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Thursday, November 29, 2018 | Vol. XCIV, Issue 24 | Binghamton University | bupipedream.com
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The Free Word on Campus Since 1946
Anthropology department reflects on legacy Faculty create reading group Founder Michael Horowitz dies 56 years after arriving at BU Melanie Gulbas pipe dream news
In 1961, a young professor named Michael Horowitz arrived at Binghamton University with a mission — to create an anthropology department. A year later, Horowitz managed to build a department out of nothing, and his vision was released. Almost 60 years after Horowitz jumpstarted scholarship in anthropology at the University, he died on Nov. 20 at 85. In the years since the department’s founding, it has seen many changes, including the addition of professors as permanent, tenure-track staff. Since 2011, the department has added 10 new tenure-track professors. It’s also grown rapidly since its conception, currently boasting 29 faculty members and four postdoctoral fellows. It has also seen expansion. Since 1962, BU has added a full offering of programs in anthropology, including a graduate program in biomedical anthropology. The expansion has come with an increased commitment to research and a greater focus on interdisciplinary research. According to D. Andrew Merriwether, chair of the anthropology department, the expansion of research prompted transdisciplinary work, as research questions for grants often require a joint answer from teams of people in multiple fields. “It is so inherently interdisciplinary, and I get to interact with so many different kinds of scholars all in the same department,” Merriwether said. “We have faculty study everything from borders in Europe and Brexit, to the archaeology of Easter Island, to Lyme disease here in
Human Rights Institute offers space for research discussion Valerie Puma news intern
established by the Department of Financial Services and the Department of Health Services, which include measures to prevent insurers from discriminatively denying coverage. David Contreras Turley, director of constituency affairs for New York state, helped organize the event and said the session is intended to provide support for members of the LGBTQ community across the state. Appointed by Gov. Andrew Cuomo in September 2015, Turley was part of the coalition
Gathered at the Human Rights Institute (HRI), Binghamton University faculty members gathered for their monthly reading group meeting to discuss race in the history of international human rights and humanitarian law. The reading group, which is open to faculty members from all departments, aims to encourage interdisciplinary perspectives and generate new ideas. It is run by the HRI, which the University formed last January, bringing together members of the human development, English and sociology departments to create an interdisciplinary faculty working group. Alexandra Moore, codirector of the HRI and BU professor of English, said she organizes the reading groups to help faculty and graduate students with their research. “One of the things we wanted to do was common readings because often we’re interested in the same issues, but we come at them with different disciplines,” Moore said. “We’re usually locked into our own way of thinking, but we share interests in international race and human rights laws.” The reading group is currently taking an in-depth look at a book titled “Sovereigns, Quasi Sovereigns, and Africans: Race and Self-Determination in International Law,” which discusses the history of international law, particularly in Africa and as it applies to Namibia, spanning from European colonization and up to Namibian independence in 1990. “[The reading group] has been super great,” Moore said. “Even in just the first 45 minutes of talking, we were able to see things that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise, which is exactly what’s supposed to happen.” According to Moore, the reading group’s meetings typically have 10 to 15 faculty members in attendance, including
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sidney slon staff photographer Anthropology students participate in a lab in Science III on Wednesday. Binghamton University’s anthropology department was founded in 1962 by Michael Horowitz, who passed away on Nov. 20.
New York.” But according to Randall McGuire, a SUNY distinguished professor of anthropology, none of the progress the department has made would have been possible without Horowitz’s efforts. McGuire, who has been at BU since 1982 and co-taught a graduate course with Horowitz, said Horowitz was heavily
committed to his work and valued interdisciplinary thought. McGuire also noted that Horowitz had a particular affinity for applied anthropology, a type of anthropology that encourages the application of method and theory through researcher involvement with communities. Today, many professors and students in BU’s anthropology
department practice applied anthropology as they assist populations through their work and research. “The thing that stood out about [Horowitz] was his dedication to social justice and to making a difference in the world,” McGuire said. “He was a
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State tour on LGBTQ rights visits Binghamton Representatives discuss protective rights, laws Jeremy Rubino
contributing writer
As part of a series of workshops spanning New York state, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton hosted a New York State LGBTQ Know Your Rights session on Tuesday night to discuss protective laws for people in the LGBTQ community.
Sponsored by a number of local organizations, including Pride and Joy Families and the Binghamton Pride Coalition, the free session consisted of an informational presentation and was followed by a Q&A session. Representatives from the New York State Department of Constituency Affairs and Division of Human Rights organized the presentation, the latest on a statewide tour of informing LGBTQ residents of their protected rights, which are encoded in state law under statues such as the New York State Human Rights Law and the
Dignity for All Students Act. The Human Rights Law prohibits discrimination in a number of areas, including employment, housing, credit, education institutions and public places. It is designed to protect individuals on a variety of factors including sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. The Dignity for All Students Act serves as a supplement to the law, enforcing the same rights but extending coverage to bullying and harassment in schools. LGBTQ individuals in New York state are also protected by regulations
Students present STEM research at FRI poster session Presentations highlight 10 research topics in program Kelly Coyne
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Presenting research on topics ranging from algae to earthquakes, approximately 500 underclassmen showcased their work on Wednesday night as part of the Freshman Research Immersion (FRI) program at Binghamton University. Freshmen and sophomores involved in the program gathered in the Innovative Technologies Complex to share their projects, which take place in a variety of disciplines and fields, or “streams,” including smart energy, biogeochemistry and neuroscience. The FRI program is three semesters long and credit-based, with the first semester focusing on reading scientific literature and analyzing data. The second and third semesters consist of hands-on research. According to Lua Lopez Perez, research educator for the ecological
genetics stream, having the ability to do research as an underclassman is rare, but beneficial. “It’s a great opportunity to figure out if it’s something appealing to you earlier than later,” Lopez said. Through its research opportunities, the program aims to give freshmen and sophomores an advantage in STEM disciplines. According to Megan Fegley, director of FRI, underclassmen who are given the chance to learn research and presentation skills have a competitive edge when applying for internships and jobs. “Early research experience through FRI can lead to more advanced research opportunities as juniors and seniors, as well as advanced summer opportunities such as industrial internships or summer research fellowships,” Fegley wrote in an email. BU initiated the program in 2014, and since then, it has grown from three research streams to 10. Each stream is headed by a research educator in an aligned discipline, along with several faculty sponsors.
At the showcase and poster session, students in multiple streams got the chance to share their work with faculty and peers. Jason Provanzano, a freshman majoring in physics, said he studied hyperspectral remote sensing in the detection and monitoring of harmful algal blooms. He was prompted to start the program after an algal bloom spread rapidly in Florida in August, quickly threatening the lives of marine animals and humans. Nicole Anichich, a sophomore majoring in integrative neuroscience, completed research on induced seismicity in Oklahoma through fracking. By using the statistical methods, her team was able to map significant results on where earthquakes were predicted to occur. Anichich said there are a lot of benefits to entering the FRI program. “You really see how much work and effort you have to put in,” Anichich said. Natalia Romanzo, a sophomore majoring in environmental studies, said her research for this poster session had a part in determining her career path. After studying methane-emitting oil and
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amy sheinbaum contributing photographer Students in the Freshman Research Immersion program present their research at a poster session.
gas wells in New York, Romanzo said she wants to continue the research for her senior thesis. She hopes to work with the Environmental Defense Fund, an
OPINIONS
Find unique holiday gifts at Binghamton’s Antique Row,
Local writers featured at Playwrights and Artists Festival,
The Editorial Board discusses the University’s current budget crisis,
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Contributing columnist Evan Moravansky assesses the value of ‘slacktivism’ in the context of the California wildfires, SEE PAGE 5
organization that focuses on sustainability and curbing greenhouse gas emissions. “It’s given me tools for my future,” Romanzo said.
SPORTS Pipe Dream Sports’ Week 13 fantasy football picks, SEE PAGE 8