October 14, 2016Volume 102, Issue 10nique.

net

SPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

technique
News 2

Art Elevates Atlanta

Opinions 6

Life 10

p14 Atlanta U, Swim/Dive p21

Entertainment 14

Sports 24

TALKING LEADERSHIP WITH ODKS PRESIDENT p11

LIFE

Top L: Photo courtesy of David Batterman; Top R: Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik; Above: Photo courtesy of ODK

OPINIONS

NEWS

Tech Parkway rerouted for renovation Finding facts in an era

JONATHAN JEFFREY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The northbound lane of

Tech Parkway above Means
Street was closed early this
October in order to make
way for the construction
of a new pedestrian and
bicycle pathway along the
western side of campus.
Greenery, such as trees
and shrubbery, will line
the respective tracks in order to create a park-like for
pedestrians and students.
The southbound lane
of Tech Parkway is being
converted to a bike and
pedestrian corridor, while
the northbound lane is being converted to two-way
traffic with parallel parking
on the northbound side,
said Jason Gregory, senior
educational facilities plan-

ner in Capital Planning

and Space Management.
Preliminary work for
the Tech Parkway bike
and pedestrian routes began in April 2016, while
the current construction
phase began on Oct. 3.
The southbound lane
of Tech Parkway will remain operational until
after Oct. 24, the date
when two-lane traffic will
be reestablished on the
former northbound lane.
Separate traffic control
plans will be utilized for
certain high-traffic events,
beginning with the Georgia Southern football game
on Oct. 15. Changes to
traffic patterns for such
events will be shared closer
to the event in question.
Upon completion, the
pedestrian walkway and
two-lane bike path and

will follow Tech Parkway and Luckie Street,

extending from Northside Drive and to Centennial Olympic Park.
The current schedule
for the Tech Parkway portion is for it to be complete by the middle of May
2017 with the remaining portion connecting to
Centennial Olympic Park
being completed by October 2017, Gregory said.
The project is a collaboration between Tech and
the PATH Foundation, a
nonprofit organization devoted to improving creating green trails for cyclists,
pedestrians and skaters
across the Atlanta area.
Tech and the PATH
Foundation
will
each
cover half of the cost to
construct the Tech Parkway leg of the track.

We began conversations with the PATH

Foundation in January
2015, though we have been
studying various design
ideas for Tech Parkway for
many years, Gregory said.
In order to improve the
Atlanta cyclist experience,
the PATH Foundation also
has plans to create a twoway bicycle route around
half of Centennial Olympic Park and has partnered
with the Georgia World
Congress Center to build
a bike depot between the
Centennial Olympic Park
and the Georgia Aquarium.
The bike route currently
being constructed along
Tech Parkway and Luckie
Street would feed into the
bike depot from the north.
These new developments fit into Cycle Atlanta,
See REROUTE, page 4

of dishonest journalism
KARA PENDLEY

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
What binds us as a
people and as a nation is
a combined experience,
a common picture of todays events. The source of
those experiences is largely
based on what is reported
by journalists. The accurate
depiction of events and the
credibility of the sources are
relied upon by our nation
to gain knowledge, formulate opinions and to make
sound judgements. What
happens when that very
foundation that we rely
upon begins to crumble?
We are a democratic
society, and as such, journalism has played a histori-

cal role in keeping citizens

informed so that we can
make our own judgement
as to what is in our and
the publics best interest. It
gives us a voice and spotlights inequalities. Most
importantly, it has been
crucial in the development
of democracy by acting as
checks and balances of our
own government and by
providing information on
world events.
It is imperative to our
freedom to be able to discern the facts and to be able
to make well-informed decisions. How can we do that
when journalism is changing, and not for the better?
Why am I so cynical? I
guess it began when I read

See FACTS, page 7

2 October 14, 2016 technique

// NEWS

technique

ach week, this section of News

will include the coverage of
dierent aspects of bills that
passed through Student Government
This will include the Undergraduate
House of Representatives, Graduate
Student Senate and the Executive
Branch of both government bodies.

The Souths Liveliest College Newspaper

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Vidya Iyer
MANAGING EDITOR:
Nick Johnson
NEWS EDITOR:
Maura Currie
OPINIONS EDITOR:
David Raji
LIFE EDITOR:
Jonathan Long
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:
Kara Pendley
SPORTS EDITOR:
Harsha Sridhar
DESIGN EDITOR:
Brighton Kamen
PHOTO EDITOR:
Sara Schmitt
ONLINE EDITOR:
Kripa Chandran
WEB DEVELOPER:
Ross Lindsay
HEAD COPY EDITOR:
Alexis Brazier
EDITOR EMERITUS:
Brenda Lin
Founded in 1911, the Technique is the
student newspaper of the Georgia Institute of Technology, and is an official
publication of the Georgia Tech Board
of Student Publications. The Technique
publishes on Fridays weekly in the fall
and spring and biweekly in the summer.
ADVERTISING: Information can be
found online at nique.net/ads. The deadline for reserving ad space is Friday at
5 p.m. one week before publication. To
place a reservation, for billing information or for any other questions please email us at ads@nique.net. You may reach
us at (404) 894-2830, Monday through
Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COVERAGE REQUESTS : Requests for

coverage and tips should be submitted to
the Editor-in-Chief and/or the relevant
section editor.

Copyright 2016, Vidya Iyer, Editorin-Chief, and the Georgia Tech Board
of Student Publications. No part of this
paper may be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the
Editor-in-Chief or from the Board of
Student Publications. The ideas expressed
herein are those of the individual authors
and do not necessarily represent the views
of the Board of Student Publications, the
students, staff or faculty of the Georgia
Institute of Technology or the University
System of Georgia. First copy free for
additional copies call (404) 894-2830

LINDSEY PLOUSSARD
STAFF WRITER

BILL SUMMARY
AMOUNT
$2,536.80
$429.41
$24,980
$966.40
$1,550.40
$792.00

BILL
Black Leadership Conference
Stem into STEM Science Fair
RoboJackets Funding
Alternative Fall Break
Society of Physics Students Trip
Mid-Autumn Festival Gala

JUNIOR STEM VOLUNTEERS

Junior STEM sought funding to host an after school science
fair, along with other interested
Tech organizations, for local
public school students. Junior

EVAN GILLON

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR

COMING UP EMPTY-HANDED
GTPD was contacted to report an intoxicated female walking in traffic around the Phi
Mu sorority house. Two officers
searched the area and found the
student running north on Techwood Drive, after which they
stopped her and asked for ID.
The student reached into
her pocket to search for her ID,
but returned with an empty
upturned palm and said, Here
you go.
The student had reportedly
had several alcoholic beverages
imbued with the distinct flavor

GSS

UHR

11-0-0
18-0-1
14-0-0
9-1-0
10-0-0
20-0-0

33-0-1
36-0-0
44-0-0
34-0-1
35-0-0
40-0-1

STEM is a volunteer organization that works with local public schools with high minority
populations in order to increase
the number of underrepresented
populations in STEM fields.
of cranberry, and was attempting to return to the Hopkins
dorm. The officer informed the
student that she was, in fact,
walking in the opposite direction of Hopkins, to which she
responded with a yeah.
A Grady Hospital EMS was
requested to further evaluate the
student and later cleared her.
She was escorted back to her
dorm, and referred to the Dean
of Students for violating the
Tech Student Code of Conduct
and drinking under 21.
Facilities employees proceeded to clean up the water
spill as damage continued to
be assessed.
GOING UP IN SMOKE
GTPD officers were called to
Bobby Dodd stadium regarding a fire alarm that had gone
off three times in the preceding
hour. Atlanta Fire also responded to the alarm and proceeded to
the elevator room with GTPD
officers to identify the location
of the fire in the stadium.
Tech officers and Atlanta
Fire moved to the source but
were unable to open the elevator
room. As the situation heated

The organizational representative said that many Tech students are interested in volunteering with local students.
AASU LEADERSHIP EVENT
The African American Student Union asked for funds to
cover the costs of banquet space,
speaker fees and publicity for a
conference focusing on cultivating black student leadership and
addressing the problem of marginalization. Thirty non-Tech
students planning to attend
would have had to pay $36, since
there was an attendance fee for
Tech students. However, Rep.
Owenby expressed concerns on
the ethics of the ticket price.
If you look at the situation,
we are dealing with marginalized high school students. Ethically, I do not feel comfortable
with making an organization
charge these kids a ridiculous
amount, Owenby said.
The organization then agreed
to get rid of the Tech student
ticket fee, lowering the non-Tech
ticket price. The bill subsequently passed.
up, Atlanta Fire breached the
door to the elevator room, causing slight damage to the door,
and moved to the location of
the fire. Upon arriving, Atlanta
Fire concluded that the General Electric booths smoker was
emitting so much smoke that it
set off the fire alarm. General
Electric did not add wood to the
smoker until the morning, and
the fire alarm was silenced.
CLERY ACTS IN DAYLIGHT
On Oct. 4 at 11:35 a.m., a
Tech student was robbed at gunpoint off of McMillan Street at
Calhoun Street in the Home
Park neighborhood.
The man demanded the students money and fled east towards Center Street. Two days
later, at 3:15 p.m., another Tech
student was also confronted by
an armed robber on Calhoun
Street in Home Park. The perpetrator was last seen heading west
towards Tumlin Street.
Both incidents are being investigated by the Atlanta Police
Department, though GTPD
has increased patrols in the area.
Neither student involved was
harmed by the perpetrators.

Stamps offers flu shots,

no flu mist
ALEX MCAULIFFE

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Each year flu season occurs
in the fall and winter months in
America, lasting roughly from
October until March. The peak of
the seasonal epidemic tends to fall
between December and March,
though it is not unusual for cases to be reported as late in the
year as May.
Each year Techs Health Services department strive to vaccinate as many students, faculty and
staff of the Institute as possible, to
protect the community from this
easily communicable disease.
Any Tech student can receive
the vaccine for free, and any Tech
faculty can receive it for $25. Vaccines can be requested by specific
appointment, during a doctors
visit for another complaint, or
during the all day clinics on Oct.
18 and Nov. 15, both from 9 a.m.
until 3 p.m.
This season, the nasally administered FluMist vaccine is
not available at Stamps, in keeping with the Center for Disease
Controls findings that it was not
effective enough last year and is
unlikely to be as effective as the
injection this year.
This year the CDC also recommends that unless one has
an extreme allergy to eggs, they
should still receive the vaccine;
this comes as a break from prior
years, where more personal discretion in receiving the vaccine was
allowed for.
Those with egg allergies may
potentially be irritated by egg proteins which are present in both the
flu shot and the flu mist; however,
egg allergies vary in severity and
most patients with mild allergies
will not experience any detrimental effects from the vaccine.
Serious reactions due to the egg
protein are rare one study by
the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting system recorded only ten anaphylactic allergic reactions in 7.4
See FLU, page 4

sliver // your thoughts

nique.net
Zkdw gr brx jhw zkhq brx furvv d prvtxlwr zlwk d prxqwdlq
folpehu? Qrwklqj! Brx fdqw furvv d yhfwru dqg d vfdohu.
Ive had a cough for weeks and i hate everything. i just want to
not be the coughing kid in class. help.
moist.
Im too hungover for this today
wtf does sliver even mean
I just wanna hang out with Kanye
cheers to another very unproductive weekend
quantim mekaniks or silver bunnies
honestly like the truth
^That guy is wrong
Library Cubicle Quote 2 : Stay in drugs, Eat your school, Dont
do vegetables
student tickets bought - 4, games attended - 0, thanks to all the
free time I dont have...
Jul qbrf Brqvchf ungr cebsnavgl? Ur xvffrf uvf zbgure jvgu gung
zbhgu.
Greetings from the real world (whispers) stay in school
His voice and I dont think that I have a great way of the day before I get a follow back on my way home from work to be the first
half of the day before I get a follow back on my way
kill em with reason
Good job Facebook stalking golfers!
LETS DO THE TIME WARP! (again?)
WELCOME TO THE TECHNIQUE WHERE SLIVERS
ARE MADE UP AND THE FOURTH WALL DOESNT
MATTER

Georgia Techs Journal of the Arts and Literature

art, n. - The expression or application of creative skill and
imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting, drawing, or
sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their
beauty or emotional power.
It is art that makes life, makes interest,
makes importance and I know of no substitute whatever for the force and beauty of
its process.
Max Eastman

technique October 14, 2016 3

// NEWS

Tech releases annual cybersecurity report

TRISTEN ALLEN
STAFF WRITER

On Sept. 28, Techs Institute

for Information Security and Privacy (IISP) held a summit to discuss concerns about security and
privacy in regards to technology
and the internet.
Simultaneously, the IISP released its annual Emerging Cyber
Threats, Trends and Technologies
report to the public, containing
expert-written detail about current and future issues relating to
technology as well as the public
policy which is concerned with
technologys use.
The Threats Report offers
analyses of multiple areas in the
field of technology, including
one section dealing with the increasing regard for privacy in the
digital sphere.
In particular, the report highlighted how Apples refusal to
comply with FBI demands to decrypt one of its devices showcased
tensions between the government
and private individuals over the
growing role of encryption in consumer technologies.
According to the National
Telecommunications and Information Administration, which
operates under the U.S. Department of Commerce, about half
of consumers declined some sort
of online service due to privacy
concerns. In addition, after the
Edward Snowden revelations,
the rate of encryption adoption
climbed sharply according to Peter Swire, associate director of
policy for the IISP.
These two factors in combination provide great challenges to
governments particularly the
U.S. government who continue
to rely on data gathering for fed-

eral intelligence work and for law

enforcement.
The report also discusses the
insecurities and flaws in our current electronic voting systems, of
particular importance given the
divisiveness of this years elections.
Multiple state legislatures have expressed concerns over funding to
replace outdated voting machines,
as electronic machines must be replaced far more often than older
machines, such as lever-operated
systems. Furthermore, recent
hacking of critical political systems has increased the concern
that electronic systems may be

vulnerable to widespread hacking

or fraud.
Many electronic voting machines, including those used in
Georgia, do not produce any sort
of hard copy recording individual
votes cast at the ballot. A lack of
such a record makes it difficult for
a voter to verify that the machine
recorded his or her vote correctly.
Additionally, without some feedback, computer scientists cannot
verify the accuracy of the software
in recording and reporting votes
to the elections offices. Georgia
is one of only five states to exclusively use such machines.

It is often difficult for computer scientists to audit the software

on voting systems because the vast
majority of them use proprietary
software which is never released
to the public. Some elections in
Texas and California are beginning to develop open-source
software to run their elections,
hoping to encourage widespread
adoption and thus, verification
of voting software that will be
cheaper and easier to maintain
than software pre-loaded on proprietary machines.
Many of the topics in the report discuss the role of people in

cybersecurity and how their actions concerning computer systems can drastically impact what
actions are taken or what trends
emerge. For example, the release
of information on NSA programs
by Edward Snowden caused many
businesses to accelerate encryption of consumer data, in part
responsible for Apples inability or
refusal to cooperate with the FBI
in their investigation.
Another example of the role
that people play in determining areas of concern for emerging technologies is the relationship between so-called smart
See CYBERSEC, page 5

Photo by Sara Schmitt Student Publications

The Klaus Computing Building is home to the Center for Information Security and Privacy, which hosts Cybersecurity Summits.
This years report encompassed relevant issues such as the increasing importance of encryption and the growth of smart devices.

4 October 14, 2016 technique

REROUTE

FROM PAGE 1

the City of Atlantas initiative to

develop a larger network of bicycle
routes by constructing roadside
bicycle lanes or adding dedicated
cycle tracks and multi-use paths
that accommodate pedestrians.
According to its Phase 1.0
Study, the combined Cycle Atlanta network would more than
double the amount of biking trails
in Atlanta from the existing 30
miles to 61 miles.
Cycle Atlanta is part of the
Connect Atlanta, the city-wide
plan to improve transportation
through developing transit, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure
and add 73 roads across the city.
Back on campus, Tech is also
undertaking more projects to improve the cyclist experience on
campus as part of its 2014 Bicycle Master Plan.
We have several projects that
are under design and/or construction addressing bike and pedestrian paths around campus,
Gregory said. Atlantic Drive and
the Ferst and Hemphill Intersection projects are two significant
projects that are currently under
construction that were influenced
by the Bicycle Master Plan.
Tech has been a silver-level
bicycle friendly university of
the League of American Bicyclists since 2012, and, as part of
the Bicycle Master Plan, it is actively working toward one day
attaining a gold- or platinumlevel status.
The Bicycle Master Plan further prescribes other work on
Techs campus to improve the

// NEWS

safety and ease of use of certain

road areas for bicycles.
Among these locations is the
intersection of Sixth Street and
Ferst Drive, which incorporates
a dedicated and wider bike path;
the project keeps in mind the
impending opening of the West
Campus Dining Commons in
Fall 2017, which is expected to
cause exceptional increases in traffic on West Campus.

Fifth Street and Ferst Drive

also expected to see improvements
in the expanse from Techwood
Drive to Cherry Street near the
baseball stadium.
The road will see restriping and
bike boxes to more clearly indicate
areas reserved for bikers.
According to a Parking and
Transportation Services survey
from 2015, approximately 43
percent of bike commuters enter

campus through Tech Square on

Fifth Street.
Other areas, such as the stretch
of Means Street Northwest between Tech Parkway and Ferst
Drive, will receive protected cycle
tracks which will be raised above
the regular road to ensure the
safety of cyclists. Other alterations will include the removal of
slip lanes to provide more controlled turns for bicyclists.

Photo courtesy of Jason Gregory

A rendering of what the renovated Tech Parkway will look like, facing North Avenue.
Vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists will each have dedicated pathways to ensure safety.

FLU

FROM PAGE 2

million doses of the vaccine, and

only a fraction of those reactions
were thought to be related to egg
protein allergies.
While Health Services has not
seen much influenza yet this season, it is important to receive a
shot by Thanksgiving so that the
body has time to build up antibodies for the worst of the season
to come. The Health Centers goal
this year is to give out as many
shots as they possibly can. Student
organizations can inquire with the
department about getting a miniature clinic scheduled, on-site, for
their group.
If you could spend less than
30 minutes on something and
improve your chances of passing a test by 3550 percent, of
course you would do it, said
Debbie Spillers, nursing manager
at Student Health Services. The
flu shot will improve your chances of avoiding the flu by at least
that much, and that means 57
days of good health over the next
few months that your would lose
otherwise.
Stamps will do their best to
immunize everyone that walks
through the door, according to
Spillers. It is highly recommended
that anyone with a compromised
immune system or chronic respiratory problems get the vaccine.
However, even in healthy individuals the vaccine acts as an assurance of avoiding the flu; and,
furthermore, as an assurance of
herd immunity to protect those
with compromised immune systems like the young and elderly.

technique October 14, 2016 5

// NEWS

HELLY SHAH

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On Oct. 3, Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti as a
Category 4 storm, causing widespread devastation.
Towns alongside the southwestern coast of Haiti suffered extensive destruction, with the vast
majority of buildings having been
knocked down, leaving thousands
without shelter, water supply or
electricity.
The lack of shelter has resulted
in the spread of numerous diseases, particularly cholera. Haitis interim president, Jocelerme Privert,
is especially concerned with the
acceleration of the spread of the
disease due to its first major outbreak in the country in 2010. The
disease has claimed thousands of
lives in Haiti since its initial outbreak, with the United Nations
having been trying to eradicate
the disease ever since.
As of Oct. 12, 13 deaths have
been reported due to cholera, with
Haitis National Emergency Center having stated that there are
128 confirmed cases of cholera
and at least 160 suspected cases.
Cholera is an infectious and
fatal bacterial disease of the small
intestine that spreads rapidly
through contaminated water or
food. The disease causes severe
vomiting and diarrhea, and, if not
treated quickly enough, results in
death within hours of infection.
Before the storm, safe water was scarce for much of the

Haitian population. Due to the

widespread flooding and contamination of water caused by
the hurricane, Haitis government has prioritized the distribution of medicine and clean water
to the most devastated areas, which
they hope will halt the spread
of cholera.
The southwestern coast of
Haiti is still awaiting aid from the
Haitian government.
With bridges and roads wiped
out, these towns are only accessible through the air, drastically
slowing down the rate at which
the government and outside
groups can provide assistance.
U.S. cargo flights have already
brought in 480 metric tons of relief supplies to the island nation.
These efforts have not even begun
to bring Haiti out of its devastation. Matthew has destroyed the
vast majority of the food supply in
Haiti and has caused massive destruction to infrastructure, businesses and homes.
The United Nations is set to
deliver food rations, water purification kits and vaccines for cholera to help support the people of
Haiti while the country begins to
rebuild itself.
Over 1,000 people have died
in Haiti due to the storm and its
after-effects. The death count is
expected to continue to climb in
the coming days due to the continuing spread of disease and lack
of sustenance caused by the storm.
Matthew has been attributed to
under 50 deaths in the US.
Because of Hurricane Matthew, a federal judge ordered Florida to extend its voter registration
deadline by one week as the result
of a lawsuit by the Democratic
Party of Florida.
Initially, Governor Rick Scott
refused to move the voter registration deadline, but the judge
ruled that the hurricane lead to
immense devastation to election
offices. The new deadline is set to
be Oct. 18.

JOIN THE

Technique

FLAG 137

- Tuesdays -

AT 7:00 P.M.
No Experience
Necessary
WE HAVE FREE PIZZA

KSU students protest

at Regents meeting
MAURA CURRIE
NEWS EDITOR

Students from Kennesaw State

University (KSU) briefly interrupted Oct. 12s Board of Regents
meeting to protest the expected
appointment of Georgia Attorney General Sam Olens to KSUs
vacant presidency.
Many students stood up as
the meeting began and shouted
that there had been no adequate
search process for someone to fill
the position. Further concerns
about Olens appointment were
expressed by way of pre-written
statements ready aloud by protestors. State police, who are regularly present at Regents meetings,
were unable to contain the protestors as they had apparently scattered themselves throughout the
audience strategically.
Attorney General Sam Olens
... consistently perpetuates violent
language against the LGBT community, said a student protestor
in attendance. We demand a
nationwide search for a qualified
president, one who does not perpetuate the violence of homophobia, transphobia, Islamophobia,
racism and Zionism.
Protestors from Georgia State
University were also present, expressing concerns that the schools
recent acquisition of Turner Field
was going to damage the existing
community living nearby.
The meeting went into an
abrupt five-minute recess as both
groups of protestors exited, chanting we have nothing to lose but
our chains and we must love
each other and protect each other. The group was escorted out by
police, though it appears that no

arrests were made and no further

confrontation occurred.
Moments later, the Board
voted to confirm Olens appointment. Though he was not in attendance at the meeting, Olens later
released a statement indicating he
was honored to receive the position and will work with students,
faculty and staff ... [to] continue to
make KSU a leading university.
Olens was first elected as Attorney General in 2010 and won
reelection in 2014. Before running
for elected office, Olens served on
the Cobb County Board of Commissioners as director, and before
that as a commissioner. He has
both a bachelors and masters degree in international affairs and
a juris doctor from Emory University. Olens was one of 16 state
attorney generals who petitioned
the U.S. Supreme Court to allow
restrictions on same-sex marriage
in 2015. On the petitions dismissal, Olens stated that Georgia must
adhere to federal law.
Previous KSU president Dan
Papp retired in June 2016, after 10
years in the position. An executive
compensation review conducted
by the University System of Georgia (USG) concluded that Papp
had improperly received nearly
$600,000 in deferred compensation, which typically must be paid
out when a president departs the
USG and with the approval of
the Board of Regents or chancellor. The report further noted that
Papp had not committed any legal
wrongdoing by receiving money
that was technically his. This information became public three
weeks after the announcement of
Papps retirement, though Papp
had stated he was not asked to
step down.

CYBERSEC FROM PAGE 3

devices and users ability to trust
their decisions.
Cybersecurity, the report argues, is paramount in protecting
both intelligence and the trust
that users place in their devices.
If the devices could make incorrect decisions or reveal information despite the users preferences,
users would lose confidence in
the capabilities of the device or
become unwilling to trust it with
important decisions.
The report further notes that
individual devices must also be
able to verify information transmitted to them by other devices
for similar reasons. If the device
cannot trust the information sent
from other devices or trusts incorrect information from a compromised connection or device,
it could make incorrect decisions
that would similarly impact the
ability of users to trust the system.
The IISP estimates that anywhere from 25 to 50 billion smart
devices will go online by the year
2020. The report also estimated
that smart city technology will be
an industry worth $27.5 billion
annually by 2023.
The IISP is Techs research
center for numerous issues surrounding the use of technology.
The organization holds symposiums, summits and keynotes on
its topics of research throughout
the year, as well as releasing information and updates on its central
research topics as they become
available.
The IISP also maintains a number of labs and facilities, including
Georgia Tech Cyber Security, the
team responsible for protecting
Tech members and resources from
breach or infiltration.
IISPs next event is a symposium of scientists from the US
and France discussing cybersecurity strategies and innovations.
It will be held Oct. 13 and 14 in
Tech Square.

Opinions
OUR VIEWS | Consensus Opinion

If you cant dazzle them with

brilliance, baffle them with bull.W.C. Fields

Facilitating safety to a greater degree

Informing the community and fixing access problems

The recent spate of crime around campus necessitates preventative action by

both students and administration at Tech.
Informing the campus community
when an instance of crime occurs is paramount. Yet a good number of students may
have missed the two Clery Act email notifications sent out following the armed robberies last week due to a feature known as
clutterbox, almost another spam folder.
Emails continue to be placed in this folder despite the feature supposedly being
turned off for all Tech email accounts.
When an incident is in-progress as
was the case Saturday night with the two
armed robbery suspects bringing attention to danger through GTENS is extremely helpful. However, instructions ordering students to proceed to the interior
of access-controlled buildings are often
unable to be followed as there are restrictions on the majority of buildings that can
actually be accessed by a student with a

BuzzCard after a certain hour. Therefore,

when a GTENS alert is issued, all accesscontrolled buildings should be accessible
using any BuzzCard, regardless of the relation of its owner to the building.
The emergency blue-light beacons can
be a powerful tool for members of the Tech
community to mitigate or avoid dangerous
situations. However, the methodology of
their use is not immediately clear. For instance, when finding oneself in a threatening situation, hit the button on one
emergency station, then proceed quickly
in a direction away from the threat. The
individual should then hit the buttons at
other stations along his or her path. GTPD
is able to better determine the area of the
danger when presented with a path of a
person running away from it.
All members of the community need
to remember that they are in the center of
Atlanta. Do not let awareness lapse in any
deserted areas, even during the daytime.

The Consensus Opinion reflects the majority opinion of the Editorial Board of the
Technique, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.

technique editorial board

Vidya Iyer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Nick Johnson MANAGING EDITOR
Alexis Brazier HEAD COPY EDITOR
David Raji OPINIONS EDITOR
Maura Currie NEWS EDITOR
Kara Pendley ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Harsha Sridhar SPORTS EDITOR
Brighton Kamen DESIGN EDITOR
Jon Long LIFE EDITOR
Brenda Lin EDITOR EMERITUS
Kripa Chandran ONLINE EDITOR
Sara Schmitt PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Ross Lindsay WEB DEVELOPER

TRUMP S SITUATION ROOM BY TONY WU

technique

OPINIONS EDITOR: David Raji

Friday,
October 14, 2016

YOUR VIEWS | Online Comments

Eating for eatings sake

Have you ever actually tried soylent? Its really not
that bad. I usually drink/ eat it for breakfast before
my 9am and lunch between classes. Its way healthier
than the other snacks it has replaced, and I can
honestly say that I feel noticeably healthier now than
before. I do still make an effort to go eat dinner with
other people at a dining hall, but doing so for every
meal takes up way too much of my day. Its not for
everyone, but it works for some. You should try it.

Tim Felbinger
Basic Skill Training at Tech
Very well stated. These types of courses might be
good suggestions for the Student Center Programs
Council Options committee.

Mary Ann Burney Allen

TOP SLIVERS

student tickets bought - 4, games attended - 0, thanks

to all the free time I dont have...

Greetings from the real world (whispers) stay

in school
Library Cubicle Quote 2 : Stay in drugs, Eat your
school, Dont do vegetables

I just wanna hang out with Kanye

cheers to another very unproductive weekend

His voice and I dont think that I have a great way of

the day before I get a follow back on my way home
from work to be the first half of the day before I get a
follow back on my way

Write to us:

letters@nique.net
Got something to say? Then let
your voice be heard with the Technique. Sliver at Nique.net, tweet us
@the_nique or check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/thenique. We
want to hear your opinion and want
to make it known to all of campus.
We also welcome your letters in
response to Technique content as well
as topics relevant to campus. We will
print letters on a timely and spaceavailable basis.
Each week we look for letters that

are responses to or commentaries on

content found within the pages of the
Technique. Along with these letters,
we are open to receiving letters that
focus on relevant issues that currently
affect Georgia Tech as a university, including its campus and student body.
When submitting letters we ask
that you include your full name, year
(1st, 2nd, etc.) and major. We ask that
letters be thought provoking, well
written and in good taste. We reserve
the right to both reject or edit letters
for length and style.
For questions, comments or concern, contact the Opinions Editor at
opinions@nique.net.

technique October 14, 2016 7

// OPINIONS

FACTS

FROM PAGE 1

an article about the Killian documents controversy. On the news

show, 60 Minutes, Dan Rather
presented documents, purportedly factual, that were derogatory
of President George W. Bushs service in the Air National Guard. It
was later determined that the documents were never authenticated
and deemed to be untrue. The
report aired two months prior to
the election. Whether done to influence an election or an act poor
journalism was never determined.
Then there is the case of Jayson Blair, who resigned from The
New York Times after an investigation found that he plagiarized
and fabricated a number of articles. Ironically, he left to return to
college with aspirations of going
into politics.
In the footsteps of Blair came
Jack Kelley, a reporter for USA
Today, who blatantly committed

fraud in his international news

reports. He went so far as to report on a black notebook, which
was never produced, that allegedly
contained orders by the Yugoslav
army to commit genocide of a village near Kosovo. He also wrote
transcripts for sources he never
met or interviewed.
Even worse is the apparent influence of politicians on the media. As reported by the Washington Post, just a few short days after
Dr. Drew stated on a radio show
that he was gravely concerned
about Hillary Clintons health
and health care, he was fired from
his show on HLN.David Seaman, a longtime reporter for The
Huffington Post, claims that after
a second article questioning Clintons health, he was fired and his
articles removed from the website.
Seaman even went so far as to infer that he was afraid for his life.
Weekly Standard editor Daniel Halper claims in his book,

Clinton Inc., that the Clintons

lobbied General Electric, former
parent company of MSNBC, to
fire David Shuster for reporting
that Chelsea Clinton was being
pimped out by Hillary Clinton
during her presidential campaign
in 2008.
Finally, [the campaign] sent
a message to the media: You may
like Obama more than Hillary,
but youd better watch what you
say because we have the power to
destroy you, Halper wrote.
In additional to these extraordinary examples, there is also the
general acceptance that the media
is no longer unbiased. CNN is too
far left. FOX News is too far right.
Too many journalists are knowingly and unabashedly advocacy journalists.
A survey conducted by the
PEW Research Center in 2010
found that the majority of news
executives believe that the Internet is altering basic journalistic

pensive or classy Mexican food restaurants. Until 2014, no Mexican

restaurant had ever been awarded
a Michelin star. When people go
to eat Mexican food, they are usually referring to Tex-Mex and will
be ordering off a menu consisting
of generic ground beef burritos
and cheese enchiladas. However,
Mexican food can have so much
more to offer sauces like Mole

Poblano have as much complexity

as any French reduction out there.
Foods like pozole and tamales can
have wonderful complexity, and
that is just scratching the surface
of Mexican cuisine.
Likewise, Chinese food is
generally relegated to take-out,
easy weeknight type meals. Chinese food has its P.F. Chang-type
chains, but this is about as ex-

We have to be incumbent
upon ourselves to know
the difference between
gossip media and true
journalism.

KARA PENDLEY

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
ethics, and more often in ways
they find worrisome.
When asked to explain what
they meant, majorities of both
groups appeared most worried
about loosening standards (62
percent of newspaper executives
and 67 percent among broadcasters), and the bulk of these responses referred to a decline in accuracy, a lessening of fact-checking
and more unsourced reporting,
the survey continued in its report
of the data collected.

So, what is the solution? First,

we need to give credit to those
journalists who are ethical and
honest. To do that requires due
diligence on the part of you and
me, the consumers. We have to
be incumbent upon ourselves to
know the difference between gossip media and true journalism.
We owe it to ourselves to do the
research and listen to an array of
newscasts. And even when you
think you know what the answer
is, question it.

travagant as it gets in the average Americans mind. However,

China is a country of 1.3 billion
people that has a lot of regional
variety not adequately represented
in the Chinese-American restaurant scene. Instead we get generic
sweet and salty and soy-sauceheavy General Tsos Chicken at
every Asian restaurant.
This dumbing down of cuisines
does not exclusively affect Chinese
and Mexican-American restaurants. Some of the reason the Indian restaurant scene has had such
a slow start is that Americans are
unwilling to spend the money on
a cuisine that is necessarily pricier
due to the many intricate dishes
which are not quick to make.
Much of this, I believe, is due
to American biases towards cultures that they consider less refined. Look no further than one

of our Presidential candidates to

see the racial and anti-immigrant
prejudice problem. Though much
of it may be subconscious, Americans prejudices are factors when
deciding what cultures cuisines
they are most likely to spend on.
Luckily, some of this is changing. Big cities like New York are
seeing Michelin-starred Mexican
and Chinese cuisine. In Atlanta,
we have a few mid-end Asian or
Hispanic restaurants like Gus
Bistro and Bone Garden Cantina.
But we still have a distinct lack
of high-end restaurants featuring cuisines other than the classic New-American, Italian, Japanese and French. So I encourage
Americans to reconsider Asian,
Hispanic, Middle-Eastern and
other underrepresented cuisines.
They have a lot more to offer than
what you might think.

Giving underrepresented cuisines their due

Cuisines in the U.S. can be

ranked in the average American
consumers mind. French cuisine
is usually considered the classiest,
most complex and, respectfully,
the most expensive. Japanese cuisine is likewise held in high esteem as part of a culture renowned
for its perfectionism. Italian food
as well, and consumers are willing
to shell out considerable amounts
of money for truffle oil and fresh
pasta. These cuisines are part of
cultures that the average American has respect for, and as such,
Americans tend to view the food
as higher quality.
One of my favorite cuisines is
Mexican, and it hurts that it hardly ever gets the respect it is due.
Mexican food and Chinese food
especially tend to be relegated to
fast-food, take-out, low-cost types
of restaurants. You rarely see ex-

One of my favorite
cuisines is Mexican, and
it hurts that it hardly ever
gets the respect it is due.

ALEXIS BRAZIER

HEAD COPY EDITOR

OJRVFOFU

Attention Fall Graduates

Make your mark on Georgia Techs history by addressing
your fellow classmates at your upcoming Commencement
ceremony.
One student will be selected for each ceremony to present an inspirational
speech of two to three minutes before his/her classmates and guests.
If you are graduating in the fall and would like to be considered as the
Commencement student reflection speaker, visit
www.studentlife.gatech.edu
for more information and submission requirements.

JOZPVSQPDLFU

The deadline to submit your reflection speech is

Thursday, October 27 10:00AM.
For more information, visit www.commencement.gatech.edu
or contact Debbie Dorsey, in the Students Affairs office at 404.385.1562.

8 October 14, 2016 technique

// OPINIONS

Finding creative outlets at

an engineering school
On a campus of stressedout, mentally taxed students,
the atmosphere of the arts is
sadly lacking.

SARA SCHMITT

The Sheep are Back!

HoCo Concert Woes

Techs sheep are back on

campus for the third year in
a row to help with controlling the growth of kudzu. The
sheep can currently be found
north of the BioTech Quad,
eating away at the invasive
plant. The sheep are a natural
solution to the uncontrollable
growth of the invasive species. They pull the plant by the
root as they eat, therefore offering a temporary solution to
the growth.

The reveal of the 2016

Homecoming Concert artists
Wednesday included the announcement that one of the
artists meant to perform, Bebe
Rexha, had been cancelled.
The posters depicted Kid Ink
and the text Artist Cancelled
covering a graphic of Rexha.
SCPC later posted a timeline
of events leading up to the
reveal. According to the timeline, Rexha backed out the day
before the reveal.

GTPD and protestors

No Votes for Women

Last Friday, the Georgia

Tech Police Department once
again did a great job of watching over the annual protests
near the campanile and Ferst
Center, ensuring that the protestors did not cause any harm
to students or vice versa. They
were able to accomplish this
by providing barriers between
the demonstrators and other
members of the Tech community, which helped to stifle tension between the two groups.

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

FiveThirtyEight, a website
that offers political analysis,
recently published a poll showing the disparity between the
voting preferences of men and
women in the 2016 elections.
The poll was picked up by male
supporters of Donald Trump,
who started the hashtag, #RepealThe19th, referring to the
19th Amendment that gave
women the right to vote. Eric
Trump even used the poll in
an email to supporters.

In a school dominated by calculus, lab write-ups and computer

code, finding a creative outlet can
often be difficult. Students who
had access to art classes, instruments and dance in high school
can suddenly find themselves at
a loss as to how to create things.
In addition, the infamous Tech
workload makes finding time for
hobbies like music or sculpting
extremely difficult. Oftentimes
these former passions fall by the
wayside as homework piles up and
just getting enough sleep becomes
a challenge.
Scientific studies show, however, that creating art (whether
visual, auditory or any other kind)
can lead to drastically better mental health. It can promote a sense
of positivity, increase confidence
due to accomplishment, foster
healthy relationships, and stimulate deeper engagement. On an
unscientific level, creating things
just feels good, which is one of the
reasons why children are drawn
to coloring so early, and why
many care facilities for the elderly
have frequent opportunities for
making art.
If art is so important, how can
students wrapped up in the dayto-day struggle of just staying
afloat ensure that they are letting

COLLEGE NIGHTS
.............................
every rst and third tuesday
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
August23
September 6
September 20
October 4
October 18
November 1
November 15
November 29

Chick-fil-A West Midtown invites you to join us for College Night!

Bring your Student ID for awesome treats, live music, and more!

out enough of their creative juices? Tech has several opportunities.

If painting or sculpting is ones
passion, Paper & Clay is located
on the third floor of the student
center, roughly directly above the
salad bar at the food court, and
provides easy access to materials.
The CRC offers dance classes
for those students who may be
interested in dancing, and there
are many different styles of dance
team that are listed on OrgSync
(Techs platform for matching
with the perfect club or clubs).
Joining one of these provides not
only a creative outlet, but also
much-needed exercise that can release hormones that lead to greater
productivity and higher levels of
happiness. In a way, taking some
time off to join a dance team will
improve productivity instead of
taking away from it.
Although creating music can
be difficult for students not in
the band or orchestra, Under
the Couch has space for students interested in forming their
own group, and there are practice rooms for rent in the Couch
building on West campus. The
Ferst Center and DramaTech also
have practice pianos that are open
to the public and only used infrequently. In addition, admirers of

music (and arts of all kind) can

obtain discounted student tickets
at the Ferst Center box office.
For writers or fans of writing,
Tech even has a lesser-known poetry club that meets semi-regularly. For more information on guest
poets and getting involved, see
the poetry corner near the Skiles
garden. If prose is more appealing,
Tech also has a book club that can
be found on OrgSync.
Even more technologicallyfocused artists can find creative
outlet in the Invention Studio, by
participating in invention competitions, or by using the majorspecific workshops located around
campus. Aerospace engineers even
have a new studio in Weber for
building their latest ideas.
Despite the many opportunities, Techs art scene still leaves
much to be desired. Practice
rooms are scarce and not free for
all students, and Paper & Clay is
only a small facility not capable of
handling heavy traffic. The poetry
and book clubs, while present, do
not have a large following, despite
the many students interested in
the literary arts.
On a campus of stressed-out,
mentally taxed students, the atmosphere of the arts is sadly lacking. The good news, however, is
that starting a club is a fairly simple process with which SGA can
assist. So if ones passion is for saxophones, start a saxophone club. If
writing vampire historical fiction
seems like the best creative outlet,
start a club and call it Bonapartes
Bloodthirsty Bards.
Whatever that passion may be,
finding an outlet is the best way to
both maintain ones mental health
and promote a more artistic atmosphere on Techs campus.

technique October 14, 2016 9

// OPINIONS

YOUR VIEWS | Letter to the Editor

Standing up to crude rhetoric

There comes a time when
we must stand up and say, No,
no more. The time might be
abolition of institutional slavery,
extermination in 1930s Germany, legalized segregation in
the American South, sectarian
violence in Northern Ireland,
or most relevant today misogyny.
It is time to stand up and say,
No, no more.
Simply, it is unacceptable
for a candidate for President of
the United States to speak such
disgusting, despicable and hateful words about women. It is
not acceptable to dismiss such
language as locker room talk.
It is not appropriate for a candidate to espouse actions that are
clearly illegal assault and then
justify those deeds as permissible because one is a star.
In the mid-19th century
many people of faith rejected
that slavery was tolerable. In prewar Germany some people fled,

This is not a time

to remain on the sidelines
and shrug saying that
this is just politics.

BILL TODD

PROFESSOR OF THE PRACTICE,

SCHELLER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
some people spoke up against
fascism and making scapegoats
of a class of citizens, and many
paid for this heroic stand with
their lives. In the American
South in which I grew up, good
people began to realize that it
has always been this way was
no longer a justifiable reason for
institutional racism. Many of
those people were shunned and
suffered for their views which we
now take as enlightened. In late
1990s Northern Ireland, after
yet another senseless bombing,

people on both sides concluded

that the violence and systemic
discrimination must end.
Today we are living in a crucial time of history, just like
those in which we now wonder
if our families were on the right
side of history.
This is no longer a political
issue, but an issue of human
rights. Basic human rights. And
men and women of good will
must stand up.
Tech is such a better place
than it was when I studied in the

late 60s. There is higher quality

and a vastly better reputation
and ranking than those days.
But the main difference is
the greatly increased presence
of women in campus life, leadership roles and character. We
are moving rapidly to the point
of parity in the undergraduate
student body, paralleling the
real world.
We must stand together with
these women and reject with
vigor the acceptance of any sense
of a culture that dismisses illegality and incivility as locker
room banter.
I encourage men in our society, and particularly the Tech
family, to stand up and say No,
no more. This is not a time to
remain on the sidelines and
shrug saying that this is just
politics. It has gone far beyond
that point.
We need to be on the right
side of history. Now. It is the
right thing to do.

Equal opportunity for

all religious holidays

On the merits of a positive

work environment

The most wonderful time of ties. This policy differs from

the year is quickly approaching the previous policy, which put
as October winds down and the deadline at ten days before
marks the threshold for social the absence.
acceptance of Christmas countThis new policy is ridiculous,
downs. After the first couple of primarily because if the religious
hectic weeks following Thanks- observance were Christmas
giving, it is break time for us all there would be no doubt that
time to enjoy spending with the student would be allowed
family and kicking back and re- an excused absence without any
laxing.
sort of penalty. A policy that
It may be difficult, but imag- forced students to ask off for
ine a world where the Christmas Christmas would be considered
season is not the
so out of line and
A policy that forced laughed at.
norm some
weird
convoowe ver,
students to ask off for for Hstudents
luted America
of
in which people
Christmas would be faiths other than
work, go to
Christianity, enconsidered so out of joying a similar
school and take
tests on Christline and laughed at. privilege is simmas Day. Inply not presentstead of having a
ANSLEY MARKS ed as an option.
break for family ASSISTANT DESIGN EDITOR We have to plan
holidays and reour religious obligious observance, you have to servances around the schools
figure out a way to balance those schedule. Maybe if we are lucky
two while also incorporating the enough we will have a teacher
daily work-load into your holi- that observes the same religion
day. The point is that this is not and we can catch some sort of
imaginary; there are quite a few break, literally.
of us at Tech who live this world.
The other main reason why
This past Wednesday was this new policy is ridiculous is
Yom Kippur, the Jewish Day because there is no perceivable
of Atonement, which occurs reason why there would be a
shortly after the Jewish New great deal of difference between
Years. Yom Kippur is analogous notice being given ten days in
to Christmas in the sense that it advance or two months in adis one of Judaisms most impor- vance. What benefit would the
tant religious holidays. Many teacher receive from hearing
Jews who do not observe other the news of an absence so much
customs will typically still ob- farther in advance rather than
serve Yom Kippur much like what would seem to have been
Christmas by fasting and at- a reasonable amount of time?
tending services. Yom Kippur is To me, the requirements of the
our time to be with family and new rule pose a disadvantage
should not be filled with mun- to those who do not celebrate
dane work.
the holiday that just happens to
Yet Tech has instituted a new be that of the majority. To me,
policy this year that many oth- this does not at all seem like a
ers and I were unbeknownst Tech move.
to. According to this new polIt may be a minor policy
icy, students must inform their change, but there is no reason
professors within the first two to have this policy, and the
weeks of the semester about any only outcome is a greater disabsences due to religious holi- advantage for a diverse student
days to avoid academic penal- population.

It is 5 in the morning on a available if I had a question.

Tuesday, and where am I? Flash Other times it was something
back to this summer, and most more adventurous like asking
likely I was in a data closet on me to tag along for an upgrade
campus upgrading some net- and help configure some new
work equipment. I had the op- equipment. No matter what it
portunity over the summer to was, they were always there for
work with the OIT Network me and ready to give me someServices team, and my experi- thing else to learn.
ences taught me a lot about how
So why does all of this matter?
much of an impact coworkers An opportunity is presented for
have on how much you really get both sides when someone, such
out of a job.
as myself, is in the position that
Coming into
I was in. It is the
an environment
coworkers who

...
coworkers
where I am the
make all the difonly non-procan make all the ference between
fessional
staff
a positive and
difference in a work productive work
member was a
bit daunting to
environment. environment and
me.
Everyone
a negative, unsatelse in the deisfactory experiROSS
LINDSAY
partment
had
For me, it
WEB DEVELOPER ence.
been doing the
was my coworkwork for years,
ers and the pasand then there was me, who had sion they showed for their work
barely touched anything made that made me feel like I should
by Cisco switches or other- do the same. Just the opposite
wise. Sure, I had some network- can be said as well; if your coing experience, but if you asked workers and bosses do not show
me what a VPC was or what the any genuine interest or care in
difference was between a single their work, why should you?
and multimode fiber cable, I
If you are ever in the position
would have had quite a deer-in- to be that superior or coworker
headlights look. In many work that the new guy looks to for
environments, the new guy com- help, take advantage of the oping in without a lot of job-specif- portunity and spend time to get
ic experience (read: me) is often to know them. It helps your and
left behind. Thankfully that was the teams image and makes the
not the case this summer.
new guy feel welcome. Show
From the get-go, my cowork- them your passion for what you
ers were nothing short of amaz- do. If you are the new guy, spend
ing. Within my first week, my time getting a feel for the enviboss had already brought me ronment. Getting to know your
up to speed with the nuances of coworkers can be more useful
the department and invited me than you would think.
to meetings to get briefed on
Whether providing tidbits of
upcoming projects. I was im- knowledge (like where the good
mediately immersed in oppor- bathrooms are), taking you out
tunities to work on projects and to lunch or just being friendly
start learning the world of Cisco. and saying Good Morning!
They made me feel right at home to you in the hall, coworkers
as another member of the team. can make all the difference in a
Sometimes it was something work environment. It may not
small like asking if I wanted to seem like much, but sometimes
come to lunch (Chicken Thurs- it is the little things that make a
day!) or making themselves workplace truly special.

How have you been responding to the rash of

crime on campus?

TERRENCE LEWIS
THIRD-YEAR CE

Its worrying.

PONTHUS PYRONNEAU
FIFTH-YEAR MSE

Being a black male, its

difficult dealing with the
stereotypes associated with
crime here in Midtown.

SEAN GEDORIO

SECOND-YEAR CHBE

It hasnt particularly
crossed my mind because of
Atlantas notoriety when it
comes to crime.

JACQUI MULHOLLAND
GRADUATE CE

I didnt know that was

going on. I guess Im in my
grad student bubble.
Photos by Maria Furukawa Student Publications

Life

LIFE EDITOR:

Jon Long

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR:

Samira Bandaru

life@nique.net

The Once and Future SHPE

technique

The Technique spoke to the president of Techs Society of

Hispanic Professional Engineers to discuss the history and
future plans of the organization. 413

10

Friday,
October 14, 2016

Homecoming preparations close to paying off

BOBBY GUILD

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
With homecoming rapidly
approaching, teams are feverishly working to make sure that
all preparations are in place for
a week of Tech spirit. But the
competing teams are not the only
ones working hard to get ready for
homecoming. SCPC, particularly
those in the homecoming committee, have been working long
hours to put on a week of festivities and traditions.
Heading the activity is SCPC
Homecoming Committee Chair,
Kaleigh Watters. She, along with
18 other committee members and
campus organizations have been
working since the fall of last year
to ensure that this years festivities
are the best yet.
We start evaluating previous
events, planning improvements
for recurring event, and brainstorming new events as early as
November. By spring, were deciding the theme and launching the
Logo Contest, Watters said.
To many, homecoming events
are a hallowed tradition, but that
does not stop the team from taking a close look at each event from
previous years, making improvements where necessary.
We talked through each
event, and our team was optimistic that even those events that did

not run as smoothly as they could

have were worth improving, says
Watters of the careful planning
that goes into deciding how best
to improve events while keeping
Techs beloved traditions intact.
There is a sense of tradition
and nostalgia that lies with all of
our decisions, Watters continued. However, these decisions
that go on behind the scenes are
seldom as straightforward as the
end result may have it seem.
Often there is much debate
and discussion that goes into
even the smallest of details. Everything, from the theme for

this year to the shirt colors that

we offered, was characterized by
agonizing debate and heartbreak
from a few members. We spent
almost an entire meeting deciding between Sage and Monterey
Sage for a shirt option, which is
both somewhat exhilarating and
frustrating.
Next comes putting the plan
into action. Information about
events is distributed across campus and the arduous task of coordinating so many different organizations and resources begins.
People, ranging from administration, to student organizations, to

even the entire student body, are

involved in this process.
Trying to receive information
from, communicate with and inform so many people with varying affiliations with Tech is an
incredibly time-consuming and
meticulous task, Watters said.
All of this effort, however,
is never in vain. The light at the
end of the tunnel that is Homecoming, keeps the committee
and all involved steaming ahead
throughout the process.
I, personally, cant wait to see
all of my teams hard work turn
into something that serves as a

Photo by John Nakano Student Publications

One of the biggest things SCPC plans each year is the annual homecoming concert, open
to all students. This years concert will feature Kid Ink and will be held in the Burger Bowl.

bonding and memorable experience for the entire Tech community. Knowing that I got to
play a part in people humiliating
themselves in Powderpuff Cheer,
potentially feeling sick from eating mini-powdered doughnuts
as quickly as they can, or being
distracted during class as they try
to decipher our ridiculous clues
in Scavenger Hunt is a humbling
experience that few can claim,
Watters said.
As the organizer, Watters feels
particularly gratified once everything begins to come together and
the end result is finally realized.
Seeing students, whether on
my committee or signing up for
Application Day, who care about
this tradition makes it all seem
worth it. Getting to be a part of
an annual shift, a true change of
pace for most people on campus,
is something that Im sure I wont
grasp until after its all over. It
feels pretty cool to get to be a part
of it though, Watters said.
So this Homecoming week, as
you and your team forge ahead
to victory amidst the fun and jubilation that the festivities of the
celebration bring, take a second to
appreciate the hard work that was
put in to ensure that the scavenger
hunt clues are frustratingly hard,
that school spirit is forged and,
most importantly, that the Tech
community comes together to celebrate all that homecoming is.

Fashion and technology collide at MODA expo

HANNA WARLICK
STAFF WRITER

Early science fiction predicted

we would one day be able to wear
our technology. With inventions
like the Apple Watch and Oculus
Rift, wearable technology is on
the rise.
Tech has a Wearable Computing Center with 15 different
faculty members. The research
of wearable computing combines
specialists from computer science,
electrical engineering, augmented
reality, textiles, fashion and more.
The Wearable Computing
Center recently put on a five panel
exhibition in collaboration with
the Museum of Design Atlanta
(MODA) called On You: Wearing
Technology. The MODA exhibit,
on display until January 2017, features many examples of wearable
technology including the PIXI
dress and Mi.Mu gloves.
Located in the Midtown Arts
District just across the street
from the Woodruff Arts Center,
MODA seeks to educate people
in understanding and appreciating design in terms of both creativity and functionality. MODA
holds events for people of all ages
and interests, from Minecraft for
Adults, to LEGO and Local Brew.
MODA also caters to a younger crowd, with weekend classes,
field trips, an after school program
and outreach. Future exhibitions
at MODA include The Future
of Food and Designing a Playful City. College students can get

reduced price tickets with a valid

student ID.
The PIXI dress is customizable
with programmable LEDs to let
the user choose what colors and
lights the dress is. Mi.Mu gloves
were demonstrated by musician
Imogen Heap at a TED Global
conference. The goal is to use the
gloves to control music instead of
being behind a computer or sound
board. This is more intuitive and
more performer-friendly.

The expert panel series concluded on Sept. 29 with their discussion on fashion and wearable
technology.
This panel was moderated
by Clint Zeagler. Zeagler has a
B.S. in Industrial Design with a
minor in textiles manufacturing
from Tech and received his M.A.
in fashion design from Domus
Academy in Italy. He is also the
Program Manager for the Wearable Computing Center.

One of the panelists, Susan

Spencer commented on the definition of fashion.
Everybody wears clothes, and
its our primary means of expression outside of our language.
When we hit puberty, its exactly
what were all crazy about. Its
what we wear, to say who we are
and who we belong to and what
we want to be, Spencer said.
Spencer is the founder and
product manager for Valentina,

Photo courtesy of MODA

Techs Wearable Computing Center, in a collaboration with the Museum of Design Atlanta,
recently developed an exhibition on wearable technology. It will be on display until January.

an open source software project

to create garment patterns using
parametric design.
With fashion tech, with all
these new things with circuitry
and electronics being worked into
our clothing we can express ourselves in ways weve never even
thought about before. Theres a
huge opportunity here for us to
make wearable clothing not just a
fashion statement but also to integrate it to a certain point in our
everyday world that it expresses
who we are, Spencer said.
Another panelist, Lucy Dunne,
Ph.D, explains how significant an
impact technology has had on the
fashion industry.
Its almost as if weve been
conversing with each other for the
whole of human history, and now
somebodys introducing something like humor, Dunne said.
We have words, and so humor is
expressed through the words that
we already understand, but weve
never had humor before.
Dunne works in wearable
technology, smart clothing and
apparel design at the University
of Minnesota.
Its such a seismic change in
what were able to express, its like
a whole new facet to what we can
express. And specifically I think I
see that in the kind of non-verbal
dynamics that we can achieve
through technology, Dunne said.
The Wearable Computing
Center at Tech focuses on transitioning wearable technology from
the research stage to a viable consumer product.

technique October 14, 2016 11

// LIFE

Talking leadership with ODKs Casie Connolly

KEELY MRUK

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The Technique recently sat
down with Casie Connolly, president of Omicron Delta Kappa
(ODK), about her leadership role.
The fourth-year CE from Mobile,
Ala., is a peer leader and is also in
the running for Ms. GT.
Technique: Can you give a
general overview of ODK?
Connolly: We are a national
leadership society, so we have a
national structure that oversees
who we are, our core vision and
our values. But here at Tech, we
have a circle thats what we call
our chapters. Our circle has about
40 people who are focused on creating initiatives on campus and
improving campus as a whole.
Here at Georgia Tech, our
ODK is kind of unique. Whereas the national structure is more
about getting cool people together
to be in an honors society, here at
Tech we want to take that group
and do things to improve campus.
We take in different people
from all over campus. We have
five different pillars that we pull
from: athletics, scholarship, campus involvement, performing arts
and journalism. We try to get
people from all different aspects
of campus.
Technique: Has your recruitment process ended?
Connolly: Were currently in
the middle of it. This past week,
we finished our first round of interviews. But be on the lookout ...
for the application next year. We
recruit every year in the fall. You
have to be a junior in academic
standing to apply.
Technique: Can you speak
more on some of the initiatives
that you and your team have implemented?

Connolly: Way back when, we

were a part of building and funding the first Student Center. That
was an initiative that we took on
where we used kind of rudimentary means, like bake sales and
donation drives. This was back
in the 50s or 60s. ODK is really
proud of that, putting a physical
building on campus: the Student
Center. Now that its undergoing
renovations, were really excited to
watch the way it evolves.
Most recently, weve been passionate about mental health on
campus and how to improve that.
About two years ago, we had a
circle conversation about mental
health, the current state of mental
health and what we could do to
improve it.
From there, several ODK
members broke out and created
the Mental Health Think Tank,
which was a series of conversations with faculty, administration,
and students to talk about mental
health and how to make changes.
From that mental health think
tank, they reported up to the
president, up to Dean Stein, and
that mental health think tank was
also instrumental in becoming the
chartered student organization
that is the Mental Health Student
Coalition. That currently functions on its own apart from ODK.
Technique: What sort of initiatives are you looking to pursue
this year or in the future?
Connolly: Yes! Im actually
really excited for this, though its
still a work in progress, as a lot of
our members are really busy. Im
really excited about this; its something that has been my dream. I
want to put a playground on campus. If youve had a bad day, go
swing. If youve had a great day, go
and enjoy the swings. Were working with Dr. Suzy Herrington
she works with campus wellness,

the Arts Department and capital

spacing, planning and management. Were hoping that they will
let us put a playground on campus. And were also trying to find
funding right now.
There are a lot of pieces still
working, but thats something Im
very excited about.
A lot of the other things were
currently working on do also revolve around mental health, but
were also looking to improve
our relationship with our faculty
members here. We have a set of
faculty members who are honorary members of ODK. We think
that they can help us when were
trying to improve faculty-student
relations across campus.
Technique: What do you find
lacking in current student-faculty
relationships that youd like to improve?
Connolly: The main thing that
were finding with faculty-student
relations is that a lot of students
dont feel personally invested in by
their respective faculty. Its a big
contrast from high school, where
the class sizes are smaller and its
easier to feel that personal attention. I know that if I did poorly on
a test, I could go to my teacher, he
would explain to me exactly what
I did wrong and how I could remedy it in the future. And they were
always available.
Of course, professors have a lot
of other things that theyre doing.
Theyre researching, they have office hours for multiple different
classes, and they have lives outside
of the school. Often, students, if
they dont take a lot of personal
initiative, like going to office
hours even when its inconvenient
or going early or staying late after
class, they feel like they dont have
the individual attention.
Thats something were hoping
to improve by talking to faculty.

Photo by Sara Schmitt Student Publications

Casie Connolly, pictured above, is Omicron Delta Kappas current president. Her current focus is mental health on campus.

I feel like they might be a little

removed from what its like to be
a college student. Theyve been in
a college setting for a long time,
but the path of college students
has changed.
We also want to make sure faculty are upholding the same standards as students. Were all held
to an honor code, and faculty also
have a set of agreements they must
adhere to. For example, if your
faculty member goes out of town
for four weeks and then they give
you a test the day they come back,
thats not cool. Thats not okay. So

we want to make sure students

are equipped to know when their
faculty are not necessarily abiding
by the same code that we all need
to abide by in order for everyone
here to survive and do well here
at Tech.
Technique: Can you walk
readers through ODKs hierarchy
and process?
Connolly: Right, so Im president this year somehow they
allowed me to be in charge, which
is nice. Really Im just a servant.
We have a structure, but every-

See ODK, page 12

12 October 14, 2016 technique

ODK

FROM PAGE 11

one really considers themselves

as equal members. We have four
officers: president, vice president,
secretary and treasurer. We have
wa larger executive board, which
is nine or ten positions that function as heads for the various things
that we do.
For instance, one of the largest
events that we hold is the Georgia Tech Leadership Conference
(GTLC) each year in the spring.
We have two people in charge of
planning GTLC. We have people
in charge of the ODK Opinion every week. We have another person
in charge of our initiatives. There
are another two people in charge
of bringing the ODK Opinion to
life. They consider, Is this a feasible initiative that we could take
on? and pull across resources on
campus to see who could possibly
help take it on. We have a faculty
relations chair and a corporate
relations chair as well, and that
completes the executive structure.
Everyone else is a general member.
Technique: What are some of
the goals of the GTLC?
Connolly: GTLC is really
cool. Its basically a way for us to
bring in really great speakers to
show people leadership. We are
a leadership honor society after
all, so we want to build leaders
on campus from freshman all the
way up to seniors. GTLC is a way
for us to model the ODK Opinion on a larger scale. We have conversations with different faculty
members or different people from
outside of campus. They come
in and lead case studies, lectures
and in general help explore what
leadership is and what it means for
different aspects of life.
Technique: How do you come
up with the topics for your ODK
opinions?
Connolly: It depends. Sometimes were very proactive, and we
have something planned weeks
in advance. Other times were

// LIFE

very reactive. We can change our

topic if something happens on
campus; it doesnt have to be totally planned. Like last year, when
there was lots of racial tension on
campus, our next ODK Opinion
addressed that.
We do try and take on really
big topics. Sometimes theyre intangible. Last week we talked
about the Zero Suicide Initiative.
The week before that, we talked
about safe spaces on campus.
Technique: Have certain topics ever gridlocked your discussions?
Connolly: Thats a really interesting question. I always see the
opinion pieces in the Technique,
and you guys come to a consensus
on an issue. But theres always the
caveat, like this reflects the majority opinion of the Technique.
And its sort of like that.
I strongly believe that we
should all have different opinions. Thats okay, its okay to have
those differing opinions. When
we write up the ODK Opinion,
we actually have a majority and

a minority opinion. Sometimes

its a 50-50 split. I cant think of
anything thats really gridlocked
us though.
Sometimes things will get
heated, usually when we discuss
racial issues or the Greek system.
Often were able to come to a pretty good consensus. Theres always
at least one thing we all agree on.
For example, when we talked
about having a physical, designated safe space on campus. Our
majority opinion agreed that no,
we did not really need a designated physical place. The minority opinion disagreed, believing
that was something we probably
should have.
However, all of us could agree
that the biggest thing was that
people should just simply not be
jerks. You need to be a good human being; thats how you can actually make a safe space on campus. We usually agree on what the
issue specifically is but not always
on the way to address it. We dont
always agree on the way that we
want to take things.

Technique: How do you deescalate these situations if they

become heated?
Connolly: We havent run
into that issue so much this semester yet. The biggest thing that
we all usually do ... we all kind
of realize whats happening. We
all kind of step back. Like Guys,
come on. Lets all take a chill pill
for a second and think about this
again. Where did we start from?
What was the basis for this conversation? Where did we want
to go with this? Often things
get heated when youre just complaining. When youre just saying,
This stinks, so does this. This really also stinks, thats not a fruitful conversation. Complaining
for an hour is the opposite of what
I want the ODK Opinion to be. It
needs to be targeted. Understanding these emotions first and then
trying to change things usually
directs our conversation to a productive place, rather than people
just yapping at each other.
I also personally make an effort
to make sure that people who may

Photo courtesy of Omicron Delta Kappa

Omicron Delta Kappa begins recruitment in the fall and involves interviews in order to find
applicants that they feel are a good fit for the group. Applications for this year have closed.

the techn

usually be talked over also get the

chance to speak. We have people
who are super extraverted they
have their opinions and want
to say them. Im not that way; I
like to hold back in a conversation. Sometimes Ill call people
out when I see that they havent
spoken. And sometimes members
will still have several things to
say, which I understand, but its
important to hear someone elses
opinion. Otherwise thats how it
can turn from the ODK Opinion
to the Oh just kidding, thats
just me Opinion, not our circles
opinion. ... We usually de-escalate
by making the discussion less
complaining, more productive.
We want ODK to be at the service of the school. If people need
something or they have a question
about something we want them
to come to us. Were not this beall, end-all, do-anything organization, but we do want to be at
the service of others. So if theres
something that you think ODK
can help you with, I want people
to feel comfortable reaching out
to me or another member they
may know.
Technique: What if students
dont know an ODK member?
Whats the next best way to get
your attention?
Connolly: Well, we have a
website, odk.gatech.edu. Our officer emails are listed there, and
we have a Facebook page which
people can message us on. This
is another thing that weve really
wanted to take on. We want to
know what the issues are. Were
limited, and we realize were
limited in our scope because we
are leaders and we really want to
reach out to people who might not
be connected.
I have a heart for those who
are ... on the periphery, you might
say. They go to class, they go back
to their dorm, thats it. I interact
with them as a PL, but it would
be better to interact with them
through this body of leaders.

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WE OFFER DISCOUNTS
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mediakit.nique.net

technique October 14, 2016 13

// LIFE

SHPE shapes up for growing future membership

BOBBY GUILD

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
For international students and
students with strong ties to their
ethnicities, coming to Tech can
prove to be quite the shock. The
new culture and traditions, coupled with academics and a new
social life, can prove challenging
and daunting. However, there are
many student organizations here
on campus that serve to provide
a familiar and supportive community for various international
groups and ethnicities.
Among these is the Society of
Hispanic Professional Engineers
(SHPE), which serves to create
a welcoming Hispanic community, encourage academic growth
and performance and also allow
for professional goals to be met.
However, upon closer inspection, the society provides so much
more for both its members and for
the community.
The societys president, Juan
Tovar, sees SHPE first and foremost as a means for empowering
anyone to desire to embrace and
experience the Hispanic community and culture.
The mission was not always
this inclusive and welcoming,
however. The society, its executive
board and its board of directors
have worked tirelessly to change
the outlook of the society from
one that is perceived as a clique to
a family on campus.

It used to be like a tight little

niche, not very inclusive, not representative of the community,
Tovar said. Weve really pushed
to be more accepting of anyone
who wants to experience the Hispanic community and culture.
This work started with the societys leadership by changing the
way they perceive their mission.
I wanted to make sure that
the board of the directors and the
people who help to accomplish
our goals are appreciated, but also
understand what we need to do,

Tovar said. We need to go out

in the community and meet with
our members. We need to show
people that we can speak English,
but still love the Hispanic culture
and community.
Through this came a change in
the societys atmosphere, making
it more exciting and enjoyable.
This has also led to many other
changes represented in the growth
of SHPE, both in membership
and strength of community.
This year as president Ive
seen the organization shift. It was

a huge deal my freshman year

when we reached 200 members.
A huge deal! Last year were had
about 330! Tovar exclaimed.
Growth in student involvement in SHPE has led to a greater
ability uphold the societys five
pillars: academics, chapter development, leadership development, professional development
and community service. By supporting professional development through national SHPE
career fairs, chapter development
through the Professional Experi-

Photo courtesy of SHPE

Membership in Techs Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers currently numbers in the

hundreds with membership expected to rise as it becomes a bigger and more inclusive group.

ence Program and community

outreach through working with
local high school SHPE chapters,
the society is better realizing its
mission of creating a community.
You know, all of the great
things that Ive experienced while
here at Tech, none of that would
have happened without the sense
of family that SHPE creates,
Tovar said. That no doubt is the
biggest thing. Ive grown with
my friends through SHPE, met
people through SPHE. Its a great
way to build a community of togetherness.
Having left his mark and set
the course for SHPE, Tovar wants
to see these trends of acceptance
and embracement of the Hispanic
culture stay on course.
I want to see the shift towards
acceptance and involvement continue. I want to see SHPE continue to be the backbone for the
Hispanic community. If you are
Hispanic and you are here, I want
you to be able to count on SHPE
for anything you need. Were
brothers, were sisters, were a family, Tovar said.
SHPE has worked to redefine
itself so that its mission is embodied in the societys outlook, activities and members. It is evident in
the change in the SHPE community that the society has done just
that. As a result, their leadership
has created an inclusive, productive, professional and supportive organization for Techs large
Hispanic community.

Entertainment

technique

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:

Kara Pendley

ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR:

Monica Jamison

entertainment@nique.net

14

Friday,
October 14, 2016

Art festival bound to Elevate south downtown

MONICA JAMISON

ASSISTANT ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Top: Photo by Kristen Ferro; Middle, Bottom: Photos courtesy of Elevate

Yoyo Ferros mural, Bent Frequencys performance and the Jortsfest auditory tour are attractions offered at the Elevate festival.

From Oct. 1321, the annual

public art festival Elevate offers
contemporary art and cultural
events in south downtown. Four
curators bring the theme of Microcosm to life by featuring over
200 artists that explore social,
racial, and economic issues at
the community level. The schedule of free events can be found at
elevateatlart.com. The Mayors
Office of Cultural Affairs organizes the program, and the Technique
had the opportunity to speak
with the Offices Public Art Program Manager, Dorian McDuffie.
This interview has been edited for
length; the full content can be
found on nique.net.
Technique: Elevate has grown
from being Art Above Underground and the South Broad Mural Project. Is the program now
year round?
McDuffie: Yes, we are going
to do year round programming.
Now, its not going to look like
this year round because I dont
think too many people want to attend a street party in December,
but I want to do some educational
opportunities for artists and maybe even arts organizations. I want
to help teach studio artists how to
become public artists.
I do want to add one thing, so
that people are clear on the history of Elevate. My predecessor,
who was my former boss, Eddie
Granderson, conceived of Elevate in 2010, and he wanted it to
do exactly what its doing and
that is bring light to parts of this
city that dont have any light shining on them He brought on a
curator named Courtney Hammond, who is amazing and did
great things to create the Elevate
brand for four years, 2011 through

2014 and then Fahamu Pecou

curated it last year. We had artists
submit proposals for this year and
chose the ones we did.
Technique: How was the
theme of Microcosm chosen for
this year?
McDuffie: The curators came
up with the theme. They were
looking at how what is happening in south downtown Atlanta
is a microcosm of whats happening in Atlanta as a whole and
also in this country. South downtown was untapped. Attention
has been brought to it because
weve been doing Elevate in and
around south downtown Atlanta,
and so arts organizations started
to move in there.
When you look at gentrification, which is really what the Microcosm theme is about, it starts
with the artists moving in first
and making it a hip place to be,
and then it kind of grows from
there. The big real estate folks
move in and see the potential, and
then it ends up being a place that
nobody can afford anymore.
Technique: How have the local residents been engaged in the
planning and future of Elevate?
McDuffie: One event on
Thursday is the 404 Dinner. It is
an invitation-only event because
one of the curators Monica
Campana, who is the co-founder
and director of Living Walls, had
this vision to have a dinner that
invited the residents of south
downtown, people who work
down there, and people that have
a stake in it the council people,
different commissioners, all those
kind of folks to sit down and
have conversation about what they
want their neighborhood to look
like. These are voices that will be
heard and at the table when these
major decisions are being made.
Monica has had weekly community meetings. She took a lot of

time and energy pulling together

south downtown to make sure
that they are fully represented in
this effort.
Technique: What is an event
that you would suggest for students who want to get their feet
wet with Atlanta culture?
McDuffie: Come to the block
party. Its going to be so much
fun. Friday night at 6 p.m. it
starts and its going to go until 11 p.m. The block party is
going to have Soul Food Cypher,
Bae, Black Girl Magic and Bosco.
The Jane Jacobs walking tour
would be great to get to know the
history of the city that youre in
Saturday night the 15th at
Eyedrum is going to be a blast.
It starts with the Bent Frequency
musical performance in the basement of the Laz parking lot, underneath Eyedrum, then you can
emerge from there and Jortsfest
starts in the gallery at 7:30 p.m.,
Elysia Crampton performs at 9:30
p.m., Southern Fried Queer Pride
is at 11 p.m. The Aesthetics
of Trap panel is on Sunday at 4
oclock. The following week, the
Talk Back with the curators or the
Artist Talk would be great, particularly for arts students.
Technique: What event are
you most looking forward to?
McDuffie: First of all, I do
want to mention the curators
We are working with Monica
Campana from Living Walls, Allie Bashuk from Goat Farm, Mark
DiNatale from Goat Farm, and
Pastiche Lumumba who is an artist and an arts activist. I am
exceedingly proud of them and
impressed by their work ethic,
their creativity, their stick-to-itive-ness, their tenacity. I cannot
say enough about how they go
about getting the cultural work
done around this city. So
all the events that Im going to
See ELEVATE, page 16

Luke Cage proves less bulletproof than the man

TELEVISION

Luke Cage
NETWORK: Netflix
WHEN: Sept. 30
STARRING: Mike Colter

OUR TAKE:

DAVID RAJI

OPINIONS EDITOR
Luke Cage, the Netflix-exclusive show was released Sept. 30
and follows Marvels Luke Cage,
played by Mike Colter (The
Good Wife), as he grapples with
confronting his past, complicated
relationships, and most of all, his
bulletproof body. However, unlike its titular protagonist, Luke
Cage is certainly not bulletproof.
Colter, reprising his role as
Cage after first appearing in last
years Jessica Jones, delivers a
dynamic performance, but not
dynamic in that Colter shows incredible range; instead, the word
is fitting in that it conveys the
sometimes-believable sometimes-

robotic acting on display. However, Colters shoulders should

not bear blame for all elements of
his characters shortcomings. Bad
writing appears far too often for
the actors to be solely responsible
for his subpar performance.
Neither was the plague of poor
scripting quarantined to Colters
character. Detective Mercedes
Misty Knight (Simone Missick,
Douglass U) and Domingo
Colon (Jacob Vargas, Sons of
Anarchy), present the viewers
with this gem of an interaction:
How do you have time to commit crimes and train boxers?
says Knight. Colon responds, I
guess you must have to be good at
multitasking, prompting forced
chuckles by both actors.
The weak writing even extends
outside the realm of dialogue and
into the storytelling. It has always
been unclear what the Marvel
shows goals are when they introduce heavy topics and themes. On
one hand, they delve into issues
of serious import, like rape and
sexual abuse in Jessica Jones or
gang culture in Luke Cage, then

include elements of absurdity

alongside whatever ideas and discussions are presented.
When Cornell Cottonmouth
Stokes (Mahershala Ali, House
of Cards) suddenly appears on a
roof in the middle of Harlem with
a rocket launcher, then blows a
whole building to pieces with it,
any suspension of disbelief comes
crashing down. Furthermore,
Cottonmouths character is presented as a hot-tempered gangster
whose laugh is a dead ringer for
that of the Count from Sesame
Street. He responds with laughter
to almost any situation, whether
having just made a threat or having just been threatened.
Yet in the episode of his death,
the audience is pressured to feel
bad for Cottonmouth through a
series of flashbacks leaving the audience to question why the writers
needed to present a second face to
this previously one-dimensional
character right before he dies. Was
having him as a mindless crazy
villain for the first half of the season just too important to pass up?
See CAGE, page 17

Photo courtesy of Netflix

Mike Colter (Jessica Jones) reprises his role as Marvel hero

Luke Cage in his own show as he encounters a recurring character.

technique October 14, 2016 15

// ENTERTAINMENT

Rousing film unfolds forgotten chapter in history

FILM

A Birth of a Nation
GENRE: Drama
STARRING: Nate Parker
DIRECTOR: Nate Parker
RATING: R
RELEASE DATE: Oct. 7

OUR TAKE:
VATHSAN RAMPRAKASH
CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In the 21st century, most Americans do not really think about

having to earn their freedom; they
feel entitled to it because they live
in the United States.
Nate Parkers The Birth of a
Nation reminds audiences how
far the nation has come. It portrays the true horrors of the economic system of slavery that was
the way of life 200 years ago,
when the film is set.
Despite its familiar storyline
towards the beginning, the film
manages to distinguish itself from
blockbusters such as Steve McQueens 12 Years A Slave and
Lee Daniels The Butler. With
its myriad of unrelenting moments and emotionally riveting
performances, the film has the
potential to become one of Hollywoods great historical films.
Besides directing the film, Nate
Parker (Non-Stop) plays an African-American slave named Nat
Turner. Taught to read the Bible
at a young age, Turner becomes a
preacher to his fellow slaves.
His master Samuel Turner,
portrayed by the versatile Armie
Hammer (The Man from
U.N.C.L.E.), realizes Nats talent. He begins to profit from Nats
services to other plantations.

Cherry Ann Turner, played by

Aja Naomi King (How to Get
Away with Murder), delivers a
performance that stays true to the
emotions depicted throughout the
film. Through his travels and in
his personal life, Nat encounters
the true gruesomeness of slavery.
He then decides to become a different type of preacher and to
make a stand.
The originality of the plot satisfies. Nate Parker truly understands what it takes to captivate
the audience and simultaneously
make an impact on the viewers
psyche through the accurate depiction of true events.
The portrayal of the slave rebellion that happened in Southampton County, Va. in 1831, embodies a story like no other. The vile
and thought-provoking sequences
take the audience by surprise.
The Birth of a Nation delves
into exactly what its name suggests. The film not only succeeds
at depicting a captivating event,
but it also makes the historical
events personal to the audience.
In todays society, where many
citizens seem to be detached from
what it means to earn our freedom, this film is eye-opening.
The themes encompassed in The
Birth of a Nation are precisely
what America was built on, and
they instill both feelings of remorse and gratitude.
Although this element seems
to be the crux of many of Hollywoods greatest period films, the
portrayal of strength of the human spirit remains jaw-dropping
and inspiring. When Nat preaches
to and galvanizes fellow slaves, the
origins of the powerful AfricanAmerican churches of today can
be seen. The great sacrifices endured in order to make America
the land of the free stir deep, lingering emotions in viewers.

Photo courtesy of FOX Searchlight Pictures

Colman Domingo (Lincoln) depicts Hark, left, and Nate Parker (Non-Stop) leads as Nat
Turner, right, in the Sundance Film Festival award-winning period drama that Parker also directs.

The films visual appearance

befits a cotton plantation in the
19th century. The shots are full of
deep colors, yet they still carry the
heavy themes of the film. The actors never fail to depict the intensity of situations.
With mesmerizing accuracy,
the costumes and the set design
offered a conduit to the past. The
skillful cinematography makes
the film fluid in rendering a wide
spectrum of emotions. Both violent scenes and the graceful attrac-

tion between Nat and Cherry are

well depicted.
Despite these strengths, the
film does not break away from
mainstream Hollywood storytelling. Like any movie within
its genre, The Birth of a Nation
faces the challenge of creating a
unique portrayal of history while
still staying true to the facts.
In the first half of the film, as
Nat is on his journey to understand the magnitude of wrongdoings and how they do not align

with his faith, the film seems to

lose momentum at times. But thecomedy is just as it should be in a
period film: subtle and unvaried.
When it comes to the powerful message it conveys and how it
conveys it, the film still does not
disappoint. The haunting and
brutal finale especially makes
the film worth the watch. Nate
Parkers The Birth of a Nation
is a fairly compelling insight into
an often neglected chapter in the
American narrative.

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH JOURNAL

Showcase, Present, and Inspire

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH @ GT

gttower.org

16 October 14, 2016 technique

// ENTERTAINMENT

The Girl on the Train stuck at station

FILM

The Girl on the Train

GENRE: Thriller
STARRING: Emily Blunt
DIRECTOR: Tate Taylor
RATING: R
RELEASE DATE: Oct. 7

OUR TAKE:

AVANTI JOGLEKAR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Based on the book by Paula
Hawkins, the film version of The
Girl on the Train hit theatres on
Oct. 7 and somehow managed to
fall short of the intense journey
the original provided. While the
catchphrase I liked the book better is often invoked after watching the screen version of a bestselling novel, in this case it rings
uniquely true.
The Girl on the Train is the
story of Rachel Watson (Emily Blunt, The Devil Wears Prada), an alcoholic commuter who
watches the lives of a seemingly
perfect couple from the train each
day, until one day the woman,
Megan (Haley Bennett, Music
and Lyrics), disappears.
Rachel began watching their
house on her way to and from
Manhattan because they live just
a few houses down from her exhusband Tom (Justin Theroux,
The Leftovers), who lives in
their old house with his new wife
Anna (Rebecca Ferguson, The
White Queen) and new baby.
Tormented by the thought of
her ex living with the woman he
cheated on Rachel with and living
the life she used to have, Rachel
attempts to drown her sorrows in
alcohol. These actions lead to her

Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures

Emily Blunt stars as Rachel Watson in the film based on Paula Hawkins bestselling novel. The thriller follows the missing persons investigation intertwined with Watsons life.

blacking out and harassing the

new couple. On one such bender
triggered by her rage at seeing Megan embracing a man who is not
her husband and ruining Rachels
idyllic vision of the perfect happy
couple, Rachel awakens to find
herself covered in blood and is interrogated by the police regarding
Megans disappearance.
The Hitchcockian psychological drama follows the complicated
question of whether Rachel is a
witness or a suspect in the disappearance of Megan, and as Rachel
inserts herself into various parts
of Megans life to try and uncover
the truth, her sanity becomes as
questionable as her memory of
that fateful night.
While the storytelling device
of flashbacks told through all
three of the womens perspectives

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works on the page, the translation to the screen seems choppy

and unfulfilling. Despite the superb acting by Emily Blunt, who
brings a vitality to the intoxicated
yet sleuthing Rachel that is worth
witnessing, her talents alone are
not enough to compensate for
the lack of depth found elsewhere
in the film.
While the characters have their
moments in inspiring emotion
from the audience, the response
each individual evokes fails to
string together into the compelling narrative intended, and at a
climax where one would expect a
gasp, instead the audience is left
underwhelmed by the emotional
gravity of what happens.
Perhaps the one thing the film
does successfully is allow the audience to be a voyeur much like Ra-

chel is to the lives of the characters

in the film. In this case, the tired
storyline of the dead hot girl
does involve numerous scenes of
the hot girl in sexually promiscuous positions, which furthers the
enjoyable voyeurism of the film
while simultaneously detracting
from any depth Megan or her
story provides. The views into Annas life do little to endear her to
those gazing inside and leave her
character especially unlikable and
perplexing.
Despite numerous points of
absurdity, the revolving gaze into
the lives of these three women do
come together to unveil an interesting story that is entertaining to
watch. Audiences should not compare Rachel to the girl she used to
be in the book, which will allow
for an enjoyable viewing.

ELEVATE

FROM PAGE 14

mention, Im looking forward to

them because of [the curators] and
their vision.
That being said, what we did
bring to this event is our collaboration with the French consulate.
No Soulier is going to do a dance
on Saturday the 15th at 5 p.m. at
the MLK Federal Building. He
is a dancer from France who is not
just a dancer, he is a philosopher,
and his philosophy comes through
the dance. I cannot wait to see
that. Thats going to be magical.
Technique: What do you see
as Atlantas biggest challenge and
the role of the Office of Cultural
Affairs in addressing it?
McDuffie: Im from the northeast, and Im used to old cities and
established cultural activities.
This city is a younger city, which
is great because it gives more
people the opportunity to be a
part of its development, but what
it lacks I think and what were
working towards is some cultural
stability. I would like to know
that my city absolutely has an
opera, and our opera has gone to
Cobb County.
There are populations that have
got to be reached and engaged in
this cultural development that the
city is embarking on. We have
a show during Elevate at Gallery
72, which is one of the City of
Atlantas galleries, with women
from the immigrant population
showing photographs of what
its like to be new to this country,
what immigration feels like to
them.
My director Camille Russell
Love has been a huge catalyst in
making sure that populations
that dont normally feel heard or
are underemployed in the arts
get employed The city has lots
of cultural needs, and our leadership needs to continue to make
sure that its a priority and that
the Office of Cultural Affairs is at
every table.

technique October 14, 2016 17

// ENTERTAINMENT

Burkman delves into purpose of Haze

AVANTI JOGLEKAR

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

THE

Photo courtesy of Shadywood Road Productions, LLC.

One of the fraternity members experience intense hazing practices. The movie won Best Film at the Soma Film Festival.

In an interview with Technique, Burkman discussed his motives and goals in making Haze,
and its current college run, having
been screened at over 20 campuses
in the past two weeks.
We recently partnered with
The Georgia Tech Office of Greek
Affairs to bring the film to campus, and the four governing Greek
Councils hosted the screening in
the Student Center Theater on
the Georgia Tech campus on Saturday, Sept. 24th. A discussion
about the issues the film raises
followed the screening. This event
was a part of National Hazing
Prevention Week.

While Hollywood has had

many movies taking a comedic
or campy-horror-film approach to
the topic of fraternities and sororities, Burkman wanted to address
the darker, more serious aspects of
Greek life, which often go ignored
or are shrouded in secrecy until
consequences like death from alcohol poisoning result. The film
attempts to depict and facilitate a
dialogue about what hazing exactly is, and shows the less-discussed
psychological and emotional toll
hazing has on pledges.
They dont bring you down
to the basement and start beating
you up from day one, because no-

North
Avenue
Review

READ.
THINK.
SPEAK.
northavereview.com

From director and writer David Burkman comes Haze, a

film that provides a dark view into
the hazing process experienced
by pledges to fraternities and sororities on college campuses. The
story follows Nick (Kirk Curran,
Lily Dj Vu), a freshman who
decides to join a fraternity. He
must contend with his brother
Petes (Mike Blejer, Jay Dates)
mission to bring awareness to the
brutality of hazing rituals which
resulted in the death of a pledge.
The film cleverly frames the
narrative about Greek life using
ancient Greek mythology, explicitly including the highly fitting
story of Dionysus, the god of
wine, revelry and ecstasy, and implicitly using the tale of Narcissus
and Echo.
It uses these myths while staying very true to the reality of college life. From the parties and the
pressures of social acceptance to
managing academics and relationships, students will find many
of the scenes depicted in Haze
familiar to their own experiences,
which makes the immensely difficult-to-watch scenes of Hell Week
and other hazing activities even
more harrowing.
By using relatable characters
in an entertaining movie as the
vehicle to deliver the message of
the dangers of hazing, Burkman
hopes for the audience to come
out of the campus screenings of
the film prepared to have a discussion about the reality of this epidemic problem. The vast majority
of the film depicts real experiences
Burkman, and others ranging
from those currently in college to
those in their 30s or even 80s, had
when pledging.

body would stick around for that,

Burkman says.
Theres a gradual ramping
up where its not perceived as
being hazed because its rather
subtle, with a punishment and reward cycle.
When asked why he thinks
hazing takes place, Burkman says,
There are very common human
psychological underpinnings to
all of this, but I think at its root,
hazing is serving at least one if not
many human psychological needs,
and if were ever really seriously
going to do anything about it, we
need to understand what that need
is thats being served, and how can
we serve those needs in healthy
ways rather than these ways that
are dangerous and harmful.
The goal of screening Haze
on college campuses is to allow
the audience an opportunity to
process the film and to spark a
dialogue that will extend beyond
the stunning revelation of the disconnect between peoples ideals
and the reality offered by the final
scene of the movie.
The hope that we have is that
we spark the beginnings of these
conversations. I think Haze is a
powerful movie for a lot of people,
and if it lingers in their minds, my
hope is that theyll continue to
have these conversations on their
own, and that organizations dont
just stop the conversation once we
leave campus but continue searching for solutions.
Haze has spent the past year
on the film festival circuit, where
it picked up several Best Film
and Best Screenplay awards.
After exclusively screening on college campuses across the country,
Haze will be released commercially in the spring, with a limited theatrical run and release on
digital and cable video on demand
platforms.

CAGE

FROM PAGE 14

Yet despite the phoned-in writing that so often shakily supports

the show, it cannot be denied that
the premise and plot are genuinely interesting. Whether that is
a credit solely to the source material is impossible to say, but it is
very refreshing to see a superhero
with a scientific explanation for
his abilities instead of just having them shoved in the audiences
face with no context.
Another bright spot in Luke
Cage is its hip-hop influence,
which permeates the show like
water in a sponge. It is perhaps
most apparent and well-implemented in the soundtrack composed by Adrian Younge and Ali
Shaheed Muhammad. The original recordings heard during lapses
in action distinctly recall Younges
other work and are very welcome
whenever they appear in the show.
The viewer even granted a snippet of Ghostface Killahs King of
New York, during a contemplative scene with Shades.
While the soundtrack may be
a high point, other elements of
the flavor leave something to be
desired. For the number of times
Harlem is brought up in dialogue,
more effort should have been spent
matching imagery, references and
music with locale.
The looming picture of the
Brooklyn rapper Biggie in Cottonmouths office is recognizable
to a mainstream audience, but it
would make much more sense to
have Harlem rappers Big L or even
Camron instead.
It also has to be asked why
Gang Starr, also from Brooklyn,
was so important to the fabric of
the show that every episode had to
be named after one of their songs.
These might seem minor issues to
the casual observer, but when a
show goes to such lengths to cater
to a certain niche audience, it has
an obligation to get the small details right.

Have you ever wanted to be

an on-air DJ?
Are you interested in:
music
engineering
business
live sound
free concerts?
Come join the countrys only college HD
station broadcasting at 100,000 Watts!
located on the second floor of the student
center, above subway.
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wrek.org|

18 October 14, 2016 technique

// COMICS

SMBC BY ZACH WEINERSMITH

XKCD BY RANDALL MUNROE

SARAHS SCRIBBLES BY SARAH ANDERSEN

IN THE BLEACHERS BY STEVE MOORE

CLASSIC
FOXTROT BY BILL AMEND

technique October 14, 2016 19

// COMICS

DILBERT BY SCOTT ADAMS

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE BY STEPHEN PASTIS

CUL DE SAC BY RICHARD THOMPSON

LIO BY MARK TATULLI

CLASSIC
CALVIN & HOBBES BY BILL WATTERSON

SUDOKU PUZZLE

20 October 14, 2016 technique

// SPORTS

Stansburys unique path to Athletic Director

HARSHA SRIDHAR
SPORTS EDITOR

The office might be new and

the responsibilities different, but
when Todd Stansbury accepted
the Athletic Director position at
Tech, he was not just taking another job; he was coming home.
He was coming home to Bobby
Dodd Stadium, where he played
football under coach Bill Curry
for four years. He was returning
to the Georgia Tech Athletic Association, where he served as the
Assistant Athletic Director for
Academics for seven years, earning a national championship ring.
Stansbury, a former banker,
followed an unusual path to his
current position.
When you come to Georgia
Tech, youre kind of programmed
that youre going to go to Wall
Street or something, Stansbury
said with a laugh in a one-on-one
interview. It wasnt until I had
been in banking for a couple of
years that the opportunity, and
even the idea, of working in athletics presented itself. But once I
did it, I knew that this was what I
wanted to do.
When Techs search committee called, Stansbury responded.
This was something that ...
throughout my career, the idea
would be that hopefully Id have
the opportunity to come back to
Tech, Stansbury said. Of course,
you just never know ... whether
youll get the opportunity or what
the timing will be. So for this to
be presented at this time in my career is a real blessing.
Stansburys arrival might well
be a blessing for Tech, too. While
the Jackets have posted academic
figures that rival national leaders,
their performance in key revenuegenerating sports like football and

Photo courtesy of GTAA

Techs new athletic director Todd Stansbury poses at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Stansbury, a Tech
alumnus and former administrator, returns to Atlanta from an equivalent position at Oregon State.

basketball has lagged behind that

of their rivals.
Meanwhile, questions remain
as to whether the money Tech
athletics has is being allocated
appropriately. Tech basketball is
now paying three head coaches.
There is Paul Hewitt, a coach
who so irked administration that
the school agreed to buy out his
contract. His successor was Brian
Gregory, who was fired last season after a mediocre campaign.
Moreover, this spring, the Tech
administration announced that
Memphis recruiting maven Josh
Pastner would be the next to try
his hand in the role.

As a result, Tech has been unable to muster the cash necessary

to attract and keep great assistant
coaches. Entering this season,
LSUs staff made a combined
$5.5 million annually, courtesy of
USAToday.com. Techs made a
paltry $2.5 million.
Expecting the Jackets to keep
up with foes across its conference
and nationally with half the funding is a futile exercise. The issues
go beyond personnel.
You guys, look, you dont have
to ask me. Do you think we have
the same things Clemson does?
asked football head coach Paul
Johnson after the teams loss to

the Tigers, courtesy of myAJC.

com. How can the expectation
be to beat them?
Stansbury might be able to
solve these issues thanks to his experience with similar positions at
Oregon State University and the
University of Central Florida.
I dont know that you could
get more extreme [in terms of differences between UCF and Oregon State]. ... UCF is a relatively
new school ... to Division I athletics. Oregon State is a land-grant
university on the West Coast
thats been around for 150 years.
... They have similar challenges for
different reasons.

So far, Stansbury has distinguished his institutions by adding

distinctive cultural features to his
stadiums. At UCF, it was a tiki bar
built on the premises. At Oregon
State, it was a terrace that would
host craft beer and showcase the
cuisine of the Northwest.
Every day, Stansbury said, was
different. He might arrive to the
office expecting to address a certain issue and leave not having
considered it at all. Day-to-day
challenges were variable.
Youre trying to push the longer agenda, or the ... more strategic aspect of what you do at the
same time youre doing your day
job, Stansbury said. Thats the
balance you have to make as an
athletic director.
For Stansbury, that long-term
focus could be a number of things.
I think initially, Im ... going
to be in the learning-listening
mode for a little while, just because Ive been gone for 20 years.
And so just because I think I
know the culture well and I really
understand Georgia Tech, I dont
necessarily know what we do on a
day-to-basis and the why.
A key priority, though, is the
Tech brand: embracing who we
are ... and using that to our advantage as Stansbury put it.
For Techs ninth athletic director, there remains work to be
done in Corvallis, Ore., in order
for him to leave Oregon State and
focus his attention in Atlanta.
The [thing] Im trying to do
there [is] helping the interim athletic director ... basically help her
transition, Stansbury said. So
I will be, for the most part, in a
very low-profile position of really just making sure that nothing falls between the cracks ... and
[the incoming athletic director at
Oregon State] can hit the ground
running when they arrive.

technique October 14, 2016 21

// SPORTS

Tech unexpected host of two athletic events

CASEY MILES

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Over the past few weeks, news
has been good for use of Tech facilities by outside benefactors. On
Oct. 4, the ACC announced that
the 2017 ACC Swim and Dive
Championships would be held
in McAuley Aquatic Center after
being moved from Greensboro,
N.C., due to controversy over the
states controversial anti-transgender legislation.
This event is one of the first to
have its new location announced
after the decision that all postseason events would be moved
from N.C. The following day,
new Major League Soccer (MLS)
franchise Atlanta United announced that its home opener and
all games would be held in Bobby
Dodd Stadium until the opening
of the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
The Swim and Dive Championships were originally going to
be held in the Greensboro Aquatic
Center. However, due to legislature passed by multiple states following N.C. House Bill 2 (HB2),
the event was moved to Atlanta.
The legislation passed by states
such as New York prevent state
travel to North Carolina, meaning that student athletes would
not receive the funding to travel to
North Carolina for the event. This
made an already difficult logistics
situation virtually impossible for a
number of teams.

Tech is no stranger to hosting

the ACC Swim and Dive Championships; McAuley last played host
in 2015 and additionally hosted
the NCAA Zone Diving Qualifiers and the NCAA Swimming
and Diving Championships last
season. The womens swimming
and diving along with the mens
diving championships will be
held from Feb. 1316 while mens
swimming will be held from Feb.
27March 2.
Atlanta Uniteds announcement comes as the fervor for the
team continues to grow. The team
recently broke the MLS-record
for ticket sales by crossing the 22
thousand mark.
Right now, the Mercedes-Benz
Stadium is slated to open in June
2017. The futuristic stadium is
slated to replace the neighboring
Georgia Dome and will also play
host to the NFLs Atlanta Falcons
and a number of other entertainment events.
The exact date for the opener
has yet to be announced. However, it will be sometime during
March 2017.
The decision to play early
games at Tech came about because
the team did not want to open its
season with three straight months
on the road. As a result, Atlanta
United has agreed to shoulder all
costs related to its games at Bobby
Dodd while a more permanent
venue is constructed.
What North Carolina has lost
seems to be a significant gain for

Photo by John Nakano Student Publications

An empty Bobby Dodd Stadium is illuminated at night. The home of Tech football will also
serve as the temporary home pitch for Major League Soccers newest franchise, Atlanta United.

the Jackets. Rather than traveling

north to Greensboro to compete
next semester, they will have the
benefit of competing where they
train: in their home confines.
Spring is usually seen as a rather uneventful time for large sporting events in Atlanta. The Falcons
and Braves are in the offseason for
months; only the Hawks and col-

lege basketball provide entertainment. With the Swim and Dive

Championships and a new MLS
franchise in town, that will likely
change quickly.
Techs facilities are not the best
in its conference, let alone the
nation. Coaches and administrators alike have acknowledged that
changes need to be made for the

Jackets amenities to remain competitive with its rivals.

For the time being, at least,
Tech seems to have endeared itself to a pair of prestigious organizations. Visitors to McAuley
Aquatic Center will experience
championship-level competition,
and Bobby Dodd Stadium will
birth a sports franchise.

22 October 14, 2016 technique

// SPORTS

how I got playing. I lived right

next to my home course in Columbus. I have a twin brother, and
we kind of just got the bug for it.
We would walk back and forth
from the course, and we had a
natural little knack for it. It went
from there. I was always competitive; I always was looking for being a little better each and every
day. My size was kind of limiting
for the other big sports, and so
golf was the perfect medium.
Technique: Whats the hardest
aspect to master?

Clark: Golf is one of those

sports thats so long-term. Ive
been playing golf since I was six or
seven years old and am still looking to keep improving.
And its every aspect. Some
people are different: some people
struggle with putting, some people struggle with ball striking.
And so everybody has their own
tendencies and weaknesses.
For me, when Im putting well,
I usually hold up pretty well because I feel like my ball striking is
pretty solid. I think sticking with

it is the other big thing. Its such a

long-term sport that its easy to get
down ... its easy to get up.
Technique: Is there someone youve tried modeling your
game after?
Clark: Im not one of the longest players out there, so for me to
perform well, I really have to hit
my wedges and short clubs well
and putt well. Zach Johnson on
the PGA Tour does that perfectly.
So Ive always looked up to him
mainly because he putted with
a Seemore putter. Its a unique

JAMES CLARK
GOLF

HARSHA SRIDHAR
SPORTS EDITOR

The Mens Golf team is highlighted by young stars such as

Luke Schniederjans and senior
leaders such as Michael Hines and
Vincent Whaley. In the middle is
junior James Clark.
The middle child of the golf
team from Columbus, Ga., is
highly touted. Clark sat down
with the Technique to talk about
team leadership, his golf roots and
mastering the sport.
Technique: What got you to
start playing golf?
Clark: It was really when I
was little. It was weird how I got
into golf because my family never
played golf. Dad, mom ... nobody
ever played golf. So it was weird

Photo courtesy of Danny Karnik

James Clark follows through on a swing at a tournament. Clark provides a steady presence
in the Mens Golf lineup as the team aims for the green after a trying 2015 campaign.

brand, and thats what I putted

with growing up. So I was like,
Hes my model.
Technique: Do you have a favorite or least favorite course from
your career so far?
Clark: There are definitely
some favorites. I like Peachtree
Golf Club here in Atlanta. Thats
one of my favorites. Ive played it
four or five times. Its really kind
of an exclusive club; we actually
just played it a couple weeks ago.
I love that place. Its so cool, so
thats one of my favorites for sure.
Technique: Whats
your
proudest moment as a golfer on
Techs team?
Clark: At Tech, my freshman
year in the spring semester I was
able to make the team for the
postseason. We won ACCs my
freshman year, and that was the
coolest thing ever. We got in the
playoff with Clemson, and Ive
never been as nervous and amped
up in my entire life. It was really
cool to pull that out.
Technique: What would you
say to someone who doesnt think
golf is a real sport, the way baseball and football might be considered by some?
Clark: Well, golf is totally
different: it takes strength everywhere. For 18 holes, youre out
there for five hours, walking a
7-mile course carrying the barbell
from the weight room on your
back for the entire 7 miles.
Nothing is ever the same.
There are different courses, ... always winds, different yardages;
the course turns different ways.
Theres definitely an added mental
component that I think is present.

technique October 14, 2016 23

// SPORTS

Professor, Paralympian: Mitchell medals at Rio

MARK RUSSELL
STAFF WRITER

This year, several athletes represented Tech and the U.S. in Rio.
One of the athletes was Cassie
Mitchell, Ph.D., who participated
in the 2016 Paralympic Games.
Currently, Mitchell works as a
research professor at Techs Coulter Department of Biomedical
Engineering. She is the principal
investigator of the Laboratory for
Pathology Dynamics. Mitchell
earned her doctorate in biomedical engineering with a concentration in neuroengineering from
Tech and Emory University seven
years ago.
From a young age, Mitchell
was very involved in athletics and
international competitions. She
grew up on a farm in Oklahoma
and trained her horse in Western
speed events, winning several
world championships by the age of
16. She also was an accomplished
gymnast and had aspirations of an
Olympic career in gymnastics.
Mitchell then began to focus
on track and field and earned a
track scholarship as a sprinter.
But at her high school graduation,
Mitchell had an allergic reaction
that caused a neurological condition called Devics disease (neuromyelitis optica) to occur. This led
to Mitchell being paralyzed from
the chest down with impairments
to her arms along with permanent
double vision.
Despite hesitance from her
physician, Mitchell enrolled in
Oklahoma State University and
earned a Bachelors degree in
chemical engineering. Mitchell
continued to participate in sports
in college, such as wheelchair basketball and quad rugby.
After working for ExxonMobil and Syntroleum, Mitchells

Photo courtesy of Cassie Mitchell

Tech professor Cassie Mitchell participates in discus throw at the 2016 Paralympic Games
in Rio. Mitchell, who has Devics disease, has established herself as a premier athlete.

passion for medicine and helping

others led her to Atlanta and onto
her current career path as a BME
research professor.
Predominantly, my biggest
impact for research has been on
ALS, Mitchell said. It was a disease where I felt like I could make
a big difference ... because theres
only one treatment that extends
life by about a month.
Because the disease population is smaller, it doesnt get a
lot of attention or funding from
pharmaceutical companies and
that drove me. ... Im not doing this for financial gain but
rather to make an impact in
academic research.

Mitchells love for sports and

her competitive spirit pushed her
to train for the Paralympics.
Initially, I thought I would
compete in the Olympics in gymnastics, and I would train 20
hours a week at age 6, Mitchell
said. The Olympic dream has always been on my mind, and after I
was paralyzed, once I realized the
Paralympics existed, it didnt take
long to get back on that dream.
In the 2011 World Championships, Mitchell became the first
female quadriplegic world champion in paracycling.
Paralympic athletes are classified according to their disability
so that athletes with similar im-

pairments compete against each

other. Mitchells classification is
T51, a designation for athletes
paralyzed from the chest down.
She competed in London 2012
but did not win a medal. Mitchell
trained heavily for Rio 2016 despite also having to manage time
due to chemotherapy treatments
for recently diagnosed leukemia.
Paralympic athletes train just
as many hours and with the same
high intensity as Olympic athletes, Mitchell said. This can be
challenging, as unlike an Olympic
athlete who has financial sponsors, I instead hold a regular fulltime job. Training alone can be 20
hours a week or even more. Given

my recent leukemia diagnosis in

April 2016 and corresponding
chemotherapy, I did have to cut
my training volume down and really focus on the quality and technique of my workouts.
For the 2016 Rio Paralympics,
Mitchell competed in track and
field and swimming and was one
of three USA athletes to qualify
to the Olympics or Paralympics in
two different sports. Discus, club
throw and the backstroke were the
three events she took part in.
Every Paralympic cycle, the
International Paralympic Committee chooses what events are
offered for each classification,
Mitchell said. As a quadriplegic,
I am in the most physically impaired classification.
In track and field at Rio 2016,
there were no wheelchair racing
events specifically for female T51
athletes. Although I hold world
records in the T51 100m, 200m
and 400m, those events werent
offered in Rio. They did offer field
events for my classification, so
that is what I did in Track & Field
in Rio.
It was a successful Paralympics for Mitchell, winning a silver
medal in the discus and a bronze
medal in the club throw all while
setting personal records during
both events. The medal ceremony
was a very proud moment.
It was amazing to see the
American flag raised and watch it
stand so beautifully in the wind.
It made me so proud to be an
American and to honor God, my
country, my family and all those
fighting seemingly impossible
physical odds, Mitchell said.
Mitchell is hoping to compete
in the next Paralympics.
Im happy with what Ive been
able to accomplish so far, Mitchell said. I havent crossed [the
2020] Tokyo [Games] off the list.

Sports

Harsha Sridhar
Casey Miles

sports@nique.net

AT A

LAST MEETING

42 - 38
GT

GA SOUTHERN

POINTS PER GAME

GT

25.3
93rd FBS

GA SOUTHERN

31.6
59th FBS

Yards Allowed
PER GAME

GA SOUTHERN

GT

353.2 349.6
33rd FBS

36th FBS

An impressive start against weak opponents followed by a return to Earth

against formidable ones.
If it sounds familiar, it is. Tech (3-3,
1-3 ACC) has followed up a disappointing 2015 campaign with a concerningly
similar start. Wins against Boston College, Mercer and Vanderbilt have been
followed by demoralizing losses against
Clemson, Miami and Pittsburgh. The
first two were expected results against
ranked teams. The last was an eminently
winnable contest.
While Georgia Southerns pass game
is far from its focal point, the Tech secondary will have to begin stepping up
its performance. Its anemic play against
Pittsburgh allowed Panthers quarterback
Nathan Peterman to dissect the Jackets
defense all game, hitting receivers for key
gains and the go-ahead touchdown.
When the Jackets lost Chris Milton,
Jamal Golden and D.J. White to the
NFL, it was obvious that there would be

growing pains for new starters. The grace

period is quickly nearing its end.
Last weeks contest saw the Tech passing offense make a few breakthroughs.
Receivers Brad Stewart and Ricky Jeune
came up big in clutch moments: Jeune
caught a contested touchdown and Stewart made an impressive third-down grab
while also drawing a pass interference
penalty. Paul Johnson is averse to passing
the ball, save for in third-and-long situations, but the Jackets may need to use it
more often.
Georgia transfer J.J. Green is showing
more each successive game. His 96-yard
kickoff return for a touchdown against
Pittsburgh was the longest in school
history, and he scored a rushing touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, Techs last points of the game. He
provides an effective complement to the
bruising Dedrick Mills and speedy Clinton Lynch in Techs option offense, key
against an experienced defense.

Friday,
October 14, 2016

GLANCE

total turnover
margin
2011 -2016
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
-2
-4
-6
-8
-10
-12

'11

'12

'13

Georgia tech

Jackets

24

The Technique interviewed Cassie

Mitchell, a BME professor who won
silver at Rio 2016.423

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR:

VS.

technique

Paralympian Prof

SPORTS EDITOR:

'14

'15

'16

GA southern

EAGLES
The Eagles (3-2, 2-1 Sun Belt) travel up from Statesboro this Saturday.
There will be a lot of familiarity among
the players and the coaching staffs of
both teams.
Coach Paul Johnson has had two
stints with the Eagles, first as a defensive
line coach from 19831984 and as the offensive coordinator from 19851986 under Erk Russell. These were his first two
coaching positions in college football.
Coach Johnson later returned to Georgia
Southern to serve as the head coach from
19972001.
Since Johnson left Southern, they have
moved up from the FCS to the FBS and
now play in the Sun Belt Conference.
When these two teams met in 2014, the
Jackets dominated the first half by a score
of 35-10, but the Eagles roared back in
the second half, outscoring Tech 28-7
in the second half and nearly pulling off
the upset. Georgia Southern has put up
good fights against FBS opponents re-

PREDICTION: Tech 38, Georgia Southern 24

cently, with a score margin of 6 points

or fewer in 4 of the last 5 games against
FBS schools.
Southern comes off a Arkansas State
loss in which the winning score came at
the last moment.
The Eagles rank 14th in total rushing
offense, 3 spots above the Jackets. They
also ranking 122nd in passing offense
among all FBS schools, two spots above
Tech. Clearly, their offensive attack will
be very similar to that of Tech. Expect to
see a good dose of the triple option.
On defense, the Eagles boast a stouter
run than pass defense (32nd compared to
56th). This is a favorable matchup given
Techs run-heavy triple option offense.
The winner might be defined by who
wins the turnover battle, as pictured
above in the graphic. Southern has fumbled a number of times, but have lost
only a fraction of the ensuing loose balls.
They might not fare quite as well against
the Jackets.