Author Archives: Kevin Jiang

Balancing Passion And Practicality

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Laura Rodriguez de Simons, the Client Services Director for The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County, led a great discussion on her work in advocacy and her unique career path. I found the somewhat indirect nature of her career to be really fascinating. She started out as a project manager at a large real estate corporation, but discovered her true passion was in non-profit and advocacy work. She discussed how she actually enjoyed her experiences in the corporate world, but there is of course a significant difference between enjoyment and passion.

At the same time, she also recognized that with any career, some degree of pragmatism is certainly necessary. This is especially relevant for college students, where taking unpaid jobs and internships for non-profit companies seems infeasible. Perhaps a willingness to do is a true indication of passion, but is it really necessary to sacrifice financial stability to pursue what we are excited about? It is a difficult question that depends on each individual’s beliefs, but one possibility is to engage in non-profit and advocacy work in one’s spare time and then have a more financially fulfilling career as a day job.

Learning About Cambodia

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Professor Andrew Mertha lead a highly engaging discussion on Cambodia and its relations to China. He discussed how Cambodia’s recent history has been dominated by the rule of the Khmer Rouge, who committed vast genocide against the Cambodian people. Unfortunately, because the United States was in the midst of a war with Vietnam during this period, they were somewhat reluctant to destroy the vicious and brutal regime of the Khmer Rouge.

He also discussed the relationship between Cambodia and China that has existed for quite some time. China has arguably had the most commercial and cultural influence on Cambodia, and in fact, China supported the Khmer Rouge. This was due to both ideological and political reasons, as the Khmer Rouge’s approach was perhaps a more severe implementation of Mao’s cultural revolution and also China viewed the Khmer Rouge as a counter to Vietnam. I found the professor’s adventures to study the relationship between China and Cambodia incredibly fascinating. For example, he discussed how he attempted to decipher dense Chinese documents he discovered in Cambodia and was actually able to do so through the help of a student. The professor definitely allowed me to realize that education, learning, and research are not necessarily linear activities, but require some degree of adventure and meandering to achieve truly satisfying results.

Succeeding in College

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I attended the Rose Café which featured Professor Dan Schwartz, who discussed and provided various pieces of advice that originated from his new book How to Succeed in College and Beyond: The Art of Learning. I thought that talk was highly interesting and filled with many insights. My favorite piece of advice that he gave us was to “take teachers”. Professor Schwartz vouched for the idea that building relationships with teachers who truly care can greatly improve one’s educational and college experience. As someone majoring in computer science, almost all computer science courses are becoming more and more oversubscribed due to the explosion of interest in the major. Unfortunately, this means that our class sizes make it difficult for teachers and students to develop any deeper relationships or connections. However, going forward, even if developing these relationships in computer science courses is somewhat tough, I can certainly attempt to take courses in areas such as the humanities, where class sizes are generally smaller and these relationships are easier to build.

I also thought the professor’s remarks on greek life were quite insightful. He criticized the system by arguing that diversity doesn’t really exist in the system. Each fraternity generally has a narrow set of beliefs and perspectives that are only reinforced in the presence of other like-minded individuals. Thus, the professor states that individuals miss out on an opportunity to expand their horizons, which is generally a large benefit of college.

While I agreed with the professor on most of his viewpoints, I also believe that each person seeks to obtain certain and different experiences out of their time in college, and thus, there truly is no one right path to succeed.

Cool Work and Relaxation Techniques

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Sarah Rubenstein-Gillis and Andrea Gerding from Gannett Health Services led a discussion on work and relaxation techniques that we can effectively employ to improve our lives. Despite the immense benefits and eye-opening experiences that college provides an individual, sometimes it feels like the work load amounts to more than a full-time job. At the beginning of each day, it can certainly appear daunting when it seems like the work and activities of the day will leave you with minimal spare time. However, Rubenstein-Gillis and Gerding emphasized the utility and importance of chunking one’s work. Indeed, rather than deciding to sit down for the entire afternoon to fully complete an essay or a problem set, it can be far more effective to have shorter work sessions of say, 30 minutes, where the goal is to complete a short task like a paragraph or single problem and then take a short break before you begin the next work session. I actually tried this technique a couple days later, and I can definitely attest to the fact that this is truly a great technique!

Another interesting component of the discussion was when our guests led us through a few minutes of meditation. As someone who has never practiced or engaged in any type of meditation, I was certainly curious about the mechanics of it. Although we only practiced basic breathing techniques in those few minutes, for some reason, I certainly felt more loose and relaxed afterwards. This definitely got me more interested in meditation!

The Importance of Soil

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Senior Research Associate Dawit Solomon came to the Rose Cafe to discuss with us the importance of soil. Like everyone else in the room, I came into the discussion aware of the necessity of soil in regards to agriculture and food for the planet. However, I was unaware of the immense amount of science and research being performed in order to develop soil with even greater utility. Specifically, Mr. Solomon described how high-quality soil can actually be a carbon “sink”, which would aid tremendously in combatting global warming. He also discussed how despite all the advances and discoveries being made, scientists have yet to arrive at a modern solution for soil that can effectively store carbon. In fact, I found it particularly interesting when he showed that soil created from indigenous peoples using native artifacts was actually quite effective in accumulating carbon. Perhaps, this definitely speaks to a larger point or theme, where modern-day human beings can learn a great deal from the practices of indigenous peoples.

The Dream Act and DACA

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GRF Esmeralda led an insightful discussion on the lives of undocumented immigrants in this nation. Due to the fact that presidential campaigning has dominated the vast majority of media coverage in the past several months, the discussion of immigration has been a hot-button issue. Unfortunately, however, discussion of undocumented immigrants on a more human level has been severely lacking. Undocumented immigrants are exploited to a great deal by many corporations and Americans in this nation, and it is not a stretch to say that our economy could not survive without their contributions. Yet, there is still a tremendous amount of ill-will from many Americans towards these immigrants, and government itself has not provided any truly permanent and quality solutions to allow the millions of undocumented immigrants in this nation to come out of the shadows.

One highly well-known policy is The Dream Act, which essentially states that if undocumented children, who are brought into this country by their undocumented parents, follow certain “steps” like obtaining a high school degree and then a college degree, they can be provided permanent residency. Many immigrants, however, view this policy as a “box” that forces individuals to essentially follow one path to legal status. However, this does not describe millions of immigrants who, for example, would simply like to obtain a work permit. Thus, DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is perhaps a step in the right direction, as it provides for undocumented immigrants who entered this nation before their 16th birthday a two-year work permit and exemption from deportation. There is a still a great deal of progress needed to be made in order for all undocumented immigrants to live a dignified and secure life.

Change is Difficult for Human Beings

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House Professor Garrick Blalock led an interesting an interesting discussion in the Rose Cafe about the adoption of new technologies and tools in today’s world. He began by asking us about our beliefs regarding global warming and whether human beings contribute immensely to this unfortunate phenomenon. Everyone in the room recognized that human beings play an immense role in causing global warming, yet when asked how many of us actually drive a Prius to be environmentally friendly, only a couple people indicated that they own one. The professor then focused on this seeming discrepancy, and students provided a range of justifications, such as the lack of style and social status associated with driving a Prius and also the fact that an individual’s actions in all likelihood would lead to practically zero difference. He then discussed how one of his research projects was centered around the adoption of new technologies and tools in Africa. Specifically, one incredibly problematic aspect of life in many villages is the use of what as known as a three-stone cook stove, which releases a profuse amount of smoke and thus causes a lot of health and lung problems for humans who operate them. The professor discussed how his team sought to introduce a safer and healthier cooking stove through various means such as demonstrations and various trial periods, but in the end, the adoption and usage rate was close to 0 percent.

I think the discussion definitely revealed that human beings are creatures for whom change can be tremendously difficult. Even if the proposed change seems highly beneficial and reasonable, for one reason or another, we often times do not accept it. In some cases, it could perhaps be a result of the presentation of the proposed change, although the various mechanisms and presentation formats that Professor Blalock and his team utilized to introduce the new cooking stove seem to suggest otherwise. Indeed, I suppose that all human beings possess some type of innate stubbornness that makes accepting change difficult.

Cornell Tech: A Different Approach to Computer Science

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It was great to have Adam Shwartz, Director of the Jacobs Institute, come to the Rose Cafe and talk to us about the many opportunities available at Cornell Tech. As a computer science major myself, I was particularly interested in what the director had to say about the overall approach of Cornell Tech to education. Specifically, a masters program in computer science is available both in Ithaca and Cornell Tech, so I imagined that Cornell Tech’s program would be fairly different. Indeed, I learned that Cornell Tech places great weight on the humanities in their program, as participants are required to take several classes in areas like business. The director stressed that a lot of computer science students often lack the basic terminology and knowledge in areas such as medicine to effectively communicate with for example, a doctor or a medical professional in order to effectively sell a software application. The goal of Cornell Tech’s program is thus to bridge the gap in areas such as these, which can lead an engineer to be a more effective entrepreneur and also develop a better understanding of what types of products are potentially useful.

The discussion definitely made me more interested in Cornell Tech, as I would definitely consider the possibility of going there for post-undergraduate studies. In general, I think computer science curriculums should involve a healthy dose of humanities, especially because most industry software is not developed for consumption by software engineers and computer scientists, but rather for everyday Internet users and individuals like doctors, lawyers, teachers, etc. Thus, gaining an understanding of the desires and terminology of these individuals allows for development of more effective software.

Comedy For Environmentalists

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We were fortunate in the Rose Cafe to have Professor Aaron Sachs lead a discussion on the lack of comedy that is associated with environmentalists and climate scientists. Through various video clips that satirized the approach of environmentalists when it comes to spreading their message, the professor attempted to convey that this current uptight approach isn’t working in regards to getting the message across. This perhaps suggests that a slightly less solemn method would be more effective. Indeed, comedy allows a subject to be more relatable on some level than it would have been through only a listing of facts. At the same time, comedy can cause a subject like global warming or climate change, which at its core is arguably the greatest challenge that mankind faces going forward, to lose the gravity that it may need for significant action to be invested into preventing it. As the professor stated, it is quite easy to watch a funny video or read a humorous article and focus more heavily on the comedy rather than the core subject or message itself. I guess it truly is an extremely tricky situation, but it is certainly feasible that if executed properly, it can lead to enormously positive results as many more individuals will be able to recognize the magnitude of an issue through comedic presentation.

The Importance of Melancholy

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Sara Schlemm, a PhD candidate in the English department at Cornell University, led a discussion on melancholy and its differences compared with sadness in the recent Rose Cafe. Coming into the discussion, I had honestly seen the words as synonymous, but in fact, the portrayal of the two in areas like literature and film is quite different. We established early on the in the discussion that melancholy is perhaps a more profound word in the sense that it refers more to a mood than a pure emotion. In literature for example, Hamlet certainly illustrates this when his father dies, and his mother and Claudius prepare to get married. He chastises them for not recognizing the gravity of his father’s death, as it is clear they do not share his contemplative state. Hamlet does indeed experience sadness, but his contemplative and reflective state adds significant weight and meaning. In Vertigo, we see again that melancholy manifests itself in a manner that is far more profound than simple sadness. Kim Novak’s character exhibits a deeper state in a number of ways: she attempts to imitate the appearance and life of a female in a painting that clearly captivates her, and the interaction with the detective in the forest reveals her belief in the meaninglessness of life.

While both Hamlet and Kim Novak’s character’s melancholy perhaps led them far too astray, an interesting idea we touched on in the discussion is the value and maybe even the necessity of a small degree of sadness or melancholy in our lives. Indeed, the popular film Inside Out attempts to illustrate that some melancholy can enrich the experiences of our lives and allow us to develop a deeper appreciation for our existence.   

The Planning And Development Of Ithaca

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We were fortunate that Lisa Nicholas, a city planner of Ithaca, was able to come to the Rose Cafe and talk to us about city planning and development in Ithaca. She began the session by stating how despite the recent population growth of Tompkins County, Ithaca’s population size has been relatively stagnant. I found this to be somewhat surprising, given that Ithaca’s academic environment seems to make it an ideal place to live. However, she explained to us that the main problem with population growth lies in the costs of housing. Specifically, the limited amount of housing and low vacancy rate inevitably makes housing an expensive aspect of living in Ithaca. Thus, she described how several of the recent construction projects have been targeted towards creating residential spaces.

What I also found surprising were the recent developments in and around the Commons. Recently, the Commons was revamped, and it has already lead to a more vibrant atmosphere in this part of Ithaca. In addition, plans of building a new luxury hotel in this area definitely seems like a cool development. I imagine that the members of the city planning group of Ithaca are attempting to illustrate that despite being known for its incredible academic environment, the city is also a pretty special tourist destination in its own right. Indeed, the natural scenery and beauty of Ithaca is too often forgotten, especially as Cornell students because we have the fortune to experience it with every step on campus.

Money in Developing Countries

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We were fortunate to have professor Nicolas van de Walle come to the Rose Cafe. He enlightened us regarding the political and economic development of developing countries in Africa. He focused greatly on the impact of foreign aid on these countries. Generally, we often view this type of aid in a very positive light because seemingly, it would be utilized to address issues such as humanitarian crises, medical emergencies, etc., but in reality, there are enormous complexities that come along with such significant “donations”. As the professor stated in the session, often times this aid can be responsible for generating 15-20% of a nation’s budget. Thus, many of these donators expect to exert great influence in regards to the manner that their money is allocated. Unfortunately, the business and economic interests of these individuals or governments are often not in line with the best interests of the countries they send monetary aid to. As a result, the money is unable to be utilized in critical areas like developing core infrastructure or addressing humanitarian crises. Worse yet, many of these countries suffer from severe internal corruption. The professor recounted how in one of his visits to an African country, people often had to take everyday objects with them when they left their homes due to the amount of theft that existed in these countries.

The professor concluded the session with a large idea: most of the times, democracy is the best way to achieve significant political, economic, and societal growth in a developing nation. While, an in-depth argument of this idea is certainly beyond the scope of a one hour session, he suggested that the negative impact of issues such as corruption would certainly be greatly minimized and also provides a healthy environment and atmosphere for infrastructural development. This Rose Cafe was highly informative and enjoyable.