Do not count Tech out of the ACC Coastal division quite yet. The Jackets’ win over Virginia Tech on Oct. 25 helped keep alive their chances of reaching the ACC Championship Game.

Under the guidance of redshirt freshman QB Tobias Oliver, Tech thoroughly thrashed the Hokies to the tune of 465 yards, all rushing — the Jackets did not complete a pass in the game, their first time ever in the Paul Johnson era, and nonetheless put up 49 points. Tech’s seven rushing touchdowns against Virginia Tech were the most that the Hokies had allowed since Alabama hung nine rushing touchdowns on them in 1973.

But last Thursday’s victory had more of an impact for the Jackets than simply filling up a stat sheet and demolishing their Techmo Bowl rivals — which feels less and less like a rivalry, as Tech has walked away with three straight in Blacksburg and four of five overall. Tech’s victory helped keep alive their hopes at the ACC Coastal divisional crown.

Tech entered last Thursday’s game just 1-3 in the ACC, with the lone win against winless-in-conference Louisville, tied for last in the ACC Coastal with UNC. But Tech’s victory over the Hokies accomplished three things. First, it knocked Virginia Tech off from atop of the ACC Coastal where they had resided with a 3-0 record. Second, after a chaotic week within the Coastal division, Tech climbed out of the basement — Tech went from tied for last to fifth, just a sneeze away from Miami. Third, it ensured that the Jackets would hold the tiebreaker over Virginia Tech, a crucial outcome if Tech stands any chance of making the ACC Championship game in Charlotte.

Currently, No. 23 Virginia leads the ACC Coastal with a 4-1 record, followed by Virginia Tech at 3-1, Miami at 2-2, and finally Tech at 2-3. As a scheduling quirk, three of the teams in Tech’s last four ACC games are ahead of them in the standings, presenting Tech with the unique situation of being able to claw their way up the standings down the stretch despite a poor opening to ACC play. Tech’s path to the postseason began with a win over Virginia Tech — if they can keep pace and win out, the Jackets will finish with a record of 5-3 while handing further losses to Virginia and Miami.

If Tech runs the table, then if Virginia Tech loses to No. 24 Boston College and Miami but beats Pitt and Virginia, Virginia Tech would also finish 5-3 as well. The best record that Virginia could finish with would be 5-3 too, and Miami and Pitt would finish at best 4-4 and 5-3, respectively. Despite having lost to Pitt earlier this season, the Jackets would win a four-way or three-way tie by virtue of having beat Virginia Tech and, in this hypothetical, Virginia. Virginia Tech would also have a 2-1 record against the tied teams, but a loss to Tech. Tech would still lose a two-way tie with Pitt, but the Jackets have more control of their own destiny than their record might indicate. Given that Miami has faltered down the stretch and given that Virginia looks over-ranked based on their strength of schedule, it is not entirely unrealistic that the Jackets might be playing for a spot in the conference title game.

Tech’s path to 5-3 might not even be that treacherous — according to the ESPN Football Power Index, Tech has a 76 percent chance of winning their game against UNC, a 45 percent chance of winning against Miami, and a 69 percent chance of beating of UVA, giving them a 24 percent chance of winning out in the Coastal, assuming that these are independent events. At the very least, Tech’s odds of making a bowl game appear much better than they did earlier this season when Tech was 1-3 — by FPI, Tech has a highly reasonable 73 percent chance of winning at least two games of their remaining slate against North Carolina, Virginia, Miami, and Georgia.

Tech’s path to an ACC Coastal bid is all the more complicated by the fact that Miami, Virginia, Pitt, and Virginia Tech have some slate of games against each other coming up as well. Still, this may yet play into Tech’s favor — if any team is unable to separate themselves from the pack in the notoriously chaotic Coastal division, Tech has the advantage in terms of tiebreakers and may yet find themselves facing off against the Atlantic division winners — most likely the Clemson Tigers, who are still undefeated both within the conference and overall. Tech was thoroughly steamrolled by the Tigers on Sept. 22 of this year, 49-21, but Tech still pegged the third-most points on Clemson of all of their opponents this year, behind only Texas A&M and Syracuse.

Still, it is an uphill climb, and Tech cannot afford to make any mistakes. Tech’s rocky road to December continues this Saturday as Tech travels to Chapel Hill to take on UNC. Tech is 29-20-3 all-time against UNC and the Jackets have won nine of their last twelve against the Tar Heels.

Khalid released his new EP, titled  “Suncity,” on Friday, Oct. 19. Appropriately, the fall release  is reminiscent of summer’s fading heat and the freedom of teenagehood. The 20-year old R&B singer’s newest release is an auditory masterpiece comprised of five songs accentuated by two interludes and provides the best experience when listened to chronologically. Always one to pay homage to his roots, the term “Suncity” is a reference to the singer’s hometown of El Paso, Texas. Elements of his origins are woven throughout the EP, ranging from the interlude “9.13,” in which the mayor of El Paso honors Khalid with a key to the city, to the Spanish lyrics interspersed throughout the final song on “Suncity,” a track that shares a name with the EP.

The release of “Suncity” was preceded by the release of its lead single, “Better,” on Sept. 14, leaving fans in anticipation until the EP’s debut five weeks later. “Better,” a blend of Khalid’s husky, irresistible voice, infectious beats and mellow piano chords, clothes itself in the façade of a love song. In reality, the song describes a relationship that focuses more on physicality than anything else, but the song’s duplicity does not detract from its allure. In fact, the beauty of the song is in its ability to capture the freedom and passion of youth, which justifies its place as the EP’s lead single.

The main selling point of “Suncity” is that it embodies the essence of being a teenager within just twenty-one minutes of music. It exemplifies an array of themes and emotions that most teenagers can identify with, such as fear, self-doubt, infatuation and desire. For example, the tracks “Vertigo” and “Salem’s Interlude” examine the themes of fear and self-doubt as Khalid deliberates over his journey in life and whether or not he is making the right decisions. The song “Saturday Nights” illustrates the sensation of young love and the innocent belief that nobody else understands one as well as a significant other. As the EP nears its end, the track “Motion” segues seamlessly into “Better,” and both songs demonstrate adolescents’ affinity for exploration and inclination to appease their desires.

Khalid began his ascent to fame with the release of his debut single, “Location”, on August 26, 2016, and the singer shows no signs of stopping anytime soon. In addition to releasing his first full studio album, “American Teen”, in March 2017 and the release of his first EP this month, Khalid has collaborated with various artists including Ty Dolla $ign, 6LACK, Billie Eilish and Shawn Mendes. In addition, he was featured on “Black Panther: The Album” in a song titled “The Ways” performed with Swae Lee. With the debut of “Suncity,” Khalid exhibits the full extent of his promise and talent yet again, leaving fans eager for future releases.

On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. This tragic event struck the African American students on campus and sparked the formation of the African American Student Union (AASU), then called the Georgia Tech Afro-American Association. After fifty years as the oldest student-run minority organization on campus, AASU held their “Golden Gala” to celebrate this important anniversary and establish a scholarship for members of AASU.

This gala was held on Friday, Oct. 12 and entertained about 200 alumni, students, staff and other members of the campus community at the Renaissance Atlanta hotel.

This gala featured a number of special guests, including a number of AASU alumni, Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson and Rodney Atkins — who donated Tech’s statue commemorating the life of Rosa Parks — as keynote speaker. Ticket sales outstripped the hopes of the members who planned the gala, and the revenue generated from the event went towards the creation of a scholarship program. Beginning next year, AASU will be able to bestow three scholarships: one to an incoming student, one to an AASU undergraduate and one to an AASU graduate.

The night went off without a hitch, much to the delight of organizers. Danea Manson, fourth year CHBE and planning chair for the event, said that she was “really, really happy about it. We had about 200 people who bought tickets and attended.”

The gala’s other speakers included William Stanley, the first black Architecture graduate and original founder of the organization, and Sinet Adous, second year INTA and convocation speaker, performed a spoken word piece.

A central focus of the night, as it is of all of the work done by AASU, were their eight pillars of unity: self-cultural awareness, effective leadership, community service, scholarship, coalition building, social awareness, political awareness and economic empowerment. Current AASU members recognized sixteen of those who had come before them for their accomplishments.

“We honored members of the community who have showed a dedication to those pillars throughout their time at Georgia Tech,” Manson said.

The gala concluded with closing remarks from Peterson. It was sponsored by several organizations such as the Tech Office of Institute Diversity, College of Engineering, BP and M. E. Cubed Engineering.

Through the process of preparing the gala, Manson and her colleagues struggled to get in contact with AASU alumni who had been distant from the organization’s activities. They were able to reconnect with a huge alumni network, and they hope that they will be able to keep this relationship flourishing.

The history of AASU is integral to their past and present work, and this history was also an important part of the gala.

“As the oldest minority student led organization on campus, we have so much history in what we have done,” said Manson, “not just for black students on campus but the Georgia Tech community as a whole.”

Traditionally, AASU’s role on campus has been to provide a social and academic outlet and resource for black students.

“It’s creating a more inclusive campus,” said Manson. “It not only provides an outlet for black students but it also allows students from other races and other groups to get insight into the challenges the black community faces.”

AASU meets weekly in order to discuss issues that face the African American community at Tech. They discuss both light-hearted topics, like events in popular black culture, and more serious topics, such as a recent voter registration informational meeting.

In addition, AASU holds both on campus and outreach events throughout the year. From Oct. 26 to 28, they will host the annual Black Leadership Conference. This year, the event will be titled “TECHture” and focus on tech jobs in the African American community. For more information, visit gtaasu.org.

If you attend primary school here in the United States, you know that many states have required state history courses for young students that are centered around that state’s history. As a student who attended primary school here in Georgia, I recall spending one class a day in my eighth year of school learning about history specific to Georgia. I remember spending hours learning details of the colonization of the Georgia land, of the skirmishes of the Civil War and even of specific political leaders and their upbringings.

However, how useful is this information, and how does it affect students in both the short and long term? How applicable is it to everyday life, and why is it a requirement for students? Should this course — centered around specific state history — be a requirement for young students’ curriculum?

History is a vital component of students’ understanding of the world around them. Not only does it teach them about important events, it teaches them the mistakes made in the past, how the world recovered from them and how to avoid repeating those mistakes. I, as a young student, loved learning about history and past events as it gave me a window into what the world was like before today and how we progressed to the world we are now.

State history allows students to take a specific look at the history of their immediate surrounding area. This can make learning about history more applicable to these students at the time, which can draw a connection between the student to the event. It can spur conversation about how historical events have a direct effect on the lives of citizens of the state. On a curriculum level, state-specific history courses also can break down information, all while making the information more applicable to residents.

Though state history may pique students’ interest and allow them to digest important historical events in an easier manner, what is the application of this information? Why are state-specific events more important for students to know than events that occurred outside of the state?

Living in Georgia, a major event that affected the state was the Civil War. Every student learns about the Civil War, but why is it important for students living in Georgia to learn about it more in-depth based on the simple fact that Georgia was affected by this war?

Students who move around often, also, might not benefit greatly from this course, as the information can seem inapplicable to them — especially since they might be moving states and never have to think of the information again. The state-specific approach also removes emphasis on how certain events might affect the rest of the country, simultaneously making it less useful for students who move states, and less applicable for future recall.

State history is a more focused approach to learning about historical events, and how these events had a direct effect on the nearby society. State history is still history, and it does matter long-term. However, no state’s history matters greater than another’s, which is why curriculum should be shifted to cover a broader topic of important events of all states. Knowing each governor of Georgia might not have long-term use for students, but knowing a specific Senator and how they created change for not only Georgians, but for other states, too, can be useful.

Creating these connections from the focus of the state to larger events that affect the country as a whole can shift the importance of this curriculum, and possibly even create a long-term appreciation for not only state history, but for history as a whole.

Most students at Tech would probably think that French cine-concerts sound a little weird, and they would be absolutely correct. Jean-Francois Alcolea’s “Right in the eye” is no exception. Still, to trivialize this great body of work as merely weird without mentioning its truly fascinating and charismatic qualities would be disingenuous. 

“Right in the eye” combines early 20th century French filmmaker George Melies’s collection of short films with original contemporary music influenced by classical impressionist piano, rock and free jazz (composed entirely by Alcolea). A concert of this nature will turn away most who have no interest in engrossing themselves in abstract art, but will captivate and fulfill those who give it the time of day. And who does not enjoy a little eccentricity from time to time anyway?

The Technique spoke with Alcolea after an Atlanta performance of “Right in the eye” on Sunday, Oct. 21 about what inspired him to compose music for Melies’s shorts. With Melies being one the founders of narrative cinema and the inventor of numerous editing techniques still used to this day, it was no surprise to learn that Alcolea wanted to make Melies’s films accessible to and appreciated by the public. 

In an effort to accomplish this goal, he fuses the overwhelming silence of early cinema with modern-sounding musical arrangements, giving newfound life to the primitive artform of silent film. Alcolea told the Technique that he spent a year and a half working with his groupmates Fabrice Favriou ou Julien Grolleau and Stephane Brunet to create and perfect the musical compositions, fashion original sound effects and blend everything with the various shorts. All of this together creates an appropriate aesthetic and refreshing identity to Melies works, not acting as a backdrop to it but rather pushing both the music and the film to the forefront of the viewer’s attention. 

Before the show, a brief history of Melies’s accomplishments and contributions to cinematography, set design and editing techniques is included to establish context for the cine-concert. This section is perfect for viewers who do not know much about Melies or what his body of work meant for the development of modern cinema. 

The cine-concert then takes the audience on a journey through a series of eleven short films, roughly five to ten minutes each, spanning a total length of about an hour and fifteen minutes. Although there are a few drawn out sections in the concert, Alcolea and his crew keep the audience entranced the entire way through, wondering what emotion will be evoked next by the intricate piano, sporadic and avant-garde drumming, rock and roll guitar or any of the other twenty-five instruments and sound-effects devices included in the show. The music covers a wide range of instrumentation, including African-style drumming, progressive and atmospheric chimes and marimba and even a slide whistle. 

Alcolea does a fantastic job of establishing the mood of each short, complimenting each using these different styles and musical modes. No part of the music is included without a deliberate purpose. Underwater scenes in the shorts are fantastically represented using the aquaphone, which creates a soothing aura of marine life, while whirring cymbal effects are used to set the tone during a blizzard scene. 

Melies’s vibrant hand-colored scenes and sophisticated set designs complement the music and provide a narrative as well, reaching far and beyond what modern audiences probably believe was possible in cinema during the turn of the 20th century. Even though the audience may not understand quite what is going on in every short, the artistic minds of the viewers are left thoroughly satisfied by the waves of sensation breaking over them.

Those who might not known much about Melies before seeing this concert will find themselves able to appreciate what he meant for the history of cinema and art as a whole. Alcolea successfully makes his audience feel what he intends it to as a result of this experience — a crystallization of how cinema and music evoke wonder in those who give it a chance.

For the fifth year in a row, students from universities across the country descended upon the Klaus Building for the 36-hour coding challenge that is HackGT. This year’s theme, “Dare to Venture” celebrated curiosity and the spirit of adventure. Over the course of the weekend, the 1,000 students that participated worked around the clock to take their ideas and turn them into complex finished projects. 

“Our marquee event, HackGT, is a competition in which participants have 36 hours to make something amazing and let their creativity run wild. Our event gives students the space to use their computer science knowledge, but also to attend workshops and tech talks hosted by our team, our student organization partners, and our sponsors,” said Ellie Morton, a member of the event team and third-year CM.

The competition began late on Friday, Oct. 19 following opening remarks, dinner and a sponsor exposition. The flurry of activity did not end until Sunday morning with the end of the competition. Throughout the weekend, teams were treated to meals, snacks and games that provided a quick break from the work at hand. 

This year, competitors also had the unique opportunity to choose a path among four different options: mobile development, security, web development and artificial intelligence. Choosing a path enhanced the learning experience by providing educational workshops, the opportunity to speak in small groups with sponsors and “campsites,” small group mentoring sessions. 

“There was a lot of free food and free gear from companies, which was really cool,” said Daniel Profili, a third-year CS student who participated in HackGT this year. “I also went to an awesome workshop which definitely enriched the experience.” All the support and resources were provided with one goal in mind: to provide the competitors the ability to reach their full potential and ultimately drive innovation and creativity within the computing community.

“HackGT’s goal is to provide students with the resources to create anything they can imagine and help them learn new things. We provide the space for them to dedicate their time and energy to a project combining their creativity and their studies. As our director of communications loves to say, HackGT provides participants all the tools in the sandbox and participants can build any kind of sand castle they would like,” Morton said.

For many people this kind of support and the opportunities made available by the event are the exact reason they choose to participate.

“I signed up because I just wanted to have fun. The whole idea of starting a project on Friday and hopefully finishing it on Sunday is very exciting. Unfortunately, we didn’t get to finish, but it was still a great time and I learned so much,” Profili said. 

Furthermore, the opportunity to bolster one’s resume with a unique and creative project, and network with potential employers draws competitors to participate and to put their best foot forward. 

“I participated so that I could put on my resume that I completed a project, but I also really loved all of the free food and swag provided by the event sponsors,” said Juliana Petrillo, third-year CS.

Pulling together such an event is no easy feat. It requires tedious planning and a detail-oriented attitude. Together, the HackGT team works to make sure that any improvements that can be made are carried out and that all the details are thought through.

“In all honesty, no part of organizing the event is easy. It takes our team six to eight months to plan the weekend-long event because so much goes into it. There are certain parts of our events that can be somewhat streamlined, but in our eyes, to throw a successful event, every detail should be thought through and determined far in advance. This stays the same no matter how many times we may have done something before,” said Morton. 

Because of the hard work of the 44-member HackGT team, the event was an absolute success, both in the eyes of the participants and the event sponsors. The quality and creativity of the projects submitted by the teams and the reactions of the students to the event prove without a doubt that HackGT was a victory. 

Not only were students able to build upon and show off their knowledge and skills, but they were able to walk away with a finished project in which they could take pride.

“Over the last year, our team has worked tirelessly to iterate and improve on every part of our event. Although we can be quite critical of ourselves because we are always seeking to improve, sponsors and participants loved the event,” Morton said.

For Morton, all of the hard work was entirely worth it as she got to witness just how powerful an event such as HackGT can be.

“One of my favorite moments from HackGT was watching participants walk into Klaus for the first time and look around in awe. During and after the event, I love talking to participants and sponsors about their experience. Participants share what they learned, which companies they interacted with and how the event helped them apply their classroom knowledge to a project,” she said.

For participants, the effort was well worth it as well.

“We were not the most serious group, but spending my weekend working toward a tangible goal, learning so much more about computing and meeting awesome people along the way definitely made the weekend worthwhile,” said Profili.

In addition to this event, the HackGT team hosts several smaller events throughout the year. These events, which cater to high school students and non-CS students, are each part of the effort to share the excitement and innovation of science, technology and engineering fields. 

Be on the lookout for these events and for next year’s HackGT, all of which are poised to impress yet again.

Francesca Pan and Kierra Fletcher are an odd pair. Pan is a junior, Fletcher a sophomore. Pan hails from Bassano del Grappa, Italy, a town renowned for its medieval architecture. Fletcher comes from Warren, Mi., a Detroit suburb hit as hard as any by the Great Recession. Even on the court, their games are dissimilar; Pan led the team in three-point attempts last season and Fletcher did not make a single shot from beyond the arc.

But entering the 2018-19 women’s basketball season, Pan and Fletcher, the only two Tech players to start every game last season, are likely its strongest leaders. 

Pan burst onto the scene during the 2016-17 campaign, starting 35 games, good for second-most on the team. For a freshman dropped into the crucible that is the Atlantic Coast Conference, that in itself is impressive. Logging 926 minutes of time on the court, seconds behind then-junior point guard Imani Tilford, Pan scored 11.5 points per game on 36.7 percent shooting. But that number was lowered by the high number of three-point shots Pan took; to account for that, the best approach is to instead look at a player’s effective field goal percentage. This calculation, which weighs a three-point shot as the equivalent of making 1.5 two-point shots, puts Pan at an improved percentage of 44.17 percent — that is, Pan’s efficiency should be considered equivalent to that of a player who takes exclusively two-point shots and makes them at a 44.17 percent clip. For reference, NBA rookie Dennis Smith, Jr. scored at a nearly identical 44.6 percent effective field goal percentage, and his performance was good enough to garner Second-Team All-Rookie honors.

Likewise, the accolades rolled in for Pan in her rookie campaign. She was named the conference’s Rookie of the Week five times, made the All-Freshman and All-Academic teams, and finished the season as the ACC Freshman of the Year. But the next season, as defenses focused more on her, Pan suffered a bit. 

Pan’s volume improved year over year — she led the team in the 2017-18 campaign with 14.3 points per game, 4.2 better than the second-leading player, senior Zaire O’Neil — but her efficiency dropped. She shot a paltry 32.7 percent from the field, or a 43.93 effective field goal percentage. While that seems like a smaller dip than her overall field goal percentage, what it in essence says is that Pan became potentially overdependent on her three-point shot. When that did not fall, the team was in trouble. 

Nonetheless, Pan has demonstrated the deft scoring touch over her first two seasons that makes her a viable star on a conference contending team. Largely responsible for getting her the ball will be Fletcher. Fletcher, who was rated as a five-star prospect by ESPN’s HoopGurlz coming out of Cousino High School, did not achieve the eye-popping numbers that Pan managed as a freshman but was nonetheless impressive.

Fletcher led the team with 2.3 assists per game playing point guard and logged 26.5 minutes per game, second only to Pan. She has a long way to go from the free throw stripe — she connected on a mere 59.8 percent of attempts from the line — but was remarkably active on the boards for a player of her size; her 5.2 rebounds per game were good for third on the team.

The problem neither Pan nor Fletcher will be able to resolve on their own is the loss of frontcourt players Elo Edeferioka and Zaire O’Neil to graduation. O’Neil, in particular, was a dominant presence inside. Agreeing to play off the bench her senior year paid dividends  both for O’Neil and the team; she dominated second units with fresh legs and was named ACC Sixth Player of the Year in recognition of her contributions. Freshman forward and five-star prospect Liz Dixon may be one of the keys to overcoming that disadvantage — her 6’5” frame makes her the tallest player on the team — but nonetheless, the team will need steady leadership to integrate young players. Neither Dixon nor fellow freshmen Lotta-Maj Lahtinen, D’Asia Gregg or Elizabeth Balogun can be expected to immediately step in and play at the level necessary to consistently win games in the ACC, regardless of pedigree. That is simply too much to ask of players largely accustomed to dominating high school circuits every year.

But that is where Pan and Fletcher will be valuable — Pan has spent two years in MaChelle Joseph’s system and Fletcher is going into her second. They will have the important responsibility of not only exemplifying excellence on the court but serving as steadying presences throughout the year. Their experience and the quality of the incoming freshman class suggests that they will be able to do that, both this season and next.

Last Friday, Tech unveiled their new basketball uniforms during the “Live at the Thrillerdome” event as a part of the program’s new uniform deal with Adidas. Rap duo Rae Sremmurd performed as Tech’s men’s and women’s basketball teams showed off the new designs for their uniforms and kicked off their first seasons under the Adidas brand.

The event commenced late Friday night as Tech players participated in a series of exhibition competitions, pairing up and participating in a three-point contest. Men’s coach Josh Pastner and women’s coach Machelle Joseph also competed, each pairing off with an audience member and participating in a shooting drill competition.

Following the skill showcases, Tech unveiled their new uniforms, having players from both the men’s and women’s team model the new designs. Tech unveiled white, gold and navy uniform variants for both teams, featuring the new design elements revealed earlier this year as a part of Tech’s comprehensive athletic-image redesign under Adidas, including Tech’s newly-standardized shade of gold and typeface. 

The event is a departure from Tech season-opening events of years past; this is the first time in recent memory that the basketball teams have partnered with the homecoming artist, and the result was an enthusiastic crowd. 

Following the unveiling, Rae Sremmurd took the stage and performed some of their hits like “Black Beatles” and “Come Get Her”. Rae Sremmurd invited Tech’s teams onstage for some of their songs as well, dancing along with the teams. Tech men’s basketball opens the season officially against Lamar on November 11, while the women’s team’s first game is on the road against Houston on November 9. 

Chaouki Abdallah, who joined as the new Executive Vice President of Research (EVPR) in September, says Tech has changed a lot since he completed his Ph.D. in E.E. here in 1988.

“The campus is so much nicer, so much nicer, so much more beautiful, and friendlier, you know,” Adballah said, adding that “the breadth of the things that we’re doing right here is mind boggling right now.”

One of the goals Abdallah has set for his first 100 days in office is to talk to as many people across campus as possible. So far, Abdallah has had discussions with several deans, school chairs, and faculty members as well as figures in GTRI and Tech administration. 

“I haven’t yet done it, but I want to talk to students,” Abdallah added.

Currently, Abdallah’s focus is to identify how the office of the EVPR can be optimized in order to best serve the research mission  and reputation of the Institute.

“Everybody is saying: ‘Look. We want to be number one. We want to be on the medal stand,’” Abdallah said, speaking about those who spoke with him during the interview process. “The question is, how do we do this effectively at a time where resources are tight, and we’re trying to decide what to do and what to go into?”

One of the key programs being developed in his office to help manage that process is the Grant Hatchery, which was conceived before Abdallah, but one that he is pushing forward and hiring staff members to implement.

“The Grant Hatchery is the office, the infrastructure, that will lead the application for [up to multi-million dollar grants], that would coordinate the application for such a grant,” Abdallah said.

Thus, the primary investigators can focus on the technical aspects of  proposal process.

Abdallah says that beyond te first 100 days of becoming acquainted with the office, he plans to spend a year and half determining a long term plan to last “10 years, or so on.”

Part of the discussions Abdallah plans to have centers on the continuing role of the Interdisciplinary Research Insitutes (IRIs) that allow Tech to pursue large grants that cut across disciplines.

“If we want to add a new one, we have to come up with funds from someplace or combine some of the IRIs or eliminate some of the IRIs,” Abdallah said. “It’s something that we really need to make sure that we do it right.”

Conventional television wisdom would have never allowed a series like Netflix’s “Big Mouth” out of the writer’s room. Although adult animation has become a staple of America’s television diet — see the 22 seasons of “South Park”, the rabid fanbase of “Rick and Morty” or Seth MacFarlane’s entire career — few shows in the genre dare broach the topics that make up the foundation of the comedy in “Big Mouth”.

The show centers around a group of seventh graders that, due to their raging hormones, find themselves both tremendously confused and perpetually aroused. Nick (Nick Kroll), Andrew (John Mulaney) and Jessi (Jessi Klein) make up the show’s core cast.

Each character brings various facets of the pubescent experience to the show: Nick is a late bloomer who deals with the crushing pressure of fitting in with peers fraught with growth spurts and unfamiliar urges; Andrew is a newly-minted teen — cracking voice, moustache and all — navigating the labyrinth of puberty with the help of his hormone monster Maurice; Jessi, the show’s female lead, struggles to find her identity while dealing with the pettiness of her peers and the myriad effects of her parents’ divorce.

The first season tackled the controversial topic of budding sexuality with an astounding level of tactful candor. Artists in the position of Kroll and Andrew Goldberg — the show’s creators — find themselves toeing a line between crude sexualization of teenagers and a frank expression of the human experience, and “Big Mouth” ultimately leverages that to create what could be the most refreshing portrayal of puberty to ever find its way to the small screen.

The prospect of a second season, however, predictably elicited questions from viewers. Could Kroll and Goldberg possibly hit the nail on the head once again? Would they unnecessarily attempt to push boundaries further and ruin the legacy of the first season? Was there even a worthy story left to be told?

The creators did not just navigate this minefield successfully; Kroll, Goldberg and the rest of the writing room tap danced their way to safety. Their follow-up perfectly captured the charm of the original season while expanding both the plot and the scope to encompass such topics as divorce, drug use, depression and the rampant slut-shaming which is ubiquitous in grade-school hallways.

The lucidity present in the show’s representation of the complex issues of adolescence creates a universally relatable narrative in the most unlikely of genres, but it is Kroll and Goldberg’s mastery of the medium that manages to make its topics more real than anything else on TV.

Complex aspects of puberty are boiled down into physical representations; hormone monsters follow the children around, serving as a sort of ‘devil on the shoulder’ by guiding them through their everyday lives. A new addition this season, the Shame Wizard — voiced by David Thewlis of “Harry Potter” fame — personifies the guilt that often stems from pubescent feelings. This unique cast of characters allows “Big Mouth” to tackle subjects that would otherwise weigh a show down and cause it to completely miss the mark.

While several other aspects of the season deserve attention, few of the topics the show tackles are presented as masterfully as the idea of homosexuality. Season one introduced the character of Matthew, a seemingly one-dimensional gay teen. Catty, flamboyant and drama-obsessed, Matthew anchored the show’s representation of homosexuality in a static and uninteresting location far from the forefront.

Season two, however, delves deeper into the mindset of the gay teen and lays his fears and insecurities bare for the audience to see. His anxiety about his position in ‘limbo’ between his male and female peers becomes a major plot point and ultimately subverts the gay archetype established in season one. More than anything else, this plotline demonstrates the maturity of the writers in tackling controversial and often-overlooked issues.

But behind all of this, “Big Mouth” ultimately succeeds due to its humor. This is one of the funniest shows on TV, due in no small part to the voice acting of big-name comedians like John Mulaney (“Saturday Night Live”), Jason Mantzoukas (“The Dictator”), Jessi Klein (“Inside Amy Schumer”) and Maya Rudolph (“Bridesmaids”). The potentially-awkward subject matter is made palatable by an irreverent, cerebral and ultimately hilarious sense of humor that permeates every aspect of the show.

Season two of “Big Mouth” was tasked with expanding on the show’s critically-acclaimed pastiche of teen life, and through clever writing, bold direction and top-shelf humor the show has managed to deliver in a big way. The season finale makes it clear that “Big Mouth” plans to return with yet another slew of episodes, but, unlike last year, viewers can now weather the period between seasons with confidence that the show’s creators will know how to follow up.