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The future exploration of Mars could see human colonization as a reality.
Dozens of missions have left humans an immense reservoir of information about Mars — especially about its past — but substantial advancements remain necessary before humans can be sent there. As said in the emergence of CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk’s plan to colonize Mars, monumental progress in rocket and space technology must be achieved. Manned missions present a whole new set of challenges: building a ship capable of taking humans to Mars and back, having enough food and water to last the crew and protecting them from radiation and many
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other problems. Despite what humans have learned from sending rovers to the Red Planet, the list is still long. Adonios Karpetis, associate professor in aerospace engineering, said for such a mission a heavy focus should be placed on developing propulsion technology. “The problem of Mars is that it’s a lot farther than the moon,” Karpetis said. “You need to support people for nine months going there and nine months coming back, and that adds a lot of weight.” Improvements in rockets or ion engines could reduce the travel time to Mars — which reduces radiation exposure in the process — as well as providing a way of descending to the surface of Mars. David Kanipe, associate professor in aerospace engineering,
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
No. 9 Texas A&M vs. South Carolina at Williams-Brice Stadium Saturday, Oct. 1 @ 3 P.M.
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2016 MCLANE LEADERSHIP IN BUSINESS AWARD SUCCESS v. SIGNIFICANCE DAVID M. WEEKLEY
CHAIRMAN, DAVID WEEKLEY HOMES
In 1976, a 23-year-old David Weekley began his homebuilding company in Houston, Texas. Forty years later, David Weekley Homes has been nationally recognized as one of America’s 500 fastest growing companies and one of FORTUNE Magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For®”. Please join us to hear Mr. Weekley’s insights on “Success v. Significance.”
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The Yankees beat the Red Sox twice this week so far. An Aggie win will be frosting on the cake.
The only good thing to come out of South Carolina is Alshon Jeffery — and yes I am a Chicago Bears fan don’t ‘@’ me. Ags win big.
NEWS
TRADITION
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
140 YEARS OF Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION
A&M launches national branding campaign, ‘Fearless on Every Front’ By Tyler Snell @tyler_snell2 “Back in Old Army days” is a popular phrase for Aggies to hear, but starting Monday the phrase will be used a little differently. A&M will begin a week-long birthday celebration to commemorate 140 years and announce a new national branding campaign. The “Fearless on Every Front” campaign is a national project that aims to put A&M in the spotlight and highlight the university’s accomplishments in an attmpt to draw in more students, faculty and donors. A&M is using this branding initiative to celebrate its 140th birthday. The campaign came to fruition just after A&M President Michael Young came to the university in May of 2015. “[The campaign] arose out of a lot of conversation with a lot of people at the university after I arrived,” Young said. “There were a lot of people who would tell us of the great things going on that they were excited about.” One of the main goals of the campaign is to connect students, faculty and the university with other students, institutions and resources across the United States and the globe. “We’ve been a little more successful of keeping our light hidden under a bushel,” Young said. “We want people to know [about the university] because that in turn
attracts resources and opportunities to do even more and do even better.” The week of “fearless” activities begins Monday with a food drive and scavenger hunt for scholarship prizes. Young will give his State of the University address and the
Morgan Engel — THE BATTALION
Texas A&M will celebrate its 140th anniversary next week.
rest of the week will entail leadership series, activities in Academic Plaza and will conclude with the football game against Tennessee Saturday. “The scavenger hunt sounds really cool and everything that is going on in academic plaza sounds really fun,” said Savannah Bryce, biomedical engineering junior. “I know we have a really great tradition, and we are such a big school and old school. It is really great to see how far we’ve come and how
much A&M has grown since it was started.” One of the key organizers in making the sure the public and students know what A&M has to offer is Amy Smith, senior vice president and chief marketing and communications officer. “We have to be selective and smart about where advertising is placed, where investments go to get the most bang for our buck,” Smith said. “It makes me proud to be here. The campaign is about more than just being fearless.” A&M is airing national and regional television ads during athletic events, publishing ads in newspapers and magazines and advertising in the Washington D.C. metro station. “I talk to my team during leadership meetings all the time about owning your seat at the table,” Smith said. “It’s time for Texas A&M University to own its seat at the table nationally and globally. It’s not the end all; it’s the beginning.” Although Texas A&M is sending its message beyond the campus, Young still wants the Fearless on Every Front ideology to start with the students on campus. “I hope the students will have even more pride in their university but also realize its breadth and its depth,” Young said. “We want students to be as informed and knowledgeable about their university as everyone else, and we hope to have some fun along the way.”
FOOTBALL
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Aggies hit the road for Week Five battle The Aggies will take on the South Carolina Gamecocks Saturday at 3 p.m. in Columbia, South Carolina.
Jacob Martindale @Papa_Duck17 — THE BATTALION
A&M to meet Gamecocks in Columbia for third time Saturday By Angel Franco @angelmadison_
F
or the third straight week, the No. 9 Texas A&M football team will hit the road for another SEC matchup against South Carolina. The Aggies head into Week Five with a lot of momentum after a huge 45-24 win in AT&T Stadium over No. 20 Arkansas. Meanwhile, South Carolina is looking to bounce back after a 1710 loss to Kentucky in last weekend’s matchup in Lexington. After struggling to get into the end zone two weeks ago against Auburn, the Aggies
were able to post 45 points against Arkansas. Freshman running back Trayveon Williams, rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns, was one of the biggest factors in A&M’s offensive explosion Saturday. Sophomore wide receiver Christian Kirk said Williams’ work ethic and willingness to grow as a player has allowed him to become an integral part of A&M’s offense. “I kind of knew the impact Trayveon was going to have being a true freshman,” Kirk said. “From day one he’s come in and all he does is work hard and I haven’t seen him go half speed. He wants to be out there and be great and he wants to be better. He’s a humble kid and I’m really excited for him and ready to see what he’s going to do the rest of the season.” Saturday marks the third time in history the two teams meet on the field. The Game-
cocks have not defeated the Aggies since A&M joined the SEC in 2012. South Carolina enters the matchup averaging 14.2 points per game with 90.8 rushing yards. The stingy A&M defense did not allow the Arkansas offense to rush for more than 120 yards and denied them the end zone in the third quarter of the game for six consecutive goal-line plays in a drive. Senior defensive end Daeshon Hall said although the Aggies have been good at containing opposing quarterbacks, the Gamecocks have a talented freshman in Brandon McIlwain, who poses a threat to the defense. “They have a really explosive quarterback that likes to do quarterback runs and options,” Hall said. “So we’re just trying to be ready for him. He’s a great player — he makes people miss in space, so we have to get prepared for him like we do any other quarterback.”
After losing nine of 12 games last season, South Carolina decided to hire Will Muschamp, former defensive coordinator for Auburn, to be its next head coach. Since his arrival in Columbia the Gamecocks sport a 2-2 overall record and 1-2 in conference. Texas A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin said although the South Carolina offense, which has a freshman quarterback behind center who is still trying find its chemistry, Muschamp’s defensive teams are traditionally rugged and hard-hitting to the match up. “They’ve been really good defensively,” Sumlin said. “I think they’re second in the league in scoring defense right now. They’re still trying to find their identity on offense, but defensively there has never been a Will Muschamp team that hasn’t been salty.”
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
BLACKOUT TAMU ANTI-RACISM DEMONSTRATION CALLS FOR AWARENESS OF POLICE BRUTALITY, CAMPUS CLIMATE
D
By Chevall Pryce @ChevallP
Yurida Suchil and Chevall Pryce — THE BATTALION
Members of TAMU Anti-Racism and other student participants held ‘TAMU Blackout’ in Rudder Plaza Wednesday to protest police brutality and current campus climate.
ressed in all black, chanting the names of people killed by police officers and holding signs in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, dozens of students crowded Rudder Plaza Wednesday to protest police brutality. The student organization TAMU Anti-Racism hosted a demonstration called “TAMU Blackout,” in which students outside of the organization were invited to join in protesting the deaths of people of color by police officers. Students who joined in made signs and participated in the chants led by TAMU Anti-Racism members Emilio Bernal,
Rodney Young and other volunteers. Bernal and other members instructed members to hold hands and walk around Rudder Plaza while chanting “Black lives matter,” lay on the ground while the names of victims of police violence were shouted and rallied the crowd with speeches and encouragement. Young, who led the chanting of the names of Sandra Bland, Terrence Sterling, Tamir Rice and others killed by police officers in recent years, said the protest was meant to raise awareness of both the campus climate and that police brutality is not a distant issue. “We’re trying to bring awareness that this could easily be someone you consider a friend or a family member,” Young said. “So many times people see this movement and think it’s
segregating, that we only care about black people. It’s that at a time like this there’s a need for awareness because that’s where the problem lies right now.” Shona Jackson, an English professor and participant in TAMU Blackout, said the meaning behind the protest hits home for her. “I don’t think that people understand that black people in this country live in a state of fear,” Jackson said. “Every day I wake up and I worry about my brother, my nephew and my uncles. That is what it means to live in and with fear constantly as a part of the legacy of black subordination in this country.” Both psychology senior Laura Reid and sociology senior Hannah Klein said they participated in the demonstration in hopes of showing
people why they should care about murders committed by police officers. “I believe that racism is a systemic disease and that it is the root cause of death in America and I don’t want to be a part of that system anymore,” Klein said. “I’m out here in solidarity with my black brothers and sisters.” Annissa Kacin, psychology junior, observed the event. As the daughter of a police officer, Kacin said she believes although TAMU Blackout had positive intentions, it felt like it was anti-police protest. “Black lives do get treated unjustly, but I think at the same time with everything that’s been happening, it’s gotten a bad reputation,” Kacin said. “Right now [they] have signs like, ‘Who do you call when the police are the one’s
doing the killing?’ and I feel like [they] should focus more on everyone loving everyone.” While she supported the chanting and general mission of the demonstration, Ally Haug, health junior, said she didn’t feel comfortable joining in because she is white. “I’m scared that they would think I was coming from the wrong place or that I was being facetious,” Haug said. “I wouldn’t be, but I guess that’s where it all starts. Maybe I should just go say, ‘Hi’ at least.” Some students and observers, like Kelsey Gibbons, environmental geosciences sophomore, said she was proud that students were taking action for something they believe in. “I’m amazed,” Gibbons said. “It’s heartbreaking, everything that’s happening. The best
I can do is be in solidarity with everyone.” Recently, TAMU Anti-Racism initiated the process of creating a mandatory course to raise racial awareness on campus. A few members of faculty have expressed willingness to teach the course, but the course is still awaiting university funding. Young said until the course gets funding from the university, they are just making empty promises. “We have a lot of demonstrations and we get a lot of backlash from the administration,” Young said. “They just want to make sure the campus looks good, and that the campus is a happy environment. And yes it is, for the average white student. But for a black student coming into the university they don’t get treated with the Aggie spirit that they so easily claim to have.”
FOOTBALL
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
REIGNING MCQUEEN LONG-TIME HOLDER CONNOR MCQUEEN BRINGS ENTHUSIASM TO TEAM
By Grant Spika @GrantSpika Every football team has a holder who is essential in extra points and field goals, but not usually one that’s as well-known and as well-liked as Texas A&M’s Connor McQueen. Aptly nicknamed Connor “Lightning” McQueen, the senior walked onto the team his freshman year and earned a full-ride scholarship at the start of his sophomore season. McQueen, whose natural position is quarterback, has been holding field goals since the end of his freshman year and while anyone who has followed Aggie football in the last four years will tell you there have been some issues with placekicking, not a single one will tell you there’s been an issue with the holding. While he doesn’t get much playing time at quarterback, McQueen fully embraces his role as the placeholder. “It’s one of those jobs where your name isn’t going to be recognized unless there is a mishap or something like that, which is completely fine with me,” McQueen said. “Some people have to do the dirty work, so it’s just like an offensive lineman, except they’re doing a whole lot more than what I’m doing.” The senior quarterback and placeholder has football in his blood. McQueen’s father, Mark, lettered for the Aggies in 1981 and 1982, and his grandfather, Bob McQueen, is well-known in Texas high school football for his two state championships and 17 district titles while coaching for Mexia and Temple. “I didn’t start playing football until I was in fifth grade, but I knew football more than any of my friends did,” McQueen said. “I remember sitting in class in elementary school just drawing up plays. [Football] has always been a part of my life, and it’s something that I’ve been very passionate about and will continue to be passionate about for the rest of my life.” McQueen has held for multiple kickers over his career at Texas A&M, including Josh Lambo, Taylor Bertolet and now Daniel LaCamera. McQueen is tasked with being each kicker’s encourager and psychiatrist with every kick. Taylor Bertolet was a freshman and the starting placekicker for the team in 2012 — McQueen’s redshirt season — and missed seven extra points, while making 13 of 22 field goals. In 2015, with McQueen as his holder, Bertolet didn’t miss a single extra point and made 22 of 31 field goals. “The first year, I didn’t really think about holding in that aspect,” McQueen said. “Now I look at it like it’s
my job [to help the kicker], and I look at it like being a caddy to the kicker. I know what his tendencies are and what makes him calm. Sometimes we’ll go out there right before a field goal and I’ll crack a joke and smile a little bit, help him relax.” McQueen has only played quarterback in one game so far this year, taking a few snaps at the end of the game against Prairie View A&M. McQueen completed the only pass he attempted in the game. After the Prairie View A&M game, head coach Kevin Sumlin spoke about McQueen’s playing time in the game. “Getting Connor in — who is obviously a crowd favorite — he’s created his own fanbase, I think,” Sumlin said. “So he was happy to get in there, and that’s great for our team, too, because he’s such a great teammate.” Whether it’s his fiery red hair, his superb placeholding or his exuberant personality—on and off the field—McQueen has become a fan favorite among current students and alumni. “It was the Lamar game two years ago,” McQueen said. “I went in to play quarterback for a couple of snaps, and I had a couple of people come up to me at the business school and tell me it was awesome to see me in there. I was only in for four plays, but people kept saying it was fun to see me in there and they wish I got to throw it around a little bit.” McQueen isn’t only a fan favorite, but also a favorite among his teammates, making a strong impression with his fellow quarterbacks. “I would say Connor McQueen is one of the best teammates I’ve ever been around,” said A&M starting quarterback Trevor Knight. “I say that because he’s got energy every day, he brings energy, he’s found himself as a leader on a team where he’s never earned leadership by playing, and that’s just the type of guy he is.” One of the reasons McQueen is a fan favorite is that he’s always seen running out on the field to celebrate a touchdown or big play, even when he didn’t have a hand in it. “I get so excited to see those guys score touchdowns,” McQueen said. “I’ve seen the work that they put in; I know what goes into it. I’ve got to be careful that I’m not on the field before the referee signals that it’s a touchdown before I get down there. I’m having the time of my life, and I know they are too, so it’s always a fun time to celebrate with those guys.” McQueen and the Aggies go on the road to take on South Carolina this weekend. The game will start at 3 p.m. and will air on the SEC Network.
Kevin Chou — THE BATTALION
Senior holder Connor McQueen has held field goals for kickers Josh Lambo, Taylor Bertolet and now Daniel LaCamera.
FOOTBALL
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
AROUND THE SEC WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN WEEK 5 OF THE CONFERENCE
Kevin Roark
W
@kevin_roark
ith a month of SEC football in the books, some teams and players have become household names while others seem to be quickly fading into the background. Week Four brought an abundance of high-class matchups resulting in a few blowouts and upsets. With only three remaining undefeated SEC teams, Week Five presents many teams an opportunity to redeem themselves before collecting a second or third loss and virtually spoiling their chance of seeing the CFB playoffs.
No. 23 Florida at Vanderbilt Oct. 1, Nashville, TN — 11 a.m.
Florida (3-1, 1-1 SEC) started this season full-steam ahead despite their unimpressive opponents. They allowed just 14 points in the first three weekends before falling to a No. 14 Tennessee last week, their first real competition of 2016. They nearly managed to snag their 12th-straight win against Tennessee before conceding 38 straight points. But they were still able to keep the deficit to 10 points and fell just four spots from No. 19. The Gators have been talking a big game and are hoping to gain some confidence back after receiving a whooping in the second half. Fortunately for them, the Commodores (2-2, 0-1 SEC) have put up just 17 points on offense in the last two weeks combined. On the other side of the ball, Vanderbilt’s defense has kept them hanging by a thread while quarterback Kyle Shurmur has struggled to find his rhythm in the pocket. Look for Florida to come into this one fired up from last week’s poor performance and focus its stout D-line on containing halfback Ralph Webb in the backfield. Prediction: Florida 38, Vanderbilt 13
No. 11 Tennessee at No. 25 Georgia
Oct. 1, Athens, GA — 2:30 p.m. Coming off a huge win against Florida where they trailed by three touchdowns at half, the Volunteers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) have already proved they can play with heart. This week we see if they can play with consistency. In a crucial SEC East showdown, they pay a visit to Georgia (3-1, 1-1 SEC), a place they have lost 10 years in a row. In what will be the Volunteer’s first real test on the road, they face a group of Bulldogs that are hungry for a comeback from last week’s upset by Ole Miss. Despite a generous ranking, the Volunteers must be firing on all cylinders for four quarters and take the training wheels off QB Joshua Dobbs so they don’t fall behind early. Georgia suffers from a subpar offensive line where freshman under center Jacob Eason will take hits from Tennessee’s Shy Tuttle and disruptive defensive line. The Bulldogs must learn to stretch the field and attack Tennessee vertically if they want to protect Athens another season. The Vols will get off to a slow start but eventually top the inexperienced Bulldogs and keep their undefeated streak.
Prediction: Tennessee 34, Georgia 27
Missouri at LSU
Oct. 1, Baton Rouge, LA — 6:30 p.m. Talk about a heartbreaking month; Louisiana State (2-2, 1-1 SEC) entered the season as No. 5 before falling to an unranked Wisconsin in the opening weekend. They next collected a few wins before the gut-wrenching loss at Auburn last week.
To top it all off, their coach of 12 years, Les Miles, was fired on Sunday. Les Miles had led the Tigers to two SEC Championships and a National Championship since 2004. In a slew of emotion, the question everyone’s asking is how will LSU respond after departing with their beloved head coach as well as offensive coordinator Cam Cameron. Is this a script for an inspiring Hollywood blockbuster, or are the Tigers ready to throw in the towel on the season? All the ingredients are present for a major comeback. They have one of the best ball carriers in college football, Leonard Fournette, and Mizzou’s (2-2, 0-1 SEC) defensive line took a hit with the indefinite suspension of Davon Godchaux. While Missouri’s quarterback Drew Lock has flourished this season with 14 scores, three picks and just one sack, they’ll need a solid ground game to keep LSU’s secondary honest. Look for Baton Rouge to be a huge factor in this game as LSU lights a fire under itself and makes a charge for the playoffs. Prediction: LSU 27, Missouri 23
Kentucky at No. 1 Alabama
Oct. 1, Tuscaloosa, AL — 6 p.m. The infamous Crimson Tide (4-0, 1-0 SEC) awaits what should be another blowout win before entering a gauntlet of SEC competition. They’ll play host to Kentucky (2-2, 1-1 SEC) who, let’s face it, is more of a basketball school. Nevertheless, Alabama is coming into this match a little banged up with running back Damien Harris (knee) and wide out ArDarius Steward (knee) still questionable. If the Wildcats want to have any slimmer of chance in this game they will need to work through the air, utilizing quarterback Stephen Johnson. The signal-caller is 29 for 44 and throwing 409 yards, three scores and a pick. As a whole, the Wildcats are averaging nearly 17 yards per catch, making that their best option to attack the Tide.
Halfback Boom Williams is averaging a ridiculous eight yards per carry with 305 total and two touchdowns in the last two competitions. But don’t expect that to happen against the Tide’s run defense, which has allowed 270 yards on the ground this season. The Wildcats have topped Alabama just twice in their 39 meetings, and don’t bet on that trend changing anytime soon. It will be interesting to see what Kentucky has hidden up its sleeve, but ultimately the Tide will continue to roll right into Week Six undefeated.
Prediction: Alabama 42, Kentucky 13
Memphis at No. 16 Ole Miss Oct. 1, Oxford, MS — 6 p.m.
The Rebels (2-2, 1-1 SEC) are coming off a semi-blowout win over an arguably over-ranked Georgia in Week Four. Nevertheless, Ole Miss signal-caller Chad Kelly has been nothing short of phenomenal for the Rebels, completing 85 of 130 passes for 1235 yards, 12 scores and just three picks. On the other side of the ball, Memphis (3-0) has yet to face must competition. They have completely blown their opponents out of the water in three weeks, outscoring their adversaries 155-27. Tiger QB Riley Ferguson has been having a field day against some mediocre secondaries. Expect that to change as he faces a Rebel defense that played lights out against the Bulldogs. Ferguson has a strong favorite named Anthony Miller with 17 receptions, more than twice the yards of the runner up and 45 percent of the Tiger’s air attack. If the Rebels can shut down this connection, Memphis will have to find a new route to the end zone in a hurry. A record of 2-2 doesn’t look great for the Rebels, but this is a playoff-caliber squad. This will by no means be a blow out, but watch for Chad Kelly to use his arms and legs in the hunt as payback from last year’s upset.
Prediction: Ole Miss 38, Memphis 23
SCITECH
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
Hacking in the hundreds Students from across the country to come together for third annual hackathon at A&M Saturday By W. R. Harvey @willinwriting Students across the nation will assemble this weekend for A&M’s third annual hackathon — a 24hour competition integrating coding, networking and teamwork. TAMUhack is an event during which hundreds of developers meet to engage in collaborative computer programming. This event brings together student programmers and hackers from across the country to share in their passion and creativity through programming technology. With more than 700 students from 12 universities, TAMUhack is expected to be the largest hackathon in A&M history. Himank Yadav, computer science senior and vice president of TAMUhack, said this year’s event will bring together more tech-savvy and creative students than ever
before. “It is an amazing atmosphere for students to get together from across the country to be able to create something meaningful in a short time span of 24 hours, while having loads of fun and receiving tremendous help and support,” Yadav said. “We’ve seen great results in the past two iterations and I could not be more excited about the biggest and best iteration happening this weekend.” Sahil Dhanju, computer science senior and president of TAMUhack, said the focus of this hackathon, in contrast of other similar events, is that it is much more general in nature. The students are free to work on projects of their own choosing. “You can build actually whatever you want, using whatever you want,” Dhanju said. “During the event there will be different sponsors, like Google, that will be giv-
ing out prizes to the best hack made with their API. But the students’ focus can be whatever they want.” Harrison Froeschke, computer science senior and a participant this weekend, said he is excited for the learning opportunity he expects to get during TAMUhack. “I think it helps everyone, because it puts them in a situation where they have a limited amount — a deadline — to put something down that’s a finished product,” Froeschke said. “I think it’s a great environment to learn how to work in a team, learn how to lead and learn how to develop your skills.” Although applications have closed, walk-in participants will be accepted based on open spots. Doors open at 9 a.m. on Saturday in the MSC. The competition will end 5 p.m. Sunday. The hacking begins at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and ends 24 hours later.
PROVIDED
This weekend marks A&M’s third annual hackathon, which will see more than 700 students from 12 universities around the country come together for a 24-hour hacking competition.
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The Battalion | 9.29.16
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