For this Rose Talk, we got the opportunity to hear from sociologist Asad Asad, who conducted research on over thirty immigrant families in Texas. His research centered on the process of deportation and integration in American society. What surprised me most about his research was how willing some people were to participate in his study. Observational studies that involve subject interviews can be difficult, as many people may be reluctant to participate (Asad attributed his success in this aspect to his dimple that made him look friendly), especially in the case of immigration status. We also discussed the new upcoming census, and how the inclusion of immigration status may skew numbers and result in political shifts.
Author Archives: jkc229
Maplefest 2018
My experience at Ithaca’s annual Maplefest was an eye opening experience about the Ithaca community. Over 500+ people attended the event and showed their support for the Cayuga Nature Center. The nature center itself reaped many cool exhibits and even animals such as a beautiful fox and many indigenous species of birds and fish.
Seeing all the people there really made me feel more connected with the community around us, as many families were enjoying their time there. Living on Cornell campus can sometimes feel like a bubble, and I find that students frequently forget that Ithaca is still a town with its own people. Overall, I’m glad I volunteered at this event. I not only got the opportunity to connect with other Rose Scholars, but also people of the town of Ithaca as well.
The Foreign Policy of Black Panther
I particularly enjoyed Black Panther, as behind all the Marvel cinematic spectacles, foreign policy questions were at the center of the film’s plot. To sum up: Wakanda is a technologically sophisticated country that has pursued a grand strategy of isolationism. It purposefully shields knowledge about its power and capabilities from the outside world, exploiting stereotypes and prejudices about sub-Saharan Africa to sustain its subterfuge. At the start of the film, many of Wakanda’s power brokers are fine with this, though some have their doubts.
By the end, T’Challa enacts a new policy of openness and engagement with the rest of the world. Whether Wakandan society could handle the stresses of economic openness would be an open question. The international system, however, would probably welcome this shift. It is possible that, with quality leadership, Wakanda could pull off such a shift in its grand strategy.
I found this relation to current social issues on immigration appealing as I was watched the movie. Having immigrant parents myself, it was interesting to see the concept of anti-immigration being portrayed on screen.
Voting Holiday?
A few weeks ago, I attended the Rose Café event with Dr. Suzanne Mettler from the department of government, where she educated us on her own study about how citizens use their government programs. As a statistics major myself, it was interesting to visually see the charts and data she had collected to bolster her argument that even though there is an increasing distrust for the government, citizens’ use of government benefits is also increasing. Dr. Mettler asked us questions about mandatory voting and whether or not we find it convenient to vote ourselves. Toward the end of the discussion, Dr. Mettler suggested the solution of making voting day a national holiday, as is the case in many other countries. This would allow people with busy schedules to go out and vote and increase population participation as a whole.
Labor and Social Media
In this Monday table talk, there was a frequent back and forth between two conflicting sides on whether or not our “likes” on social media really matter, and whether or not engaging in social media is considered “labor” or not. After hearing both sides of the argument, I have come to the conclusion that both sides are right in their own ways.
Our likes on social media do allow for machine learning algorithms to correctly classify and tailor our advertisement preferences. This can be argued as a breach of privacy, and can be seen as a method of controlling the general population in a way where we don’t truly get to make our own decisions.
On the other end, in the grand scheme of things, these advertisements are there for a reason. Although it may seem as if social media platforms are exploiting its members to make a profit for themselves, we cannot forget how they are still businesses that need to sustain themselves, and that many members are aware of the fact that these platforms may be taking in advertising revenue.
Fight the Antibiotic Resistance
We frequently hear about the fight with antibiotic resistance, whether it’s in school, or on the news, etc. I attended this Rose Talk so I could learn more about the history of antibiotics, and I’m quite glad I did, as my wishes were sufficiently answered.
It all started in 1924 when Alexander Fleming had a cold while working with agar plates. Some of his mucus dropped onto an agar plate, and although this was a little gross, this accident led to the discovery of lysozyme. One of the most powerful natural antibacterial and antiviral compounds known to man, lysozyme has been used in foods and pharmaceuticals for over three decades as it naturally inhibits the growth of many spoilage organisms, increases a healthy shelf life and ensures food safety. It also boosts the immunity system.
Fleming also discovered the well-known penicillin in 1928 when he left agar plates out in his lab with a window open. Upon returning to his lab, he noticed that certain spots in the plates had mold growing around it, with no bacteria around the mold. This discovery was eloquently deemed to be called “mold juice” by Fleming, but is known as penicillin today.
In the talk, we learned more about the scaling up of penicillin production, and how it has affected the course of medical history. All in all, antibiotic resistance is inevitable, but there are ways that we can reduce its spread and effects. We must educate ourselves on when to use antibiotics and not use them so liberally.
How to Superbowl
If I’m being honest, I’ve never watched the Superbowl before. In the rare moments when I do catch a glimpse of the game, it’s usually to watch the commercials and halftime show.
However, I’m glad I decided to go to this event. Shiv had very informational packets all set up for us to go through, and I came out of that event definitely knowing more about football and I had going in. Furthermore, in addition to fun facts about the Superbowl, which helped me start understanding the game more, I also learned about sports gambling, which is actually legal now in some states across the US.
Overall, this event was pretty unique and I enjoyed it overall. It’d be nice to have more events like this as I found it very informative and fun as well.
Yes or No to Grad School
A question that frequently comes up in conversations regarding one’s career and future endeavors is the dreadful question of grad school (or, at least, it’s dreadful for me). Whenever this subject is brought up in any context, I immediately stress about my future and often experience a mini existential crisis at the same time.
However, the Grad School 101 seminar was very helpful in assuaging my worries about Grad school. Common questions that I had about how to figure out which programs to consider, what I need to apply, and whether or not I should even apply were answered thoroughly. I realized the importance starting early and building relationships with professors and advisors. There are many campus-specific resources available to Cornell students such as labs and research institutes, so we can be well prepared when the time comes to consider Grad Schools.
Overall, I’m glad to have attended this seminar as I feel much more confident and informed now about the process as a whole. I am dreading having to take the GRE though.