TECHNICIAN
friday march
18 2011
Raleigh, North Carolina
technicianonline.com
‘Origami Wishes’ to benefit Japan Members of the N.C. State campus community unite to support Japanese relief. Lee Daniello Staff Writer
After disaster shook the foundation of Japan last Friday, N.C. State students are stepping up to offer aid and support in creative ways. In a joint effort between the Center for Student Leadership, Ethics and Public Service and Student Government, students are working together to implement Origami Wishes: Japan Disaster Relief. The idea, taken from the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, aims to raise money through activities around the University, money that will then be sent to the Red Cross of Japan. Hunter Isgrig, director for Leadership Development within CSLEPS, and Buddy Bryson, Student Senate treasurer, are student co-chairs for the relief initiative. According to Bryson, due to the heavy costs associated with goods sent to other countries, the initiative can only send help monetarily. “CSLEPS is working with international groups around campus to raise money for Japan relief,” Bryson said. “Basically, we can’t do any food or clothing donations, just because taxes and exports are so high, so we can only do cash donations, which Japan is prepared for. They just need the money to get jump started again.” This is not the first time CSLEPS and Student Government have worked together to help disaster victims. “This is a traditional thing for
CSLEPS and Student Government. We teamed up to do Howl for Haiti and Wave of Hope to help with the Haiti earthquake and the tsunami in Sri Lanka,” Bryson said. “It’s historical for us and CSLEPS to team up for this endeavor.” This effort not only consists of CSLEPS and SG, but also several other organizations, both on and off campus. “CSLEPS is working with Japan Club, Student Board of Directors, NC Japan Center, and other local organizations that are not directly affiliated with the University,” Bryson said. Students, professors, and Japan natives said they are grateful for the help their country is receiving. Ako Fukushima, a Japanese professor, said she appreciates the effort the University is putting forth to help the disasterstricken country. “I know N.C. State’s Student Government is now working so hard to help Japan,” Fukushima said. “I appreciate all people who are worried about my country.” Yukina Arima, a Japanese international student in political science, also said she was very grateful for the support. “I really appreciate American support. I heard American relief [parties] rescued the victims and are helping solve the [problems with the] nuclear plants in Fukushima in a lot of media in Japan,” Arima said. “As [for] the University’s response, I am really glad to hear they are trying to support.” Arima said she is glad no one she knew was directly affected by the disasters. “Fortunately, none of my family, friends, [or] acquaintances were af-
PHOTO COURTESY OF HUNTER ISGRIG/ CSLEPS
fected,” Arima said. “Some of my friends who live in Tokyo said they were in trouble when the transportation was being stopped, but it was not so much trouble.” Campus groups are encouraged to plan their own events to raise awareness and funds for those in need in Japan, and Bryson encouraged students to contact existing organizations providing relief in order to find out how to get started. CSLEPS and Student Government said they hope student will want to get involved and help the people in Japan. Money can be dropped off at the CSLEPS office in 3115 Talley Student Center. Arima said even though she is far from home, she still donated money in order to help as much as she could. “I hope Japan will rebuild as soon as possible,” Arima said. “If there is [any way] I can help, I want to do something with the university relief party.”
NATALIE ROSS/TECHNICIAN
The Korean Student Association presented Korean silkworm larvae, pronounced “Bun-Deh-Gee.”
Asian culinary display challenges student palate A presentation of Asian dishes scare and surprise students. Bryan Le Staff Writer
Using a plastic fork, Chris Tidwell fished one of the many brown worms floating in broth out of the can and pops it into his mouth. “It was gross, I hated it,” Tidwell, a junior in history, said. “It tastes alive.” The Korean silkworm Tidwell ate was one of many culinary dares served at Far East Fear Factor, a Smörgåsbord of exotic Asian cuisine put together
in the Bragaw lounge on Thursday to challenge student taste buds. To Yiwen Thor, a sophomore in food science and member of event staff, the event was not designed to specifically disgust students, but rather expand their culinary and cultural horizons. “People in the U.S. might think this food is bizarre, but in our culture it’s normal,” Thor said. Far East Fear Factor is a collaborative effort of various Asian student unions, including the Asian Student Association and the Chinese Student Association, intended to raise cultural
FEAR continued page 3
‘Dead Week’ name discarded for alternative
Donation puts muscle behind power engineering plans
Owing to sensitivity over the name, the last week of classes will no longer be called “Dead Week.”
Sagar Sane Staff Writer
Elise Heglar Staff Writer
Although final exams are far from students’ minds, University officials are already in the process of making changes to pre-exam week traditions. The week before exams, affectionately known by students as “Dead Week,” is a time just before exams when students are not supposed to have anything due or any tests scheduled that were not originally on the class syllabus. As of next semester, this will change, JOSH BIELICK/TECHNICIAN at least in regards to the name. Sleeping quietly in the learning commons, Ashley Junkins, a senior in The name Dead Week was dropped international studies, takes a break from writing a paper at 5AM on in favor of “the last week of the se- Wednesday. Jenkins frequents the library at all hours and has made mester” as a result of the feedback acquaintances with the staff. “I’ve basically sold my soul to the library and regarding the sensitive nature of the want it back when I graduate,” Jenkins said. name. According to Louis Hunt, vice provost and University registrar, using eventually caught on within the entire for me.” Rodsater said she believes a name the word “dead” in the nickname was University. “I’m honestly not sure where it change could prove beneficial for offensive to some people. “Students have always referred to the came from,” Hunt said. “I guess it students by providing a more reweek before exams as Dead Week, but grew somehow through student use alistic set of standards. “A new name could be more acfrom a policy and regulation perspec- or from an old outdated handbook.” A l t h o u g h t h e curate, so students know what to tive, the name is not nickname for the expect,” Rodsater said. appropriate,” Hunt Despite the controversy over week before exams said. “The policy has been changed what to call it, biology professor has not changed in through policy, there Anita Flick said she believes the any way, but the term is no way to control policy of assigning no new assign‘Dead Week’ has.” student usage of ments and tests the week before T h is a lterat ion the term. However, exams has been helpful to students. is similar to when “What I have heard from students Stacy Rodsater, a the formerly called sophomore in in- is that the policy of Dead Week and Easter break was ternational studies, the two reading days before exams changed to Spring said the term “Dead has been beneficial because, thanks Holiday due to sensiLouis Hunt, vice provost and Week” is misleading to our schedule, it is our tendency tivity to the UniverUniversity registrar to have a lot of tests right before for students. sity having religious “I’m not really a finals,” Flick said. “Having a small affiliation. According to Hunt, Dead Week fan of the term ‘Dead Week,’” Rod- break like this leads to our students was never technically a name affili- sater said. “The name makes it seem being better ated with N.C. State, but became a like an easy review week, but there is nickname used among students and always so much work to do, at least DEAD continued page 2
“The policy has not changed in any way, but the term ‘Dead Week’ has.”
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ABB to fund professorship, foster research opportunities on campus.
ABB, a multinational organization focusing on power and automation technology, donated $1.2 million to the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering to support power engineering research and education at N.C. State. According to Ben Hughes, executive director of development and college relations for the College of Engineering, the $1.2 million initiative will be used to promote academia. “This $1.2 million mainly comprises of $632,000 from ABB for a span of five years, which will be used to establish professorship, lecture series and student scholarships mainly focusing on power engineering. The student scholarship program will award five $6,000 scholarships per year to students taking power engineering classes,” Hughes said. “The lecture series will feature scholars from ABB talking about developments in power technology and the smart grid.” Barry Dillon, spokesperson for ABB, said the driving force for this initiative was to expand the already strong relationship with N.C. State. “Our main purpose is to pipeline the talent from N.C. State who are trained and well-educated in power engineering, which is a strong need for us. The purpose of providing scholarships is
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to facilitate cutting edge research in power engineering,” Dillon said. “We also plan to start a center for smart grid excellence this year on campus, which will be focused in research of smart grid technologies.” According the Hughes, ABB is looking for talented students from various levels. “They are looking at all levels of students in general, but specifically undergrads and perhaps some master’s students,” Hughes said. “The main selection criteria will be academic excellence, power engineering experience, either through courses or work experience, and good communication skills and willingness to pursue summer internships with ABB.” According to Daniel Stancil, head of the electrical and computer engineering department, ABB is looking to hire a number of students for their cutting-edge research. “They [ABB] need more students than we have. It is a great opportunity for the students,” Stancil said. “We are looking toward some of the scholarships till the end of this semester but the program will really kick off starting next semester.” Dillon said despite a history of lackluster desire for education in the field, power engineering is becoming an increasingly popular field. “In the past, power engineering has not been a very attractive field to pursue education. But now, power engi-
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