Avion Issue 2 Spring 2021

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Spring 2021 Issue 2


Appreciating The Impostor Victoria Jordan Editor-in-Chief

What is a similarity between the online multiplayer game Among Us and 70% of successful people? Being an Impostor. An impostor can be defined as one that assumes a false identity or title for the purpose of deception. While a successful person is someone that can achieve personal, professional, and life goals through proper planning, hard work, and will, the question remains, how was the answer Impostor? Feb. 25 was the university’s Virtual Career Expo. This meant for the past few weeks, students have been vigorously updating their resumes, applying for jobs and internships, and brushing up on interview skills. Although each student is cable of landing that dream job based on their own merit and skills, just when they are about to press submit on the application, a little bit of self-doubt creeps up. How can someone bound for success be afraid to take the next step? When they do achieve their goal, they say they were just lucky. This hesitation, anxiety, and self-doubt is part of the phenomenon called Impostor Syndrome. According to the American Psychological Association, impostor phenomenon/syndrome occurs among high achievers who cannot internalize and accept their success. They often attribute their accomplishments to luck rather than to ability, and fear that others will eventually unmask them as a fraud. Experiencing impostor syndrome is normal, but the effects are pow-

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erful. You lose yourself; this in turn allows others to control your actions and decisions. I came across a few TEDx videos on this topic that offered some great advice for anyone experiencing symptoms of impostor syndrome. The Surprising Solution to the Imposter Syndrome | Lou Solomon | TEDxCharlotte Lou Solomon, an author, entrepreneur, and founder of Interact Studio, was able to identify when she was experiencing any form of impostor syndrome through the symptoms she called the fantastic four. These symptoms are anxiety, perfectionism, self-doubt, and fear of failure. For Solomon, “If left unchecked [these symptoms] can cause anxiety, depression, addiction, stalled projects, unfinished masterpieces, and an unhappy life.” What helped her move forward is acknowledging that vulnerability is not a weakness, oversharing information about you can help strengthen others and yourself, and that talkers do not rule the world because “listening for brilliance” is just as influential.

his college professor, he realized that self-power and self-recognition are what made him feel free from the mental shackles of being imprisoned. His words of wisdom were: Rehabilitation is not a miracle as you put in the work to make yourself better, and that someone you think or hear is only true if you believe it. Own It: Combatting Imposter Syndrome | Meredith Peebles | TEDxOU Simply put Meredith Peebles’ path for healing was to take back ownership of the areas that define you. For Peebles, these areas were “I own what I look like, I own what I do, and I own what I want.” The biggest takeaway from her speech is, “You’ll never be a fraud if you empower yourself to own your own life.” If your success makes you feel like an impostor, there are ways to claim back your happiness, confidence, individuality, and motivation. It might take you a minute to realize it, but your charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent are some key elements to your success.

Freedom from Self-Doubt | B.J. Davis | TEDxSacramentoSalon As a former felon turned doctor, B.J. Davis constantly looked for approval and self-belief from the opinions of others. After a discussion with

Image Courtesy/Innersloth


Hutner Lyons Photo Editor

George Skinner International Student

George is a second semester flight student who is currently working on his commercial license. He says Daytona is different but not too far off from his town in New Jersey. However, George was not born in New Jersey. He hails from the small English village, Royal Tunbridge Wells. As a child, George would regularly fly to his vacation home in Valencia, Spain. These frequent

flights are what sparked his love for aviation. He was encouraged by his family as he followed his great Uncle Les Skinner’s footsteps, who flew Halifax bombers in World War Two. Now that George has moved down to Florida for college, he is happy to be living his dream as a pilot. The Daytona Beach area is certainly nothing like the UK, but he is enjoying

Photo Courtesy / George Skinner

himself. When I asked him what he missed most about living in the UK, he told me, “above everything, I miss the food. Nothing compares to a warm scotch egg with salad cream or a Cornish pasty on the beach. Everyone always thinks it’s just bangers and mash, fish and chips, and tea (which are all great), but there is so much more than that. Pie and mash, saveloy, pork pies, sausage rolls, ham egg and chips, Percy Pigs, and loads of other things.” I’ve known George for a bit. There have been some moments where our forms of English don’t match up. I decided to ask him if the “language barrier” or accent caused frequent problems now that he is surrounded by people who mostly don’t speak like him. He responded by saying, “there are a lot of words I’ve learned I can’t use with Ameri-

cans, simply because they don’t understand (other than the word we use for a cigarette, but that’s problematic for other reasons). But on the other side, there are things people say to me that leave me confused. For example, the other day, someone told me they were going to “hock a loogie,” and I was quite concerned as to what that meant.” Finally, I asked him how he likes American culture, and any expectations he had before coming to the states. “Everything I knew about America was coming from the telly. You know, all the stereotypes about Americans being large and having guns. New Jersey was a bit different, but Daytona is everything I expected it to be.” He intends on moving back to the UK to fly for Virgin Atlantic but says the States will always hold a special place in his heart.

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An Evening with Tom Segura Chirag Mehrotra Staff Reporter

On Feb. 20, our very own Touchn-Go Productions hosted famed comedian Tom Segura for a virtual comedy Q&A. The show had been over a year in the making due to numerous delays caused by the COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. The night was filled with tons of laughs as Tom shared many anecdotes

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from his life experiences. He talked about his recent social media encounter with Jennifer Aniston and how excited he was to collaborate with her in the future. He went on to talk about working with another popular standup comedian Bert Kreischer, more popularly known as The Machine. Watching Tom

Photo Courtesy / Tom Segura

reminisce about past experiences and joke about it was truly a delight to watch. Another big part of the show was Lonnie Marts, who graciously agreed to moderate the show. Lonnie is no stranger to the social media scene as he boasts over 400,000 Instagram followers and over 2 million followers on TikTok (@lonnieiiv). He did an amazing job at moderating the show by keeping Tom, and the audience engaged. The live chat during the show was definitely busy with viewers asking Tom Segura specific questions. One viewer of the show was Soham Bahulekar, and when asked about his impres-

sion of the show, he went on to say it was very well put together given the current situation. Even though it was not like any of the traditional comedy shows he has attended in that past, he said he was glad to be able to enjoy a big show after a nearly a year and a half hiatus. He did enjoy the podcast-style show as it keeps up with the recent wave of internet podcast popularity. It was definitely trendy for him, and he is curious to see how many more talk show-type shows TNG puts on. He says he is keenly looking forward to the next Touch-nGo events, such as the upcoming concert.


International Student Programming Council -Shrina Iyer and Aayush Shah

Aayush Shah / The Avion

College is not easy, especially when you’re far from home. Coming to a new country without knowing anything is exciting, but it does come with certain challenges. That is where the International Student Programming Council (ISPC) comes for the save. ISPC is a student-run organization that works within the department of Student Engagement & Student Union. Their office is located in the Student Leadership Suite room 244. We interview the club’s president, Dr. Jribi, and talked about his experience with international students and how ISPC has grown over the years. He has had experience with international students not only at Embry-Riddle but also at the past institutions he attended. He said that working with people from different cultures is very fun since you always get to learn new things about their cultures, and it also helps improve your confidence. ISPC Activities Due to the current pandemic going on, ISPC has not been able to conduct as many events and trips as they did before, but they find ways for students to get a chance to meet others and have fun while staying safe. Last semester during the international student week, ISPC conducted a flag parade and had many fun multicultural activities and international foods. This semester, some of their activities were axe throwing and visiting the beach.

Aayush Shah / The Avion Mentor Program To make the transition comfortable for international students, all international students are assigned a “mentor.” The mentors contact their mentees before they arrive on campus, answer any questions the students might have, and tell them more about the campus. Being a mentor is a very exciting yet important role. You are expected to help your mentees and guide them to the right place. But at the same time, you have many other people to help you as well. The Mentor program is open to QR code above and apply to be a mentor. both international and U.S. citizens. Luckily, ISPC is looking for new mentors, so scan the Page 4


ERAU Wellness Ambassadors Program Andrea Gamble News Editor

Have you been dying to get healthy, wealthy, and successful, but need the motivation to do so? You may be ready to join the new Wellness Ambassadors Program at Embry-Riddle. The Wellness Ambassadors Program is a program made to provide training, support, and opportunities to students with the goal of becoming leaders who engage with others through social media and other great resources. Simply put, you learn about the amazing opportunities of health and wellness and share them with those in your community. You will learn about wellness programs, both physical and mental, available to all students on campus. Additionally, this leads you to set short and long-term wellness goals and provides you a platform to achieve them. Wellness may not be at the forefront of our minds as students; however, this is one of the most beneficial clubs for improving yourself. First, the Wellness Ambassador Program provides insight into a new perspective of yourself and the life you are living. For example, have you ever thought about what your reason is for eating the food you eat, other than it is convenient, cheap, and delicious? Why do you eat the food you eat? What motivates you to get up in the morning and keep going to class? What is your purpose? The Wellness Ambassadors help you to think deeply about yourself. Second, this club offers an opportunity to learn about what is available on campus. There is much more that this university has to offer than what is seen with the naked eye. Also, this is a chance to develop a schedule for those who may not know where to start with organizing their lives. Lastly, you are not alone! This club allows fellow students who are going through the same things to connect with each other. In fact, the support and motivation from those around you alone can be the determining factor in you going to the gym or staying in and watching Netflix. If this sparked an interest that you would like to investigate further, please reach out to greta.ledoyen@erau.edu for more information. You can also stop by the wellness center to check it out! Page 5

Malik Turner / The Avion


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Private Pilot (121) ZHENNAN GUO SADEQ MOHAMAD SHABAN ELISE RENEE PESQUEIRA JHADEN LAVON SYDNOR JEREMY MICHAEL DAHL JACOB BRADLEY DONALDSON TREVOR LEE DUBE ELI ANDREW MCGOUYRK Private Multiengine AddOn (122) Instrument Rating (221) KEE HYUK CHOI EMMA CATHERINE BRYAN MOHAMMAD TAREK A KHAYAT CAROLINE AILEEN SCHMID

MICHAEL JOSEPH PHELPS MEAGAN KATHLEEN KNAACK ASHBY CONRAD BARNETTE JIYOON KIM TYLER RODERICK ALLAN CRAVEN PATRICK JOSEPH SCHROEDER MATTHEW PAUL FLERRA ALDREAKA BATTLE KENT TAGURI URA CONOR JOHN MCCARTHY DANIEL PEYTON MARTIN CONNOR JON VEYSEY KURT ANTHONY PELCHEN CHRISTOPHER RICHARD GUNDREY Commercial Pilot (321, 322, 324) EIKI MATSUYOSHI SEBASTIAN ERIC ROBERT

WOOD ASHWIN RAVINDRA KUDIGRAM NICHOLAS BRODERICK CHRIST ALEXANDER JAMES HOTH EMILY ANN KRETSCHMER CAMERON JOHN GARBER JON CAN YALCINKAYA TY MARTIN SLAUGENHOUPT HENRY CADE ELGIN Commercial Multiengine Add-On (323) CONNOR YOUNGREN HYUN WOO JEONG ANUSHKA DEVI MAHARAJ ANDY GONZALEZ LEYVA ZACHARY MICHAEL BECHER AUSTIN SCOTT LAMBERT WESLEY SCOTT BUCHER

CHARLES EDWARD BROOKS III Commercial Single Engine Add-On (326) MAX TYLER NICELY Flight Instructor Airplane (417A) JOHN PAUL OLIVEIRA Flight Instructor Instrument (417I) THOMAS ERON EPPERSON Flight Instructor Multiengine Add-On (460) AGUSTIN ANTONIO GIOVAGNOLI

SPRING 2021 FLIGHT CERTIFICATIONS CONGRATULATIONS TO THOSE WHO RECIEVED THEIR CERTIFICATION


WEAR YOUR MASK


An Interview With Max Minervini Korbin Martin Managing Editor

The Avion has a long history of covering the Embry-Riddle Ice Eagles Hockey team. This week, The Avion interviewed #39, Max Minervini. Max has played goalie for the Eagles for four years and has done an incredible job. Last season he posted a .913 save percentage over 16 games and made tons of highlight-reel-worthy saves. TA: How long have you been playing hockey MM: I’m a senior. This is my fourth season at Embry-Riddle, but I’ve been playing hockey ever since I knew how to walk. TA: What are your plans for the future once you graduate? MM: Like a lot of us here at Embry-Riddle, I want to be a pilot. Hopefully I can get paid to fly

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something. I don’t care where, but hopefully I can make some money flying once I graduate. TA: You’ve put a lot of time and effort into the hockey team here at Embry-Riddle. Tell us about what makes it worth it and how it’s been rewarding. MM: Waking up at 5:30 a.m. for practice isn’t necessarily my favorite thing to do, but once you’re out here with the guys, there’s really no feeling to explain it. The camaraderie,the teamwork, being on the bus with the boys going to games, getting a big win, and hanging out with the guys. The game has given me a lot back, and I’ll be forever grateful for that. TA: What’s it been like having the Embry-Riddle home crowd here to

Korbin Martin / The Avion

support you guys? MM: It’s incredible. Looking up and seeing 700 or 800 people here for you makes it an awesome environment to play in. I’ve never played in an environment like this. Only one or two schools that we play against have a similar atmosphere to what we have. It gives us a huge advantage, and I’m definitely going to miss playing in front of these fans. TA: What would you say to someone who doesn’t know Embry-Riddle has a hockey team or has never been to a game on why they

should give it a shot? MM: Definitely come out, no matter what organization you’re in. Whether it’s Greek life or another sports team, everyone comes out, and they have fun. You look in the stands, and you can tell there are tons of people here. It’s a nice college experience being able to watch hockey, and see a fun contact sport. If you’ve never come out, whether you’re a freshman or you’ve just never been to a hockey game, give it a try next season, and I promise you, you won’t regret it. You’ll have a lot of fun.

Korbin Martin / The Avion


Sailing Team Expands Their Fleet Jack Rachek Public Relations Manager

Over the past two years, the Embry-Riddle Sailing Team has been rapidly growing, becoming one of the largest, fastest-growing club sports teams on campus. Generous support from the Student Government Association, alumni, and an enthusiastic group of students has turbo-charged the program’s growth in recent months. In Fall 2020, the sailing team hit the water with a small team of six students. By the second week of classes, the team had already more than doubled in size to 18 students. By midterms, the team had grown to 24 students, quickly surpass-

ing the capacity of the team’s fleet of boats. The team became overwhelmed, running out of boats at practices, and struggling to keep up with the staggering interest. With the club’s growth rapidly exceeding capacity, the team put together a plan to expand their fleet, approaching the Student Government Association for assistance. To support the growing team at practice, the club needed to, at a minimum, double the size of their FJ fleet. This was a massive project. In coordination with the Office of Philanthropy and Alumni Engagement, the Sailing Club

launched their most ambitious fundraising effort yet, with a goal to raise $15,000 in just 30 days. Fortunately, the Student Government Association committed $11,000 toward that goal, and after tapping into the Embry-Riddle alumni network, the club exceeded their goal, raising an impressive $15,705. This gave the club the green light to expand and continue to support the growing Sailing Team. After many weeks of planning and coordination, the sailing team took delivery of six FJ Sailboats in late January, doubling t h e

Korbin Martin / The Avion

size of their fleet from six FJs to 12 FJs. This new fleet of boats allows the team to practice as a larger group, creating a more competitive practice environment, and it will put Embry-Riddle on par with other college sailing programs around the country. The new fleet also qualifies Embry-Riddle as a host venue for intercollegiate sailing events, something previously not possible.

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Daft Punk Calls it Quits Korbin Martin Managing Editor

On Feb. 22, Daft Punk uploaded a 7 minute, 57-second-long video to YouTube titled “Epilogue” (which has already reached over 20 million views in less than a week). After 27 years, six Grammy Awards, four studio albums published, and several noteworthy singles (such as “Starboy”), the band is calling it quits. Fans of the flashy electronic/disco themed band will have to stop holding onto hope for another album because it looks like Daft Punk is retiring for good. After a 27-year run, you can’t blame them either. Still,

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it does seem like the announcement was out of the blue, but it is fitting. Daft Punk had always played shy when it came to talking with the media. For them to go out on their own terms shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. The last studio album released by Daft Punk was “Random Access Memories.” It won five Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year (for “Get Lucky”) in 2014. Two years later, Daft Punk collaborated with The Weekend and released “Starboy,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart. At

Image Courtesy / Daft Punk

Image Courtesy / Daft Punk

the time, no one knew that that would be their final release, but it is a storybook ending for Daft Punk to go out on top. Tracks such as “One More Time,” “Better, Harder, Faster, Stronger,” and “Robot Rock” will probably see a significant uptick in activity on music streaming platforms this week. As I list these tracks, I have to admit

it’s incredible to see how much the band’s style transformed over their career. Daft Punk is credited with shaking up the entire electronic genre and bringing it to the mainstream. Their music has left its mark on multiple generations. It’s been a fun ride, but Daft Punk has decided it’s time to blow things up and retire.

Image Courtesy / Daft Punk


25 Years of Non-Stop Adventure Brandon Collins General Manager of WIKD

On Feb. 26, Nintendo held a Pokémon Direct event in celebration of Pokémon’s 25th Anniversary. The Direct was full of announcements and included several new games and apps for Pokémon fans that have been both long-time requests and surprising reveals.  The event started with a five-minute video showcasing the history of the Pokémon franchise. Beginning in 1996, the video presentation went over all of the games the company had released by year, as well as the anime, movies, trading cards, and the technological changes that had come with each game. It showcased the last 25 years of Pokémon in preparation for showing off the franchise’s future with an announcement of a new video game at the end of the presentation; more on that later. After the end of the 25 Years of Pokémon Showcase video, several Pokémon executives, such as the President and CEO of the Pokémon Company, Tsunekazu Ishihara, came on camera to thank fans for joining them over the last 25 years. They then proceeded to start showing off the new upcoming games for the series.  The first major announcement from the Pokémon Direct was an update

on the  New Pokémon Snap coming out on Apr. 30. The video for the game showed off several new environments that players will be able to explore as a photographer and a number of the new Pokémon you will encounter through out the game.  The second major announcement was the upcoming release of the remakes of  Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, a much-requested remake from fans.  Pokémon Diamond and Pearl were the first Pokémon games released on the Nintendo DS back in 2006 in Japan, and worldwide in 2007. The games’ remakes are being developed by ICLA (I Love Computer Art), the studio behind Pokémon Home. The remakes trailer showed off several changes from the original game, the first being a chibi art-style, similar to that of the Link’s Awakening from last year, and the second most notable being that battles look very similar to those from  Pokémon Sword and Shield. The games, titled Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, will still be the top-down style that the Pokémon series had in the original game. The remakes are currently slated for a late 2021 release, which will most likely be early-mid November (Sword and Shield had a similar release announce-

Image Courtesy/Nintendo

ment and came out on Nov. 15, 2019).  The last and easily biggest announcement from the Pokémon Direct was for a new Pokémon game titled Pokémon Legends: Arceus. Announced for a release date in 2022, this new game appears to occur in a feudal-esque era in the Sinnoh region (the same region as Pokémon Diamond and Pearl). The trailer for the game boasted a beautiful art-style, with many comparing it to that of Legends of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Arceus  is being developed by long-time Pokémon developer Game Freak and is expected to possibly be a prequel to the Diamond and Pearl games. This game looks to be an open-world Pokémon where the players will be

heading out of their village to help create the first Pokédex of the Sinnoh region. The trailer showed players being able to throw Pokéballs out of combat and had a revamped battle system that still appeared turn-based but had more open camera angles than previous games.  Overall, the Pokémon Direct event left fans with much to look forward to over the next two years and have many of us excited for the future of the game series. Fans can look forward to  Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl  at the end of this year; hopefully that will keep us busy until the release of Pokémon Legends: Arceus, which is expected to come out Page 14 in early 2022.


HADES: A New Greek Legend Salim Roig Business Manager

Your name is Zagreus, and you are trying to escape the Underworld. You battle your way through hundreds of fiends and beasts when suddenly, you die. Now you are back to the exact spot you started only unlike before; you are wiser, stronger, and more determined. This is the premise of “Hades,” the latest release by Supergiant Games, the studio in charge of a plethora of hit indie games, including “Bastion” and “Transistor.” In the story, you play Zagreus, son of the Greek God of the Underworld, Hades. You were told that your long lost mother is up in the surface world and that in order to reach her you must battle your way through the underworld fighting off your father’s strongest enforcers. Due to Zagreus position as the prince of the Underworld, dying is nothing more than being sent back into your room. This is where the unique storytelling of “Hades” comes in. Whenever Zagreus makes his journey to the surface world, the game’s atmosphere gives off a life-or-death vibe where you feel every hit you take. However, once you fail and return home, the game becomes more

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Image courtesy/Supergiant Games

relaxed as the vicious boss that destroyed you a moment ago is now having a casual coffee break conversation with you. Now repeat this over and over again. What once was a foe that you dreaded facing is now a friendly rival who you joke around with as you make your way through the game. Another interesting concept of the game is that you can alter the fate of Image Courtesy/Supergiant Games ancient Greek tragedies thanks to you having access to your father’s contract room later in the game. For example, in the Tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, the two lovers were separated, never to meet again. Zagreus, throughout his repeated journeys, meets them both, and after finding out their story, he tries his hardest to alter their fate so that they could finally be together again. All of this is complemented by the game’s isometric high octane gameplay where you dodge and fight your way through randomly generated rooms until you reach the surface world. Every time you beat a room, you get an upgrade to your base stats, a temporary buff/power, or a gift to give to your allies back home. This creates a nice perfect loop that lets you pick up and play the game for as long as you want, making it perfect for casual and hardcore players alike. If you are a fan of rogue-like games, Greek Mythology, or stories full of twists and turns ,then give “Hades” a shot and see if you can venture your way out of Hell.


Salim Roig Business Manager In the year 2004, writer and comic book artist Bryan Lee O’Malley created his magnum opus: a quirky video-game reference filled series known simply as Scott Pilgrim. The series told the story of Scott Pilgrim, a college graduate from mythical land of Toronto, Canada. After meeting and falling in love with a girl called Ramona Flowers, Scott is told that if he wants to date her he must defeat her seven evil exes, who each have their own unique powers ranging from the power of being famous to vegan-based telekinesis. In 2010 to promote the movie Ubisoft developed “Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Video Game.” After being recently released on the Nintendo Switch, I decided to take a deep dive to see if this cult classic still holds up or if it should remain buried in the annals of history.

Image Courtesy /Ubisoft

Image Courtesy /Ubisoft

The game plays similar to an old arcade beat ’em up, akin to something like “Streets of Rage.” However, what makes it unique are the amazing design and attacks of both the player characters and the various bosses you encounter, as well as the hundreds of unique mini-games sprinkled throughout the levels. For example, while most beat ‘em up games would make you fight against a boss in a singular room with two to three phases at most, Scott Pilgrim will instead make you start a boss before they fling into another section of the stage, forcing you to run as they chase you down. Then, once you reach a safe room you have to fight him in a boss battle, causing him to be angered by his lost forcing his final phase to start. Fun little quirks like that are what make the game so unique, as you never know what you are going to get whenever you start a stage. If you are a fan of the comic book series, the movie, beat ’em ups, or fun, weird indie games. Then you should definitely pick up a copy of “Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World: The Video Game,” available on the PS4, XboxOne, and Nintendo Switch. Page 16


Design is an Open Door Carmen is a student in the Research in User eXperience (RUX) Lab in the Department of Human Factors and Behavioral Neurobiology. RUX investigates the usability and user experience of technology in our everyday world. This is a regular column that explores different technologies typically used by Embry-Riddle students.

Take a moment to think about how many doors you’ve encountered today. You might be able to remember the door you opened leaving your house, the door you opened to get into your car, and maybe one or two doors you opened on campus, but opening doors is such a routine task, we often don’t think about or even notice that we are doing it. This is how it’s supposed to be! We generally only think about doors when we have an issue trying to open or close them. For example, one of the more frustrating doors on campus is the one into COAS 115, the science lab in which I teach. Opening the door to go in is generally not a problem. Opening the door to go out is where people get caught up. Every single day I use that door, I have to stop and think about how it opens. Students have Page 17 even asked

out loud, “Am I stupid?” when trying and failing to open the door. So, what is it about the design of this door that causes this problem? The overarching design principle that we will be examining is “discoverability,” and there are five key design elements within it that we will discuss in relation to this door. The goal of these design elements is to make the process of using something as easy as it can be. Ideally, the user should spend as little time and effort to figure out how to use something as possible.

2. Signifiers A signifier is a signal about how something can be used. It communicates where the action should take place. The signifiers on this door allow us to understand better

how we can open the door. If there was a push bar on the door or a flat panel, we would understand that this door can only be opened by pushing.

1. Affordances Affordances show how something can be used and what actions are possible. For example, a door affords or allows us to open it. This door has hinges on the side that allow for oneway opening.

Photo Courtesy/Carmen Van Ommen


Having a turning handle, like this door does, makes us think that it is likely that this door should be opened by pulling. Additionally, by observing the way the hinge is installed, you might be able to understand which way the door would open.

appropriate next action. This door is constrained in terms of movement because there is a frame that it can’t go around. Based on our experiences with hinged doors, we know they tend to only move one way. The hinge can tell us which way this door can and cannot open.

act with an object and what effect they have on the world. Studying how the hinge on the science lab opens maps to the effect that pushing or pulling has on the door.

5. Feedback Feedback makes it clear what action has happened and what 3. Constraints has been accomA constraint limits the plished. When you number of interac- 4. Mappings tions possible. It simpli- Mapping shows the push or pull on this fies the interface and relationship between door, you will immeguides the user to the how you can inter- diately get feedback about if your efforts have worked. The door either opens, or it doesn’t. Conclusion:

Photo Courtesy/Carmen Van Ommen

Based on these principles, there are a couple of reasons the science lab door is hard to open. One of the reasons is the handle. The handle on the inside (the side that opens to the hallway) is the same as the one on the outside, and is generally used for pulling, when you should actually push the door open to go out into the hallway. Also, this door opens differently from most other doors in the building, so the general idea we have about opening doors does not fit this door. With these design el-

ements in mind, the ultimate question is, “Why should we care?” We care because these design principles don’t apply to just doors, but they apply to everything we ever interact with. Whether you’re designing a website, a plane, a stove, an online shopping cart, or a robot, it should be as easy as possible to use that product. If something looks like it should be pushed, you should be able to push it. You shouldn’t have to discover that it doesn’t work in the way you think it should, and spend valuable time trying to discover an alternate way of interacting with that part of the object. The goal, ultimately, is to make our world easier for us to navigate, so we can focus on spending our time and energy productively, and not staring in confusion, trying to figure out how to open a door or turn on the right burner of a stove.

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Photographer Deep Dive: Sam Eckholm

Hunter Lyons Senior Photographer

Social media is a challenging form of presenting your brand to the public, and a jet demo team is no exception. Sam Eckholm managed the F-22 demo team’s public relations and social media for two years, which is how most people know him. I wanted to take some time to talk to him about his journey and, more specifically, how photography played such a big role. As a member of the United States Air Force, Sam has been able to serve his country in a unique way. Combining his love for photography and his love for aviation has provided him with some very unique and rewarding opportunities.

Adding to his point about what a good personal resource being a good photographer is, I pointed out how Sam’s boyfriend Swayne and himself both have very high-quality photos on their personal feeds from places around the globe.

HL: How did you get into photography?  SE: “As a junior at (the academy), I helped start a photography class. I wasn’t leading it, but my teacher was a professional photographer, and I gave the cadet leadership input that made it possible.” He then explained that it was a barebones intro to photography and was a bit of a hobby. “Once I learned and got the hang of it, I realized that everyone wants nice photos. It was awesome to have that resource for myself to be able to take quality photos whenever.”

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Hunter Lyons / The Avion


“Exactly, it’s really great for traveling. It really helped me get out and explore and try new things. I’d like to say I’d be doing the same thing if I wasn’t taking photos, but there’s something about getting up early for a specific shot and having that memory.”

bring this to the demo team, we want you.”

He explained to me that after getting the job, it was a bit of a kick in the ass to know his camera and software inside and out. He said he told himself he decided he was going to “no-life” it for two years to produce the With a good understanding of how he first best content he could. How his content is disstarted with photography, the focus switched played is a big deal for sam. We talked about to his first professional photography position. the differences between being a good photographer and being good at social media. “During those years at the academy, I “I know photographers who are so talentwas pretty much an amateur, but it was that work that helped me get picked up by ed.. way more talented than I will ever be, the F-22 demo team. I walked into the inter- but they’re not too good with social media. view, and our pilot (Loco) had my Instagram It’s a different animal and it’s a lot more of the and YouTube open and was like, if you can younger generation who gets it. That’s what I believe helped me stand out. I always say that i’m not the most talented photographer, I’m good at shooting F-22s, but what I’m really good at is using social media as a way to make things seem bigger, better, and hype things up. That’s what I think my real talent is.” I then decided to get a little more technical and talk about how he handles the social media photography and if he does anything differently. “I crop differently, frame differently, and edit differently for social media, you have to don’t you?” “Spot on, like I was saying there’s the art of photography and the art of editing (for social media). If you look at the National geographic guys or the people doing actual photo journalism, they’re not really editing. That’s fine and those guys are extremely talented, it’s just a different kind of photography. I can make anything look good with editing and I honestly shoot for the edit. I learned how to make the F-22 look intimidating and set that mood. I developed a theme for the page that people seemed to love and so I kept it going.”

Hunter Lyons / The Avion

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We Made It! Aayush Shah Correspondant On July 30, the Atlas V rocket carrying the Perseverance rover took off on its eleven-month journey to the red planet. Over the last two decades, NASA’s Mars Exploration Program has been trying to get more data about Mars’ surface and atmosphere. The rover landed on the Jezero Crater on Feb. 18 this year. Perseverance rover has the technology that will help scientists learn more about the planet’s geology. The mission is to collect samples that can be returned to Earth to conduct more research and use them for future missions. The rover is carrying seven instruments to perform tests on Mars. Technology on Perseverance Mastcam-Z: This camera will provide panoramic and stereoscopic images of the planet and help determine Mars’ surface mineralogy. SuperCam: This camera can provide images and the chemical and mineral composition from a distance. PIXL: Planetary Instrument for X-ray Lithochemistry is an X-ray spectrometer used to find a detailed elemental composition of the soil. SHERLOC: Scanning Habitable Environments with Raman & Luminescence for Organics and Chemicals uses an ultraviolet laser to scan the Martian surface’s mineralogy and create a map of it.

MOXIE: Mars Oxygen In-Situ Resource Utilization Experiment is an attempt to create oxygen from Martian Carbon Dioxide. They can use it in future missions where astronauts can burn the rocket fuel to get back to Earth. MEDA: Mars Environmental Dynamics Analyzer has sensors that can be used to measure wind speed and direction, pressure, temperature, relative humidity, dust size, and shape. RIMFAX: Radar Imager for Mars’ Subsurface Experiment is an advanced radar that can provide a centimeter-scale of the planet’s subsurface.

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Image Courtesy/Nasa.gov


March 7-13, 2021

HOROSCOPES

ARIES (Mar 21/Apr 20) This week some of the puzzle pieces in your life may not fit correctly. That’s okay, Aries. You will find a way to make things work even if they don’t exactly line up. TAURUS (Apr 21/May 21) Your thoughts may be focused on the spiritual for much of the week, Taurus. This is an opportunity to get in touch with meaningful things in your life. GEMINI (May 22/Jun 21) Gemini, if things haven’t been going as planned, perhaps it’s time to reevaluate some of your choices. Have confidence that you will find a solution that works. CANCER (Jun 22/Jul 22) Cancer, your sensitivity is heightened this week, so you may need to think twice or even three times before you share your opinions. Cool down before becoming chatty. LEO (Jul 23/Aug 23) Figure out how you can organize your day to get things done with more effi-

ciency, Leo. This is a better option than getting frustrated by a lack of time in your schedule. VIRGO (Aug 24/Sept 22) You may realize that the conventional ways of doing things simply are not working anymore, Virgo. Start thinking creatively rather than analytically. LIBRA (Sept 23/Oct 23) Dreams and fantasies are more than wishful thinking, Libra. They can be the catalysts to actual goals and plans if you let them. Start making your lists. SCORPIO (Oct 24/Nov 22) Scorpio, you may be more attuned to your dreams this week. While they are not true predictions of what will happen, pay attention to any recurring themes. SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23/Dec 21) A drastic change may be coming but you don’t know what that change will be just yet, Sagittarius. Keep your eyes peeled for opportunities that may be on the horizon.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22/Jan 20) Playful emotions and daydreams are filling your days and nights, Capricorn. Why not let them come out in very real ways? Find ways to incorporate more fun into your life . AQUARIUS (Jan 21/Feb 18) If you have been taking someone for granted lately you can rectify that this week, Aquarius. Put this person first for a change and he or she may reciprocate in the future. PISCES (Feb 19/Mar 20) Always be truthful, Pisces. Just remember you cannot control how others may react to whatever it is you have to say.

Finished all of the puzzles for this week? Be the first to email us a picture of your solutions to business@theavion. to get a prize!


Executive Board Editor-in-Chief Victoria Jordan

editor@theavion.com

Managing Editor Korbin Martin managing@theavion.com

News Editor Andrea Gamble

news@theavion.com

Photo Editor Hunter Lyons

photo@theavion.com

Business Manager Salim Roig business@theavion.com

Contributors

Photographers Reporters Korbin Martin Hunter Lyons Malik Turner Aayush Shah

Aayush Shah Shrina Iyer Andrea Gamble Salim Roig Korbin Martin Victoria Jordan Hunter Lyons Jack Rachek Carmen Van Ommen Brandon Collins

Page Editors

Cover Korbin Martin Victoria Jordan Campus Victoria Jordan Hunter Lyons Aayush Shah Malik Turner Emily Parcell Advertisements Victoria Joran Andrea Gamble Korbin Martin Sports Malik Turner Jack Rachek Entertainment Korbin Martin Salim Roig Industry & Technology Andrea Gamble Hunter Lyons Puzzles & Games Victoria Jordan Copy Editors Marlena Purcel Abigail Laveroni

Staff Advisor Jessica Murphy

Director of Student Leadership and Engagement

Contact Information (386) 226-6049 theavion.com 1 Aerospace Blvd, SU 219 Daytona Beach, FL 32114 @theavionnewspaper @The_Avion @TheAvion The Avion is produced bi-weekly during the spring term. The Avion is produced by a volunteer student staff. Student editors make all content, business and editorial decisions. The editorial opinions expressed in The Avion are solely the opinion of the undersigned writer(s), and not those of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the Student Government Association, The Avion, or the student body. Letters appearing in The Avion are those of the writer, identified at the end of the letter. Opinions expressed in the “Student Government” and “Student Life” sections are those of the identified writer. Letters may be submitted to The Avion for publication, provided they are not lewd, obscene or libelous. Letter writers must confine themselves to less than 1200 words. Letters may be edited for brevity and formatted to newspaper guidelines. All letters must be signed. Names may be withheld at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief. The Avion is an open forum for student expression. The Avion is a division of the Student Government Association. The Avion is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The costs of this publication are paid by both the Student Government Association and through advertising fees. The Avion distributes one free copy per person. Additional copies are $0.69. Theft of newspapers is a crime, and is subject to prosecution and Embry-Riddle judicial action. This newspaper and its contents are protected by United States copyright law. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, in print or electronically, without the expressed written consent of The Avion.


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