest and awareness of the naval engineering field. According to SNAME President Emmett Malady, if students have “an interest in any form of marine engineer-

ing or naval architecture, SNAME is for you whether you are studying naval engineering or computer science.” Furthermore, Malady stated that SNAME prepares students for life after graduation by providing opportunities for professional development in the field of naval engineering, creating connections to industry professionals, and exposing

students to the latest research and developments in naval engineering. This semester, SNAME is currently planning to host an industry panel of current young professionals working in the naval engineering industry. According to Malady, SNAME is also planning to “visit an active yard to see the ship building process in action.”

Society of Women Engineers For the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), President Emily Kovelesky hopes to “engage students in more networking and social activities to bring back some of the interac-

tion that we lost during our time online.” She said SWE plans to have social and professional activities like their Annual Networking Gala and SWE Picnic. The organization

aims to “support equality among all genders in STEM” and provide students with a space to “talk about the challenges minority groups might face in the workplace.”

American Chemical Society The American Chemical Society (ACS) is an organization devoted to promoting interest in chemistry and furthering professional development in the field of chemistry.

According to ACS President Kaylyn Spotton, any student interested in exploring chemistry as a

field is welcome to come to ACS events, regardless of major. Spotton stated, “Currently, the club is mostly focused on having fun with chemistry, but my E-Board and I are working to increase the professional development events we hold while still making chemistry fun for

everyone.” This semester, ACS will be hosting an Earth Day event to discuss the significance of green chemistry and the importance of sustainability in industry.

Additionally, ACS will also be hosting an “Art in Chemistry” event and a game night event.

Students can visit DuckLink to get involved in professional societies

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Campus Pulse

Katie Ng ‘25

Skyler Doherty ‘23

“Burnt out.”

“Hectic, fun, and cold.”

Chris Deffigos ‘24

“It was refreshing to be in person again after being online... *shrugs*”

ROVING REPORTER “Stressful, tiring, fun?”

“In a few words, how was your first week of in-person classes.”

“I’m ready to graduate.”

Farhan Shaik ‘23

Pooja Rajadurai ‘23

Jack Santoro ‘24

Sofie Katsikiotis ‘23

“I missed too many classes.”

Halftime by Off Center Stephen Pachucki

Kaiqi Chee ‘22

“Exhausting.”

“Slow yet quick.”

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18. 21.

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Lowered Got somethe sun value of Blow a ___ 39. 47.

Allow Smootherfor instance 40. 48.

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42. Flowers that share a name with part of your eye 44. Got some sun 47. Blow a ___ 48. Smoother 49. Whole 50. Degrade

DOWN

DOWN 1. Rapper 1. Rapper Dogg Dogg 2. Prefix meaning "four" 2. Prefix meaning "four" 3. Opposite 3. Opposite of innerof inner 4. Roth ___ ___ 4. Roth 5. Crow's call call 5. Crow's 6. Zigzagging downhill races 6. Zigzagging downhill races 7. ___ line 7. ___ 8. "See ya!" line 8.

"See ya!" currency that rhymes with the 9. Former Japanese current Japanese currency currency that 9. Former Japanese 10.rhymes Functional with the 11.current Blacktop alternative Japanese currency 12. Rapper Kendrick 10.

Functional 19. Former NFL quarterback Manning Blacktop alternative 22.11.

Comedian Sandler Rapper Kendrick 23.12.

London's Big ___ 26.19.

Sunburn soother Former NFL quarterback Manning 27.22.

"Perfect" singer Ed Sandler Comedian 28. Devoted D&D enemy 23. London's Big ___ 29. Devoured Sunburn soother 30.26.

Mischievous sprite 27.

"Perfect" singer Ed 32. Butterfly catcher Devoted 33.28.

Singer Mary J. D&D enemy 34.29.

WhatDevoured sports fans do 35.30.

Swiftness Mischievous sprite 36. Grandma 32.

Butterfly catcher 37. Alternatives to foils and sabres 33.

Mary J. LVI halftime performers 38. OneSinger of five Super Bowl 34. What sports fans do featured in this puzzle 43.35.

HowSwiftness you travel down a black diamond 45.36.

NY'sGrandma Fifth ___ 46.37.

Bird's beak Alternatives to foils and sabres

38. One of five Super Bowl LVI halftime performers featured in this puzzle 43. How you travel down a black diamond 45. NY's Fifth ___ 46. Bird's beak

Last Week’s Answers

6

Friday, February 11

Science New Zealand & Massachusetts introduce generational smoking bans

BY KATIE BLOOMER, ASST. BUSINESS MANAGER

THE GOAL IS TO PREVENT RISING ADULTS FROM EVER HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME ADDICTED TO NICOTINE.”

Brookline, a town in Massachusetts, and New Zealand are taking steps to prevent younger generations from ever using tobacco products.

The goal is to prevent rising adults from ever having the opportunity to become addicted to nicotine. The tobacco industry claims that they are not trying to attract new customers, but tobacco use has not dramatically decreased even as old generations of smokers have passed away. Katharine Silbaugh, a co-sponsor of Brookline’s ban and an elected official in Brookline’s town government explained, “this ordinance doesn’t blame smokers for being smokers.” Instead, it discourages future generations from smoking.

In 2021, Brookline introduced a generational smoking ban which prohibits anyone

born after January 1, 2000 from buying tobacco products ever. As a result, anyone who turned 21 this year will be unable to purchase nicotine products in Brookline even though they meet Massachusetts legal age for buying tobacco. This plan involves raising the legal smoking age each year to prevent younger generations from ever legally smoking while allowing existing smokers to continue having access to tobacco products. Essentially, the ability to buy tobacco will be tied to birth date rather than age.

According to Silbaug, “there is terrific evidence that accessibility to substances increases use, so it’s not the case that what Brookline did will have no effect.

It will have an effect.” This counters the concern that people who are in search of tobacco products can simply go to neighboring towns.

Although there has been a decrease in tobacco use,

Brookline did not have a substantial tobacco problem to begin with. Reports state that only 6.8% of adults in Brookline smoke which is half of the statewide rate of smokers.

New Zealand is interested in mirroring Brookline’s plan and is proposing to create a generational smoking ban. The proposed plan would make New Zealand home to one of the most restricted retail tobacco industries in the world.

Many politicians in New Zealand see this program as “excessive state interference that will hammer businesses.” For some gas stations, tobacco products makeup almost half of in store sales. Sunny Kaushal, the leader of an organization that advocates for small business owners, says that businesses who are impacted should be compensated.

Elias Audy and Omar Audy, owners of Mobil gas stations in Brookline, are concerned

about the potential customer decline following the bans on tobacco products. They stated concerns that those who are looking to purchase tobacco products will be forced to go to a neighboring town and will likely fill up on gas and other products while there.

Audy would prefer a nationwide ban because it would feel more fair rather than simply taking away their business and giving it to other towns.

There is also a fear that customers would express anger on employees when they are denied from purchasing tobacco products. Many small business owners in Brookline are working together to sue the town “in an effort to overturn the policy, arguing it conflicts with state law and discriminates against patrons based on their birthdates.”

Adam Ponte, the plaintiffs attorney, also claims that the tobacco banning policy discriminates against people based on the day they are born.

AI and military technology

BY ESTEFANIA DE CAIRES, SCIENCE WRITER Artificial intelligence, or AI, is now a part of our society; from Alexa to facial recognition software, we interact with different kinds of artificial intelligence every day. However, over the last few years continuous research and development has led to a new kind of AI: autonomous drones.

The use of drones in the military is nothing new. In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, the United States used drones as spy planes in order to obtain imagery intelligence from behind enemy lines and the 1970s saw Israel begin to use drones as decoys in the Yom Kippur War. Up until this point military drones were still relatively new technology; as a result, during the decades that followed, the United States started to invest more into developing more cost-efficient drones.

In the 1990s the U.S. government began “The Predator Program”, which eventually led to the creation of the MQ-1 Predator. These drones were not yet autonomous, instead they were unmanned remote controlled aircrafts that could conduct a variety of tasks.

Despite already having drones integrated into the military by the turn of the 20th century, the catalyst that sparked a sharp increase in the research, development, and use of more advanced drones in the United States was 9/11.

Following the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent War on Terror, drones have been used to surveil areas unsafe

for troops, as well as carry out airstrikes on intended targets. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates that from 2015 to 2020, more than 14,000 drone strikes were conducted in Afghanistan alone.

The continous use of drone strikes has raised questions over their accuracy and more importantly over the unintended casualties they leave behind. Nonetheless, the United States has continued to invest more money into drone development.

For years, drones used in the military were operated by remote pilots; however, recent drone models have seen a change to autonomous drones. In March 2020, during a military conflict in Libya the first autonomous drone, or lethal autonomous weapons system was used. This military-grade drone, the KARGU, was powered by artificial intelligence thus making it capable of identifying and killing its own targets without a remote human operator. The U.S. counts on such autonomous drones as one of its biggest threats in the battlefield and the latest models are what is called a kamikaze drone. These drones are small, low-cost, and difficult to detect; they are able to distinguish targets and then execute them by crashing into them.

Advances in artificial intelligence algorithms, sensors, and electronics have made it possible to build autonomous systems, such that the number of countries that now have armed autonomous drones is over 100.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STM.COM

PHOTO COURTESY OF BRITANNICA.COM

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7

Friday, February 11

Science Professor Rabinovitch on Venus

BY DANIEL YU, CONTRIBUTING REPORTER Before scientists discovered that the surface of Venus was a toxic wasteland, artists imagined that the planet’s serene clouds hid a world of lush greenery and constant rain.

In truth, the planet’s appearance belies an extreme environment that contains temperatures of around 460° C and an atmosphere so dense that the planet’s surface pressure is nearly 90 times that on Earth. But in spite of Venus’ inhospitable environment, researchers such as Professor Jason Rabinovitch here at Stevens have long studied Venus for the implications that the planet holds for Earth and

humanity as a whole.

“Venus and Earth share many similarities – they are close to the same size, similar distances from the sun, and have roughly the same global CO2 budget,” said Dr. Rabinovitch.

“For CO2, the major difference is that on Earth much of the CO2 is captured in rocks, while on Venus the CO2 is in the atmosphere. Because of these similarities, the more we learn about Venus, the more we can understand Earth. Particularly with respect to climate change, researching Venus (which has experienced a strong runaway greenhouse effect), gives us information about whether the Earth may eventually resemble Venus.”

However, the ex-

treme conditions of Venus itself pose a significant challenge to missions looking to send human-made objects to collect data from the planet’s surface. In the past, inadequate protection typically caused probes on the planet’s surface to break down within a few minutes to around two hours.

“There is a lot of research right now geared towards developing and testing technologies at Venus conditions (very high temperature and pressure in a supercritical CO2 atmosphere along with a few other atmospheric gasses),” said Dr. Rabinovitch.

“Getting advanced electrical devices to work under Venus conditions is very challenging, though progress is being made. There is also a lot of work to be done to implement new thermal control technologies, such as a way to keep a spacecraft cool once it lands on the surface of Venus.”

Determining where to land is also a critical factor to consider when sending probes to Venus. Different geological regions of Venus yield different areas of study, and the landing sites themselves must be flat and smooth enough to ensure a safe landing.

Alternatives to terrestrial exploration include the hypothetical construction of

COMPOSITE RENDITION OF VENUS’ SURFACE FROM THE VENERA IMAGES, BY DONALD MITCHELL. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES / TED STRYK

aerial platforms, and even projects to terraform the Venusian environment to make its conditions more suitable for exploration.

“There are a lot of great robotic mission concepts that involve aerial platforms (like a balloon) to study both the surface of Venus and its atmosphere,” said Dr. Rabinovitch. “I personally think that we should focus our efforts on researching and mitigating climate change

here on the Earth, before we start thinking about trying to terraform other planets!”

With advances in technology allowing us to discover more and more about our extraterrestrial environment, observing how other planets have evolved can give us a better understanding of our conditions on Earth and how our environment can change. With the ubiquitous presence of the internet and social

media, learning more about space has never been more accessible.

“NASA has some great resources online, and a ton of social media accounts which are always providing great updates!” said Dr. Rabinovitch.

“Also keep an eye out for upcoming lectures at Stevens related to Space, as we are hoping to bring in some more speakers who can talk about space exploration and space science.”

Social media’s influence on disaster relief efforts

BY QUENTIN JIMENEZ, CONTRIBUTOR In a collaborative effort between Jose Marquez of Stevens and Gabriela Gongora of Carnegie Mellon, new research published in the Journal of Risk Analysis shows how social media can be used to measure social cohesion during a natural disaster. This research acts as a stepping stone for further investigations into the field, showing how it may be possible for community leaders to use social cohesion to improve their disaster mitigation policies.

Social cohesion, as defined by Marquez and Gongora, “is believed to be the glue that holds society together,” and “can impact how people recover psychologically from hurricanes and how willing they are to collaborate in rebuilding efforts.” The researchers suggest that by studying this property, they can learn more about the networks that are created between users on so-

cial media platforms and gain incredible insight into how information spreads during a crisis.

By understanding this, government agencies and crisis management teams could accurately and efficiently spread important information regarding their current situation. They might also be able to pinpoint certain areas of concern, and spread recovery efforts more effectively.

In their investigation, Marquez and Gongora analyzed the data surrounding three major concurrent hurricanes from 2017: Hurricane Harvey in Texas, Hurricane Irma in Florida, and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. First, data was collected from Twitter and then checked to see if it corresponded with one of the occurring hurricanes. Their accounts were then categorized based on their purpose, “citizens” if they weren’t verified, or into 1 of 8 groups if they were, such as “NGO,” “Media,” or “Government.” The accounts were then as-

sembled into a network of connections, based on sent messages and retweets. From this, researchers were able to analyze social cohesion.

Marquez and Gongora found that the number of tweets they measured through Twitter can provide good insight into the status of a natural disaster. With Hurricane Harvey, there was a slow amount of buildup in social media usage before the storm, which peaked when the storm made landfall. After the storm there was still a good amount of social media usage, indicating to the researchers that recovery efforts were underway.

The same is true for Hurricane Irma, a buildup of activity before the storm, peaking at the same time the storm does, and then slowly falling off as recovery efforts evolve.

Hurricane Maria emulates the same effects as the other two, but over a longer period of time.

There is a longer buildup period due to speculations weeks before landfall, and a longer

recovery period because of the extended recovery period for the hurricane.

The social cohesion measured can also provide similar insights.

While not peaking with the storm, the social cohesion still extends well before and after, showing how communities will strengthen in times of crisis. It also shows how as recovery efforts progress and then finish, social cohesion diminishes, indicating the end of recovery efforts.

This research shows the potential benefits that social media can provide for relief efforts.

Analyzing social media can help governments understand how a community has been impacted by a disaster, and how to mitigate these effects and execute a proper recovery effort. Although this study focuses mostly on the potential ways to identify social cohesion, it opens the door to future research that can further understand this phenomenon, and apply it to real-world scenarios in real-time.

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8

Friday, February 11

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

To the next Editor and the future It’s been difficult to summarize everything I’ve wanted to say in what might be the last words I’ll ever write for The Stute, in my final editorial of the last issue of The Stute I will edit. It feels unnatural to imagine college life without The Stute, but after four years of being involved, over a year of being Editor, and an undeniable dedication to the newspaper, I know it’s time to leave this post a bit earlier than I planned for. Elections for the 2022-2023 e-board of The Stute will be in a few days, instead of March. A new Editor-in-Chief and other officers will soon take over.

When writing this piece I was inspired by one of the last editorials former Stute Editor Audrey wrote, titled “Notes for the next Editor In Chief.” I’ve continuously come back to Audrey’s pieces throughout my editorship and general time as a member of The Stute, and often turned to Audrey in the form of frantic text messages asking her what to do or simple questions anytime something came up. She was always there for me, and I offer the same support to the next Editor. I’m going to try to remove myself from

The Stute for the remainder of this semester (watch me not follow this at all and write a news article next week, classic!) but I will always be available for a long ranting session, a quick text, or anything in between.

I wanted to mirror Audrey’s piece and offer some advice to the next Editor or anyone interested in this position in the future.

First off, I think it’s important to know your reason for wanting to hold this position. The best reason in my opinion is if you have things you want to change and/or improve within The Stute that maybe your current position doesn’t allow the time for. For example, if you really want to work on improving Stute’s IGTV presence, but you’re busy working with writers and copy editing, being Editor might be a place to work on those other interests. While the job comes with its own responsibilities and stressors, there’s a lot of extra room to work on projects of your choosing that can really make an impact on how The Stute operates.

If you plan to run for Editor, you should know the biggest issues The Stute currently faces or will face in

the immediate future. Right now I would say these are digital distribution, print distribution racks, photography workflows, and editing workflows. Staff numbers are another issue, but one I think we’ll always have, and planning recruitment programs/tactics is something every Editor should prioritize in the background.

I believe that having concrete plans and action items for how to improve these systems, or at the very least ideas about how to address them, is really important.

Likely, if you’re considering running for Editor in the first place you already do have goals, and of course, having your own ideas by recognizing legitimate or potential problems is also great.

Being Editor is like taking on another course in your schedule.

While I can’t say an exact number of hours per week it takes to do this job, it is a big time commitment and you have to have enough passion to be OK with working a lot and not getting paid. The reason I think it requires a lot of work is because you are ultimately responsible for everything, so even though you have

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

Winter break or winter ache

BY KATIE BLOOMER ‘25 After finishing my last exam, I wished I had asked my parents to pick me up that night instead of the following day. I was completely worn out socially, emotionally, physically, and basically in every way that you could possibly be fatigued. I could have been the inspiration for Grumpy the Dwarf 2.0. The stress had taken over, and I just wanted to leave my dorm room, which had served as my study headquarters for the past few weeks. After I was picked up, the reality dawned on me that I was not only leaving the stress, but also my friends, independence, and otherwise very homey dorm room.

The first few days of break were spent getting well-deserved rest, which was understandable. However, as the holiday progressed, I did not return to

a normal routine. Of course, it is reasonable to sleep in a little extra and be less productive on winter break, but I went from full speed to a complete stop in a matter of days.

I have always functioned better under pressure— perks of being a chronic procrastinator.

Unfortunately, this also means that I cannot operate without an approaching deadline. So, I entered break with a short to-do list and could not bear to look at it until the night before returning to campus.

Sadly, the tasks required too much brain power to be done at night, and they still have not been attempted to this day. Anyway, this is all to say that I had an exceptionally unproductive break.

Although I enjoyed spending time with my family over break, I was ecstatic to be back at college. Immediately, I got sushi from my favorite place on Washington Street, Robongi Restaurant, and savored every spoonful of miso soup. I got this meal often in the first semester and had become accustomed to having it available whenever I wanted, all through the beloved Grubhub app. Being over 150 miles away from Hoboken made me appreciate the conveniences of being just

a few streets down from Washington Street.

The first few days back were spent soaking up every moment of socializing.

I never thought of myself as an extrovert. I always assumed that I was somewhere in between, but the energy I gained from seeing my friends again was unmatched. I have savored every second of socialization and don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. Before college, everyone said it would be the best days of my life, and now I understand why.

Living in the same building as your friends is an unparalleled experience.

This semester, I am determined to appreciate every single second of being a freshman. Studying and exams are not exactly enjoyable, but even those things can be hyped up if you try hard enough. Studying is always better with friends, outside, or while enjoying good snacks. Exams are just a final wrap-up, so you can have a fresh start in a new class. All of these things are easier said than done, but I am determined to make them a reality, and I hope you try too. Life is too short to spend every weekday waiting for the weekend, and every weekend waiting for the next vacation.

people doing everything for you (in a way), your name is still attached to everything as the Editor. Reading through everything, catching small details, and style editing take a lot of time and it can be stressful being responsible by default.

But while it is something big to take on, it’s also an immensely rewarding part of a college experience that is quite unlike anything else. It’s a thrill getting to hold this position, and you will learn a lot about yourself. Make it fun, because at the end of the day, this is a student organization and also a family. There is room for growth and failure, and you have to be comfortable with both.

I’m sure I could write 100 more pages of advice for future Editors, but I’ll cap it here. New editorship is a chance for change, a fresh perspective, and a new voice at the top, which I think is really exciting! I don’t want this “goodbye” to be sad because it shouldn’t be! It’s a time to get re-energized and try some new things. I’m so excited to see the future of The Stute and where a new Editor can take it, and if you ever want the other 99 pages, I’m always here.

Natalie Todaro ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

SENIORITIS

A happy place

BY ALEKSANDAR DIMOSKI ‘22 School is stressful. College life is full of problems, and it can be overwhelming at times. The average Stevens student needs to deal with clubs, organizations, friends, family, work, and more, while maintaining a solid grade point average. On top of that, there’s the job search—a task that seems ominous for anyone who hasn’t found one yet.

So, what’s the best way to deal with this stress? People have a variety of methods; reading, video games, and watching TV are all common ways for students to take a moment to slow down and do something that they enjoy. In many ways, these activities are productive in that they let you rest and recover in order to keep working at a later time.

In Adam Sandler’s Happy Gilmore, the main

character Happy struggles against his anger and frustration, which is about to make-or-break his golfing career. At a critical moment, Happy takes a moment to go to his ‘happy place’—a lush garden with his golfing mentor and his Grandma winning at the slot machines.

Coming out of this reminiscence, Happy is able to focus on himself and begins playing better, and he eventually wins the championship. It is the act of calming down and remembering what he’s playing for that allows him to play some of the best golf matches in his life.

In a similar manner, students should find their own happy place. When we find ourselves confronted with obstacles, we need to surround ourselves with things that bring us joy. There needs to be a place where we can sit down and rest in whatever way is best for us.

Our happy place also serves as a reflection of our current state of mind. ‘A cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind’ is a quote we often hear people say; as such, it’s in our best interest to be organized in order to keep our environment organized, and vice versa.

There are several schools of thought on how to im-

prove our physical environment in order to cultivate a better state of mind. The practice of Feng Shui, minimalism, and more all focus on creating a calming and beneficial environment.

However, an environment does not necessarily need to be restricted to a physical space. In addition to your room, your happy place could be surrounding yourself with friends and family, or in a coffee shop with someone you haven’t seen in a while. This is reminiscent of another common saying — ‘home is where the heart is.’

Knowing this, it is not only important to keep our physical space organized and clean, but it is also important to surround yourself with people who make you happy and productive. I continue to be impressed by the people that I’ve met and gotten to know during my time at Stevens. And, I can confidently say that my happy place is with the friends I’ve made and with my family back home. There’s nothing quite like a night spent hanging out with friends, and I plan on treasuring my time with them as best as I can. Wherever or whatever it is, we all need to find our happy place.

in which we all live emerges from the collisions of all our subjective mini-realities.

QBism’s core message, science writer Amanda Gefter says, is that the idea of “a single objective reality is an illusion.” A dream, you might say. That, at any rate, is my understanding of QBism. Proponents bicker over definitions, and physicists and philosophers fond of objectivity reject QBism entirely. All this squabbling, ironically, seems to confirm that QBism’s premise that there is no absolute objectivity; there are only subjective, first-person viewpoints.

Physicists have more in common than most would like to admit with artists, who try to turn the chaos of things into a meaningful narrative. Some artists thwart our desire for mean-

ing. T.S. Eliot’s poem The Waste Land is an anti-narrative, a grab-bag of images that pop in and out of the void. The poem resembles a dream, or nightmare. Its meaning is that there is no meaning, no plot or plan, no master narrative. Life is a joke, and the joke is on you if you believe otherwise.

Those of us who reject that nihilistic outlook can be forgiven for wondering, now and then, whether we’ll ever comprehend existence.

Maybe an objectively true account of reality exists out there, in the Platonic ether, but we humans, with our apish brains, front-loaded with biases bred into us by natural selection, can’t understand it. But even if our efforts are futile, we can never stop trying to figure out what our communal dream really means.

SCIENTIFIC CURMUDGEON

Dreams, reality, and quantum mechanics

BY JOHN HORGAN CAL PROFESSOR My girlfriend, “Emily,” often tells me her dreams, and I, less often, tell her mine, which are usually too murky and disjointed to share. We try to make sense of our dreams, to find meaning in them. What do they reveal about our fears and desires?

Interpreting dreams is an imperfect, highly subjective art, as Sigmund Freud, in his rare moments of hu-

mility, would surely have granted. Dreams are entirely private, first-person experiences, that leave no traces beyond the dreamer’s fallible memory.

And yet making sense of dreams, it occurs to me lately, is not wholly dissimilar from making sense of “reality,” whatever that is. Yes, we all live in the same world.

We can compare notes on what is happening, and draw inferences, in a way impossible with dreams.

And yet your experience of the world is unique to you.

So is your interpretation of it, which depends on your prior beliefs, yearnings and aversions, and on what matters to you. No wonder we often disagree vehemently, violently, on what has happened and what it means.

Science offers our best hope for achieving consen-

sus. Scientists accumulate and analyze bits of evidence, like carbon dioxide trapped in ancient ice cores, or blood extracted from hospitalized patients. After much haggling and second-guessing, scientists converge on a plausible narrative. Fossil-fuel combustion is boosting atmospheric carbon dioxide to dangerous levels. A novel, deadly coronavirus is spreading across the world.

But subjectivity is hard to expunge even in physics, the foundation on which science rests. Quantum mechanics, a mathematical model of matter at very small scales, is science’s most rigorously tested theory. Countless experiments have confirmed it, as do computer chips, lasers and other technologies that exploit quantum effects.

Unfortunately, quantum

mechanics defies common sense. The Schrodinger equation describes an electron behaving in many possible ways. Only when we observe the electron does it behave in one particular way; our observation seems to determine the behavior.

This so-called measurement problem undermines objectivity, which assumes that physical reality is what it is, regardless of how we view it.

An interpretation of quantum mechanics called QBism (pronounced “Cubism,” like the art movement) embraces subjectivity, making it the bedrock of knowledge and reality itself. According to QBism, each of us constructs a picture of the world, a set of beliefs about it, based on our interactions with it. We constantly, implicitly, assign probabilities to our beliefs. The big reality

9

Friday, February 11

Opinion NOT FINANCIAL TIMES (NFT)

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Back to the fundamentals: Part ???

BY ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 One of the biggest questions for many investors this year is whether or not Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency will “go to the moon,” whether or not we should start taking investments in non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and Web3 seriously. Will Bitcoin go to $100,000 or will it fall steeply?

Cryptocurrencies, like stocks, are assets and have been treated as diversification plays in multiple investment portfolios — ranging from retail to institutional investors. People buy different assets in their portfolio, usually as a hedge to excessive market volatility. It’s why individuals may have a 20/80 or 35/65 weight on bonds and stocks respectively.

But what about an asset that is not quite a hedge to anything in the economy or index? Bitcoin lives in an ecosystem of its own, not correlated to gold prices or inflation.

Bitcoin, including oth-

er cryptocurrencies, was not brought into this world originally as an investment asset. Rather, Satoshi Nakamoto published his famous paper on Bitcoin as a model for a peer-to-peer electronic cash system that would remove the middle man in many of our secure financial transactions today. The infamous “Pizza for Bitcoin” request in 2010 showed the first practical use of this blockchain technology application. It brought hope for many nations who were struggling with garnering trust in their own fiat currencies.

Early September last year, news came out with El Salvador building its first “bitcoin city” powered by a volcano, allowing locals to use the currency for their day to day transactions. To support this ‘Alexandria,’ they will be issuing nearly $1B in sovereign bonds backed by Bitcoin.

Despite the enthusiasm from President Bukele on its success, more than 66% of locals surveyed by Central American University refused to download the Chivo wallet, a wallet where the holder can “can use it to pay for services, to buy and sell products, and to make transfers to bank accounts without paying commission fees, among other benefits.” Not only are the locals wary, but investors as well.

A sell-off occurred in the

Salvadoran bond market after news of the issue went public, concerned about the lack of support and funding from the IMF in the future as a result of this shift into digital currency. Their international dollar bonds consist of “30 percent of its gross domestic product and about a third of its overall government debt,” emphasizing heightened concerns with El Salvador being able to repay its debt.

Now, with the currency down nearly 30% since November 2021, heightened anxiety regarding the future of Bitcoin permeates discussions from boardrooms to living rooms. The SEC’s main concern with crypto is being able to have a way to protect the investors from scams that can (and unfortunately have) occur in the future. Current SEC Chairman, Gary Gensler, supports the cryptocurrency and the benefits it can have on our current financial markets. However, Gensler believes it’s crucial to understand the security and financial risks underlying the technology before investors and institutions dive head first into it. More than $14B, a record 79% rise in crypto-related crime in 2021, was lost in the market from scammers.

However, such a rise is a small fraction of the growing transparency and verification that results from

double ledger systems in blockchain. While it does not fully get the responsibility off the shoulders of DeFi protocols, recent wins in preventing and punishing fraudsters is paving hope for more wider adoption.

The sell off in Bitcoin could signify the bubbly nature of the current crypto environment, and possibly a much needed correction in the market. For NYT columnist Paul Krugman, it seems to be playing out the beginnings of an asset crash. Many undereducated homebuyers bought homes during the financial crisis, unaware of the synthetic securities based on these mortgages.

Eventually, these banks were saved, but millions of homeowners are still facing the consequences to this day. Krugman emphasized in his column how crypto isn’t something so huge that its crash would make an economic dent, but it is wide enough to make a social impact.

With how convoluted the blockchain technology platform is growing, there is an urgency for regulators to get up to speed. There are feasible concerns about the impact crypto can have on the undereducated investor. While we may fear the uncertainty, there is progress that this technology has brought to individuals, which to me, is a journey worth celebrating.

those emails and had John sign them.”

John was also instructed to handwrite his job history that he had already provided in the aforementioned copy of his resume.

J&J wanted a cover letter as an attachment, but as John told us, “no one reads those and no one writes those.”

The only thing left for John to do was wait. And wait. And while he was waiting, he discovered he could pass some of the time by waiting. His eyes monitored the inbox. He checked the junk folder, the “other,” the spam folder. Finally it came, with “Congratulations!” in the preview. John clicked on it, trembling with anticipation.

“Congratulations! You are invited to attend a second-round interview with us in two days.

Please complete a negative drug test in California before that time.”

After using planes, trains, and automobiles to eventually reach the testing center, John did his drug test, which he passed with flying colors and was back in no time waiting for information for the second round interview. John being the stud he is, absolutely aced the second round interview and was hired quickly with permission from two new HR departments. Unfortunately, John did not read the application closely and realized later that his job starts on January 1, 2023. Thus, he will have to patiently count down the days until it starts. You can join him in that countdown at Off Center’s first sketch show of the semester, Countdown to New Years (It’s a Long Countdown) on Saturday 2/12 at 6pm in B118. Hope to see you there!for the next six weeks, because that would be illegal.

On Friday, February 11 at 9pm in Bissinger, the Entertainment Committee (EC) will be hosting one of their biggest events to kick off the S22 semester: a night of standup and a Q&A session with SNL’s very own Aristotle Athari!

Doors will open around 8:50pm. For more info, check out EC’s DuckLink page or reach out to Alex Rubino at arubino@stevens.edu with any questions.

OFF THE PRESS

Getting The Job

BY OFF CENTER —SATIRE— In a stressful time for many Stevens students looking for summer internships, co-ops, and full time jobs after graduation, we had the distinct pleasure to catch up with one student who got the job the old-fashioned way. He walked right into the corporate office of Johnson & Johnson (J&J), asked for the manager, and handed over a copy of his resume. Impressed with the confidence and tenacity of the student, that manager called his manager, who called her manager, who called her manager, who called his mom before remembering his mom has the same first name as his boss, and he called the wrong person. We were mostly surprised to learn that this very important company person’s mom wasn’t in his

contacts as “Mom.” After all these telephone calls due to the very large corporate structure, permission was given from three different HR departments to interview our interviewee.

The interview was only the first step for John, who may have gotten away with this trick in part because his dad’s name was also John, making him John’s son. After having separate interviews with three different people, writing three thank you emails, John was dismayed to receive replies that included actual questions in response to his “Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions,” line. He consulted with the career center, but as they told us in response to a question we sent to verify the story, “no one has ever done that. Like ever.

We have never seen that before. I printed copies of

SECOND-YEAR FRESHMAN

Roller coasters and college, roller coasters in college

BY KEENAN YATES ‘24 What nobody tells you about your first semester on campus, whether in your sophomore or freshman year, is how badly you end up missing home. It’s kind of like the elephant in the dormitories. Even here at college, surrounded by

plenty of people who are similarly busy with classes, clubs, and schoolwork, it’s all too easy to feel alone being so far from where you grew up. And from talking to people from all over, I realize this isn’t even a sentiment unique to someone from a different state; rather, it’s an inherent aspect of going to college.

Loneliness is a funny thing because while you might feel lonely and all by yourself, there are also plenty of other people who feel the same way. And so, in that regard, you’re not alone in feeling lonely, which is kind of a funny thought.

In my case, I realized that I wasn’t the only one who felt that way after conversations with lots of different people here at Stevens. My brother tells me that it’s all a part of the growing process; whenever I missed the old days so severely I started to question how anything could ever feel right here since it was– and is–so different from all I’ve ever experienced, I’d turn to him for some sort of explanation as to why the world was suddenly upside down. And he’d assure me that all the funky and slightly awkward things I felt were just a part of the growing process, and some-

times that process means experiencing painful things too: growing pains.

I can’t write that I have completely surpassed all this turmoil and no longer feel lost or isolated, because that wouldn’t be honest writing. However, what I can say is that I now realize that loneliness is not inherently a terrible thing to experience; next to failure, it is one of the greatest teachers we can have. Through the turbulence I have learned how to communicate these things and have come to understand that the struggles we face in the now gives us the strength in the future to overcome

challenges we might not have otherwise been able to. And, if anything, these moments of instability teach us who we can turn to when we need a good word of encouragement, or support, or perspective.

All this to say, the emotional rollercoaster college puts us all on is exactly that – a full-on Six Flags-esque rollercoaster. Buckle your seatbelt so you don’t fall off, put your phone in a safe place so you don’t lose it along the way. The twists and turns will leave you nauseous and woozy but high off an unbelievable amount of adrenaline, bringing you back once

more for another round no matter how close you were to hurling your guts up. The highs will make you feel as if you’re about to fly into the outer atmosphere, whereas the lows will have you convinced that you’re about to crash into the concrete sea spanning the floor below you. No matter how it turns out, the experience stays in your memory for ages, rent free, and you’ll relive it over, and over, and over, until it stays like a worn picture in a pocket of your mind. And at the very end of the day, you paid a pretty penny to be here, so you might as well make it worth your while.

10

Friday, February 11

Opinion TECHNICALLY SPEAKING

Today’s Wordle word: S-T-E-A-L

BY SANJANA MADHU ‘23 Before you start sending me hate mail, don’t worry, today’s Wordle word is not STEAL (and if it is, I deeply apologize for the misfortune coincidence).

I love Wordle. For those of you who have never heard of Wordle, it’s quite a simple game; players have six attempts to guess a 5-letter word that changes daily.

Through your guesses, the game shows your green, yellow, and gray titles indicating how close you are to the solution. I’ve religiously played the game since it was introduced to me and, like many other players, I’ve

begun to take pride in my guess variations. For those of you wondering, yes, I am a strategic player who always starts with either ADIEU or TEARS or other words that maximize my first guess. I only started playing Wordle in January, but within the past month, the free word game has become part of my daily routine. Social media has also turned Wordle from a straightforward word game into a sort-of lifestyle.

But nothing good ever is ever free in tech.

On January 31, The New York Times announced their acquisition of Wordle, leaving fans disheartened and worried about their future with the game. The New York Times already has an assortment of mini-games like crosswords, sudoku, spelling bee, etc., so Wordle seems to be the perfect addition to their entertainment reservoir. But fans are afraid that their beloved word game will fall subject to the modern entertainment nightmare: a subscrip-

tion-based model. While The New York Times has claimed that Wordle will initially be free, it’s only a matter of time before we see a white pop-up asking for login credentials to continue playing the game.

In a panicked frenzy, Wordle fans are already plotting ways in which to preserve the game on their machines. The most straightforward method is to go to the Wordle website, right-click on the screen, and save the webpage to your laptop. This saves an HTML file and a folder labeled “Wordle - A daily word game_files;” clicking the HTML file allows you to access the website. Of course, you could also code the app yourself, since the functionality and rules of the game are pretty simple – but what’s the fun in that?

There’s also a multitude of Wordle knockoffs that fans can resort to, but they’ll never be quite the same.

I do not believe that the acquisition of Wordle by The

New York Times was necessarily wrong. It makes sense that The New York Times would want proprietorship over Wordle, and their acquisition of Wordle allowed the creator of the word game, Josh Wardle, to part ways with his creation being a $1 million richer. And in the long run, The New York Times acquiring a new game doesn’t bring them much closer to having a monopoly over the mini-game entertainment industry.

If I haven’t made it obviously clear yet, Wordle is not simply just a word game. It provided people with a means of connection throughout the duration of the pandemic and created a community of people that communicated through gray, yellow, and green tiles.

And while the acquisition of Wordle by The New York Times is fair, I’ll still feel emotionally robbed when it requires a subscription. So in some sick, cyclical way, ADIEU Wordle, it’s been real.

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SPOILER ALERT

THE DOODLING DUCK

We don’t talk about Mirabel

Crocheting for climate change

BY EMMA TONG ‘25 Hello, welcome back to another Emma review session.

When I saw the trailer, the odd-one-out premise of Encanto wasn’t that appealing to me.

Even though I made up my mind to not watch it, my friends encouraged me to watch it with them because of all the hype behind it—and ever since, I’ve loved it!

Encanto left me crying— and I don’t cry at movies a lot. The movie is much more than just the feels—the mystery and symbolism allow someone to rewatch the movie multiple times with something new to discover. I must have watched this movie like five times because you can see the effort the team put into making each scene in the movie. Also, if you have the chance, Encanto compilations are the best for analyzing and seeing each individual member of the family. You will slowly realize who is your favorite.

Encanto is so good that, just with my rant, you should give it a chance. Find another animation lover and watch it with them. It makes it so much better to watch the movie with someone there— especially for creating theories based on the scenes!

Anyway, a short summary for context: Encanto is about a magical home (casita) where every member of the family has magical powers blessed by a magical candle, except Mirabel, our protagonist. This story describes her journey of restoring the house after it starts to fall apart and eventually bringing her family together.

Now that you know how the storyline goes, I want to specifically analyze the story through its characters—especially its main character, Mirabel.

For one, the plotline of Encanto seems to be one I have seen in a lot of children’s books. The main character, who has no powers, sudden-

ly ends up saving everyone due to the main character’s human nature. They usually come off as a self-insert— someone who wants to be seen as special in another remarkable world. The protagonists have no defining characteristics, so the story drives them through something like the magic of friendship. This lets the viewer easily put themselves into the story and lets them become an amazing character in this world.

This is reminiscent of a character archetype in anime which some people name as “doormat-kun,” a typical isekai protagonist who gets transported to another world to become its savior. However, Encanto subverts Mirabel by not feeling like a typical character;even though we don’t know much about her likes, dislikes, hobbies, etc, the movie does a good job of showing off her personality, wants, and place in the family. Her wants were very clearly expressed in the first few minutes of the movie, where she exclaims how she wants to “make her family proud” right before her own gift ceremony, and this sentiment is carried throughout the rest of the film. Her personality being very upbeat, a bit all over the place, adventurous but also a very sweet girl who loves her family is simply seen in the first song, “The Family Madrigal.” She is able to proudly talk about her family through her extravagant dance and song throughout the town. The scene afterwards helps to show her place in the family as she is shunned, singled

out, and slightly insulted by her family and townspeople.

It helps to solidify the point that she isn’t like the others despite all her attempts to be helpful to the rest of the family.

Now another aspect of Maribel I would like to analyze is her maturity. This is because she is canonically fifteen years old but appears very mature for her age. Also, not going to lie, but the other characters she is compared to like Anna from Frozen, or Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon — they suck.

You see, the conflicts and environment of their own respective stories helps to shape these characters’ mental ages.

Anna feels much younger due to her years of isolation. Raya feels older and has had to fend for herself since she was a young child. For these characters, they were royalty with dead parents or a daughter of a clan who died out due to a mysterious plague. I feel Encanto, which is set in a normal town but with a magical house and family, is much closer to our own reality. Fun Fact: the style of the movie is called magical realism in which magical elements are put in realistic settings—it is a known aspect of Latin American literature. In addition, Mirabel feels much older because she is dealing with a much deeper personal problem that many of us struggle with in the real world—wanting to be accepted by your family. It’s a struggle many of us deal with way past our youth. It makes Mirabel a character that others can relate to.

BY POOJA RAJADURAI ‘23 If anyone asked me to describe myself in one word, I would say, “curious.” It doesn’t take much incentive for me to become interested in most subjects. The one thing I look for when researching or learning about new things is how it relates to other topics (this is why I’m studying Quantitative Finance at Stevens; what other subject was going to afford me opportunity to understand the intersection of so many different topics — math, statistics, finance, economics and computer science — under one umbrella?) So you can imagine my absolute intrigue when I came upon the Tempestry Project, which combines art in the form of crocheting and climate change awareness!

Named for the combination of the words “temperature” and “tapestry,” the Tempestry Project seeks to provide a visual understanding of climate change around the world. Launched

by Justin Connelly, Marissa Connelly, and Emily McNeil, the project reveals the innate human need to map or chart the information we can understand about our surroundings can be immediately discerned from the simple yet cohesive displays of colored fabric.

The Original Tempestries are crocheted in such a way that every line of crocheting corresponds to a color assigned to a certain temperature range. The New Normal Tempestries are designed the same way, the only difference being that instead of stitching a temperature color every day, each stitch is for the average temperature for a year.

This way it becomes possible to see the evolution of average yearly temperature for centuries through color coding. The appeal of the tempestries lies not only in the satisfactory stitching but the tactility of the material, inviting viewers to interact with their creations.

The Tempestry Project is not the first artistic endeavor to combine textiles and temperature. The Knitting Map, created in 2005 by Jools Gilson, sought to represent data about climate change through fabric. The installation itself is much larger than the line by line stitches of temperature achieved by the Tempestry Project and goes to show that art is simply the prac-

tical achievement of our imaginations.

There are many more examples of artists integrating their passion for climate change awareness and environmental accountability into their artworks.

Crochet Coral Reef is an art installation that imitates different corals in an effort to bring awareness to the decreasing size of coral reefs around the world due to climate change. It brings about another intersection, bridging environmental change and crocheting with hyperbolic geometry (involved in the creation of these highly complex fabric structures) and Darwinian evolution (relevant in understanding the ever evolving nature of the reefs themselves).

My favorite artist within the intersection of climate change awareness and art is Alexis Rockman, whose fantastical and intense paintings caught the attention of the makers of one of my favorite movies, Life of Pi. Normally, concept art for movies are meant to be realistic for the benefit of movie makers, however, Alexis Rockman was chosen for the meaningfulness he brought to his artwork.

The images he created to help influence the movie design brought an element of otherworldliness necessary for the fantastical nature of Pi’s tale.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NRDC.ORG