The Statesman informing stony brook university for more than 50 years Monday, December 2, 2013
Volume LVII, Issue 14
sbstatesman.com
Number of international students in US increases By Sandhiya Kannan Contributing Writer
JIA YAO/ THE STATESMAN
Stony Brook Men's Basketball is looking ahead to its game in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, Dec. 7 after falling to St. Francis Brooklyn 70-68 on Sunday, Dec. 1. For the full match report, see page 16.
Sleeping disorders become more common in U.S.
By Alex Kramer Contributing Writer
Nearly half of all Americans have a sleep disorder, says sleep expert Lisa Endee. “Americans think that not getting enough sleep is part of a normal culture,” Endee said. She is the clinical program coordinator at Stony Brook University’s sleep-testing center. She said that the average adult should sleep between seven and nine hours per night, and a person who consistently sleeps
less will develop “sleep debt,” which can accumulate to missing a whole night’s sleep. “People who do not sleep enough feel tired and have slower reactions,” Endee said. “These effects multiply over several days of missed sleep.” Slower reaction times increase the chances of being involved in a car accident. Fatigued driving directly causes more than 1,500 deaths from car crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Sleep disorders are either the
result of not getting enough sleep or not getting quality sleep. Some people can sleep 15 hours and still feel tired because they wake up constantly throughout the night. And nearly nine million Americans use prescription sleep aids at least once a month, according to a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control. “Sleep aids are not a good solution at all,” Endee said. “People start to associate sleep with the pills, which prolongs the issue."
“Not being able to fall asleep is usually a symptom of an underlying issue,” Endee continued. “People who are stressed, consume caffeine at night, and sleep with the television on are more likely to have trouble sleeping.” Endee said that Americans should take the time to get proper sleep because it affects a variety of factors including metabolism and growth. “People need to be more aware of how important sleep is to their health,” Endee said.
quality in the world with the new wet lab,” Christopher Paparo, the director of the new center, said. The current experiments at the Southampton campus are confined to a building that was transformed from a boat repair room into a makeshift wet lab, but they will soon move to the new center next door. Several long tanks with a constant flow of water from the bay serve as the homes for scallops and clams that are being used for the experiments. Researchers are studying how the marine life will handle the increasing problem of ocean
acidification by changing pH of the water to monitor its effects. The new 15,000 square foot facility can pump water from the bay right next to the center 75 times faster than the old facility. The new facility will be the home to a variety of experiments by the beginning of 2014, according to Paparo. One of these researchers is Matt Harke, a doctoral student who is working to analyze gene expression in algae. His research focuses on toxic blue-green algae, which blooms in freshwater and can be harmful to the humans and aquatic life. “There are a number of grad
students in our lab which will get direct benefit and are in the process of moving their experiments from our temporary wet lab facility into the new one,” Harke said. Paparo hopes that researchers at the new center will be able to inform the public about the major issues in marine science. He brings high school groups from across Long Island onto the water to inspire the next generation of marine scientists and to educate people about the fragile state of the environment. “This facility is going to allow SoMAS to get to another level,” Paparo said.
Southampton research addresses marine life By Alex Kramer Contributing Writer
Most climate scientists agree that human contributions are warming the earth, which is having a major effect on marine life. Researchers are working to combat these changes and inform the public at Stony Brook University’s new Marine Sciences Center in Southampton. The $8.5 million center that opened this past summer features modern technologies that will allow researchers to examine the rapidly changing marine environment in the lab and in the field. “We can re-create any water News
Arts & Entertainment
Opinions
More than 800,000 international students matriculated last year to colleges and universities in the United States, and the percentage of these students who are here on exchange trips has increased. On the other end of the spectrum, the number of American students doing their studies abroad has also risen over the years. “Once considered an educational frill, an international experience is now a necessity in today’s global community,” Dr. William Arens, vice provost of Global Affairs and dean of International Academic Programs, said on the International Academic Programs website. “Study Abroad Programs or International Exchanges may span an academic year [or] a single semester…The experience and memories, however, last a lifetime.” Compared to the national scale, Stony Brook University also has pride in its diverse campus and the great number of opportunities it has for global involvement. According to the university’s profile, international students made up 9 percent of the student body in 2011, a number which has continued to rise. While there are high concentrations of students with a multitude of backgrounds, it is a noticeable fact that the Asian population is quite large at Stony Brook—greater than the average percentage at any other SUNY school. With partnerships like the Confucius Institute and facilities like the Charles B. Wang Center, Stony Brook provides strong support for Chinese culture. The Confucius Institute at Stony Brook University was established as a partnership with China’s Office of Chinese Language Council International and the Zhongnan University of Economics and Law. According to Dr. Arens, “the Confucius Institute at Stony Brook will also reinvigorate Stony Brook University's academic linkages with China and provide a social space for Chinese heritage students and resident nationals.” Aside from the great presence of Asian culture at Stony Brook, there is also an up-and-coming community of students from a myriad of nations around the world and a greater interest on the part of Continued on page 6 Sports
A profile on Stony Brook’s Assistant Chief of Police.
Campus Spotlight: Perry Goldstein
Department Head leads growing music program.
Three choices for Guest Speaker
Wrestling seeded no. 18 in NCWA poll
MORE ON PAGE 3
MORE ON PAGE 8
MORE ON PAGE 10
MORE ON PAGE 16
Eric Olsen: From NYC to SBU
USG’s speaker survey offers interesting options.
The club team is ranked in the top 20 this year.