The Philadelphia Electric Company and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation have begun construction at the corner of 33rd and Market streets on Drexel University’s campus, according to Drexel’s Public Safety Department.

Drexel students and staff received a pedestrian and traffic advisory email Feb. 8 from Public Safety, warning of sidewalk closures and providing details for alternative routes around the famous corner home to Mario.

In addition to walking detours, the Drexel University shuttle bus pickup location was moved from north of Market Street near Nesbitt Hall southward to the side entrance of the Papadakis Integrated Science Building on 33rd Street.

Aside from the poor appearance, the detour signs and construction fencing in the middle of a major traffic area have proven difficult for Drexel students.

“You can see it’s very inconvenient, especially for the shuttle bus,” Jiachuan Cui, an accounting student, said. “I don’t know what purpose [it serves].”

While construction around campus is certainly not unfamiliar, the major disruptions to such a central area have students frustrated.

“I think the construction is really annoying — I take the shuttle every morning to go to work and the shuttle got moved because of the construction,” Jarret Berenson, an education student, said. “It costs me time every morning.”

Drexel University’s Public Safety department advises both pedestrians and drivers to travel cautiously and follow all posted signs while construction continues over the next few weeks.

More information about the construction project can be found on the Construction and Traffic Advisories page of Drexel University’s website.

The following crimes occurred on or near campus and were reported to The Triangle by the Drexel University Department of Public Safety between Feb. 1 and Feb. 11. All information included in this report is taken from law enforcement or Division of Public Safety incident reports.

ASSAULT (1)

Feb. 7, 10:50 a.m., 3300 Market Street

A non-Drexel affiliate was arrested after he attempted to assault a store employee and a Drexel University Police Department officer when he was confronted for harassing customers. There were no injuries to anyone.

THEFT (11)

Feb. 1, 10 to 11:50 a.m., 3200 Chestnut Street

A Drexel student reported that unknown person(s) took their bike that was secured to a bike rack with a cable lock.

Feb. 1 to Feb. 4, 1500 Race Street

A Drexel staff member reported that unknown person(s) entered several Drexel owned offices, with no sign of force and took keys.

Feb. 3, 7:10 to 7:25 a.m., 3300 Market Street

A non-Drexel affiliate reported that an unknown male entered the store and took five boxes of candy valued at $166 and fled out the rear door without paying for the items.

Feb. 4, 5:08 to 5:45 p.m., 3100 Chestnut Street

A Drexel staff member reported that an unknown male entered their unlocked office and took a laptop computer from a desk.

Feb. 4, 5 to 5:40 p.m., Unit Block S. 32nd St.

A Drexel staff member reported that an unknown male (same male from the previous theft entry) entered his unlocked office and took a laptop computer from the desk. The offender also left the laptop from the previous theft entry behind as he left.

Feb. 5, 2:40 to 2:52 a.m., 3400 Lancaster Avenue

A non-Drexel affiliate reported that an unknown male took food items from the store and fled without paying.

Feb. 7, 9:25 to 11:05 a.m., Off Campus, 2200 Chestnut Street

A Drexel staff member reported that unknown person(s) entered a school library through an open door and took their laptop computer that was left unattended from their bag.

Feb. 8, 3 to 4:45 p.m., 3300 Market Street

A Drexel student reported that unknown person(s) took their wallet containing cash and ID that was left unattended in an unsecured locker.

Feb. 8 to 11, Unit South 33rd St.

A Drexel student reported that unknown person(s) entered their office with no sign of force and took a Drexel owned laptop computer that was left in a work area.

Feb. 9 to 10, 3600 Hamilton Street

A Non-Drexel affiliate reported that unknown person(s) entered his automobile with no sign of force and took personal identification and a cordless drill.

Feb. 10, 7 to 7:15 p.m., 3300 Race Street

A Drexel student reported that unknown person(s) took money from their wallet that they left unattended in a common area.

VANDALISM (1)

Feb. 7, 9:44 a.m., 3100 Chestnut Street

A Drexel employee reported that an unknown person spray-painted graffiti on an exterior door of a Drexel building.

POLICY VIOLATIONS (8)

During the period from Feb. 1 to Feb. 11, there were six Policy Violations for Alcohol and two Policy Violation for Drugs. The reports were sent to the Office of Student Conduct for review.

The Drexel Writers Room held a workshop Feb. 5 at the Dornsife Center for Neighborhood Partnerships. Open to the entire community, the event partnered with the Free Library of Philadelphia’s “One Book, One Philadelphia” program to offer a writing experience based on this year’s book, “Sing, Unburied, Sing” by Jesmyn Ward.

The workshop was built around the theme of listening. Writers began by describing a recent experience that encouraged them to listen and fully immerse themselves in the moment. Next, they chose one of two writing prompts. The first, based on a passage from “Sing, Unburied, Sing,” asked the writers to recall a moment when they felt misunderstood. The other, inspired by an overarching question from the book, prompted them to describe the soundscape of a location that felt sacred or special to them. Later, they shared their responses and found connections with their peers.

“The goal for me with any writing workshop is that participants surprise themselves, and then that you learn something about someone else or connect with someone else in an unexpected way,” Brittanie Sterner, a coordinator for the Free Library who brought “Sing, Unburied, Sing” and its powerful themes to the Writers Room, said.

Sterner is the director of “One Book, One Philadelphia,” a program within the Free Library that chooses one book each year to bring the local community together through reading and related activities. “One Book” partners with the Drexel Writers Room every year. This was one of three workshops inspired by the book and its themes.

Through listening, many writers fulfilled Sterner’s goal and found ways to connect with one another, discussing the ways they empathized with the other responses they read.

“You kind of grow into that,” Rosalyn Cliett, a participant who has been attending Writers Room events for five years, explained. “When you first start writing, you kind of don’t want anybody to see what you wrote, but as it goes on, you get freed up to do it.”

Sharing her work helped Cliett realize that her partner in the exercise had written about the same thing. Although writers have found they have a lot in common, the Writers Room also offers an incredible amount of diversity. Workshops are open to both students and the surrounding community, refreshingly combining perspectives from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and lifestyles. Both new and experienced writers are welcome to attend all future events.

“The different energies are really what make the group something special,” Kirsten Kaschock, Writers Room faculty director, said.

The next Writers Room workshop featuring “One Book, One Philadelphia” will be held March 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. A full calendar of events can be found at writersroomdrexel.org.  

A group of female veterans gathered in an event Feb. 11 namely titled “HERstory,” held in the A.J. Drexel Picture Gallery, to discuss their unique experiences in the United States military. The collection of speakers shared equally courageous narratives that proved they are nothing short of unstoppable in their respective careers.

The panel of women discussed a variety of topics ranging from motivations, challenges, opportunities and goals through their military experience. It included Drexel students Jessica Huber, a mechanical engineering student who served in the U.S Air Force for five years, and Olivia McDonald, a business student who served four years in the U.S. Marine Corps. The panel also included U.S. Navy veteran and advisor to Drexel’s Veteran Association Jessica Wisniewski from the Office of Enrollment Management and Student Success; Erika Webster, a former Active Duty officer in the U.S. Army turned Founder and CEO of Dub Fitness in King of Prussia, an exclusive women-only gym; and Reilly Burrus, a part-time Maritime Enforcement Specialist and Active Duty Drill Instructor in the U.S. Coast Guard.

Maura “Mo” Gillen, a retired U.S. Army veteran who previously worked as a Professor of Military Science and headed the Army ROTC at Drexel, acted as the moderator of the event.

Through the hour-long discussion, the panelists spoke of their early years as a woman in a mostly male-dominated field. As they looked back on each of their experiences holistically, they reminisce over lifelong friendships that were made, personal revelations that unraveled and how their experiences ultimately gave them the tough skin that continues to carry them through the challenges they face. They collectively stated just how grateful they were for the military and the power it had in shaping them — not only as officers, but also as women who play crucial roles in the lives of the people around them.

Gillen began the panel discussion inquiring about the inspiration behind the women’s decisions to join the military. The panelists’ answers varied along the spectrums of job security, a foundation for a successful future and the opportunity to challenge oneself both physically and mentally. While several panelists noted that it took some time for their families to warm up to their ambitious decisions, they explained how their parents soon became proud supporters of their dreams.

The panelists showed that despite being immersed in a channel that encourages immense personal-growth, the environment of niche military sects are not always fond of women cohorts. On the topic of the many prejudices that women face in the military, the panelists had an array of encounters to share.

“While I was in the service, I had to deal with a lot of stereotyping. I’m only 5’1, and I weighed about 110 pounds when I first joined. You would get a double take when you’re a small female. Dealing with that was tough, but in the Marine Corps spirit you take that as a challenge to change people’s opinions,” McDonald said.

Wisniewski shared a similar response.

“[While] in Active Duty, I was working around a lot of men. As a mechanical engineer out of 75 in the department, about nine of us were women. In general, I think being a decisive, strong woman can rub people the wrong way — men and women. You just want to be taken seriously, you don’t want to be joked around with and punched on the shoulder, and sometimes that might come across in some people’s eyes, for lack of a better word, mean,” she explained.

Often, following time in active duty, adjusting back to civilian life can impose a set of new setbacks, the panelists explained. Fortunately, due to the social-engineering of daily life in the service, these women were able to utilize tactics learned from the “military mindset.”

The military mindset is essentially a mentality that is centered on consistent personal development, organization and maintaining a general positive outlook on life. Gillen asked the panelists how this remains with them today.

“I don’t take no for an answer anymore if I know something in my life is not the way it should be,” Burrus said. “The military mindset brought this into my personal life.”

Webster said that she has learned the value of collaboration, which is still vital in her life today.

“A lot of what I do is built on integrity, being authentic and having the discipline to do what is necessary without second guessing — making a decision and sticking by it. I [advocate] that there is no competition. It’s teamwork. It’s fostering an environment of togetherness,” Webster said.

Gillen also asked panelists if their military experience was what they expected. Some panelists said they were slightly let down in some ways, but for Burrus, it was even better than she ever anticipated.

She explained that she is happy to have over ten years of experience working as a federal law enforcement office even though she has no college degree. Her experiences have since opened up many doors for her to receive multiple job offers set up for her for when she gets out of the Coast Guard.

“The coast guard has exceeded my expectations,” she said.

After Gillen finished asking panelists questions, she opened up the floor to the audience.

One audience member, Webster’s husband, asked how the women perceived gender roles during their military experiences. Throughout the panel, several of the women alluded to taking on a motherly role on their teams, and he asked how they felt about this.

Huber explained that she didn’t mind being referred to as the group mom when they were not on duty; however, she said this was unacceptable during working hours.

“When you’re working, you’re on a mission. I just wanted to be an airman. It took them a minute to understand that I wanted to be just like everyone else. You have to work a lot harder to get the same amount of respect,” she said.

Burrus, on the other hand, enjoyed standing out as a woman and having an authoritative role fused with her intrinsic feminine nature.

“I love being a female drill instructor. The girls that come through look up to me. They say ‘I want to be her one day.’ I’ve worked hard to get to that point. I love the face that me being a female [drill instructor] puts that fear factor in some of the males that come through. They have no idea, they call me Medusa. They respect you so much more that you’re a female,” she said.

Webster also shared that she couldn’t let her gender get in the way, especially during certain assignments when she was in the company of convicted rapists, murderers and drug dealers.

“I couldn’t let the fact that I was a girl intimidate myself. We couldn’t just stand there and be pretty and bat our eyelashes. That’s why we excelled in PT, as there’s no other way to prove that you are tough,” she said.

As the night came to a close, the panelists also shared their advice for other young women who may be considering enlisting. Overall, they emphasized the importance that those interested should only join if they are truly certain of their decision.

“They’re your reasons and why you want to join. If you just want to put on a uniform or just go to school, that’s just not enough. Because you go through some really tough times and you’re alone,” McDonald advised.

Webster also stressed the significance of getting involved only for the right reasons.

Though panelists agreed on many questions throughout the night, Gillen reminded the audience that each panelist was unique.

“Her story is not a universal story,” Gillen said.

However, some female veterans in the audience found the relatability of the panel reassuring, like Candice Moore, an Air Force veteran now studying graphic design at Drexel.

“I felt really empowered,” she said. “I realized I’m not the only one who has these challenges.”

Two public health experts delivered presentations Feb. 4 to a packed audience at the Violent Conflict, Refugees and Health event that examined the role public health plays in violent conflict.

Kaveh Khoshnood, an epidemiology associate professor from Yale University, gave a presentation called “The Role of Public Health in Prevention of Violent Conflict,” which examined how public health education can be transformed to give students the tools to look at how violent conflict affects human populations. Khoshnood’s training is based in epidemiology, the spread of infectious diseases. He developed a secondary interest in ethical issues and violent conflict in research, which sparked his desire to adapt public health into a tool to analyze and possibly prevent violent conflict.

According to Khoshnood, current public health education focuses heavily on self-directed violence, such as self-harm and suicide, and interpersonal violence, such as domestic violence and homicide. However, there is a third type, collective violence, that he believes is not getting enough attention in public health education.

Collective violence is the type of violence we see in wars and other violent conflicts; it is defined by the World Health organization as people who identify as a member of a certain group that commits violence against another group of people. Khoshnood took a sample of 6,000 public health classes across the top 20 public health schools in the United States, and only 0.5 percent of them had the word “war” mentioned in their syllabus.

Khoshnood’s hope for future public health education is to ultimately use the profession to identify risk factors for conflict and reduce or eliminate it entirely. In the past, public health officials have advocated for temporary ceasefires to deal with health crises. However, these temporary ceasefires lead to peace talks between conflicting factions that contributed to the end of the conflict. Khoshnood hopes that public health education teaches students about violent conflict and how public health professionals can play a role to reduce the humanitarian damages of the conflict.

The second speaker of the event was Kamiar Alaei, who is a visiting professor at the Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University. His talk, “Global Health Education in Conflict Zones: Rights of Internally Displaced Syria Students to Health Education” looked at Alaei’s own efforts to set up educational infrastructure to college-aged students who have been displaced by the Syrian conflict.

There are about 200,000 Syrian students who qualify for education, but are unable to receive it due to the ongoing conflict in their country. Many of these students lack access to electricity and desktop computers, which are necessary for traditional online educational infrastructure.

Alaei and a group of educators all over the world have been working on developing a mobile smartphone app that allows students to receive online health education. There have been many hurdles they have encountered along the way. For example, although they have been able to find Arabic speakers to translate course content, Syria is unique among Arabic-speaking countries in that they have their own medical terminology. As such, they had to find a Syrian professional who knew the specific terminology to translate the content they needed.

The next steps for Alaei are to scale up the infrastructure to increase accessibility of the content. Since there are governmental blocks on internet content, Alaei has been working with a technology start-up that allows content to be streamed from satellites, which can then be broadcasted in a short radius to different devices. Additionally, due to students’ lack of access to a consistent source of electricity, the group is working with another company that develops portable, solar-powered generators that can be used to charge devices.

After their talks, both experts called for more interdisciplinary work between public health and other disciplines. They emphasized that many other disciplines are more than willing to contribute to public health education, and that the perspectives offered by other disciplines can be vital in developing diverse and extensive content to teach to future generations of public health students.

The New England Patriots won their sixth NFL Championship Feb. 3 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in Atlanta. They bested the Los Angeles Rams by a score of 13-3, which set the record for the fewest points scored in a Super Bowl. The Patriots and the Rams averaged 27.3 and 32.9 points per game this season, respectively, but only managed to score 16 total points in Atlanta.

For a recap of the game check out the sports article on page whatever. Tom Brady and the Patriots now tie the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Lombardi Trophies won.Following the game, there were many initial reactions to what transpired in Atlanta.

Statistics, ratings, sports analysts opinions and general interest in offensive football all converged onto one conclusion: this year’s Super Bowl was incredibly lackluster.

The NFL has always been offense-oriented, and maybe a defensively-minded game would have been more accepted by fans in the regular season. Maybe even in the playoffs, on a bitterly cold winters night in the Divisional Round — NFL fans’ minds immediately jump to the Steelers and Ravens in January 2011 — a defensive struggle would make for an awe-inspiring game between two evenly matched teams.

But in the climate-controlled Mercedes-Benz Superdome on the football world’s biggest stage, fans expected more of the two teams and every other aspect of the evening.

Even in the halftime show, fans were expecting a great performance. Many people think back to past performances by artists like Prince, Bruce Springsteen and Beyonce.

However, with many artists having declined to play in solidarity with Colin Kaepernick and Adam Levine’s shirtless look bringing up controversy about the double standard that was placed on Janet Jackson in 2004, this year’s halftime show left fans feeling underwhelmed.

Many Drexel students found the game incredibly boring, as for the majority of them, neither the Eagles nor their hometown teams were playing. Even students whose teams were in the Super Bowl found the game unenticing, and spent many moments away from the television.

“Even if [the Rams and Patriots] didn’t score I would have liked to see more big passes… Even the one touchdown we did see wasn’t that impressive,” freshman Benjamin Mastrorocco explained.

There was work to be done, practices to be had. Students found other ways to fill their time, and they checked back in to see if the Patriots had won. The game ended the way people presumed it would.

“I thought that overall it wasn’t an entertaining game to watch, and not even the halftime show could make up for it. I was just let down,” freshman Casey Reinknecht said.

When there is a disappointing Super Bowl, fans would much rather do something else than watch. This could be due to the amount of press coverage given to the game in the preceding weeks, or due to the typical social convention of the Super Bowl being the “holy grail” for sporting events.

With Super Bowl watch parties on countless residence hall floors, in apartments, in houses and in bars, there is so much more to do and so many more people to interact with.

Conversations about life, homework and just about anything were being had. Reports were being written, projects were being edited. Netflix was being watched, and disinterest was a tangible object you could reach out and grab.

“I mean who doesn’t love seeing four nearly scoreless quarters and then 10 points right at the end?” freshman Ethan Bernstein said sarcastically.

So when the Super Bowl isn’t so super, people know there is more to life than just a game on a screen. Fans are hopeful that next year will bring back the excitement of the game.

Whenever you watch movies envisioning the future, there are usually technological innovations, such as flying cars, robots, jet packs, holograms and virtual reality simulators. Although that’s not the future we are necessarily in, Drexel students have some of that technology at the touch of their fingertips thanks to Drexel University Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design.

Drexel University’s new Immersive Research Lab aims to give students and researchers the opportunity to use the latest augmented reality and virtual reality technologies for study, exploration and application.

“This is the first space on campus dedicated to the study and development of immersive media and virtual and augmented reality,” Nick Jushchyshyn, an assistant professor in Westphal College and director of the lab, told DrexelNow. “We see this as a resource that will expose all Drexel students to the latest visualization of technology, while the next generation is being created by students in the lab.”

Located in Westphal’s URBN Center, the 550-square-foot, glass-enclosed lab contains computers and workstations, such as Mac Pro Workstations, HP-ZVR Backpack Workstations and MSI laptops. For detailed recording of movement, the Immersive Research Lab also features Leap Motion hand-tracking, iClone facial motion capture system and a full motion capture studio with OptiTrack and Vicon motion capture systems.

For students who want to see what celebrities like Wiz Khalifa, Jonah Hill and Adam Levine are seeing in the Oculus Go commercials, this lab is home to the Oculus VR and Oculus Go VR Headset systems, along with other AR and VR devices, such as the HTC VIVE and Microsoft HoloLens headsets.

The lab’s 360-degree virtual reality cameras, holographic displays, screening rooms, stereo and mono display screens, Ambisonic sound system, 16-foot diameter fulldome projection screen and LED systems provide students with the most realistic virtual experience possible.

“If you have even the smallest inkling of an idea that involves immersive media and AR/VR, this lab will give you the tools and expertise to explore it and test it out,” Jushchyshyn said.

The Immersive Research Lab has already successfully allowed students to produce projects like a fully interactive 360 degree gigapixel touch-based display of garments by the designer James Galanos. A fully ride-able VR “Motorcycle system,” and an animated reconstruction of the titanosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani have also come out of the lab.

Jushchyshyn plans for AR and VR and immersive media to continue production with the development of the Immersive Research Lab. He plans to build a graduate program, which will enroll its first students in the fall of 2019. The program will focus on exposure to the most up-to-date AR and VR technology and software, and allow students to gain and apply experience in the field through Drexel’s co-op program.

“This technology, which allows us to experience our world, and others, in new and exciting ways, is the new reality,” Jushchyshyn said.

Drexel University’s Department of Public Safety recently wrapped up its series of four Rape Aggression Defense self-defense courses, which were available to women at Drexel and in the surrounding community free of charge.

The four R.A.D. classes were held for two weeks in January and provided women with hands-on defense training in addition to traditional lectures. The most effective way to teach R.A.D. courses is through participation.

“These courses cover lectures, stories and experiences of instructors,” Drexel Police Officer Maurice Gilliard said. “Having the courses utilize these different techniques allows the instructors a better chance to deal with the variety of ages and backgrounds of those participating.”

R.A.D. courses, part of the R.A.D. Systems for Self Defense, are offered at many universities throughout the nation, Gilliard said. Drexel’s program is unique, however, in that it is offered free of charge to both students and members of the community and is centered around students’ schedules.

The main goal of the series is to be proactive, R.A.D. instructor Madonna Calderoni explained. It is important to teach women how to protect themselves in dangerous situations, but also how to avoid situations that may put them at risk.

Calderoni wasn’t the only one stressing the importance of the R.A.D. classes, however.

“The purpose of R.A.D. for Women is to develop and enhance the options of self-defense, so they may become viable considerations to the women who are attacked,” R.A.D. instructor and coordinator Karen Sams said. “Removing the opportunity for criminality can keep us, in many cases, from being targeted for victimization and that is the ultimate goal. Survival via lack of opportunity for criminality.”

While this series of R.A.D. for Women courses has concluded, Drexel students and members of the surrounding community who are interested in participating can stay tuned for upcoming classes. The goal is to offer R.A.D. training courses at least twice per academic term, Sams explained. The courses are also offered on Saturdays and groups of five or more can even schedule training on their own with Public Safety, according to Calderoni.

Currently, additional instructors are in the process of becoming certified so Drexel is able to offer R.A.D. courses for men, as well. The ultimate goal is to provide each and every student with the proper, hands-on self-defense training.

“Understanding we live in a society where assaults happen too often, we try to educate everyone on ways they can possibly prevent a potential attack,” Gilliard said. “Minor things that you could pay attention to (like walking with headphones on) could be the exact things that save you from an unwarranted situation.”

Students who are interested in learning more about Rape Aggression Defense courses should visit the Department of Public Safety’s website or contact R.A.D. instructor and coordinator Karen Sams at 215-895-1609.

On the morning of Jan. 19 in Philadelphia, there was a bracing cold with a blustery wind. It was a raw, gray day where just being outside sounded daunting. That wasn’t the case, as thousands rose and got ready to march.

The 2019 Women’s March still took place, and with a Government shutdown still in effect, there was reason enough to brave the temperatures. For the third year in a row, thousands of women and allies across the United States marched through their respective cities.

However, this year wasn’t as united as before.

Back in December, news broke about turmoil relating to the National Women’s March across the country, as allegations of antisemitism rose to the surface. Women’s March Inc., a national organization who emerged from the first march in Washington, DC in 2017, came under fire for being associated with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan — who is known for his antisemitic tirades — accompanied by claims of injustice in their own meetings.

The ripple effects of this information not only caused several big organizations — the Democratic National Committee included — to drop partnerships, but it also caused divides in cities’ march plans. This resulted in many cities having multiple marches Jan. 19. One of those cities was Philadelphia, which had even deeper divides between their organizers.

Emily Cooper Morse, the woman who founded the organization that put on the Women’s March on Philadelphia, was accused by her fellow board members of racist and transphobic remarks, as well as removing funds from the organization’s bank account.

Philly Women Rally, the local organization that spearheaded Philadelphia’s first two women’s marches, was able to rally for the cause of the third Women’s March.

It was a tale of two rallies on Saturday morning. Philly Women Rally and Women’s March Philadelphia held permits to opposite sides of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Although not everyone knew the nuanced differences between the two, there emerged a clearly more profound rally.

The lesser of the two was held by Women’s March Pennsylvania. The march was in Love Park where people gathered and rallied next to City Hall.

The march that garnered the bigger turnout was the location where the previous marches were, and included the Philadelphians who started them. Philly Women Rally started at Logan Square and marched to the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. There, many prominent speakers had their chance to share personal accounts, words of inspiration, calls for even more women in elected and appointed positions and to discuss the necessary forward progression for women’s rights throughout America.

Drexel freshman Madison Betts attended the Women’s March. If there was one clear takeaway, she felt that the greatest impact came from the people who contributed the most.

“The people who were behind the march were really dedicated and educated about why they were marching, which I think is even more important now,” Betts said.

Arguably, the biggest speeches during Saturday’s march came from three of the “Fab Four”: Pennsylvania’s largest contingent of women ever to be elected to the House. They took the stage together, sharing the mic and the platform they had with power.

U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon of Delaware County, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan of Chester County and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean of Montgomery County made up the trio of elected women present. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild of Lehigh Valley attended her hometown march in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

Other speakers included lawmakers and elected state and city officials, as well as survivors of abuse.

Despite the turnout being a lot smaller in comparison to previous years, the 2019 Women’s March had a significant impact on Philadelphia, with many road closures and detours put in place for the march itself.

“It seemed to be a check-in on the state of things, to see the movements that are still working towards something more,” Drexel freshman Clayton Fosterweber said.

Speakers, marches, weather and discourse aside, the Women’s March was a national event once again with Philadelphia among the multitude of cities who contributed.

Pennsylvania is known for its numerous potholes and asphalt cracks. One of the major causes of this damage is road salts. Drexel researchers have found a new, biological method to tackle this problem.

Before every snowfall, the streets and sidewalks are covered in road salts to lower the snow’s melting point, making it easier for the snow to take on a liquid state rather than the hazardous icy state.

The downside of these salts are their byproducts. Calcium chloride, a popular road salt, produces a substance called calcium oxychloride, which expands inside concrete surfaces creating cracks. These new cracks can then allow water to seep through. When the temperature drops, the water in the cracks expands as it freezes, creating larger cracks and eventually potholes.

Although there has been previous research on “bio-cement” treated with microbiota to repair existing cracks in concrete, researchers and engineers at Drexel University have found a new way to use bacteria to tackle the root of the cracking: the cement.

Yaghoob Farnam, an assistant professor of civil, architectural and environmental engineering at Drexel, found that by using the bacteria S. pasteurii inside of concrete, the byproduct was no longer calcium oxychloride, but calcium carbonate, better known as limestone. The bacteria secreted enzymes that raised the pH, preventing cracks when the cement was treated with calcium chloride.

Although Farnam’s research is not intended for treating existing roads, it can ensure more stability and durability for future roadways.

“We want to see how long the bacteria are active,” Farnam told Philly.com. “Maybe you would want to reapply it after four or five years.”