As I prepare to graduate this semester, I reflect on all that I have learned and experienced during my time at Tech.

These past few years have provided me with so many life lessons and opened my eyes to necessary truths.

When first starting at Tech as a transfer student I felt like I had entered into a new reality.

I believed that my decision to attend Tech would change my life and future for the better. I had no idea how a different world I was stepping into.

A few words of advice I would have given myself is that I’m stronger than I give myself credit for, to never count myself out, not be afraid to look foolish and to simply raise my hand in class more.

Instead of focusing on what I could learn from my professors and peers, recognizing that I too have a unique perspective to bring to the table.

Tech has challenged me both academically and mentally in a way that I have never experienced before.

I’ve taken some of the most difficult courses I’ve ever taken here, but also managed to make friends for life in those same classes.

These past few years have demonstrated that you truly get back what you put in.

During my first semester at Tech, I challenged myself to join at least two student organizations in order to become more involved on campus.

Although I soon came to realize that not every club was going to be welcoming or the perfect fit for me, it was my responsibility to learn something from that experience. I realized that comfort can be found outside your comfort zone.

It wasn’t until my second year at Tech that I decided to start contributing to the Technique. After coming from numerous other organizations that lacked diversity and had no intentions of making much-needed changes, this publication was a breath of fresh air.

The then Editor-in-Chief made me feel like I was a part of the publication family as soon as I walked through the door.

It’s the little things like first greetings that stick with you years later.

The Technique has allowed me to be a part of something bigger than myself.

By providing me with the platform to speak on what my experience at Tech as a Black woman has been life-changing.

Moreover, the subsequent positive feedback I have received in regards to my series from numerous students, professors, and Tech administrators has only solidified my sense of belonging here.

Although I feel closer to the Tech community now, it took great strides to get to where I am today.

Another piece of advice that I would give myself is that no one really knows what they’re doing.

I suffered greatly from imposter syndrome upon arriving at Tech.

I was a Black liberal arts transfer student and I felt like every move I made or word I said had to be perfectly calculated or poignant. This is not the case. It is more than okay to be awkward, goofy or stumble over your words from time to time.

I wish I had known sooner that there is an intersection between confidence and awkwardness.

All the while I was feeling like an outsider, I neglected to realize that at some point, almost everyone around me had also struggled with similar insecurities.

While being Black while at Tech was by no means easy or a walk in the park, I am beyond grateful for the experience.

Although this chapter is closing for me, I hope that other students will feel more confident in celebrating what makes them different.

Before beginning this series I believed that no one at Tech was ready for what I had to say, but I now know that isn’t the case.

The Tech community rose to the occasion and was extremely receptive to my experiences as a Black woman at Tech.

After the chaos of the past year with the COVID-19 outbreak, there is finally an end in sight with the arrival of vaccines.

However, much is still to be done before the student body returns to in-person classes next fall.

Although in-person classes will start to bring back the long-lost sense of normalcy for a college student on campus, there are still many concerns with faculty safety and the possibility of another outbreak.

This leads to the question of what requirements should be put in place for the safety of students and faculty alike.

Word has been passed around about the possibility of a COVID-19 vaccination requirement for students to return to in-person classes and campus events.

To gain insight into the opinions of the student body, the Technique interviewed multiple Tech students about their opinions on a vaccine requirement for in-person classes.

Cassie Baker, a second-year LMC major, immediately chimed in on the topic as it is one she has been contemplating over the past few weeks.

Baker herself has already received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
“My personal opinion is that it should be mandatory that we receive the COVID vaccine before attending in person classes,” Baker said. “However, because we attend a public institution I don’t think that they can mandate that everyone receive the vaccine.”

“But if people are refusing to receive the vaccine I don’t think they should have the luxury of attending classes in-person and putting others at risk.”

“I believe Tech should continue offering a virtual option for classes for those who are uncomfortable with attending classes in-person as well as those who wish to not be vaccinated.”

Third-year CS Lindsay Ashby also took a pro-vaccine position similar to Baker.

“I do believe students should have to be vaccinated in order to attend in-person classes. However, I understand some people’s hesitation because the vaccine is so experimental,” Ashby said.

“Perhaps Tech could wait until the spring semester to make the vaccine a requirement since there will be more research and understanding by then.”

“I also believe that there should still be an online option for students who do not wish to receive the vaccine or those who still feel unsure about returning to normalcy.”

Second-year AE Dylan Hughes also offered his opinion on a vaccine requirement for in-person classes. Hughes contemplated the morals of enforcing the COVID vaccine on members of campus.

“I think that Tech should mandate the vaccine just like they do with all other vaccines,” Hughes said.

“It should be required unless students have personal or religious reasons not to. It should not be forced on people who have their own reasons to not receive the COVID-19 vaccine or any vaccines in general.”

First-year BIO Lexie Edwards also provided her opinion on a vaccination requirement for in-person attendance.

“Students should be vaccinated to return to in-person classes in order to ensure that they and everyone around them is safe from COVID-19,” Edwards said. “Because not everyone has the privilege to get the vaccine, requiring those who can makes not only our classrooms but our campus safer and healthier.”

“Getting the vaccine also promotes the idea that the students of this campus trust in the science that they learn and the innovation that their professors and peers are fostering.”

Second-year ALIS Laynie McGrail was also pro-vaccine mandate, which seems to be a popular opinion on campus.

“I think requiring vaccines would be ideal for ensuring the safety of every student and professor in attendance if we were to go back to fully in-person classes,” McGrail said. “In the case of most large gatherings, this might not be feasible due to the lack of accessibility for certain people, whether it’s availability of the vaccine or transportation to vaccination centers.”

“However, I believe that since Georgia Tech is offering vaccines to each individual on campus, and will continue to do so as long as vaccines are available, a mandate on vaccinations for attendance isn’t unreasonable.”

Overall, many students believe a vaccine mandate for in-person classes would be a reasonable request from Tech.

However, there is still much to consider in regards to moral rationales for not receiving the vaccine since we cannot force it on those with personal reasons not to receive it.

It is still up in the air what the requirements will be for in-person classes this fall, but thus far, a vaccine mandate being implemented does not seem out of the question.

The Tech baseball team returned to Mac Nease Baseball Park last weekend for the first time since its series against Pittsburgh three weekends before. The Jackets, facing the Virginia Cavaliers in a Thursday, Friday, Saturday series (altered from the traditional weekend format to accommodate Easter Sunday), won the opening bout before falling in the two subsequent meetings.

The Jackets defeated the Cavaliers 6-5 on Thursday on the back of a stellar start from junior left-hander Brant Hurter. The hurler went seven innings while allowing no runs as he continued a streak of excellent performances on the mound. The Cavaliers had better luck against Tech’s bullpen, scratching across three runs against junior Hugh Chapman and freshman Dalton Smith in the eighth inning. Sophomore Luke Bartnicki took the mound in the top of the ninth and earned the save despite surrendering two runs (one earned) and allowing the tying run to reach third base.
Senior right-hander Griff McGarry started Thursday’s matchup for the Cavaliers and struggled immediately, giving up two runs in each of the first two innings on five hits and four walks. Senior Paul Kosanovich relieved McGarry in the third inning and stopped the bleeding temporarily, but surrendered two earned runs of his own in the fourth inning. Senior right-hander Paul Whitten finally silenced the Jackets’ bats, allowing no runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh, and Freshman left-hander Jake Berry added a scoreless eighth to finish things for the Cavaliers.

Offensively, the Jackets were led by freshman catcher Kevin Parada, who went 4-5 on the day in his fourth four hit performance of the season. Junior shortstop Luke Waddell added a solo homerun and freshman first baseman Drew Compton tacked on an RBI double.

Junior right-hander Andy Archer got the start for the Jackets on Friday, cruising through three scoreless innings before losing control of the game in the fourth. The inning began with a quick groundout back to Archer for the first out. Archer then worked his way into a jam, starting with a walk, followed by a line-drive single and a bunt which the pitcher failed to field cleanly, allowing the batter to reach and a run to score on the error. Archer fielded a second bunt to get the second out of the inning, but subsequently walked another batter to load the bases, which set junior Nic Kent up to launch a grand slam over the left field wall.

In the bottom of the fourth the Jackets were able to claw back two runs on a Kevin Parada solo shot and a sacrifice fly from freshman designated hitter Stephen Reid to cut the deficit to three, but Tech’s offense failed to score throughout the rest of the game as they faced excellent pitching performances from Virginia’s senior starter Andrew Abbot and senior reliever Blake Bales. Tech’s bullpen looked better than the 8-2 final score implies. Freshman Josiah Siegel took over for Archer in the fifth and gave up significant contact. Still, he maintained his composure and control over his pitches and limited the damage to one run. Siegel tossed a scoreless sixth before the Cavaliers adjusted to his pitching and loaded the bases on three straight hits in the seventh.

Freshman Dawson Brown inherited Siegel’s jam, allowing runs to score on a wild pitch and a sacrifice fly before retiring the side. Brown worked a scoreless eighth (though he did allow two walks) and sophomore Cort Roedig finished things up, working a scoreless ninth.

Sunday’s game was a frustrating one for the Jackets. Sophomore Sam Crawford got the start and initially struggled to limit hard contact, allowing several hard-hit balls in the first inning and giving up a run in the second. Crawford seemed to hit his stride in his second run through the Virginia batting order, allowing just an infield single in his remaining three innings.

Crawford exited the game after the fifth inning, handing the reins to Luke Bartnicki, who surrendered runs in the sixth and seventh innings. The bullpen imploded from there, as freshman Zach Maxwell pitched the eighth inning and struggled with his command, allowing the Cavaliers to tack on two more runs on three walks and a single. Freshman Dalton Smith started the ninth inning and struggled to miss bats, allowing four hits without recording an out before being replaced by junior John Medich, who finally retired the Virginia offense after it scored six runs in the final frame.

Tech’s offense was held scoreless through the first five innings by Cavaliers starter Mike Vasil before scoring lone runs in each of the subsequent innings. The Jackets’ bats showed some life late in the game, but the Cavaliers struck back in the next inning each time they cut into the deficit before eventually putting things out of reach in the top of the ninth and handing Tech an 11-4 defeat.

The series raises serious concerns about the Jackets’ bullpen and defense (Tech fielders combined for 9 errors on the weekend). Additionally, Tech’s offense was quieted more effectively than it had been all season, in part due to a poor approach at the plate which allowed Virginia’s Friday and Saturday starters to keep their pitch counts down and work late into the games. The Jackets have room to improve in several phases of the game.

Tech returns to ACC play this weekend, going on the road to face Notre Dame in South Bend. After that, the team travels to Blacksburg to face Virginia Tech before returning to Mac Nease Baseball Park for a homestand against Florida State, all interspersed with non-conference tilts.

Jackets both past and present are making discoveries and solving problems around the world — and in space.

Two Tech alumni, Robert Shane Kimbrough, MS OR ‘98, and Robyn Gatens, CHBE ‘85, are working with NASA and the International Space Station (ISS) to discover ways in which space exploration and research can positively impact humans back on Earth.

Currently, Kimbrough is the spacecraft commander of the SpaceX Crew-2 mission, which will be launching on April 22 at the Kennedy Space Center in Fla.

Kimbrough and his crew will be traveling through space to the International Space Station for an approximately 180 day visit to research various fields of science, including health and medicine.

The crew will consist of NASA astronauts Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Akihiko Hoshide and ESA (European Space Agency) astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

They will be using a Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Fittingly, the mission patch features a dragon.

“The determined expression of the Dragon in the patch reflects the strength of the team and their contribution to the exploration of space,” Kimbrough wrote in a Tweet.

As part of the training for the mission, Kimbrough and his crew trained in T-38 Talon jet trainers.

“Many hours in the jet improve our space flight skills in a highly dynamic, fast-moving environment,” Kimbrough wrote in another Tweet.

Long before being selected by NASA in 2004 to train as an astronaut, Kimbrough graduated from The Lovett School in 1985 and graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point in 1989 with a degree in aerospace engineering.

Kimbrough served in the United States Army and was deployed in in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War as a helicopter pilot in 1991.

After graduating from Tech with his Masters Degree in Operations Research, Kimbrough taught as an Assistant Professor at the United States Military Academy and worked at NASA as a Flight Simulation Engineer.

Kimbrough’s first visit to the ISS was in 2008 as a Mission Specialist on STS-126 and while there, went on two spacewalks, both of which were over six hours long.

Kimbrough’s second mission to the ISS was from 2016 to 2017 as a part of Expedition 49/50, when he spent several months in space completing multiple spacewalks to perform maintenance and improvements on the ISS.

To stay updated Kimborugh’s preparations until launch on April 22 for his third trip into space, follow him on Twitter at @astro_kimbrough.

While Kimborugh is getting ready for lift-off, another Tech alumni, Gatens, was named the Director of the International Space Station on March 28. Gatens had previously served as the acting director of the ISS for approximately seven months.

Gatens has worked at NASA for 35 years and started her work at the Marshall Space Flight Center.

She worked on projects focused on life support and environmental control systems for deep space exploration.

As director, Gatens will focus more on policy decisions, risk management and analysis, as well as strategy for the ISS.

Kathy Lueders, the associate administrator of Human Exploration and Operations explained NASA’s choice for Gatens as the ISS Director.

“Robyn’s leadership, experience and strategic vision for the International Space Station have been clearly demonstrated as she’s worked closely with the station team as deputy and acting director,” said Luders in a NASA Press Release. “I’m confident she will continue our efforts of maximizing the space station for science, research and technology development, including enabling a robust low-Earth orbit economy.”

Both Gatens’ work on Earth directing the ISS and Kimborugh’s work as an astronaut show the large impact that Tech alumni can have.

To read more about NASA and Gatens’ work, follow @NASA on Twitter.

A new exhibit at the Tech Library, “From Aurich to Atlanta,” showcases the creative works of Hin Bredendieck, the founder of the School of Industrial Design.

Born in 1904 in Aurich, a small town in northwest Germany, Bredendieck grew up in a household enamored with home repairs and paint jobs. After a four-year apprenticeship which he finished at 18, he attended both the Stuttgart School of Arts and Crafts and the State School of Arts and Crafts in Hamburg, but grew frustrated by the lack of creative innovation offered by these institutions. He returned to being a carpenter after graduating.

Meanwhile, Bauhaus, a design school founded by Walter Gropius in 1919 in Weimar, Germany, began operations in full swing. The school was focused on minimalism and united fine arts and handicraft into one modern design concept. In 1925, it relocated to Dessau, and in 1927 ushered Bredendieck into its metal shop program.

The school was very tolerant for its time, welcoming students from all religious and ethnic backgrounds. Professors taught that designs had to be functional and suitable for mass production, and in doing so, the school became a symbol for the union of modern efficiency and contemporary art.

While at Bauhaus, Bredendieck created perhaps his most celebrated contribution to industrial design: the Kandem lamp. This intensely functional and minimalist desk lamp, which is still used today, became especially popular from 1928 onwards, when Bauhaus partnered with a light fixture company able to produce them on a large scale.

At the height of Germany’s unemployment, Bredendieck received his diploma from Bauhaus and moved to Berlin to become a professional designer.

From 1932 to 1934, he worked in Zurich on new light fixtures and was by this time well-known in the relatively new field of industrial design.

In 1937, with the onset of the National Socialist dictatorship in Germany, Bredendieck was forced to return home. He married Virginia Weisshaus, who was both bilingual and American. The couple emigrated to the United States during the same year.

After settling in Chicago, Bredendieck started teaching at the New Bauhaus school, with Weisshaus acting as his translator during the first year of instruction. Because of financial strains, the school closed in 1938 and Bredendieck spent much of his time building wooden children’s toys and DIY furniture. In 1945, he received a position at the Institution of Design in Chicago, where he continued to teach in the Bauhaus fashion.

He joined Tech in 1952, where he established modern industrial design courses under his newly-founded School of Industrial Design.

This new area of expertise was especially important at the time given the advent of industry in the South.

Bredendieck’s courses were focused on wood and metal material and construction exercises, following the Bauhaus model he learned in his own undergraduate days.

The exhibit features many of the furniture fixtures designed by Bredendieck’s Tech students, where the Bauhaus influence is clearly visible.

This exhibit comes at a time when Bredendieck’s projects are just starting to be assembled after decades of disorganization.

Because his work is scattered across Oldenburg and Atlanta, he is not as recognized as one might expect for a pioneer in the industry.

“From Aurich to Atlanta” is bilingual (German and English) and open to the public until May 31 on the first floor of the S. Price Gilbert Memorial Library. In addition, three virtual events are planned for April, including a book talk on April 25 to discuss Gloria Köpnick and Rainer Stamm’s book “Hin Bredendieck: From Aurich to Austria.” More information can be found at library.gatech.edu.

Because I grew up in a predominantly white city and am now attending a predominantly white institution (PWI), maintaining my Blackness has always been an uphill battle. This piece is dedicated to the Black girls that are stuck in between who they are and who they want to be. Who you are now is exactly who you’re supposed to be.

It wasn’t until I graduated high school and left the suburban bubble of John’s Creek that I truly embraced my Blackness. As a teenager, I never felt ashamed of my skin color, but at the same time, I could never grasp why I should celebrate it. Even my white friends would make callous comments about how I didn’t “act” or “sound” Black. I’d never admitted it to them, but these comments stung and built up like plaque.

To make matters even worse some would say it as if it were a compliment. As if being Black was criminal. As if my own skin was my enemy and that being Black was something I had overcome. My advice to anyone that has ever gotten these comments is to never let anyone make you feel like a guest in your own body. Don’t shrink yourself or become a chameleon for the comfort of white people. Looking back I should have celebrated my Blackness even in the face of others demonizing it.

I wish I had realized sooner that there is no one size fits all approach to embracing your Blackness. The Black experience is not monolithic. There is no such thing as “sounding white.” It is an insult to ask if someone is mixed because you think they’re “too pretty to be just Black.” These are all forms of internalized racism that white people tend to perceive as compliments when in reality they are a means to make us feel inferior. Blackness should not be measured by its degree or proximity to stereotypical ‘white characteristics.’

It is saying that we must meet some standard of whiteness in order to be seen as attractive or intelligent. This is simply not the case. When you hear these comments do not dismiss them because even if you can, that may not be the case for the next Black person they say it to. No matter how insignificant these comments may seem in the moment, they are subconsciously detrimental to a Black adolescent’s psyche. Although these instances have helped me grow to celebrate my Blackness, it took time to come to terms with the fact that there is no mold I have to fit.

Even though Tech is located in Atlanta, a Black mecca, I have still found myself having the same encounters with my peers. If you find yourself in a conversation like this on campus or hear someone else make a racist backhanded remark, speak up for yourself and remember there is no white way to be Black.

As the pandemic continues to affect daily life, student organizations at universities are struggling to keep student engagement high when the only option for social activities is a virtual platform.

A new app, KemNu, which was created by a current Tech student, is designed to help organizations increase member engagement and provide an efficient and impactful platform.

It was created as part of the CREATE-X program.

Vishwa Mudigonda, Chief Technology Officer of KemNu and CS graduate student, explained the challenges student leaders face.

“We spoke to over 1000 individuals to get a good understanding of some of the pain points many college students were having,” Mudigonda said. “Turns out, eight out of 10 organizations are having difficulty managing members, funds, logistics or some of their hosted events.”

Mudigonda, together with Viraj Patel, Chief Executive Officer of KemNu, have found a solution to this issue.

“Colleges need a platform where they can improve engagement rates, get more members and so on,” Mudigonda said. “And that’s why we built KemNu, the ultimate college platform that brings students, organizations and local businesses together.”

All of the events hosted on KemNu are exclusive to the educational institution or college that users are attending. One way that the app increases engagement is by gamifying it.

“The more you participate in events that’s hosted on KemNu, the more KemNu coins you earn and you can utilize these KemNu coins to redeem local offers from local businesses around Tech,” Mudigonda said. “Students love earning those rewards and we are seeing engagement rates are up 400% for some of the organizations that have hosted events on KemNu.”

There are plenty of benefits for organizations as well, including a metrics dashboard to track logistics and a secure way to collect member dues.

Additionally, KemNu keeps notifications and clutter to a minimum.

“After an event is over, 24 hours later, the group chat gets deleted for that event,” Mudigonda said.

“So it reduces clutter. It frees up a lot of space. People are not bothered by thousands of random message groups.”

Viraj Patel and Vishwa Mudigonda met at a party while they were attending Georgia State University.

They had both had previous startups fail in the past and suddenly realized there was an issue that could be addressed right in front of them — partygoers were on their phones instead of talking to one another.

“Smartphone addiction’s a real thing and we ended up building out a platform saying, ‘Okay, if they’re using smartphones, why don’t we leverage that as a tool to connect with those students and let them know some of the cool things that’s happening on campus and let them come join those events and actually have a good engagement and a college experience,’” Mudigonda said.

The name KemNu comes from Gujarati.

“In Gujarati KemNu, kem means, ‘Hey what’s up,’ and nu means new friend, new person,” Mudigonda said. “So when you put it together, it’s like ‘Hey what’s up new friend.’”

After developing their idea and name, KemNu turned to CREATE-X for assistance to get started.

“They provided us a lot of mentoring, they also provided us funding as well, so that was great,” Mudigonda said. “Utilizing those funds we were able to contact developers offshore. So we hired some developers in India and they’re building out our tech platform. We come up with business requirements, we come up with mockups, they build it for us.”

Vishwa Mudigonda and Viraj Patel have grown their team to include Salina Patel, Marketing Director; Benjamin Adams, Marking Specialist; Rajat Vashisht, IOS Developer; Tenghui Ge, UI/UX Designer; and David Pan, Software Engineer.

After the pandemic caused major changes to college campuses and course delivery, the team made quick changes to their plans to focus on virtual events.

“I think a lot of people have been able to engage in a way that was different than before, but it really has been important for mental health of individuals,” Salina Patel said.

“So I think our pivot has really helped fill that closeness that people have been losing.”

Looking forward, KemNu has plenty of goals and plans to expand their app and reach.

“Our next goal is to build out our web and Android application. So, we have many organizations that are saying, ‘Hey look, we know you’re on the Apple App Store, on the iPhones only. We have a lot of students in our organization who have Android. Is that something you can build for us, and this is something we’re totally on-board, if you were on both platforms,’” Mudigonda said.

As a piece of advice to any students who dreams of their own startup, Mudigonda recommends never giving up, no matter the failure you may face.

“Always keep learning,” Mudigonda said. “There’s a failure around every single corner. You’re not going to get clients, you’re going to send millions of emails out, you’ll probably get one back. You’re going to be spending so much time for very little in return, but all of that hard work does not go wasted. You get better and better at it each time.”

Finally, make sure to find a problem to address that you want to solve.

“Don’t give up. Just keep going forward, and learn through your mistakes,” Mudigonda said. “Always figure out a problem you’re going to solve, and it’s a genuine problem.

“Don’t just blindly make something and hope it’s going to succeed because that’s not what works in reality.”

KemNu can be downloaded from the Apple App Store. More information can be found at kemnu.com.

The long-awaited raunchy comedy “Bad Trip” starring comedians Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery and Tiffany Haddish drops on Netflix on Mar. 26. The outrageous hidden cam comedy follows Andre and Howery’s characters on their road trip from Florida to New York on a quest to reconnect with Michaela Conlin’s character, Maria.

This nonsensical prank film is reminiscent of the “Jackass” film series, but also incorporates the outrageous public performance aspects of “Borat.” Before the release of the film, stars Eric Andre, Lil Rel Howery and Michaela Conlin sat down with the Technique and discussed all things “Bad Trip.”

Although this film was an amalgamation of many comedic minds, Eric Andre gave specific kudos to “Johnny Knoxville, Jeff Tremaine and Sacha Baron Cohen his comedy forefathers.”

The writers room and brainstorming process for content was a merging of the casts’ favorite comedians coming together to pitch ideas.

The randomness and chaos that lingers throughout the film is evidence of the numerous types of humor depicted.

During the interview, Andre said that “along with gaining inspiration from different comedians, he also brings his own comedic absurdity” to the film. He also went on to note how groundbreaking it was to take part in the “first hidden cam/prank movie with all people of color.”

“Bad Trip” like many other Eric Andre productions features extremely raunchy and berserk pranks that take confidence and tenacity to pull off in public.

Each stunt was pulled off with great cohesiveness and it leaves viewers wondering how Eric Andre and others became so adept at taking part in public pranks. He boiled it down to taking part in pranks since age 20, but admitted that when he started “his organs used to sweat from nerves” and that his costars Lil Rel Howery and Michaela Conlin were not eased into it by any means and were “thrown into the fire.”

Andre also cites the fact that many of the scenes were “so surreal that if you waver for a second, then the prank fails” and that the added pressure of the most outrageous pranks make it easier to stay in character.

Likewise, in pranks with Andre and Howery’s characters, they found themselves acting as one anothers “hype men” and “ping-ponging” energy in scenes.

Audiences would be shocked to find out that an extremely explicit Chinese finger trap scene happened to be shot on Lil Rel Howery’s first day and he quite literally did have to go from “zero to 100.”

What the audience does not see in the film is when a man pulled out a knife and threatened Andre and Howery if they did not leave the restaurant. This chaotic scene and a scene that takes place with a gorilla are arguably the most shocking in the whole film, but “Bad Trip” still manages to balance shock and humor with the fact that they are filming with real people.

“Comedy is a game of millimeters. You need to make sure that comedy doesn’t land in the realm of bad taste” Andre explained, “Intent and context are the DNA to make a comedic event feel good.” These two components, intent and context, are very apparent to viewers while watching “Bad Trip.” It is able to balance absurd pranks with a succinct narrative. Andre and other members of the writing teams were forced to write from a different perspective than they are used to. Instead of just writing from a “jokey” place, it was imperative that they had a solid narrative as well.

“Bad Trip” is a wild ride from start to finish that keeps viewers on the edge of their seat. The film wonderfully combines chaotic comedy with an engaging storyline.

Stream “Bad Trip” on Netflix any time.

On March 17, six teams of current and former Tech students presented their inventions and ideas at the annual InVenture Prize competition for a chance to win a portion of $35,000 worth of prizes.

The event, which is normally held live on Tech’s campus, was modified this year to abide by COVID-19 protocols and was broadcasted live on Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB).

A panel of three judges included Blake Patton, IE ‘ 93 and founder and managing general partner of Tech Square Ventures; Nashlie H. Sephus, Ph.D. ECE ‘14 who currently works with Amazon’s AI system as the Applied Science manager and is the founder of the non-profit The Bean Path; and Dev Mandavia, BMED ‘18 and only two time winner of the Tech InVenture Prize who currently works as head of strategy and operations at OXOS Medical.

During the hour and a half long show, each of the six teams presented their product and answered questions from the judges about topics ranging from finance and legal compliance to future plans.

Aya Ayoubi, fourth-year ID, won the first place prize of $20,000 and people’s choice award for $5,000 with her Delta Jacket, which is aimed at assisting the homeless population around the world with warmth and comfort.

“Homelessness can strike anyone at any time,” Ayoubi said. “These people are our mothers and brothers and sisters and fathers and they need our help and that’s why I created the Delta Jacket. It’s a revolutionary new product that can help give the homeless back some much needed heat and comfort.”

Ayoubi’s idea for the jacket places an emphasis on both functionality and aesthetics.

“The Delta Jacket, with its unique and patent pending technology, is an inflatable and reversible garment that can be blown up for added insulation or to act as air mattress type bedding,” Ayoubi said. “It also comes lined with an emergency foil fabric that can insulate you by reflecting your body heat inwards, and if it gets too hot, you can just flip it inside out and keep yourself cool.”

The Delta Jacket caught not only the attention of the panel of judges and InVenture Prize audience.

Since launching her website, Ayoubi has received 512 pre-orders from around the world and has a partnership with the Red Cross to distribute over 1,000 units of the jacket after it is manufactured.

Part of Ayoubi’s business model is to target campers to purchase the coat and donate one Delta Jacket to the homeless for everyone one unit purchased.

After winning the prize, Ayoubi expressed gratitude for those who had voted for her product and helped her along the way.

“Winning the InVenture Prize means I could help, potentially, hundreds of thousands of people, so thank you to all of the people who voted and thank you to all of the people who have helped me,” Ayoubi said. “By helping me, I will be helping thousands of homeless people.”

The second place winners Tim Felbinger, EE ‘20 and Zach Cloud, ME ‘20, founded StartProto, an access control system for shared tools in makerspaces. Both Felbinger and Cloud noticed through their own experience using makerspaces at Tech the potential dangers of having equipment in a shared space.

“Right now in most maker spaces, students can simply walk up and turn on any tool they want, which puts themselves and others at risk,” Felbinger said. “Makerspaces have thrown staff and spreadsheets at these problems for years, but no one has found a scalable solution until now.”

After being attached to the tool of your choice, StartProto only allows for authorized users to access the tool after tapping their ID.

Additionally, it provides insights such as peak usage statistics. Felbinger and Cloud emphasized that the makerspaces at Tech are just the beginning.

“Looking at makerspaces in high schools, companies and lab spaces, we’re looking at a total addressable market size of over 100 million dollars, a market that is growing 30% year over year,” Felbinger said, who mentioned StartProto has been approached by industries who also see the value in this technology.

The other finalists who presented their inventions included Matt McMullen, ME ‘20 and Emma Bivings, ME ‘20, whose SPOT Harness assists blind dogs.

McMullen created the idea after seeing his own blind dog, Gracie, have issues with mobility and quality of life after her diagnosis.

“The SPOT Harness is just like any other dog harness available on the market today, except it’s equipped with a system of proximity sensors and small gentle vibrating motors,” McMullen said.

“The sensors detect obstacles and trigger the harness to vibrate in order to alert the wearer of the impending collision.”

After developing a prototype of the harness that helped Gracie navigate obstacles with ease, McMullen and Bivings have now begun to work with other dogs to help improve their lives.

Second to present was team CADe, whose app helps engineers use computer-aided design (CAD) programs with easy-to-use technology. Team members include Sean Cody, BMED ‘20; Jake DePiero, fifth-year ME; Saiharshith Kilaru, fourth-year ECE; Tarun Muthuchamy, EE ‘20; Matt Segler, ME ‘20; and Ryan Soedjak, fourth-year CS. CADe works to improve efficiency while engineers use the software.

“CADe is designed to be used with the left hand to manipulate your model in 3D space, which frees up your right hand to select geometry and do all the other necessary commands for CAD,” Segler said.

“The bottom portion of the screen is dedicated to this 3D mouse function and the top portion is dedicated to user customizable shortcuts to avoid digging through endless menus.”

Second-year CMPE John Wooten presented Block Transfer, a decentralized stock transfer agent protocol. Wooten has been approached by 38 firms who are interested in reducing inefficiencies in transfer agent protocol.

“Decentralizing the stock transfer agent market really is the first step to opening global financial markets to the billions of people on this planet who just don’t have access to quality equity investments,” Wooten said.

Sammie Hasen, fourth-year BMED, presented BCase, a phone case to store birth control that is convenient and easy to access.

“BCase is designed to help women remember to take their birth control pills by ensuring their pills and alarm are always in the same place,” Hasen said. “BCase is patent pending and proves it’s valuable to women by adding convenience to birth control. All you have to do is flip your phone over as soon as the alarm goes off and take your pill.”

After hearing the contestant’s pitches, the judges agreed that the innovation and ideas presented were a sign of the talent and creativity of young engineers, scientists and creators.

“Especially this year, we’ve seen how important innovation is for changing how we work and live and if these students are an indication, our future’s bright,” Patton said.

“The teams get better every year,” Mandavia said similarly.

The ACC InVenture Prize, which features 15 universities’ best representatives, will be broadcasted on April 21.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, Tech students had the chance to attend a virtual screening of the 20th annual LUNAFEST, a film festival by and for women.

Sponsored by LUNA Bars, LUNAFEST is a program aimed at fueling women’s ambitions as well as their bodies and at amplifying voices that have been typically silenced. Seven short films were featured this year.

The first, “Overexposed” by Holly Morris, tells the story of the first all-women polar crew to reach the North Pole. It is a behind-the-scenes look at what it took to attempt to ski across a fragile crust of ice to reach the pole and is especially relevant as it might be the last of its kind due to melting ice.

Morris’s team followed the all-female team during their 2-year training period, carrying 80 pounds of film gear behind them in sledges to capture the journey.

After seven grueling days on ice, the team reached their destination, confirming their resolve, resourcefulness and sheer power as a groundbreaking collective.

The second short, “Knocking Down the Fences” by Meg Shutzer, profiles professional softball player AJ Andrews and the challenges she faces as a female athlete.

In 2016, Andrews was the first woman to win a Rawlings Gold Glove, an award given to the best fielders in professional baseball.

In the film’s introduction, Shutzer expressed her shock that Andrews was not a household name given her impressive athletic accolades. Through the film, we learn that her underexposure has to do with the way media covers women’s sports and the way female athletes are ignored by the world at large. Andrews is remarkably devoted to her sport.

“I’m going to make sure it ends up in my glove,” Andrews said about “any” ball in her vicinity.

Her teammates describe her as “fearless” and say that she “attacks anything.” According to Andrews, her prowess comes down to pure effort — to making the dive for the ball every single time.

It is telling then, that despite her effort she has to work two other jobs to live comfortably. She makes less than $15,000 a year and Major League Baseball (MLB) players on average make 650 times more than professional softball players.

“AJ Andrews dispels the myth of meritocracy in the U.S.,” said Amira Davis, assistant professor of history at Penn State.

The film explored the widespread belief that women’s sports do not sell and the ensuing decision to not cover them for financial reasons. The gendered pay within the sports world is a pertinent microcosm of gender inequality in the world at large.

Another film included in the festival, “The Scientists Versus Dartmouth,” directed by Sharon Shattuck, chronicles the 2019 sexual harassment scandal at Dartmouth College and the repercussions for the women involved.

The film highlighted the fear female scientists feel in speaking out against harassment doled out by professors. The victims in this case were frightened to lose the careers in science they had worked so hard for, especially under the pressure of a sexually repressive college culture.

Vassiki Chauhan, cognitive neuroscience Ph.D. candidate, got assaulted by her advisor after moving to the United States. She noticed that going out for drinks was the barrier to entry at college and that there were three professors in particular who went to these bars and paid for drinks for their students.

Chauhan says that mentorship at Dartmouth was heavily entwined with drinking culture. Professors incessantly joked about their students’ physical appearance, would set students against each other to keep them from forming bonds, inappropriately touched them and eventually assaulted some.

Eventually, some students began sharing their experiences with each other and realized the magnitude of the problem.

After launching a Title IX investigation, two professors retired and one resigned before they could be officially fired by the university.
In an attempt to find justice and to effect real change through a set precedent, the victims sued the college.

Although none of the women presented in the short film remained anonymous, they had originally planned on it because of their fear of being seen as victims rather than as scientists.

“The Scientists Versus Dartmouth” portrays the fear, isolation and rampant phenomenon of sexual harassment today.

The other four films not detailed in this article are equally important within the LUNAFEST showcase.

They include “A Line Birds Cannot See” by Amy Bench about the perilous journey of one woman immigrating from Guatemala to the United States, “Until She is Free” by Maria Finitzo on the visual representation of sex in the art world, “Connection” by Ciara Lacy about indigineous women in the male-dominated fishing world and “Betye Saar: Taking Care of Business” by Christine Turner about the iconic artist who used derogatory images of Blackness to expose and then shift deeply rooted racist cultures. Each of these films is definitely worth the watch.