We write Stevens history
The push to liven up weekends on campus
BY MADISON HELLER STAFF WRITER
It is a well-known issue on campus that the week ends on-campus are almost always dead. From Monday to Friday, Stevens is bustling with activity, particularly with the attendance and in terest that comes from the arrival of new students. But like clockwork, come Satur day morning, most people on campus have vanished like ghosts. And just like these disappearing students, events and meetings simply dry up until Monday morn ing when classes start again. There are a multitude of reasons why this phenome non occurs so regularly, but in short, it’s a chicken-andegg problem. Because there are no students on campus during the weekend, there are no events during the weekend. However, due to the fact there are no events on the weekend, there is no
School of Business welcomes new dean “GJ” de Vreede
BY TANYA AVADIA, BUSINESS MANAGER
With the start of the fall semester and with it the start of a new academic year, Stevens welcomed many new faces to campus, one of which is the new Dean of the School of Business. Gert-Jan “GJ” de Vreede has taken over as the Dean since September 1, 2024, succeeding Gregory
Prastacos, who retired at the end of his term in May 2024. Dean de Vreede joins Stevens after a holistic and highly selective process, and The Stute is eager to shed light on the new dean.
An overview of the new LLCs — what is an LLC?
BY AN LE, STAFF WRITER
Dean de Vreede joins the university after his time as the interim dean of the University of Southern Florida’s (USF) Muma College of Business and as a professor
Engineers Without Borders visits Peru
achieving major project milestone
at USF School of Management and Information Systems. During his time as the interim dean, the Muma College of Business experienced dramatic growth, seeing increased enrollment, getting greater funding for research opportunities, and rebranding and expanding USF’s fintech center into the Nault Center for Entrepreneurship.
Academically, Dean de
Vreede holds a PhD in Information Systems and a Masters of Science cum laude from Delft University of Technology. He is also widely recognized for his research in areas pertaining to artificial intelligence, crowdsourcing, and collaboration engineering with his work being published in many prestigious journals and cited over 12,000 times. Prior
New portal centralizes undergrad research, scholarship opportunities
BY JOSEPHINE CHOONG, CONTRIBUTOR
BY ARTHUR SERRA, MANAGING EDITOR
Engineers Without Borders USA (EWB) is an organization charged with the mission of literally building a better world. Going to areas which don’t have the infrastructure necessary to sustain basic human needs, EWB teams plan, and then build said infrastructure. It is with this mission in mind that the Stevens EWB chapter has recently gone to Peru to begin their own engineering project.
NEWS (2-3) The push to liven up weekends on campus Why is campus so dead on the weekends and what is being done to change that?
FEATURE (4-5) Friday the 13th and Meet the Greeks
On August 11, the EWBSIT travel team landed in the Peruvian mountain city of Cusco. They spent two days getting used to the altitude and an afternoon touring the archaeological site of the Tipón Ruins. Tipón is an archaeological site that proves that the Incan Empire had advanced hydraulic and irrigation systems such as aqueducts and fountains. After these first two days, the team traveled to the rural community of Chua Chua, which is nestled in the
SCIENCE (6) The biology of smell? Eye and face transplant? Read about what’s going on in the world of science.
PULSE (10) Read answers from the Stevens community to our weekly Roving Reporter, plus solve our weekly puzzle and sudoku.
Finding research positions can be confusing, especially if you don’t know where to look. With that in mind, the Office of Undergraduate Research recently revealed a new undergraduate research website. It serves as a center for exciting research opportunities at Stevens and their requirements and deadlines.
Andrés Mansisidor, the Director for Undergraduate Research and PhD Program Application, explains that the motive was to increase students’ access and awareness of the various resources available to them. It allows students to explore the research landscape to find opportunities for them and their career goals. Mansisidor hopes the website makes it easier for all students to seek support. “Undergraduate research positions can lead to amazing learning experiences,” they explain. “but it can be tricky to navigate the research landscape from getting a position in the first place or figure out which research opportunities are right for you and your career goals.” The website’s other objective is to create a sense of
community. By spotlighting students and their learning experiences, it will inspire other students to discover the vast world of research.
The research central provides a variety of curated resources, including research presented at scientific conferences, available internships, mental health resources, post-baccalaureate programs, and opportunities to publish in an undergrad research journal. When Mansisidor advised students, they often found themselves repeating the same things either verbally or through long emails. While they will continue to give tailored advice to students, the website was used to scale back their guidance and to better advertise on all research topics.
In that vein, many prestigious scholarships and fellowships were posted, including the Goldwater Scholarship, which is designed to help current sophomores and juniors in the natural sciences, engineering, and mathematics. It provides up to $7,500 a year, aiding costs associated with tuition, mandatory fees, books, room and board.Stevens will nominate six candidates, with at least
to working at USF, Dean de Vreede held several positions at a multitude of universities such as being a professor in the International Summer School at Renmin University in Beijing, China. Now, as the dean, de Vreede shares how he hopes to continue the work of former dean Gregory Prastacos
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As the Stevens community welcomes the new undergraduate class with the start of the Fall 2024 semester, the Stevens Office of Residential Education is also welcoming three new Living Learning Communities for returning students: Clark Scholars, Stevens Spotlight, and Connect4. Living-Learning Communities, abbreviated as LLC, are an initiative by the Office of Residential Education which aims to “bring together students who share similar identities, passions, and interests”. “LLCs began in the fall of 2021 as one component of the university’s strategic plan to enhance the student experience,” says Assistant Director Ryan Nolen from the Office of Residential Education. “LLCs are one way to help students form connections with one another as well as with faculty and staff who are connected to each community, and they also make the residential experience more fun and interesting!”
President Nariman Farvardin welcomed the class of 2028 in an email outlining all initiatives and changes to Stevens at the beginning of the fall semester, in which he announced the addition of
NATIONAL NEWS
Ukraine will keep Russian territory, says Zelenskyy
BY JEREMIAH CHINWENDU, STAFF WRITER
On February 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine, shocking world leaders and citizens alike. This invasion was the start of the war between the two countries, once united under the Soviet Union, that still continues today.
“The roots of the tension can be tied to some combination of the complicated history between the two countries, Russia’s ongoing tensions
with NATO and the ambitions of one man: [Vladimir] Putin,” writes Elliot Davis Jr. of US News.
The Council of Foreign Affairs pointed at “Ukraine’s ambitions to align itself more with Western countries – including its publicly stated interest in joining NATO” as the main contributors to Russia’s aggression. For the longest time, it seemed as though Ukraine was at the mercy of this aggression, as the country and its supporters had wavering
SEE UKRAINE PAGE 3
Iraq and US conduct joint operation against ISIS
BY ARTHUR SERRA, MANAGING EDITOR
The global War on Terror which started on that fateful day in 2001 continues. Late last month, a joint mission was conducted between the Iraqi and US militaries. Multiple ISIS camps and hideouts were attacked, and 14 or 15 ISIS operatives were killed. This raid was particularly notable because of the number of US troops involved in the operation. Since 2021, US Central
Command (in charge of operations in the Middle East) has acted in a more supportive role as its mission switched from combat to “advise and assist.”
ISIS is one of the principal terrorist actors in the Middle East, and although their reach and numbers have diminished since their height in the mid-2010s they are still a group that must be held in check. This year is on track to have double the
SEE ISIS PAGE 3
EWB-SIT TRAVEL TEAM SCOUTS THE LANDSCAPE ABOVE CHUA CHUA, PERU
PHOTO COURTESY OF BEN KNOBLOCH
KATIE NG FOR THE STUTE
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Volume CXXI No. 2
Executive Board
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF......................................ISABELLA ZIV ‘25
BUSINESS MANAGER............................TANYA AVADIA ‘26
MANAGING EDITOR..............................ARTHUR SERRA ‘27
LAYOUT EDITOR................................JIYA JAISINGHANI ‘27
OUTREACH CHAIR.........................................AVA WANG ‘25
DIGITAL MANAGER...................................ABBY JACOBS ‘27
SECRETARY..........................................NICOLE GIARDINO ‘25
HEAD COPY EDITOR.....................EVAN PAPAGEORGE ‘26
Editorial Board
NEWS EDITOR.........................................BEN KNOBLOCH ‘25
SCIENCE EDITOR..................................RIYANA PHADKE ‘27
OPINION EDITOR....................................TASHA KHOSLA ‘25
SPORTS EDITOR................................RUTHIE MULLISKY ‘26
FEATURES EDITOR...................................TIANNA SPITZ ‘27
PULSE EDITOR........................................MIA PETROLINO ‘25
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Josephine Choong
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NOTICE A MISTAKE?
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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.
WKND
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and waiting for students to magically decide that campus life is cool enough to stay is not going to happen. By and large, the only students that live on campus are first years, and second years, and the only way to change the current situation is to incentivise them to stay. This semester, the Student Government Association (SGA) hopes to encourage organizations on campus to host enticing events to help motivate students to stay for the weekend who otherwise wouldn’t. This issue was brought to the attention of the SGA in the Spring Semester
of 2024, and now in the new semester, they hope to see progress in achieving these goals. In order to get the word out about these weekend events The Division of Student Affairs has started including a “Ducks on the Weekend” section of their weekly release of The Duck Digest. This section includes a compiled list of events hosted by the SGA, the Office of Student Life, Stevens Athletics, the Entertainment Committee, and others. In September the message has particularly been directed toward first-year students and commuters who are encouraged to use these events as opportunities to make social connections during their first month as a student.
Now, this plan is not perfect,
most third year students and up live off-campus, and there are more reasons than boredom causing first and second years leave on the weekends. With quick access to home, many students (including this writer) leave to see a significant other or family members that are back home, which will always be more meaningful than any club activity. There are other motivating factors, too, like being stuck with a less than stellar roommate, or even wanting to sleep in your own bed and not do your own laundry for once. Hopefully with more stuff to do on the weekends, there will be more reasons for students to hang back, and relax with their friends until Monday rolls around.
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and continue to elevate the School of Business and Stevens as a whole. A look at the past shows how under Prastacos’ leadership, the School of Business came into existence and now sits in the top 75 best business schools in the nation, according to U.S. News and World Report. The number of applications, number of incoming class sizes, and number of tenure stream faculty have all increased exponentially. In 2012, at
LLC CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
the three new LLCs for a total of ten LLCs for the 2024-2025 school year. The first-year communities are First Generation Scholars (1GS), Women in Math, Science, and Engineering (WiMSE), Arts and Theater, Service and Leadership, and Pinnacle Scholars House. Including the newest LLCs created through Ducks by Design, the returning student communities this year are The Lore-El Center for Women’s Leadership, Stevens Chefs, Clark Scholars, Stevens Spotlight, and Connect4.
This year, there are three Ducks by Design LLCs for upper class students: Stevens Chefs, Stevens Spotlight, and Connect4. After their first year, students can design their own residential communities through Ducks by Design, a residential program in the UCC Residential Towers that requires an application and review by the Office of Residential Education. The application, or community proposal, includes a faculty fellow and staff member who acts
the start of former dean Prastacos term, there were two program offerings at the undergraduate level, six at the masters level, one PhD program. At the conclusion of his term in May 2024, there were a total of 24 programs offered at the School of Business: eight undergraduate majors, 13 masters programs, and 3 PhD level programs.
With the torch being passed, Dean de Vreede states how he is eager to join the Stevens community and how he “looks forward to playing a key role in helping not just the School of Business but the entire Stevens community further devel-
as a liaison by the students who support their goals for the development of the LLC. Stevens Chefs is a cooking LLC, bringing students, “through the joy of cooking,” as described by Nolen. Stevens Spotlight is an upper-class arts LLC similar to the Arts and Theater LLC. Connect4 is a gaming LLC for students who enjoy coming together through gaming.
Much is demanded of residential assistants, or RAs, during both the competitive selection process to become one and throughout the year they serve as an RA. While RAs already have to balance a myriad of responsibilities on top of supervising their respective floor, LLC RAs have the additional responsibility of maintaining a suitable environment for their LLC and the students within it. “Being an LLC RA requires much more coordination and time spent planning for relevant, interesting, and timely off-campus events,” says former Arts and Theater LLC RA Keenan Y. The Arts and Theater LLC would host trips to museums, theater shows, and various other events throughout the year, requiring coordination between faculty,
op the university’s profile as an ‘institution of choice’ for academics, research and innovation.”
President Farvardin shares how it is de Vreede’s impressive work regarding integration of the fields of artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship and technology that aligns with the University’s long term vision and strategic goals. “Under his leadership, I am confident the School of Business will continue elevating its national reputation for developing the next generation of innovators and business leaders.” states Farvardin.
staff advisors, the Office of Residential Education, associated Residential Directors, and other RAs. Despite the amount of work involved, Y found the work rewarding, saying, “It’s busy and requires lots of communication and chaperoning but if it’s something you’re passionate about it’s a lot of fun…The ability to give back to the community and guide other students to their own personal success is an exciting thing to be able to do.” LLCs are continuously expanding and changing through student feedback. When asked about students’ interest in LLCs over the years, Nolen says, “We have had consistent interest over the past few years by firstyear students, and we are always excited by the themes proposed by returning students through Ducks by Design.” To find out more about LLCs, students are encouraged to check out the Residential Education website for updated information about LLCs and other aspects of student life at Stevens. Students interested in proposing a Ducks by Design LLC for the 2025-2026 year, more information will be provided later in the Fall 2024 semester.
DEAN
PERU
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Andes mountain range at almost 15,000 feet above sea level and is part of the indigenous Q’eros nation.
The Q’eros are descendants of the Incas, who created the site of Tipón. When the Spanish conquered South America, the ancestors of the people living in Chua Chua survived by retreating into the mountains. There they were safe from disease, invasive species, and the Conquistadors. More on this can be found in a previous article by the Stute published in May before the trip.
The Q’eros people have maintained their living conditions during most of the 400 years since their relocation. However, in recent years due to the changing climate, they have found themselves experiencing very low water reten-
UKRAINE
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its supporters had wavering hope in the chances of this war ending. However, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently launched an attack on Russia that many believe will change the tides of this global conflict.
On August 6 of this year, Zelenskyy launched an incursion into Russia’s Kursk region, giving the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, control over nearly 500 square miles of Russian territory and taking hundreds Russian prisoners of war. This was a prophylactic measure meant to keep Russia from forming a buffer zone along Ukraine’s border, as this would create more physical distance between the armed forces and make Ukraine more vulnerable during this time. Zelenskyy told NBC news that the Biden administration was not involved in or aware of this attack and no further details regarding future plans of attack can be divulged at this time. He accredits the success of this attack to the secrecy of the plans. In the first one-
tion during the dry season in their winter. EWB’s mission there is to work with the community to build a sustainable solution for this problem. Once in Chua Chua, the team discussed the water retention issue with the locals and followed that up with taking a survey of the surrounding area. This included soil analysis, prospecting for different water sources, and a land survey. The EWB team spent four days there, during which they will complete a comprehensive report that will form the base of the next stage of the project.
The EWB travel team for this trip consisted of Cole Spitzner (President of EWB-SIT), Ben Knobloch (Vice President of EWB), Meghan Slate (Secretary of EWB), Vince Menichelli (Project Development Lead), and Will Franznick (Fundraising Lead). Upon their return from the community, they took a well deserved break.
The chapter is now beginning
on-one interview since his country was first invaded years ago, Zelenskyy told NBC, “We don’t need their land. We don’t want to bring our Ukrainian way of life there.” Kyiv intends to hold onto this territory as a way of forcing Putin into an agreement to end the war. At this point, it would seem as though both countries are more focused on gaining ground on their enemy than protecting their own land. An anonymous Western Intelligence official told NBC, “Ukrainians are taking and holding Russian land. Russians are pushing in the east. It could be a question of who withdraws their forces first.” US officials say that the Russian military has not yet diverted any of its troops from eastern Ukraine to combat Ukrainian forces currently holding Russian territory. Instead, in the weeks following the incursion, Russia has claimed over a dozen new settlements in Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and the eastern Donetsk region.
CIA Deputy Director David Cohen told NBC that it would be difficult for Russia to take back the territory because Ukraine has already begun building military defenses and set up many bases.
the brainstorming process for solutions. One of the problems that was identified is that water tends to dissipate into the soil before it can be used to water crops or be consumed by alpacas (an important part of the Q’eros economy). One of the team’s initial ideas is to build an irrigation channel to carry water from further up-hill down to the village.
However, many discussions have yet to be had, and the entire EWB team will be spending the next school year in a planning phase deciding what should be built, how it will be built, with what materials and when it will be built. Following that there will be a second trip which will be part of the implementation phase of the project. If you’re interested in the idea of creating complex water systems in the Peruvian mountains, and helping out a rural community impacted by climate change, join EWB in their quest to create a modern day Tipón!
Some influential military bloggers have voiced their criticisms of Russia’s military leadership for letting the incursion happen and doing nothing about the Russian citizens now living under Ukrainian rule. Despite this, there has been no public outrage at Putin or the top-ranking officials even though over 130,000 Russians were forced to flee the war zone. The war has progressed deeper into Russia, as drone strikes have destroyed air bases, oil depots, and other crucial infrastructure.
In spite of this, Russian state media continues to push the message that things are under control and Putin continues his usual domestic and foreign travels. On August 24 of this year, Ukraine celebrated its independence day in peace for the first time in 2 years.
Sergey Mikheev, a Russian political analyst, fears that this combined with lack of response from the country’s leaders will lead to “demobilization and international demotivation” of Russians. He says that time is running out for Putin to respond and take action on the land that was seized and whether or not he chooses to will decide the fate of this war.
PORTAL
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one spot reserved for a veteran and another for a transfer student. The nomination deadline is November 11. For more details, there is an information session on September 19 from 3 to 4 p.m. Another example is the Fulbright US Scholar Program, a fellowship that funds post-graduate degrees abroad. It gives seniors a chance for an enriching global experience in countries like the United Kingdom or Germany. The campus deadline is September 16 and seniors should reach out to UndergraduateResearch@stevens.edu to apply.
Additionally, there is a research survey for those who did a summer research internship or fellowship in 2024. Mansisidor clarified that it seeks to understand the overall research experience and the capacity for undergraduate research.
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This year is on track to have double the number of ISIS attacks on Iraq and Syria, according to a New York Times report, which may be one of the reasons for the increased US involvement.
The source of these attacks comes from the Anbar desert, where the majority of ISIS’s camps are. However, the Iraqi government has been able to ward off attacks, they have yet to be able to assure destruction of the terrorist group’s base of supplies. This is where the latest raid was held. Although exact details have not been released due to the covert nature of the operation, we do know that 14 (according to the Iraqis) or 15 (according to the US) ISIS operatives were killed. Several high-ranking leaders were killed or captured, but their names have not been released.
Iraqi casualties are unknown, but there were only 7 wounded and no dead among the 100-plus strong US force involved.
What are the skills students are learning? What is the quality of their mentorship? From an administrative point, are there any ways to make sure these experiences are enriching and fulfilling? Furthermore, it’s also to comprehend how many undergrads are engaged in undergraduate research and to what extent. Using the anonymized data, the Office of Undergraduate Research will work with the Student Government Association to award faculty and graduate students who demonstrate outstanding mentorship.
The website will update on a regular basis with new and relevant opportunities while responding to the needs of students and faculty. “As students become familiar with this site and the opportunities available to them,” Mansisidor says. “I hope that they are more prepared for finding research projects and for thriving in those roles.”
This strike will certainly allow the Iraqi government to continue to attack ISIS where it hurts, potentially leading to more stability in the region. Although US troops might not be involved in future operations, Air Force drones are actively searching for future targets for the Iraqis to strike. If the next administration continues to supply support to the Iraqi government, ISIS may cease to be a threat altogether. ISIS
This potentially increased
operational tempo in the Middle East comes at an interesting time for American foreign policy. A carrier group has been assigned to the region in case of a possible larger Arab-Israeli conflict breaking out. However, in recent years the US has focused far more of its resources—both monetary and military—in Eastern Europe and Asia. Supporting Ukraine and Russia, as well as shoring up Taiwanese defenses, has been far more important than rooting out small camps in the desert. Given that the Middle East has been heating up for the past year, a foreign policy shift may be in the queue for the next administration.
MEET THE GREEKS
FRATERNITY & SORORITY LIFE
While being a member of the Stevens flock unites you with a newfound family, many further their brother and sisterhoods here by joining the Greek life community. To encourage not only the newest Ducks but every undergraduate student to seek out the organization that best suits their campus goals and personal missions, the social and cultural fraternities and sororities at Stevens hosted Meet the Greeks! On September 9, at Palmer Lawn from 4 to 6 p.m., the welcoming members of current Greek life organizations put on an incredible display of our open-hearted school culture for all attendees.
Stevens offers nine national inter-fraternal conference social fraternities, three national panhellenic social sororities, and a variety of cultural Greek life organizations. Every one of
which comes together to woo hopeful recruits into rushing for the house that gives them a keen sense of camaraderie, support, and uplift at college.
The appeal to join Greek life may differ from student to stu dent, but 22%of the undergrad uate population participate in either a fraternity or sorority, and many take immense pride in the organization that welcomes them to be a life-long representation of their group. Many participate in Stevens Greek life to have access to an impressive list of benevolent alumni, to foster incredible bonds with friends, to act on philanthropic desires, and the list goes on. Meet the Greeks displayed everything Greek life has to offer in hopes of providing their fellow ducks a home away from home.
CULTURAL GREEK
COUNCIL (CGC)
Lambda Upsilon Lambda
Nu Alpha Phi
Omega Phi Beta
Alpha Phi Alpha
Sigma Psi Zeta Lambda
PANHELLENIC COUNCIL
COUNCIL (IFC)
The three social sororities had beautiful displays to spark the interest of recruits, complete with light-up Greek letters and brightly colored and coordinat-
vens campus. The table for Stevens’ Panhellenic Association was located front and center on Palmer Lawn. The association fights practices of hazing and promotes healthy relationships between everyone partaking in Greek life. A member of this student-run association detailed the strongly enforced campus-wide slogan: Ducks Don’t Haze. This policy assists in enabling Greek life participants not to be bystanders to hazing, to be aware of resources to report hazing to, and to educate students on methods of standing up for themselves if
A Delta Pi sorority member commented how being a part of the Greek life community has impacted her time at Stevens. She said, “The friendships I have made through Greek life have served me so much here. As an engineering major, there are few girls around me in class. I found lasting girl friendships at Stevens which was one of my biggest worries coming into college.” She was not alone in sharing the immense benefits of joining a Stevens sorority, including but not limited to supporting philanthropic causes such as anorexia nervosa recovery and donating to women’s cardiovascular health.
A brother of Phi Sigma Kappa highlighted the close and helpful friendships formed between every Greek organization on campus, regardless of fraternity or sorority, as everyone has the common goals of forming strong connections and giving back.
The cultural Greek organi-
zations on campus were excited to share their goals of fostering inclusivity, as they serve as grounds for cultural celebration for students of Black, Latinx, Asian heritages, and more. They never limit themselves to accepting students of any single background! Stevens alumni connections remain strong as a 2022 alumni and proud member of the sorority, Omega Phi Beta, with the aim of enriching Latina culture on campus, came out to support her favorite part of Stevens and meet some future sisters.
Another successful Meet the Greeks is in the books! As the saying goes, once a duck always a duck — similarly once a member of a Greek society, always a member! Stevens is proud to stimulate relationships that will continue supporting each other throughout our journeys. Meet the Greeks, 2024, introduced many fresh faces to the unbreakable tradition and bond within Stevens and beyond!
SHIVER ME TIMBERS
IT’S FRIDAY THE 13 TH !
Friday the 13th Fun Facts
1. Friday the 13th is considered the most unlucky day
2. The bible is partly responsible for people fearing Friday the 13th.
3. Araskavedekatriaphobia is the phobia of Friday the 13th
4. According to the British Medical Journal there is a significant increase in traffic-related accidents when the date is Friday the 13th
COLORING SECTION
BY ARTHUR SERRA, MANAGING EDITOR
Today is Friday the 13th, ooooooooooh spooky. Any Friday that falls on the 13th of a month is considered very unlucky in Wwestern culture. It’s one of those many superstitions like black cats, stepping on a crack, or walking under a ladder that everyone knows about, but few know the origins of. The source of the original superstition lies in Christianity and the death of Jesus Christ. At the Last Supper, Christ and the 12Twelve Apostles – including Judas –had dinner, and then the next day, which happened to be a Friday, Jesus was crucified. Since then many events have only compounded this fear.
On “Friday the 13th” of October, 1307 Philip IV of France had the Knights Templar arrested and the order soon fell. A very popular Christian organization, and arguably the first international bankers, this solidified triskaidekaphobia (fear of the number 13) and further linked it with Friday.
Another story that is told is that Hammurabi’s famous law code (in 1790-50 BC) did not have a 13th law, skipping straight from the 12th law (Witnesses must appear within six months or be found guilty/pay a fine) to the 14th (kidnapping a son = death). If this great and ancient society avoided the number 13 why shouldn’t we?
Perhaps something that has motivated this fear is that the number 12 is commonly seen as the perfect number in Western society. There are 12 apostles (or 12 apostles + Jesus - Judas), 12 tribes of Israel, and 12 months. For no other number do we have a shorthand like a “dozen” in En glish. Mayhaps back in the good old days of fire and brimstone the guys were like “This whole 13 thing, just not quite as good
as 12 is it?” And since then we’ve been repelled by it.
Now you may have noticed that I’ve been mentioning “western society” a lot in this article. That is because 13 being unlucky is a distinctly Western/European thing. You won’t find buildings that lack a 13th story in Beijing for example. However, in China, and consequently most of Asia, the unlucky number is four. Four in Chinese is pronounced si, and death in Chinese is si, their only spoken difference is a slight accentuation of the “i.”.
To be completely honest, that seems a lot more reasonable than a bunch of coincidences and a religious fellow having dinner with 11 friends and a backstabber.
So I wish everyone reading this on the day of publishing a wonderful and lucky Friday the 13th. Remember, we make our own luck, just think good thoughts, be happy, and look on the bright side of things and it’ll be a great day. I, myself, will be spending all day avoiding cracks, ladders, cats (all kinds, just to be safe) and sitting at a table with 12 others because although I don’t believe in luck, I can’t help but feel that a sophomore MechE can’t go without it.
BY JEYLAN JUBRAN, CONTRIBUTOR
“I know you want to keep everything the same. But life is change, and you have to adapt to it.” This iconic line from Topanga Lawrence, portrayed by Danielle Fishel, was a memorable piece of wisdom in the popular 2014 TV show Girl Meets World, a spinoff of the 90s hit Boy Meets World. Unfortunately, this week, fans of both shows were faced with their own moment of change as they learned of Fishel’s breast cancer diagnosis.
Fishel recently discussed her diagnosis on her podcast Pod Meets World, emphasizing the crucial importance of yearly mammograms, X-ray screenings for breast cancer. She revealed that her early detection was attributed to not missing her scheduled appointment. “The only reason I caught this cancer when it is still stage zero is because the day I got my text message that my yearly mammogram had come up, I made the appointment,” she explained.
Regular screening for breast cancer is vital as it can detect the disease early when treatment is more effective. Updated guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force now recommend that women at average risk begin mammogram screening at age 40, instead of waiting until 50. This new guidance builds on the 2016 recommendations, which advised women between 40 and 50 to make individualized decisions about screening with their healthcare providers. The update reflects recent research, which includes more studies on breast cancer in younger women.
Fishel was diagnosed with Stage 0 DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) breast cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, DCIS is a “very early form of breast cancer” where “cancer cells are confined inside a milk duct in the breast” and have not yet spread into surrounding tissue. Risk factors for DCIS include genetic mutations
(like BRCA1 and BRCA2), family history of breast cancer, early menstruation or menopause, lack of full-term pregnancies, being physically inactive, overweight or obese, use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, previous radiation therapy, and alcohol consumption.
She reassured her listeners, “They found it so, so, so early that I’m going to be fine. I hope it will encourage anyone to get in there [and get checked]. If it’s time for your appointment, if you’ve never had an appointment before, get in there. If you have to find out you have cancer, find out at stage zero if possible.”
Fishel shared that she had always thought she would “suffer in silence” if diagnosed with cancer, but was inspired by author Glennon Doyle to speak publicly about her experience and raise awareness. She mentioned that she faces significant decisions regarding treatment options and may need to pause some projects while managing her health.
The key takeaway from Danielle Fishel’s journey is the importance of regular health checkups. As she wisely put it, “You’re going to meet the world now, and I don’t know if the world is ready for you.” Don’t let the world miss out on knowing you because of your own neglect. Prioritize your health and schedule those important screenings.
BY JEREMIAH CHINWENDU, STAFF WRITER
Of all the senses human beings have that allow us to understand the world, the sense of smell is the hardest for scientists to understand. All sensory information is captured by receptors. Our eyes have two types of receptor cells that allow us to perceive light. Our ears have small hair cells that allow us to pick up the frequencies of sound. However, our noses have over 400 receptor cells that allow us to recognize trillions of different smells. These receptors bind to odorant molecules to provide olfactory information. How these receptors work and their structures are unknown and much work needs to be done to determine how the body takes in and processes smell. Scientists at various research institutes have made advances in biology, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI) to better understand how smell works and the role it plays in memory, stress, appetite, and other factors. The hope is that these advancements can be applied to clinical settings. The problem with understanding smell is that it does not exist on a fixed spectrum like our other senses. “With vision, the spectrum is a simple color palette: red, green, blue and all their swirling intermediates. Sounds have a frequency and a volume, but for smell there are no obvious parameters”, says Kerri Smith of Nature science jour-
nal. There is no way to tell what molecules in the air are binding to what receptors in the nose. People are also capable of gaining vastly different opinions about what they smell and how strongly. One solution scientists have considered to help with this problem is by looking at the molecular structure of compounds to see if there is a correlation between structure and smell. As Smith explains this approach is flawed because, “the chemical structure of a molecule tells you almost nothing about its odor. Two chemicals with very similar structures can smell wildly different; and two wildly different chemical structures can produce an almost identical odor.”
Last year, Alex Wiltschko, head of a research institute called Osmo, located in Massachusetts, collaborated with researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center to develop an AI model to show the mechanism of molecules binding to smell receptors. “Their program was trained by feeding the model thousands of descriptions of molecular structures from fragrance catalogs, along with smell labels for each — terms such as ‘beefy’ or ‘floral’”, says Smith. They compared the AI system with human noses and trained 15 professionals to rate hundreds of smells with 55 different labels such as smoky, sweet, and waxy. This program takes into account the chemical structure and components of the molecules and correlates them to the smell descriptions given by the experts.
Those involved in its development recognize the subjectivity of a smell description as a factor that could affect the validity of their program. Students at the University of California, San Francisco have created the first 3D visual representation of how molecules bind to cell receptors. Aashish Manglik, associate professor of pharmaceutical chemistry, and his lab, “used a type of imaging called cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), that allows researchers to see atomic structure and study the molecular shapes of proteins”, writes Robin Marks. Manglik collaborated with Dr. Hiroaki Matsunami of Duke University to locate, “an odorant receptor that was abundant in both the body and the nose, thinking it might be easier to make artificially”. They chose the receptor OR51E2, as this is capable of detecting water-soluble odorants. The collaborating teams were able to use their imaging to map the interaction between the chemical propionate, which gives swiss cheese its rich and nutty aroma, and OR51E2. Understanding this relationship gives us insight into how we use smell to tell when food is bad.
Other applications for the visualization of smell include detecting harmful chemicals in the air and detecting harmful reagents in the body to detect disease. More receptors and their molecules are being studied so we can quantify how smell works as well as its relationship with our other senses, our emotions, and our memories.
BY RIYANA PHADKE, SCIENCE EDITOR
Over a year ago, a surgical team at NYU Langone Health performed the world’s first whole-eye and partial-face transplant for military veteran Aaron James. He had survived a high-voltage electrical accident at work in 2021 when his face touched a live wire. Despite undergoing many reconstructive surgeries, James still had injuries, including the loss of his left eye, left arm from the elbow, nose, lips, front teeth, left cheek, and chin. Despite all of this, James, 46, has made remarkable progress and has resumed his daily life in Arkansas.
The NYU Langone team was first introduced to Aaron’s case two months after his injury, taking guidance from a Texas medical center that was providing him early-phase reconstruction care. The possibility of a face transplant was discussed over the course of a year, but when Texas surgeons were forced to remove James’ left eye due to severe pain, the discussion of the possibility of an eye transplant along with a face transplant, something that had never been tried before.
In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, clinical outcomes from this case have been reported. The donor eye maintained normal pressure and blood flow over the past year, even though many animal models of whole-eye transplants indicated otherwise.
Although Aaron’s new eye has not yet restored his vision, there is still
hope. An electroretinography—a test that measures the retina’s electrical response to light—shows that the eye has some photoreceptor response. This means that the rods, cones, and nerve cells in the eye all survived the transplant.
“Our discoveries over the past year mark promising initial results, laying a foundation for further advancements and ongoing research,” said Eduardo D. Rodriguez, MD, DDS, the senior author of the study and the surgeon who led a team of more than 140 medical professionals who collaborated on the procedure. “We are truly amazed by Aaron’s recovery, with no episodes of rejection”.
The surgery lasted 21 hours and involved microsurgical techniques, customized surgical devices, and cell-based therapies. This procedure was also the first attempt at injecting stem cells into a human optic nerve during a transplant. The goal was to enhance nerve regeneration for James post-surgery.
Dr. Rodriguez and his colleagues from Hansjörg Wyss Department of Plastic Surgery, the Departments of Ophthalmology and Radiology, and NYU Langone’s Transplant In stitute worked together to ensure that Aaron received the best pos sible outcome. It seems that their hard work and dedication have led to the scientific breakthrough the community sees a year later.
As for James, this year has been marked by many milestones – he notes that he does not take any thing for granted and looks for ward to what matters most in his life. “I have felt honored to be pa
tient zero. Even if I can’t see out of my new eye, I’ve gained my quality of life back, and I know this is a step forward in the path to help future patients,” said James.
Vision loss is something that over seven million Americans struggle with. While there are many methods to minimize the progression of sight loss, nothing can currently restore a person’s vision. Up until now, whole-eye transplants have remained too complex for execution due to numerous difficulties. Surgical teams must ensure they maintain blood flow, prevent immune rejection, preserve the eye’s response to light, and ensure that nerve connections to the brain regrow so that proper signaling occurs.
“We’ve done the work to transplant an eye. We now need to do more work in understanding how to restore sight to the eye,” said Dr. Rodriguez. “We look forward to continuing this research in collaboration across academia to accelerate these discoveries with unique tools and the best therapies.”
PHOTO COURTESYOF HALEY RICCIARDI
Shutout sets new win record for field hockey coach Spencer Blaetz
CONTRIBUTOR
On Saturday, August 31, 2024 the Stevens field hockey team went up against Ramapo College, and left with a 5-0 win. Along with securing the team’s first win of the season, head coach Meredith Spencer-Blaetz broke a program record. For 14 years, Jessica Reed held a record high for wins while coaching field hockey with 82 wins from 2004-2010. Spencer-Blaetz set a new win record with her 83rd career win.
The Ducks took a quick offensive position, outshooting Ramapo with 10 attempted shots within the first few minutes. It wasn’t until about 12 minutes into the first quarter when junior Gabi Moroney sunk the first goal with an assist from senior Makenna Quigley, making the score 1-0. This marked the first goal for the game and Moroney’s
It was in the second quarter when the Ducks were able to double their lead on the Roadrunners. With multiple attempted shots from graduate student Julia Zatyko, it wasn’t until 20 minutes into the game when sophomore Taylor Brooks scored an unassisted goal, bringing the score up to 2-0. Despite taking 24 shots on Ramapo in the first half of the game, the girls were unsuccessful in scoring another goal in the second quarter. It was only 36 seconds into the third quarter when Moroney scored her second goal of the game with an assist from sophomore Sophia Cozza, and Stevens extended their lead to three. Along with Moroney, Brooks also got her second goal of the game in the third quarter with no assist, giving Stevens the far lead with a score of 4-0. The final winning goal of the game was scored in the 53rd minute by soph-
sist by Cozza yet again. By the end of the game, the Ducks come out with a shutout victory as a strong start to their season, the star players of the game being Moroney with 5 shots and 2 goals, Brooks with 3 shots and 2 goals, Kopernick with 7 shots and 1 goal, and Cozza with 4 shots and 2 assists.
ting a new win record, the game had been monumental for the girls. Moroney had her second multi-goal game since scoring twice against Delaware Valley on October 22, 2022. Cozza had her first two assist game in her career, and for the first time since versing Lycoming College on September 17, 2022, the Ducks held an opponent shotless.
Athletics begins for the Fall 2024 season
BY ABBY JACOBS, DIGITAL MANAGER
Stevens’ athletes have made an impressive start to the fall 2024 season. Notably, Field Hockey is already 3-0 in their season, having completed two exhibition matches, and Women’s Volleyball has won in five of their games thus far, out of six. Additionally, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country took a respective third and fourth place at the Vassar Season Starter on Friday, August 30. In addition to the team victories, three Stevens athletes have already been individually honored by the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).
The women’s volleyball team started their season on August 30, with a 3-0 (25-17, 25-18, 25-19) win against Keene State College. Notable game contenders included junior Vivian Lisboa, senior Cleo Shannon, graduate student Meg Dion, and her classmate, Elle Maggio. The four collected 23 kills and 17 blocks during the day, Lisboa leading with eight kills and seven blocks of her own. Then, just three days later, Shan-
non, along with graduate student Liz Patterson, took MAC Freedom Player of the Week awards. In the three games before the award, Shannon had made an astounding 36 kills, and 8 blocks, granting her Offensive Player of the Week, whereas Patterson took Defensive Player of the Week honors with 59 digs during the same weekend.
The men’s cross country team also made the MAC award list for the week of September 2. Senior Jake Aylmer made marks on the Ducks’ placement at the Vassar Season Starter when he took fourth in 12:31.7, and the team collected 73 total points. This time also marked Aylmer’s personal best for the 4K. Three days later, he was named the MAC Runner of the Week.
Both teams will next compete on Saturday, September 14, 2024. Women’s Volleyball will be competing against Muhlenberg College and Vassar College in Allentown, PA. Both Men’s and Women’s Cross Country will be taking on the Osprey Invitational in Galloway, NJ.
STEVENS SCOREBOARD
FIELD HOCKEY Swarthmore College Swarthmore, PA 1
SUN SEP 15
WOMEN’S TENNIS Swat Invite–Day Two Swarthmore, PA TBA
MEN’S GOLF The Gauntlet–Day One Lewisburg, PA TBA
MON SEP 16
MEN’S GOLF The Gauntlet–Day Two Lewisburg, PA TBA
TUE SEP 17
WOMEN’S SOCCER Montclair State University Hoboken, NJ 7 p.m.
WED SEP 18
FIELD HOCKEY New Paltz Hoboken, NJ 4 p.m.
MEN’S SOCCER New Paltz Hoboken, NJ 7 p.m.
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM (SHOT BY MIKE MCLAUGHLIN)
PHOTO COURTESY OF STEVENSDUCKS.COM
MIND OF A FRESHMAN
What is the college experience?
BY EILIYAH SAROWAR ‘28
Most people’s biggest fear of entering college is their choice of major or making the right friends. My biggest fear is having college be High School Part 2.
SENIORITIS
Of course, I still fear the former, but there’s something inexplicably haunting about being a high school student for eight years. The weird thing is I loved high school. As stressful as it was, I definitely grew into a hard worker and had some fun. Would I like to go through that all over again? Definitely not.
In movies, college is always depicted as a period of freedom and self-discovery. My favorite show, Community, is about a study group forming at a community college. Despite their varying ages and backgrounds, the college serves as a mag-
Sushi skimpflation
BY AVA WANG ‘25
Pierce’s late-night hours are back, and with them arrives another Stevens Dining classic — Sushi Friday. I recently hit off my first Sushi Friday of the Fall 2024 semester, celebrating the completion of my first week of senior year with a hybrid crew of old and new friends,
FOODIE FINDS
all in need of fuel for the night’s activities. I must say, what this week’s rolls were lacking in the assembly department, they made up for in overall ingredient freshness. Upon completion of my first roll, I re-entered the sushi line to retrieve my next, only to find that in the time between my first and second queue, the prescribed sushi serving size that Tracy is allowed to dole out had been decreased from a reasonable six pieces to a measly four. Now, because of the all-you-can-eat nature of Pierce, you can queue for sushi and receive your four pieces as many times as you would like, but this
ical place that enables them to grow stronger bonds and live through unforgettable memories together. It’s those moments that make college better than high school, the moments that define the college experience. But what is the college experience? What makes it so special, and what sets it apart from high school? As a commuter student, these questions especially haunt me. I’m going to spend the next several months traveling to Stevens, attending class, and leaving. This doesn’t leave any time in my schedule for paintball
nights or staying up with friends working on group projects, making me faceto-face with my biggest fear. There’s nothing more haunting than working on a project with an established friend group or not understanding an inside joke everyone gets. For the longest time, I was afraid that those would all equate to my Stevens experience. After asking around, I realized that no one had a definition for the college experience. However, everyone did have an understanding of what they wanted their college experience to be. Some wanted to make
the most of their youth, and others wanted to become a straight-A honors student. We were all certain it was something we were looking forward to despite having no idea what it actually was.
The college experience is ambiguous and different for everyone. My college experience won’t be the same as my peers, but that’s exactly what makes it good. It’s a personal adventure to look back on in the future and a goal to look forward to in the present. I may not be able to embark on 2 a.m. trips to Insomnia Cookies, but I do have the special privilege of staying in my
comfortable bed and eating my mom’s incredible food. I want to spend the next 4 years chasing my specific college experience, one that involves making great memories with my friends on campus while making it back home to continue my part-time job and study in my favorite cafes. While you embark on your college journey, be sure to not let yourself have fun for the sole purpose of chasing the arbitrary experience. In the end, you’re the one who defines what your college experience is, and you have complete control over what you make of it.
33% skimpflation on sushiper-queue still dampened my mood. There has been a general decrease in meal swipe value during my time here, and I have to empathize with the future generations that will not know the days of one roll = six sushi, a Colonel Johns meal, or the thrill of evading William the Water Warden.
Despite the great meal swipe recession, Pierce remains a place of creativity for some. A good fellow by the name of Tommy B. consistently impresses me with his innovative approach to dining hall food. He works diligently to hone his craft, Pierce as his canvas, crafting dishes that push the
boundaries of what’s possible. After my first (and now, archaic) round of six sushi rolls, I watched him turn a normal bacon, egg, and cheese into a Rocky’s Deli Hashtag sandwich dupe of sorts with an ingenious addition of some chicken tenders—a reminder that even in the most restrictive of environments, creativity thrives.
To bypass the new restriction that a snack swipe can no longer get you a latte made with a dairy alternative, I suggest that you visit Pierce Café with a snack swipe during the breakfast timeframe, request a black coffee, then get your milk of choice inside of Pierce. I just
Boba is the secret to making friends
BY PRISHA VAGVALA ‘28
Amidst the busy freshman orientation, caught in the rush of learning my schedule and navigating crowded halls, I felt immense pressure to find the right friends — the group of friends that would last a lifetime. I talked to my high school friends about this new, daunting experi-
ence, and they recommended making connections through common hobbies, classes, or finding a commuter community. It wasn’t until I started going out with different groups and meeting new people that I realized our feet always led us to the same hangout spot: aesthetic, Instagram-worthy boba shops. Boba was more than just a sweet drink with chewy black spheres filled with satisfaction; it became a sacred act of companionship amongst so many new ducks. We’d find ourselves discussing which flavors were superior or debating whether Kung Fu Tea or Gong Cha was the better boba shop. Personally, I’d always plead my case for
people. Within a few days of moving in, some friends and I wanted to look into tickets for some concerts. We ended up buying tickets to see Built to Spill, a legendary indie band, performing for the 30th anniversary of their 1994 album, There’s Nothing Wrong with Love. They played an incredible show, it was an inspiring performance to watch and I am so grateful I jumped on the opportunity to go.
Gong Cha, but some of my friends argued that Kung Fu Tea had lower prices, bigger serving sizes, and availability on GrubHub. I remember being pleasantly surprised when I ordered my strawberry lemonade with mango-popping boba at Gong Cha. I hadn’t expected much, but after my first sip, I felt like I’d been missing out on something my entire life. The dried pineapple in my drink was pure perfection, complementing the delicate mango popping pearls, and the strawberry lemonade itself was perfectly balanced — not overly sweet or too lemony. Later, I tried the same drink at Kung Fu Tea with different people, this time opting for strawberry
to go to a concert, go earlier than later, you won’t regret it.
It’s also super important to note that most of these venues are pretty careful about age and I would suggest bringing an ID of some sort with you. If you are under drinking age they mark you with two exes on your hands and you feel like the venue’s most wanted.
popping boba instead. It was a completely different experience, and I realized I had found my “regular” order. Each boba shop visit became more than just a taste test; it was a moment of connection, comfort, and discovery among the chaos of college life. People recommended taro, which is very light and slightly nutty, and some said the Oreo milk tea was deliciously chocolatey.
Either way, boba also served as a way of expressing yourself through your flavor; I started associating people with their orders. It wasn’t just about people though, it extended to associating it with occasions. For example, when fireworks lit up the sky
happen to have a preference for taste of almond milk in coffee, but I strongly feel this upcharge is an unfair strike against those with dairy allergies, and it’s absurd to me that the sub one dollar difference between the price of a gallon of whole milk and a gallon of almond milk translates to a $0.50 upcharge per latte. In hopes of sparking more dining hall creativity, I’ve listed some tried and true ideas below. Pierce “Secret Menu” items: Go to Delicious Without and get one of those giant gluten free cookies, and put it through the toaster (don’t let the chocolate get too melted and drip into heat-
ing elements, multiple quick passes through are better than one slow one)
Root beer + ice cream = Root beer float
Get grilled chicken on the grill line, bring it to the sandwich station and get a chicken quesadilla
The oatmeal alone is a little tough, but can be elevated with your milk of choice, honey from the coffee station, cinnamon from the granola yogurt station and a banana from the fruit basket by the pizza station
The soup station is underrated, take a look next time. Optional: add pasta to the soup
Happy crafting!
across the Hudson River, my friends proposed that having boba while watching the fireworks together would be perfect. Just like that, this simple drink became a connection. After a stressful class, we would type “wanna get boba” in the group chat, and with that text, the whole group would assemble together in a few minutes, and the Hoboken streets would see us marching towards the nearest boba shops in desperate need of sweet happiness.
Boba helped us debrief as we shared our stories or whined about assignments; it felt like a safe space from the fast-paced environment for us. The fun starts with the order-
ing process, choosing from a range of flavors like the creme brulee brown sugar milk tea or the strawberry milk tea boba, and personally choosing from an extensive menu like the one Gong Cha has makes me eager to order. It’s not just about choosing from a large variety of sweet teas and colorful drinks — I see boba becoming a new tradition for making friends. Each boba shop, whether it’s rustic-themed or one with a more natural vibe, has a relaxed environment for hanging out with new friends or even studying together. These little boba adventures are a casual way to bond with fellow ducks and strengthen friendships over a shared love of boba.
My ultimate goal when moving onto campus was to start getting more immersed in the music around me to find inspiration. That means concerts, building bands, and being more present in all of the arts intertwining to connect with
The concert was Sunday night and it was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had as a concert-goer. We got there around 6:30 p.m., we all wanted to be there on time and see the opening band perform. We got really good spots in the room because of this. If you want
The opener, Kicking Giant, had a serious impact on my friends and I. They were raw and real and showcased a performance of love for their past, their music and for each other, and it was beautiful to watch. The duo, guitar and drums, had such a personal touch on all they were doing. I loved their doit-yourself attitude and their
presence on stage. They are unapologetic about who they are and still thoughtful, actually apologizing to us because it “wasn’t their best.” Behind them was a compilation, which they made themselves, of pictures from their past, which was deeply emotional. It felt like an honor that they were sharing so much with us, it was such a unique experience. Built to Spill came onto stage and they immediately started playing, they had the entire room moving within seconds. I have to admit that my eyes were closed for half of the show but looking at the lights through my eyelids felt like I was in my own world. It was the kind of experience where everyone present was trapped togeth-
er in time with nothing to think about except what we were listening to. The band finished playing and left the stage for a few minutes, then started their encore. They played a few more songs, including their most recognizable, “Carry the Zero”. Their encore was like a second show, they jammed and I returned to that moment stuck in time and I wish I could keep it forever.
We also had the opportunity to say hi to the band and bassist, Melanie Radford, gave us a signed pick. I am also a victim of post concert sea-legs and a serious case of vertigo because I danced myself sick. It was totally worth it and I would do it every day if I could. It was a great experience to let loose
with friends, even strangers in the room felt close during the show.
Concertgoing isn’t just about the music, of course it helps when the band is good, but the experience you get to share with the people around you is life changing. Experiencing music in its raw pure form is energizing and inspiring especially as an artist myself. Go in a group and try it out because it will not be a mistake. Experiencing music so close to you is so refreshing, I fully endorse getting out there and listening to live music. Take the opportunity to be present in what’s happening around you, be yourself in that moment and enjoy it. From a music lover to another, go see a concert. ON SHUFFLE From
BOOK OF THE WEEK
Exploring the abyss in VanderMeer’s ‘ Annihilation ’
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer follows an unnamed biologist tasked to explore the mysterious “Area X,” which has been cut off from civilization, with a group of three other unnamed characters with different career backgrounds tasked with the job of studying and observing the tainted land. Area X is a region marked off from society for its danger -
ous and mysterious nature. Eleven expeditions have set out to explore the area, and all eleven have either returned back to civilization mentally changed or have not come back at all. This book follows the journey of the twelfth expedition.
Right off the bat, you are thrown into a dystopian world so similar to our own, with the exception of the mysterious “Area X.” Through the narrator, the unnamed biologist, you discover the wonders and dangers of this tainted land with her, while also bearing what little haunted knowledge she knows before even entering. Although the novel takes place during the expedition, there are numerous necessary flashbacks into the biologist’s life prior to being chosen for the expe -
UNMASKING: AN AUTISM STORY
Zoning out
BY EVAN PAPAGEORGE ‘26
It is a scene that is all too familiar: you’re sitting in a class, on the bus, standing on the side of the road listening to someone chat, and you zone out. It’s not intentional; your brain goes blank, and you end up staring into a void of nothingness. The extent
ARTIST
of zoning out could be a professor droning on for 20 minutes, putting you right to sleep, or even the soft lull of ocean waves at the beach, sending you into a blank stare. However, for individuals with autism, zoning out takes on a unique and often misunderstood form of dissociation. Come with me as we explore this unique experience of dissociation.
The first step to understanding dissociation is to get a general feel as to what dissociation is. According to the ever-helpful Merriam-Webster dictionary, dissociation is “the act or process of dissociating,” which is a pretty useless definition (which one may consider a clue to a lack of
SPOTLIGHT
dition. The introduction of characters and the building of suspense preceding the start of the expedition creates further discomfort when connected to the present point of view. The author is adept at creating intricate relationships between characters that have very little trust, and creating intense scenes by placing them in situations where trust is needed the most.
The book is heavily science fiction with horror and mystery elements. The writing style is very detached, as you soon learn that it is written in the form of a scientific log by the biologist. VanderMeer is successful in causing the reader to be as confused and weary as the narrator is while she is exploring this new terrain. The
prose, although a little dense at times, is a positive to the novel. The farther you reach in the novel, the more unsettled you become. VanderMeer is able to create an ominous atmosphere in the novel that encompasses the reader in a feeling of discomfort in this world that seems so familiar but ultimately is not. The biologist’s narration instills a sense of unease into the reader from the first page. The themes of contamination, survival, and discovery are well utilized and grips the reader into finding out what is happening in Area X, just like the biologist.
I think this is a good novel if you are interested in reading more science fiction. It is not a heavy sci-fi book which makes it more accessible and more ap -
pealing to a casual reader, as well as avid science fiction enthusiasts. The use of the biologist as the narrator was an excellent decision as it gives the reader more insight into the mysterious area being explored and documented. I liked the detached prose as it created a more authentic feel to the observation and helped me to connect more with the brevity of the situation that the characters find themselves in. I also liked the fact that none of the main characters are named, as it creates further tension between the characters. I will say, this novel can be quite dense when the narrator begins to describe different biological phenomena and studies relevant to the story. Although they ultimately pay off and are useful to the story, it may be a little
off-putting when reading the tangents about different biological subjects into the journal if you are not overall interested or familiar with the topic. However, if this is not a negative for you, I highly recommend the book.
understanding of dissociation). However, a more inept definition of dissociation comes from the Mayo Clinic, where they explain that it is “experiencing a loss of connection between thoughts, memories, feelings, surroundings, behavior and identity.” In simple terms, dissociation is like falling asleep in the middle of the day while just being out and about.
For me and others with autism, dissociation is just a part of life. It’s unpredictable and can result from a myriad of factors. For me, anything from over-stimulating (or under-stimulating) environments, what’s left in my social battery, how much sleep I got, or if I am thinking of something
else throws me into dissociation. It’s like a sudden switch in my brain, triggered by the environment or my thoughts. For example, if a room is too loud, sometimes my brain says, “Whelp, it’s too loud. It’s time to stop paying attention to the outside world.”
However, while dissociation can be like zoning out, it can become more severe and cause problems with functioning. Dissociation can extend to staying inside all day, not communicating with friends and family, and even lead to memory loss of a time during an episode of dissociation.
Dissociation and what it looks like and feels like can be hard to explain, so
here’s a little story to help you understand. Imagine driving in a car or walking down a road you follow daily (like walking to class or work). Since your brain is so used to that route that it doesn’t need to pay attention to get you where you’re going, it starts to think of other things (like what you’ll have for dinner or a funny joke from a sitcom). Once you get where you’re going, if you try to think back and remember what it was like getting there, you can’t remember. That feeling of zoning out and not being able to remember is dissociation. While it’s a neat trick your brain can do (who doesn’t love a self-driving car, so imagine a self-driving
The Lost Decade: Tetsuya Ishida’s critique of societal pressure and perspective on social isolation
BY ITAI GELLER ‘26
The human experience is one shrouded by the state of social reality. No matter where an individual is, mentally or physically, the world continues to move in an endless cycle. Finding individuality in this ever-altering hamster wheel of reality can be especially difficult to comprehend or even consider. Picture the world from the outside looking in. An individual soul represents so little, yet that individual human experience represents so much more, despite the social context in which they operate. This week’s artist is Tetsuya Ishida, a Japanese surrealist (and arguably realist) painter who experimented with the nihilist perspective within a contemporary lens. Ishida lived through a period of economic struggle in Japan known as the “Lost Decades,” characterized by slow economic growth that led to an increase in infla -
tion which continued up until the global financial crisis in 2007. An already vulnerable population of young Japanese salary workers and college graduates were subjected to a period of intense financial struggle. With the introduction of the technological revolution and a heavy reliance on consumer culture, many young Japanese hid themselves from the difficulties of Japanese society and modern social life within the confines of their homes. Ishida, an introverted artist, sympathized with them, producing around 200 pieces depicting their struggle.
Hikikomori is a well-documented social crisis which began in Asia and has slowly become a global phenomenon. It is a form of voluntary social isolation primarily seen in adolescents who experience intense expectations for social conformity. Japan in particular is recognized for its emphasis on social responsibility and traditional cultural values. Unfortunately, this pressure leads many to feel as though they are trapped within a system of expectation, leaving very little room for personal reflection. Ishida experiments with this idea heavily in his artwork. Take for example his piece “Earth -
quake”, which depicts a Japanese student taking shelter under his desk. On top of the desk is a pen and a series of doodles— seemingly done by the student— which depict the classroom surrounded by plants and what can best be interpreted as the outside world. It seems that the student in Ishida’s painting is “taking shelter” from the classroom and the destructive nature of the social expectations of his studies, rather than the actual natural phenomenon. This same theme is very literally interpreted in his painting “Prisoner”, which depicts a student ensnared within the confines of a school, just his head and hands sticking out of the building. Another common theme in Ishida’s paintings is frustration associated with lack of human identity. While his paintings are surreal, these pieces take on a more figurative approach. One of his most powerful pieces “Supermarket” grapples with many different themes culminating in a lack of social identity. This painting depicts a salary man with conveyor belt arms actively delivering supermarket products to a cash register. This seems to be a direct reflection of the monotony of Japanese salary life, in accordance
with a criticism of the impact of consumer culture and the industrial age on the Japanese social reality. This nihilist perspective seeps into much of Ishida’s work, but it reveals a deeper characteristic of Ishida’s humanity.
My favorite piece by Ishida is an untitled painting depicting an individual within the confines of their bedroom, sitting in front of a headstone, beneath which the arms and feet of a seemingly deceased individual poke out. The difficulty in interpreting this piece comes with the struggle of identifying a true emotional characterization. Is the body beneath the headstone that of the individual in the bedroom or of an individual whom they had known? Is Ishida grappling with the idea of his own mortality and how it will be interpreted by others, or is he having difficulty dealing with grief and the role of social isolation in confronting these emotions? Viewed through a nihilist lens, Ishida’s painting raises thought-provoking questions: Is he suggesting that social isolation leads to a relentless internal emotional struggle? Does he imply that engaging with the social pressures and values of his society would prevent him from fully
contemplating his own mortality and humanity?
What I appreciate about this painting is how it invites viewers to interpret and reflect on its meaning, offering those grappling with social pressures a chance to evaluate their feelings about their social reality and the broader human experience. Ishida appears to be actively bridging the gap between the isolated world and the outside, fostering a connection that encourages deeper understanding.
Tetsuya Ishida’s surrealist perspective, though deeply intertwined with figurative elements, ultimately conveys a profound message about the hikikomori phenomenon and the broader human condition. While social isolation is generally discouraged, Ishida’s work offers a unique window into the emotional vul -
you!), imagine if you dissociate for an entire day, a week, or even longer for individuals with autism, and that can be a scary reality. Dissociation can be a scary thing, but learning about it can help some realize that they aren’t just zoning out in class but are experiencing dissociation, so they can take steps to make sure they get help if need be before dissociation gets too severe which is something we will discuss next week. I hope you learned a little about dissociation and want to keep learning about life with autism. And who knows, maybe you’ll find yourself zoning out — about zoning out!
nerability that such isolation can reveal. Through his art, Ishida reflects on his struggles with grief, social responsibility, and the search for individuality, using isolation as a lens for deeper self-examination. His paintings become a medium through which he expresses the discomfort and uncertainty that many experience but may not openly acknowledge. Despite the Hikikomori’s withdrawal from society, Ishida’s art speaks to the universal human experience, reminding us that despite our choices, we all deal with similar emotions and challenges. In this way, Ishida’s work resonates with a broad audience, offering moments of connection and understanding for those who might never choose isolation but still confront the same inner struggles.
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON
ROVING REPORTER
By Rafael Lee Li and Mia Petrolino
“What is something you wish more people knew about?”
Sophia Gonzalez ‘26 “Lobsters mate for life.”
Rebecca Silva ‘27 “Other people.”
Caroline Killian ‘27 “Chango Kitchen weekday lunch specials.”
Noah Kupershteyn ‘26 “Saquon is a coward and traitor.
Jimmy Flanagan ‘26 “The Mets are terrible.”
Mackenzie Murray ‘27 “Functional medicine.”
Michael Hartmann ‘24 “The Mets are significantly more fun than the Yankees.”
Nohlan Wehrli ‘28 “I wish more people knew that gambling is the best source of income.”