[The Stute] September 10, 2021 (Issue 2, CXIX)

Who’s ready for the elimination ceremony

The Stute We write Stevens history

VOLUME CXIX No. 2

HOBOKEN, NJ | SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

The student newspaper of Stevens Institute of Technology, and creator of Attila the Duck. www.thestute.com Instagram @thestute facebook.com/stevensthtestute NEW STUTE EVERY FRIDAY • EST. 1904

Quiet Space opens on campus after years of efforts

BY CHRISTIAN BARRIENTOS Contributing Reporter

SEE QUIET PAGE 2

Marybeth Murphy leaves Stevens

BY KIM KOELLMANN Contributing Reporter Marybeth Murphy, the Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, has left Stevens, according to an announcement sent out by President Nariman Farvardin on May 13.

After eight years in her role, Murphy’s last day was June 30. Murphy is accredited with helping reach new records in application numbers, academic profile, and diversity. The number of applications for the class of 2025 exceeded 11,000 applicants, a first for the university. She also helped establish and oversee a number of key programs, such as Career

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

SEE MBM PAGE 2

PHOTO BY RAFAEL LEE LI FOR THE STUTE

Dr. Jianmin Qu begins as newest Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs

BY LEIGHA TIERNEY Staff Writer

On July 19, an email announcement was sent

by President Nariman Favardin to the Stevens community stating that Dr. Jianmin Qu had been selected as the next Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, effective September 1. This comes after President Favardin’s earlier announcement on September 15, 2020 stating that Provost and Vice Pres-

ident of Academic Affairs Christophe Pierre would be stepping down.

The provost is the highest ranking university official after the president. The responsibilities of the provost include acting as the chief academic officer, collaborating on the budget process with the university’s chief financial officer, and working to implement plans to further develop the university’s goals.

Dr. Qu came to Stevens following his previous role as the Dean of the School of

SGA hosts in-person Senate meeting; talks the state of campus and initiatives

BY KATIE BLOOMER Contributing Reporter The Student Government Association (SGA) held their first Senate meeting of the fall semester this past Monday, September 6.

After holding virtual meetings since the start of the pandemic, they kicked off the semester with an in-person setting. Discussion topics ranged from previous initiatives that are in progress as well as new ideas that are being discussed.

The discussion began with a review of old initiatives that students plan to work on for this school year, many of which are aimed at student involvement on campus. To increase student involvement in Registered Student Organizations (RSOs), the SGA made sure the annual Flock Party was in-person this year, an event where students can meet with members of RSOs and show interest in being involved.

To increase students’ exposure to different clubs across campus, the SGA is planning on having more “mini Flock Parties.” Ad-

ditionally, another way the SGA is promoting student involvement in RSOs is by pushing for more accurate DuckLink pages. All RSOs at Stevens have a DuckLink page that allows them to advertise meetings and events and also publish important club documentation. Furthermore, the SGA hopes to provide more programming for second-year students due to a majority of their first-year being remote and socially distanced.

One initiative that was recently successful was the opening of a Quiet Space available for students to pray and reflect. This movement has been ongoing for several years and it finally

NEWS (2)

NEWS (4)

OPINION (8-11)

Read more about the Quiet Space and the new Provost

Captain Tom Maggi retires from Stevens; 9 things to do next week at Stevens

The Stute Editorial Mind of a Freshman Senioritis Second-Year Freshman The Conversation Off The Press Passion for Fashion Girl Talk

NEWS (3)

Read more about the recent SGA Senate meeting, and a tribute to Professor Sophia Hassiotis.

“She was the heart of our department, without question, she carried...”

Engineering at Tufts University. As Dean, Dr. Qu led many initiatives that led to the development of the School of Engineering at Tufts, including securing a $10 million naming gift to create the Tufts Entrepreneurship Center and an $8 million gift to create the Tufts Institute for Research on Learning and Instruction. Dr. Qu also worked to create the first cooperative education program at Tufts and increased the number of research awards greater than $1 million

FEATURES (5)

Students launch tech companies: read about entrepreneurial efforts by recent grads and current students.

“Stevens has a reputation for being an innovative university...”

proved successful this semester.

Another initiative being carried over from the summer is the student-led effort calling for Stevens to rename Gianforte Family Hall (GFH). On May 17, a student petition was created to remove the Gianforte name from the building.

Following this, many student organizations have signed a pledge to boycott the use of GFH for their meetings and events. As of September 8, 56 clubs have already signed the pledge and it is still open for more signatures. Other initiatives calling for the renaming of

SEE SGA PAGE 3

PHOTO BY SANJANA MADHU FOR THE STUTE

The Quiet Space is now open on campus, providing all members of the Stevens community with an area dedicated to prayer, meditation, and reflection in the lower level of the Student Wellness Center. In the past, students and organizations have had difficulty finding an established prayer space with no distractions. This new area, which holds a maximum of 20 people and is open all hours of the day, is the product of a large effort by members of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the Stevens Christian Fellowship (SCF), the Diversity and Inclusion Committee (DNI), the Student Government Association (SGA), and Stevens administration. The space officially opened on August 30, 2021.

The MSA had a large role in the planning and creation process of the Quiet Space; students Laila Alshafie and Asim Qureshi played a substantial part in advocating for and setting up the new space. Alshafie, the former President of MSA who has

PULSE (12)

Roving Reporter

received per year. Dr. Qu also led the development of the first Strategic Plan and Diversity and Action Plan for the School of Engineering. According to Dr. Qu, he and his colleagues were motivated to implement many initiatives to adapt to the rapidly changing social landscape of the United States; “Now that the fourth industrial revolution is upon us, higher education is again at a crossroads. To survive and

SEE PROVOST PAGE 2

NJ driver held at gunpoint in Stevens parking lot, authorities say

BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Editor Emeritus On Saturday afternoon, an NJ man and woman held up a delivery driver near the Stevens campus, forced the driver into the Pond lot on the north part of campus, and attempted to rob the driver at gunpoint, authorities said in an email to the Stevens community.

There were no fatalities or injuries reported, and Stevens Police and Hoboken Police are investigating the situation to identify the suspects as well as any other information related to the incident. According to authorities, Stevens Police and Hoboken Police will have additional patrols on and near campus until the suspects are apprehended.

Shortly after being notified of the incident, the Stevens Police sent a shelter in place notification at

SEE DRIVER PAGE 3

PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. QU

Welcoming Dr. Kyle Weisholtz, new Director of Student Health Services

BY ARIANNA GEHAN

Contributing Reporter Stevens recently welcomed Dr. Kyle Weisholtz, the new director of Student Health Services. She has worked in college health for 15 years and recently earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from the University of Michigan. Weisholtz takes the place of former director Maggie Cunning, who retired this past summer.

In an interview with The Stute, Weisholtz said she came to Stevens because she felt it was a natural progression in her career. She said she is eager to make improvements to the Student Health Services and plans on being a part of the Stevens community for many years. “[I’m] really happy to be here, and everyone here is so nice,” she said. “It’s a wonderful environment.”

According to Weisholtz, the Student Health Service’s

SEE KYLE PAGE 4

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Friday, September 10

News QUIET

The Stute Staff Volume CXIX No. 2

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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 ‘23 OPINION EDITOR...................................................................ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 HEAD COPY EDITOR.............................................................GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24

Operations Board HEAD PHOTOGRAPHER....................................................CAROLINE MONTANA ‘22 SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER........................................................VANESSA HUERTA ‘23 WEBMASTER....................................................................................JOANA FARDAD ‘22

Staff & Contributors Aidan Haberman Adrian Castellanos Arianna Daringa Arianna Gehan Aurelia Whitehead Chloe Brenna Christian Barrientos Emma Tong Grace Miguel Jackson Hudgins Jesal Gandhi

Jo–Anne Rivera Joseph Ames Kaiden Goz Katie Bloomer Katie Ng Kim Koellmann Lauren Garrett Leigha Tierney Matthew Brantl Matthew Cunningham Melissa Kosar

Peter White Pooja Rajadurai Rafael Lee Li Riya Shrestha Soleil Santana Winston Lee

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

Corrections 1) Article Hurricane Ida’s remnants ravage through Hoboken: Hurricane Ida started as a category 2 but progressed to a category 4 hurricane, and the correct term is “made landfall” not “touched down.”

2) Rafael Lee Li was not included in last week’s staff + contributor’s list, by mistake.

3) aleksandAr NOTICE A MISTAKE? Email us at eboard@thestute.com.

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.

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.

been a member since her freshman year, frequently has members inquire about a place to pray on campus. Seeing the need for a designated space for prayer, she was a main contributor to the proposal that was submitted to administration in January 2020.

After the proposal was approved, Alshafie participated in all of the required meetings for the planning of the space.

When asked if the Quiet Space met her expectations, Alshafie stated, “The space itself is a very warm and cozy place that makes you feel at ease. The only thing I would change is its location because not many people know where it is. But, I understand that it’s not a feasible thing to do now and we will work towards making its location known so that more people can take advantage of the space.” Additionally, Qureshi suggested different ways to better inform the Stevens community of the space’s purpose and location, such as placing signs within the Wellness Center that could better direct students to the space, as well as creating a weekly newslet-

PROVOST

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 thrive, universities must adapt to meet the new socioeconomic needs of the 21st century. It is this existential urgency that motivated my colleagues and me to implement many initiatives over a relatively short period of time.”

Dr. Qu received his B.S. in Mathematics from Jilin University in China. He then went on to earn his M.S. and Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from Northwestern University.

According to Dr. Qu, he was inspired to pursue mathematics in college by fellow Professor Jingrun Chen and his work on Goldbach’s conjecture. Dr. Qu’s interests in mathematics later led him to pursue degrees in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, an interdisciplinary field that involves using mathematics to study both natural and engineered systems.

Additionally, Dr. Qu’s research involves many areas of theoretical and applied mechanics, including micromechanics of composites, fatigue and creep damage in solder alloys, and ultrasonic

ter.

Qureshi played a similar role to Alshafie with his involvement in the project proposal, organization of the space’s furnishing, and collection of donations from supportive organizations such as the SGA. As a commuter student who prays five times a day, Qureshi explained he finds the Quiet Space to be helpful in providing a place to practice his faith without interruption. “I used to pray in stairwells, empty classrooms, hallways, any space I could find that was devoid of distractions.

Overall, I am grateful for this

new space as I currently use it 2-3 times a day and am glad that I could be a part of this successful initiative.” Both Alshafie and Qureshi credit others who were instrumental in the entire process including Dean of Students Kenneth Nilsen, Sara Klein (Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs), Liliana Delman (Assistant Director for Diversity Education), as well as students Adrian Castellanos, Leah Mitelberg, Mohkum Sethi, Hailey Tanner, Jason Buckman, Matthew Ross, Shafaq Tanweer, Dante Volpe, Kaitlyn Sharo, and several others.

PHOTO BY CAROLINE MONTANA FOR THE STUTE

nondestructive evaluation of advanced engineering materials.

The process of selecting a new Provost involved the formation of a search committee including Stevens faculty, students, administrators, and trustees as well as the help of an outside search firm. According to Dr. Qu, after the search firm reached out to him, he submitted his application to become Provost. After multiple rounds of interviewing with members of the Stevens community and giving a school-wide presentation about his views regarding higher education in the United States, Dr. Qu was selected as the new Provost.

According to Dr. Qu, what attracted him to Stevens was the opportunities, as he described Stevens as being in a “Goldilocks” zone. He stated, “In most small liberal arts colleges, students do not have access to cutting-edge research, because research is not expected of their faculty. In large research universities, undergraduate students rarely get much individual attention. At Stevens, students can enjoy the intimate and high-touch learning experience typical of small

liberal arts colleges, while still being exposed to the most advanced scientific discoveries and technological breakthroughs in their own professors’ labs.” Additionally, Dr. Qu was attracted to Stevens’ technology-focused education with a broad exposure to business, arts, and humanities as well as Hoboken’s proximity to the opportunities offered by New York City.

Dr. Qu states that while he enjoys teaching and hopes to teach courses at Stevens, he would like to spend his first year at Stevens getting to know the school’s community and learning about the culture and history of Stevens.

While Dr. Qu’s background is in engineering, he appreciates the value of liberal arts education.

“To survive and thrive in this rapidly changing, technology-driven society, STEM-focused professionals in engineering, the sciences, business, and the arts – as the creators and stewards of technologies – must be lifelong learners. They need strong leadership, communication, and social skills […] in other words, a 21st century STEM education needs strong liberal arts programs.”

PHOTO BY KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

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 OF POLICIES ON thestute.com

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Center, Stevens ACES (Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science), and new spaces, such as the Student Center, the Student Wellness Center, and the Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership.

She also recruited top talent and is accredited with meeting and exceeding many strategic goals in Stevens. Murphy was also Stevens’ pandemic coordinator, playing a key role in keeping Stevens students, staff, and faculty safe.

According to an announcement

by President Farvardin on June 24, no replacement had been found for

Murphy’s role which continues to be the case. However, Stevens staff members Susan Gross and Sara Klein have taken on the role as acting co-leaders until a permanent replacement can be found. Susan Gross is the Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management and Sara Klein is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 GFH include an alumni pledge and outreach to the Hoboken community, which was discussed over the summer but no action has been taken yet. In response to student backlash, Stevens administration sent a response to The Stute asserting that the renaming GFH would not be revisited, referencing legal agreements with Gianforte. Still, the SGA plans on sending a proposal to Stevens administration to reiterate student interests and once again call for the renaming of GFH. Another initiative planned by the SGA is a COVID-19 safety Instagram campaign, which aims to keep students safe on campus and prevent COVID outbreaks. Moreover, the SGA hopes to discuss emergency housing situations for commuter students to use during extreme weather situations that would prevent them from safely returning home.

The SGA also has initiatives planned in terms of academic affairs, and they’re looking for people to join The Stevens Undergraduate Student Advisory Board. This organization collects feedback from undergraduate students and communicates initiatives with the Vice Provost.

Additionally, school wide academic goals for this semester include increased accessibility to course evaluations, approval of

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 2:43 p.m. EST through a campus-wide alert, advising the community to remain in place. The shelter in place was lifted at 4:23 p.m. EST. On Saturday evening, Tim Griffin, Chief of Stevens Police, sent a message to the Stevens community detailing the incident to comply with the Clery Act. “Stevens shares this information to protect members of the university community, to promote safety, to help reduce the likelihood of future crimes, and to raise awareness of how to seek prompt assistance should a crime occur,” Griffin said.

In security camera photos captured at the 9th Street exit from campus, authorities said that there are two suspects, a man and a woman. According to Stevens Police, the suspects are

language minors, the release of finals schedules at the time of class registration, and the addition of student academic experiences to the Stevens website.

The SGA is also discussing improvements for campus wellness.

They hope to improve campus amenities; some examples of improvements that were discussed include bike racks to make bike storage more accessible, borrowable games from the Student Center, and new lawn furniture for outdoor locations across campus.

In terms of government and community involvement, there were discussions surrounding the encouragement of student participation in upcoming state and local elections. Efforts are being planned to create voter registration events on campus for Stevens students. There will also be a memorial to reflect the upcoming 20th anniversary of September 11, which will be held on Friday, September 10.

Other issues regarding classrooms and seat capacity were heavily discussed during the meeting. Listening to student concerns on campus, the issue of overcrowded classrooms has been reported and solutions are being discussed. The SGA will be talking to the Provost about students that do not have seats in classes and those who are still lacking classroom locations. In terms of COVID-19 safety, professors can require students to exit the classroom if they are not willing to

PHOTO BY SANJANA MADHU FOR THE STUTE

wear a mask. A portal available through DuckLink allows for the reporting of students who are not wearing masks properly.

Another concern that was voiced was the lack of assistance students received when they fall sick from COVID-19. Students who get COVID-19 are required

described as “a Black male, approximately 5’10”-6’ of medium build and wearing a white teeshirt, black pants and white and black sneakers, and a Black female, approximately 5’4” to 5’6” of thin build, wearing a blue long sleeve shirt, black pants and florescent sandals.” Stevens Police additionally said if the suspects are seen, not to approach them as they are assumed to be armed.

If you observe suspicious activity or behavior on campus, contact Stevens Campus Police immediately by calling 201-2163911. Stevens Campus Police also provides an escort service for anyone who feels unsafe when walking on or near campus. Campus Police are available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

If you are off campus and observe suspicious activity, call 911.

Authorities urged members of the Stevens community to sign up for StevensAlerts and Hoboken Nixle alerts to stay informed.

to quarantine and do not receive any aid in relocation. Additionally, although technologies that allow professors to accommodate a hybrid classroom exist, there are no guidelines in place to help students who must quarantine and skip classes for at least two weeks.

The SGA is continuing to dis-

cuss initiatives for the upcoming semester. Senate elections will be discussed at the next SGA meeting for students interested in running to be a Senator. Senate meetings occur every Sunday at 7 p.m. and are open to all students. For more information email sga@stevens. edu.

ABOVE: CAROLINE MONTANA FOR THE STUTE | LEFT AND BELOW: KAIDEN GOZ FOR THE STUTE

In rememberance: Professor Sophia Hassiotis

BY ADRIAN CASTELLANOS Guest Contributor

“She was the heart of our department, without question, she carried an enormous amount of responsibility and so many people did not even realize all the work she was doing… She was a phenomenal mentor and very very dear friend.”

This is how Professor Sophia Hassiotis was described by her colleague Professor Leslie Brunell.

Professor Hassiotis passed away on June 13, 2021, leaving what feels to many like an unfillable void in the CEOE department. Professor Hassiotis dedicated 22 years of service to Stevens, and in those 22 years, her mentality was always students first. “She was completely and utterly devoted to students, I was fortunate enough to have been mentored by her in that philosophy. We do this for students and for no other reason,” said Professor Brunell, who was mentored by Hassiotis when she joined Stevens.

In her tenure at Stevens, Hassiotis taught Structural Steel Design, Modeling and Simulation, Finite Element Modeling, and her newest class Bridge Design, which she created to support students in their senior year with their senior design projects. She could almost always be found in her office doing some sort of work over a cup of coffee. And if you passed by she would almost certainly stop you to talk, and invite you in for a cup, and no matter how late it was, she would offer you a cup, and lie about how it was decaf.

Outside of her teaching and hours at the office, she would be meticulously planning her next adventure. She saw the world, but always with her own eyes, never just going where she was told. If you asked her where you should go, however, the answer would always be Greece. She would always say “the Greek way is best” and she hated My Big Fat Greek Wedding for not being fun enough. It never lived up to the actual experience. She’d say the same about most Greek restaurants — about how they were

fake and not the real deal. If you were lucky enough to run into her in the streets of Hoboken, she’d stop you and talk, ask you about your day, and if she happened to have some Greek pastries on her, she’d all but force you to have one.

She was a force in this department that could not be matched. She was inspirational, genuine, and all around a very strong, brilliant woman. “Her demeanor and physical appearance was not in proportion to her internal strength. She was always positive and happy.” She always found the light in the worst of times. She’d stop and say on the worst days of her worst classes, “Isn’t this just so much fun,” and students would just chuckle, because no matter what it was or how hard it was, being with her was fun. Professor Hassiotis was the professor who helped us all see our ability, and helped us all become engineers. For that, 22 years worth of students will always be grateful. She leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten and hundreds of thankful students.

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 top priority right now is COVID-19 management. Additionally, they are focusing on fulfilling their traditional duties of seeing patients.

She emphasized the importance of college-related health, such as STI prevention and binge-drinking education.

Weisholtz has several initiatives planned for the future of the Student Health Services. Her first initiative for this year is to implement electronic health records here at Stevens. She describes the current system of uploading and scanning documents as “obsolete and archaic,” and she believes that having electronic health records will simplify the process of getting student health records when needed. Weisholtz mentioned that as an Institute of Technology, Stevens should be using electronic health records, and she has over 12 years of experience with these systems.

Her second initiative is to introduce on-site testing, such as throat swabs and urine tests. The tests will be conducted through Health Services and then be sent out to the appropriate facilities.

This is something that the Student Government Association has been advocating for since it would eliminate the need for students to leave campus for routine medical tests. Student leaders at Stevens have historically played an active role in pushing for improvement of Health Services, including a call for improved STD testing and holding a summit to discuss LGBTQ+ wellness.

Weisholtz also wants to begin on-site Point of Care testing.

This would mean that the Student Health Services can not only conduct tests, but can also run them

and generate results right here on campus.

Additionally, Weisholtz wants the Student Health Services to have a greater presence on campus. She mentioned that they will be out at different tabling events, and will be available to answer any questions that students may have. In her new role, Weisholtz is most excited about expanding the services at the Student Health Services, especially in terms of

making it the place of primary care for students. She hopes that Stevens will be able to conduct annual physicals and offer more services such as those relating to women’s health.

Students can currently access the Student Health Services through appointment only which can be made by calling Student Health Services at 201-216-5678 or through emailing studenthealthservices@stevens.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KYLE WEISHOLTZ

Thomas Maggi: Stevens Police Captain & Vietnam veteran retires after decades of service

BY LAUREN GARRETT

Contributing Reporter After 50 years of service, Captain Thomas Maggi has retired, effective July 31, 2021.

Maggi began his career of service at the young age of 18 when he was dropped from a helicopter into the heart of the Vietnam War, after enlisting in the Navy straight out of high school. He functioned as a machine gunner on patrol boats in the “Brown Water Navy,” widely considered one of the most dangerous jobs in the war effort as they navigated enemy-occupied waterways and acted as vessels between inland rivers and open ocean to intercept enemy transports.

After four years of enlistment, Maggi returned to his hometown where he served for 36 years with the West New York Police Department. It was there that he led narcotics teams, served as the SWAT commander, and met his wife, a fellow police officer. During that time, he also served as a desk lieutenant, dealing with a variety of situations and emergencies. Maggi gained invaluable experience on how to handle most situations from his service, wisdom which the young officers and students at Stevens were most fortunate to learn from.

Maggi began the final 14 years of his career at Stevens in 2007. From his classic “Fireside Chats” with students concerning public safety, to being a popular judge in school competitions, the trust that Maggi built with the Stevens community was described to be a fundamental reason for the flourishing relationship between the campus police

and the student body.

According to Robert DiGenova, Stevens Deputy Chief of Police, “Captain Maggi taught students that the police are always meant to help us and be there for students whenever there is a need. Also, he helped in the recovery from the negative attitude towards policing.”

Maggi acted as the honorary “house dad” for the Stevens sororities, and always tried to be empathetic towards students who got into trouble and acted as their mentor during times of hardship.

“The students always took to him...

he is a friend, a brother, a father, and a close counsel to all who know him,” describes Chief Tim Griffin, “and his entire life was a life dedicated to service.”

Captain Tom Maggi now serves as a full-time grandfather to his two grandchildren, but periodically returns to Stevens to assist with the training of young officers.

Members of the Stevens community thank Captain Maggi for his honorable service to the Navy, the nation, and the Stevens community, and for the rich and lasting legacy that many feel he has left behind.

PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENS.EDU

9 things to do next week at Stevens

BY MATTHEW CUNNINGHAM Editor Emeritus

Now that the first week of classes is out of the way, it’s time to get involved in the campus community! Check out this list of events from September 12 to September 18 that you can register for today.

Disclaimer: This is not a comprehensive list. These events were compiled from DuckLink and do not include other events.

To have an event included in this list or an upcoming list, reach out with information to eboard@thestute.com, or have the event host upload the event to DuckLink at least one week in advance. For the latest information about events, please contact event hosts directly.

2021 LeadHERShip Conference Yes, she can! Stevens Institute of Technology is hosting its annual LeadHERship conference from Friday, September 17, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. to Saturday, September 18, 2021, at 3:00 p.m.

The LeadHERship Conference is meant to promote and amplify the voices of women and gender minorities in STEM. The conference consists of networking, skill building, and professional development. Although this event is meant to amplify the voices of women and gender minorities, the LeadHERship Conference is open to all genders. Male allies are encouraged to engage in the space and experiences offered at the LeadHERship Conference.

Attire is business casual.

To register for the in-person conference and view the conference’s schedule, visit Stevens’ website and fill out the registration form by September 14. Registration for virtual attendance remains available after September 14.

Entertainment Committee: The Front Bottoms The Entertainment Committee is going to New York! On September 15, 2021, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., the Entertainment Committee is attending The Front Bottoms’ concert on The Rooftop at Pier 17 (89 South St., New York, NY). To secure your spot at the event, you can register on the Entertainment Committee’s DuckLink page starting Monday, September 13 at 10 p.m. Tickets cost $20 with transportation included. Tickets will go quick, so be sure to set your alarm to be the first to register.

Korean Student Association GBM The Korean Student Association is hosting its second general meeting on Monday, September 13, 2021, from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in Babbio Center Room 210.

The Korean Student Association hosts its general meeting every Monday. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering.

Intro to Career Services & Co-op It’s never too early to think about your career. The Career Center is hosting “SCC 101 — Intro to Career Services & Co-op” on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Bissinger Room on the 4th floor of Howe. This event is meant for any student interested in learning more about the programs, services, and job search resources available through the Career Center. At the event, the Career Center will also describe

the types of job opportunities— such as co-ops and internships— to gain the skills and experiences expected by employers after graduation. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering.

Stevens Women in Computer Science GBM The Stevens Women in Computer Science is hosting its first general meeting on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 9:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. in Babbio Center Room 320. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering. Alternatively, to attend the event virtually, click the Zoom link on the event’s DuckLink page.

Chip n’ Dip 2021 For their first event of the semester, the Ethnic Student Council is hosting its annual Chip n’ Dip event on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m in Babbio Atrium. This event features all the ethnic organizations on campus and showcases their cultures. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering.

Academic Writing 1: Theses & Introductions The Writing and Communications Center is hosting an online event ‘Academic Writing 1: Theses & Introductions’ on Wednesday, September 15, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. This event is meant to help students master strategies for writing effective and engaging introductions and successful thesis statements. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering by clicking the Zoom link on the event’s DuckLink page. If you cannot make the scheduled time, you can still receive the video recording of the webinar by registering for the event.

Stevens Christian Fellowship GBM The Stevens Christian Fellowship is hosting its second general meeting on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, from 9:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m in the Babbio Center Room 122. The event is also available remotely over Zoom. Over the first few weeks of the semester, the Stevens Christian Fellowship is inviting local pastors to speak on a topic of their choice, providing a chance to learn more about the different churches in the Hoboken community. To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink, or you can also attend the event without registering. To attend the event virtually, click the Zoom link on the event’s DuckLink page and type in scf2021 for the Personal Link Name.

Stevens Dramatic Society presents ‘A Hero’s Journey: Choose Your Own Path Adventure’ The Stevens Dramatic Society is presenting its summer show, ‘A Hero’s Journey: Choose Your Own Path Adventure.’ This interactive performance is from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Friday, September 17, 2021 and Saturday, September 18, 2021, at Palmer Lawn. “You will get to help vote on the decision the heroes make!” To register for the event, go to the event’s page on DuckLink for either the Friday viewing or Saturday viewing, or you can also attend the event without registering.

INTERESTED IN PHOTOGRAPHY? JOIN THE STUTE’S PHOTOGRAPHY TEAM No experience necessary Email cmontana@stevens.edu for more info

5

Friday, September 10

Features

STUDENTS LAUNCH TECH COMPANIES SecureMeetings, Quae, SquareOneJobs

BY RIYA SHRESTHA AND JOSEPH AMES Stevens has a reputation for being an innovative university; every student who walks through the gates onto campus has a burning desire to build, create, and innovate integrated into their soul.

From creative thinking to programming code, students at Stevens are constantly pushed to the next level through their coursework. This, for many students, is an avenue towards their future success, and for some, it is even the inspiration behind entrepreneurial projects.

SecureMeetings

When the world shut down in March 2020, there was a significant change brought to the workforce: working from home.

Prior to the outbreak of COVID, according to the Pew Research Center, only around 20% of employees were working remotely.

However, this figure quickly ballooned to 71% in October 2020.

With a new emphasis on interactive workspaces came increased threats for security. The most popular platform to emerge in the virtual meeting industry, Zoom, suffered from numerous bugs and cybersecurity problems, especially around the beginning of its widespread implementation.

The issue of data security has long been of concern in the tech industry, so it should come as no surprise to see potential solutions to security breaches pop up. Most noteworthy, however, is that one such solution comes from our very own backyard. Through the Launchpad@Stevens program, Stevens students Bryan Kyritz ‘22 and Marcos Salazar ‘23 along with other founders teamed up to create SecureMeetings, a virtual world best described by Salazar as “a fusion of video conferencing and the meta-versa.”

What sets SecureMeetings apart from its competitors is that it is focused on, as Kyritz put

it, “breaking the monopoly on big-businesses using data-sales as a product.” To SecureMeetings, a user’s data is their own to do with which they please. Since its inception, SecureMeetings has been predicated on being an open-source community with extra-emphasis on community. “We want users to offer solutions to problems or things they think can be done better,” said Salazar.

The team worked tirelessly on their product, often putting in eight to twelve hours a day six days a week in order to see their visions come to fruition. While they certainly had help from notable Launchpad faculty and staff along the way, SecureMeetings features all student-designed code. The company is a product of careful market observation, strategic planning, and a desire to execute a difficult but necessary task.

Quae

When Brendon Probst ‘23 and Samuel Schmitt ‘23 teamed up to develop the Quae App, they started with just an idea: to create a decentralized community. Their journey towards this app began while they were still in high school, where both students were budding members of their respective communities. Despite their increased desire to become involved, they both quickly became disillusioned with the system they found themselves to be restricted by. Fast forward to January 2021 and the development of Quae had begun.

After beginning development both Probst and Schmitt sacrificed time, effort, and yes, sleep, in order to fulfill their desire.

Despite this, Probst insisted that it didn’t feel like work.. Their hard work — often upwards of 40 hours in the blistering heat of summer — paid off in June 2021 when the duo successfully filed for Incorporation. When asked about the incorporation efforts, they described the process as “not daunting but a lot of paperwork

Schmitt and Probst working in their home offices

Bryan Kyritz from SecureMeetings

Marcos Salazar from SecureMeetings

and dealing with IRS and taxes.”

It was something that neither of them had ever thought about doing before but they did not let fear stop them from reaching their goals.

Next was the soft launch, which came with its own set of challenges. “There were a ton of things wrong during the soft launch...but that was good,” said Probst. The pair were able to rebound and have since been involved in numerous efforts to increase the scale of their app both in the Stevens environment and the Hoboken community. When asked to describe Quae, the pair explained that the app is predicated on “community engagement, not just voting...Quae enables individuals to feel as though they have a voice in the community they are a part of”. In layman’s terms, Quae presents information that then can be voted on to provide community feedback.

This information can range from small-scale such as the best coffee on campus all the way to a more macro-level with concerns in and around Hoboken.

In the future, the pair hopes to partner with The City Council of Hoboken in order to increase community involvement and optimize the constituent-representative feedback process. In addition to this, Schmitt and Probst have set the bar high: they want their product to become a staple in college communities around the nation. With high character, intelligence, and drive — as well as the Stevens community behind them in support — they hope their

lofty goals are soon to become a reality.

SquareOneJobs

For many students, when they leave for college, they expect their reality to shift. Some imagine this in the form of meeting new people from new backgrounds, and bringing new ideas and perspectives to the room. For Greg LaVersa ‘22 and Nate Renner ‘22, their small-town perspectives quickly gave way to the realization that poverty and significant financial hardship were much more prevalent than they previously thought.

As LaVersa admitted, “we knew that there was obviously poverty, but we had no idea how large it was considering that we were coming from small towns.”

Their innate concerns for the well-being of others created a desire for a solution to the multi-billion dollar question plaguing our economy to date: how can we re-introduce individuals with convictions, addictions, and other preventative factors to the workforce?

They found their solution with the help of Launchpad@Stevens, run by Professor Mukund Iyengar. Since their acceptance into the program during their freshman year, they were challenged to utilize their ingenuity in order to solve complex problems.

Through the combination of their innate desire to help others and their newly-refined skills, the pair started to work on creating what is now SquareOneJobs.

In addition to the Launchpad resources, LaVersa and Renner enlisted the help of Stevens alum-

nus, Howard Oringer ‘62, and his wife, Jan, both of whom are key figures in pushing for criminal justice reform. The two worked diligently on their product, with Renner admitting that they put “more time into their product than they did into their school work.”

LaVersa and Renner were able to file for incorporation in November 2019 with the help of students at the Cardozo Law School in New York City.

Their product — while intended to help bring marginalized people back into the workforce — will also serve as an aid to businesses. As LaVersa and Renner put it, “studies have shown that previously convicted felons are no more likely to be poor workers.

In many cases, they have been shown to be more loyal to their companies. Employee turnover is one of the biggest problems plaguing small to medium-sized businesses now, so by creating a direct link between these businesses and potential employees, we are able to help revitalize two parts of the economy.”

By no means is the entrepreneurial spirit of Stevens limited to these three companies. Throughout the years, Stevens has earned its moniker as the Innovation University as students think in new and challenging ways, all the while working towards their professional and personal endeavors.

Countless other students have passed through these halls and come out as successful entrepreneurs, as will countless others in the future.

6

Friday, September 10

Science Extreme weather in the Northeast – climate change to blame?

BY SOLEIL SANTANA Science Writer Just several days after Hurricane Ida’s category four landfall in Louisiana, it’s remnants slammed the Northeast as one of the most devastating storm systems the region has ever seen. The states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut bore witness to heavy downpour and flash flooding which amounted to power failure, infrastructure damage, and an ongoing rise in death toll as first responders continue their search and rescue for the missing in the most affected communities.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Hurricane Center (NHC), within a 24-hour period, Ida found itself with increased sustained wind speeds by at least 35 miles per hour, classifying it as a “rapidly intensifying storm.” Northeast state and local officials were left stunned by Ida’s escalation

in power and are now vowing to make changes to prepare for a new normal as the implications of climate change have become ever more present in weather patterns.

But how exactly did climate change factor into Ida’s unusual intensity up north? To answer this question we can examine the storm’s origin and tracked path as it made its way towards the Gulf Coast.

Ida developed into a category two hurricane in the Caribbean Sea on August 28 and was expected to strengthen as it passed over a pool of warm, deep water, called an eddy, that had formed over the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico.

This eddy is associated with a warm ocean current called the Loop Current that flows northwards between Cuba and the Yucatan Peninsula, into the Gulf of Mexico, and back southeast through the Florida Straits. The storm was able to tap into this incredible reservoir of energy. The continued heat and moisture permitted drops

in central pressures which fueled intense winds and condensation.

Global warming has done no better at reducing the extremities of this type of weather. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has indicated a 90% excess in heat absorption by our Earth’s oceans since 1955. This has since worsened as humans continue emission of greenhouse gasses. Warmer waters are more likely to evaporate into the atmosphere, implying the formation of heavy precipitation events such as Hurricane Ida. At its worst, the extratropical storm dumped 10 inches of rain in a single night over cities like Newark and Manhattan. Hoboken itself was inundated with a record breaking rainfall total of 4.92 inches. The following day, flood waters were still present as recovery efforts began and the city was placed under a “Boil Water Advisory” by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Despite the

city’s pre-existing coastal flood mitigation projects that had been well underway after Sandy, much of Hoboken’s central and southwest areas still found themselves susceptible to torrential downpour and flooding.

At a press conference, Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla pointed a finger towards “the fossil fuel industry, big oil and its enablers” as “the culprits,” wreaking havoc on “quality of life here in Hoboken, throughout the region and other parts of this country.” He insisted that ongoing projects to mitigate flood risks across the city will continue, such as the construction of the North and Southwest Resiliency Parks which have hopes of detaining 200,000 gallons of stormwater runoff through the use of green infrastructure.

When these projects will reach their completion date is unclear, but in the meantime, efforts must not delay to prepare communities for the onset of a persistent hurricane season.

PHOTO COURTESY OF NORTHJERSEY.COM

Social anxiety during and after the pandemic

BY JESAL GANDHI AND WINSTON LEE Many people are well aware of the physical tolls that one of the largest pandemics in the last century has caused. Oftentimes psychological health is largely neglected as a whole, regardless of the fact that recent quarantine and lockdowns as a result of COVID-19 have contributed to a large rise in mental health concerns around the world. A recent study from the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH) stated that “the widespread lockdown inevitably imposed psychological effects on social emotions, particularly anxiety.” Because of this, there are many questions to be answered regarding the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns and how these effects will continue into the coming future.

During the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., lockdowns were mandated throughout the country. The study by the IJERPH analyzed the effects of increased isolation during the early stages of COVID-19, which found

that lockdowns actually lessened anxiety that was caused by the virus. People originally were comforted by lockdowns because they felt protected by them.

However, as the pandemic has progressed, more harmful long-term psychological effects started to take root. According to a Rapid Systematic Review (RSR) study conducted by professionals at the University of Bath, children and adolescents have been negatively impacted by prolonged lockdown measures, with a sharp increase in both anxiety and depression that is likely to persist even after social distancing regulations end.

Specifically, the RSR states that “more than one-third of adolescents report high levels of loneliness and almost half of 18- to 24year olds are lonely during lockdown.” Social anxiety among individuals has increased during the pandemic, which is recognized by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) as “social phobia / social anxiety disorder,” can include fears of social situations such as conversations, performance in front of others, being observed, embarrassing oneself, and other

characteristics.

Fortunately, there are actions that communities can take to mitigate the impact of the pandemic on mental health. For example, the effects of social anxiety may be reduced by substituting digital social events for in-person events during quarantine.

The RSR suggests that providing frequent opportunities for virtual socializing may allow “children and adolescents to experience social rewards, to feel part of a group, and to know that there are others to whom they can look for support.” Additionally, the study notes that directly acknowledging the negative thoughts producing social anxiety, such as selfblame, can also contribute to changing people’s mindsets concerning social situations.

There are also numerous things that individuals can do to reduce the stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people partake in a healthy diet, regular exercise, and plentiful sleep to cope with the stress of our rapidly-changing lives. Mayoclinic suggests

that individuals practice socializing in “small steps” by connecting with people they feel comfortable with, complimenting someone, or even simply greeting another person.

If the stress and anxiety end up being too great, then the National Institute of Mental Health recommends that one consults their doctor or another health care professional, who may offer a referral to a mental health professional if deemed necessary.

Social Anxiety Disorder, which the RSR states is the anxiety disorder most “strongly associated with loneliness,” is generally treatable through psychotherapy. The “most effective type of psychotherapy for anxiety,” according to Mayoclinic, is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).

This form of therapy focuses on changing negative thoughts and practicing social skills and is especially effective in groups.

The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly brought great psychological hardships to many. However, through gradual but consistent effort and assistance, people can eventually attain much of the “normalcy” that came before.

West coast wildfires causing haze on east coast

BY ARIANNA DARINGA Contributor Disclaimer: This article was written in late July, 2021. Information may have changed or seem outof-date since it’s publication date of September 10.

On Wednesday, July 20, Hoboken residents woke up with a reddish smog blocking their New York City view. The Air Quality Index (AQI) measured 128, a far cry from “healthy,” which ranges from 0 to 50. This is not the first—and certainly not the last—time Hoboken will experience this severe drop in air quality. As West Coast wildfires persist relentlessly from Oregon down to Northern California, New York City and its urban sprawl will continue to experience their effects.

Wildfires are not uncommon on the West Coast; California has a fire season that starts in summer and extends into early fall. But this is the first time since 2014 that parts of California are under a “red flag” warning. The “red flag” warning stretches from Redding in the North and Modesto in the south. Parts of the state capital, Sacramento, and edges of the Bay area were included. The National Weather Service describes a red flag warning as significantly warmer temperatures than normal, stronger dry winds accompanied by an increased risk of fires.

Residents in red flag warning zones are advised not to burn trash or other items in their areas. Throwing cigarettes or matches out of vehicles is not allowed as well as leaving any indoor fires unattended.

The Beckwourth Complex fire and Dixie Fire in Northern California measured 105,670 acres and 240,795 acres respectively.

Both fires reignited trauma for residents that survived California’s deadliest wildfires in history. For context, the Dixie fire has burned an area larger than New York City over the course of two weeks. For many Californians, the red skies, dense smoke, and the sound of helicopters have become the new normal.

Parts of southern Oregon were also placed in a “red flag” warning, as extreme heat waves and dry conditions persisted. The U.S. Forest Service measured the Bootleg Fire in Fremont-Winema 413,562 acres. Residents of the nearby Klamath County were forced to evacuate their

homes on the sixth day.

Electrical lines from Oregon to California were interrupted as the result of both fires. People from California and Oregon “lost thousands of megawatts of power” while simultaneously trying to maintain operating reserves.

Much of the West Coast, specifically California, has had the driest spring on record in 40 years. These concerning conditions exacerbated the spread of the wildfires. The little waterfall and heatwaves accelerated the process of curing. Curing is defined as the process of vegetation drying out to the point where the moisture concentration is influenced by the dryness of the atmosphere, and no longer the soil. Meteorologist Gerry Diaz described that typically “we wouldn’t be dealing with this (curing) until the traditional fire season in fall.”

Meteorologists and scientists believe that the early start of the fire season is attributed to the long term effects of climate change.

President Biden and Vice President Harris remarked on the recent wildfires, commenting that prevention efforts “like forest management” and “restoring millions of acres of high risk areas to protect homes and public water sources for drinking” are key to confronting climate change. But unfortunately, government officials cannot ignore that our atmosphere and ecosystems are intertwined.

Factors of extreme heat and prolonged droughts are magnified due to the positive feedback loop of our overlapping ecosystems.

Mitigation of climate change throughout the years has become more difficult. Many states are trying to promote the adoption of clean energy resources.

In fact, Governor Murphy signed a bill early in July to reach the goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050.

This bill is marked by smaller milestones such as creating programs to promote electric vehicle adoption and infrastructure.

Waking up and seeing the smog from the east coast is just one of the small effects of a much larger issue. Not only do the west coast wildfires expose the underlying concern of climate change, but rather the delay that governments are having in creating proactive solutions.

Time will not stop to wait for governments to slowly implement the mitigation of climate change.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

7

Friday, September 10

Science

COVID Q&A: Booster shots, staying safe, and more

BY JO-ANNE RIVERA AND KATIE NG Disclaimer: This article was written in late July, 2021. Information may have changed since it’s publication date of September 10.

The recent spike in the Delta strain, coupled with waning immunity among vaccinated individuals, has ignited debate regarding the need for a booster shot. Though those who are unvaccinated are at greater risk of falling ill, reports reveal that even vaccinated individuals are contracting and transmitting the virus at alarming rates. Booster shots have not yet been approved for the public but are an imminent possibility. To better prepare you for the next steps, we have collected information regarding the current status of the pandemic, as well as the potential rollout of the booster vaccine.

1. What is a booster shot, and why do we need it?

A booster shot is a supplemental vaccine administered after the initial dose. Vaccines work by stimulating the formation of antibodies, but vaccinated individuals may lose protection against diseases as their antibodies weaken over time. By introducing modified antibodies to the immune system, a booster shot not only restores one’s immunological memory but also protects against new strains that may have developed resistance to the vaccine. Currently, boosters for the COVID-19 vaccine are not required, but both Pfizer and Moderna have begun to lead booster trials, especially in light of the Delta outbreak.

Nonetheless, getting a third shot for vaccines is not uncommon, with many vaccines requiring at least three doses for full protection—especially for those who get vaccinated past childhood. This includes the Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine which is often given as a threeshot series for people seven years or older. Meanwhile, the HPV vaccine can vary in dosage based on one’s age, with older teens getting either two or three doses.

2. Will everyone have to get a booster shot?

Currently, the trial booster shot is only accessible for vulnerable and immunocompromised individuals. Dr. Amanda Cohn, the Chief Medical Officer at the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Immunizations Division, announced that the agency will distribute boosters to these populations first. However, research regarding the third shot is still in its preliminary stages. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the Director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, says the advisory committee is still looking into its efficacy, so it is not yet being manufactured on a large scale.

Despite the effectiveness of the current vaccines on the market, boosters will likely be necessary for everyone once different variants become more prevalent.

3. How does the Delta variant differ from the original strain?

Due to its more transmissible nature, the Delta variant has become the dominant strain in the United States: it was responsible

for 82.2% of COVID-19 infections in the beginning half of July 2021.

This can be attributed to the variant’s several mutations. Compared to the original strain’s incubation period of six days, these genetic changes have decreased the variant’s incubation period to four days, causing infected individuals to become contagious sooner. With this, individuals infected with the Delta variant are capable of transmitting the virus to six people on average. On the other hand, individuals with the original strain would only infect an average of two to three people. Regardless of the lethality of the variant, its high transmission rate alone is competent enough to afflict large masses—especially potential hyperlocal outbreaks.

Nonetheless, the symptoms of the Delta variant are generally similar to the previous COVID-19 strains, such as fever, chills, fatigue, muscle or body aches, difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting, etc. Instead, certain symptoms that were common for the past strains are absent in these Delta cases, most notably, the loss of smell and taste.

The Delta variant is being transmitted in more than 90 countries, notably the United Kingdom, the United States, and India. In terms of the United States, as of July 15, the five states with the lowest vaccination rates include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Wyoming.

The hospitalization rate and the trajectory of new cases in these areas are significantly higher than the states with the highest vaccination rates.

STUDENTS CONTINUE TO WEAR MASKS | AIDAN HABERMAN FOR THE STUTE

The New England Journal of Medicine reported that the Pfizer vaccine is 93.7% effective against the Alpha variant and 88.0% effective against the Delta variant, suggesting that the original two doses continue to provide modest protection against hospitalizations and death. However, it is still possible to contract and transmit the virus, given the 2.9 times lower susceptibility to neutralization compared to the Wuhan strain. Vaccinated individuals do not need to be concerned about the booster shot, but everyone should exercise caution to avoid another outbreak.

5. Are companies working towards 4. Should vacci- m a n u f a c t u r i n g nated individuals be booster shots already? concerned?

ABOVE: THE HOBOKEN RIVERSIDE MEDICAL GROUP CONTINUES TO OFFER COVID-19 VACCINES | BY NATALIE TODARO FOR THE STUTE BELOW: A CAMPUS TESTING SITE FROM FALL 2020 | BY CHLOE BRENNA FOR THE STUTE

In response to waning immunity among vaccinated individuals in Israel, Pfizer has launched clinical trials to test the efficacy of a third shot. At the company’s Second Quarter Teleconference held on July 28, 2021, researchers reported that the third dose resulted in five to eleven times more antibodies against the Delta strain as compared to the second dose. In their study, the third dose was administered more than six months after the second. The Moderna trial administers a booster to individuals who were vaccinated for at least 12 weeks. However, the study does not restrict its scope to Moderna boosters on Moderna vaccines. Each cohort represents a different vaccine that individuals received, and the booster is administered to all, allowing researchers to observe the effects and efficacy of “mixing” vaccines.

Johnson & Johnson’s Single-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine is still being administered, but there is little information regarding its lifespan in the immune system or the potential of a booster. Furthermore, Pfizer has developed one batch of a new Delta-specific vaccine, and its clinical studies will begin in August 2021.

6. When will the booster shot become available?

None of the three approved vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson) have administered booster shots beyond their clinical trials, but Pfizer expects to submit an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application for their formula as early as August 2021. Moderna has not released information regarding when to expect rollout for their booster.

7. How often will I need to take the

booster shot?

Though it is not yet clear how often booster shots are required (and whether they are necessary at all), schedules from other vaccines suggest that boosters are usually administered every several years. Tdap boosters, for example, are required every 10 years. Meanwhile, meningococcal boosters are encouraged more frequently, as their antibody count depletes much more quickly (between one to five years). Another relevant case is the yearly flu shot, which involves new vaccines that are specific to the season’s dominant strain. There is not enough data to conclude how the COVID-19 vaccine will be administered in the future, but Pfizer and Moderna have announced fully vaccinated individuals are protected for “at least six months after the second dose.” Depending on how efficiently the virus mutates, boosters may be regularly administered from anywhere between months to years.

8. How should we protect ourselves and others against the Delta variant?

Given the more lenient social distancing restrictions coupled with the resurging infection rate, one of the best ways to be protected is getting vaccinated. However, as of July 30, the CDC’s mask guidance has changed upon a new study showing that fully vaccinated people are capable of spreading the Delta variant. Among the 469 COVID-19 cases in Provincetown, Massachusetts, three-quarters were attributed to fully vaccinated people. This find prompted the CDC to change its mask guidance, recommending fully vaccinated people to wear masks in high and substantial transmission areas.

Meanwhile, unvaccinated people must continue to wear masks in all areas.

The outbreak referenced in the CDC’s decisive study has since been contained, as tweeted by Alex Morse, the town manager of Provincetown. “Of the 900 cases related to the Provincetown cluster, there have been no deaths, 7 hospitalizations, and the symptoms are largely mild,” Morse added.

Although the transmission rate amongst vaccinated individuals is concerning, the original vaccines remain highly effective against the virus. Despite how these vaccines do not necessarily prevent infection, they help mitigate its severity, hospitalizations, and death. By wearing your mask— vaccinated or not—you are helping to slow the spread while also keeping yourself safe.

INTERESTED IN SCIENCE JOURNALISM? Join our Science writing team!

Reach out to Rayna Indelicato, Science Editor (rindelic@stevens.edu) for more information – No experience necessary to write • thestute.com/category/science –

8

Friday, September 10

Opinion THE STUTE EDITORIAL

A case for print I can’t even describe how much joy last week’s print issue brought me, as the first print issue of The Stute since March 6, 2020. To be able to physically hold something that myself and the Stute staff created was so incredibly fulfilling and rich, something I have been missing desperately over the past year.

In April of this year, I wrote that The Stute should begin to think more about digital and online production, which I still agree with. But after last week I’ve been thinking more about what makes print so great, and here are a few reasons.

The most obvious reason why print may be so effective is that it is physical. It’s an object, a thing, something you can hold in your hand. You can pick it up, pass it to someone else, flip through it, and throw it away. Stacks of papers are around campus in racks or on ledges (locations of which we are still trying to figure out after so

much time away) that you can see as you walk around Stevens. On campus, a print paper stands out, whereas online, our website might blend in to others.

Similar to books, papers being physical offer context, which to me is the biggest appeal. Like chapters in a book, content in print newspapers seems to live somewhere.

Content is adjacent to other content which can be replicated online but rarely with the same experience. A single news article on thestute.com read alone can be read completely differently in the context of other news articles in the print paper. A particular website design that takes context into consideration might make this digital problem go away – the front page of nytimes.com is a good example, but as soon as you click on an article you lose some of that context.

There’s nothing like the feeling of context you get from print.

Honestly, I think these positives make a strong argument for

keeping print, but of course there are some things that print doesn’t offer. A big one is hyperlinking which we’ve been spoiled with this past year without print. Blue, underlined text yells “click me!” on the internet and can even replace some written explanation; inserting a hyperlink to show where you got a statistic is sometimes easier than trying to describe it using words. How do you make “read more about it here,” hyperlinking “here” work in print? Are footnotes a solution? Is there a solution? Who knows.

Another issue: corrections. The traditional way to do it is to reserve a space in print to address mistakes in the previous issue that were found. We do this at The Stute (check page 2!) and online, we insert something like this after the sentence that contains the error: (Correction: There were 35 students at the protest, not 25.)

There’s no way to insert this kind of correction in print – instead,

corrections and articles are separated by an entire issue and are thus difficult to piece together.

But something interesting about online corrections is that people have looked towards print as the standard – even though a major benefit of online content is the ability to change it at any moment, newspapers don’t do that.

Instead, they resort to inserting something like (Correction: ...) as I mentioned before. In print, you can’t just change some words around if you find an error after it’s printed, and there should be consistency in online versions of the same content. I love that.

So it’s a slippery slope. There are things in print content that should be translated to online content, as well as the other way around. Neither of them are the perfect way to publish a newspaper, but I think with time The Stute can figure out ways to make one of them the most effective for what we need.

Natalie Todaro ‘22

Editor-in-Chief

MIND OF A FRESHMAN

Eye of the Tiger

BY LAUREN GARRETT ‘25 Eyes tell stories. If you had looked into my eyes on the day of my high school graduation, you would have seen that the last thing I wanted to do after I received my diploma was to ever think about the last four years again. But, I must give them the credit that they are due. They affected me much more than I ever thought was possible. Those four years stripped me. Then they built me up again: stronger, wittier, and more self-aware. Yet, they left me without the most valuable trait that I ever possessed — my determination and drive to do whatever it takes to succeed — my Eye of the Tiger.

Now, I am positive that all who are reading this have watched at least the first of the Rocky movies which, in my personal opinion, is the most iconic and moving movie series of all time. The Eye of the Tiger is a common theme throughout the six movies that shaped my childhood, even if it is only directly stated in Rocky III. To summarize, a man who came from nothing used pure perseverance and hunger for victory to overcome impossible odds.

Similarly, I was taught that with sheer willpower, anything was possible. But, let me just say: Rocky Balboa made it look far easier than it is in reality.

Burnouts are awful and lots of kids experience them at some point in their high school or college careers. But it’s especially tough when you find yourself burnt out by the end of your sophomore year of high school, much too early in the game. But up until then, I was on top of the world, always rising to the challenges that I faced and

defeating them with a sick thrill that left those around me impressed, yet sometimes borderline worried. They were waiting for the inevitable. At the peak of my burnout, I felt the odds were innumerably stacked against me, with no feasible way out. My life was a jumbled mess, with no sense of direction or purpose, that continued for the following two years. I had not yet learned how to go the distance — how to spread out my energy to complete the tasks at hand without consuming the totality of the precious resource my mind and body could muster up.

Throughout this past summer, my sole objective has been to regain my Eye of the Tiger in preparation for the next years of my life.

I want my future classmates and professors to be able to look into my eyes and say, “she has fire.” But in all honesty, I tried everything, from working out more than is probably healthy, to keeping a journal — anything I could think of to keep that spark in

me alive. But what I found to be the most effective method is to go back to the beginning — to find my “why?” and to remember my dreams of the past and find a way to make them reality.

My imagination as a child was, shall we say, expansive.

For example, during playtime, I created complex plot lines between Ken and Barbie that would put Nicholas Sparks to shame. My family, always feeding that active imagination, gave me tools to work with, whether it be watercolors, a camera, a sewing kit, throwing me into nature camps in the Koʻolau mountains, you name it. But the most important tool that they gave me was their support.

They always voiced their approval when I did something right, focusing on positive reinforcement as their way to encourage my growth. I drank in the praise, and some may say it became an addiction. As I grew, and playtime weaned its way out of my life, academic validation became my new craving. Tossing out

my own health, both mental and physical, I eagerly entered science fairs, history fairs, essay contests, etc., none of which were offered by any of the middle schools that I happened to attend as we moved around the country.

And I won — over and over again. The high of receiving that trophy, or medal, or check was exhilarating, and at times I find that I have a fervent desire to relive those days, just to feel that sense of pride and hear the praise from others. But back then it was easy. Trying to continue that cycle of giving up my health and wellbeing for validation in high school began my burnout. I had to be the best. But earning one bad grade led to receiving a lower test score than I would allow myself to earn, and I quickly stopped caring. It hit me hard when I realized what I had lost. The withdrawal from a heavy addiction to academic validation is worse than any drug.

But now, watching with a bird’s eye view, looking

end. My humble abode for the next two semesters will be Castle Point Hall where I will be a Resident Assistant for the new incoming class.

Anything is possible if you try hard enough.

We all know that Stevens is no picnic. You have to work extremely hard to get the outcomes you want whether it’s for academics, athletics, or extracurricular activities. We’ve all had sleepless nights working on ridiculous assignments and banging our heads against the wall wondering how or if this will be useful when we graduate. But more than anything, it forces us to build our tenacity. While some of the professors may not be the best teachers and have a tendency to throw you to the wolves, it forces us to take matters into our own hands and become resourceful. In the moment, we don’t want to spend two hours watching YouTube videos to understand eigenvalues or Fourier series, but by doing that, we’re learning how to learn.

That is really what college is all about. Of course, the material covered to earn a degree is important, and

thankfully Stevens doesn’t make us take full semesters of irrelevant gen eds. However, the workplace is constantly changing, especially in STEM, so it is crucial that we, as technical folks, have the ability to learn. Many of us will have jobs that don’t even exist yet, so it’s impossible to prepare for that in this moment. The ability to absorb information and continuously learn is our greatest asset.

So yes, I will never use Mechanics of Solids as a software engineer, but I will need to learn new skills at my future job. In the real world, things won’t be handed to us on a silver platter.

Life is not linear, and no one will hold our hands and explain to us how to do our jobs; we have to figure it out.

College is the prelude to adult life; it’s the trial and error period. My trial period is almost over, and I’m not quite ready, but I still have time! I can’t wait to spend time with my friends and actually sit in a lecture hall to have real classes.

Fingers crossed, we’ll stay on campus this year. Welcome to Senioritis, and stay tuned for more.

down and back on every action, I see that it all needed to happen. “The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows...I don’t care how tough you are; it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa. And keep on moving forward is exactly what I plan to do. Taking the life that I have already experienced, and learning from every decision, every mistake, every hit, is the only way to continue on. I may not yet have found my “why?” but I sure do have my Eye of the Tiger back. So, when you face yourself in a mirror, and don’t see that ambition, that hunger, that Eye of the Tiger in yourself anymore, go back to the beginning, refresh your perspective, and maybe even pop in a Rocky movie in order to be able to say: Come on life, keep swinging. The fire is raging. I’m ready.

SENIORITIS

The beginning of the end

BY GRACE MIGUEL ‘22 Senior year. Saying those words out loud sounds wrong somehow. After three, painstakingly long yet short years at Stevens, I still can’t fathom that my time here is almost up. My name is Grace Miguel, and I’m a Software Engineering student. Here’s a little bit about me.

I am an Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP) student, so I will be graduating in Fall 2022 with a master’s degree in Systems Analytics. While I get an extra semester, it’s a blessing and a curse. The upside is that I get more time to figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life, but the downside is that I get to ruminate in my thoughts of where I go from here stress about getting a job and pay-

ing off loans. You know, adulting.

The past year was definitely not what I expected or anticipated. I, along with many of you I’m sure, feel robbed of in-person classes, real labs, socializing with friends and making new ones, going to parties, formals, getting actual help during office hours, and so much more.

I remember exactly when I found out Stevens was transitioning to virtual classes for two weeks. I was outside Babbio after I just finished a run on the waterfront. I thought it would just be two weeks, and then they extended it to a month.

Then I thought it would just be another month; then just one semester. After that, I stopped being hopeful and unwillingly accepted that I wouldn’t be on campus for a while. A long while.

For the past three academic years, I’ve commuted to Stevens via train about 45 minutes to an hour each way. Never would I have thought I’d say this, but I missed waking up at 6:30 a.m. and getting on the train with my Yeti tumbler full of coffee alongside the men

and women commuting to their city jobs. I liked waking up early despite the fact that I’d probably be staying up until 1 a.m. working on projects, the usual Stevens grind. The dichotomy with pre-COVID life is interesting, because initially, I hated commuting. I felt like I was missing out on so much; it was all work and no play. I rarely attended clubs because the meetings started so late, and meeting people was difficult because my time in Hoboken was spent in class, tackling assignments, and working at the Writing Center. While there were hurdles to meeting people and becoming an active member in the Stevens community, that did not stop me from getting the experience I wanted.

Fast forward three years, I became a Peer Leader, a member of The Stute e-board, joined a sorority where I met incredible friends, explored tons of coffee shops in Hoboken (my goal is to go to all Hoboken coffee shops before I graduate), and learned a lot about what it takes to be an engineer. And now, where everyone else began, I will

JOIN THE STUTE!

Tuesday GBMs @ 9:15 PM in the Student Center Room #203 Open to everyone!

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY

9

Friday, September 10

Opinion SECOND-YEAR FRESHMAN

THE CONVERSATION

Nice to meet you, again!

Texas criminalizes homeless camping on public grounds

BY GIANNA CALLEGARI ‘24 The freshman class at any school is notorious for being filled with a bunch of newbies. A symbol of inexperience and confusion, freshmen can tend to walk around campus like a lost puppy, searching for an owner. Opinions on freshmen often vary: some upperclassmen may take the role of a mentor, kindly guiding and assisting the freshmen on their new journey. Others might turn the other cheek, finding freshmen to be quite bothersome. Well, luckily for Stevens, the pandemic has given us not one, but two freshman classes to ponder over, and I’m in one of them!

As a second-year freshman, I find myself to be sitting in a weird, never-seen-before grey area in the Stevens community.

I’ve been to campus before, since I was a hybrid student last year, but not enough

to actually know where I’m going. I’ve experienced the challenges of a heavy college course-load, but not in a classroom setting. Perhaps most peculiarly, I’ve met almost all of my classmates before, but not in person.

Everyone feels like a 3D Zoom screen brought to life that looks, sounds, acts, and is the same. Every conversation ends with: “It was so nice to meet you… again… well, in person.” If it’s impossible to meet someone more than once, regardless of how or when, then why do I feel the need to re-introduce myself to people that I already know?

I find myself asking all sorts of questions that only a freshman would ask. For example, what am I supposed to do during the hour breaks in my schedule? Last year, I’d take a well-needed nap in between classes. Sometimes, if I was feeling energetic, I’d walk my dog or catch up on my hobbies. Since none of this is possible on the Stevens campus, I’ve been struggling to find activities that will preoccupy me. I often feel that time has escaped me – it seems to be running on its own schedule while I’m stuck at a standstill. I constantly feel pulled in so many opposite directions

that I end up trapped in the middle; I’m tugged one way by the feeling that I’m never doing enough, and pulled the other by the thought that I’m doing way too much. So I go with the flow and see where life takes me.

As a virtual freshman, I committed myself to a lot of responsibilities—both school-related and extracurricular. I definitely don’t regret a thing, but I must admit that it was much easier to join a Zoom meeting at home than to drive an hour to and from each in-person meeting. It’s almost overwhelming to suddenly be involved in such a whirlwind of participation when nearly the entirety of my freshman year took place within my bedroom walls. The intensity of the college world was entirely contained inside the glowing pixels of my computer screen, and I was able to escape through the simple act of powering it off.

The moments that I did spend on campus felt empty.

As I’d walk to class, I’d see a few scattered students here or there with masks covering the lower halves of their faces, making them barely recognizable. The contrast from that time to now is so starkly remarkable. Stevens is saturated with students,

bursting with a livelihood that it was deprived of last year. The college world is no longer contained within my computer screen—it is no longer a figment of my mind.

No, the college world is much more than me, and it is much more than I could ever imagine.

This is all great, wonderful, amazing, but it’s also scary. I feel like I missed out on a year of valuable knowledge and experiences. It’s true, I definitely don’t feel like a sophomore, but the validity of my freshman year is unquestionable. Us second-year freshmen adapted to a huge lifestyle change during a pandemic, which was already serving as a test of our endurance. I feel more experienced at Stevens than I was last year, and I’ve made a bunch of friends and connections to account for it.

This fall, the college world is opening back up again; the light that it carries is peaking through the darkened door. To all of the people that read The Stute last year through their computer screen, I hope you find solace and excitement in the tangibility of this printed, paper issue! And to all of the people that I met online, it is so nice to meet you… again… well, in person.

get down? I don’t think this branch will hold me,” he told us. To meet our editorial deadlines we had to leave right away, and I’m realizing now we never helped him get down, so if someone has a ladder we could borrow, just bring it to our offices as soon as you can.

Our investigative team was able to track down all the confusion to one sneaky student. It took a while for us to catch up with the culpable cartographer, as we were initially bamboozled by another one of his deceptive depictions, but we finally pinpointed the person’s position in the Burchard basement. By the time Off The Press, and its law enforcement division Off the Cuff got there, the student had transitioned from making fake maps to fake money.

“It’s too late! I’ve already flooded the system with DuckBills bought with coun-

terfeit money! With the fake maps, no one will be able to find a machine in time to stop the collapse of the Stevens Financial System,” the student said before we could even ask for a quote.

Unfortunately for our felonious friend, the machine they used to buy and spend duckbills was still in the room.

Our Off the Cuff agents were able to collect their commission in counterfeit cash and DuckBills, before bringing the student to the financial court at the Hanlon Lab. The agents then took turns arresting each other and taking each other to court for using the counterfeit cash.

As for your narrator and the editorial staff here at Off The Press, we would like to state that the remaining counterfeit cash has been destroyed and has not been used to buy lunches for our entire staff for the next six weeks, because that would be illegal.

OFF THE PRESS

X Marks the Spot

BY OFF CENTER —SATIRE— Stevens’ professors were baffled during the first few classes as many students, new and old, were late to class or missed it entirely.

Others reported students that were not enrolled in their class showing up, getting a pen and paper, and taking notes. While the professors appreciated the enthusiasm, it did become a problem as several staffers here at Off The Press were unable to get seats in their classrooms because of these phantom students.

The cause of the confusion was the sudden appearance of fake campus maps all over the place, from mailboxes, to dorm halls, to one placed on the desk of President Farvardin himself.

While some of the changes were relatively benign—like rotating the names of Mor-

ton, Peirce, and Kidde— other maps featured fake buildings like Hayden Hall and Jacobus Hall, or indicated a stash of free textbooks down in Sybill’s Cave. When we went to check Sybill’s Cave, we just found some ducks (the animals) eating the grass. After an hour of selfies with the ducks, who were very cute, we pursued the next fake map where we were disappointed to discover the nonexistence of a mysterious, smoky conference room under the gym where men in dark suits wear sunglasses and make important decisions.

We asked one fourth-year student who had been fooled into climbing a tree to get to their astronomy class how they could fall for such a transparent ploy after being on campus for years. “It just seemed like the best place to get a view of the stars and planets. Can you help me

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BY PETER WHITE‘25 AND JACKSON HUDGINS ‘24 Introduction The Texas state legislature, which convenes only on odd years, passed 666 new laws which went into effect on September 1, 2021. Of course, all of these laws have been subject to national scrutiny, though some yield more controversy than others. This week, The Conversation will focus on one such bill: HB1925 which criminalizes homeless camping on public grounds. This bill requires that homeless individuals receive approval from an officer or political official prior to camping on any public land, or else they will be charged with a class C misdemeanor and fined $500.

In the following sections, controversy around this law will be explored by Peter White, Campus Liberal, and Jackson Hudgins, Campus Conservative. First, Peter will share his opinion, followed by Jackson, and a final synthesis from the two sides.

Campus Liberal, Peter White The massive package of over 600 laws just passed by the Texas state legislature is getting massive media attention because of a few controversial bills. Coverage mainly focuses on the new “Heartbeat Bill,” which greatly limits a woman’s ability to seek out an abortion, or two “Patriotic Education” bills prohibiting mention of The 1619 Project.

These laws align with some recent national debates; however, the bill we are focusing on this week is, in my opinion, particularly insidious because of its immediate and completely unnecessary harm to the nearly 27,000+ Texans who have already been dismissed by society.

State Senator Dawn Buckingham praised the bill as a “huge first step in ending homelessness,” while citing the bill’s requirement that cities provide shelter and services to those affected. This bill, on the contrary, actually does nothing to address the problem of homelessness by simply punishing their existence. By issuing a fine which many of these people cannot afford, and charging them with a misdemeanor, this law only makes it harder for “offenders” to come out of homelessness. In opposition to State Senator Buckingham, State Senator Sarah Eckhardt correctly called for increased funding to housing, health care, and workforce training as a first step to ending homelessness. The bill as it was passed only suggests cities provide services to the homeless community, without providing any funding or grants for such action; making any action extremely unlikely within already cramped budgets.

In addition to State Senator Eckhardt’s point that Texas does not have the social services infrastructure to support HB1925, there are multiple social issues beyond the financial which speak against this harmful bill. According to the Texas Criminal Justice Coalition, the criminal actions taken against the homeless will only further prohibit the nearly 9,000 homeless Texans experiencing chronic illness from seeking the treatment they need. The bill would also increase law enforcement against the homeless, who are already more likely to be vic-

tims of violence.

Although this law is specific to Texas, it is not unique in form. Hidden beneath the important issues of access to abortion and preventing police brutality, there are even more humanitarian issues that cannot go unnoticed. The homeless are humans just like the rest of us and deserve every resource available to help them live in a country that wastes so much excess already.

Campus Conservative, Jackson Hudgins On its face, this bill certainly does seem like one that simply hurts the homeless for the sake of hurting them alone.

Criminalizing homelessness on its own certainly seems unfair to people who have no means to go anywhere else.

However, homelessness is a complicated issue that cannot be boiled down into a simple black and white issue. Texas, just like many other states, must deal with their homelessness crisis in an effective way, and simply put, this bill prevents cities from sitting on their hands and continuing to use ineffective policy.

While it may seem like criminalizing homelessness is unnecessary, one can simply look to other states and their attitudes towards the problem to see why a measure such as this could be a step in the right direction, even if it needs reform. In Washington (my home state), for example, the homeless population is approximately 23,000, which is only 4,000 less than Texas (27,000+) despite having a quarter of its population (7.7 million vs. 29 million). In Seattle, Washington’s largest city, many in the state legislature, local courts, and city council have decided that a “compassionate” approach to homelessness is necessary; however, this often amounts to doing little if anything to solve a worsening problem. This inaction has reduced the safety and quality of life of the city, and enabled addiction (particularly from opioids) to thrive without recourse. The social services of the city are often unable to do anything because of dangerous conditions, and police are unable to remove encampments due to local laws.

The simple fact of this bill is that it does something rather than nothing. It is true that many cities could do with more funding to open shelters, address addiction, mental health, and create social safety nets, but that can be done concurrently with making sure that both the homeless and those around them are not left alone, where they can do harm to themselves and/or others.

The homeless need somebody to help them, and this bill prevents cities from just throwing up their hands and ignoring the problem, even if it seems harsh.

Conclusion Although this specific bill will only apply to the state of Texas, the moral and political issues that it raises are important for the nation and individual citizens to be aware of. Both sides covered in this piece agree that the homeless deserve better—that much we can agree on. How to help remains an item of debate, but a common goal will one day lead to a common solution.

10

Friday, September 10

Arts & Culture PASSION FOR FASHION

Wearing white post-Labor Day

BY MELISSA KOSAR ‘22 There are several unwritten rules in the world of fashion that have been around for much longer than anyone can remember. Avoid mixing prints, don’t wear black and brown together, no denim on denim, and of course… no white after Labor Day. The long, hot days between Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend are what we all refer to as Summer. And this is also the time period

in which wearing white has traditionally been acceptable. While yes of course, there are many styles and pieces worn during summer that simply cannot carry over into the colder months. However, wearing white does not have to be one of them. Amongst these unwritten fashion rules, nearly all of them have been broken time and time again to the point where no one should even think to deem them legitimate. Which is the way it should be! Fashion today is about expressing yourself, now more than ever. And if that means rocking a good ol’ denim on denim fit, then so be it. Perhaps, white after Labor Day is the last of these rules to be truly broken. So why not break it?

Personally, I could never get away with not wearing a

single piece of white clothing after Labor Day. I, like so many other twenty-something year olds, wear white sneakers literally all year round. Aside from the fact that I may have an obsession with white sneakers, these shoes are such a staple in anyone’s closet and are so easy to seamlessly transition across all different seasons. Previously, I used to at least limit the style of my white sneakers based on seasons, wearing Keds in the Spring and Summer months, then transitioning to white Nike sneakers in colder months. However, as of late, I wear my Nikes all year regardless of the temperature outside. These are something I couldn’t just easily part ways with either.

I really don’t even know what other shoes I would wear sometimes.

SPOILER ALERT

Aside from the Nike shoes that have become a staple in my wardrobe, there are other ways to keep white in the loop. As of more recently, color has tended to have less restraints on season. For example, with the rise in “Y2K” style trends, bright colors and quirky patterns have been popular. Even as we enter fall, these colors don’t show any signs of disappearing.

While the rules on colors are evolving, some clothing pieces make the most sense in certain seasons. Of course, we wouldn’t want to wear sweaters in the heat of summer, the same goes for linen items in the brisk winter air. Strappy sandals can be replaced with chunky boots, but your white top doesn’t necessarily need to be swapped with a brown, or army green one. As we

make this transition and work toward ending the stigma around this unwritten fashion rule, it’s important to understand the importance of material and silhouette over color.

Additionally, on the opposite spectrum of the bold and bright “Y2K” type style comes the rise in minimalist wardrobing. Those dedicated to this extreme (in my opinion of course) way of living often have as little as less than twenty pieces TOTAL in their wardrobe. This includes coats, shoes, tops, pants, and for some people even jewelry. I say extreme way of living because at one point in time I had twenty pairs of pants alone… so you can imagine my shock that people actually pull this off.

But anyways, those with a minimalist wardrobe or style are sure to need white

THE DOODLING DUCK

Review of the second season of One big pattern The Owl House

BY EMMA TONG ‘25 Disclaimer from writer: All the opinions represented in this column will be of my own and represent me. There may be spoilers for Episodes one and four of Season Two. I will mark these areas with “*SPOILER.*” Regardless,I encourage you to watch these episodes. So read at your own risk. I hope you enjoy this piece and check out The Owl House if you haven’t already.

Imagine a world similar to Harry Potter or the various other incarnations of a magical fantasy world. However, there is no “Chosen One” or prophecy, it is more authentic, with a message like: “Look kid, everyone wants to believe they’re “chosen.” But if we all waited around for a prophecy to make us special, we’d die waiting. And that’s why you need to choose yourself.”— Eda the Owl Lady The show often calls out stereotypes seen in traditional magical fantasy media. If you have been intrigued by anything I have mentioned so far, you should watch The Owl House.

The Owl House is a Disney animated series about a teenage girl named Luz Noceda, who has been transported by a magical portal door to another realm. The portal door is owned by Eda, an older woman and the “most powerful witch on the Boiling Isles,” who inspires Luz to stay in the magical realm, and learn to become a witch. The other members of the main cast include King—a dog-like demon—and Hooty— the best character in the show(subjectively)—who is a part of the Owl House, a home this newfound family shares.

Season one has been full of worldbuilding, by introducing us to this “kid friendly hellscape on top of a giant carcass,” and the characters that inhabit it having many wacky adventures—a trademark of Disney animated shows. Season two lives up to the high standards that season one had—to the great pleasure of many fans including myself—with a lot of plot-focused epsiodes filled with character backstories and character development.

pieces close by. Having such limited clothing options and needing to mix and match different staple pieces, you are bound to loop some white in your outfits beyond Labor Day. For me personally, I enjoy a variety of different styles but the pieces I am always most likely to buy are the ones that are neutral. For me the color range consists mostly of black, tan, brown, ivory, army green, or of course… white.

I couldn’t get rid of white from my wardrobe even if I wanted to. This fall I will be sure to sport white in the most sensical pieces I have including none other than my Nike sneaks, puffy sweaters, chunky cardigans, sleek sweater vests, oversized tees, and maybe even some transitional jeans. Do not hesitate to do the same!

*SPOILER* This is seen in the first episode of the season which shows Luz sending to her mother as a reminder of the season one finale episode.

It also serves to reintroduce the main cast again, and how their dynamics have changed as they are shown being closer to one another over the last season.

No cinematic reel is wasted, as everything lends itself to the big plot of the series. The smaller details highlight the entire show, and exemplify the love put into this show—from the little plot points and references, to the great facial expressions of Hooty.

Another aspect of The Owl House I enjoy is how it strays from its other counterparts in animation. The most popular and well-known aspect of this in The Owl House is Lumity, or the bond between Luz and Amity. Being able to show a romantically inclined relationship like this is already an achievement for The Owl House, and sets it apart as a trailblazer in the animation world. Another interesting facet of this relationship is shown in season two in which we see Amity, the love interest’s point of view. This gives the viewer not only another perspective, but also a vehicle to look into and judge the protagonist’s actions from a different stance. While animated shows typically stay with the one-sided (usually protagonist) perspectives, The Owl House lends itself to a more realistic view of a relationship, since relationships are a two-sided street and depend on the feelings of both parties involved.

That can also be said about Eda and her relationship with her curse. Eda’s curse, which can be a metaphor for a disability or chronic disease, has un-

doubtedly affected her life and relationships, showcasing how she has taken steps to succeed while being cursed. *SPOILER*I feel this is best illustrated in season two episode four in which Eda’s mother, Gwendolyn, comes into the picture. We learn about her obsession to cure her daughter’s curse even though it always ends up in failure, and puts a strain on her relationship with her other daughter, Lilith. Eda shows herself capable of dealing with the curse herself with the use of elixirs to help manage it, and Gwendolyn learns to accept her children. These two actions are steps parents and children with disabilities have to learn.

I think it’s worthwhile to have an episode created and shown on screen. However, I applaud The Owl House for these choices. I also wish it was more explicitly stated to the audience. As an 18 year-old, I had some trouble making the connection and understanding this message in the series. I can only imagine the confusion everyone else might have felt as well. Nonetheless, I understand Disney’s desire to keep this under wraps.

These were some of my thoughts on the second season, which isn’t over yet for those curious. This article is written up to episode eight of season two, so there are still two more episodes until the hiatus and then the rest of season two to be looking forward to. How is Amity related to the collector?

What will we learn about Philip Wittebane? Is there a connection from Creepy Luz to Amity?

Will Hooty ever be fully appreciated and loved?

Will you ever watch The Owl House if you never watched it?

PHOTO COURTESY OF OWL HOUSE WIKI FANDOM

BY POOJA RAJADURAI ‘23 Recently I got into a conversation about the ubiquity of art compared to math. A few years ago, I would have vehemently vouched for art.

The advent of calligraphy and writing, the first mark of human expression, and general personal fulfillment can only be satisfied by a creative outlet, or some subset of art, I might argue. Fast forward to my junior year in college, going on three years as a Quantitative Finance major, my appreciation for math and numbers has indubitably grown. Every aspect of art and music can in theory be quantified or digitally represented, be it from machine learning analyzing your Spotify playlist, to NFTs rocking the art world, to the burgeoning phenomenon of having artificial intelligence write us stories. I’m not naïve enough to think eliminating the human element in human expression results in anything as personally gratifying as authentic forms of expression; but I am saying that there is a pattern to all our activities. As such, my thought process has shifted from the narrow perspective that only one can truly rule the human race to the appreciation for the influence of art and technology on one another.

I’m not the first person to ever draw the connection between art and technology.

One of my favorite books to recommend in the topic of

interdisciplinary studies is Godel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid, by Douglas Hofstadter, wherein he explains patterns give rise to life and exemplifies this point through the works of a renowned logician, artist, and composer (Godel, Escher, Bach respectively of course).

I won’t claim to have made it through this dense volume, but even an infrequent curiosity might lead you to appreciate some of his thoughts at least as much as I have. The point here is that every action that you or I might take arises from a pattern which one might deem human tendency. If we consider enough variables that contribute to this pattern, we can more accurately predict the results of human efforts, including in the arts.

Another way of representing some of these patterns is through the lens of what I have recently come to know as rhizomes. Rhizome is a philosophical term which encompasses concepts, theories, or ideas that can be described as an acentered multiplicity.

The meaning behind this is deceptively simple. In fact, it perfectly sums something you have come across many times in your lifetime: a map.

A map is acentered (does not have a start or beginning — you can start analyzing a map from any point you choose) and multiplicitous (as the map grows, the characteristics of the route you might trace will completely change but will still be connected to the place you started looking from). The main idea behind a rhizome is that it exercises the fact that there is no beginning or end, but will continue and branch forward from every point on a given schema, much like the subterranean root (think ginger) it is named for. It is a visual scheme de-

scribing the relation of interconnected things.

The usage of rhizomes uniquely bridges art and technology by employing an image to represent the interconnectivity of all sorts of things, including how we interact digitally. A government, school administration, or hospital staff cannot be represented rhizomatically because these structures are hierarchical. If we remove the president or some managerial entity in any of these structures, the structure would cease to exist. Instead, the rhizome represents the people interacting with these structures. We can model this by the universally experienced Instagram rabbit hole.

One profile might have thousands of connections to other profiles which then have thousands of connections to other profiles and so on and so forth. If this one profile is deleted, the connections stemming from that profile are also removed, but the profiles they connect to and those profiles’ connections stay intact. We might also use the imagery of a rhizome to represent neural networks, virtual reality, and even the concept of technology in and of itself.

The beauty of patterns lies in the fact that they present something logical, organized, and mathematical through a visually pleasing and humanly satisfying vehicle. We as humans cannot exist outside of the perception of others and the thread of the human race renders us unable to behave outside the expectation of what it means to be human. This interconnectivity can be recognized in multiple ways, be it solely through the lens of art or technology, or through some thought experiment that combines the two such as rhizomes.

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Friday, September 10

Arts & Culture NOT FINANCIAL TIMES (NFT)

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Why beauty companies are my favorite pandemic-comeback story

The book you read when you decide it’s time to change for the better

BY ROSHNI REVANKAR ‘22 Disclaimer from the writer: All views and opinions are those solely of the author and for purely educational purposes only.

Please do your own research before investing. *Returns calculated as of EOD prices on September 8, 2021.

I will be honest with you, when I was a sophomore in March 2020, the gravity of coronavirus and lockdowns never sunk in. I was more concerned with making sure I could secure an internship because this quarantine was only for like two weeks—right?

I spent hours reviewing companies I applied to so I could ask the most meaningful questions to interviewers, and of course, hours practicing my elevator pitch with a dashing smile. But looking back at my experience I surprisingly spent days making sure I had a near perfect outfit, hair, and professional appearance, no matter if it was a WebEx video call or an in-person superday.

By the worst one day drop since the 2020 market turmoil, beauty stocks like Estée Lauder (NYSE: EL),

e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE: ELF), Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA), and L’Oréal (OTCMKT: LRLCY) returns from January 2, 2020 – March 16, 2020, steeply dropped about -34%, -72%, -61%, and -27% respectively. The broad consumer staples index, which can be tracked with XLP SPDR Consumer Staples ETF, went down only by about 17% in comparison.

Overall, investor sentiment towards beauty companies was more negative for 2020, as many people shifted to video call meetings, workfrom-home, and more casual meeting attire.

However, discretionary spending on beauty products was not as hard-hit as other luxury expenses like handbags and footwear. In 2001, then CEO (1982-1999) of Estée Lauder, coined the phenomenon “lipstick effect,” where sales of makeup like lipstick continue to stay strong even in times like recessions. Despite offices, important events, and schools being virtual for almost 90% of 2020, people continued to buy essential beauty products like makeup, haircare, and skincare products.

Moreover, how you dress for work-from-home, and what your appearance in a 12” x 13” Zoom computer screen still continues to make a difference on first impressions.

The pandemic likewise saw a growth in customers who were willing to try do-it-yourself routines that encouraged them to buy,phygitally,many new beauty and skincare products.

Specifically, this can be at-

tributed to social selling, or the use of influencers known as key opinion leaders (KOLs) to drive important beauty sales. In China, live streaming and KOLs on Singles’ Day, culminated in $28 million sales in 500 million views that made Estée Lauder a top pre-sale performer in 2021.

The success that many beauty companies like Estée Lauder have seen through KOLs emphasizes a key element that makes beauty companies one of my favorite industries: beauty companies continuously innovate and listen to what customers want. They continuously find ways to make technology not just their best friend, but their customers’ best friend.

Customers, especially the younger and wealthier population, are not just looking for companies to deliver them products—they want companies to go the extra mile to deliver them an experience and listen to their concerns. According to the 2021 ESG Cosmetics report, companies like P&G, Kao, and Estée Lauder have taken top ranks in ESG. Revlon, Sephora, and L’Oréal have driven more engagement towards its BIPOC employees. Media pressure is something that dually challenges us and the firms we interact with to always do better.

On August 4, Nykaa, India’s biggest e-commerce company that provides beauty and wellness products, had an initial public offering valued at $1.2 billion.

Pandemic-induced lockdowns in India have encouraged the growth to nearly 44 million downloads of its mobile apps, by allowing members to order and buy multiple branded beauty and fashion products from the one-stop shop website.

The company has posted an $8 million net profit in 2021, with a 34% increase in revenues from $236 million in 2020 to $334 million for 2021. The Indian beauty market is also expected to more than double by 2025 to $28 billion, making Nykaa’s IPO entrance at an attractive time for investors.

Proceeds from the offering are expected to be used to “set up new retail stores, fund capital expenditure and repay debts.” I think Nykaa will be successful in its IPO and future growth as a company, as Nykaa emanates many of the successful catalysts mentioned in this column that I prefer to see in beauty, fashion, and e-commerce companies.

Beauty companies, as such, are my favorite pandemic comeback story, as they not only were able to bounce back with reopening, but reinvent themselves throughout the year to speak and connect with the “new normal” consumer. These reinventions have catapulted stocks like EL, ELF, ULTA, and LRLCY to return nearly 32%, 23%, 33%, and 22% year-to-date respectively*. Post March 2020 selloff returns (while provocative from the meltup) are at about 82%, 119%, 85%, and 73% respectively*.

GIRL TALK

Meeting friends and conquering intimidation

BY JORDYN RAMELLI ‘23

Happy fall semester, everybody! I hope your classes are going well and you’re adjusting to normal-ish classes again. I can’t believe we’re back in person; I thought this day would never come.

Finally back on these campus grounds, I’m really enjoying seeing familiar faces and talking with friends.

For my first article of Girl Talk this semester, I thought I’d talk about something everyone is always tasked with at the start of a new semester: making new friends. From one girl to another girl, I’m referring to finding your girlfriends at Stevens. Coming to Stevens, accepting the culture shock that I am attending a male dominated school is certainly not easy. As a freshman, I was extremely intimidated by the drastic ratio. A new school, new home, new people—it was definitely not a walk in the park to adjust to a completely different environment. On top of this, wanting to make the most of my college experience made me want to really put myself out there and meet new people. Don’t get me wrong,

I love socializing, and I’m a very talkative person. But, even as a friendly person, finding girlfriends was a challenge for me. In all my classes, clubs, and when people hangout around campus, the ratio was evident. Although it was difficult, I managed to meet some amazing girls through my extracurricular activities, classes, and talking to people through Zoom. I was able to create some very special bonds.

As I learned the hard way, life rarely goes according to plan. March 2020 hit and my amazing college experience was ripped right out of my hands. I was stuck in my childhood bedroom taking college courses through my computer. I felt pretty lonely, and I struggled to continue making friends. My male-dominated classes suddenly felt a lot more scary and a lot more evident. On top of this, it was hard for me to stay involved and to stay excited about my time at Stevens.

I felt like COVID-19 would never end. But, like I did when I was a freshman, I decided to put my best foot forward and continue my friend-making journey over Zoom. Although I was still nervous and intimidated, I put my worries aside and stayed involved. Making this choice drastically changed my college experience for the better, enabling me to create some very special bonds.

An important change in

my virtual friend-making journey was by joining The Stute. I became an Opinion Columnist for Girl Talk, and then went on to support and uplift my community in this organization as Business Manager. In addition, I joined a sorority on campus.

It values sisterhood and has introduced me to many hard working, kind, and strong women. I started building relationships with many more girlfriends on campus, and I am having an absolute blast. There are also tons of organizations predominately female around campus — I recommend getting involved with those. Some examples include: Society of Women Engineers (SWE), Stevens Women in Business (SWiB), Stevens Women in

Computer Science (SWiCS), and Stevens Fashion Association of Marketing and Entrepreneurship (FAME).

Although I came to Stevens intimidated as part of the minority group and nervous to put myself out there, I pushed my worries aside and did it anyway. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. If you happen to feel the same as me, my word of advice is to remember everyone is in the same boat, specifically to my girls.

Everyone is looking for a friend, acquaintance, or just someone to talk to. At the end of the day, people are just…well, people! Engage in conversation, listen, share funny stories, and have fun.

Sometimes, all you have to do is smile and just say “Hi.”

GRAPHIC BY EMMA TONG FOR THE STUTE

BY KEENAN YATES ‘24 You may not notice it, but a significant portion of your life is run by habit. Which shoe did you tie first this morning? What snack do you turn to first when you have a slight craving? Everyday decision making requires a great amount of energy, and habits help lower the level of energy required in day to day life. Basically, habits are the equivalent of your phone’s low power mode — going through your everyday tasks on a sort of “cruise control” setting.

The Power of Habit teaches three vital lessons. First and foremost, it educates the reader on what precisely habits are and their effects.

Next, it shows why these habits are so difficult to break (hint: you’re approaching it the wrong way). Last but not least, The Power of Habit teaches the reader exactly how to make positive changes, and it is this final point that makes this book such a great read. Duhigg goes into many real life examples, ranging from Target’s algorithm to the military, which make this book an easy read and captivating from cover to cover. Overall, The Power of Habit gives the reader insight into how they can change their habits in order to benefit themselves, which is why this is the book to pick up when you decide it’s time to change for the better.

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Friday, September 10

Campus Pulse

Chris DiFalco ‘24

“Yeah, do you want me to explain?”

Ursula Oddo-White ‘24 “No i don’t.”

Dhavan Antala ‘25

“Yeah I do, I follow them on Instagram but I don’t know if they follow me back.”

ROVING REPORTER Megs Palao ‘25

“Do you know what The Stute is?”

Aparajita Rana ‘22

Federico Yacoubian ‘24

James Lepore ‘23

“The what?”

Sabah Naveed ‘25

“It’s the newspaper for the school right?”

“Yeah, it’s the newspaper.”

“Of course, oh my god I used to be in the Stute!”

“I do know what The Stute is.”

Streets in Hoboken

by Off Center

Sudoku

LAST WEEK’S CROSSWORD ANSWERS: Across: 1: Two 4: Five 8: Three 9: Nine 12: Fourteen 13: Twelve 14: Seven Down: 2: One 3: Sixteen 4: Four 5: Eleven 6: Ten 7: Thirteen 10: Eight 11: Fifteen 14: Six