JHUMobile smartphone application launched
The JHUMobile application was launched this past Monday to better connect the Hopkins community to various institutions and online programs associated with the University.
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The JHUMobile application was launched this past Monday to better connect the Hopkins community to various institutions and online programs associated with the University.
The 9th annual Physics Fair was held all day this past Saturday at the Bloomberg Center for Physics and Astronomy. The fair was sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and featured over 200 active science demonstrations designed to educate attendees about physics in a hands-on setting through a combination of indoor and outdoor activities and competitions, manned by undergraduate students, graduate students and staff. Approximately 700 people of all ages attended the Physics Fair. "We send information out to about 800 high schools, middle schools, grade schools advertising the event. It was originated as an outreach program to show kids that physics can be fun and in the beginning, the main focus was for the kids. Now, it's just evolved into this mini-Spring Fair [for physics]. It's just grown throughout the years," Pam Carmen, one of the organizers of Physics Fair, said. "We advertise it [for ages] 1 to 100 because we truly have something for everybody." The Space Telescope Science Institute brought a demonstration to the fair, as it does annually, which sought to teach attendees about the electromagnetic spectrum through hands-on demonstrations. The demonstration included an infrared camera display for people to examine and learn about by looking at their own appearances in it. "We are used to seeing things through the Hubble Telescope, which primarily looks at things in visible wavelengths of light, so they're things that you can see with the naked eye," Carolyn Slivinski, Education Specialist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, said. "But astronomy works in the entire electromagnetic spectrum which covers everything including gamma rays, x-rays, radio waves and microwaves - all the different wavelengths in addition to the ones you can see. We try to give some hands-on demonstrations to show kids how parts of the light spectrum give you different kinds of information." Professor Extraordinaire Shows, featuring Professor Peter Armitage, punctuated the schedule of activities, which focused on teaching the audience about the physics of light. Also, throughout the day, there were tours of the building through various research labs to demonstrate the department's advanced research. The fair featured a scavenger hunt, a balloon rocket contest, sunspot observations with the Morris Offit Telescope, an exhibition from the National Virtual Observatory and many other activities. The Physics Fair emphasized the importance of teaching science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to young children so that they can adapt to an increasingly technologically-inclined society. "STEM has gotten more and more of a focus in the public's eye. It's always been a focus for us, so it's nice to see more and more public awareness," Slivinski said. Undergraduate students also attended, learned from and enjoyed the Physics Fair. Many students also recognized how setting a precedent about the significance of STEM is crucial for the next generation. "We have come into an age when science has become more complex and more important, and it's based on things that are tougher to understand. . .people are doubting its use and its purpose," freshman Bobak Kiani said. "I think that going forward, we need to teach these kids the importance of science, the importance of engineering, the importance of all these fields that can come together and help us in the future. Innovation is what we need and that comes through science. These things are always good just as long as you can get kids into these things and hopefully gain passion and understanding." Kiani also emphasized that attending the Physics Fair is worthwhile for people of all ages because of the many interesting aspects. "It was definitely geared towards younger audiences, but I'm sure there was something everyone can learn out of it and at least go there and be like, 'That was cool.'"
The JHU Hellenic Students Association (HSA) hosted its third annual Greek Night on Friday, Apr. 20 to promote Hellenic culture on campus with a fusion of food, music and dancing. This year's event was the first profitable Greek Night that the HAS has held despite its three year history. Approximately 720 tickets to Greek Night were sold, but there were 780 students who attended the event. The event was so popular that the supply of food dwindled as the night went on and students were admitted to the event without charge. "Our mission statement is to promote Hellenic culture on and off campus. . .Greek Night is the main thing we do on campus. It's the best way to show the dancing, the music and food. It just shows how we have fun. . .we enjoy life," President of HSA, George Petrocheilos, said. Baltimore's Deputy Mayor Kaliope Parthemos was presented with a framed cover of NEO Magazine, on which she is featured, by Demetrios Rhompotis, Publishing Committee Chairman of the magazine. "It's her first term as deputy mayor and [this award] is to recognize her work as Deputy Mayor," Petrocheilos said. Approximately 200 people attended the event from outside of the Hopkins community. Many came to the event in order to see Parthemos receive her award. "I don't think that attracted many Hopkins people, but I know for sure that it attracted many out of Hopkins people," Petrocheilos said. Students who attended the event were able to enjoy food from more than 10 different Greek-owned restaurants of primarily Greek cuisine. The event was sponsored by Former Maryland Secretary of Business and Economic Development Aris Melissaratos as well as John Korologos of Double T Diners, which was the largest food donor. Other restaurant donors included Ikaros, Samos, Timbuktu, Valentino's, Della Notte, Acropolis, Captain James Landing, Speakeasy Saloon and the Hazelwood Inn. Various groups also put on performances throughout the night. A band from New York City, featuring Rena Tsapelas and her accompanying group offered live music throughout the night. The St. Nicholas Hellenic Golden Coins, in conjunction with their director, Maria Kaimakis, offered traditional Greek dancing performances. Dancers were multi-aged, and included performers from ages 8 to 25. The financial success of Greek Night, each year held during Spring Fair, delegitimized doubts about the importance of holding the event. The first year that the event was held, in 2010, approximately 300 people attended but HSA did not profit; they did not charge attendees because it was the first such event. Fewer people attended last year's event, and Petroicheilos therein strove to increase attendance for this year. "For the past few years, people were complaining that this event should not go on because every time we were always owing money to someone and waiting until next year to pay them back," Petrocheilos said. "I really believed that Greek Night was the best way to promote our culture on campus, so we're still going to do it and we're going to find ways to make it happen." The evening's prosperity can be attributed to a refined advertising strategy. Tickets were pre-sold and sold at the event. The event was heavily advertised in the surrounding Maryland communities, included at Greek churches in Maryland and in Greektown. The Hopkins chapter of HSA was also joined by representatives from Hellenic associations from the University of Maryland, Loyola University and Towson University. Diversity was also present within the HSA itself, a combination of undergraduate students from Hopkins, graduate students from the Carey Business School and the Bloomberg School of Public Health, students at the School of Medicine and Ph.D candidates. All of these members participated and helped out throughout the event by serving food. Melissaratos emphasized how proud he was of the achievements that HSA made through Greek Night. "This year's Johns Hopkins Greek Night was a breakthrough event. It drew up to three times more locals and students than ever before and it has established itself as a 'must go to' event for the Greek Community. I was particularly proud of George Petrocheilos, Neil Branis and the entire membership of the Hellenic Students Association who worked tirelessly all evening to satisfy their guests," Melissaratos wrote in an email to The News-Letter. Petrocheilos was extremely thankful for the strong team bolstering his leadership of the event. "I think that this event really shows that our group knows what we're doing. . .everyone didn't just do what they were asked to. Everyone did more than they were asked to," Petrocheilos said. Students praised the food and cultural experience that Greek Night brought. "I visited Greece a couple summers ago, and hearing the music, it's really authentic here," sophomore Laila Smith said. "The food, dancing, being warm, open and inviting is all very much a part of the culture. I think they did a good job representing that." Many attendees also were impressed by the dedication of the performers from the night. "I'm glad there are still students in Baltimore that still are interested in their culture and are proud to share that," sophomore Elaine Markovich said.
The Hopkins chapter of Medicine, Education and Development to Low Income Families Everywhere (MEDLIFE) held the Global Banquet, its annual fundraising endeavor, in the Glass Pavilion on Monday evening.
With students eagerly gathered outside Professor Hickman's office to discuss an upcoming essay, I was able to interview Hickman about his experience as a professor in the English Department at Hopkins and his path to obtaining this position.
The Foreign Affairs Symposium (FAS) hosted Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake yesterday in Mason Hall. Rawlings-Blake discussed the challenges of "reinvigorating a great American city" and improving the city of Baltimore.
Miss Representation, a documentary on the portrayal of women in media, was screened on Monday in the Charles Commons Ballroom as part of Women's History Month at Hopkins. The film, which argued against what it saw as the constricted, disparaging and frequently objectifying portrayal of women in the media, was hosted by a collaboration of the Hopkins Women's History Month Committee, Alpha Phi, the Counseling Center, the Office of the Dean of Student Life, Feminist Alliance, Panhellenic Council and Students Educating and Empowering for Diversity (SEED). A 2011 Sundance Film Festival Selection, written and directed by Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Miss Representation addresses the notion of femininity that is perpetuated in the media surrounding powerful women. The film asserted that it is this image that inhibits women from taking on high-powered roles.Newsom began the film by questioning how she was going to bring her daughter into a world that belittles or degrades women so acutely. She also questioned how it was possible for a woman to be fulfilled emotionally and professionally in a world that attacks successful women. The film sought to empower women against what it saw as the emphasis the media places on physical beauty rather than intellectual strength. The film addressed the insecurity that women feel about their bodies, starting at a young age. Some studies show that 53 percent of 13-year olds are unhappy with their bodies, and 65 percent of women and girls have an eating disorder. Miss Representation contained multiple montages of explicit, revealing images of women's bodies from television shows, movies, magazines, ad campaigns and video games as examples of the media exploiting women's bodies in order to appease advertisers and other capitalistic endeavors.Hypersexualization conditions young men to accustom to objectify women and assume the mindset that they must overpower women. Additionally, young girls are hypersexualized; women traditionally wear similar clothing, or lack thereof, in G-rated and R-rated movies. The film also argued that women in American culture have withdrawn into subordination; for example, women comprise 51 percent of the population and only 17 percent of Congress. "If people knew that Cuba, China, Iraq and Afghanistan have more women in government than the United States of America, then we'd get some people upset " Gavin Newsom, Lieutenant Governor of California and former mayor of San Francisco, said in the film. If women do hold leadership positions, the media primarily observes and fixates on their physicality, not their credentials, the film stated. The film continued to argue that women hold only three percent of clout positions in mainstream media, so most of what is depicted in the media is from a male perspective. The film featured interviews with famous female politicians, entertainers, activists and academics about their experiences with misogyny. Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, Rachel Maddow, Margaret Cho, Rosario Dawson and Gloria Steinem, to name a few, gave interviews on their perspective of women's misrepresentation. The event drew a large crowd, filling the Charles Commons Ballroom with at least 100 students, both men and women. Following the documentary, a group of thirty students remained to discuss the movie. Many of the students discussed how some of the facts the film presented surprised and impacted them. "I think that what really shocked me was, it wasn't even a stat, but the fact that more women are represented in governments in places such as Iraq. . .that's sad," a member of the audience said. "Clips from music videos and commercials, just seeing people around me cringe was so interesting because we see that all the time but we never cringe," another member of the audience said. One of Hopkins's sororities, Alpha Phi, co-sponsored the event and brought a large crowd of sophomores to the event so that they would learn about becoming positive, empowered role models. "We had it as a requirement for the bigs. . .to try and raise awareness and get people to see the movie especially since the idea of the big is to mentor the new freshman," junior Alison Bellows, a member of Alpha Phi, said. The rivalry between women on campus was also a topic of discussion, illustrating the lack of empowerment among women and abundance of competition. "Women create a lot of the problems ourselves. We objectify each other and ourselves. To a large extent that is prevalent in the media and how we're portrayed in the media, and we internalize that and perpetuate it more than I think any of us would like and more than I've realized before because I do it myself. . .in sororities, how we sort of go against each other and disparage each other, and we shouldn't," Bellows said. "You know that our biggest fundraiser. . .is the penny wars. The way you win that is by putting the most amount of money, like dollar bills, in other people's jars. It's sororities versus sororities and fraternities versus sororities. We raised a ton of money, but it was because we were literally bringing each other down," a student said. Many students said that the film inspired them to evaluate the media more critically. "I'm going to try to be more critical of TV shows, movies, advertisements and try to bring up, if I'm with my friends, 'Hey, I can't believe they're actually saying that' or 'I can't believe that they're showing her wearing absolutely nothing'. . .people who saw the film will just naturally do because now we're more aware of things like that," Bellows said.
Nearly 147 students tested their stamina by participating in the second annual eight-hour Dance Marathon for the Hopkins Children's Center. To fulfill the pledges and sponsorships that participants obtained, they began dancing at 11 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 3 and remained on their feet until 7 a.m. on Sunday, Mar. 4. Out of the 147 student dancers, approximately 60 lasted all eight hours. Participants raised $10,000 in total.
Coalition of Hopkins Activists for Israel (CHAI)'s Israel Peace Week took place this week at Hopkins to campaign about the Israeli desire for peace. Hasbara Fellowships, StandWithUs, JerusalemOnlineUniversity and Hopkins Hillel, in addition to College Republicans, Foreign Affairs Symposium, Sigma Iota Rho and Students for Environmental Action (SEA) sponsored the week of events.
The annual Foreign Affairs Symposium hosted Jon Ashcroft, former Attorney General during the George W. Bush administration, this past Tuesday in Shriver Hall. His presentation to the Hopkins community surrounded the precarious issue of freedom in American society.
In honor of Black History Month, the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Hopkins Muslim Association (JHUMA) collaborated to host a dinner on Sunday, Feb. 19, and talk about Islamic history in Baltimore. Entitled Food and Fellowship, the program featured Diwan Al-Amin, a professor of Islamic studies at the Community College of Baltimore County, as the keynote speaker.
Hopkins has launched the China STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine) program to apply the Chinese language to growing academic fields for career purposes in partnership with Nanjing University. Beginning in the summer of 2012, this eight-week long summer program of study will take place in the Hopkins-Nanjing University Center for Chinese and American Studies.
The seventh annual Lighting of the Quads event was held yesterday to celebrate the holiday season with lights, food, music and the Gingerbread House Making Competition.
Project Green Challenge, a month-long lifestyle contest sponsored by the educational movement Teens Turning Green, selected two teams from Hopkins part of the 12 finalists nominated for a national Green Living Award.
The Walters Art Museum and the Hopkins Hellenic Students Association co-hosted an evening at the museum in celebration of the renowned Archimedes Palimpsest Exhibition, Lost and Found: The Secrets of Archimedes, last Thursday. Attendance was limited to sixty prominent attendees — influential Baltimorians and powerful members from the Greek community from across the nation.
The MSE Symposium hosted David Axelrod, senior advisor to President Barack Obama, this past Tuesday. Axelrod discussed his views on political divisions, healthcare and other hot topic issues, while incorporating his history with the Obama administration and his view on the current political climate.
Real Food Hopkins held its second annual 100-Mile Meal, a real and sustainable meal followed by a panel discussion, in celebration of the first national Food Day. The event was held on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Charles Commons and attracted approximately 100 diners and proponents of the real food movement.
Nadav Weinberg, former combat soldier in the Israel Defense Force offered a presentation on the martial art of Krav Maga in the AMR I MPR room Tuesday.
The Midnight Breakfast was held this past Saturday as a part of Fall Fest, and attracted a sizable crowd of at least 700 undergraduates and young alumni.