Editorial Board in the Age of COVID

EDITORAL BOARD IN THE AGE OF COVID-19

The pandemic has caused a great shift in our daily lives. Read about how CSR members are making the most of this time.

“I think the best thing about quarantine is the opportunity to relive aspects of the brace as much when I was younger...Something that fascinates me the most is how the pandemic has acted as a catalyst for so much change...We are rethinking the way so many industries operate from tech to healthcare, and we have seen much delayed but necessary social movements that make us reevaluate all the systems we thought of as normal. I do not think we will return to normal, but I do not mean that in a pessimistic sense. We are now forced to face problems, find solutions, and make steady progress towards an efficient, but more importantly, an equitable and just system. There’s always a silver lining to it all; it just took me 5 months to process and is something I have to remind myself of each day.”

Aida Razaviler ‘23 San Diego, California quintessential childhood back in my home town that I did not appreciate or em-

Layout Designer

“As a volunteer emergency medical technician, I have witnessed the profound impact of COVID-19 on my community and especially its most vulnerable members. I am in awe of the rapidly evolving health system in response to the novel demands and stressors of the pandemic. It has been a distinct privilege to be amongst Connecticut’s first responders. I continue to learn from my mentors in the field as well as find comfort in the fortitude and camaraderie of my colleagues.”

Alice Sardarian ‘21 Westport, Connecticut Editor-in-Chief

Hannah Prensky ‘22 Middletown, Maryland Writer “Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I was accepted into Barnard’s Summer Research Institute as an undergraduate research assistant in the biology department with the Lopatkin Lab. My plans for the summer were to complete a 10-week faculty-mentored lab research project relating to genetic changes in bacterial cells as a result of conferring antibiotic resistance. While I was not able to conduct in-person lab research, I am currently working on a computational biology project in which I am learning how to code for the first time...Although I can’t be in the lab, I’m thrilled to be learning valuable and versatile skills like programming and data analytics.”

“As quarantine progressed, I found people (including myself) diving into more sidering their credibility or intent...In these moments, I realized how pervasive scientific misinformation is in our society and also how difficult it can be for the public to access scientific resources...I decided to begin a platform called Science Made Equal (ScienceMade.org), which raises the voices of our community and journals like Columbia Science Review that strive to make science both accessible and credible. It is so important that we come together as a community...My research is now also remote. I am learning about the association between certain neurodegenerative disease and cancers, specifically Parkinson’s and the NFkB receptor, which plays an active role in many cancers. On a lighter note, I have taught myself how to bake for the first time!”

Emily Sun ‘23 Chicago, Illinois and more news sources surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic without con-

Editor

“This summer, I had initially intended to work on a project that utilized astrocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells as a research model to study underlying molecular mechanisms of late-onset Alzheimer’s Disease. The shutdown of research labs across the country in response to COVID-19 made me completely rethink my plans. All of my previous laboratory experiences had taken place at the lab bench, but I was fortunate enough to receive guidance on adapting to a remote research environment and pursuing my project from a computational angle instead, namely analyzing the transcriptomes of these differentiated cells. Although I miss my pipettes and daily cell culture routine, I have gained a new interest in learning how to program and using different software to continue my research!”

Cheryl Pan ‘21 New York, New York Editor

Rebecca Siegel ‘22 East Brunswick, New Jersey Illustrator “I, like everyone else, experienced disruptions in my personal and academic plans and pursuits due to COVID-19, such as the cancellation of Barnard’s SRI program this summer, as well as the cancellation of the study abroad program for next semester, through which I was planning on studying in London. Throughout this time of COVID-19, I have become much more cognizant of those around me...as everyone’s emotional struggles became a shared experience...I’ve found myself stopping and spending my time meaningfully in ways that can be hard to come by in our fast-paced lives, whether it be reading more, picking up old hobbies, donating to or showing support to important causes, and staying informed... I feel that I have experienced much growth and grappled a lot with the idea of mental health...in the hopes of bringing positivity to a reality”