4-17-2014

Page 1

The Daily Free Press

Year xliv. Volume lxxxvi. Issue XLVII

BON ANNIVERSAIRE

Walsh celebrates 101 days in mayoral office, page 3.

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Thursday, April 17, 2014 The Independent Student Newspaper at Boston University

THE HAUNTING

Marlon Wayans tricks ‘n’ treats movie-goers in new film, page 5.

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www.dailyfreepress.com

OVER THE RIVER BU women’s lax loses again to Harvard, page 8.

WEATHER

Today: Sunny/High 41 Tonight: Mostly clear/Low 36 Tomorrow: 46/40

Data Courtesy of weather.com

Remembrance or revelry: Celebrating the Marathon HarvardX online courses include faculty seminars By Adrian Baker, Drew Schwartz & Alicia Winton Daily Free Press Staff

As the 2014 Boston Marathon approaches, the Boston University community is debating whether the alcohol-fueled celebrations typical of the holiday are still appropriate in light of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings. “The first thing that I heard about Marathon Monday was about the alcohol,” said Corinne Plaisir, a Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences sophomore. “It wasn’t even about the race. It was more of a Mardis Gras thing than a marathon.” While some students and faculty said it was important to show resilience by celebrating this year’s marathon as usual, others said the bombings’ impact on BU and Boston demand a sober, respectful observance in honor of those affected by the tragedy. “This year will be a bit more solemn, but I still think that being enthusiastic and cheering for the race is totally appropriate,” said Dr. Tim Naimi, an associate professor in the School of Medicine and School of Public Health. “Making a drunken fool out of yourself is inappropriate.” Naimi, also a physician at Boston Medical Center, conducts extensive research on substance abuse and specializes in binge alcohol consumption. “Not only is it inappropriate given what happened last year, but a lot of people who work in substance abuse for alcohol decry the fact that a very unhealthy and anti-social behavior, which is drinking to get drunk, is conflated with a sporting event that involves competition and

By Mina Corpuz Daily Free Press Staff

MIKE DESOCIO/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

After the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, some Boston University students expressed hesitation to partake in Marathon Monday festivities out of respect for those affected by the tragedy.

doing our best and being healthy,” he said. Laura Capicotto, a College of Communication sophomore, said those who normally celebrate on Marathon Monday should continue to do so this year. “By us keeping the tradition alive and doing what we usually do, we are honoring those [affected by the attack] and keeping their memory alive,” she said. “Everyone’s going to be think-

ing about it, whether they are partying or not. You can’t not think of it.” COM freshman Grace Pearson, who said she will attend the marathon this year, said it is disrespectful to drink excessively during the holiday. “Students need to be more aware that this is

Marathon Monday, see page 2

Physics professors applauded for active, tech-savvy teaching By Adrian Baker Daily Free Press Staff

Four Boston University physics professors won an inaugural award Monday for incorporating technology to improve students’ learning experiences and equipping them with skills essential to succeed as 21st-century scholars and professionals. The Office of the Provost, in coordination with the Center for Excellence & Innovation in Teaching, selected College of Arts & Sciences physics professor Bennett Goldberg, assistant professor Pankaj Mehta, master lecturer Andrew Duffy and lecturer Manher Jariwala to receive the Gerald and Deanne Gitner Family Award for Innovation in Teaching with Technology and a $10,000 prize. “We were enormously impressed by the caliber and depth of the Physics team’s innovation and with its potential as a model for other educators,” said Provost Jean Mor-

rison in a Wednesday email sent to the entire university. CEIT Director and School of Management professor Janelle Heineke commended the Gitner Award recipients for their multifaceted approach to creating an active learning environment for BU students. “Passive lecturing can work but it also involves sort of an inefficient way of transferring facts from one head into another person’s head,” she said. “This way the classroom is essentially flipped.” Heineke said it was important to recognize BU faculty members who are incorporating technology to enhance students’ education. “Technology is increasingly an important part of how we live, and certainly we can bring a lot of technology into the way we teach to improve the teaching and the experience for the students,” she said. Mehta said the physics team’s goal was

to implement an “inverted learning” teaching method in the BU Physics Studio Classroom, in which students prepare for class ahead of time with online materials to minimize time spent lecturing in class. The learning style features round tables in which small groups discuss and work on problems using computer simulations, he said. “Students are much more enthusiastic and prefer this model much more to lecture where it’s passive, and certainly there’s a lot of educational research showing this is a more effective way of teaching,” Mehta said. “If you think about how scientists learn or how any researcher learns, you learn by doing. You don’t learn by listening.” Duffy said technology benefits a class when it supports an active learning environment.

Technology, see page 2

Seeking to expand educational opportunities to Boston residents, the Harvard Allston Education Portal announced Monday plans to enhance an online coursework program with in-person faculty lectures and discussions. Through the Ed Portal, which opened in June 2008, Harvard University has partnered with the Allston-Brighton community to increase access to educational resources for all residents of the neighborhood. The group has forged in-person interactive learning with the non-profit online course initiative HarvardX, founded by Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s continuing our engagement with the Allston community,” said Mary-Helen Black, executive director of the Ed Portal. “[It] is a bidirectional engagement bringing the Allston community into Harvard [and] bringing Harvard into Allston. We like to think of it as a way to help prepare individuals for the knowledge economy.” Registered members of Ed Portal can gain access to special events, such as mentoring programs and ticket offerings. As of March 31, 2,100 residents — or 750 households — have registered as members of the Ed Portal, a Harvard spokeswoman said. Black said the mix of online courses with traditional lectures is a good transition for individuals who are not as technologically versed but are still interested in furthering their education. “We want to help and support people get on the ramp with technology, [such as] having the opportunity to meet with teaching assistants, kind of like office hours for courses, [and] provide support in terms of how to access [their online classes],” she said. Peter Bol, vice provost for advances in learning at Harvard, said was one of the first lecturers under the new initiative, and he said the experience was rewarding. “My [lecture] was about a course called ChinaX, which is the history of China and its civilization,” he said. “[Afterward], we had half an hour of questions back and forth and people came up to say help and we chatted.”

HarvardX, see page 4

City Council wrestles with risks of deadly pathogen research in BU laboratories By Jaime Bennis Daily Free Press Staff

More than 300 Boston University officials and Boston residents attended a hearing at City Hall Wednesday to debate an ordinance that would ban BU from conducting research on deadly pathogens in its National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratories. City Councilor Charles Yancey’s proposed ordinance would prohibit research on Biosafety Level 4 agents in Boston, which look at dangerous and potentially fatal diseases and viruses. Proponents of the biolab point to the importance of Level 4 research and the safety measures in place that ensure the diseases would not be transmitted outside of the NEIDL. “This vital research can be done safely and securely in Boston,” said BU’s Associate Provost for Research Gloria Waters. “Beyond making important scientific contributions, the NEIDL will also spring the local economy. The facility is expected to bring in $45 million in federal funding. It sends a clear message that Boston is open for business, scientif-

ic advancements and life-changing research.” In the proposed ordinance, Yancey claims that deadly biological agents researched at the NEIDL could be released to the public accidentally or stolen and “weaponized.” “My concern is that the research that will be taking place in this facility can cause very serious risks to the health and safety of the people of Boston,” Yancey said at the hearing. City Councilor Tito Jackson echoed Yancey’s fears, and said he does not want to put first-responders at risk in the event of an accident at the NEIDL. “It would be reckless and irresponsible to invite a Level 4 lab into the city of Boston,” he said. “The research would take place on pathogens for which we have no known cure. Just one human mistake can be catastrophic for the rest of society.” Jackson urged City Councilors to do what they believed was best for the residents of Boston.

Biolab, see page 2

FALON MORAN/DAILY FREE PRESS STAFF

City Councilors Charles Yancey, Michael Flaherty and Tito Jackson spoke at a public hearing at Boston City Hall Wednesday regarding an ordinance sponsored that would prohibit biosafety level 4 research, the primary research done at Boston University’s biolab.


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