The Pitt News
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com |MArch 30, 2018 | Volume 108 | Issue 138
Pitt debates presence of Parran’s past
BREAKING GROUNDS WITH BIG IDEAS: FOUR GROWERS FOR THE WIN
Thompson Wymard Staff Writer
Pitt graduate student union organizers have garnered more than 870 signatures to rename Parran Hall — the Pitt Public Health building named after the school’s founding dean who was involved in unethical medical experiments. But Thursday at a University-organized symposium discussing the legacy of the building’s namesake — Thomas Parran Jr. — most speakers did not go as far as the students’ demand. “Young people need to understand that they can make the same mistakes as Thomas Parran in a different way and a different situation,” Professor Bill Jenkins of Morehouse College said. The University is examining the possibility of renaming Parran Hall as a result of the doctor’s involvement in two controversial studies while surgeon general of the United States from 1936-1948 — the Tuskegee and Guatemalan syphilis experiments. Donald S. Burke, the current dean of the public health school, initiated an official review of the name in January, which reignited the debate,
Daniel Garcia, Brandon Contino and Rahul Ramakrishnan of Four Growers accept first place at the Randall Family Big Idea Competition Celebration event Thursday afternoon. Divyanka Bhatia STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
through the work of 2016 Pitt alum Brandon Contino, senior mechanical engineering major Dan Chi and senior neuroIn the future, the tomatoes in your salscience major Daniel Garcia. These three ad, on your sandwich and in your pasta Pitt students, who comprise the company may be gathered by harvesters who can Four Growers, won the Randall Family not only tell whether a tomato is ripe or Big Idea Competition $25,000 grand prize unripe in just a few seconds, but also proThursday night for their idea of developvide metrics and data analytics. See Parran on page 3 ing automated tomato harvesting robots This idea could become a reality
Anandhini Narayanan Staff Writer
to work in greenhouses. Contino, CEO of Four Growers, said the team was “pleasantly surprised” when they found out they had won the 10th annual Randall Family Big Idea Competition. The event, run by the Innovation Institute, spans February to March of every year. It ends with an awards showcase See Big Ideas on page 3
THE PITT NEWS
The Pitt News is releasing profiles every day online leading up to the Silhouettes magazine release April 6. Read about today’s two subjects at pittnewss.com/sillhoueettes. #TPNSilhouettes
Jackie Sharp
Emily West
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Parran, pg. 1 along with the graduate organizers petition. The symposium in the University Club featured four different speakers who have studied and written about Parran and the history of the infamous experiments. Gregory J. Dober, a health care ethics advocate at Pitt’s Center for Bioethics and Health Law, first spoke about Parran’s positive impact, citing his accomplishments in increasing research and funding for post-traumatic stress disorder and communicable diseases. But Parran’s record turned out not to be as progressive as was commonly believed. Dober was the first to discover the breadth of Parran’s involvement in the Tuskegee experiments, when he came across papers written by Parran that were archived at Pitt while doing research for his 2013 book, “Against Their Will: The Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War America.” In the Tuskegee syphilis experiment, American researchers observed the course of untreated syphilis in hundreds of African-American men between 1932 and 1972. The researchers exploited their participants, and the experiment has became a landmark case study in medical ethics. “[Parran wrote,] ‘Hypothetically, if you wanted to do this study, you should do it in this county and this is how you should do it,’” Dober said. Jenkins helped put a stop to the Tuskegee study in the ’70s while a professor at the University of North Carolina. He took care of the men subjected to the experiments and listened to their stories. “There’s people that write about the study, that talk about the study, but they don’t listen to the men in the study,” he said. “[The men] participated in the study because they thought they were helping their community. They were heroes, and that’s why I stayed until the last man died.” Jenkins, now a professor of public health sciences at Morehouse and associate director of its research center on health disparities, said the only way to combat racism in society is to observe how people are perpetuating systematic racism. He advocated for keeping the plaque and name of the building because removing it would erase the good work Parran did and prevent lessons surrounding the negatives. He said it would limit conversations about the racism present in public health. Susan Reverby, a Wellesley College professor
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who uncovered the Guatemalan syphilis experiments, also spoke at the event. Parran was also involved in the study in which researchers intentionally exposed more than 1,300 Guatemalan prisoners and mental institution patients to transferable diseases between. Reverby said Parran’s approval of the experiment is undeniable, but the underlying question in renaming the building is whether or not Parran should be “historically fired.” “It’s obvious they thought they were doing the best they could do for medical science in the war against syphilis,” she said. But Reverby, who referred to the experiments as a “medical melodrama with voiceless actors and madmen doctors,” said the problems of systematic racism and imperialism in public health will not simply go away if Parran’s name is erased from history. “If we disappear his name, what then is learned?” she said. “Regardless if the name is changed, the historical context ought to be described in a new plaque and linked to a new page, [and] it should explain what Parran is known for — good and bad.” Kirk Savage, an associate professor in the department of history of art and architecture, said that regardless of a name change, a dialogue needed to start about Parran’s history. “Taking the sign down is easy,” Savage said, but reckoning with history in a way that promotes meaningful discussion and elicits change is often hard — but needs to be pursued. As the event progressed, the grad union organizers voiced their disagreement with some of the speakers on Twitter. “The complicated discourse around his legacy and contributions to the field is irrelevant to the fact that we (as evidenced by many signed petitions) don’t believe we should monumentalize him,” one tweet read. After the symposium, Rebecca Schoulberg, a 1989 alum and mother of an incoming student, said that while she is not a bioethicist, she views the field of public health as empathetic, and keeping Parran Hall’s name goes against that. “Public Health is rooted in ethics [and] moral behavior,” she said. “And if you don’t treat people empathetically, they aren’t going to trust you.” Leigh Bukowski, a graduate of the School of Public Health and current senior research manager in the department of behavioral and community health sciences, said she supports the renaming of Parran Hall. “I think for my friends and colleagues of color, it’s an important first step in making sure they feel safe in a space that they have to interact in every day,” Bukowski said.
Big Ideas, pg. 1 where cash prizes are given to student teams whose ideas have the most startup promise. This year’s showcase was held in the Stephen Foster Memorial. 301 students from 105 teams attended to pitch and present possible start-up ideas. Contino said the idea for the company arose when he and Chi began talking to tomato growers in spring of 2017. The two learned about the efficiency of greenhouse farming but also the limitations of labor cost, availability and reliability. According to Contino, greenhouses are 90 percent more water efficient, and crops can be grown anywhere year-round. Four Growers stepped in when the company realized crops can be autonomously harvested. Contino said the development will also be a positive for current greenhouse workers as it will allow farms to save money and hire more employees. “I think a big advantage to us is that we have a lot of customer discovery — almost 20 percent of the U.S. and Canadian tomato markets,” Contino said. The emcee for the night was Babs Carryer, director of education and outreach for the Innovation Institute. Carryer said the program’s popularity and number of participants each year has steadily increased. “Every year this competition becomes bigger and better. This year we had 105 teams, which is a 40 percent increase from previous years,” Carryer said. The participants of the competition have to go through the what Carryer called the “Randall Gauntlet” starting in February, in which participants practice pitches and go through a mandatory bootcamp, semifinalist round, a finalist boot camp and the final round right before the showcase. Judges focused on the idea’s innovativeness, marketability, value and competition in its field. “We help bake their ideas so that the bread rises into a product that is actually ready for the marketplace,” Carryer said. Agricultural projects like Four Growers were accompanied by ideas from other categories like health care and informations technology solutions. Stephen Canton, a third-year Pitt med student, was a driving force behind NephRun, a clinical mobile application for all health care students with the goal
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of revolutionizing medical education. NephRun improves retention by allowing students to control medical training simulations on their own time. The product specifically teaches physiology of the kidney and was developed in 24 hours at the Hackathon sponsored by Pitt. “We are really excited about the competition, and we put in more work than we thought it would be, but if you’re passionate about something you go for it,” Canton said. Other finalists’ ideas included a device that enables users to control their cell phone with their eyes and disposable cups that can automatically cool a beverage called Crunch Coolies. Andrew Golio, junior mechanical engineer at Pitt and co-founder of Crunch Coolies, thought of the idea in a Chemical Product Design class taught by Dr. Chris Wilmer, a successful entrepreneur and founder of NuMat Technologies — a tech company that designs atomically engineered materials into gas delivery, separation and purification systems. Crunch Coolies have reactive materials in their walls. Upon squeezing or crushing the cup, an endothermic reaction is activated that makes the cup cool any beverage. Golio attributed Crunch Coolie’s success in the competition to the immense research and time in the lab, as well as the constant support of Wilmer and the chemical and petroleum engineering department. “It was overall a fun experience and made us realize the full potential and viability of our product after making it through a few rounds,” Golio said. Chancellor Patrick Gallagher attended the competition as a guest speaker, highlighting the potential of students’ designs and encouraging commitment to acting on them. “It’s not the big idea, it is the big things you can do with that idea.” The award for best video went to EXG H+ Technologies. The fourth place prices of $2000 went to OtterIV, Steel Town Retractor, Glucaglin and I 2 Iconic. Adventure Hound, Aqua Bio-Chem Diamond, MeBot and PCA Buddy took home the $5,000 third place awards. Second place prizes of $15,000 went to OccuDerm, ReVision and Wheel Fit. Four Growers received $25,000 for winning the competition.
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Opinions ‘ LITTLE
column
HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE’ OFFERS MODERN-DAY REFLECTION
Mariam Shalaby Senior Columnist
Seeking respite from a relentless flu last month, I took my childhood favorite “Little House on the Prairie” from my bookshelf. Curling up on the couch, I wondered what kept drawing me back to the story I’ve loved since I was a young girl. I chuckled. What could I, an Egyptian-Chinese daughter of Muslim immigrants, find so tantalizing about “Little House on the Prairie?” After all, the novel tells the story of a 19th century white Protestant pioneer family carving out a life in the wilderness of the American Midwest — a life quite different from my own. Flipping through the first few chapters, I remembered how much I actually do have in common with the story and its characters. I saw parallels between the Ingalls family and my own family — like trying to find success in a new and exciting place. I felt Laura Ingalls Wilder’s pioneer life was a more thrilling version of mine, and that inspired me. She chased gophers on the prairie, ate meals by the fire to the sounds of the howling wolves and listened to her father play the fiddle under the stars. She even learned how to build a log house. But something different struck me about the memoir this time — the Ingalls built their house on Native American territory and were hardly sorry. “Why don’t you like Indians, Ma?” Laura asks her mother as she eats a corn cake.
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“I just don’t like them,” her mother says. “And don’t lick your fingers, Laura.” On another page, Wilder wrote that Laura hoped her Pa would show her a “papoose” — a dated Native American name for a baby that is now considered offensive. “Laura thought he would show her a papoose someday,” Wilder wrote, “just as he had shown her fawns, and little bears, and wolves.” Wilder had just likened Native Americans to animals. I then looked at the inside cover of the book and discovered it was first published in 1932. I paused at the almost 90-year-old date, incredulous. The wholesome, educational entertainment I read countless times as a little girl passively dehumanizes an entire race — and I had never batted an eye. Perhaps reading the book with fresh, more mature eyes made me more cognizant of the blatant racism printed on the pages. If nothing else, my realization made me more aware of the ways the story applies to both my life and modern America. Nearly 90 years after Wilder published this book, racial tensions are still
poll led by NPR found that almost a third of Native Americans experience discrimination in work- and policerelated interactions. Native Americans living in Native American-majority regions are even more likely to encounter this kind of discrimination. Reading about the Ingalls family’s resilience and generosity still leaves me nostalgic, but fresh eyes have allowed me to see just how much the words resonate with phrases I hear today. Questions about my mixed race like, “What are you?” ring with the same othering and distancing tones found in a story about well-meaning people who don’t yet know any better. Should the text be changed to reflect a more respectful view of racial difference? I don’t think so. But it has been nearly 90 years since Wilder published “Little House on the Prairie,” and it’s time we know better. We must not only appreciate the nostalgia the book elicits, but learn from the mistakes in American attitudes it records. The book serves as a reflection of the times in which it was written and of the lack of understanding that the Ingalls family had of the nature of human diversity. What would be disappointing is if after 90 years our attitudes still haven’t changed.
Raka Sarkar
STAFF ILLUSTRATOR
a l l t o o preva l e n t and Native American rights are still a matter of contention. I don’t have to think back too far to remember my friends flooding Facebook with posts about Standing Rock, a Sioux Tribe Indian Reservation in North Dakota and South Dakota. The Sioux nation banded together to protect the tribe from the Dakota Access Pipeline — a plan to install 1,200 miles of pipeline through the reservation, destroying Native American land without a second thought. And from a different angle, a recent
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Sports
Panthers fall flat on the track pittnews.com
TAKE 5: HARDEN, HOT DOGS, HOME RUNS The Pitt News Staff
Oakland has been buzzing about the hiring of a new head basketball coach — our lord and savior Jeff Capel. But while the Pitt community has been busy celebrating the arrival of a new king, the rest of the sports world has continued to make headlines. The Pitt News staff is back to round up some of the best stories of the week. Hot diggity dog Among all the hype surrounding the opening of major league baseball this week, one thing has been making the rounds in the media — the cheesiest, spiciest and wackiest foods debuting at ballparks across the nation. CBS Sports made a list outlining all the new, fare that fans can expect to consume this season, and there are a few standouts. Topping our list, The Dilly Dog — a hot dog inside a hollow pickle, battered and fried, drizzled in yellow mustard. Three of our favorite things — hot dogs, pickles and self-loathing — wrapped into one delightful treat. Are we surprised it’s served in Texas? No. Another item worth note is the Spec-tater, a jalapeno-cheddar sausage stuffed in a potato and wrapped in bacon, topped with cream, cheese and more peppers. It’s a lot like a turducken, but worse — if that’s possible. They say baseball is America’s pastime, but obesity comes in close second. — Jordan Mondell, Assistant Sports Editor Majors changeup Baseball season is finally upon us, which means that the next seven months will be rife with
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home runs, stolen bases and dominant pitching. Speaking of home runs, it will be interesting to see how the MLB responds to accusations of altering the makeup of its baseballs to favor hitters, otherwise known as juicing balls. Players hit a record 6,104 home runs last year — nearly 400 more than the record 5,693 at the height of the steroid era in 2000. There were rumblings that something similar was happening when a total of 5,610 balls went over the wall in 2016. Steroid abuse clearly drove the record up in the early 2000s, but this time the reason is still unknown. Commissioner Rob Manfred has repeatedly denied rumors that the league was juicing the balls to get the home run rate up, but FiveThirtyEight published a report proving that balls have been “subtly but consistently different” since 2015. I have no issue with more homers, but if the MLB is changing the balls intentionally, it needs to fess up. — Jon Shaiken, Staff Writer Your own biggest fan LeBron James outraged members of the NBA community when he told The Associated Press Tuesday that he would vote for himself for league MVP. The prevailing opinion among fans and analysts has been that this year’s MVP award already belongs to Houston guard James Harden. Harden averages 30.7 points, 8.7 assists and 5.4 rebounds per game, while James averages 27.6 points, 9.1 assists and 8.6 rebounds. And Harden has gotten a lot of credit for leading his team to
first place in the West, while James’ Cavaliers are sitting in third place in the East. But James can’t be blamed for the Cavaliers’ struggles this season. Cleveland has been ravaged by injuries and trades, making it hard for the team to establish a flow. Harden plays in a high scoring system with one of the best point guards in the league, Chris Paul. James has been spectacular in what has been perhaps the most tumultuous season of his career. Maybe we shouldn’t be so sure that this award is decided already. — Stephen Cuddy, Staff Writer Thunder only happens when it’s raining The Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors are the two top seeds in the NBA’s Western Conference and have the first- and second-best odds to win the NBA title. With the positions both teams are in, they deserve to be the favorites out of the West, but the Oklahoma City Thunder could spoil their whole season. The Thunder is a combined 3-2 against the Warriors and Rockets. They’re one of the few teams in the NBA with a combined winning record against both squads. They are led by last year’s MVP Russell Westbrook, who is nearly averaging a triple-double at 25.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. In response, teams charged Westbrook defensively last year, seeing a weak Westbrook as the only offensive option. But this year, league defenses won’t have that same luxury. The Thunder added All-NBA talents Paul
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George and Carmelo Anthony in the offseason to help Westbrook on offense. Center Steven Adams has evolved into a defensive stalwart, who is also averaging career highs in nearly every offensive category. The Thunder was built to beat the Warriors and has proven it handles the Rockets as well. — Cale Berger, Staff Writer National treasures The Washington Nationals boast arguably the best starting rotation for the 2018 season. Leading the way is two-time National League Cy Young winner Max Scherzer, who begins the season with an overall ERA of 3.30. In his three years with Washington, he has never had an ERA over 3.00. Fellow 2017 NL Cy Young nominee Stephen Strasburg — who owns a 3.07 ERA more than eight years in the majors — adds another All-Star arm to the rotation. He earned an impressive 15 wins and four losses in both 2016 and 2017. The top three of the rotation is rounded out by lefty Gio Gonzalez. He pitched his way to a sub-3 ERA and earned a spot on the Cy Young ballot at the end of last year. With three arms of that caliber, partnered with MVP-level play from right fielder Bryce Harper, Washington could finally break through and represent the NL in the World Series for the first time in franchise history. Barring any injuries, the Nationals rotation should be the best in the league, and everybody else should consider themselves warned. — Max Sirianni, Staff Writer
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For Rent South Oakland 2 BR apartment, newly painted, hardwood floors, appliances. Private home - 2 & 3rd floor. 2,000 sq. ft. Rent includes all utilities. $850/mo. 412-498-7355. 2BR houses available in August. Unfurnished, no pets. $950+ gas and electric. Call 412-492-8173 311 Semple St., two blocks from Forbes Ave. 2BR, living room, updated kitchen with dishwasher and disposal, front porch, basement, back patio, carpeted. Must see - clean! $1320/mo plus utilities. Call 412-389-3636. 3BR house on Niagara Street $1000/mo +all utilities. Recently renovated with new windows, wiring, cable installed in all rooms. No pets. On Pitt shuttle route. Near Pittsburgh Playhouse. Call 412-303-4716. 4 BR HOME - SEMPLE STREET, LOCATED NEAR LOUISA. EQUIPPED KITCHEN, FULL BASEMENT. NEW
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Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER
CENTRAL AIR ADDED. RENTING FOR AUGUST 2018. (412) 343-4289 or 412-330-9498. Apartments for rent. 2, 3, and 4 bedroom apartments available. Some available on Dawson street, Atwood street, and Mckee Place. Newly remodeled. Some have laundry on site. Minutes from the University. For more info please call Mike at 412-849-8694 Available May 2018: House for rent in South Oakland. Large 4 bedroom, 2-story house with basement. 2 bathrooms, fully equipped eat-in kitchen, living room, dining room, front and back porches, full basement w/free washer and dryer. Near universities, hospitals, and public transportation. Contact: 412-337-3151 Before signing a lease, be aware that no more than 3 unrelated people can share a single unit. Check property’s compliance with codes. Call City’s Permits, Licensing & Inspections. 412-255-2175. House for rent. South Oakland. $2100. 412-337-9916
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tails: 412-683-7300 or visit: www.jcrkelly. com Ward & S. Bouquet
M.J. Kelly Realty. Studio, 1, 2, 3 and 4 Bedroom Apartments, Duplexes and Houses. N. & S. Oakland from $750-$2500. mjkellyrealty@gmail. com. 412-271-5550. www.mjkellyrealty. com
Streets - Studio, 1, 2 & 3BR apartments. Free parking. Move in May 1 or Aug. 1, 2018. Call 412-361-2695
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Secured rooms in a duplex at Cato St. 8/1/18-7/31/19. S-shuttles. 15min walk. Furnished. $600-$700 including all utilities and wifi. NO PETS, NO SMOKING. 412-259-3223. STUDENT HOUSING. Updated 4, 5 & 6 Bedroom Houses w/ multiple baths. Dishwasher, laundry, some w/ air conditioning and/or parking. August availability. 412-445-6117.
1, 2,and 3 BR houses and apartments, some with AC. Call Mike 412-708-1695.
Rental Other 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 houses available. August 2018. South Oakland: Bouquet St, Lawn St, Ward St. North Oakland: Bigelow, & Craig St. Call 412-287-5712.
Employment Employment Other
The Pitt news crossword 3/30/18
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Babysitter needed for Studio & 1 Bedrooms Available Fall 2018. Heat included. 412-261-4620.
Spring semester part time and full time for Summer. Close to campus. Contact tbeltz@gmail.com
Various size apartments available in South Oakland. Newly listed for fall 2018. Call John CR Kelly Realty for de-
Children’s International Summer Villages Pittsburgh needs a volunteer leader, 21+, for an international camp for
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11 year olds in Detroit June 26 - July 29. Expenses paid. Contact cisvpittsburgh@gmail.com
NOW to August; four days/week from 9am-6pm. Saturday and/or Sunday hours a must; some flexibility
Comfort Keepers, a Post-Gazette Top Workplace, is seeking caring individuals. Caregivers work alongside seniors to provide companionship, light housekeeping, personal care services. Flexible hours available. If interested call 412-363-5500
in days and hours will
Join KEYS Service Corps, AmeriCorps. Mentor, tutor, and inspire Pittsburgh area youth. Summer and fall positions with bi-weekly stipend and education award. Full and part-time. Possible internship credit. Call 412-350-2739. www.keysservicecorps.org
plus generous season
Our department is seeking a student worker for a year-round position with an 8:30 am start time 4 days per week. Schedule can be flexible. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Distributing mail, answering the door and phone, minor lifting of supply boxes, campus deliveries and general office duties as requested. We are looking for an individual who is reliable, well organized, and able to multitask. Fluent in Word & Excel. Please send resumes to: coreadmi@pitt.edu Seasonal Marketing Assistant Shadyside property management firm established in 1960 needs two Seasonal Marketing Assistants to work with Excel, Word and the internet from approximately
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be considered; most hours will be solitary on the computer with no phone work; 40 words per minute and strong computer skills required; no experience needed & we will train you at our Shadyside office; free parking. $13/hour end bonus. Mozart Management 412-682-7003. thane@mozartrents. com. SUMMER WORK Shadyside Management Company needs full-time dependable landscapers, painters, and assistant roofers for the summer. Must be at least 18 years old. No experience necessary. $10/hour plus additional attendance bonuses are available, if earned. Work involves landscaping, painting, roofing, and general labor. Perfect summer job for college students! Mozart Management phone: 412-682-7003 email: thane@ mozartrents.com TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMER, Ice company close to campus. Some weekend work available. Production/ driving/maintenance positions available. Good pay, part-time/ full time. Contact Mastro Ice Company 412-681-4423. mastroice@aol.com
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