The Mercury 10/31/2016

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October 31, 2016

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Candidate Endorsement

Int’l Student Startups Stagnate Potential policy changes to simplify immigration restrictions for foreign entrepreneurs STORY BY : BHARGAV ARIMILLI | LIFE & ARTS EDITOR ILLUSTRATION BY : HAMID SHAH | GRAPHICS EDITOR

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he three co-founders of UNIBEES — Abinav Kalidindi, Sanjay Kurani and Kiran Achanta — began looking for resources at the Jindal School of Management to turn their idea for a campus startup into a reality.

After the three found a developer to create their app which markets free events to students, they tackled the major obstacle they faced: immigration.

As international students at UTD, the question of whether they could run a business or not was unclear.

Under the guidance of the Blackstone Launchpad, a campus entrepreneurship program, the co-founders met with several immigration lawyers to discuss their options and realized that as F1 visa students, they were able to establish and own a business in the United States, but weren’t eligible to actually operate it.

“It’s really unfortunate that we couldn’t run our own business,” Achanta said. “I don’t understand all the rules — we’re pretty new to (them). But it’s really disappointing for us.”

However, new proposed federal policy could potentially give them the increased autonomy they want. *** Kalidindi said he was optimistic when he first arrived in the United States, but was unsure about what the future would hold.

“I thought that America is where you can live out your dreams,” Kalidindi said. “I thought I (would) come here and figure it out.”

International students studying in the United States typically enter the country with an F1 visa, which is tied

to the student’s university, field of study and course load. After graduation, many students switch to an H1B visa, which permits residence in the United States while working for an employer certified by the government.

As a result, foreign students are discouraged from starting up businesses of their own.

“Typically how (international) students pursue it now is they figure out they’re interested in starting a business … and they feel like they’ve got to do it discreetly,” said Bryan Chambers, the director of the Blackstone Launchpad. “They go get a job predominantly just so they can work on their business on the side. Everybody’s asking the same question — how do I stay here and how do I continue to work on my business?”

The “startup visa” can potentially answer those questions.

Rather than making a certified employer sponsor a foreign national’s residence in the United States, the so-called “startup visa” would allow foreign entrepreneurs residing in the United States to sponsor themselves as self-employed individuals. For international students graduating from UTD, this policy has the potential to remove immigration barriers surrounding campus-based startups such as UNIBEES. “You’ll have more foreign talent remaining in the U.S. (who are) able to work with U.S. talent and have access to U.S. companies and the U.S. market,” said Jered Dobbs, a lawyer with the Dallas-based immigration law firm Verdin. “They’ll have access to resources that would afford the growth period that they need in order to get to that higher level of success.”

→ SEE STARTUPS, PAGE 14

Vball coaches lead team to 300 wins Trial for murder of Head coach Marci Sanders, asst. coach Zach Villarreal help make program history UTD admin begins SUMMER LEBEL Mercury Staff

The UTD volleyball team won its 300th game in school history under the guidance of the same duo that coached the program to its first victory 12 years ago.

Head coach Marci Sanders and assistant coach Zach Villarreal have been with the program since its inception in 2004.

During their tenure, the team has won three championships and qualified for the ASC tournament every year.

Sanders said the atmosphere surrounding the team is one of the factors contributing to its success.

“We decided a long time ago that we would create a winning culture and the girls bought into that,” Sanders said.

“We’re really establishing that championship culture and not expecting anything less than that.”

Effective recruiting is important to the program’s success, so athletes who are coachable and willing to do what’s required of them are sought out.

“Zach and I make sure we go after characters that have character,” Sanders said.

“You want kids that are fun and can have a good time, but at the same time, they’re making good decisions off the court and are good quality, hard-working personalities.”

Sanders prefers the athletes get attention for the program’s success, rather than

ANNA MOSES FACEBOOK | COURTESY

ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF

Head coach Marci Sanders (third from right) has led UTD’s volleyball team since its inception in 2004. The team’s 300th win on Oct. 21 marked a milestone for the program. Sanders credits the success to creating a “winning culture.”

her own coaching.

“If it weren’t for the kids doing the things that we ask them to do as coaches, we wouldn’t have the success that we have,” Sanders said. “I definitely try to put everything back on the kids and the decisions that they’re making and the work that they’re putting in.”

Instead of dwelling on the program’s

300th win, the team is focused on taking the rest of the season one game at a time, including their 13th consecutive appearance in the ASC Tournament.

“Of course they’re excited about the success, but I think we’ve got the big picture in mind and that’s just another

→ SEE VOLLEYBALL, PAGE 11

Opening arguments in the trial of Robert Moses, the man accused by Frisco police in the fatal shooting of UTD administrator Anna Moses, began on Oct. 25.

At the time of her death, Moses worked as an assistant director of strategic planning and analysis. Her ex-husband, Robert Moses, was arrested and charged with her murder last March.

According to the Dallas Morning News, Moses was found shot in her garage by Frisco police on Jan. 14, still wearing her coat with her mail on the floor.

Several hours later, investigators found Moses’ car several blocks away from her house with small spots of blood on the driver’s seat, which DNA analysis matched to Robert Moses.

On Jan. 15, Robert Moses was interviewed by police and the Frisco Enterprise reported Robert Moses stated he could not recall his exact whereabouts on Jan. 13.

Prosecutors described her murder as a targeted killing and have discussed signs of domestic violence in 2013 and Robert Moses’ thousands of dollars in debt, according to Dallas Morning News.

Vice Provost John Wiorkowski, a close friend and mentor of Anna Moses, testified Friday.

Moses’ purchase of Taco Bell on her drive home on Jan. 13 also became a point of interest in the trial because prosecutors are using it to estimate the timeline of her death that evening.

The trial of Robert Moses resumes in

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THE MERCURY | OCT. 31, 2016

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UTDPD Blotter

Volume XXXVII No. 28 Editor-in-Chief Nidhi Gotgi

editor@utdmercury.com (972) 883-2294

Managing Editor Cara Santucci managingeditor @utdmercury.com (972) 883-2287

Ad Sales Representatives Naima Abedin Sneha Ramashesha ads@utdmercury.com

Graphics Editor Hamid Shah

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Assistant Graphics Editor Chad Austin

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Sports Editor Pablo Juarez

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Life & Arts Editor Bhargav Arimilli life@utdmercury.com

October 17 • An affiliated male was arrested for possession of marijuana in Lot M at 10:07 p.m.

October 19 • An affiliated person reported theft of money from his wallet, which was stored in a locker at the Activity Center at 4:20 p.m.

October 20 • A student was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and for other agency warrants for speeding and failure to show a driver’s license in Lot M at 12:15 a.m.

October 22 • Four UTD students were issued citations for consuming alcohol as minors following a noise complaint in Phase 8A at 12:27 a.m.

October 23 • A security guard from Northside was arrested on other agency traffic warrants after a complaint of harassment from UTD staff at Res Hall North at 9:44 p.m.

October 24 • A person signed up for a course without paying the fee and stole a book and thumb drive from JSOM at 12:05 p.m.

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Contributors Carolina Alvarez Ankith Averineni Esteban Bustillos Thomas Cassa Emilio Chavez Eunjee Chong Srichandrakiran Gottipati Ariana Hadden Brianna Hubiera Anthony Inga Summer LeBel Chris Lin Chiamaka Mgboji Yash Musalgaonkar Hussein Njoroge Ian Seamans Roman Soriano Matt Strack Dev Thimmisetty Abinav Thummala Kevin Vanhorn Ruth Varghese

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OPINION

OCT. 31, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

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Editorial Board

We endorse Hillary Clinton for presidency Hillary Clinton is the only candidate to vote for in the 2016 presidential election.

She is one of the most qualified candidates to ever run for office. In addition to having invaluable foreign policy experience, she is offering specific, feasible policy options.

At The Mercury, we don’t feel it necessary to expound on Donald Trump’s countless demonstrations of his incompetence. His unabashed racism, lack of any reasonable domestic policy reform and unspecific, ham-fisted attempts at foreign policy, to name a few, do that work for us.

It goes without saying that a vote for Clinton is an important vote against the Trump campaign. However, there are more compelling reasons to vote for Clinton.

Namely, that even if she were running against a traditional Republican candidate, she would still be the right person to rise to the occasion and get the job done.

Clinton has spent over 40 years serving the public sector, from first lady to senator to secretary of state.

She is a moderate Democrat, drawing support from both sides of the aisle with

bills she proposed as a senator. She is students getting kicked off their parents’ able to stick to her more liberal ideology, insurance well before the age of 26. And but will make necessary concessions for without the reduced premiums, obtaining the sake of bipartisan productivity. For insurance will be difficult for students.

Making a concession to Sanders supexample, according to PolitiFact while working in the senate, 56 out of 65 GOP porters, she now favors growing taxpayersenators signed onto her bills at one time provided insurance, despite opposing it or another. If her pragmatism continues, during the primaries. This would make healthcare more affordshe will be able to pass able and widely available legislation, regardless of to all citizens. who has majority control (Clinton) is by Her economic plan in the House. no means a perproposes a new tax bracket While acting as secwith increased rates for the retary of state, Clinton fect candidate, ... highest echelon of earngained valuable foreign (but) it does not ers in the country, largely policy experience, helpinvalidate (her) leaving other tax rates ing negotiate a ceasealone. She vows to create fire between Israel and considerable more jobs, as all candiHamas in 2012. Further, achievements dates do, but has offered a she was critical to the specific plan to boost job sanctions against Iran to and experience. training using tax revenues force negotiations on its and investment in certain nuclear program in 2015. industries.

Clinton promises to She is by no means a perfect candidate. give Obamacare the reform it sorely needs.

Trump proposed to overturn the entire The paranoia about her privacy regarding system, which would result in college-aged her email server shows significant lapses

in judgment. However, the FBI cleared her of wrongdoing after the investigation came to an end. It does not invalidate the considerable achievements and experience she’ll bring to office.

But this is nothing compared to the unconscionable errors made by her opponent. Trump has shown questionable judgment himself in his fear mongering, impulsive personality. He has driven up to six companies to bankruptcy in his business career. He refuses to release his tax returns.

He dodges question after question about how exactly he intends to defeat ISIS, build a wall or shutdown Muslim immigration to America. According to NBC, Trump clearly shifted policy views 117 times on 20 major issues throughout his campaign.

If you are an undecided voter, if your preferred candidate didn’t win his primary, if you don’t want to cast a ballot — your vote is paramount to this election. Texas, which offers a whopping 38 electoral votes, has the chance to turn blue this year after it was officially declared a swing state.

Regardless of who you choose to mark on the ballot come Nov. 8, we encourage

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you to vote.

However, keep in mind which candidate is best suited for the job. The Mercury believes that to be Hillary Clinton.

Editorial Board members: Saher Aqeel, Bharat Arimilli, Bhargav Arimilli, Chad Austin, Andrew Gallegos, Nidhi Gotgi, Pablo Juarez, Miriam Percival, Cara Santucci and Hamid Shah.

Obama leaves behind improved, changing country President’s rising popularity rating show United States ready to appreciate work done to overcome challenges from 2008 to now ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS COMMENTARY

As the presidential election winds down, the country is preparing for the inevitable beginning of a new administration and an uncertain future. But before judging the next potential leaders of the free world, it’s necessary to take a look at their predecessor.

When citizens elected Barack Obama, a relatively young senator from Illinois, to lead the country as president, they consciously chose against the Republican wave that had dominated the country’s political realm for the better part of the 2000s. Rooting his campaign on the idealistic bases of hope and change, Obama promised to usher in a new era of government action.

For students, specifically, his impact has been drastic. The Affordable Care

Act, the signature accomplishment of his eight years in office, allowed young people to stay on their parents’ insurance until the age of 26. That’s an invaluable advantage for those burdened by the ever increasing pressure of student loans, which currently averages at $35,000 a student.

He’s also been the first president who could relate to minorities from a personal standpoint, which has been important in the age of Black Lives Matter and protests led by students of color on campuses like University of Missouri and Yale University.

Under his administration, 9.3 million new jobs were created, an important feat considering the freefall the country as a whole was in when he started the job.

Granted, his individual impact may not be as big as he would’ve liked because the economy is largely out of the control of any single individual, but one of the biggest ways people judge a president, fairly or not, is by how the economy is doing.

COMET COMMENTS

On the other end, the country’s debt when our country decides to fight. has increased in a dramatic fashion, with For example, in the Army the average the debt-to-GDP ratio increasing from 48 enlistee is 21 years old. While Obama’s percent to 75 percent under the Obama administration did stop major troop movements into these two administration. countries, it would be More importantly, while Looking naive to say the wars are the major operations in over when people are still Iraq came to a close under back, the fighting there every day.

Obama, the fight is far from country This is all important to over. The absence of a U.S. note going into the next presence allowed, in part, for will use the presidential cycle. The ISIS to rise and take unprecObama years country is faced with two edented control of large poras a mark to choices: Hillary Clinton, tions of both Iraq and Syria. who will largely attempt Currently, approximately judge other to extend Obama’s liberal 4,000 U.S. troops are still presidents. legacy, and Donald Trump, deployed in Iraq. who says he’ll do everyIn Afghanistan, there thing in his power to break are still nearly 10,000 U.S. troops trying to maintain peace in the it apart.

But heading into November, it looks war-torn nation.

While technically out of the realm of more and more clear that in retrospect, college students, the wars are important given the unpopularity of the two canbecause young people are almost always didates, that Obama did a good job. the ones to carry the burden the most With an approval rating hovering just

over 50 percent, a sharp increase from low approval ratings of 40 percent just a few years ago, the president is finally in a place where the country appreciates him.

How this affects his legacy is still yet to be seen. But with a murky future ahead for the nation, no matter which candidate is elected, it’s hard to imagine looking back on Obama’s legacy with anything but a feeling of relief if not satisfaction. He may not have fixed the country, but it still seems better after Obama than before.

Looking back, the country will use the Obama years as a mark to judge other presidents. Unfortunately, no matter who is elected, it seems neither candidate, with their multiple blunders and skeletons, will meet his standard.

It may be a long time before we have a president who, despite their mistakes, can move the country in a positive direction. The Obama years were far from a golden age, but they should still be looked back with approval.

Why does this election matter to you?

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

Students interested in writing opinions can email editor@utdmercury.com.

“The two politicans we have leading it right now are so absurd compared to ones we’ve had in recent years. ... It feels so polarizing and extreme. It’s really scary. I feel that it’s really important that everyone partakes in this because of how monumental this decision feels to everybody.”

“This is probably the most interesting election we’ve had because sometimes it feels like this isn’t really happening. ... At other times it’s scary because I feel like there are people who are more empowered to be a little bit crazy or angry at certain people.”

“It was a mess getting to this point. It was not what I expected. I didn’t expect it to end up in this way with Hillary and Trump, especially Trump, going all the way.”

John Halbert ATEC freshman

Yabsera Mesfin Neuroscience senior

Eliud Fasil Biology sophomore

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THE MERCURY | OCT. 31, 2016

UTD PD Chief: New police exam invalid UT System to potentially scrap test after 99 percent failure rate

EMILIO CHAVEZ | MERCURY STAFF

UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias said the new UT System Police promotions exam contained information that had “no bearing” on campus police activity, and it should therefore be thrown out.

IAN SEAMANS Mercury Staff

After 99 percent of UT System police officers failed a newly developed promotion exam, it is now being reevaluated and possibly scrapped.

The purpose of the promotion exam, which was administered on Sept. 20, was to identify candidates for the sergeant, captain and lieutenant positions. In addition to several other testing methods, the exam was meant to help select which of the candidates to promote.

The UT System Office of the Police’s rationale for the new exam was to replace the old, national exam with one more specific to Texas university policing.

UTD Police Chief Larry Zacharias said that officers’ scores on this test were not indicative of their ability to serve or of how well they studied for the exam.

“There was a question on there that involved photographic red light enforcement. Universities can’t do that.

Only municipalities can do that by ordinance. … (Another question was) how big is the state of Texas emblem on a license plate? No one cares. It has no bearing on what you do,” Zacharias said.

The exam was the result of two and a half years of development that cost approximately $15,000. Originally, faculty at the University of Texas at Arlington’s Criminology and Criminal Justice department developed the exam, but it was eventually transferred to the Florida-based Sawgrass Group for completion. The Sawgrass Group is a human resources and management company that specializes in public safety.

Out of the 115 candidates, only one achieved a passing score. After the Sawgrass Group excluded questions which were answered correctly by less than 20 percent of applicants, the average score across the system was in the upper 50s.

With those questions excluded, six applicants passed. This information contradicts what Assistant Director of UT System Police Ruben Puente said in an Oct. 5 Dallas Morning News article that “many scores were near the passing mark.”

“We had our annual chief ’s retreat. … The director of system police said ‘Regardless of how these scores came out I don’t think we can use this test, I think it’s invalid. I think we throw it out.’ We all agreed,” Zacharias said.

At press time, the UT System’s course of action on the test is not clear.

Jenny Lacoste-Caputo, the executive director of media relations and external communications in the UT System Office of the Police, said after consulting with the director of police, the test scores were always meant to be preliminary results.

There are ongoing talks between the Office of the Police and the UT System Deputy Chancellor over whether the test will be changed or if development will have to start over entirely.

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Breakthrough to change blood sugar testing Biomedical engineering team creates device to measure, track glucose levels through sweat sensor ARIANA HADDEN Mercury Staff

A student created a non-invasive sensor to measure blood glucose levels through sweat, making diabetic testing more accessible.

Rujuta Munje, a biomedical engineering graduate student, said she created the device to help enhance patient care. She partnered with the Associate Department Head of Biomedical Engineering Shalini Prasad who gave her the initial idea.

“It is a challenging and at the same time very interesting project that represents cutting edge research opportunity,” Munje said. “When Dr. Prasad discussed the approach for implementation of this project, I knew I was going to learn a lot technically from it. I think that is what kept me going.”

Munje’s sensor is a simple, small fabric strip that can be worn like any other accessory.

Prasad said while doctors argue finger pricking is the simplest method, this new practice to testing blood glucose levels could make it even easier.

“If you are a pre-diabetic, Type 2 diabetic, or a pediatric, then the only way to do it is finger pricking or getting a little bit of blood,” Prasad said. “They say it is very minimally invasive but it hurts if you have to do it every time and multiple times of the day.”

Living with Type 1 diabetes for 19 years, computer science freshman Will Wylie said fluctuation in blood sugar, whether high or low, has negative effects on his body.

“When my blood sugar goes low (below 70) I get very weak and my ability to think critically goes down,” he said. “If it’s too high (above 200),

it is the opposite. At that range I completely lose my appetite and I have to give myself some insulin. I become incredibly nauseated, it is harder to come down and takes a while.”

Though not yet on the market, Wylie said the capability of the sensor to detect and monitor glucose spikes or fluctuations could prove helpful in managing them before they occur.

“I’ve had to miss class once or twice due to incredibly high blood sugar,” he said. “It would be nice to have an alert pop up on my phone if my blood sugar would be high or low. Sometimes I am not super accurate about estimating my blood sugar.”

While it is still a work-in-progress, Prasad and Munje said the measurement could someday be accessible through a smartphone, making the results easily available.

“The idea is that today your smartphone can measure your heart rate, electrocardiogram, but they aren’t really diagnostic,” Prasad said. “This one can be, and if you get a measurement you can go and validate it.”

Sociology senior Femi Babafemi has been diabetic for 13 years, and said having that technology would make managing his diabetes easier. Babafemi is blind, and the accessibility of using a smartphone’s features to provide the readings verbally would aid people with similar needs.

“I have to use certain testing devices because I am totally blind, if it can’t talk to me I can’t use it,” Babafemi said. “Being able to connect it to a smartphone will make it possible for people who are visually impaired to use it as well.”

Now that her research has been published, Munje plans to test the sensor on different cohorts of people, such as college students. Prasad said the device was a long-

RUTH VARGHESE | MERCURY STAFF

Biomedical engineering graduate student Rujuta Munje (left) explains how the blood sugar sensor works as Associate Department Head of Biomedical Engineering Shalini Prasad looks on. Prasad said the device could potentially help college students monitor blood sugar levels.

term vision aimed at all age groups, but can fit well with the college community.

“We all know college students don’t eat regularly, they eat at all random times depending on when their schedule lets them,” Prasad said. “This is when you want to measure glucose spikes, because if you are pre-diabetic, that is when it will show and it is a good warning sign.

You are not going to be able to convince a college student to take time off of their already busy schedule to go and give a blood test, but if it is something you can

buy at a pharmacy store, then you could slap it on and get a measurement.”

While the device is close to completion, Prasad said this is only step two, and after testing on a larger demographic of people, they will take steps toward selling the device on the market.

“If we are successful in our phase two effort, then we are very close to (making the product) where we interact with commercial entities,” Prasad said. “That’s when we will be closer to selling it in CVS or Walgreens or even on Amazon.”

Researchers extend phone, computer battery life

UTD collaboration discovers technology to make daily computing more efficient with smallest-ever transistors DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Qiaoxing Wang (left), a material sciences and engineering doctoral student, looks into an electron microscope in a lab in the Natural Science Engineering Research Laboratory. Wang was a key member of the team working on the transistor project. He worked under the supervision of Moon Kim, a distinguished professor in the same field.

The world is one step closer to implementing alternate technology that can improve the battery life of computing devices such as phones, calculators and laptops due to recent advances made possible by UTD faculty.

Moon Kim, a distinguished professor of materials science and engineering partnered with the University of California at Berkeley and the University of Stanford for the project. They published their work on Oct. 7, detailing a breakthrough that involved making transistors, the unseen hardware components of the circuit boards in electrical devices, smaller than ever before.

“We were able to push the whole size down to the smallest ever made, much smaller than the smallest silicon transistors,” Kim said. “To have this kind of effort published … one year is a really good time … you have to do a lot of groundwork.”

With this new technology, phones or laptops don’t need to be charged as much.

The battery life on these devices can last longer than before.

The multi-university collaborative research process came from the need to find alternatives to silicon transistors.

“We’ve been making silicon transistors

smaller and smaller, so we can put more in the same unit area. … We are approaching a real physical limit with silicon. So, we have been studying alternate technology to replace silicon,” he said.

Kim’s research group is currently studying materials known as transition metal dihalcogenides that could be used in place of silicon. One of these, molybdenum disulfide, is the subject of their recently published breakthrough.

The research holds implications for daily computing.

“It allows for computing to be more efficient,” Kim said. “Since you are using molybdenum disulfide, the electron current leakage will be much less.”

The opportunity arose through interactions with peers from UC Berkeley and Stanford when Kim was publishing and discussing some research he had conducted in the past.

“Nowadays, these high impact papers have many authors and require cooperation. This is why we need inter-university as well as intra-university collaboration to be successful,” he said. “Even though we are working with bigger schools like UC Berkeley and Stanford … it is key to take advantage of (what is available in) your department or area.”

→ SEE TRANSISTOR, PAGE 14

ABHINAV THUMMALA | MERCURY STAFF

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OCT. 31, 2016 | THE MERCURY | UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

ALL THAT JAZZ Senior finds mix of cultures, creative freedom playing jazz music CARA SANTUCCI

Reynolds said he was hesitant to stray from the beaten path and learn to play jazz. Part of that came from not wanting to become a steEditor's note: This is the third part of a three- reotype — the only black kid in school playpart series on full-time students who are working ing jazz while everyone else pursued classical.

“I went to a school that was primarto enter the music industry. ily white. I felt it was different for me to do something like that,” he said.

“Zoom! He flies.”

When he was in high school, Reynolds Macs Reynolds began his performance. It had the opportunity to attend was from a book of poetry on a jazz camp at Collin College. jazz musicians. Reynolds chose “I was like, ‘I really one about Dizzy Gillespie.

It's very don’t want to do this. I’m He was in a high school podynamic scared,’” he said. “I wasn’t etry competition. Among the really good at improv. … I ... which I Robert Frost, the Emily Dickwas a classical player.” inson, the Walt Whitman, think is cool, After his father, who took an Reynolds stuck out. As soon as because interest in jazz, pleaded with he said those words, his musihim to try it out, Reynolds cal journey changed. you get to eventually gave in.

“My mom would always play with “It was awesome. It was the push certain jazzy, slam coolest thing. And I felt like I different stuff for me to perform,” wa he said. “When I came and s freer to play. I wasn’t conpeople. did some of my different fined to the rules of classical stuff … I ended up winning music,” he said. “And the — Macs Reynolds, people were completely difcompetitions. That was Interdisciplinary ferent and you get the differ(my) first step into jazz.”

Reynolds, an interdisstudies senior ent cultures and styles.” ciplinary studies senior Learning to improvise focusing on international was difficult for Reynolds, relations, first picked up the trombone who was used to the rigidity of classical in sixth grade, learning primarily clas- music. At camp, they practiced by scatsical music. His parents, however, both ting on the spot. pushed for him to take an interest in jazz, “You’d just say stuff,” he said. “It as the trombone is a jazz instrument. was uncomfortable … and embarrassManaging Editor

SAHER AQEEL | ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Macs Reynolds, an interdisciplinary studies senior, said he was drawn to jazz because it freed him from the confines of classical music. Now, he directs his own jazz band.

ing for some people. But I just went off, like, ‘I’m just going to do it.’”

From then on, Reynolds was hooked on jazz. He attended Collin College, where he played for the school’s jazz band, before transferring to UTD. “Music is music. Music is supposed to help you express yourself, and jazz especially,” he said. “What you do with improv is kind of put yourself into the music and spread it to other people.”

Once at UTD, Reynolds decided he wanted to start his own jazz band. He gathered musicians he knew from Collin or from his old high school to play their first gig — a ceremony honoring a fallen veteran.

“It was cool because the people that I asked, they were willing to help me and come together as a group,” Reynolds said.

Unlike a traditional band, Reynolds’ group is in a constant, intentional state of flux, with players coming and going based on their schedules. Reynolds, on the other hand, is a fixture.

“It’s very dynamic,” he said. “Which I think is cool, because you get to play with different people.”

Although Reynolds said he doesn’t want to try to make a living making music, he plans to use it in his future career.

“This whole jazz experience has pushed me into my field of study,” he said. “Cultures are my main focus in education. Jazz has a lot of roots in different cultures and mixing them together. And that’s kind of how I started.”

Sophomore spins to success Q&A: Malcon Pierce Student learns life lessons through long career in competitive figure skating Animator discusses work on upcoming Disney film

ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF

Malcon Pierce, an animation supervisor at Disney, gave a talk on Oct. 25 about his work with the upcoming film “Moana.” It is scheduled to be released on Nov. 23.

CHRIS LIN | MERCURY STAFF

Jason Cohn, a supply chain management sophomore, picked up an interest in figure skating from his mother and brother and competed up to the novice level. Though he no longer skates competitively, he practices once a month at a rink in Plano to keep in shape.

NIDHI GOTGI Editor-in-Chief

Jason Cohn glides out onto the ice in one fluid movement. With the wind fanning against his face, he gains enough momentum on his skates to fly into the air.

The crowd swells in an uproar, but to Cohn everything is silent. In a dizzying blur, he lands his spin just as the crowd’s cheers flood his ears.

“It’s kind of an ethereal experience,” he said. “Half the time, you’re just lost in your own thoughts, you’re taking everything one thing at a time. At some point, there’s just an out of body experience.”

Cohn, a supply chain management sophomore, has been figure skating almost every weekday since the age of five.

He picked up an interest in the sport while watching his mother and brother skate. He said skating offers a unique experience each time he hits the ice, but it still allows him to maintain a comfortable routine.

“It’s never the same any one day, but it’s also the same,” he said. “Everyday you’re always trying to get better, you’re always trying to do something new, but at the same time you’re still struggling with the things that you struggled with from day one.”

For Cohn, figure skating is a tool for self-improvement.

“One thing that’s always been a part of me is that drive to always continue to get better.

(Figure skating) kind of became a way that I could really mold myself into the person I wanted to be. I could build that determination (and) self-discipline — the mindset that you need to be able to compete in all that.”

There are five levels — juvenile,

intermediate, novice, junior and senior — through which figure skaters can qualify to compete in regional, sectional and national competitions.

To be eligible to compete at a certain rank, a skater has to test through that level. Cohn stopped competing at the novice level, but has tested through the senior level in four tracks of figure skating — moves in the field, pattern dance, free dance and freestyle.

One of the proudest moments in his competitive figure skating career occurred when Cohn had just recovered from contracting the H1N1 virus.

Weak from fighting the flu, Cohn attempted a two-and-a-half-minute program in a delirious state.

“I remember in one of my spins — it’s a sit spin — I catch the blade under my leg and I didn’t notice but I sliced my hand open,” he said. “So, I finish my program and I still don’t know this until I go to give my coach a high-five and she’s like ‘Your hand’s bleeding!’”

It was the first time he’d won a regional competition, and he said each subsequent competitive experience was just as exhilarating and rewarding.

“The people I was competing against and with definitely (made it) meaningful,” Cohn said. “Going out on the ice and doing what you enjoy in front of people, it’s nerve-wracking, sure, but it’s also a lot of fun. Even if you don’t do well, you’re still going to enjoy it.”

Because of figure skating, Cohn is able to solve ordinary problems through inventive ways.

“It’s almost completely a creative sport,” he said. “Even when you do the things that you

have to do, you have to find the right way to do them for yourself that fits the music and the way you skate.”

Cohn ended his competitive figure skating streak after the 2013-2014 season, just before he came to UTD. He said his routine practices for competitions took a physical toll on his body, leaving him aching constantly. Once he stopped, he said his body finally felt intact.

“When I stopped competing, I was like, ‘Wow, I actually feel almost a 100 percent.’ This is so weird. It (didn’t) feel natural,” he said. “It took a few months into college to actually get used to that. Skating makes you so aware of your body that when you’re not having something to be aware about, it feels like something’s missing.”

Although he hasn’t competed since starting at UTD, Cohn still tries to put in time on the ice. He’s able to apply skills he’s learned through skating to his supply chain curriculum.

“Skating taught me how to be efficient with time,” he said. “You’re always having to do self-analysis to kind of see what you’re doing and whether it’s good or not. It’s that efficiency mindset and the creative ways to achieve those.”

Although he’s an accredited figure skating coach, Cohn currently does not have students because his schedule doesn’t allow it. But he practices at the Dr. Pepper StarCenter rink in Plano once a month to revisit his longtime passion.

“It’s like that old friend you haven’t seen in like a year and you see them again and nothing has changed in that period of time,” he said.

On Oct. 25, one of Disney’s animation supervisors Malcon Pierce gave a presentation on his upcoming film “Moana.”

The Mercury sat down with him to discuss his origins, influences and work in “Moana.”

How did you get your start in animation?

When I was little, I knew I wanted to do animation. So I was drawing a lot when I was little, of course, and then when I got into high school I started getting more into the music side of things.

So I actually started down that course and went to college for music and was completely adrift from what I thought I was going to do. Then I got a little bit into that and realized that I like doing music for me but not really as a career.

So I had a teacher at this college I was going to that told me, “Maybe you should look into an art school.”

And so she sort of started to tip the hat back into creative arts and visual arts and I found that I did like that.

So I ended up going to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. I knew this was maybe a route to animation or film production and I eventually found that I did like doing the animation part of how it fits into the bigger picture. So I started doing work with an animation mentor to try to get more focused in animation and, through that, find all the good networks and meeting the right people.

Then when their time came they gave me a spot with BluSky, which is where I started.

So how would you say your music knowledge goes into your animations?

Well, there’s definitely a rhythm in performance. I think musicians have this

natural tempo to the way they think about things and the way they articulate things.

So I think that helps me. You know in animation you deal with phrasing, comedic timing or dramatic timing and to have this underlying metronome going it just sort of helps you decide what to do when you make these decisions. A lot of animation is with a score or it might be to animate a musical. So having those tendencies tend to make the animation have certain flow and tempo to it that’s unique to people that have a musical background.

So for students coming into the industry, what's the biggest advice you could give to them to get where you are now?

I think a lot of times we’ll see there are general guidelines that people are doing with their artwork. Like they’ll think, “I need to have these specific shots in my reel to move onto the next step.”

And sometimes what I think happens is the artists get too focused on checking off these boxes and they lose a little bit of what makes their work unique. Even myself, I’m always sort of evolving how I view not just animation but artwork from one film to the next. So I think when you're in school especially just try to stay inspired. Try to funnel that inspiration into your work. What you get from that is animation that kind of feels like it’s missing something behind it.

What was it like working on Moana?

I think “Moana” definitely has its own identity. We worked really hard to try to make it not feel like another Disney film with a different sort of texture or skin. So we worked really hard to try to capture what is unique about it.

→ SEE MOANA, PAGE 8

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CHAD AUSTIN | ASSISTANT GRAPHICS EDITOR

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→ MOANA

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

THOMAS CASSA COMMENTARY

“Shadow Warrior 2” is a firstperson shooter game where players take control of a mighty ninja that spews carefree one-liners while fighting off demons and angry mobsters.

The game is at its absolute best when the player is in the middle of the fray, fighting off various enemies. However, it does suffer from some odd and unfortunate gameplay design choices that its predecessor lacked, which interrupts the fast-paced flow of the game, ultimately making the experience not as great as it could’ve been.

Players are once again put into the shoes of Lo Wang, a ninja-like character with an entertaining and somewhat crude sense of humor.

He has the soul of a young woman named Kamiko stuck in his head and is tasked to restore it to her body. The game’s story opts for a more comedic approach rather than a dramatic one.

The combat in “Shadow Warrior 2” is an absolute blast to experience.

Throughout the game, the player has access to 70 weapons that are all unique and much more viable than their counterparts from the previous game. But the stars of the show are the melee weapons. Getting up close and personal feels satisfying, and the game provides you with different melee moves that can be performed in various situations.

There are also a wide variety of “chi” powers that add more depth to the game’s combat, ranging from a blast that knocks enemies out of the way to an invisibility spell that can get you out of a fight going south. Movement feels wonderful, as Lo Wang can perform double jumps as well as quick horizontal dashes that can

make you travel a greater distance in less time. However, using the double jump and dash frequently in combat makes the game seem a bit too easy at some points.

The first “Shadow Warrior” title offered levels that were linear in design, with limited deviation from the main path and only a few nooks and crannies to explore. “Shadow Warrior 2,” on the other hand, changes this formula up and offers more open levels, some even procedurally generated at places. Unfortunately, this makes the levels seem less engaging, and they end up feeling empty with little reward for exploring off the main path.

Toward the end of the game, I found myself simply beelining toward the main objective because I knew exploring around would result in a whole lot of nothing.

The levels also contain a bit too many bottomless pits for comfort, as I found a majority of my deaths were a result of accidentally dashing off the map thanks to Lo Wang’s agility. Additionally, “Shadow Warrior 2” features a hub world that the player visits between levels to accept new missions, which can now be played in a different order with the addition of side missions.

Players may find frequent fetch quests bothersome, but the core combat of those missions isn’t any different from other levels.

The game places a new emphasis on loot found throughout the levels such as money, ammunition, new guns and collectibles from chests and defeated enemies.

However, the most in-depth item the player can find are gems, which can be attached to weapons or armor to modify their properties.

This sounds nice on paper, but the way it is executed in “Shadow Warrior 2” makes the whole fea-

ture seem like a chore.

In each mission, you can typically find about 10 or more gems, and players will find themselves constantly opening the weapon upgrade menu to swap out a current gem with a better one they just found. Initially this is a good feeling, as it’s satisfying to have your character progress and get better equipment.

Over time, revisiting the upgrade menu time after time feels tedious, and I would often wish I was playing through an actual level than managing my weapons inventory. There are also gems that give weapons elemental damage effects, such as poison, ice, fire and electricity. Equipping these on guns made them feel more unique, but the issue is it doesn’t work considering the fast-paced nature of “Shadow Warrior 2’s” gameplay. Players will see enemies that are resistant to certain element types but vulnerable to others, and they are meant to equip the weapon that is correct with that specific situation.

I would often ignore this completely since the combat requires you to always be extremely agile in dodging and attacking.

Those who did stop to equip the correct elemental effect would quickly get frustrated because they would constantly be interrupting the flow of the game.

“Shadow Warrior 2” is an exciting and adrenaline pumping experience, but the developers took a risk moving away from the genre’s norms, and it didn’t exactly pay off. Even though the level design leaves a bit to be desired and the loot system feels out of place, the fast combat combined with the cheesy humor the game offers makes it worth checking out.

I think with all of our films, “Wreck-it Ralph” included, I think the similarities is that the research that we’re doing has been incredible and I think every film we’re doing more and more research on. So on “Moana,” we had this team of people that were gathered from all over the Pacific Islands and we call them the Oceanic Trusts and they were sort of on a board of directors.

So the decisions we were making, we would present it to them and be like, “Hey this is kind of what we’re doing, do you have any ideas or anything that would make this more accurate.” And they would help us either fine tune that or not. They

were really good about being like, “You know this isn't a thing that you really see in our culture.” So it’s helpful for us because we’re all on the other side of the globe.

There’s been some controversy over the character Maui for being misrepresented or “too fat.” How does that tie into your process?

Yeah, I mean that was something we’re trying to be very careful about. We knew we wanted to have this character be this larger than life demigod character. And in the early sequences, he was kind of this guy that had been out of the game for a while, so he was not as in shape as he used to be. Later we thought, “Well that doesn't really feel right either.”

So we ended up kind of beefing him up a little bit more to kind of make sure we felt like he was representing their folklore to the best we could. So in the end, I feel like we landed in a really good spot where he feels like this totally awesome superhero guy.

And working with Dwayne Johnson has been awesome as well. His support on the project has been unreal. Sometimes you'll hear of voice actors just reading the lines and checking out, but he was all in. We showed him some early Maui designs when he first came along and he was like “That’s my grandfather!” So we saw a picture of his grandfather and it was legit Maui, he looked just like him so we were like, “Oh, that’s awesome.” So he was totally invested.

UPCOMING EVENTS CHANGING TO F-1 STATUS WORKSHOP Learn about changing your visa status to F-1 with ISSO advisors.

Nov. 1, 2 - 3:30 PM, SSB 3.107 FILM SCREENING: SON OF SAUL Join the Center for Holocaust studies for a screening of an Academy Award-winning film.

Nov. 5, 8 PM, ATC 1.102

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From Start to finish Women’s basketball to continue building on last year with reliance on guards

Fall sports teams prepare for upcoming ASC tournament PABLO JUAREZ & ROMAN SORIANO Mercury Staff

HUSSEIN NJOROGE | MERCURY STAFF

Players from the women’s basketball team line up for sprints during practice on Oct 28. The Comets begin their season with a home opener on Nov. 12 against Houston-Tillotson. They have been picked to finish third in the ASC East.

Now, as the team is prepping for the season, catching back up to speed and focusing on the little details under the eyes of watchful coaches is As the women’s basketball team fell another hurdle for the young squad. into the swing of an early season prac“It’s a big challenge,” Landry said. tice, head coach Polly Thomason hov“From just doing open gym to now ered around the court, never staying in getting in practice and putting plays one place for too long. and you’re putting defensive plays in Outfitted in a grey athletic sweater, and it’s just a big challenge that we grey and orange Nike sneakers and orknow we have to overcome.” ange basketball shorts, the 11-year UTD Despite the challenges the team has coach looked more like a player as she to face both internally and externally energetically bounced up and down the from teams like UT Tyler, which court, giving out an endless mix of comwent to the Elite Eight last year and pliments, criticisms and instructions. is returning with all but one player, With less than a month to go before this year already has a much the basketball season tips off, different feel for the Comets Thomason is still focused We know what to take serious and than the year before. on getting her young squad “There’s much more used to the basics. Last year, we know that we have to come in chemistry than what it was after five straight 20-plus everyday and work hard, that’s not last year,” Landry said. “You win seasons, the Comets finished with a 14-12 record just on the court but in the classroom (had) three transfers coming in, then you have the people and got knocked out in the as well. quarterfinals of the ASC — Alyssa Crockett who are already here and we were on the same page but tournament — their earliest Senior guard you could tell there wasn’t as exit since 2007. much chemistry as there is The Comets went through now. ... It’s much more chemistry, it’s growing pains last year after losing a to have good guards.

For Crockett and Landry, their new- much more love.” group of seniors that led the team to For senior forward Nicolette Erktheir best record ever and an appearance found knowledge comes with a caveat: man, the difference between this year in the Sweet Sixteen in 2015. With no more responsibility.

“I think now (we know) a little bit and last is simple. experienced seniors on the team, the “We’re more of a family now,” she more of what to expect,” Crockett said. squad struggled to find its identity.

“We (went) from a group that had “We know what to take serious and we said. “It took last year to learn each five seniors, three of which were our know that we have to come in everyday other and now we’re putting it all toleaders ... to a group that was still try- and work hard, that’s not just on the gether and making sure we have it on the court and outside the court.” ing to figure out who their leaders were court but in the classroom as well.”

The coaches’ preseason poll places the With no real practice or commuand what their leaders were about,” Thomason said. “And I think for any nication with the coaches since early Comets as finishing third in the ASC, team, if you don’t have leadership from March, the players have been running but the players have another goal in an upperclassman ... I think you’re games on their own, but they haven’t mind: winning the whole conference. going to run into trouble, especially been able to match the intensity and when you’re not as talented as your op- rigor of practicing anywhere from two → SEE WBBALL, PAGE 11 ponent. You need someone to step up and a half to three hours a day.

ESTEBAN BUSTILLOS Mercury Staff

and motivate you and inspire you and push you to do things that you’re not comfortable doing and we just didn’t have anyone last year to do that.”

But now, with a year under their belt as a team, Thomason said she is impressed by how the the players have transitioned.

Last season, one of the key areas the team needed to develop was guard play.

With no experienced guards to lead the team, the Comets relied on first-year players like Zavier Landry and Alyssa Crockett to run the backcourt.

Thomason said the lack of experience at the one and two positions led her to realize just how important it is

Despite a rocky start to the season, the men’s and women’s soccer programs have qualified for another ASC tournament run, finishing first and fourth in their conferences, respectively.

Both teams began the year by losing their first two games by a combined four goals. Junior forward Danny Meyer didn’t make too much of the losses, especially considering the teams they faced.

“Our first loss came against a team that was ranked No. 7 in the nation at the time and the second loss came to the team that is now No. 1 in the nation,” he said. “Both games were close at 3-2 and 1-0, so although we lost, it showed us that we (could) compete with the best teams in the country.”

Since their 0-2 starts, the men’s (12-4-1) and women’s (11-6-1) teams have combined to win 23 of their last 28 games, including two ties. The men’s team currently remains undefeated against ASC opponents. Their record may be unblemished, but the path there required some last minute heroics.

To open their ASC schedule, the Comets went into overtime on four consecutive occasions, including a double overtime tie against Concordia. The team went 3-0-1 during that four game span and hasn’t played an overtime game since.

“The overtime games, with the exception of the McMurry game, were all against the three other best teams in the conference,” Meyer said. “We came away with good results so that was the most important thing. After that string of games we actually moved to a different formation and found more success that way.”

The men’s soccer team takes the most shots out of any ASC team

at 22.22 shots per contest — almost three more shots than second place Mary Hardin-Baylor.

In the ASC standings, Texas-Tyler has seen a considerable drop-off compared to last year, just barely squeezing into the ASC tournament. Hardin-Simmons, Hardin-Baylor and Concordia all finished the season with six wins and were separated by no more than two in the loss column.

The Comets and Hardin-Simmons will have a first round bye as the remaining four teams face each other in single elimination play starting Nov. 3. *** The women’s soccer team finished the ASC in fourth place for the third consecutive season, but sophomore forward Jacquie Kaufman said the team is keeping its spirits up.

“The team is feeling confident as the playoffs begin,” she said. “We are stronger and more united than ever and are ready to compete for a conference championship and then a national championship.”

Kaufman was a catalyst for last year’s young squad and said the difference between the team now and at the end of last season is noticeable.

“I think the team has grown a lot since last year,” she said. “We’ve had a lot of time to bond and become stronger as a group and our skills have developed greatly.”

The Comets went toe to toe with TexasTyler on Oct. 20. Both teams went scoreless in the first half. It took a 25-yard shot from Texas-Tyler early in the second half to break the score. That would prove to be the decisive goal as the Comets fell 1-0, but the game provided a glimpse of their potential.

The women’s soccer team employs a balanced approach on the field. Statisti-

→ SEE PLAYOFFS, PAGE 11

ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF

The volleyball team was crowned as ASC East champions on Oct. 26 for the second consecutive year. The team is currently ranked No. 4 in the nation, the highest ranking in program history. The ASC tournament is set to begin on Nov. 3.

Frisbee team continues to grow Influx of freshmen help men’s ultimate team field two squads for first time DEV THIMMISETTY Mercury Staff

For the first time in the history of the organization, the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team at UTD is able to field two full squads because of an influx of experienced freshman, allowing the group to compete at a higher level.

Ross Neuman, a mechanical engineering senior and an Ultimate Frisbee captain, said the team is often composed of new players.

“There’s kind of a difference from the ultimate that a lot of people will play in high school versus the organized, competitive ultimate that we participate in. There are a lot of rules and regulations that people don’t really think about. … It’s pretty common for people to get their start in college,” he said.

The new players are allowing the team to maintain two 20-man squads instead of one large group of about 30 players that the team had in years past.

“Last year we had this thing where we had more than enough for one team but not enough for two, so two rosters is really cool,” Neuman said.

Tyler Criss, a biomedical engineering senior, said the two men’s squads compete in different settings.

“So we have an A team, which is our more experienced, travel team. Whenever we have tournaments out of state or far away or something, those are the guys who usually come with us,” he said. “The B team usually plays in local tournaments, but we all do our best to play and practice as a team.”

All three captains agreed the new players were athletic and improving

the quality of both the A and B teams, giving them a new goal for this season.

“Last year, we made regionals for the first time, and this year we are focusing on just improving that. Last year, we came in seeded last or next to last, and we ended up at around the same spot at the end of the tournament. So this year, we want to do even better,” Neuman said.

The tournament that the men hosted on Oct. 15 and 16 confirmed this hope as the team placed third out of all the college and adult teams present. Criss said the number and commitment of incoming players is encouraging.

“This is probably the largest group of dedicated players we’ve had,” he said. “We have a lot more freshmen

→ SEE ULTIMATE, PAGE 11

YASH MUSALGAONKAR | MERCURY STAFF

The men’s ultimate team gathers for a team practice on Oct. 28. The team is now able to field an A and B team as the sport’s popularity continues to grow.

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small part of her success is pretty sweet.”

She said the team works well with Sanders because they’re all responsive to her and fit together well.

“I think our personalities get along pretty well,” Barth said.

“We’re very focused and intense at the same time. We know how to have a good time. At the end of the day, it’s just a game and games are supposed to be fun. I think we can respect the game, but also play with some serious intensity.”

Barth enjoys playing for Sanders because she’s a smart coach when it comes to the game, she said.

“I don’t think I’d want to play for anyone else,” Barth said. “She

is so overqualified for what she’s doing. There’s a reason she’s so successful.”

Bill Petitt, UTD’s athletic director, said the consistency and commitment Sanders and Villarreal have put into building the program has contributed to its success.

“I think 300 is a pretty big milestone considering how fast we were able to reach that,” Petitt said. “It means the program has had a lot of success and consistently been successful, so that’s a credit to Marci and Zach.

They’re the only coaches the program has ever had, so it’s really a program that they’ve built.”

with some rookies, looks even betCONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 ter than our team did at our best that have played high school ulti- at regionals from last year.”

Computer science freshmen mate. Usually we only get about one but we have five or six this year. Victor Mao and Robert Somma are We definitely want to place top ten two players who joined the team this year. Although Mao played ulin regionals.” timate at his high Captain Steven school for four Borik said the new years, Somma’s members’ backEveryone is competitive Ultiground in ultimate always pushing mate experience is shaping up an each other to began at UTD. impressive team.

“My friends and “The big thing get better, and I liked to throw in is that these playit’s really motihigh school — we ers are not only just played pickup really athletic, vating to see us in whatever city but they also ofgetting better. we were in — and ten have some then we found out high school expe— Victor Mao, there was a game rience,” he said.

Frisbee team member around it. That’s “The talent from how a lot of people playing before get into it, I think, they came here … it just really gives them an edge be- ” Somma said. “The tournament we cause they already have the funda- just played in was very windy, but it mentals down. … We really have was lots of fun, and I really like just a lot of team cohesion this year. I competing with the team.”

Mao was inclined to participate would say that our A team, even

because of the team atmosphere.

“Everyone is always going 110 percent, but even with hard work and dedication, people are always having fun. It’s not just intense, intense — people are having a lot of fun. Everyone is always pushing each other to get better, and it’s really motivating to see us getting better. I’m getting better, everyone around me is getting better, and it just keeps me motivated,” he said.

Both players are putting in work to help the team achieve its goal of placing in the top ten at regionals, but they also have their personal reasons for being a part of this historic team.

“My goal for this year is to improve myself, help the team and integrate myself into it,” Mao said.

Somma had the same idea, but is also focusing on a different aspect of the game.

“For me, I want to improve, have fun and just throw a lot of deep throws that get caught,” Somma said.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

accolade along the way that they weren’t aware of until it happened,” Sanders said.

Abbie Barth, a speech pathology senior who has been on the UTD volleyball team since 2012, said they didn’t know about the potential of the 300th win before the game, but they were excited to congratulate Sanders when they found out after the game.

“We haven’t been a part of it from the beginning, but Marci has, so for her to accomplish that, it was really cool for us to help her get there,” Barth said. “Just to be a

→ ULTIMATE

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→ PLAYOFFS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

cally, they are in the top half in-goals scored and in-goals allowed. They are only one of four ASC teams to have a positive goal differential.

The play of Kaufman, sophomore midfielder Melissa Fulfer and senior forward Megan Mugavero have helped shoulder the Comets’ offensive efforts. The team may still be young, but with another year under their belt they are a poised to possibly make a deep run.

The Comets will begin ASC tournament play on Nov. 1 against Concordia. *** The UTD Volleyball team just received their highest national ranking in the program’s history.

Despite the team’s head coach Marci Sanders being unsure of how this season would play out for the team, they have performed very well this season.

Sanders said they lost a number of senior players who made significant contributions to the program, and was not sure how this season would shape up. “(This season was) unexpectedly successful. We were

curious how we would do with “Our team chemistry was half of our line up being fresh- really strong early on and we men,” she said. played really well together,” Sanders said she believes the Brinkman said. “We’re can team’s remaining senior class is bring each other up when we’re a big part of the team’s success. down, and are always there for “I think a lot of that is in each other.”

This season the team only has part because our senior class three seniors, and almost half of have set a very hardworking the members are freshmen. culture, we call it our championship culture,” she said.

Brinkman said the higher “They brought the freshmen in number of freshmen on the team under their wings and taught added some pressure on her, and them what they pushed her to need to know in learn quickly. order to be suc“Because I guess that cessful within there were so was the hardthis program.” many of us we Senior outest part, finding had to catch on really fast to side hitter Abbie our role on the their tendenBarth explained cies and how the the underclassteam, not only men on the team team worked,” on the court, are eager to learn, she said. “We but off the so they’re an easy had to fit in. I guess that was group to lead. court too. the hardest part, “I think the biggest thing is — Dylan Brinkman, finding our role just leading by on the team, Outside hitter not only on the example and being a role modcourt but off the el,” Barth said. court too.”

“I think that’s the best way to Barth believes that the team lead. For them to see you doing will only continue to improve, things right, and then hopefully and is satisfied with how they they kind of pick up on that and have done this season. follow in those footsteps.”

“It’s good to know that we reFreshman outside hitter ally are a very close team on the Dylan Brinkman said the team’s court, off the court,” she said. success has been a result of the “It’s fun to share that success their positive dynamic. with good people.”

Women's CC: 2016 ASC Champions

MERCURY FILE PHOTOS

The women's soccer team (11-6-1, 7-3-1) finished fourth in the ASC and will face Concordia in the first round of the ASC tournament on Nov. 1.

→ WBBALL

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

With 10 new faces, plus a new assistant coach, the team is still getting used to changes.

But for Thomason, her expectations are simple.

“I really just want to see

us, to be honest, compete better than we did last year,” she said. “I felt like we were in some games that we lost just because, whether it was the leadership or the execution or maybe even our fitness level, wasn’t where we needed it to be. So I’d like to fix all of those things and just get our team more cohesive.

So I think that is our starting point. I think we’ve got some great talent, but if they can’t play together and they can’t play UT Dallas basketball, then we’ll probably have a very similar season to be honest. So my expectations for the year is they’ve learned the lessons from the past.”

Upcoming games Oct. 31 Men's Golf at The Classic at the Tribute

Away

Nov. 1 Women’s Soccer vs Concordia

Home (5:00 pm)

Nov. 3 Men’s Soccer (Quarterfinal #1)

Home (5:00 pm)

Volleyball vs Hardin-Simmons/East Texas

Home (5:00 pm)

Men’s Soccer (Quarterfinal #2)

Home (7:00 pm)

Nov. 5 Men’s Soccer (Semifinal #1)

Home (11:00 am)

Men’s Soccer (Semifinal #2)

Home (2:00 pm)

7 12

OCT. 31, 2016 | THE MERCURY

FUNNY BONES

COMICS&GAMES FANIMALS

CHIAMAKA MGBOJI | MERCURY STAFF

SCARY STUFF

BRIANNA HUBIERA | MERCURY STAFF

AHHH! GHOSTS!

KEVIN VANHORN | MERCURY STAFF

HARD TO SPOOK

CAROLINA ALVAREZ | MERCURY STAFF

LIFE OF THE PARTY

EUNJEE CHONG | MERCURY STAFF

EMILIO CHAVEZ | MERCURY STAFF

BLACK CAT

ANTHONY INGA | MERCURY STAFF

MATT STRACK | MERCURY STAFF

UTDMERCURY.COM

LIFE&ARTS

THE MERCURY | OCT. 31, 2016

13

SERIES LEFT, PUMPKIN CARVING: On OCT. 26, Road Warriors hosted a pumkin carving contest for commuter students.

SERIES ABOVE, A VERY TWIN PEAKS HALLOWEEN PARTY: Students celebrated Halloween with a dance party hosted by RadioUTD on OCT. 25.

THIS SERIES AND SERIES RIGHT: SRICHANDRAKIRAN GOTTIPATI | MERCURY STAFF

BELOW, SUICIDE SQUAD: On OCT. 27, Meteor Theater hOSTED a sCREENING of “Suicide Squad” AND A costume contest.

YASH MUSALGAONKAR | MERCURY STAFF

14

THE MERCURY | OCT. 31, 2016

→ STARTUPS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

The Blackstone Launchpad took an interest in the impact the startup visa could have on foreign entrepreneurs at UTD. Sarah Crowe, a program manager of the Launchpad, said international students brought the legal relationship between student visas and international student-run startups to the Launchpad’s attention following heightened student interest in entrepreneurship after the program’s inception in June.

“We have a huge international population and work is the number one question on everyone’s mind,” she said. “I think it’s a little bit more clear for students just interested in finding a job or an internship, but starting their own company (is) something we’ve been approached (about) so we know the desire … is out there.” *** To work around the restriction of owning but not operating their business, the three cofounders of UNIBEES decided to outsource the operation.

“There is a U.S. citizen who is actually running the day-today operations for us,” Kalidindi said, declining to name the individual. “We just founded (UNIBEES) — that’s it.”

As a result, the three cofounders do not have official titles within the business and are more involved with long-term planning and expansion.

Other international students at UTD, however, have not progressed as far with their startups.

Nikhil Rathi, a computer science senior, co-founded Campus Cart, a grocery delivery service catering to the Indian student population at UTD, along with his uncle in the spring of 2015.

→ TRANSISTOR

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

UTD’s role in the inter-university research was the final step. Kim’s group was in charge of actually testing the device under a powerful microscope to see if it would work as predicted. Qingxiao Wang, a material sciences and engineering doctoral student, is a key member of Kim’s research team.

“So in Berkeley, they have the idea to build the device, but they have a problem with seeing (whether it will work or not)…

So they come to us and ask for help to see the material and con-

NEWS

“We were just thinking about what … they can and can’t do,” how we could make things he said. “And it’s not just the easier to students,” Rathi said. lack of knowledge of interna“It suddenly clicked. We went tional students — I think stuthrough the legal documenta- dents in general don’t know.” tion with my uncle’s lawyers Part of the confusion lies in and we set up the company.” the complexity of immigration The business was registered law. Startup visa legislation under his uncle, a permanent aims to reduce this confusion resident, who oversaw the day- by adding specific provisions to-day operations. Rathi didn’t for foreign entrepreneurs. The hold a title within the organi- Startup Visa Act surfaced in early 2010, but exzation and inpired at the end formally helped of the legislative his uncle with We will probsession after it the business. ably see new didn’t pass.

His uncle later left DalIt was resurfunds and new las for a better rected by the investment strat- Department of job opportuegies emerge nity in Chicago.

Homeland SecuFor Rathi, the rity in 2016 and solely as a result immigration was renamed the of helping imchallenges that “ In t e r n a t i o n a l would arise Entrepreneur migrant entrefrom operating Rule.” The lepreneurs. That’s a business alone gal authority a tremendous as an F1 student for this proposal forced him to was grounded opportunity. shut down Camin the fact that pus Cart. the DHS, as “That’s a — Bryan Chambers, an agency of major barrier.

Blackstone the Executive Branch, has the When we startLaunchpad director power to “paed the business, role individuals thankfully, I had into the United my uncle,” he said. “I know so many students States, on a case-by-case bahere who want to open a start- sis, for urgent humanitarian up. But they’re not able to find reasons or significant public benefit.” Entrepreneurs of ceranother (eligible) person.” tain startups would provide “significant public benefit” by *** creating new jobs and supportAn even larger obstacle for ing the economy, according to international students launch- the original proposal filed this ing startups is a general lack of past spring. education about immigration Under this rule, student entrepolicies in the United States, preneurs such as the co-founders said Rakesh Patel, an Irving- of UNIBEES, would be allowed based attorney who specializes to operate their business and in immigration law and busi- hold a formal title, rather than ness transactions. Patel was one just own the business. of the lawyers that consulted Foreign entrepreneurs would UNIBEES prior to their prod- be allowed to stay in the United uct launch.

States for a temporary period of “One of the biggest problems two years, extendable for up to we see from a legal perspective three additional years. is that students just don’t know One major stipulation, how-

firm (their ideas),” Wang said.

“So I prepare a sample, make a cut across the device, and we look at it through the TEM to observe (the properties).”

The TEM is a special transmission electron microscope located on campus in the NSERL building. It is an advanced piece of technology that lets researchers examine compounds with great clarity at the atomic level.

The principal investigators from UC Berkeley and Stanford needed the expertise of Kim and his team, who had to make use of the machine as well as interpret its results, to

understand how well the device was functioning.

Ultimately, the three universities were successful with molybdenum disulfide after about a year of collaboration between Kim and the other principal investigators. But, it will be a long time before the research can be applied in the marketplace.

“The scientific proof of concept is one thing, but manufacturing involves a lot of engineering problems and economics and cost-cutting,” Kim said. “Even the silicon technology we are enjoying today, it took almost half a century to get this far.”

UTDMERCURY.COM

ever, is that startups run by foreign entrepreneurs would have to raise a minimum amount of $345,000 in capital from American investors in order to be considered viable by the DHS. Dobbs said because of this requirement, the policy would not have the intended effect.

“The numbers that the government has proposed is really going to limit the number of people that can take advantage of this,” he said. “They’re pretty big numbers, even for an experienced entrepreneur. If you have students who are trying to get a company off the ground on campus, $345,000 may not be realistic.”

Chambers noted that this rule would open up new opportunities, rather than inhibit growth.

“We will probably see new funds and new investment strategies emerge solely as a result of helping immigrant entrepreneurs,” he said. “That’s a tremendous opportunity … it’s our job to be current with legislation … and help organize those resources.”

Since the original filing, there haven’t been any major developments in the approval of the International Entrepreneur Rule, but Dobbs noted that the DHS could get it approved and start admitting foreign entrepreneurs into the United States under the rule as early as 2017. *** Despite their efforts, the cofounders of UNIBEES said their futures with their business remain in limbo because of the limitations their visa status imposes on them.

“It’s totally dependent on how things pan out by the time we graduate,” Kalidindi said. “But right now … we’re really looking forward to the (startup visa) and we hope that it gets passed.”

Chambers said the growing trend in the globalization of venture capital funding and the

ANKITH AVERINENI | MERCURY STAFF

Computer science senior Nikhil Rathi launched Campus Cart with his uncle to deliver groceries to students at UTD. Because he isn’t a permanent resident, he couldn’t operate the business on his own.

increasing importance of diversity in the workforce signals a new chapter for entrepreneurship in the United States.

“Diversity is becoming a very valuable trade that the biggest and the most successful venture capitalists look for,” Chambers said. “I think it just requires a certain amount of focus and a certain amount of lobbying from … various groups. I believe (the startup visa) is ready to be taken very, very seriously.”

In spite of the challenges that Kalidindi, Achanta and Kurani face ahead, they remain optimistic about launching startups in the United States.

“One suggestion that I can give to international students

here is … don’t let these problems stop your dreams,” Achanta said. “After we launched (UNIBEES), many people approached us with their ideas and all of them are really creative. The only problem is that because they’re F1, they (think) they can’t do anything.”

Rathi said he also remained hopeful for the possibility of relaunching his business under the auspices of the startup visa.

“This is going to be a huge (deal) for international students,” he said. “When you’re given an opportunity for working legally on something of your own, why not? One way or another, somewhere down the line, we’re going to restart this.”