OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY CORVALLIS, OREGON 97331
The Daily Barometer
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DAILYBAROMETER
MONDAY APRIL 27, 2015 VOL. CXVII, NO. 124
@DAILYBARO, @BAROSPORTS
G a w Sorority
celebrates quinceanera Kappa Chapter of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority, Inc. celebrates 15 years By Jyssica Yelas
THE DAILY BAROMETER
Saturday night, cheerful yells and music rang out from the Memorial Union Horizon room, where the Kappa Chapter of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority, Incorporated at Oregon State University was celebrating its quinceanera. That is, the sorority was celebrating 15 years of Kappa Chapter sisterhood on campus, making the chapter the See GAO | page 2
‘Dear OSU’ forum for student feedback THE DAILY BAROMETER
“Dear OSU” returns Tuesday April 28. The event, hosted by the Associated Students of Oregon State University, is an opportunity for the Oregon State University community to give feedback to ASOSU. Formerly known as the Annual Gripe Fest, “Dear OSU,” serves to “provide a safe and inclusive forum for students to voice their comments, concerns and constructive criticisms about their experiences at Oregon State,” according to the ASOSU website. The website states that the information collected from the “Dear OSU” event will be distributed to “key decisions makers across campus.” The event takes place in the Memorial Union Lounge from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 28. The Daily Barometer
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A glance at OSU’s chapter of Society of Women Engineers News, page 3
Meghan Vandewettering
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Andrew Pham, a senior in microbiology, inspects petri dishes containing his bacterial strain of Stephylococcus aurea. Pham investigates natural products’ potential to fight against diseases.
Little microbes, big possibilities Undergraduate research assistant hopes to discover the next best antibiotic in nature
Oregon State University’s Chemistry Department, National Institute of Health award-winning researcher and a native from Germany. “Since we’ve been at Oregon State, we’ve discovBy Meghan Vandewettering ered many active strains, several of THE DAILY BAROMETER which are anti-cancer, antibiotic and How would you react if someone some anti-viral. Since we’re just a year told you that the next penicillin was and a half in the game, we’re still kind in production nearby the Memorial of figuring out the best ways to find Union Building among the various and identify new chemistry.” The focus of Loesgen’s illustriblooming plants? Andrew Pham, a senior studying ous career in science, which has included awards microbiology, is and fellowships an undergraduate with NIH and the research assistant Industry moved away German Research working in Sandra from antibiotics and Foundation, has Loesgen’s Chemistry natural prodfocused on synthetic been lab in Gilbert Hall. ucts and drug Pham’s research chemistry, but it didn’t discovery. focuses on natural really work. Nature “All my postproducts — manudoc was centered does it still better. factured compounds around natural from the world’s products,” Loesgen tiniest organisms Sandra Loesgen said. “Natural prodthat could have an Assistant professor in the Chemistry ucts are all molincredible impact Department ecules we find in on drug design and nature, produced by medicine. plants or microbes, that don’t have “It’s actually pretty funny — we found a real purpose — so molecules that one bacterium close to the Memorial are produced under certain environUnion Building. We grabbed soil sam- mental circumstances. For example, ples there; you don’t have to go far,” penicillin,” said Loesgen. “That’s what said Loesgen, assistant professor in we do. We work with microbes to try n
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Oregon State softball faces defeat against the Bruins Sports, page 5
Meghan Vandewettering
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
A controlled temperature bacteria refrigerator contains the various bacterial strains used by Sandra Loesgen and her lab. and find new chemistry.” Loesgen studies drug discovery at OSU for a reason. According to Loesgen, pharmaceutical companies are becoming less and less interested in the expensive and time-consuming process of developing new antibiotics. “You take an antibiotic when you’re sick with a certain infection, and after two weeks, you’re cured. There’s not much money to make and the development for those drugs is a really,
“Yoga Pants” poem in question odd, but not sexist Forum, page 7
really long and expensive process. Over 50 percent of our drugs are made from compounds found in nature, but it’s a long process to find those and to analyze natural products,” Loesgen said. “Industry moved away from antibiotics and focused on synthetic chemistry, but it didn’t really work. Nature does it still better.” They begin their drug discovery process by growing a species of bacSee RESearch | page 4
Dr. Tech on how we sometimes foreshadow the future Forum, page 7
2•Monday, April 27, 2015
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Calendar Saturday, April 25 Events Student Sustainability Initiative, Noon5pm, SEC 206. Open House. Hosting recycling games and talking to members of the community about what SSI does on campus. Cambodian Student Association, 7-9pm, MU Ballroom. Annual culture night “Voices of the Fields.”
Thursday, April 23
Monday, April 27
Suspicious activity
Speakers
According to the log, a Corvallis police officer followed up on a call about an man allegedly banging on a neighbor’s door with a metal pipe or similar object. The caller was reportedly nearby when this occurred. The door’s owner reportedly asked the officer that the individual who allegedly banged on the door be trespassed from the property. According to the log, the officer trespassed the man from the premises.
Events
Graduate School, 9-11:30am, MU 206. Hugh Kearns Workshops: Graduate Student Success - 7 Steps for Success. Graduate School, 1-3:30pm, MU 213. Hugh Kearns Workshops: Graduate Student Success - Feedback: Asking for it; getting it; and responding to it. University Housing & Dining Services Eco-Representatives, 3:30-5:30pm, SEC Plaza. Soil to Soil: The Compost Campaign. Learn how composting can benefit our Earth. Free composting guides will be available and there will be a trivia game for a chance to win a prize.
Probation violation
Tuesday, April 28
A Corvallis police officer responded to a call for a reported vandalism, according to the log. Upon reaching the location, the officer reportedly saw a man who matched the suspect’s description. According to the log, there was no damage to the property. The individual was reportedly carrying an air soft gun in his waistband. The officer contacted the man’s parole officer, and a parole violation was placed on the man, who was then taken into custody and to the Benton County Jail.
Meetings ASOSU Senate, 7pm, MU Journey Room. Senate meeting.
Speakers Jyssica Yelas
Courtney Calleros, a senior biology major; Caren Velez, a senior psychology major; Maricela Valenzuela, a sophomore electrical engineering major; and Monica Marquez, a sophomore pre-pharmacy major; are the four active members of the Kappa Chapter of Gamma Alpha Omega.
GAO n Continued from page 1
DUII and reckless driving
longest sustaining multicultural fraternity organization at OSU. Four currently active sisters shared the room with alumni, dates and families. Guests were dressed in long gowns and suits, heels and styled hair, as if at a friend’s quinceanera — her elaborate 15th birthday celebration. Children could be seen dancing around the room just like everyone else. “Every time (we’re together), it’s always something fun,” said Maricela Valenzuela, a sophomore in electric engineering and an active member of the Kappa Chapter. The night’s events consisted of a catered dinner, a speech by Amber Bacio — a founding mother — a surprise ‘stroll’ dance to honor the Divine Nine — the nine original historically black sororities and fraternities at OSU — dancing and a slideshow of past sorority events. Bacio’s speech told of the chapter’s beginnings and history on campus, as well as her own personal story
According to the log, a Corvallis police officer arrested a man for driving under the influence of intoxicants after a witness reportedly called in and saw the man getting into his vehicle while appearing intoxicated. The officer contacted the man, who later failed standard field sobriety tests and provided a blood alcohol content of 0.16 percent, according to the log.
Burglary and theft A Corvallis police officer was dispatched to answer a reported burglary, according to the log. Three individuals all reported that their rooms had been entered and that three laptop computers and a flat screen television had been taken, according to the log. Another man affiliated with the house reportedly suspected that the thief may have entered through an open window. The Daily Barometer
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Need to Know Bikes on sidewalks:
By Henry Miller STATESMAN JOURNAL
SALEM — The commission that oversees the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has asked the agency to take a two-track approach in looking at taking wolves off the state Endangered Species Act. The department will explore two options for a delisting: One that would delist wolves east of the boundaries of highways 97, 20 and 395 in eastern Oregon, and another that would remove wolves from the list throughout the state. The delisting process was triggered by Oregon’s Wolf Plan, which calls for starting the process when the state reaches a population of four breeding
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pairs for three consecutive years in eastern Oregon. The state hit that conservation objective early this year. Meeting in Bend on Friday, the fivemember commission heard a Biological Status Review from Russ Morgan, the department’s wolf coordinator. It also took comments from 38 people. “This is a success story,” Morgan told commissioners. “Not very many years ago, we had no known wolves in Oregon. Now we not only have wolves, but the population is healthy and growing.” Many of those who testified oppose any delisting, and a third option that is on the table, “no action,” would leave status of wolves unchanged.
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within her membership. She is one of 10 founding mothers of the Kappa Chapter of Gamma Alpha Omega. According to Bacio, interest in a Latina sorority started in 1999, as she and other girls were trying out different sororities on campus, but nothing seemed to suit them. Coincidentally, Cerise Barton, another of the founding 10, had just transferred from University of Oregon, and was a member of Gamma Alpha Omega. She wanted to start a chapter at OSU as well, so she took to the Centro Cultural Cesar Chavez to get to work. “(Barton) basically spearheaded and started us,” Bacio said. Once the Kappa chapter at OSU was established, the 10 founding sisters decided to dedicate the chapter to Barton’s father, a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated, a historically black fraternity. Today, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. is the last standing historically black fraternity of the Divine Nine at OSU. “It was a perfect emersion of us looking for a fit, and Carise wanting to bring a chapter to OSU,” Bacio said.
By 2000, the sorority chapter was recognized on campus. Since then, 56 more women have joined Gamma Alpha Omega at OSU, totaling 66 members. Bacio currently resides in Monmouth with her husband, an alumnus of Kappa Alpha Psi. The four active members of Kappa Chapter are president Courtney Calleros, a senior in biology; Caren Velez, a senior in psychology with a minor in public health; Maricela Valenzuela, a sophomore in electrical engineering and Monica Marquez, a sophomore in pre-pharmacy with a minor in Spanish. “(The sorority) is a support group,” Marquez said. “We have an active house and alumni. We can call (the alumni) if we need anything.” The women of Gamma Alpha Omega Sorority, Inc. at OSU meet regularly every week. Any interested students who would like to learn more about the sorority or are interested in joining may contact the chapter at kappa@gammaalphaomega.com. Jyssica Yelas, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
Fish and Wildlife looking at two wolf delisting options
According to the city of Corvallis Code of Ordinances Section 6.10.060.090, there are areas in Corvallis where no person, except a police officer, can ride a bicycle on the sidewalk within the boundary. These areas are “the northerly side of NW Jackson Avenue between NW Fifth Street and the west side of the Riverfront bike path, the westerly side of Fifth Street between NW Jackson Avenue and SW Jefferson Avenue, the southerly side of SW Jefferson Avenue to the west side of the Riverfront bike path, and both the northerly and southerly sides of Monroe Avenue between Fourteenth Street and Twenty-sixth Street,” according to the ordinance.
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Because of the amount of time and effort needed to come up with information about the implementation and consequences of the two options, the proposals may not be available until next fall. The commission also approved ocean salmon and Pacific halibut seasons for Oregon’s territorial waters from shore to 3 miles out. Because of strong returns of Sacramento and Klamath fall Chinook salmon stocks, ocean Chinook seasons south of Cape Falcon near Manzanita are similar to recent seasons, but coho fishing will be trimmed because of lower predicted numbers of fish. For Pacific halibut, this year’s catch ceiling is 970,000 pounds, or 1 percent more than in 2014.
To place an ad call 541-737-2233 BUSINESS MANAGER BRENDAN SANDERS baro.business@oregonstate.edu AD SALES REPRESENTATIVES 541-737-2233 SAGE ZAHORODNI db1@oregonstate.edu BETTY CHAO db2@oregonstate.edu KAMELYN BOVINETTE db3@oregonstate.edu DANIELLE BRIDGES db4@oregonstate.edu MANDY WU db5@oregonstate.edu LOGAN TAYLOR db6@oregonstate.edu
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER SAGE ZAHORODNI zahords@onid.oregonstate.edu CLASSIFIEDS 541-737-6372 PRODUCTION baro.production@oregonstate.edu The Barometer is published Monday through Friday except holidays and final exam week during the academic school year; weekly during summer term; one issue week prior to fall term in September by the Oregon State University Student Media Committee on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU, at Memorial Union East, OSU, Corvallis, OR 97331-1614. The Daily Barometer, published for use by OSU students, faculty and staff, is private property. A single copy of The Barometer is free from newsstands. Unauthorized removal of multiple copies will be considered theft and is prosecutable.
Graduate School, 9-11:30am, MU 213. Hugh Kearns Workshops: Graduate Student Success - Turbocharge your writing. Graduate School, 1-3:30pm, MU 213. Hugh Kearns Workshops: Graduate Student Success - Communicating the impact of your research.
Events
Student Sustainability Initiative, 3:305:30pm, SEC Plaza. April Repair Fair - Student Edition! Bring your broken or damaged items to be repaired. We offer repair skills, as well as informative demonstrations. OSU Center for Civic Engagement, 6-8:15pm, MU Horizon Room. “Food Chains” Film Screening and Dialogue. Join the producer and local organizations in a film screening and dialogue on farm labor and the impact of the buying power of supermarkets.
Wednesday, April 29 Meetings
ASOSU House of Representatives, 7pm, MU Journey Room. House meeting. College Republicans, 7pm, Gilkey 113. Join the College Republicans for friendly conversation on current events and politics.
Events Student Health Services, 6pm, MU Quad. Take Back the Night. Part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Craft Center, 1-3pm, Craft Center, Student Experience Center Basement Level. Watercolor Wellness. Supplies provided.
Thursday, April 30 Events
ASOSU, Noon-4pm, SEC Plaza. #DearASOSU - event to encourage students to share their thoughts about OSU and student government.
Friday, May 1 Meetings Student Organization Resource for Community Engagement (SORCE), 2-4pm, SEC 354.
Events Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC, Navy ROTC, 10am, MU Quad. Joint Service Review. The reviewing official and guest speaker is Lieutenant Colonel Bruce “Snake” Crandall (RET), a Medal of Honor recipient.
Tuesday, May 5 Meetings
ASOSU Senate, 7pm, MU Journey Room. Senate meeting.
Wednesday, May 6 Meetings ASOSU House of Representatives, 7pm, MU Journey Room. House meeting. College Republicans, 7pm, Gilkey 113. Join the College Republicans for friendly conversation on current events and politics.
Events Craft Center, 1-3pm, Craft Center, Student Experience Center Basement Level. Watercolor Wellness. Supplies provided.
Responsibility — The University Student Media Committee is charged with the general supervision of all student publications and broadcast media operated under its authority for the students and staff of Oregon State University on behalf of the Associated Students of OSU. Formal written complaints about The Daily Barometer may be referred to the committee for investigation and disposition. After hearing all elements involved in a complaint, the committee will report its decision to all parties concerned.
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Monday, April 27, 2015•3
Empowering women in engineering
Classifieds dinate and Employment organize events Summer that deal with professional
ALASKA SUMMER EMPLOYMENT Restaurant staff and sous chef needed at remote Alaska fishing lodge. Housing included. Email resume cr8onis@hotmail.com. Check us out at www.sheltercovelodge.com.
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involved and interested in her major seven times, science,� Hundley-Kennaday though always sticking with said. engineering. HundleyKnight’s Kennaday physics I worked with a feels that teacher in this type of bunch of old men high school outreach is who didn’t think I first helped important to push her because she knew what I was toward the knows that it talking about, and path of engiis sometimes a struggle to got to prove that I do. neering. She has always get young women worked with Chelsea Knight excited about her father Senior in construction engineering math and in his job in science. She construction and recently wants to help these girls get had an internship in Alaska, over their fear of the subjects where she is from originally, and get involved. in construction. Hundley-Kennaday always “I worked with a bunch of liked science and math and turned to engineering because old men who didn’t think I of the way that science and knew what I was talking about, math worked together in the and got do prove that I do,� field. Originally a manufac- Knight said. “That work isn’t turing engineering major, she what’s most interesting to me; changed to industrial because it’s the people from all differthe chance to get out from ent backgrounds and being behind the desk and commu- able to see what they know. nicate with clients and other “I think women should join engineers appealed to her. “SWE has really helped because unfortunately there’s connect me with other stu- still a small stigma of women dent groups and companies,� being in engineering. It’s hard Hundley-Kennaday said. “Last to be one of three women in a year, we went to Boeing in class,� Knight said. “With me, Washington and that inspired in construction, the field is me to want to work with a mostly men. It’s nice to have big company like that. Seeing a support system, even if it’s stuff like that was inspir- just a group of girls showing ing when you are going to you that even though you’re school for a major that’s really the only girl in class, there’s a challenging.� lot more girls in the major. And SWE is currently working SWE is recognized in the field, on making a program that so people will know what it is.� would run during the summer For those interested in joinfor women who have been accepted to OSU and are plan- ing SWE, it is best to email ning on pursuing engineering Chelsea Knight (knightche@ to help keep them excited and onid.oregonstate.edu) or attend fall recruitment events. motivated. Chelsea Knight, a senior SWE also has a Facebook page in construction engineering that keeps updated events. and the vice president of SWE, Courtnee’ Morin, news reporter has had a rocky path to where she is now, having changed news@dailybarometer.com
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OSU chapter of Society of Women Engineers provides support
development, such as coordinating professional speakers, helping with career fairs and talking to professionals so that she may answer the questions of SWE members. By Courtnee’ Morin “This term, we’re trying to THE DAILY BAROMETER start a mentorship program Women at Oregon State to pair lowerclassmen with University interested in engi- upperclassmen,� Cha said. neering can find like-minded “We’ve done it in the past, but people at the OSU Society of it’s been pretty rocky. Next year Women Engineers. I think they’re going to fully SWE at OSU has about 50 implement it. We’re also trymembers and puts on social ing to set up mentor programs and professional events for with professional engineers.� the women that are a part of SWE is set up in differthe group. ent regions throughout the “It’s for females in engineer- U.S., with Oregon belonging to be empowered more, ing in region J along with to get used to networking,� Washington, Idaho, Alaska and said Meyee Cha, a senior in Montana. industrial engineering and Each year, an annual regionthe professional development al conference is held at one of chair for SWE. the states within the region; Cha next year’s attended a will be held vocational in Seattle. It’s for females in technolAt the engineering to be ogy school in regional conPortland and empowered more, ferences, found that the women to get used to there were a attend pronetworking lot of schools fessional for mechaniworkshops, cal engineerMeyee Cha a career fair ing, but she Senior in industrial engineering and regional also enjoyed and sectional learning meetings. about systems. Alexsis Hundley-Kennaday, “I went to a school for man- a sophomore in industrial ufacturing because I was more engineering and a co-chair of hands-on and I was interested community outreach, works in not only making things, to get more students involved but the systems as well,� Cha and helps keep the women in said. “So I went to OSU for the society more involved in industrial because I liked the the community. systems and wasn’t interested “We had a K-12 Girl Scouts’ in design. I also like how chal- outreach this last weekend. lenging it is.� We did a bunch of science With SWE Cha helps to coor- experiments to help get them
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The Department of Student Leadership & Involvement (SLI)
65 PAID STUDENT STAFF POSITIONS on the following teams for 2015-2016 : SEC Information Desk Student Events & Activities Center International Students of OSU (ISOSU) SORCE Community and Cultural Food Program Center for Leadership Development (CLD) Social Change Leadership Programs Center For Civic Engagement (CCE) Memorial Union Program Council (MUPC) Student Sustainability Initiative (SSI)
Information, applications and alternative format: sli.oregonstate.edu/jobs
or Student Experience Center information desk Deadline is Monday, April 27th @ 11:59pm MUPC deadline is Friday, April 17th (students may apply for multiple positions)
WANTED SUMMER HELP on grass seed farm. Seed warehouse/equipment operator. 541-753-5615.
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ANDY’s BIKE CAB Pedicab Taxi & Chauffeur Services. Make reservations NOW for MOM’s WEEKEND! Campus & City Tours. (541)908-1441 andysbikecab.com
MINI STORAGE STUDENT SPECIAL Pay for three get one month free when paid in advance. Valid thru June 20th. Busy Bee Mini Storage 541-928-0064.
Sponsored by Campus Recycling and the Student Sustainability Initiative
Hugh Kearns Workshops: GRADUATE STUDENT SUCCESS
Back by popular demand, Hugh Kearns from Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia presents four workshops for graduate students and advisors/mentors on April 27 and 28, 2015. MONDAY, APR. 27 7 Steps for Success
TUESDAY, APR. 28 Turbocharge your Writing
Feedback: Asking for it; getting it; and responding to it
Communicating the Impact of your Research
MU 213 1:00-3:30pm
April Repair Fair 3:30 PM-5:30 PM Student Experience Center Plaza “Food Chains� Film Screening & Dialogue 6:00 PM-8:15 PM M.U. Horizon Room
For Rent
MU 206 9:00-11:30am
Soil to Soil: The Compost Campaign 11:00 AM-3:00 PM M.U. Quad
MU 213 9:00 - 11:30 AM
MU 213 1:00 - 3:30 PM
Co-sponsored by the Graduate School, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), International Student Advising and Services (ISAS), and Associated Students of Oregon State University (ASOSU). Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please contact Megan Ferris at 541-737-2033 for accommodations related to a disability.
APRIL 18-28 FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF BEYOND EARTH DAY EVENTS VISIT:
tiny.cc/beyondearthday
Today’s
su•do•ku
To play: Complete the grid so that every row, column and every 3X3 box contains the digits 1 to 9. There is no guessing or math involved, just use logic to solve.
Wildland Firefighters Exciting job fighting Forest Fires! 18 years old & drug free. Apply: Mon-Thurs. 9am -3pm. 1322 N 30th St, Springfield OR. You must bring two forms of ID to fill out federal I-9 form (541) 746-7528 EOE www.patrickfire.com
4•Monday, April 27, 2015
news@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231
RESEARCH n Continued from page 1
Meghan Vandewettering
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Bacteria grow in a petri dish in Sandra Loesgen’s Sterile Innoculation Room. The lab searches for natural products that may be of use against diseases.
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Orange Media Network Open House
Winners Portland Trailblazer Broadcast Experience
Kathleen Gladson
Pac-12 Networks Broadcast Experience
Jenny Ly Truong & Kaylynne Masuo GoPro Camera
Reed Oxsen Bring your student ID and pickup your prizes at the Orange Media Network Reception Desk on the 4th floor of the Student Experience Center.
teria or fungi, called a microbial strain, under varying lab conditions. These lab conditions introduce stress to the microbe, which causes the microbe to secrete the unique chemicals known as natural products. Those natural products are collected as “crude extracts” and exposed to common human pathogens such as HIV, hepatitis, and in Pham’s case, Staphylococcus aureus — a bacterium involved in the formation of skin boils, sinus infections and food poisoning. Loesgen and her undergraduates like Pham hope to optimize the natural product discovery process and make the process of finding and identifying potential drug compounds more efficient by collecting the extracts early on in the experimental process and by designing robust bioactivity assays. “Andrew worked on the antibiotic assay and tried to make it really robust so that we could get good answers early on,” Loesgen said. “And some of his strains were antibiotically active!” By optimizing the process for finding and identifying bioactive and significant natural products, drug design and development could occur in a more cost-effective way. Loesgen’s lab hopes that this will elevate the rate at which drugs are discovered and that the problem of antibiotic resistance will diminish. A robust assay means early, significant results. “Within the first extraction, we try and observe early, early bioactivity,” Loesgen said. “Are those compounds in the extraction active? Are there antibiotics in there? Is there anything in there binding to viruses or killing cancer cells?” These are the answers that Loesgen set out to answer when she began her work at OSU as an assistant professor in 2013. At the same time Pham, then a sophomore, approached her with an interest in natural product research. “He was very interested in growing the fungi under different conditions and correlating those conditions to chemical activity,” Loesgen said. “He’d never done chemistry like that before, but he was a well-trained microbiologist, so it was perfect.” Soon after he was trained, Pham began on a project that concentrated on a strain of endophytic fungi found in algae from the Mediterranean Sea called Kreta 2/28. Pham worked with the Kreta 2/28 specific microbe for two
Meghan Vandewettering
years. Recently, he presented on his findings in the National Conference of Undergraduate Research — a multi-disciplinary research conference held this year at Eastern Washington University that showcases undergraduate research from across the United States. “I got to present a poster on my research,” Pham said. “It’s a funny story. It was past the deadline, but my PI (Loesgen) called the committee and fortunately I was accepted. I was one of two undergraduate research assistants from Oregon State, and I’m really glad I went.” Pham’s two years of research have culminated in the discovery of an elusive compound that’s observed to have an inhibitory effect on the bacterium responsible on Stephylococcus aureus. “I got a hit on Stehpylococcus aureus, meaning I got inhibition,” said Pham. “That’s what we want to see — growth inhibition of these common human pathogens. But that only shows me that an interesting compound is there. Next, I want to analyze the compound’s structure. What’s their chemical profile? I exposed my extracts to chemical tests.” While Pham was able to determine key physical properties of the potentially pathogen-inhib-
iting compound, he feels he’ll be unable to draw further conclusions before his graduation in the spring. “This is just the beginning step in our method of drug discovery,” Pham said. After graduating, Pham hopes to become a laboratory assistant where he can focus on biomedical research before applying to medical school. According to Loesgen, he’s been a leader, mentor and teacher to those in her lab. “My nature is to teach; being the older sibling, I always found that passing along information and instructing others was something I enjoyed,” Pham said. “I hope those that I guided here benefited and continue to discover new things.” Loesgen has high hopes for her undergraduates as well, and will continue to help them contribute to biomedical research going forward. “Every structure we publish, even if it’s not so active, often gets picked up by the experts,” Loesgen said. “So undergraduates are a very important part — their individual projects can directly feed the knowledge base of drug discovery.”
Steinway Piano Series Jon Kimura Parker
Playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, Schubert and Schumann Fantasies, Arlen’s Wizard of Oz Sunday, May 3, 2015 • 4pm LaSells Stewart Center Adults in advance - $20 Adults at the door - $25 Students (8–18 years old) - Free College students with ID - Free
Two ways to purchase advance tickets
Online: corvallispiano.org At Ticket Outlets: Gracewinds Music Grass Roots Books & Music Rice’s Pharmacy Tickets also available at the door.
541-758-0036 A big thank you to the following for making these prizes possible. Portland Trailblazers, Diversified Systems (the company that installed our 4th Floor broadcast facilities), Pac-12 Networks, OSU Pepsi Grant
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Andrew Pham holds up bacterial cultures grown in Sandra Loesgen’s lab.
For accommodations for disabilities call:
541-737-5592
CorvallisPiano.org
Meghan Vandewettering, news reporter news@dailybarometer.com
The Daily Barometer 5 • Monday, April 27, 2015
Sports
Beaver Tweet of the Day “You know it's over when Kim's ex is scoring” @RealLankstyboy Langston M Walker
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Young guns step up OSU baseball uses young pitching staff, stout offense to get series win versus Trojans
ing a 9-6 victory for its second-consecutive Pac-12 series win, while knocking off a top 10 team and the number three team in the Pac-12 standings in the process. OSU head coach Pat Casey was happy By Andrew Kilstrom with his team’s effort against USC (30-12, THE DAILY BAROMETER 11-7), especially considering how the Oregon State carried a great deal of series started with a lopsided 11-3 loss momentum entering Sunday’s rubber in Friday night’s opener. match with No. 10 USC. The Beavers (27“I feel good about winning any series,” 13, 10-8 Pac-12) won in walk-off fashion Casey said. “But especially the way we’ve Saturday night to knot the three-game been scuffling to win a series and what series at a game apiece. happened earlier in the weekend — it Despite some tense moments in a was good.” back-and-forth game Sunday, OSU Oregon State junior right-hander came through when it needed to, earn- Travis Eckert got out to a strong start on
the mound for the Beavers, but found trouble in the fourth inning, with OSU leading 2-0. With the bases loaded and no outs, Eckert walked USC’s Timmy Robinson, scoring the Trojan’s first run. A sacrifice fly the very next at bat tied the game, followed by a bunt single to give USC a 3-2 lead. USC wasn’t done, either. Eckert hit justin quinn | THE DAILY BAROMETER Bobby Stahel to load the bases again Freshman infielder Christian Donahue heads towards the plate during the with one out, prompting Casey to make Beavers’ series against the Trojans in Corvallis on Friday. the pitching change to left-hander Luke Heimlich. Amidst adversity and in need of totaling nine walks as a team. After a sacrifice fly Heimlich forced offense, Oregon State bounced back. Donahue — who went 3-for-3 at a groundout to end the damage at four With the bases loaded in the bottom half the plate, driving in two runs as well runs. of the fourth, freshman second baseman as scoring twice himself — attributed Christian Donahue drew a walk to cut confidence as the key factor to Oregon USC’s lead to 4-3. State’s offensive explosion on Sunday. Oregon State then regained the lead “It wasn’t really an approach or when sophomore shortstop Trever anything we did drastically different,” Morrison singled to left field the very Donahue said. “It was just confidence next at bat, scoring two runs. OSU scored and seeing the ball better than we have once more in the fourth on a passed the past few days.” ball, giving the Beavers USC scored two a 6-4 advantage they runs in the ninth wouldn’t relinquish. I thought the key of inning to make things “I thought the key of interesting, but freshthe game was that we the game was that man right-hander managed the offensive Mitch Hickey closed we managed the side of the strike zone door on any hopes a little better than we offensive side of the the of a comeback, giving have recently,” Casey strike zone a little OSU a 9-6 victory. said. “I thought we After Eckert, the managed the strike better than we Beavers relied on a trio zone better and had have recently of freshmen relievers some pretty good at to clinch a pivotal Pacbats.” Pat Casey 12 series. OSU tacked on runs Head coach in the sixth, seventh Heimlich threw and eighth innings to four innings of scoreincrease its lead to five. less baseball, getting OSU into the eighth The Beavers scored nine runs in inning. Right-hander Sam Tweedt tossed total — the most since scoring nine in a 2/3 of an inning, allowing two runs in the loss to Oregon on April 12 — on 11 hits. eighth inning before Hickey entered to Oregon State manufactured offense finish things off. from a combination of small ball as well Despite the youth of the bullpen, justin quinn | THE DAILY BAROMETER as timely hitting. Oregon State says it’s confident and Sophomore infielder Caleb Hamilton reaches out for a high-five from the third base coach on his way towards The Beavers also showed some of the See Baseball | page 6 home against USC on Friday at home. best plate discipline they have all year,
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Bruins overcome Beavers’ huge inning in Game 2 OSU softball explodes for six runs in second inning, fails to hang on to momentum for win
shortstop McKenna Arriola. Arriola swung at the first pitch she saw, and it went straight up the middle for an RBI single. With the score tied at 2-2, the bases still loaded and still no outs, freshman left fielder By Mitch Mahoney Lovie Lopez stepped to the plate. On THE DAILY BAROMETER Following a series-opening loss to an 0-2 count, Lopez cleared the bases the No. 7 Bruins (40-8, 15-3 Pac-12), with a triple, giving Oregon State a the Beavers (25-22, 5-15) were back at 5-2 lead. “It was just energy coming off from it Sunday to try to avenge themselves. For a short while, it looked like they McKenna,” Lopez said. “She hit the first pitch up the middle, so I just go might even be successful. It started with redshirt sophomore in there with confidence. I swung and first baseman Natalie Hampton. missed twice, and I knew (Carda) was coming with the offFollowing a hitless speed, so I just dug first inning, OSU’s in and made sure to fourth batter in No, but that was a put the ball in play the lineup was the leadoff batter in the fun inning; these guys and score runs.” The next batsecond. She got on had a different ter, junior second base with a double to look in their eye baseman Mikela centerfield. Manewa, hit Lopez that inning. We The next two bathome with a single ters got on base as need to have that for a 6-2 lead. The well. Junior right the entire game. Beavers would get fielder Sammi one more hit in Noland singled the inning before and senior catcher Laura Berg the next three batHannah Akamine Head Coach ters were retired in was walked to load succession. the bases. All told, the Beavers scored six runs Senior third baseman CJ Chirichigno scored Oregon State’s first on seven hits in the second inning run with a single down the right-field alone. “That was a fun inning, wasn’t it? It’s line. With one runner across the plate, the bases loaded and nobody out, the too bad our game isn’t two innings,” said head coach Laura Berg. “No, but Bruins made a pitching change. Out went freshman pitcher Selina that was a fun inning; these guys had a Ta’amilo and in came senior ace Ally different look in their eye that inning. Carda, but the hits still kept coming. We need to have that the entire game.” Though OSU’s bats got hot quickThe first Oregon State batter the AllAmerican pitcher faced was freshman ly, they cooled off just as fast. The
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Beavers went hitless in the third double in the fourth inning cut OSU’s inning, had just a single in the fourth, lead to one. then went hitless again in the fifth The Bruins took the lead back in and sixth. the fifth inning with another two-run While OSU’s offense stalled, the home run, and a solo home run in the Bruins clawed their way back. A two- sixth stretched the score to 8-6. The run home run in the third inning Bruins kept it going in the final frame, closed the deficit to 6-4, and an RBI scoring three runs for an 11-6 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, the Beavers managed to get their first two batters on base, but they left them stranded on first and second after three consecutive outs. In all, the Bruins scored at least one See softball | page 6
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justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Freshman outfielder Lovie Lopez swings for the pitch during the Beavers’ battle against the UCLA Bruins in Corvallis on Sunday.
6•Monday, April 27, 2015
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A few rough edges on positive opener
BASEBALL n Continued from page 5 excited about what the group can do going forward this season. “We’re young and we knew that, but that’s on us,” Casey said. “These guys have been here for six months now and it’s our job to get them ready to go for big games.” “Our team trusts us young players right now to affect games and come in, in big situations like several of us did out of the pen today,” Heimlich added. “It’s fun to see a bunch of young guys stepping up and it’s fun to play out there right now.” In addition to winning behind a group of freshmen arms, Sunday’s victory was impressive because of what OSU had to overcome. When OSU ace and teamleader Andrew Moore struggled in Friday night’s eventual 11-3 smack down, Oregon State’s chances of taking a series from the No. 10 team in the country looked bleak. Donahue said Saturday and Sunday’s wins are a testament to the team’s character, and are positive indicators of what could happen this season. “After Friday’s loss, coach Casey said the character of our team was going to be tested,” Donahue said. “We had to see if we’d bounce back and I thought
By Austin Meek THE REGISTER-GUARD
justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Freshmen pitcher Drew Rasmussen looks to deliver a pitch towards home during the Beavers’ win in Goss Stadium against the Fresno State Bulldogs March 7. we did a good job of that yesterday and continuing it again today. “What it is is confidence. We built off of each other and executed.” Oregon State moved one spot up to fifth place in the Pac-12 standings, one game behind USC
for third, with the series win. The Beavers have until Thursday to prepare for another conference series against Washington in Seattle, where the team plans to build on this weekend’s momentum and continue its ascension as the postseason looms closer.
“Hopefully it affects their mindset in a positive way,” Casey said. “Any time you can win and win against a quality club, it’s a good thing.” Andrew Kilstrom, sports reporter On Twitter @AndrewKilstrom sports@dailybarometer.com
SOFTBALL n Continued from page 5 run in every single inning. They responded to OSU’s six-run second inning by scoring the game’s final nine runs for the 11-6 victory. The two teams will play the final game of the series Monday at 4 p.m. The game will be OSU’s final home game, and there will be a postgame ceremony to honor the team’s five seniors: Dani Gilmore, CJ Chirichigno, Hannah Akamine, Kori Nishitome and Melanie Dembinski. “I just can’t believe how fast it got here, but it’s just another day,” Gilmore said. “I’m not too nervous about it or feeling any special type of way. It’s just another game day, so we’ve just got to get in there and take care of business.” Mitch Mahoney, sports reporter On Twitter @MitchIsHere sports@dailybarometer.com
justin quinn
| THE DAILY BAROMETER
Senior outfielder Kori Nishitomi focuses on making contact with the ball during the Beavers’ game against the Bruins on Sunday in Corvallis.
EUGENE—The roar was back at Hayward Field, rattling the west grandstand for the first time this season, and Tanguy Pepiot just wanted a moment to soak it in. Ten meters from the finish of his race, Pepiot raised his hands and gestured to the crowd. When the fans roared even louder, he heard the sound of 3,400 people applauding a commanding victory in the steeplechase. Too late, Pepiot realized the crowd was trying to tell him something else. What sounded like celebration was actually alarm, warning Pepiot that Washington’s Meron Simon was closing in a dead sprint. “I heard some noise,” said Pepiot, an Oregon senior. “I was very surprised. Then I checked the screen, and I was like, ‘Whoa, somebody’s coming!’” After a moment of sheer terror, Pepiot tried to accelerate. There was nothing he could do. Simon blew past him with 5 meters to go, winning the race by a tenth of a second. “I thought he had me,” Simon said. “I thought he was just so far ahead. Then I heard the crowd get crazy, and he started throwing his hands up. “I was like, ‘I don’t think he knows I’m coming.’ I just went to the line and just raced.” That was one inglorious moment in a generally positive day for the Ducks, whose men’s and women’s teams both defeated Washington and Kentucky to win the Pepsi Invitational. With the Oregon Preview no longer on the schedule, this was Hayward Field’s opening day, a chance for fans to gauge expectations for the rest of the outdoor season. What they saw was typical of a track meet in April. There were moments of rain and sun, decent marks and bad exchanges, but it was hard to walk away with anything but optimism for Oregon’s potential. After winning the outdoor title last season, the Oregon men have all the pieces to repeat. They are third in this week’s USTFCCCA rankings, but by the time the NCAA Outdoor Championships return to Hayward Field in June, the Ducks easily could be the favorite. Oregon’s depth in the distance races is formidable. That was on display Saturday when Edward Cheserek, Eric Jenkins and Will Geoghegan dominated the 5,000 meters, their times separated by three-hundredths of a second. The Ducks distance stars have yet to really push the throttle. They saved their kicks for another day, cruising to the finish with no competition. “All of our workouts are basically harder than that race,” Jenkins said. That’s why you can watch these Ducks and fantasize about their potential. Coach Robert Johnson does, realizing these early meets are only a preview of what’s to come. “If we can do what we’re doing now,” he said, “what are we going to do when we get into the championship part of the season?” But lest anyone get too excited, there also were ample reminders that Oregon still has work to do. An anticipated 4x100 relay featuring two freshman football players, Charles Nelson and Tony Brooks-James, fizzled on the first handoff. On the women’s side, a mishandled exchange probably cost the Ducks a first-place finish. Then there was Pepiot, whose moment of Hayward Field glory turned to horror in the span of 10 meters.
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Yoga Pants poem not really sexist, just bad S
o we are throwing in our two cents about the brouhaha on “Things Overheard at OSU” concerning the “Yoga Pants” poem by Nick Sullivan this past Friday. One Sierra Latrice made the original post at 4 p.m. April 24, writing, “This is not art, this is complete sexual objectification, dehumanization, and this is not okay. Not only is it embarrassing ‘poetry’— but the editor should have known how inappropriate and invasive this piece is and refused to print it. It actually makes me want to puke. Just saying.” Since then, the post has racked up 232 likes, two shares and 845 comments, debating the finer details of what is defined as sexist, freedom of speech and the male gaze. Here is what we have: The poem is
Editorial not sexist — it’s kind of creepy, but it doesn’t say that the wearer of said yoga pants should go to the kitchen. In fact, the poem practically hits on the whole cast of Cirque du Soleil. It’s also up to the editors of Prism Magazine, the poem’s publisher, to determine what graces the pages of each term’s edition. That is their right as the student leaders of the publication and Latrice is welcome to disagree with the choice, but it isn’t her call what goes into Prism unless she’s a part of the judging committee. Also, compare this poem to many popular hip hop and rap songs — “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke, “Love The Way You Lie” by Eminem
ft. Rihanna, “U.O.E.N.O” by Rick Ross — which are all much more significantly rapey or abusive than this simple poem about an article of clothing. The above-mentioned songs describe scenes of romantic abuse, date rape drugs and blurring the lines between consent. We think that Nick Sullivan has the right to voice his simple pleasure of yoga pants and that Latrice has the right to voice her disapproval of it. That’s good — that means discussion. But when there are so many very violent, very real issues out in the world — girls who aren’t allowed to go to school simply because they are girls, the gender wage gap, sexual assault on college campuses,
survivor-blaming, slut-shaming and representation in the media — it’s hard to take this grievance seriously. Objectification is the act of seeing or treating a person as an object — in the most classical sense, seeing a woman as used for sex. Subjectification is the theory of the individual and what the affects or uses in their environment are. The poem would be objectifying women if Sullivan were claiming that those who wear yoga pants are inferior or only good for sexual interaction. Instead, the poem focuses on the fact that the subject is thankful for the ladies who autonomously choose to wear yoga pants and for the sheer existence of the clothing article. Attraction to physique does not
Larson event shows divide between young, old Republicans Travis
Chambers Not so Swift defending the rights of businesses to discriminate against people based on their sexual preference. He denounced the recent judgment by the State of Oregon against the bakery “Sweet Cakes by Melissa,” which was fined $135,000 for refusing to serve a lesbian couple and even directed his listeners to donate money to the owners of the bakery to cover the fine and other expenses. This must have been particularly galling for Jacob “Night Ranger” Vandever, a former officer of the
OSU College Republicans and fellow Republican’s treatment of the LGBT Barometer columnist. In a column community. It must be especially difficult since on March 31st in the Barometer, he wrote “As a Christian, I never under- Mr. Larson’s actions don’t represent an isolated stood the desire to incident when it fight for the right comes to the unfair I wasn’t able to to refuse service to misrepresentation folks, and I am sadattend the event of Republican viewdened on how those personally due to my points. For a long actions reflect on me as a person of faith.” long standing policy time Republicans have been maligned I can only imagof avoiding events as homophobic ine how much Mr. and transphobic by hosted by smug Larson’s presence members of their on campus and its transphobic bigots. own party. reflection on him The OSU College and his fellow conRepublicans have servatives also managed to sadden him. Especially given constantly found themselves Mr. Vandever’s repeated claims to defined by the 70 percent of their being dedicated to changing the See CHAMBERS | page 8
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n Friday, the Oregon State University College Republicans joined radio show host and Muggle Quidditch regional champion Lars Larson on campus for their Second Amendment week celebrations. I wasn’t able to attend the event personally due to my long standing policy of avoiding events hosted by smug transphobic bigots, but I did listen to the show and frankly I was shocked to hear Mr. Larson’s radical departure from what I have been informed are the real beliefs of our campus conservatives. In what I can only imagine feels like an embarrassment and something of a betrayal to the inclusive and tolerant members of the OSU College Republicans, Mr. Larson spent the majority of both his shows
necessarily mean wanting the owner of said physique to box themselves into socially pre-ordained gender roles. If you are wanting to box people into socially pre-ordained gender roles based on their physique, gender or sex then we recommend getting professional help. If it’s anything, the poem is an ode, not some weird cavalier Andrew Marvell “To His Coy Mistress” pressuring sex. Concluding: it’s not a very good poem, it’s a little weird — it’s not sexist, just odd. People need to cry a river, build a bridge and get over it. t
Editorials serve as means for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale or diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board’s majority.
Letters Letters to the editor are welcomed and will be printed on a first-received basis. Letters must be 300 words or fewer and include the author’s signature, academic major, class standing or job title, department name and phone number. Authors of e-mailed letters will receive a reply for the purpose of verification. Letters are subject to editing for space and clarity. The Daily Barometer reserves the right to refuse publication of any submissions. e-mail: editor@dailybarometer.com or The Daily Barometer c/o Letters to the editor 2251 SW Jefferson Way Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331
Science fiction and other realities T Ask Dr. Tech
echnology Across the Curriculum Dr. Jon Dorbolo (TAC), my Oregon State University home, has the charge to explore how changes in technology may affect the pursuit of knowledge by students and plausible relation to known reality. instructors. The technologies in science fiction films This effort is called “futurecasting” and is vary between the speculative and magical. based on forms of analysis that I’ve taught We may distinguish these in retrospect in my ALS199 course “FutureTech”; what depending on how closely actual changes I offer here owes much to what I have in culture maps to past representations of learned from the remarkable students of the future. that course. Judge for yourself as I briefly survey the Futurecasting is not merely guessing or history of science fiction film from its onset a form of science fiction, though I think it through the 1960s. fair to say that science fiction is not merely A Trip to the Moon (1902): French artist guessing either. Georges Méliès started the Science fiction is a science fiction film genre literary genre that uses with his fanciful adaptaspeculation about possible Writer Arthur C. tion of a novel by Jules derivations of science and Verne. Clarke’s third law of technology to comment Melies’ technology literary speculation on the human condition. is almost wholly inacQuality science fiction is, “Any sufficiently curate, although he did does more than merely introduce space travel advanced technology imagine some fantasand a moon landing to tic new technology; it is indistinguishable the public imagination connects the imagined at a time when the exisfrom magic. technology to our prestence of motion pictures ent condition through alone was a mind-bending extrapolations from existtechnology. ing science. Robert Goddard launched the world’s Writer Arthur C. Clarke’s third law of first liquid-fueled rocket in 1926 and 43 literary speculation is, “Any sufficiently years later a rocket did send people to walk advanced technology is indistinguishable on the moon, which much of the world from magic.” watched live on television. I take this to mean that magic in litMetropolis (1927): The first great science erature is sheer imagination and needs no fiction film is by Fritz Lang whose vision of explanation, while the speculative tech- robotics and mechanized society driven by nologies of science fiction require some vast social inequality anticipates the digital Dr. Tech’s Blog: jondorbolo.com Email questions for the column to forum@dailybarometer.com, with the subject “Ask Dr. Tech.” Your name will not be published.
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divide that faces us today. The Jetsons (1962): I grant that this goofy cartoon series was not intended as serious social commentary, but watch a few episodes and you will see remarkably approximate representations of video See DORbolo | page 8
Ryan Mason is a senior in graphic design
8•Monday, April 27, 2015
chat, tablet news readers, flying cars, dog walking treadmills, robot chefs, a medical pillcam and the smart watch; all of which are with us now in some functional form as demonstrated for your analysis at my blog — jondorbolo.com. The Jetsons was a spinoff of the popular cartoon series, The Flintstones (1960), which depicted a fantasy stone age world in which modern machine technology was accomplished by uses of imaginary animals; for instance a can opener operated by a living bird with a long beak. The Flintstones and The Jetsons provide a mid-20th century view of society by substituting everyday processes with imaginary methods — in one case archaic and in the other science fiction. I point this out because for some people the fact that we are talking about cartoons and movies designed for entertainment rules out any serious meaning to be derived. I disagree with that exclusion because all reality has some meaning and often the significances that are hard for us to recognize occur in the form of the seemingly trivial; in history the jester has often been the sole agent who may reveal undesired truths to the powerful. If one approaches the task of understanding from a position of already knowing what is and is not meaningful, then the effort will be short and simple, but not more truthful. Alphaville (1965): Technocratic totalitarianism is a modern anxiety that continues to inspire depiction in film, and most follow the lead of the film by Jean Luc Goddard, which presents a society dominated by an artificial intelligence that outlaws emotion and the irrational. Star Trek (1966): The relatively obscure TV series which became a phenomenon is a gold mine of speculative technology, which anticipated applied science such as the cloaking device, the medical tricorder (MRI), the communicator (smart phone), and the replicator (3D printing). The most remarkable aspect of the original Star Trek was its premise that the human species would survive to thrive in the 23rd century. In the 1960s, most of us assumed that the human species was on track to annihilate itself
through nuclear war or some other apocalyptic ator of the Twilight Zone (which itself is a wealth of futurecasting), and at center is a reversal of technology. Star Trek’s creator Gene Roddenberry showed us evolutionary science in which chimpanzees and a human future that had not committed species gorillas progress to the dominant species while Homo sapiens devolves to non-sentient brutes. suicide, transcended racism, sexism and nationalism, succeeded The concept continues to flourin peaceful collaboration with ish via remakes, sequels, televiThe most alien species (except for Klingons sion series and more, because the and Tholians), progressed with remarkable aspect of story confronts viewers with the an economy without money problem of: what does it mean to the original Star Trek be human? but based on human excellence and operated by consensus with was its premise This month a federal judge a moral principle of universal rules that two chimpanzees caged that the human respect. in NY have the legal right of The original Star Trek may look species would survive habeas corpus (the right to legally comical by current production challenge one’s imprisonment), to thrive in the values, but it presented a unique which is remarkable in a decade 23rd century. conception of hope in humanity when some human beings have at a time when the human prosbeen officially denied that same pect appeared dim to many, and right. the stories of the series are better 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): A milestone for than much of what is sold as science science fiction film as art was Stanley Kubrick’s fiction today. enigmatic masterpiece which futurecast a rich Fahrenheit 451 (1966): environment of emerging technologies includFrançois Truffaut adapted ing the space shuttle, the space station, artificial Ray Bradbury’s novel about intelligence, artificial gravity, video conferenca future where books are ing, digital photography, smart pens, zero gravity banned “firemen” are a meals and zero gravity toilets. kind of SWAT Consider that the film fairly accurately shows team who a moon landing and walk that in fact occurred a find and year later when Neil Armstrong stepped onto the burn the lunar surface in 1969. hidden “2001” remains a great science fiction film libraries of resistbecause it raises vital questions about interrelaing bibliophiles (451f tions of humanity, history, technology and the being the burning point scope of human understanding. of paper). “2001” contains magic as well, as defined by The film ably depicts a Clarke’s Law, so that separating the technically world without reading — even the film titles and credits plausible from the merely imaginable remains a are spoken — and human rela- present challenge for interpretation. Science fiction does not predict the future, it tionships are mediated via ubiquitous describes possible futures and explores the impliroom-sized flat-screens. If we stripped all text from YouTube it would cations of them. How the possible near futures of technology look a lot like the world of this film and given the contemporary push for video over text in educa- may impact learning is the area of concern in tion, the issues raised in this story about the future Technology Across the Curriculum at OSU and you are welcome to write to us and visit for exploration of cognition remain relevant. The film music is by Bernard Hermann, who of these matters at tac@oregonstate.edu. Next week this column shall overview SciFi asked Truffaut why he had not chosen a “modern” composer and was answered; “They’ll give films of the 1970s to present and you are invited me music of the 20th century but you’ll give me to make additions, comment and corrections to my analysis at jondorbolo.com. music of the 21st!” t Planet of the Apes (1968): The idea of nonhuman apes supplanting humans is a popular Dr. Jon Dorbolo is the associate director of Technology Across Curriculum at culture phenomenon that started with a film Oregon State University. Dorbolo supports instructors and students with technology and teaches philosophy. The opinions expressed in Dorbolo’s columns based on the 1963 novel by Pierre Boulle. do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Dorbolo can The film script was written by Rod Serling, cre- be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
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forum@dailybarometer.com • 541-737-2231
CHAMBERS n Continued from page 7 party that doesn’t support samesex marriage, the 67 percent of Republicans that think that businesses should be allowed to discriminate against same-sex couples and the 71 percent who support banning transgender students from using public restrooms. And despite everything that they do to support LGBT rights and equality — the campaigns, the fundraising, the protests — they still find themselves defined by a vocal majority trying to paint Republicans as intolerant and bigoted. It has to be exhausting to fight all of these people trying to coopt the conservative viewpoint. Frankly, I have nothing but the greatest sympathy for the OSU College Republicans and their tireless efforts towards building an inclusive Republican party and I’m extremely saddened to see their efforts undermined by people like Lars Larson. Because despite any differences we might have in public policy, I’m looking forward to the day when Republicans overcome the voices of bigotry within their party and embrace people of all sexualities and gender identities. The day when young Republicans rise up together and publicly denounce the old guard, the men and women who advance an agenda of exclusion in this country, breaking away and leaving to form a new conservative voice for all people. The day when I can stop making jokes about the pain and humiliation Republicans force onto the unprivileged and disenfranchised. The day when I don’t have to force myself to laugh so I won’t cry. I’m sure it will be here soon. t Travis Chambers is a senior in English. The opinions expressed in Chambers’s columns do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Barometer staff. Chambers can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.