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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
VOLUME CL, ISSUE 108
WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM
U. to invite community Paxson, Locke jump-start Watson revival mission, feedback on diversity plan Focused successful fundraising, Paxson moves up release of plan to Friday in light of recent events, concerns about campus climate By AGNES CHAN SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The University will release a working document of a diversity and inclusion action plan Friday, President Christina Paxson P’19 wrote in a communitywide email Monday. Administrators will invite community feedback through an online form that will be available for two weeks before releasing the plan by the end of the semester, she wrote. “Rather than release this plan as a final document at the end of November as originally planned, we will share the plan this Friday, Nov. 20 as a working document,” Paxson wrote. The online form will be open until Dec. 4, and the administration hopes to “seek the feedback of our entire campus community of students, faculty and staff,” she wrote, noting that the administration will “perform a thorough
review of the feedback” to ensure broad community involvement. This move is “informed by our commitment as a community to effect real change,” she added. The University decided to release a working draft of the plan and seek community input due to events both on and off campus over the past few months, wrote Cass Cliatt, vice president for communications, in an email to The Herald. “We didn’t want to wait longer to share the steps that we’re proposing to confront the issues that are causing anger, pain and frustration for members of our community,” she wrote. Recent University initiatives addressing issues that affect the entire campus “have benefited from the ideas, experiences and thoughtful consideration of the diverse perspectives that make up our community,” Cliatt wrote. Efforts by University bodies such as the Sexual Assault Task Force and the Deficit Reduction Working Group have showcased how the contributions of community members help shape administrative action, she wrote. » See DIVERSITY, page 3
major faculty growth follow Locke’s 2013 arrival By BAYLOR KNOBLOCH SENIOR STAFF WRITER
In just three years, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs has gained 13 new faculty members, established postdoctoral and faculty fellows programs, integrated with the Taubman Center for American Institutions Politics and Policy and increased its endowment by more than $30 million. With the Nov. 2 announcement of a $50 million gift to Watson as part of the BrownTogether comprehensive campaign, the institute has now raised over $80 million in three years. This rapid growth marks a break from the past for the University’s hub of international and public affairs. Prior to the arrival of now-Provost Richard Locke P’17 as director in July 2013, the Watson Institute passed through the hands of six different directors in eight years. “We were struggling for identity, coherence and direction for several years before Rick came,” said Ashutosh
SADIE HOPE-GUND / HERALD
In the past three years, the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs has raised over $80 million, including a recent $50 million gift. Varshney, director of the Brown-India “Not that I want to make Watson anInitiative and professor of political sci- other version of the Wilson, but I think ence and international and public af- my experience in the field did give me fairs, who has been at the University an edge in being able to recruit people since 2009. for it,” she said. When President Christina Paxson In October 2012, the University ofP’19 assumed her post at the University fered the post to Locke, then serving as in July 2012, “strengthening Watson and deputy dean of the Massachusetts Inusing Watson to strengthen allied depart- stitute of Technology’s Sloan School of ments was a priority,” she said. Paxson Management and head of its political previously served as dean of Princeton’s science department. Woodrow Wilson School of International Locke accepted the offer the followand Public Affairs. ing month. Arriving to Brown in the midst of yet Watson “showed so much promise, another Watson director search, Paxson and it was such an interesting moment in seized the opportunity to tap a leader Brown’s history,” Locke said. “I thought with a clear vision for the institute. » See WATSON, page 2
Planetary research sets sight on Mars University professors explore Martian valley formation, landing sites, remote sensing By MARK LIANG STAFF WRITER SADIE HOPE-GUND / HERALD
President Christina Paxson P’19 spoke to around 200 undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members on the determinants of health disparities along racial lines during a talk Monday afternoon in Sayles Hall.
Students voice grievances at Paxson Q&A Paxson addresses complaints about race, insurance after giving health disparities lecture By JULIANNE CENTER STAFF WRITER
Students shifted the tone of the questionand-answer portion of a talk on racial health disparities by President Christina Paxson P’19 Monday night, posing questions and concerns about institutional racism. Paxson’s talk was followed by a speech by Nicole Alexander-Scott MPH’11, assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine at the Alpert Medical
INSIDE
School and director of the Rhode Island Department of Health, as part of the 2015 Paul Levinger Health Care Reform Roundtable Series. Around 200 undergraduates, graduate students and faculty members crowded into Sayles Hall for the talk, with some standing in doorways because seats were unavailable. Paxson’s lecture centered on analyzing the existence and causes of health disparities along racial lines. Many students used the Q&A to express discontent with the University’s health insurance costs and their contribution to racial disparities on campus. Noah Ezer ’19 asked Paxson why financial aid packages do not cover health
insurance, while another student noted that the health insurance fee “is not a direct fee calculated into the cost of attending.” A back-and-forth discussion ensued, in which Paxson said health insurance is guaranteed by University financial aid, while the student noted the bureaucratic difficulties that students of color encounter when trying to receive medical attention with insurance. Paxson encouraged students to attend her office hours to discuss any perceived problems with health insurance. “I don’t want to give you misinformation,” she said. Mae Verano ’17, a public health concentrator, said Paxson’s “neo-imperialist” » See PAXSON, page 3
The red planet made headlines in October after NASA announced evidence confirming the existence of flowing liquid water on Mars. University researchers in the Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences studying Mars have also had a busy month. Earlier this month, a paper was published in the journal Planetary and Space Science by Eliott Rosenberg ’17, who received an Undergraduate Teaching and Research Award to conduct research regarding Martian valley formation with his adviser Jim Head PhD’69, professor of geological and earth, environmental and planetary sciences. Meanwhile, Head and Jack Mustard PhD ’90, professor of environmental studies and earth, environmental and planetary sciences, recently presented
SCIENCE & RESEARCH
geological findings of landing sites for potential missions at a NASA conference in Houston. “Science is the exploration of the unknown — it’s that simple,” Head said. “Adventure — that’s what it really is.” Head’s career as a geologist has spanned over four decades, and he has conducted geological research from the Appalachians to Antarctica. His space career began in 1967 when, to his recollection, he stumbled upon a full-page NASA advertisement in a catalogue recruiting researchers. After responding to the advertisement, Head became an integral part of the Apollo program, training the first astronauts who went to the moon and conducting studies on the makeup of the planetary body. Head returned to Brown in 1973, helping develop the University’s planetary program. Over the next several decades, he established international joint programs in space research, trained the chief scientist for NASA and worked on numerous projects in planetary exploration. For Rosenberg, it was Head’s involvement in the first lunar missions that compelled him to take GEOL 0050: “Mars, Moon and the Earth,” the introductory » See MARS, page 8
WEATHER
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
METRO Rep. David Cicilline ’83, D-R.I., holds town hall to solicit sentiments from young voters
SCIENCE & RESEARCH Computer science department launches fundraising efforts for undergraduate TA positions
COMMENTARY Shroff ’15: Undergraduates, recent graduates must demand progress rather than being complacent
COMMENTARY Mendis ’17: The West has engaged in selective mourning by focusing on deaths in Paris not Beirut
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» WATSON, from page 1 that I could do something different and play a role in helping to shape Brown’s future.” Launching the new Watson Though Locke’s post did not officially commence until the summer, he paid weekly visits to campus starting in January 2013. During this time, he worked with the faculty members of Watson’s two existing concentrations — international relations and development studies — to develop a strategic plan for the institute. He also met with faculty members across the University to discuss potential partnerships. Locke’s ultimate goal was “to get Watson back on the map, because it wasn’t on the map at all,” he said. He quickly determined that this would require raising Watson’s profile within the University. “One of Rick’s conclusions soon after arriving here was that Watson was too separated from the rest of Brown,” said Stephen Kinzer, senior fellow in international and public affairs. “He made a concerted effort to integrate it with other programs going on at Brown.” In light of the high turnover rate of Watson’s leadership, Locke initially faced skepticism from faculty members. “I won’t name names, but my colleagues and our department didn’t have the highest opinion of what was going on at Watson” before Locke took the helm, said Glenn Loury, professor of economics and the social sciences and faculty fellow at Watson. It had a reputation for being “a mess” and “not well run,” he said. “There had been so many directors, and this time the change was going to
happen,” Locke said. “The biggest challenge was to convince people … that they needed to have faith.” To combat skepticism, Locke involved faculty members in the creation of Watson’s strategic plan, relying on transparency to build trust. The plan called for Watson to establish postdoctoral and faculty fellows programs, increase its faculty size and focus its activities on three themes: development, security and governance. Fundraising and hiring Three years ago, Watson had six faculty positions. When Locke accepted the directorship, he requested funding to double this count to 12. Since then, he has fundraised for the creation of seven additional faculty positions. These 13 new openings have been filled with faculty members from schools including the University of Virginia, the University of California at Berkeley, Harvard, the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago, Locke said. “When we were winning against these other universities that have a lot of visibility, people started noticing,” he said. Every hiring offer made by Watson in the past two-and-a-half years has been accepted, he added. “People really bought into the vision of what we’re trying to build and what we’re doing at Brown,” Locke said. “So it wasn’t just Watson. It was the whole idea that Watson could succeed because it was building on a much broader set of resources and relationships at Brown.” Watson’s building, once nearly empty, is now bustling with activity and even running out of space, Locke said. “Locke lit a fire under this place,” Kinzer said. “This is the most exciting
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD intellectual environment I have ever been in.” “A guy down the hall from me was the press spokesman for five secretaries of state,” he said. “The lady across the hall over here was the Indian ambassador to China and the United States. The other day at the coffee machine, I ran into the former president of Chile.” Locke “has the foresight to bring in these practicing or ex-practicing diplomats or high-level spokespeople and fosters an environment in which those experts want to develop the next generation,” said Sophie Purdom ’16, a research assistant for Richard Boucher, senior fellow in international and public affairs. “We look at the Wilson School and the Kennedy School, and we say, ‘Bring it on. We can breathe at that altitude,’” Kinzer said. Taubman on board The growth of Watson’s influence on and beyond campus continued with the integration of the Taubman Center, a process which took place over the 201415 academic year. The Watson Institute for International Studies thus became the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs, offering a public policy concentration in addition to its two existing undergraduate programs. The integration “was something that people had talked about for years, and Chris Paxson thought it was a good idea,” Locke said. The University supported the initiative because “to think about policy issues as strictly domestic or strictly international doesn’t really reflect the world in which we live,” said Marisa Quinn, director of communication and outreach at Watson.
“It’s not about international versus domestic,” Locke said. “It’s about big problems in the world, and those big problems — development, security, governance — cut across national borders.” Taubman’s four faculty members joined the ranks of Watson, and renovations are underway at 59 Charlesfield St. — adjacent to the Watson building, — which will serve as an extension of Watson and house Taubman faculty members. The building will open in January, said Shankar Prasad MA’03 PhD’06, associate director for academic planning and programs at Watson. In August 2014, Locke recruited Prasad from New York University, where he served as the director of undergraduate studies at the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service. Prasad worked with Locke and James Morone, director of the Taubman Center, to facilitate the integration and reshape Taubman’s graduate program. Taubman formerly offered two-year master’s programs in public policy and public affairs. These programs were combined to create an intensive one-year MPA, which is now Watson’s “signature master’s program,” Prasad said. Because Watson is an institute rather than a school, only its master’s programs are ranked, rather than Watson itself. The 38 students in the first-year cohort — a quarter of whom were Brown undergraduates — started the program in June and will graduate in May, Prasad said. “It’s really, really important for us to improve the rankings of our public policy program,” Prasad said. “It’s part of the reason we’ve invested so many resources, so much energy and so much time into
rethinking it.” U.S. News and World Report releases its MPA rankings once every four years. In 2012, the last time rankings were released, Taubman’s program came in at 53. “I think Rick would like to see us as a top-10 program in the next four years or so, and I think that’s also possible, especially given the momentum that is there,” Prasad said. Watson’s future In July 2015, Locke stepped into his current role as provost, but has since simultaneously continued to serve as Watson director. Edward Steinfeld, professor of political science and China studies and director of the China Initiative, will take over as director Jan. 1. Steinfeld will be responsible for executing Paxson’s goal of making Watson “a top-five school of its kind in the U.S.,” as stated in Paxson’s operational plan, which translates the goals in her strategic plan “Building on Distinction” into concrete actions. “My hope is that Watson is going to be the leading light in achieving the goals laid out in ‘Building on Distinction,’” Steinfeld said. “To come in with the support of senior administration is a great position to be in.” The recent $50 million gift fits into the “process that the senior administration has laid out of substantially expanding the activities and faculty and student opportunities here at Watson,” he said. “It’s the beginning, not the end.” “There is no reason why Watson should not be considered one of the top international studies centers in the United States,” Kinzer said. “Until we are acknowledged at that level, the job isn’t finished.”
UNIVERSITY NEWS
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015 • PAGE 3
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» PAXSON, from page 1 speech framed people of color as subjects of research without names or faces. She asked how the administration plans to address health care problems facing staff members and students who have experienced racial disparities. “We really want to create a community where people who work here are well-supported,” Paxson said, noting that staff members receive wages that are “pretty good relative to peers and the market” as well as grants to help their children attend college. Verano also said she had never encountered a professor who identified as a person of color in the Department of Public Health and suggested that the University offer a public health class on racial disparities. In response, Terrie Wetle, dean of the School of Public Health and professor health services, policy and practice, went onstage and said, “I don’t believe that only underrepresented minorities can answer questions related to racial disparities.” A “deliberate effort” to integrate racial disparities into all courses and programs would be more effective in addressing race in public health than a single course, she added. Another student said all the classes she has taken about racial health disparities have been taught by white professors, noting the number of “white faces” in the room. In response, Paxson reiterated her goal of doubling the number of underrepresented minority faculty members. Paxson opened her talk by introducing the Grossman model of 1972, which “posited the idea of health as a
stock — something individuals invest in and which evolves over time.” She then described race as “a social construct that defines groups of people and which is associated with a cluster of social and economic opportunities and experiences.” “Now when this nation is so focused on structures of discrimination, it seems important to give a new perspective on the study of disparities in health,” she said. Statistics on wealth and health show huge gaps between blacks and whites, Paxson said, citing a recent report by Pew Research Center showing that the average white family has $141,900 and the average black family has $11,000 in wealth — a figure that includes assets as well as income. These gaps in wealth contribute to inequality in health, and poor health in turn reduces earnings, Paxson said. People of color are shown to have higher rates of morbidity and mortality, affecting their ability to earn wages, she said. Like wealth, higher education is also associated with higher rates of income, employment and health behaviors, as well as lower rates of mortality and morbidity, Paxson said. But while statistics show that blacks currently have lower education levels than whites on average, education is not the only cause of health disparities. Early life circumstances and the geographic area in which a person is raised can also help to explain racial gaps in health. Health insurance alone will not reduce the health disparities between races, Paxson said. What will help are focuses on interventions early in life and in mid-life, as well a “focus on integrated, high-quality care” for all, she said.
Paxson concluded that the problem of racial disparities in health will not be solved until “we dismantle structural barriers to economic and social opportunities” for people of color. During the Q&A, a student said these barriers are due to the “white supremacy and racism” that are also present on the University’s campus and asked how the administration aims to address racial disparities. Paxson said administrators have been holding discussions to “ensure that black and Latinx and Native American students know that they are full and valued members of this community.” She cited a community-wide email she sent Monday, which stated that the University will provide a working draft of a plan for diversity and inclusion and solicit student feedback to address issues of racial inequality. Nancy Ghanian P’17 spoke up to say that though she is from the Middle East, her daughter has never encountered any racial profiling. “I am here to thank you and all your staff for the great opportunities,” she said to Paxson. In her speech following Paxson’s talk, Alexander-Scott addressed measures the state is taking to alleviate racial disparities. Rhode Island’s first priority is to address the social and environmental determinants of health by fostering an expanded understanding of how patients’ communities and opportunities affect their health, she said. The Ocean State’s second priority is to eliminate the disparity of health and to promote health equity, AlexanderScott said. Its third priority is to ensure access to quality health services for all residents, including vulnerable populations, she said.
“The United States by far spends the most on total expenditure on health per capita compared to every other developed country” and yet does not have comparable health with countries that spend less, Alexander-Scott said. This is because the United States does not have high enough social service expenditures, leading to poor health, particularly among communities of color. “It is painful to discuss that no matter the disease, there are higher rates among African Americans and people of color,” she said. “A key element in addressing those concerns is doing what we are doing today: having a discussion, raising awareness.” Sam Rubinstein ’17 asked AlexanderScott what Rhode Island is doing to stop health insurance companies from excluding transgender people from health care that is necessary for the transition process. Alexander-Scott replied that the Medicaid office recently made adjustments to services covered for trans people, though she added that there is still room for improvement. Alexander-Scott praised the students in the audience for speaking up during the Q&A to “raise awareness and form partnerships to make an impactful difference.” “I am encouraged that you have a president like Dr. Paxson and the dean in the front row who are listening,” she said. The event went about a half hour longer than planned, concluding with shouts of “let black students speak!” and boos when it was announced that there was no time for further questions. Paxson said her office hours are available for students who wish to further express their concerns.
» DIVERSITY, from page 1 The feedback period over Thanksgiving break marks an opportunity for the Brown community to “reflect on the plan without the immediate pressures of classes, teaching and work supporting campus operations,” Cliatt wrote, adding that the administration hopes every community member thinks of the plan for diversity and inclusion as “our plan.” Releasing a working draft of the plan is helpful because it allows students to check that the administration is addressing issues pertaining to people of color in “a tangible way,” said Jieyi Cai ’17. Paxson still needs to prove to students that she is listening to their demands, which did not come across in her handling of an open forum Saturday, Cai said. would suggest otherwise. Cai said she will be looking to see that the University makes an effort to hire more faculty of color and addresses the issue of “faculty autonomy,” adding that the University must take concrete action to ensure that faculty members are never allowed to be racist or disrespectful to students of color. Alexis Rodriguez-Camacho ’18 wrote in an email to The Herald that he believes Paxson genuinely wants to support students of color, though he expressed frustration that she did not make these efforts earlier. “She talks a big game, but why has it taken so long for this diversity plan to come out?” he wrote, adding that he would not be surprised if the plan’s final release date were pushed “further and further until the seniors who have pushed for all this graduate.”
Alum outlines progress, construction challenges of Block Island wind farm Chief executive officer of Deepwater Wind discusses America’s first offshore wind farm By GWEN EVERETT STAFF WRITER
Jeff Grybowski ’93, chief executive officer of Deepwater Wind, a wind turbine company tasked with building America’s firstever offshore wind farm off the coast of Block Island, discussed progress on the project at the Taubman Center for American Politics and Policy Thursday. The coast of Block Island provides a “world-class wind resource … really close to a huge population center that uses a lot of electricity,” Grybowski said, adding that the energy sources that currently power the area, such as the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, are set to expire in the next few years. The Block Island wind farm is expected to be operational by early 2016, he said. There is more potential wind energy off the coast of Block Island — a small fraction of which will be captured by the turbines being constructed — than the quantities produced by a traditional power plant, Grybowski said. The wind farm will be able to supply about 90 percent of the island’s energy needs, he said.
METRO
The turbines will perform at full capacity about half of the time, Grybowski said, noting that renewable energy sources such as wind farms and solar panels cannot currently meet all of the world’s energy needs. Other fuel sources such as coal, nuclear power and natural gas — which do not come and go like sunlight and wind —, are still important, he said. But tapping renewable resources can nonetheless produce a lot of clean energy even without fully replacing so-called base-load fuels, he added. The Block Island wind farm follows two unfinished projects in Cape Cod and Plymouth, spearheaded by other companies, to harvest offshore energy. Grybowski attributed Deepwater Wind’s comparative success to the project’s relatively small scale. The project faces opposition from various groups that cite environmental issues, worker safety, aesthetic concerns and poor project planning as reasons to stop the project, The Herald previously reported. Grybowski addressed these concerns by emphasizing that the wind farm will benefit local communities, explaining that 75 percent of workers are from Rhode Island. Before beginning the project, Deepwater Wind negotiated with concerned parties, such as fishermen, to facilitate the construction process, he said.
YONG JAE KIM / HERALD
The coast of Block Island, where the wind farm will be built, is a “world-class wind resource,” said Jeff Grybowski ’93, chief executive officer of Deepwater Wind. He delivered a talk Thursday about the project’s status. In response to charges of poor project planning, Grybowski said the “inexperience” of contractors and vessels posed “a learning curve,” but the company minimized setbacks by working to identify the conflicts and address them before they became problems. Though “unknown risks are project killers … we
weren’t going into the project blind,” he said. Even “big, expensive risks can be dealt with” if they are anticipated, he added. “This project is very necessary,” said Cherise Pabia ’18, who attended the talk, adding that she supports wind farms because “we need to transfer to
renewables” in general. Other attendees raised concerns about wind turbines’ longevity, especially in storms. Grybowski responded that one of the main benefits of wind farms is their “low maintenance,” adding that the Block Island farm will be built to weather a “1,000-year storm.”
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Young people join Cicilline’s town hall Attendees voice concerns over drug laws, gun violence, environment, among other topics By MARIAH KENNEDY CUOMO STAFF WRITER
On a rainy Thursday evening last week, a crowd of about 100 young people ranging from 18 to 35 years of age filled a ballroom in the ProvidenceG to participate in a Town Hall for the Next Generation organized by Rep. David Cicilline ’83, D-R.I. “This is an opportunity for you to give me some guidance in what you think I should be working on and what you think are the most important issues,” Cicilline said. “We’ll pass the microphone back and forth.” From the start, Cicilline emphasized his interest in listening to the concerns of attendees. He opened by urging those in attendance to be active voters and participants in America’s democracy. Joining the Congressman was a representative from the office of Rhode Island’s Secretary of State, who could register people to vote. Cicilline asked attendees to respond to a Twitter poll that posed questions about their level of interest in various topics. The results from approximately 45 responses showed job creation as the topic of greatest interest at 95 percent. Reducing gun violence and confronting climate change came in second and third, with 90 and 84 percent of respondents marking interest, respectively. “The issues that face young people are the issues that are the most important of our time,” Cicilline said, adding that he believes education costs, gun control, the environment, job creation and social justice issues to be among these concerns. Cicilline discussed some of his legislative work relevant to young people, citing the Student Loan Relief Act, the Fire Sale Loophole Closing Act, a gun safety bill, the Automatic Voter Registration Act and the Equality Act. Higher education emerged as the first issue that Cicilline addressed in depth. He noted that he is working on a bill that would grant students access to interest-free loans. “I don’t think the federal government should make money on the backs of young people trying to pursue an education. Period,” Cicilline said to applause. He added that he is a co-sponsor of a bill that would provide free community
COURTESY OF CAMPAIGN FOR DAVID CICILLINE
Rep. David Cicilline ‘83 D-R.I. opened the event by urging young people to be active voters and supporters of America’s democracy. college for two years. Cicilline also elaborated on his work related to gun violence and the multiple bills he has authored and co-sponsored that are aimed at preventing criminals and people with mental illnesses from obtaining firearms. Citing the 300 domestic mass shootings thus far in 2015 and the particularly horrific incident that claimed 26 lives at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December 2012, Cicilline said: “You think that would have been enough for Congress to do something.” Today’s youth cares a lot about the country’s responsibility to “lead the world to respond to climate change in a way that protects the environment,” Cicilline said, adding that he hopes to do so in a way that incorporates investing in new and renewable energy sources. Attendees asked questions on a broad variety of topics including the legalization of marijuana, police-community relations, the Syrian refugee crisis, immigration reform and campaign finance. In response to inquiries regarding the legalization of marijuana, Cicilline said he has no problem with adults using the drug for recreational purposes, referencing the quote by John Stuart Mill “over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.” But Cicilline said he has concerns about keeping marijuana out of the hands of young people “whose minds are still developing,” adding that he wants to see results of research on how legalization impacts usage of the drug by young people before supporting any proposal for statewide legalization. A Pawtucket student speaking on behalf of the Pawtucket Boy’s and Girl’s Club asked Cicilline about the incidents that occurred last month at William Tolman High School in Pawtucket. Video footage that shows police officers detaining and handcuffing two students at the
school prompted public outcry. “The most powerful weapon the police department has is the trust of the community,” Cicilline recalled a police chief telling him, adding that when he was mayor of Providence, he placed lieutenants in neighborhoods where they became close partners with these communities. These lieutenants were coaches and members of various boards, working to build relationships of mutual respect and achieving a 40-year low in the city’s crime rate, Cicilline said. He did not discuss specific details regarding the case raised by the student. In response to a question about his position on the Syrian refugee crisis, Cicilline said he had visited a Syrian refugee camp in Jordan filled by “ordinary citizens that are fleeing to keep themselves alive.” “The fact that we have only accepted 1,500 Syrian refugees is embarrassing,” Cicilline said, adding that he has called for President Obama to accept 100,000 Syrian refugees. A former undocumented immigrant urged Cicilline to continue his “incredible work” on behalf of those who have yet to gain citizenship. Cicilline said immigration policies are “tearing apart families” when immigrants offer immense benefits to the country, adding that if passed, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Modernization Act — which was approved by the Senate but has yet to be presented for a vote in the House by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan — would help grant citizenship to the 11 million undocumented people in the country. Regarding campaign finance, Cicilline said the ability of one wealthy donor to create a SuperPAC must “have our founding fathers spinning in their graves.”
MARIANNA MCMURDOCK / HERALD
An array of graffiti — both legal and illegal — makes its mark on some buildings and alleyways in downtown Providence.
Urban studies bus tour surveys street art Led by postdoctoral fellow, bus tour analyzes range of graffiti found in downtown Providence By KATHERINE DAJANI STAFF WRITER
Students, faculty members and community members got a glimpse of Providence’s street art as part of the second installment of the annual Urban Studies Program Bus Tour Series. Led by Stefano Bloch, a postdoctoral fellow in urban studies, Friday’s one-and-a-half-hour tour examined street art — specifically graffiti — in downtown Providence. Participants visited two locations that contained a mix of legal and illegal graffiti. After, they attended a brief discussion session in Maxcy Hall, the urban studies department’s new home following the recent demolition of 29 Manning Walk. Dietrich Neumann, professor of history of art and architecture, professor of Italian studies and professor and director of urban studies kicked off the bus tour. He “made it a hallmark of the Urban Studies Program,” said Maggie Livingstone ’16, head of the Urban Studies Departmental Undergraduate Group and a former Herald features editor. Now in its second year, the series is designed to help Brown students learn about Providence while engaging with the local community. The tour “brought us to places that we’d never think to go, where there is this sense of community that we’re not really aware of,” said Melissa Isidor ’17, an urban studies concentrator. Bloch opened the tour by explaining that he had no plan to either romanticize or demonize graffiti as an “out-of-place” — and consequently illegal — form of expression. Rather, he said he intended to analyze “the performance of graffiti, what is intended by graffiti writers and some of the motivations for doing graffiti.” “The first way to think about graffiti is as a visual manifestation of people acting out — transgressing and contesting dominant ideologies, rules, moral geographies,” Bloch said. “That is true in just about every place where
there (are) humans on earth.” Bloch went on to discuss the differences between gang and non-gang graffiti — namely, that non-gang graffiti often exists for more personal reasons and contextualized by a “graffiti community” that is able to decipher the seemingly cryptic markings. “It’s about fame and adventure. It’s about having fun. Sometimes it’s political. It’s about changing the appearance of a built environment without having to exchange money, without having degrees, without having power,” Bloch said. The tour’s first stop was Pearl Street Lofts, a residential space that was repurposed from 19th- and 20th-century industrial buildings. Past its gentrified red brick veneer is an alleyway covered in graffiti tags — defined by Bloch as simple, monochrome signatures. Above the tags are larger, multi-colored, bubble-letter writings called “throw-ups.” According to the almost hierarchical system of the graffiti community, these throw-ups could only be covered by “pieces,” which are considered to be more complex and labor-intensive. The tour then traveled a few blocks to the Avenue Concept — a project, including a store and a graffiti yard, that attempts to develop public art in Providence while building community amongst artists. “People can come here and practice. It’s legal,” Bloch said. “You can actually get spray paint from (the store).” Back in Maxcy Hall, participants had the chance to chat with Bloch about his research while enjoying cider donuts and coffee. Bloch pointed out the tour’s importance in reminding Brown students that they are part of a much larger Providence community. The tours consist of a diverse group of people — undergraduate students, graduate students, faculty members, staff members and residents of Providence. Looking ahead, tours will resume after winter break and will include titles such as: “Providence: The Industrial City Transformed” and “Can Urban and Agriculture Coexist?” “As of now, all the tours are technically filled, but if you come you can usually get a spot,” Livingstone said.
TODAY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015 • PAGE 5
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BLUE ROOM
Made-to-Order Quesadillas
Chicken Kadhai Aloo Gobhi Masala
DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH
DINNER
Sesame Chicken Wings, Southwest Turkey Chili, Butterscotch Chip Bars
Shepherd’s Pie, Seafood Cavattelli, Baked Potato with Butter, Apple Squares
VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH
DINNER
Beef Noodle Soup, Buffalo Wings, Cauliflower Au Gratin, Blondie Cranberry Chocolate Bar
Braised Rainbow Swiss Chard, Thai Basil Pork Stir Fry, Cajun Apple Cake
sudoku
SADIE HOPE-GUND / HERALD
Students soak up the sun on the Ruth Simmons Quadrangle on Monday, an unusually warm day for mid-November in Providence. Though Monday broke into the 60s, the rest of the week will return to chillier temperatures.
comics A Campus Fairytale | Kimberly Saltz ‘17
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BROWN IN UK & IRELAND INFO SESSION 12:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson 440
SCREENPLAY WORKSHOP 8:00 P.M. Wilson Hall 105
SHOULD THE MINIMUM WAGE BE RAISED? 7:00 P.M. Faunce, Petteruti Lounge
SCAC LECTURE SERIES: JULIANA HUXTABLE 6:30 P.M. Granoff Center, Martinos Auditorium
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SEX AND SPEECH ON THE COLLEGE CAMPUS 3:00 P.M. Pembroke Hall 305
BROWN IN FRANCE INFO SESSION 3:00 P.M. J. Walter Wilson 440
U.S. CHALLENGES IN AFGHANISTAN 4:30 P.M. Watson Institute, Joukowsky Forum
BEIRUT, BAGHDAD, PARIS, KENYA, SYRIA VIGIL 5:00 P.M. Main Green
COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
EDITORIAL
A more comprehensive CAPS A recent Herald story on Counseling and Psychological Services (“Under pressure: CAPS strains to support students’ mental health needs,” Nov. 11) brought to light several trends in the demographics of students using CAPS that we find need attention and addressing. First, it is important to consider that a disparity persists in relation to gender. Approximately 29.7 percent of female students have been to CAPS at least once before, compared to about 21.9 percent of male students, according to a poll of undergraduates conducted by The Herald last month. Of students who hit the seven-visit limit and sought outside help, 70 percent identified as female and 26.7 percent identified as male. The fact that fewer male students turn to CAPS is sad but not surprising, as it mirrors the nationwide trend of college women seeking psychological help more frequently than college men. As Men’s Health Coordinator Marc Peters told The Herald, “In society, help-seeking is portrayed more as a feminine thing.” According to Peters, many boys feel pressure to “tough it out,” and they resist visiting CAPS for fear of being judged. He pointed out that while men experience depression less frequently than women, their suicide rate is about four times higher. We write to remind all Brown students that there is no shame in asking for help. We also want to remind male students who might not know where to start that there are resources specifically designed to foster healthy masculinity available to them on campus. For example, early October saw the launch of the Men’s Story Project, which facilitates conversations amongst male-identifying students about their masculine identity. The Men’s Story Project provides a safe space in which male-identifying students are encouraged to explore these areas. In the spring, participants will share their narratives in a final performance. Hopefully, a focus on redefining masculinity on campus will help combat the stigmas that cause male students to feel uncomfortable seeking help. Another interesting pattern to note is that while black and non-black students make appointments with CAPS at the same rate, black students are more than twice as likely to have reached the seven-appointment limit and received outside help, according to the Herald poll. Given this pattern, we believe the new hires who will further CAPS’ plan to eliminate the seven-session limit by fall 2017 must reflect the demographics of the students who need the most help. Students should have access to psychological help from people to whom they can relate. It is more important, though, to interrogate the context of the higher rate at which black students hit the seven-session limit and seek help elsewhere. As demonstrated in the Blackout last week, during which Brown community members showed solidarity with the black victims of hate speech and threats of racialized violence at the University of Missouri, many black students have expressed feeling isolated by institutional racism and a lack of support in countering it on campus. In light of the unique challenges facing students of color, it is crucial that they have access to support on this campus, and that CAPS be fully equipped to provide such support.
CORRECTIONS An article in Monday’s paper (“Sock and Buskin’s new production combines history and mysticism,” Nov. 16) misstated Sam Heft-Luthy’s ’16 surname on second reference. It also misstated that Marcus Gardley is a visiting lecturer, rather than an assistant professor. The Herald regrets the errors. A Nov. 10 Herald op-ed (“Sundlee ’16: The modern silent majority”) misstated that a gubernatorial candidate who championed Kim Davis was from Virginia, rather than Kentucky. The Herald regrets the error. An article in Friday’s paper (“With time to adjust, student groups navigate Class F policies,” Nov. 13) misstated that Lance Gloss ’18 is president of the Environmental House. In fact, he is a member of West House. Neither of the environmental program houses has a president. The article also misstated that the house hosts weekly communal meals. In fact, it hosts daily meals, and one meal per week is open to individuals unaffiliated with the group.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“There is no reason why Watson should not be considered one of the top international studies centers in the United States. … Until we are acknowledged at
”
that level, the job isn’t finished.
—Stephen Kinzer, senior fellow in international and public affairs
See watson on page 1.
Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: Emma Axelrod ’18, Eben Blake ’17 and Aranshi Kumar ’17. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
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COMMENTARY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015 • PAGE 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Don’t stop demanding ed managers meet their minority employees “half-way” and “do their 50 percent,” preferenced expression of diverse global cultural norms over sexual safety and consent and framed ethics as optional. From my privileged perspective as a recent political science graduate from one of those hoity-toity liberal arts
KAIVAN SHROFF op-ed contributor
If we keep getting told this is the real world, it will be. This past May, I graduated from Brown. This past August, I began my master’s in business administration program at the Yale School of Management. This past week, I turned 22. As the youngest student in my graduate program of about 600, I am constantly on the receiving end of life advice from my more “experienced” peers. This well-intentioned advice includes daily insights on the inner workings of the “real world” and “how it is.” Over the past few months, however, I have learned that while four years spent studying liberal arts at Brown may detach us from “how it is,” there are few who can better articulate “how it needs to be.” My first encounter with the “welcome to the real world” mindset came after I attended the School of Management’s orientations on diversity, sexual assault and the Yale honor code. I was perplexed by oneto-three-hour sessions that suggest-
what taxes were and no longer support the Democratic Party. Friends who graduated with me are starting jobs at banks and consultancies and being advised to straighten their hair to meet the professional expectations of their new reality. While it is essential to have the
accepted as one of the most progressive and diverse in the world. It is considered outstanding that women make up about 40 percent of the class. Diversity is reading cases that take place in foreign countries. At the same time, I have professors who reference “reverse sexism,” in which a woman is “sexist” against
If we wait to demand change until it is comfortable, until we are settled and safe, until we are established in a given community, then of course the progress we achieve will be outdated. schools, this couldn’t be happening in 2015, let alone at Yale. As I began to discuss my disagreement with the business school’s outlook on critical issues, I encountered much complacency. My peers — average age 28 — did not dispute the issues of race, gender and class that I brought up. Rather, they dismissed them as part of adulthood and the harsh realities of the real world. One of my older peers even went so far as to suggest that “once I had a real job” I would understand
conversations that have resulted from recent events on campuses like Yale’s, I beg undergraduates to not simply treat these moments as part of their elite Ivy League educations, but to also remember these events as they go out into the real world. The challenge is not only to demand that your college community be progressive during your four years here, but also to expect the same from the worlds you enter once you leave. Yale’s MBA program is widely
a man. The LGBTQ, women’s and black student groups put on “diversity” events — the very existence of which suggest a glaring lack of true diversity. At first, I wondered how a school known for being the industry leader in terms of tolerance and social awareness seemed to be on the cutting edge of an outdated sense of progress. In time, however, the reason became clear. If we wait to demand change until it is comfortable, until we are settled and safe, until
we are established in a given community, then of course the progress we achieve will be outdated. There seems to be a paradox in which to implement true change you must first get to a place of power. This is likely very true. But there will always be another promotion or application that encourages you to fall in line and keep your head down just a little longer until you can effect true change. You already go to Brown. My classmates already go to the Yale School of Management. Every moment spent waiting for a higher, more secure platform is a moment during which progress exists only in an outdated form. As an undergraduate, you are demanding necessary changes while simultaneously developing your understanding and definitions of critical issues. The real world can get closer to this level of progress if recent graduates continue to demand progress as they define it — not as the older generation accepts it to be.
Kaivan Shroff ’15 can be reached at kaivan_shroff@alumni.brown. edu.
Je suis _____ NIKHITA MENDIS op-ed contributor
The world has gone up in arms after two restaurants in the 10th arrondissement, two restaurants in the 11th arrondissement, the French national stadium and the Bataclan Concert Venue were attacked by unidentified assailants. World leaders including President Obama, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom David Cameron expressed their solidarity and gave their condolences. Facebook issued a profile picture filter that allowed users to show their solidarity with France. But while the world looks to France and sees a Syrian passport on one of the suspects, Syria itself is falling apart. While France has closed its borders, 9 million people in Syria have left their homes seeking water, shelter and any available basic necessity. While the world mourns for the 129 people in Paris, it forgets the 45 people in Beirut and the 26 people in Baghdad (only taking into account the present week). Nevertheless, death is not about comparisons. Comparisons only come in handy when we see continuity between these attacks; when the core of the Paris attacks lies in the atrocities occurring in the Middle East; when a Syrian passport that was used to seek asylum in Greece is found on an attacker in Paris. During the Nov. 12 attacks in Beirut, both the New York Times and National Public Radio described Borj al-Barajneh in South Beirut as a “Hezbollah stronghold” and “Shiite area.” Rather than providing context, such language contrib-
utes to the notion that the deaths of 45 people and counting are justified because they may have supported Hezbollah, were Shiite and thus had no humanity beyond these rigid political classifications. Instead of expressing grief, solidarity or mourning for a constantly suffering population, Republican candidate for Senate Everett Stern tweeted, “Good news!! I hope Hezbollah terrorists were killed” and linked to a Yahoo News article detailing the suicide blasts in a “Hezbollah” bastion in Beirut. It is in this sense that the world seems to selectively mourn global trage-
the attack in France. If a prominent Lebanese government representative cannot respect the country, would you expect non-Lebanese around the world to emphasize the Lebanese struggle? When there are Lebanese who would rather go to Paris than to Dahiyeh or Borj al-Barajneh, would you expect Parisians to even be aware of the attacks in Lebanon? One of the most tragic aspects of this attack is the different reactions to the violence in Paris and in Beirut. Yes, they were of different magnitudes. But if we added up all the casualties of vio-
Please remember that we — in the United States, France and any other Western country — are unsafe because of policies we instigated and supported in the Middle East.
dies. Selective mourning is a product of not only white supremacy as described in American racial terms, but also post-colonial understandings of who is and who is not human. We feel the 45 dead in Beirut were not human; they were Shiite. France, alternatively, is relatable. It is a whitedominated, liberal, secular democracy — basically the four concepts that determine the extent to which someone is granted empathy. This issue, however, is not merely a result of perceptions within the West. It is a vicious cycle perpetuated both within and outside Lebanon itself. When Lebanese Foreign Minister Gebran Bassil tweets, “Lebanon was related to France in ‘nation blood,’ and now we are related in ‘martyrdom blood,’” it is no wonder the world puts Lebanon’s continuous struggle aside in favor of
lence in Beirut in the last 15 years, the death toll would exceed that in France. Nevertheless, the population of Beirut remains complacent, as it is accustomed to such atrocities. France closes its borders and the Lebanese go for another drink. This internalized expectation of violence is reflected not only in Bassil’s nonchalance, but also in the messages I’ve received from my friends as I am scheduled to return to Beirut next week. “Yalla, come! This is typical! Happens all the time, whatever. At least CU Next Sat is still selling bullfrog cocktails.” Beirut has in fact not had an isolated bombing this deadly since the end of the civil war in 1990. Regardless, violence should not be normalized to such an extent that our short attention spans forget populations under constant
duress. If France, Belgium and Italy decide to take further measures against the vulnerable incoming refugee population, innocents may turn guilty as they are rejected at the border after a 5,000-mile walk. These innocents include talented university students, artists, engineers and medical doctors. My friend, a Syrian who became a refugee while studying at the American University of Beirut, recently secured a Schengen visa and decided he was going to seek asylum in France. But according to him, “then stuff happened, and now I cannot imagine what the ramifications are going to be for all of Europe.” Such stories are not uncommon. Please, please, differentiate between the attacker and the person running away from the very same thing the rest of the world is. Please remember that we — in the United States, France and any other Western country — are unsafe because of policies we instigated and supported in the Middle East. We are unsafe because we continue to marginalize our non-white, non-Christian populations around the world and expect them to remain silent in humiliation. We are unsafe because we cannot protect our own citizens in America or our own students at Brown. We are unsafe because we, as a people, are comfortable with the stifling red tape that contains our ignorance. Note: Let’s not forget Palestine, Jordan’s Salti sisters, Mizzou, Yale, the earthquake in Japan and the daily tragedy that occurs around the world and on our very own “liberal” campus.
Nikhita Mendis ’17 is an international relations and Middle East studies concentrator. She is currently based in Amman, Jordan, but she wishes she were based in Beirut, Lebanon.
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SCIENCE & RESEARCH THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
CS department raises funds to endow TA positions Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Endowment over halfway to $10 million fundraising goal By HATTIE XU STAFF WRITER
The Department of Computer Science announced plans last week to create a $10 million endowment in order to provide funding for undergraduate teaching assistants in all computer science courses. As of press time, the Undergraduate Teaching Assistant Endowment had raised $5,588,532. Undergrad teaching assistants have been a critical component of teaching since the department’s creation in 1979. But the increasing popularity of CS courses and a lack of additional financial support from the University have caused the department to look for other ways to fund the program, said Andy van Dam, professor of computer science. Maintaining the program currently requires about $500,000 — a figure that is projected to rise over the years, said Thomas Doeppner, associate research professor of computer science and vice chair of the department. Since the endowment is expected to yield roughly 5 percent annually, a $10 million endowment would provide $500,000 a year, he added. Many of the donors thus far have
served as or interacted with undergraduate TAs during their time at Brown. They have donated because they recognize that the experience has impacted them greatly, said Ugur Cetintemel, professor of computer science and chair of the department. Donors have the opportunity to contribute an amount individually or as part of a group, Cetintemel said. They can also donate in honor of a person, group or in support of a cause, he said. Karen Smith Catlin ’85 P’18, an organizer of the fundraising efforts who served as a TA for van Dam, brought together her friends a donor group called “Women of CS ’85” that contributed a total of nearly $50,000. Catlin said she was most grateful for the community and sense of confidence that the program bestowed upon her. “Being part of a community was so important to me as a woman. I felt like I belonged even though computer science was male-dominated,” Catlin said. After starting her career as a software engineer and later becoming vice president of Adobe Systems, Catlin now works as a consultant to empower and coach women in the technology industry. Donors also have the option of
designating money toward a TA position for a female or a minority student, Cetintemel said. “We are actively working on reaching out to these groups to increase interest in the (undergraduate) TA program,” he added. Of the funds raised so far, $2,461,050 — over 44 percent of the total — has been donated in honor of van Dam, who has been a University faculty member since 1965. Ed Lazowska ’72, professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington and a former TA and undergraduate research assistant, donated $100,000 in honor of van Dam. Lazowska said some of his favorite moments involved playing pranks on van Dam with fellow TAs and long hours spent working on projects. “I dabbled in a number of majors as an undergrad and stumbled into computer science and fell in love with it,” Lazowska said. “I am a faculty member today because of the experience I had as an (undergraduate) TA and an (undergraduate research assistant) under Andy van Dam. He was the first person who treated me, intellectually, like an adult.” Norm Meyrowitz ’81, former president of products for Macromedia and a leader of fundraising efforts, donated $150,000 in honor of van
Dam. Meyrowitz said he enjoyed the camaraderie of the TAs, adding that the experience made him “confident that (he) could make things happen in the industry.” “Everybody feels like they’re part of a family with a 50-year history,” Meyrowitz said. “People are (donating) not out of obligation, but out of appreciation and love for the whole program and to help other people have these opportunities.” Approximately 200 students serve as TAs every semester. Large introductory-level courses such as CSCI 0150: “Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science,” taught by van Dam, require 40 TAs to maintain a ratio of about 10 students to every TA, he said. Though the University at times has suggested hiring fewer TAs to meet the budget, the department is “unwilling to compromise the quality” of the program, he added. Undergraduate TAs bring a level of understanding to the course that many graduate students cannot, van Dam said. “The age difference is much smaller, so they can remember back to a year ago when they were struggling with the material and therefore generally have more empathy,” he said. The TAs have a variety of responsibilities, including putting together
PowerPoint lectures, grading assignments and creating skits, van Dam said. They are also involved with running the labs, designing the assignments and projects and providing about 150 office hours over the course of the semester. In office hours, TAs interact with students one-on-one and help them figure out how to solve complex problems using computational thinking and “the power of programming,” Cetintemel said. Benefits from the program also extend to the TAs themselves. “You learn the material twice as well and become more able to communicate effectively. I am a TA because I care about all the students out there,” said Emma Herold ’17, who was a TA for CSCI 0170: “Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction” in fall 2014. Herold is currently one of two “meta-TAs” who carry out administrative duties and coordinate the entire TA program across the department. Alexa Van Hattum ’16, a head TA for CSC I015, said her four semesters as a TA have made her more confident in her career choice. “It solidified my position and made me realize that somewhere down the line, I want to be involved with computer science education,” Van Hattum said.
COURTESY OF BROWN UNIVERSITY
Elliott Rosenberg ’17 researched Martian valley formation with Jim Head PhD’69, professor of earth, environmental and planetary sciences.
» MARS, from page 1
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course in planetary science, which Head teaches. A mathematical physics concentrator, Rosenberg soon became involved in Head’s lab. “During my freshman year, (Head) suggested that we apply for an UTRA and research the valley networks on Mars,” Rosenberg wrote in an email to The Herald. With Head, Rosenberg studied the valleys of Mars and the implications of water’s role in their formation. It took another year after the summer research to solidify the data and publish the results, he wrote. Rosenberg wrote that he was initially hesitant to go into a field quite different from his concentration, but that summer research allowed him to apply what he was learning in another field of interest. Head’s other work regarding Mars has also garnered attention: A proposal for landing sites developed by University professors is currently the first in NASA’s list of potential landing sites for human exploration, Head said. Mustard, who helped present the proposal at the October conference in Houston, said the conference was one of three he has attended this month. Mustard’s research involves remote sensing
— using tools from satellites and data to observe the minerals and geology of the land. For Mustard, space exploration is vital for answering the most important questions, such as “does life exist elsewhere?” and “how does it?” He cited further research into the history of water on Mars and the chemical composition of the planets as necessary to answer these questions. He added that he believes researchers must use different technologies to study planets besides Earth, though the fundamental challenges are the same. In the wake of these projects, University researchers will be involved with the 2020 Mars rover mission to Jezero crater, Head said. Mustard mentioned his particular interest in the Trojan asteroids orbiting Jupiter, arguing that they will be incredibly important for finding out more about the solar system’s history. As doctoral graduates of Brown, Head and Mustard both said they are excited to remain a part of the University’s research programs. Head said planetary science is important for understanding Earth in context and expressed optimism that space research done at the University will provide information for decades to come. “We’ve got Mars, we’ve got Venus. … It’s exciting new insight, and it’s going to feed Earth,” he said.