A bench that sits by the entrance to Maira Kalman’s “Pursuit of Everything” exhibit at The High Museum of Art welcomes visitors in quintessential Kalman fashion.

“It is great to walk. It is great to sit. It is great to think. It is great to not think,” the bench reads.

Throughout the two-story exhibit, visitors gain more insight into the duality of this author famed for both her children’s books as well as for her adult pieces. Her works are both kiddish and grownup, silly and serious, routine and singular.

Her versatility is further illustrated by the different modes of art on display — paintings, sketches, letters, maps, candy bars and more line the walls of the exhibit. And in true Kalman fashion, there are lots of dogs.

A focus of the exhibit is the Max Stravinsky series, a saga that follows the famed dog and his career as an artist, poet, traveler and, most of all, as a friend. As he travels the world to see great sights — from the pyramids in Egypt to the cafes in Paris — readers are transported into the expressive illustrations of Max’s world.

Kalman describes this beloved dog of hers as a reflection of the duality she has found in herself and in others: “Sometimes innocent and yearning. Sometimes downcast and confused. Well isn’t that everybody.”

While Kalman’s avant-garde character Max focuses on the more playful moments of life, some of her other pieces address more serious topics. Kalman has spoken out about the way that art provides a unique form of learning for viewers of any age, as participants are able to look at art and question what they see. Subjects of hers include Jefferson’s vision of democracy, Lincon’s dream of emancipation, the fight for women’s suffrage and even the tragedies of 9/11.

“Any subject that affects children is a suitable subject,” Kalman said. “And I try to approach the reader with a sense of compassion. So I am not trying to make someone miserable or frightened. I just want to say, here are some ideas, feelings, thoughts and we can discuss them. Most of the time, children are very receptive and appreciate the truth told in a kind and optimistic way.”

To give visitors an even closer look into the thoughts of the artist, the exhibit also offers a tucked away peek into her studio. This more intimate and private space features the personal photographs and keepsakes of Kalman — mock-up books, maps, postcards, paint rags, letters to her granddaughter and more allow visitors to see how such ordinary items have inspired the whimsical works of the artist.

When asked what message she hopes visitors take home from her exhibit, Kalman alluded to finding the exceptional within the everyday: “A sense of fun and play, pathos, curiosity, humor. Tolerance of the unexpected. Joy in the small things.”

Kalman’s“Pursuit of Everything” exhibit will display at the High until Sept. 15. As one employee of the museum assured a visitor, “You’ll want to touch everything in there.”

With Aramark replacing Sodexo as the new dining service provider, students can expect many changes when it comes to eating on campus.

The traditional dining halls of East Campus will feature different menus, and the micro-restaurants located on the second floor of West Village have been exchanged for other alternatives.

Another change of Aramark’s is the expansion of Kosher options to accommodate students who follow these dietary laws.

Last year was the first year that featured a Kosher option for the Jewish population at Tech: within the Student Center, diners could purchase a Kosher sandwich or frozen meal with dining dollars.

This year, hot meals and sandwiches will be available per request in Britain and North Ave as a meal swipe. The options at the Student Center will still be available on dining dollars and will be delivered with greater frequency to minimize freeze time.

As part of his position as a board member of the Jewish organization Chabad, 3rd-year CS Eitan Abramovich worked directly with Aramark to secure this expansion of Kosher dining. Noting the popularity of Chabad’s barbecue dinners on Tuesday nights as well as the Tuesday bagel breaks provided by another Jewish organization Hillel, Abramovich saw a need to increase dining options for students. He discussed how he viewed this development as an opportunity to increase diversity and inclusion within Tech.

“It is no longer a choice between being social and eating Kosher: now students can eat with their friends and do both,” Abramovich said. “[This] bring[s] more diversity which is necessary for the flow of ideas and [for] innovation to thrive.”

In alignment with Tech’s Strategic Plan for Institute Diversity which aims “to enhance a culture of collegiality, close collaboration, global perspective, intercultural sensitivity and respect and thoughtful interaction,” more students weighed in on how these new additions to Kosher dining can create a more inclusive campus.

“People can’t move here if they can’t eat,” second-year CS Dan Jutan said. “It’s important for Tech to recruit passionate, talented, and committed students … to support all who want to call Tech home.”

Jutan recalled the dilemmas he and 2nd-year APHY Shaun Regenbaum faced during their first year at Tech without a meal plan. Having to miss out on the social aspects of sharing meals with other students made it an even harder challenge for them to meet new people.

Although both friends look forward to using the new dining options, Regenbaum remains cautiously optimistic.

“I also know there is a long way to go in order to make this something that can accommodate the larger Jewish population,” said Regenbaum. “One good example is that in the fall semester there are a lot of Jewish holidays around October that prevent Observant Jews from attending class and doing their work. Having a culture in terms of teachers where this is understood can make it a lot more comfortable for Jewish students to approach their teachers.”

Advocating for more students to help address the concerns within their community, Regenbaum extended his desire for a more inclusive culture to the campus at large, advocating for wider involvement.

“Everyone needs to try to help the communities they find themselves in,” he said. “I guess we are just trying to find our places in a new community, and doing what we can when we can.”

What makes a day wonderful? Is it getting that grade you wanted on your last exam, hearing back from that exciting job opportunity or hanging out with that friend you have been crushing on?

What about for an artist like Maira Kalman who has published a score of children’s books, contributed to publications like The New Yorker and The New York Times, spoken at TED conferences, and filled museums with her work? What must occur before someone in such a position can consider a day wonderful? The answer can be found in “The Most Wonderful Day,” a four-minute video of Kalman’s that is on display as part of her “Pursuit of Everything” exhibit at the High Museum of Art.

“The Most Wonderful Day” does not focus on any of the acclaimed artist’s many triumphs or accolades, nor does it take place somewhere extravagant. Instead it features a day in the life of the artist in her New York studio and its neighboring parks. The video centers around a letter that Kalman writes to a loved one about what appears to be a rather ordinary day. She starts off by making herself breakfast (“You know how much I love toast,” she interjects.) Along the way, she causes several dishes to fall to their untimely demise.

A knock at the door informs her that her piano teacher has arrived. Who better to teach the famed Maira Kalman music than a chicken named Mrs. Danzenger? Kalman’s off-key rendition of a Mozart sonata continues to play in the background of the video while she moves into her studio to focus on painting, soon attending to other things (“Painting is exhausting!” she exclaims).

As she walks through Central Park, Kalman narrates about the joy of looking. There is so much to look at — from trees to people to penguins and more trees.

All this walking works up an appetite for the artist who then makes herself a very pink cake, not complete without a layer of raspberries on top. The great artist then completes her “truly, indubitably, without question” most wonderful day just as anyone else would; by rolling twelve clementines down the hall, of course.

Kalman’s video undeniably presents silly and even absurd moments, but it is nonetheless a video to be taken earnestly. Must something truly exceptional occur before a day can be considered wonderful? Can we look past mishaps of breaking dishes or the stresses of a demanding job to find wonder in the small moments? “Good,” “fine” or “okay” serve as the most typical responses to the question “How was your day?” When I began to replace these familiar responses with “wonderful,” I was “truly, indubitably, without question” always hit with another question: “Why?” To answer what had made my day so wonderful, I had to reflect back on the small moments of my day that were otherwise overlooked. “I already ate three apricots before lunchtime.” “The breeze outside the Culc rooftop was especially encouraging while I finished up some homework (well, at least tried to finish).” “I talked to my great-aunt on the phone today.”

I used to think that these small moments were nothing more than small; that they were disconnected patches of sun in what had been an otherwise rather grey and uninteresting day. I used to think an entire list of exceptional occurrences far greater than these small moments must first take place before I could consider a day wonderful.

As Kalman’s whimsical video reveals, these small moments are themselves exceptional. These sparks of light reveal the wonder that can be found in the colorful and interesting happenings of everyday experiences. People often think that when they have something — that coveted GPA, dream job or perfect relationship — then they will be happy.

Instead, make a change in your mindset — why not make today your “most wonderful” day?

Some people have got it all figured out: they have known what they want to do and how they want to do it since day one. Others haven’t got a clue: they are still searching for their calling and wonder if they ever will find it. Some may even wonder if such a thing even does exist. 

An early love and fascination for astronomy placed Michael Lemonick into membership of the first group. A failing grade in an introductory course in astronomy then transferred Lemonick’s membership into the second club. This same Lemonick would just years later become a leading science writer and the Chief Opinion Editor at Scientific American. 

On March 13, 2019, the College of Sciences hosted Michael Lemonick for an event Lemonick dubbed “How a Failed Astrophysics Major Became a Successful Science Writer.” Lemonick shared his story of dramatic transformation, explaining how despite — and maybe even because of — the twists and turns that curved his path, he has never failed to give up his pursuit of uncovering the mysteries in the world. 

Lemonick’s desire to study science was sparked at a young age, with his father serving as an influential figure in his life. As a physics professor and administrator at Princeton University, his father knew how to present science in a relatable manner not only in the classroom, but also at home.

“[My father] did not make me do any math, he did not make me solve any problem sets, we didn’t go into the lab… what he did was told me stories,” Lemonick recalled. “He got me excited about the awe and the majesty and the spectacular stuff going on in the universe, from the very largest scale to the very smallest scale.”

Fast-forward several years later, and Lemonick would discover that the awe and majesty of science were not always translated into science classes. He recalled the way in which conventional educational methods — with their dry textbooks, tedious problem sets and irritating lab instructions — often diluted the true wonders of science. Discouraged and frustrated, he failed his introductory astronomy course and was forced to change majors. 

Lemonick cited his lack of self-knowledge as the source of most of his difficulties. After graduating from college with a degree he did not care for, he moved back into his parent’s home and took a job as a delivery driver. Given his educational dilemmas, he did not know how to marry his interest in science with a profession. Lemonick attributed a strange, yet powerful force that worked to change the course of his life and guide him back to his early goals of pursuing science. 

“Almost like magic in the late 1970s, the field of science journalism suddenly emerged from obscurity to be everywhere. The New York Times, which has a science section every Tuesday, created that section at that time. So did The Washington Post,” Lemonick shared.

Now armed with a clear goal in mind — and with the help of a little magic — Lemonick was able to pave his path to success. With his newfounded ambitions, he was no longer discouraged by the unknown. He worked his way up from the bottom: he started working at a local newspaper and covering municipality operations until he was accepted into Columbia University’s School of Journalism. To date, he has held senior staff positions at Time, Climate Central, and Scientific American. 

Today, after overcoming many obstacles, Lemonick has achieved his childhood dream of uncovering the mysteries in the world. He meets with prominent researchers and communicates their discoveries to his readers. He attributes his ability to not only grasp complex scientific findings, but to also present them to others as resulting from the awe and majesty of science that has once again captivated him. 

Some people think they have got it all figured out, and others think they haven’t got a clue. As Lemonick’s intriguing story demonstrates, there exists no set path to a destination. Twists and turns can — and will — bend that path. It is an insatiable yearning to learn and grow that will lead travelers back on course, and onto their next adventure. 

Some people cannot play a game without their lucky socks, while some people insist on listening to their lucky song before a game. Some even search for symbols or omens like ladybugs or clovers. Others turn to game theory. Professor Robert Aumann is one such person. In fact, Aumann has received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for 2005 for his work in the study of game theory. 

On Jan. 29, the College of Computing and the School of Economics planned to host hundreds of people in the Scheller College of Business to hear Professor Aumann speak. Due to inclement weather, the large lecture was cancelled and instead exchanged for an intimate talk between Aumann and members of the on-campus Jewish organization Chabad. 

Nobel Laureate Aumann never once tired his audience with the complicated mathematical equations, theorems or proofs behind his work in game theory, speaking of the concept and its applications in a simple manner. He explained how this science of strategic interaction could be seen in everyday life and in things as simple as a game of chess or baseball. 

“There are a number of entities. They could be people, they could be corporations, they could be parties in a parliament. And each entity is striving for a goal, and the entities are interactive,” he explained. “Each one takes action, and those actions not only impinge on him but also on the other person… Each has to figure out what he should do to advance his goal, and he realizes that the other one is advancing his goals, and that the other one’s goal is not the same as his own goal.”

How does a person achieve his goal when their objectives differ from those of the person he is interacting with? Aumann stressed the importance of knowing that any action taken affects not only the actor but the other player as well. Therefore, understanding the other player and this other player’s goals are vital to winning the game. 

In some scenarios, the goals of the two entities are completely opposite and opposing: an advantage gained by one player automatically signifies a disadvantage incurred by the other player. Scenarios like these have been termed “zero-sum games,” and although they are the foundations of games like chess or baseball, Aumann explained that zero-sum games are rare in life. 

“In real life, it is quite unusual for interacting entities to strive for the opposite goal of the other side,” he explained. 

“In war, the sides are striving towards different goals. But even in war, the goals are not opposite. War is not a zero-sum game. Even though each side wants to win the war, it is advantageous to both sides to have as little as destruction as possible.”

Even if the goals between two different entities are not as different as originally thought, how does one still end up victorious over the other? Aumann stressed the importance of incentives: if player A wishes to win, she must understand the power of incentives so that she can get player B to do what is advantageous for her.

Aumann shared a memory of his past in order to illustrate the power of incentives. He described the bickering that used to occur between him and his brother as they fought over the larger piece of candy. His mom, who he cites as an “early game theorist,” devised a clever way to stop their bickering. Instead of splitting the candy bar into two pieces herself, she had one son split the candybar and the other son choose the piece of candy he wanted. 

This way, there existed an incentive for the person who was splitting the candy bar to divide it equally. That this new method of sharing candy had the ability to stop sibling bickering and solve an argument, something some would have formerly deemed as an impossible task, reveals the importance of incentives. 

Aumann extended his discussion on incentives by explaining its effects on arbitration, the settling of disputes between two parties by an impartial third party. Despite the idealism that is often held for compromising, Aumann explores how compromising can give the conflicting parties the wrong incentives. 

“The incentives [compromising] creates is to exaggerate your demands, because you know the end is going to be a compromise,” Aumann explained. 

“So from a dispute that could have been reasonably small, it becomes a huge difference, because both sides are exaggerating their demands and have an incentive to misrepresent the evidence.”

Although it at first seems counterintuitive, Aumann explained how both sides can benefit from an agreement in which a compromise is not allowed. In fact, Aumann argued that the sides are drawn closer together as they begin to view the dispute more reasonably. 

“When compromise is not allowed, then the incentive of the sides change completely. Because now the sides want to be as reasonable as possible, because they want the arbitrator to pick their sides. So they come closer together,” Aumann explained. 

Aumann explored the power of game theory, a theory that is able to bring different entities with different goals together. 

The Nobel Laureate presented game theory not as an abstract mathematical construct, but as something that applies to our everyday lives. 

Game theory could be something that has the power to not only benefit those similar to oneself, but also the power to benefit those who are different from oneself. It is important to realize that an opponent’s goals are not so different from one’s own.

It is easy to be pessimistic about the current state of our nation and of our global neighbors. Political divides, social injustices and widening inequalities are just a few of the problems that have yet to be overcome. Despite the turmoil that we currently live under, certain circumstances are still beyond the scope of comprehension. The Holocaust is one such example that cannot be comprehended: no amount of logic, or even imagination, leads us any closer to understanding the horrors its victims endured.

At the start of the Nazi invasion, Eva Schloss was a young girl from Austria whose family fled to Amsterdam where she befriended another young girl by the name of Anne Frank. Eva would eventually become the step-sister to this girl whose diary has taught its readers, among its many lessons, the resilience of the human spirit. Anne would not survive the war. Eva did and has given over one thousand speaking engagements to share her story with others. 

Feb. 25 marked a historic night for Tech, a night in which hundreds of attendees at the Ferst Center of the Arts heard the story and insights of Eva Schloss. In attendance was Felicia A. Moore, the president of the Atlanta City Council. 

Moore read a proclamation declaring the 25th day of February as Holocaust Awareness Day in the city of Atlanta, in honor of Schloss. All 15 members of the City Council signed the proclamation, and Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms expressed her support in the fight to end injustices and foster understanding between people from different backgrounds.

As the associate vice president of the Office of Institute of Diversity Julie Ancis said, it is often difficult to realize the importance of remembering the past when trying to build a better future: why is it important to understand history in a world that champions progress and growth at all costs? 

The host of the event, Rabbi Ari Sollish of Intown Jewish Academy, offered an explanation for how the past can serve to better the future. 

“It is only in preserving, recalling and living with the experiences of the shattered [past] and lives that we can hope to live, we can hope to learn the lessons of how to build a world that is whole and complete and unbroken,” Sollish reasoned. 

The sincere, and sometimes even humorous, way in which Schloss shared the story of her broken past not only allowed her listeners to live her experiences with her, but also inspired them to strive for a future free of such brokenness. 

When describing the events of her adolescence — of her family going into hiding only to be betrayed by a double agent on her 15th birthday and their subsequent time spent in Auschwitz — Schloss credited a force, that, much like evil, cannot be easily comprehended. 

“How to say it?” she asked. “There were many, many — I must call them so — miracles.”

The series of events described by Schloss serve as testimony that miracles often can, and do, happen: was it not miraculous that a wide-brimmed hat was able to hide her young age and save her from being sent to the gas chamber, or that her cousin worked as a nurse and was able to give her life-saving medication for the typhus she had contracted, or that her father was able to visit her one last time in the women’s camp at Auschwitz or that her mother was able to escape after she was sent to the gas chamber? That the writings of her childhood friend Anne along with the artwork her brother had painted while in hiding were able to outlive the war further confirm Schloss’ belief in the power of miracles.

While addressing the younger generation, Schloss not only spoke of the past, but she also gave insight into the future. In speaking of the future, Schloss emphasized the importance of empathy and of caring for others. 

“There is no peace anymore with people,” she said. “And this is what we need: we need a bit of peace to reflect on life, on what is happening and what is happening in other places. We have to be more considerate and think of other people … We should look around more, not just in our little circle of people. We have a responsibility to look at the whole world.”

Even from her little hiding spot, Anne Frank’s insatiable eyes took in all they could. By watching and reflecting on the world around her, Anne was able to navigate and comprehend the most difficult of troubles. Her childhood friend Schloss continues this legacy of observing the world and holding herself responsible for the plights of others. Taking this responsibility can seem daunting, sometimes even pointless: how can one person make a difference in something as widespread and forceful as problems like political divides, social injustices and widening inequalities? 

Since no easy solution or simple fix can overcome these troubles, people often find themselves lost in trying to solve them, but in the encouraging words of Schloss, “If we all try to do a little bit of good, the world will change.” Small acts of good, when done again and again, do have the power to overcome even the incomprehensible.

Tables covered by snacks such as pecan pie, acorn jelly and birch tree juice enticed dozens of hungry students to step away from the stress of their projects, assignments and deadlines and to investigate the “Fall of a Champion” exhibit on the third floor of the Clough Commons. Hosted by the fall 2018 class of LMC 3308 Environmentalism and Ecocriticism, the event memorialized the Skiles Walkway willow oak that collapsed on September 18, 2018, an oak the class affectionately calls “Big Al.” 

“We were in the LMC course [Environmentalism and Ecocriticism],” Alex Flack, a third-year International Affairs major explained, “and halfway through the semester, the big oak fell down. We wanted to preserve the history and legacy of the champion tree.”

In order to honor this champion tree, the class created a multitude of different artifacts. Examples included a book they wrote about the tree life on campus, woodworking projects they built themselves from the remnants of Big Al and a video showcasing their construction process. Those who had been lured by the scent of snacks quickly discovered that even the paperware and utensils in which they were eating from were made from the fallen oak.  

Professor Hugh Crawford explained why he integrated woodworking into his LMC 3308 Environmentalism and Ecocriticism course, describing it as an effort to cultivate cognitive engagement and add some creativity to students’ learning.

 “I was working on hands-on learning and questions about cognition and tool use. So that’s what started the woodworking,” Crawford explained. “And because I am a literature professor, the cultural history of trees is just fascinating.” 

Crawford’s students shared his enthusiasm for tool use, as evidenced by the excited manner in which they shared stories from their workshop sessions. 

“I had no experience [in woodworking], but I got to use a two-person saw, which was a real blast,” Flack recalled. 

Students not only beamed when discussing their woodworking, but they also fondly recalled another assignment of theirs which required them to sit underneath a tree for thirty minutes a week with no technology. Kathryn Higinbotham, second-year LMC, explained how this simple exercise taught her the importance of stillness. 

“It really shifts your perspective on time and what you should be doing with it. Because we have a sense, especially at Tech, that everything is about efficiency, and going and being productive,” Higinbotham said.

 “So the first couple of times that I sat under the tree, I was constantly thinking about my homework and what had to get done, but it slowly changed over time to where I genuinely started to look forward to it. It became this moment of peace and time to be contemplative.”

Despite the class having ended last semester, Higinbotham can still be found sitting among the trees of campus. Classes such as the one taught by Crawford stretch the narrow definition that both faculty and students often place on learning. Despite the value behind alternative approaches to learning, most students never encounter assignments as engaging as crafting woodworks or as introspective as sitting outdoors. Instead, most students spend the majority of their time hunched over their computers, praying to have their homework turned in before Canvas locks them out at that detested midnight deadline. 

As evidenced by the “Fall of a Champion” exhibit, the opportunity to learn can come from outside the classroom, and even from unlikely sources. From working with and sitting with trees, students gained skills and insights that could not have come from the traditional classroom setting. Their intellectual and personal growth reveals that learning is not just confined to the buildings of academic institutions: it doesn’t stop when the steam whistle is blown or the book is closed. Nor is it rigidly defined by the grades you make or the number of credit hours you take. Just as the limbs of a tree extend far beyond its trunk, opportunities to learn extend far beyond the classroom. With over 12,000 trees on campus, how many do you pass a day, and how many do you notice? How many opportunities to learn and grow come your way, and how many do you seize?

No doubt, Tech students can still fondly remember those early science experiments that sparked their love for the subject and other STEM fields. It is that precise fondness for STEM that the recently chartered Little Einsteins Organization (LEO) aspires to bring to other young students in Atlanta. The Technique chatted with four leaders of the new club to learn more about their initiative. 

The idea for LEO stemmed from the Discovery program, an initiative started by the service organization Hands On Atlanta which aims to enrich the experience of education in Title I schools in Atlanta. Diana Toro, a third-year BCHM major, and Tessa Stubbs, a third-year CS major, started volunteering for Discovery at nearby Scott Elementary School when they noticed the lack of STEM resources available there. 

Wanting to enrich the STEM opportunities at the school, Toro and Stubbs began by encouraging their friends to volunteer with them at Scott Elementary School until they formed a partnership with Discovery to run their own STEM program. Becoming their own program enabled them to organize and conduct their own science experiments for the students. It also allowed them to become a chartered club at Tech this past year. 

What had started as a volunteering project for a handful of friends has now grown into an active organization with over 40 members and over 1,000 followers on their Instagram, @gatech_leo. Toro explains the rapid success of LEO in terms of its purpose in filling a missing need in the community and school systems.

“We started LEO because we saw a need for it at the elementary school. But it has become so popular at Tech, because there is a need for it at Tech, too,” Toro said. “So many students here want to volunteer with kids and show them science, and we are an active and consistent outlet for doing that.”

The leaders of LEO further attribute the popularity of the club as resulting from the bonds that the members are able to build with the young students. They described the trust and affection of the kids, such as the way in which the kids attach themselves to the older Tech students. 

They also laughed over the mischievousness and cleverness of the kids, describing the fun-loving and energetic environment of the school. Toro recalled a game of Simon Says she had recently played with the children that particularly highlighted the ingenuity of the young students. 

“I was playing Simon Says with the kids and telling them to do little things like ‘Simon Says raise your hand.’ But I was called to help set up something, and I told a boy playing that he was the new Simon. Suddenly, I see all of the students running out of the building, and I am like ‘Oh my gosh,’” said Toro. “I chased after them and asked them what they thought they were doing. They said that the new Simon had said to run outside, so that is what they did! I told them I was now Simon again and that Simon says to sit down and be good.”

In addition to managing the children, the leaders discussed the other challenges that LEO faces. They explained the difficulties that come with designing experiments that are both feasible and fun for the children. 

Joy Nish, a second-year BCHM, and Greg Varghese, a third-year CS, also explained how important it was to be flexible and adaptable in LEO, since the local schools often lack the resources and equipment necessary for students to perform experiments. As LEO must provide its own experiments and materials, all leaders agreed that funding is the biggest challenge for the club moving forward. 

Despite the challenges this new club faces, its leaders are optimistic about its future. They hope to expand LEO so that it reaches multiple schools in the Atlanta area, and they envision the possibilities that could form. 

“Teaching STEM is important because we get to show the kids the potential of science and spark their curiosity. We get to be role models to them, and we can model our love for STEM to them. I grew up being told I wasn’t good at physics before I even took a physics class.” Toro explained. “Now I think a lot about the girls at the school and how they can get into science and engineering and all the other things they can do.”

When pursuing something so intensely, it is often easy to forget how much joy that subject once brought you. As the semester picks up and Tech students become more and more overloaded with assignments and exams, childlike enthusiasm and wonder for learning and science seems to diminish more and more. 

It is easy to forget the excitement and stimulation that once came with the science experiments of the past, but revisiting these old experiments and showing them to younger students has the power to serve as a reminder for the joy and benefits of learning. 

On Saturday, the nation was awoken to the way in which unchecked intolerance still plagues international society.  Eleven lives were lost at the hands of a prejudiced gunman who burst into a synagogue on the congregation’s day of rest with the deliberate intent of terrorizing the Jewish community in Pittsburgh.

To commemorate this event, the Tech community gathered around the Campanile on Sunday evening for a memorial service. Members of the Jewish organizations Hillel and Chabad led the community through prayers, and numerous participants shared their insight on the events that occurred in Pittsburgh. In keeping with a traditional Jewish custom, all in attendance lit their own candle as a symbol of remembrance for those who have departed.

To some, there exists no relationship between the two distant cities of Pittsburgh and Atlanta; Pittsburgh is just any other city, hundreds of miles away. But for others, Pittsburgh is right here, in thoughts and hearts. For those who hold on to the tragic events of Pittsburgh — which was the deadliest attack on the Jewish community in the entire history of the United States — moving on with daily life has been challenging.

Jessica Hertzberg, Pittsburgh native and student president of Hillel at Georgia Tech, talked about her thoughts and reactions to hearing the news of what occurred in her hometown.

“The Pittsburgh community is very strong, since we are so close-knit. It’s very close and easy to be supportive of each other,” Hertzberg said. “But it also means that everyone is connected to the sadness and the hardship.”

The Tech community has come together in response to this hardship. For example, the Muslim Student Association held a bake sale earlier in the week, from which all proceeds were donated to support the victims and their families.

In addition, Hillel itself will host a Charity Trivia night on Tuesday, Nov. 6, at 8:30 p.m. at Rocky Mountain Pizza in which proceeds from all purchases that night will go to Tree of Life Synagogue.

Community building is one tool that can be used for dealing with such sadness and hardship.

Forming meaningful relationships with others and sharing a sense of coherence with them can serve as a way to increase the well-being of all involved. In times of distress, it can provide comfort and consolation to those who grieve.

“The only thing we can do moving forward is to stand strong as a community and be there for each other. We cannot let the hatred of one individual continue to terrorize us,” said Lauren Blazofsky, director of Hillel at Tech. “The heart of the Georgia Tech Jewish Community is with the Pittsburgh community.”

It might be surprising that students at Tech have been so profoundly impacted by events that occurred so far away. Shifra Sharfstein, co-director of Chabad at Tech attributes this effect to the way in which every individual is linked ato each other and the world. Chabad is a Hasidic movement which has an on-campus chapter.

“People ask what’s my message to the local Jewish community. The truth is there is no local Jewish community, we are all one. From Pittsburgh to Jewish communities across the globe we all feel the pain together as one people,” Sharfstein said. “My message to our united community and especially all Jewish Georgia Tech students is to come together stronger than ever before. In the place of 11 let every synagogue be filled with hundreds more.”

Hannah Levy, second year EAS, is one such example of an individual who envisions the strengthening of the community. To her, this means coming together and celebrating the community’s heritage.

“I think right now what’s most important to me is being around other Jewish people. We are a strong community, but we are even stronger when we act together,” Levy said. “I don’t think that I’ve ever had more pride in my Jewish identity than I do now.”

Having pride in an identity such as a Jewish heritage is not mutually exclusive or in opposition to having pride in being American. The two are not incompatible, which is the belief shared by the Pittsburgh shooter and unfortunately many others, as evidenced by the rise in hate crimes against Jews and other minority groups such as the African-American or LGBTQ community. Such thinking is far too simple as an individual cannot be so easily defined by just one aspect of his or her character. The narrative of an individual is complex. It is not composed of singular elements, such as religion, race, gender, sexuality or nationality, but of a story that weaves all these elements and more together.

What happened in Pittsburgh is not just a problem for the small Jewish minority that calls America its home, and there is a danger in thinking that. The events of Oct. 27 violate fundamental constitutional rights. This violation severely undermines our entire system of democracy. What happened in Pittsburgh is therefore a problem for every American, just as what happened in Charleston in 2015 when racial riots and intolerance allowed for nine lives to be taken is a problem for every American. The nine victims of the Charleston attack were targeted for their race by a perpetrator who failed to understand the full narrative and qualities of these individuals. To those who think that Pittsburgh — or Charleston — is just any other city, who is to say that Atlanta is not the next city to be fractured by a violent act of intolerance? Why must it take a tragic act of violence for us to be awakened to the horror of unreigned prejudice?

Endless statistics reveal the way in which the democratic system of the United States is continuously being undermined — these numbers uncover a rise in anti-semitism, hate crimes, racial profiling and other traumatic incidents. However, these numbers are not the biggest factor at play. That is the people and their communities. People have the power to change numbers. The numbers won’t change themselves.

Earlier this year, the School of Earth and Atmospheric Science launched the C.L. Chandler Weather Chat Series. It invites students on campus to explore weather events with guest meteorology presenters. Last week the program featured Tech alumnus Brandon Miller, meteorologist and supervising weather producer of CNN International.

Miller expected to discuss what he calls “Atlanta’s Never Ending Summer” but the dramatic events of the weather that unfolded this past week prompted him instead to focus his presentation on Hurricane Michael.

Miller began his presentation with some impressive statistics on Hurricane Michael, revealing the true intensity of the storm. His data collection indicates that this destructive storm was the strongest storm to make landfall in the continental US since 1992 with 155 mph winds. The hurricane also holds the title of the third lowest pressure ever recorded in a US hurricane.

Miller added that the rapid intensification of the hurricane, evidenced by its wind speed intensifying 45 mph in the last 24 hours leading up to landfall, contributed to the storm’s record-breaking storm surge.

Miller explained the increasingly intense hurricane seasons that have recently struck the U.S. in terms of climate change. He noted that climate change is also what has been responsible for Atlanta’s unusually long summer.

Statistics reveal that this very year our last sub-60 degree Farenheit day of spring occurred the earliest it ever has in 149 years, while our  first 60 degree Farenheit day of autumn occurred the latest it ever has.

Miller noted that although hurricanes are less indicative of climate change than are the rarities we are experiencing in temperature, hurricanes are what make the stories in the headlines.

“Climate models point to an earlier spring and a later fall. And even though this type of story would not resonate in the media at all — no one is dying because of the temperature,” Miller said, “these statistics on temperature are a sign that really is connected to climate change a lot more than a storm. But a storm is what makes the headline. It is what resonates with people.”

Miller explained how CNN covers stories, as the planning and logistics of storm coverage are extremely challenging. He included behind-the-scenes pictures that reveal the work that must occur in order for the media to cover an event like Hurricane Michael.

“This is what we call the war room, and it really is like a war room,” Miller said, showing a photo of a workroom plastered with maps and post-it notes.

“We have the world’s largest sticky notes: they are the coolest thing and we use them all the time … We put these big maps on the walls because we are trying to position our team in the best places. So they want to know where is the storm, where is it going to be the worst, where is the eye going to hit.”

That is not the end of the hard work of the meteorologist. More responsibilities include ensuring that the team remains safe and that reporters have access to a satellite during the storm. Meteorologists  must also keep up with their live blog that features live updates on the storm, as well as coordinate with the news-gathering efforts of CNN. Miller noted that hurricane season is his busiest season, followed by blizzard season.

Miller’s presentation not only provided information on meteorology, but also shared insight into careers related to the topic.

By the end of presentation, listeners grasped how impactful climate change can be and gained appreciation for the sources that provide a platform to share this information. For students interested in meteorology, the Weather Chat Series offers weekly seminars at 11 a.m. every Friday.