April 2017 FREE, AS in BEER

Olin’s unofficial, FRANKLY student-run news SPEAKING source. volume 8, issue 7 April 2017 FREE, AS IN BEER

FreeLogan Davis Soapboxesabout the words that you matory to notHere being creative Interviewee were reading, the statements enough. Granted, some of could suddenly be read as the statements were solicited Here at Olin, we inten- rather banal. from other sources, such as tionally and deliberately But even though we know “self-identifying conserva- teach students how to ex- that government can be inef- tive / right of center” Oliners: press their ideas. Every first ficient, and that Islam is not Logan says that “Everyone year takes one writing course terrorism, and that literally Has A Right To Life”, “Gov- and two courses with design everyone has bad ideas, a ernment Can Be Inefficient”, reviews to showcase and jus- number of community mem- “Corruption Is Not Good”, tify their progress. We give bers were made very uncom- “Reporters Have Responsi- students lots of venues for fortable by the statements.. bilities”, and “People Need- presentations, public white- The first morning of the ed Coal Jobs” were inspired boards to gauge public inter- project, the three poster by conversations with such est, and well, there’s also this boards vanished after the ad- students. piece of paper that you’re ministration requested their None of these statements, reading. removal to clean up for a tour not the right nor left nor the A few weeks ago, as part group. Later that afternoon center-leaning ones, were of a project for Six Books (and following a hunt for meant to be attacks. “If any That Changed The World, who and why and how to get of them were attacks [on an Logan Davis put up three them back), the boards were Oliner’s identity], I kind of presentation boards around back up. failed. I didn’t want them to campus, each bearing seven Phase 1 of the project, be controversial.” black and white posters. Listening, was off to a roar- Regardless of whether or The posters carried political ing start. not they felt attacked, Olin- statements like “Neo-Nazis Despite the fact that no ers gave feedback, and those Have Bad Ideas,” “The Press one uses QR codes (Logan’s that chose to do it anony- Should Be Free,” “Govern- chosen method for con- mously allowed Phase 2 to ment Can Be Inefficient,” tact), he was able to receive happen. Logan took a thick and “Islam Is Not Terror- feedback through both his red marker and scrawled the ism.” coded form and the Therapy anonymous comments about “What was the goal of mailing list. Logan said that each statement over its re- this?” you might ask. he, “was trying to put these spective poster. According to Logan, he things out in a very public Many of us saw this art- wanted to push a button. way and see what people ist-executed graffiti. Many of More specifically, his goal did… and people did inter- us stopped to notice what had was a weeklong experiment esting things.” changed about the posters that, on its surface, was very Complaints about the that had been in our periph- political. But if you stopped project ranged from the eral vision for the past week. for a second and thought statements being too inflam- continued on next page How many of us thought want to speak their minds about the vitriol behind the Literal Physical Removal but they don’t want to be red words? And how many by the Administration – judged by others for what of us would have spoken up signs getting taken down they say. for or against these state- from public space, presum- ments if they had been said ably or explicitly by the ad- The Myth of Olin – the to our faces? ministration. myth being that Olin is apo- To round off his project litical. We don’t show poli- for Six Books That Changed Literal Physical Removal tics on tours. Our students The World, here are Logan’s by Students – signs getting don’t talk about politics, Six Mechanisms of Silence: taken down from student for fear of ostracism and for spaces, presumably by stu- fear of being the ostraciz- Obfuscation and Adminis- dents. ers. “Being apolitical is just tration – there is no formal an endorsement of the way process for putting up signs Anonymous Directed things are.” like this, but the activa- Feedback – e.g. emails and tion energy required to first feedback forms that went to So why do we have such ask a professor and then go Logan. It’s not a dialogue/ an aversion to putting our through facilities and StAR conversation if your target names on our opinions? And and then go find the means can’t respond. It’s bullying. do we actually want silence, of actually displaying post- or to make it safe for our ers is a wild goose chase that Anonymous Public Feed- voices while drowning other acts as a rather powerful de- back – e.g. the Therapy opinions out? terrent. email thread, because people

MentalMegan McCauley minutes.Health Whenever I started atwith ADD, anxiety,Olin and de- Contributor working on one assignment, pression. I would suddenly remember What I found out sur- Eighteen months ago, I something else that I desper- prised me. So many of the was diagnosed with attention ately needed to do. I couldn’t people that I talked with had deficit disorder (ADD), anxi- go back to the first thing I also had been dealing with ety, and depression. was working on until I add- similar problems. Some of Let’s back up. I am six ed the just remembered task them had just started their weeks away from graduat- to my To Do list. This went journeys. Others had been ing. I have accepted a full on and on until it was hours handling them for years. I time job at a company I am later, I had a million Chrome was stunned. Many of my excited to work for. I have a tabs open, and my To Do list friends and peers were strug- solid core group of friends filled up the front and back of gling with the same problems and a happy family. I spend a piece of paper. that I was, and yet, I had no time with my suitemates and I want to use my personal idea. friends, love to read, and experiences as a catalyst to Talking with other people breezed through high school start the conversation about about mental health chal- with all A’s. But this is all on mental health, especially as lenges is something that I go the surface. it relates to engineering. I out of my way to do. Some- What people couldn’t see, felt so alone with my prob- times all it takes is one con- even my best friend from lems for such a long time. versation to realize that you home, even my parents, was But after I got the help that have more in common with the me who struggled to stay I needed, I started to open up someone than you thought. focused on one homework to my friends, and even to My goal is to break subject for more than thirty strangers, about my struggles down the barriers that sur- round talking about mental reach out and get the help I reaction and realized that health. To allow those who needed. Too long. I spent al- these weren’t tears of sad- are struggling or those who most every night during my ness. They were tears of re- are watching someone else sophomore year curled up in lief. Someone else had final- struggle to not be afraid to my boyfriend’s bed, sobbing ly been able to see inside me, speak up and speak out re- uncontrollably. Nothing and now, I was going to get garding their experiences he said or did could make the help that I needed. This and their feelings. I want my tears stop, but his pres- was the last moment that I people to know that it’s okay ence made me feel better. I had to feel alone, hopeless to ask for help. had enough experience with and helpless, surrounded by I think that my personal these nights to know that my problems. struggles were perpetuated when the sun came up, these I think a big part of go- by the demanding envi- feelings would go away. At ing to therapy is knowing ronment of an engineering least, until the next night. what you are there for. You education and the ambition I went on feeling this want to be clear about how of the culture and people way, barely scraping by, for you are feeling and what around me. At Olin, we all an entire year. I got a C- and you want to walk out of your try to do everything, from a D in the two classes I was sessions with. I had thought school work to clubs to hav- taking in my major. I knew that I was struggling with ing a social life. But the truth that something was wrong. depression -- that was why is, you can’t do it all. There I knew that Olin students I had gone to therapy in the are only so many hours in had access to mental health first place -- but to have an- a day and when you take resources and therapists. But other person, a doctor, spend time out to sleep, because I was scared. I was terrified less than half an hour with yes, even engineering stu- of what these experts would me and pronounce these di- dents need sleep, you will see when they talked with agnoses was both terrifying find that you HAVE to give me. What they would say. and liberating. some things up. Maybe you I did finally take the steps I thought I didn’t have don’t need to get an A in ev- to make that first appoint- time to invest every week ery class. Maybe it’s okay if ment, but it was not some- into my mental health. I you are just a member of the thing that I did on my own. mean, I was barely able to club and not the president. It took support and urging finish my homework on You get more out of every- from my friends, who could time! But looking back, I thing you do when you focus tell that I wasn’t feeling or realize that I was wasting on a few activities and don’t acting my best. It took me more time by not getting the spread yourself too thin. going to StAR, sitting in help that I needed. Every People take on too many someone’s office while they tearful night spent strug- things, there are too many put the phone on speaker gling through or ignoring meetings, and we all have and left that first message my homework was time that too much work. Engineering on Colony Care’s answering I should have redirected to students, as well as many machine on my behalf. caring for myself, to feeling other STEM students, seem I started weekly therapy better. to have a culture of per- sessions. Less than a month My father once sent me fectionism built into them. later, I met with a psychia- an email that said: “With Students will compare their trist who diagnosed me with engineering, as in life, some busy schedules; whoever ADD, anxiety, and depres- things will come naturally to got the least amount of sleep sion. To hear her pronounce you and others will be more wins. No one ever talks all three of these diagnoses of a struggle.” My mental about their problems. To do was terrifying. After my ap- health problems have caused so would be a gross sign of pointment, I sat in the car many daily tasks to be more weakness. and sobbed for about 15 of a struggle for me. It took me a long time to minutes. I thought about my I am still learning to cope with my mental health and meet monthly with my - 21 (40.4%) wanted to problems. The best strategy psychiatrist to check on my have an open discussion I have found for myself is medication. But I still have - 20 (38.5%) wanted to making sure to clear out bad nights sometimes, and read a Frankly Speaking ar- some personal time in my there are still some days ticle (Here you go!) schedule. This means I set where I can’t convince my- - 15 (28.8%) wanted to myself a “meeting curfew” self to get out of bed. With share your own experiences at 10pm and block off the the help and support of my - 12 (23.1%) wanted to time on my calendar. This therapist, friends, and fam- write about your own expe- means every week I see my ily, I know that these bad riences therapist and I also make times are only temporary. What I want everyone to sure to get out of the bubble One bad day doesn’t undo take away from this article is and spend time off campus. all the progress I have made. that it’s okay to ask for help. Having this time to myself My mental health issues do Moving forward, let’s talk is very important. I look for- not define me. (and listen!) to each other. ward to it and I crave it. Want to know how my Join me this Wednesday at The semester after I experiences compare to oth- SLAC for an open discus- started therapy and medi- er Oliners? Ask them! I en- sion about mental health cation, I got three A’s and courage each one of you to from 7pm-9pm. Feel free to one B, a huge improvement help break down the stigmas find me on campus or email over almost failing one of surrounding mental health. me, anonymously if you my courses the semester Open up a dialogue on cam- want, at [email protected]. before. I’ve gotten better at pus. Talk to your friends, edu. recognizing my feelings and your family, your class- knowing my triggers, and I mates, your coworkers. Ask This article is edited from a have come up with personal someone how they are feel- speech I wrote for an event coping techniques to help. ing, and then really listen to called ‘Square WomEng Over the past year, I have their response. Hear + Now: College Edi- been able to feel myself re- In February, I sent out tion’ which took place on turning to the person I used a survey asking how stu- August 11, 2016 in in San to be. dents wanted to engage in Francisco, California. Read I know my journey isn’t the discussion about mental more about that event here: over yet. And it likely won’t health1. Fifty-seven of you https://squarewomenghear- ever be. Mental health is- responded. Here’s a small nowcollegeedit.splashthat. sues are known for sticking bit of what you said: com/ around. I have continued - 33 (63.5%) wanted to [1]: www.tinyurl.com/olin- to see my therapist weekly hear others’ experiences mh-survey BackMel Chua Painwasn’t sleeping, I had to stopIncluded* been very well put together, Interviewee working for a couple months or the path that a tool takes because I couldn’t touch a as it cuts through material. Mel Chua ‘07 would have keyboard without occasion- So we have those notions chosen to link her brain to ally crying. for talking about good me- her computer and forgo her So I decided, ‘I never chanics of inanimate things body completely. Her fingers want this to happen again, interacting with inanimate couldn’t type fast enough to what do I need to learn?’ things and we value them keep up with what her brain That’s what spurred my in- and we value good craft. was creating. But there’s a terest in anatomy and move- But if you’re soldering some part of this rote engineer ment and muscle care. In through holes and the tip of mindset that needs consider- grad school, I accidentally the soldering iron is moving ation: how do we take care of stumbled into the dance de- beautifully and the rest of ourselves? partment when they were of- you is scrunched over, why fering Modern Dance 1. That aren’t we changing this sys- About a year after gradu- ended up with me being im- tem too? ation (I had been a computer mersed in dance classes for One thing I wish could geek for many years at that the rest of grad school and happen on campus is if it point, and had spent lots of learning that it’s really hard were more ok to move and time hunched over laptop to start ballet when you’re sit and stand in classrooms keyboards and tinkering with 25. or meetings, like explicitly horrible ergonomics), I had One of the things I no- ok. You can sit on the floor, a horrible bout of Repetitive ticed in industry when I talk- you can lean against the fall, Strain Injury (RSI). ed with my older colleagues and if you need to fiddle or When you misuse your was they said, ‘Yeah, that. go get water, if you want to body in the same way for That’s normal. It’s complete- take your shoes off and walk prolonged periods of time, ly normal to have crippling around in socks, that’s fine. the muscles start seizing up pain that’s work related by Sometimes not being able to in weird ways and you stop the time you’re 25, if you’re do those things can be more being able to have mobil- really serious about this.’ distracting. ity. I couldn’t move some of That’s awful, why would we my fingers, and when I did, think that this is ok? Whatever lets you be nerve pain would shoot up We talk about beautiful present in this room, do it. my arm. It was really bad; I soldering, boards that have

W h a t D o W e L e a r n F r o m F a i l u r e ? At Olin we talk a lot about learning as much from our mistakes as our successes— maybe even more. Marketing and Communications would like to hear your stories for a video series that puts the focus on failure. Maybe it’s a project that didn’t work out, or a machine that malfunctioned or part of a class that left you scratching your head…

Whatever it is, if you learned from something that didn’t go as planned let us know.

If you would like to share your story, please email [email protected]. We plan to videotape these stories on April 18. More details to come. BenjaminNotes Linder and onstudents Your as they graduate. CapstoneNo, you’re not selling Alisha Sarang-Sieminksi The other reason is, in your soul to the Defense Interviewees Ben’s words, “[it would be] Department if you choose very difficult for [ADE part- SCOPE. And you can choose What is the Design Cap- ners] to attend, and they don't to not work with a sponsor stone? Officially, it is a two have the resources to do it. with defense ties. Bottom semester project class that When you do work in pover- line: if SCOPE is a compel- is a culmination of the skills ty, it's not appropriate to have ling option for you, there are that students have learned celebrations where resources plenty of great sponsors to over their Olin career. The could have gone to this spe- choose from. Design Capstone focuses on cific context.” Getting Technical design, effective communi- Travel Once upon a time, there cation, and teamwork; skills This was a personal que- was an ADE project that had that, in other college cap- ry, but it’s still a valid fact: to be discontinued because stone projects, are also taught you don’t have to travel in or- no one at Olin had the techni- alongside the capstone itself. der to take ADE (or SCOPE). cal skill to move the project It should be noted that For example, I would pos- along. “At one point, I sent “Capstone” is both SCOPE sibly be in physical danger an email to the entire student (Senior Capstone Project in were I to travel to Uganda body of one semester, saying Engineering) and ADE (Af- (they’re very anti-LGBTQ+). ‘we are dying for technical fordable Design and Entre- Now, I can obviously choose expertise here,’ and I listed preneurship). a different team. But let’s as- all the technical challenges These two Design Cap- sume that I wanted to be on that we needed help with.” stone directors also coordi- the Mississippi Delta team Conversely, SCOPE is nate with and inform each that I’ve been working with not purely technical. The other. Benjamin Linder for another class. I don’t feel Mitsubishi Team is doing (ADE) and Alisha Sarang- particularly safe in the deep a very experience-heavy, Sieminski (SCOPE) work South either, but I could still UOCD-esque project that very closely to provide expe- be on that team. I wouldn’t isn’t really geared toward a riences for students that will travel, and while my expe- technical solution. That said, meet a broad spectrum of rience would be different, if you want a technical role, needs, from job preparation it wouldn’t be significantly it can be found in almost any to international engagement. diminished for not having project. If you want a more Money personally interacted with user-centered role, it can be "SCOPE is really rich stakeholders. found in almost any project. and ADE is really poor." Ac- Thoughtful Sponsors tually, both programs have Some people say they Your Design Capstone roughly the same amount of don't choose SCOPE is be- will ultimately be what you funding per student. They cause of the military aspect make of it. just spend it differently. of it. Currently, the only Recognition SCOPE sponsor that has To help you make an in- SCOPE has a big cel- military ties is Raytheon, formed decision, Alisha and ebratory event at the end of although they are not solely Ben will be holding an info the year. ADE doesn’t. That a defense contractor and do session this Wednesday at is in part due to the fact that important work in supporting lunch (12:30-1:30) in the SCOPE has a beginning STEM education. SCOPE Crescent Room. Bring your and an end, while ADE is is aware of students values lunch and your questions. designed to keep going for when it comes to choosing You do not need to be a Ris- many semesters, trading out project sponsors. ing Senior to attend. MomentsJon Adler in favor ofof his intellectualJon's sition that was Lifenot the right Interviewee development, a strategy he fit, but still gave Jon a very now wishes he could go back good breadth in addition to Please read in the voice of and undo. Towards the end of his previous years of clinical YOU. college and the years that fol- training. lowed, he worked hard on his After his residency, Jon Meet Jon Adler. Jon was identity and also came out as knew that he wanted a fac- a public school theater kid gay. At the beginning of grad ulty job. He and his husband from Newton, MA, who school, he met his future hus- also knew that they wanted acted in high school plays band. They were married six to have kids, ideally close to alongside Anne Dudek and years later, in Massachusetts Jon’s parents in Newton, so B.J. Novak. His senior year, in 2008, back when it was location did factor into his he was involved in six of the only state in the country job search, though he applied the thirteen productions his to recognize same-sex mar- all over the Northeast and in school put on that year, di- riage. Chicago. recting one of them. As they were not resi- He was mostly applying After high school, Jon dents of Massachusetts at to narrowly-scoped posi- went to Bates College, think- the time, Jon and his fiancé tions in psych departments ing that he would study were told that it would up at small liberal arts colleges, English or History because to the individual city clerk until he saw the listing for an he really liked stories. After whether or not they could be Assistant Professor of Arts, taking a class called “Repre- legally married. Trying Prov- Humanities, and Social Sci- sentations of Mental Illness incetown as the “safest bet,” ences at Olin. Having lived in Literature,” he found that the clerks were very excited in the area, Jon knew of its it was really the characters to fill out their marriage pa- existence, and thinking that that fascinated him. So he perwork. the job and school sounded majored in psychology. True to the teacher he exciting, he sent in his appli- Jon knew that he wanted would become, the marriage cation. wanted to get clinical train- was as much a teaching mo- He came into his faculty ing as a therapist. Unsure as ment as it was a celebra- “Candidates’ Weekend” ex- to whether or not he would tion: instead of a traditional cited and he left really ex- want to do therapy full time, rehearsal dinner, they had a cited. he began looking into gradu- “catered conversation,” com- Eight years later, the rest ate programs that would al- plete with readings, home- is history. low him to research person- work, and flip charts. They At Olin, Jon (now an As- ality and do clinical work. led the guests in a discussion sociate Professor) is the only Through a serendipitous about the history and nature psychologist on the faculty meeting with a current grad of marriage. and there are no psych ma- student at Northwestern Uni- Back in Chicago for the jors to speak of. That means, versity, Jon found his future last year of his PhD in Per- “I get to teach the things that graduate mentor, Dan McAd- sonality and Clinical Psy- I think our students most ams (who had developed the chology, Jon needed to do a need to know. I'm not pre- theory of Narrative Identity year-long residency, which paring them for a major, so it as a major player in Person- occurred for him at a VA really is about psychological ality Psychology). hospital in inner-city Chi- concepts that are going to be Looking back, Jon now cago. He worked primarily useful to you in life, and not sees that he mostly put his with veterans coming back because the concepts are go- own personal development from the wars in Iraq and Af- ing to be useful to you in the on hold during undergrad, ghanistan, a very intense po- 300-level of your major or because they are going to get Jon if he wanted to direct go back and visit her life, you into grad school. So I've something. He chose Our what happens in the play is been able to organize my Town. she picks her tenth birthday. teaching entirely in around The play was written She goes back to her tenth psychological concepts that by Thornton Wilder in the birthday and she can only I think are going to be useful 1930’s, set in the small, stand to be there for a few to our students as people.” fictional town of Grover’s minutes because she realizes Jon also does a lot of re- Corners, New Hampshire, how little people appreciate search into Narrative Iden- where everyone knows ev- all the details of their daily tity, or making sense of the eryone. To Jon, Grover’s lives while they're living. stories people tell about Corners was Olin. So he “So the narrator takes their lives. He collects sto- set out to direct the play her up out of her grave and ries, examines the themes with two goals in mind: to walks to the upstage cur- (among other things), and reflect our community (he tain, which I assume the then relates those findings got students, faculty (Mark audience thought was just back to mental health. He’s Somerville! Brian Storey!), the back wall of the theater, interested in identifying the staff (Sharon Breitbart!), and but in fact it opens to a very most productive (for mental even faculty’s kids to act in elaborate 1901 kitchen set. health) ways people make the play); and to be an ex- The Olin students built us a meaning of difficult experi- ample at Olin of how out-of- cast iron stove and there was ences. He also makes the the-box thinking can be ap- Emily's Mom (Kate Drams- distinction between histori- plied to the performing arts. tad ‘13), in period dress with cal truth and narrative truth. At the beginning of the early morning stage light- One is the series of events as show, the audience was ac- ing, cooking bacon, and you they objectively, verifiably tually brought up onto the could hear it sizzling in the happened, the other is the se- mostly-bare stage and they pan and you could smell it as ries of events as the narrator never returned to their seats. soon as the theater curtains comes to make meaning of They became the townspeo- opened. She pours coffee them. It’s the narrative truth ple, wandering around the that you can smell, and each that serves as the foundation stage as a scene popped up of us in the audience has of our identity. Jon is also here or there. this experience that Emily is an editor at the Journal of Jon will tell you what having. They've been in this Personality and he’s spoken happened next: imaginative space in their with the media a lot about “In the third act, the main heads and all of a sudden, his research. character, Emily (played by real smells and real sounds When he’s not being a Claire Barnes ‘15), has died are hitting them, and it's in- teacher or a researcher, Jon and the action takes place in tense. So they're having the returns to theater, although the town cemetery. We had experience Emily has and he personally enjoys direct- the actors playing the dead she can only stand it for a ing more than acting. This walk out onto the stage with few minutes. Then the cur- semester he’s co-teaching these white picture frames tain closes and we're back a new course called Con- and lie down on the ground. to the cemetery for the last structing and Performing the That brought a chill to the thirty seconds of the play.” Self (the final deliverable, audience; all of a sudden, The play was a wonder- a fully-staged series of per- you couldn't just run around ful community experience, sonal student monologues, the stage because you don't one Jon would like to cre- will be April 20 and 21). want to step on someone. So ate again someday. But, for Back in 2011, FWOP had people sort of stood still and now, he plans to hold off a free weekend at Babson’s looked down the way you do anything big like Our Town Sorenson Theater where in a cemetery. until his kids get a little bit they weren’t planning on us- “And when the narrator older and he has more time ing the space, so they asked of the play invites Emily to to devote to it (they’re 2 and 4, so sadly we may have to to become the author of our make us who we are. These wait a while). own lives, rather than being "self-event connections" are While we're waiting, Jon a character in a story told by the building blocks of Narra- thinks we could all benefit someone else (often our par- tive Identity. If you want to from working on our own ents). The first steps in self- write it, great, but this is the personal narratives. His authorship ask us to simply kind of thinking we should field of research suggests parse the flow of our lives all be doing as we start to that in adolescence we start into the key moments that live our own stories.

KeithOverworked, Hopper you can't just study Burntfor a test, experiments toOut reduce over- Contributor take it, and be done. Most work or its impact seems like projects will take as much ef- the Olin way. For example, As many of us are gearing fort as you’re willing to give what if we experimented up for that final push of the them. The final tends to be a with fewer curricular proj- semester, this seems like an project deliverable, and most ects, but ones that went fur- excellent point to remind of these deliverables coin- ther? This might provide the everyone that the faculty cide at the end of the semes- opportunity to vary the pace are indeed not trying to run ter. As the semester wraps of work across semesters and students into the ground with up, some students probably courses and reduce switching project work. Keith Hopper, aren't sleeping. They’re just costs and distractions from Entrepreneur in Residence, trying to get it all done, al- juggling too many simulta- weighs in. though arguably this hap- neous things. Alternatively, pens at any high-performing class projects might be bro- Most people I’ve spoken school. ken up into more discrete ef- to at Olin about being over- Additionally, Olin pro- forts to vary the pace of work worked acknowledge that it vides endless opportunities to within a semester. I already can be a problem here, risk- engage outside of classwork. see some faculty nudging ing the creation of an envi- There’s clubs, and SLAC, courses in this direction. ronment that negatively im- and a cornucopia of tools, re- I could also see the ben- pacts learning. It’s not just sources, machines, and mate- efits to just making overwork students. The few faculty and rials to learn and create with. and student engagement a administration I’ve spoken Wrapped around all this are more active topic of discus- to about overwork seem to several structures that en- sion and directed learning. agree. courage more engagement, For example, it’s important It might be easy to blame like passionate pursuits, self- for all of us to learn when faculty, because of the as- directed courses, SERV, and to explore and try many signments they give and the co-curriculars. And those are things and when to turn away courseload, but this can’t just the ones off the top of the distractions and follow be the full story. Similarly, my head. These all seem like through with fewer things. it would be easy to assume a great, even critical part of We all need to make deci- that students just voluntarily the Olin experience, but do sions throughout our lives take on too much, but it’s endless opportunities for cre- on how much we should be likely not that simple either. ative engagement come with taking on and how broad that I wonder if the structure and a downside? sweep is. I see Olin as a great resources of Olin itself might Perhaps there are ways place to explore these ideas, set up a potential problem. we might improve the situa- and ideal if all of us (not just Olin is an environment tion without sacrificing what students) could avoid learn- that rewards taking on a lot makes Olin such an amazing the hard way to the point of stuff. Of course, the nature ing place. Better defining of getting overworked and of project- based education is the problem and designing overwhelmed. Everyone'sGraham Hooton lists and AI thought Charmander of all these ing is. Figuring out what Interviewee great list, but I never went people don't know and trying back to it because I didn't to remember what it's like to The following are the positive stick to it. [not] know. You can't teach and enlightening thoughts Can you imagine if I kept it from a position of know- from Graham Hooton ’14. up with all this? That’s all I ing and that's why a lot of would be doing. I'm an ideas college professors struggle Urgency guy. I have great ideas about because they know so much. I feel like everyone, es- myself, about the world. I There’s a saying, “The more pecially in college but just in don't have to act on all these that you the more you know life, has a sense of urgency. ideas; in fact, I need to pick the more you see.” So you Every time you have an idea, and choose, decide what I see the connections that stu- you need to go and imple- want to do. What to do as op- dents aren't seeing, often- mented immediately, you posed to what can I get what times things make sense to need to go to change things can do. you because of a higher level this cycle. If you have the Instead of looking at how concepts that you've already idea that you can do better to change yourself, accept grasped. then you have to start doing yourself and the community Because of that higher that right away, and it has to and everything around you. level thing I understand this become a habit right away. And if there are things that more basic thing more com- You have to change your life need changing, figure out pletely, but [the students] because you had that idea. how you can do those while have never seen a lot of [con- Then we're disappointed not actually taking on more cepts] so they can't use that. when we fall short of those work, more labor, more time, I thought it would be goals in our New Year's because you don't have it. strange to be called Mr. Hoo- resolutions or things don't [We] always fill ourselves up ton but it's… I think it would change. We wanted that to the brim. If you're going be very strange if they call something to change and we to take on something else, be me anything else because talked to people about it and explicit about what. they are Charmanders, run- it didn't change. OK. ning around and they've got Let me point about that Teaching their little stubby arms, big [falling short] is expected, (Graham is getting his eyes and everything and that's what happens time and teaching certificate for high they're so far from evolving again. Why should you be school science, more specifi- into Charmeleons. Or at least, surprised? It always happens cally physics) they have a little bit of self that way, be surprised if it It's amazing and it's actu- awareness. That's my grade does [work the first time], be ally quite liberating because I elevens, I think, they’re the happy when you succeed and feel like I can just teach them Charmeleon level. then if you don't succeed take anything and everything and You're never going to that as a lesson. they're learning something. know everything so. And I have dozens of differ- And if “this” is the concept, sometimes, you get really ent notebooks and apps and I literally have to talk about good at the stuff you're do- organizations systems. It's the words that are associated ing, you don't really realize funny to go back and revisit with this concept; they’ve that you're getting good at a [them] because it's like, “Oh never even heard them be- certain thing. [You might be] OK, well I’ll use this for fore, so you have to learn keeping track of shipments or tracking my workouts or use those words. something and [you] get re- this for tracking reading,” It’s fundamental but that's ally good at keeping track of and I go back and I see these what the difficulty of teach- [shipments]. And that's a little tool in your toolbox that seems like something I want For the first two weeks of you never really knew you to do. And I just follow it my teaching, what mattered needed and maybe you nev- and see where it goes.” to me was that maintaining er do need again. But maybe Do your best at things. a life outside of it. And then it does come in handy. If you’re going to be doing the process stepped up, so something, really dive in, I was teaching every other Being Deliberate lean into it. Make sure you're day, and then it stepped up Align your actions with getting most of it, and you’re [again] so I was teaching ev- your intentions. If you want putting the most into it. ery day. And I realized that at to be a certain way and you Find something you can that point what I valued was immediately start acting that give to people that’s really doing a really good job. So way; if you realize you're easy for you to give but that I dropped [everything else]. not acting that way, just makes them feel so special, I was getting [to school] start acting that way. Take because you're amplify- at seven and staying until that moment of realization ing your positivity that you nine pm. And then that's to kickstart you again. And bring to the world so much. when they kick you out of then you eventually build it If what you're doing makes the building, that's when the into habits. their day, and for you that engineer comes around and Also, leap at whatever was just ten minutes. What- says that it's time to go. opportunities that you have ever it was, if you're ampli- But you realize what you to do the things you want fying your impact, I think have to do what you value, to do. That's an instinctual you're putting your own ef- you have to decide what to thing, you say, “All of this forts to really good work. do and what not to do.

EMitch nCieminski g i n esome, e rI'm sure anyoneA dat sultant.j a ‘OK, c howe cann I tdo Interviewee Olin can attest that I didn't this for the rest of my life?’ stop talking about it for al- That's where I started. Mitch Cieminski ‘16 on most three years. Why I liked I [figured] I would prob- his plans for after Olin, and it is because really what I ably want a degree so people the things about his college was doing there was being would believe I know things. experience that led him to the an engineering education I started looking at engineer- path he’s exploring now. consultant. And consulting is ing education programs. And like a really broad term, but I came across one at Purdue I was working at Insper basically I was a collabora- University. And that's where in Brazil halfway through tor and designer and people Mel Chua was going at the my sophomore year. And I respected me by virtue of my time. I didn't know her at all. think the reason I decided to position. I kind of just like emailed leave Olin and do that wasn't Insper professors would her out of the blue and said, because I was some great ask me questions and seri- ‘Hey I'm thinking that maybe engineer educator. I didn't ously want to know my an- I might want to study en- feel like I knew anything. swer because it would seri- gineering education. And But I just needed something ously affect what they would you're doing it right now and to change and I didn't really decide [to do]. I very much you’re an Oliner, so maybe know what it was. That was felt like my position was not we should talk.’ coming off of a summer of tokenized while I was there, We had a conversation research that was interesting even though we were all kind while I was still in Brazil; but I didn't totally love it. of worried that it would be. that was the first time I ever The opportunity to go to But we really did real work met her. It was a weird con- Brazil just kind of presented there, so I loved being this versation, in part because itself. I went and it was awe- engineering education con- she told me to not go to grad school. She said to get some who cares for the world. But just want to be an engineer,” years of experience as an en- now I want to focus way and I could go back to that. gineer, then think about it. more on the social engage- Or I could just decide to do That was like pretty de- ment than the engineering. something totally different; I cent advice. But I spent the And slowly that became, ‘I actually do have a lot of flex- next two years trying to say, want to be a social scientist ibility. ‘Well if I'm going to be an who studies engineering.’ And I’m young so that's engineer what kind of an en- There are lots of Oliners useful and. I have skills, so gineer am I going to be?’ I who do not identify as engi- those are useful as well, but was trying to find jobs with- neers. Given that so many I'm in a very privileged posi- in engineering that I liked Oliners aren't engineers, tion to be able to have that and it turned out that all the what is our rallying cry at kind of flexibility. Right ones that I tried I didn't re- this point? Who are you, now, I'm living with my ally like. fundamentally? parents in between college My SCOPE project went I think that in the world and grad school and that's really well, and I think that there's a lot more flexibility because they can support me was the best engineering ex- than people acknowledge. through that and they're will- perience I had after it came I can make a big decision ing to as well. back [from Brazil]. But in about where I'm going to If I make the wrong deci- general I realized in being grad school right now and sion I can probably deal with back at Olin that I like en- the truth of this that in two it. And I'm pretty confident I gineering but not as an en- years I could leave with can do that. Most people I've gineer. More as an engineer a master's degree and do met in my life, especially at adjacent. something else or at the end Olin, can definitely do that At first I wanted to be the of five years I could have a as well. Switch and figure socially engaged engineer PhD, and just say, “actually I things out.

LeonOut Lam ofsame table andthe having a in turn.” Ashes Contributor pleasant conversation?” “I cannot dispute that,” Yesui smiles. “Just so.” you say, “but–” Chapter 8 “If today’s ally may be Yesui shakes her head tomorrow’s enemy,” Adrian slowly. “It is not so easy to [THE CLANS SEEK RE- cuts in, “perhaps the reverse forgive, Knight of Imvarr. It SHANESE PATRONAGE. can be true as well.” is not so easy to forget.” WHAT IS YOUR REPLY?] Zhenjin’s face clouds You nod. “One of the first over, and Yesui’s other body- Knights wrote: ‘The tree of “Good luck, Ambassa- guards begin to mutter an- violence grows swift and dor,” you say. “You’ll need grily. “You would have us be strong; its roots gorge them- it.” allies? After what your peo- selves with blood. But its Ambassador Yesui gives ple have inflicted on mine? branches cast a dark shadow, you an amused look. “There After–” and it bears only bitter fruit. is no luck in my line of work. “Zhenjin,” Yesui says The tree of mercy is deli- Only opportunity. Those who warningly. He shoots you cate and fragile; it must be seize it prosper, and those an incensed look, but falls tended with care, kept safe who let it slip...” she trails silent. “My bodyguard has from worms and rot and off, then changes the subject. no tact, but he speaks truth. frost. But its blossoms are “I find it strange that an en- Your people have wronged fragrant, its fruit is rich and emy would wish me well.” us greatly–” she raises a hand sweet.’” You shrug. “As strange to forestall Adrian’s rebuttal. “I would not have thought as an enemies sitting at the “–and we have wronged you to hear this from a warrior,” Yesui says. ised you a tale – perhaps he Knights.” You nod again. “A lord means to tell it now? “A city razed,” Adrian commands,” you say. “A “Yes,” he says, and the growls. “Its inhabitants put general directs. A soldier conversations die down. “I to the sword.” Yesui’s body- fights and kills. But -a sur will tell it now, if there are guards bristle at the accusa- geon saves those that can be no objections.” He looks tion in his words, but deco- saved, and eases the pass- around the table for approv- rum keeps them in check. ing of those who cannot. All al, then clears his throat. “Unfortunate. But – alas place a different value on “It was at Krakov,” he – all too common in war.” life, and I cannot say who is begins, and you know who Lord Anselm leans back in right or wrong.” he is talking about. his seat, ignoring Adrian’s Out of the corner of your “Sixteen,” you say. “His look of betrayal. “Forty- eye, you see Lord Anselm name was Johannes.” Seven?” he asks. and Lady Jin returning from Zhenjin’s lips are a thin “I was there,” you say, their meeting with Reshan’s line as he gazes over your and you remember. Finance Minister. Your su- shoulder and into the past, ~~ perior looks inordinately putting a name to the face of You remember the disas- pleased with himself, your his past opponent. Then eyes trous rout; the Second Army host wary, and the black- harden, and the young man caught on the march just as robed Minister looks like steels himself against the it left Krakov – a volley of someone who’s been con- unwanted connection. “You arrows followed by a wedge vinced to do something un- knew him?” of elite troops and heavy pleasant. You nod. Then: “Tell me cavalry punching through “Ambassador!” Lord An- how he died. I will bring Lord-Commander Gregor’s selm says brightly. “Good to your tale back to the Order, weakened center, splitting see you at our table. Is some- so his successor may learn the army in half and encir- thing the matter?” the truth.” cling its thirty thousand sol- “I was hoping to discuss Zhenjin’s nod is jerky. diers to be butchered like the river tariffs,” Yesui says Out of the corner of your sheep. without preamble. “Nine eye, Yesui’s gaze flickers Then signal banners wa- parts in a hundred?” to your face for a moment. vering over the carnage for “Nine? They’ll have my Then she coughs and looks brief moments, standard- head on a pike,” your superi- away, and Zhenjin obliges. bearers fighting tooth and or shoots back, sitting down “It was Krakov where nail for a few more seconds and pulling a plate towards I first fought one of your to pass on the Lord-Com- him. “Twelve, and I’ll put kind,” he says again. “Where mander’s last message: in a good word with the new we first learnt that Knights Retreat. Duke...” could be killed.” He leans A desperate push for ~~ back slightly, casting his freedom, agonized screams Zhenjin’s ire subsides as gaze about the table. “How tearing through the air be- Ambassador Yesui wheedles much do you know?” hind you; some are cut off by Lord Anselm down to one “I am told it was a battle choked gurgling, others go part in ten, and he begins of some import,” Lady Jin on and on and on… to move restlessly as they says with a shrug. “Heavy Columns of panicking make small talk. You watch losses on both sides, but men and women struggling him impassively in case he eventual victory for the to maintain formation at a tries anything, but he doesn’t clans.” dead sprint, slipping and seem to have violence on his Yesui nods. “Over- sliding in the mud while ar- mind. In fact… whelming victory in the field rows fall like hissing rain “Is there something you – our first – followed by a and howling half-men tear want to say to me?” you six-month siege. An Imvarri into the rear… ask Zhenjin. He has prom- army dead, along with two But Imvarri discipline holds. Your force takes city, and the Khagan is noth- may bend, but it does not grievous losses, dozens of ing if not competent. break easily.] men dying in agony for every A full retreat is suicide, 3. [Aggression. You feigned foot of ground you take, but you think. We won’t get ev- retreat, then fell upon your they fix their eyes on your eryone into the city in time, pursuers. The Khagan’s back as you cut through the and the enemy will attack elite soldiers were deadly encircling clansmen, carv- when Krakov’s gates open and swift, but in their ing a path to salvation with to let us through. If we fight minds they had already steel and fire. and lose, they’ll take the won. After all, how much Nothing stands in your city in a day. fight could a routed foe way for more than a moment, You traverse the length of possibly put up?] enemy rank-and-file fleeing the column, loping past ex- ~~ in the face of inevitability – hausted troops in an attempt “–we cut down almost all a pack of shapeshifters hurls to consult a surviving officer the Imvarri, but the Alukhai themselves into the melee in on strategy, but your efforts and Tariat were too eager a cacophony of howls and are in vain. Not a single red for glory and spoils. Their roars; a cumulative ton of armband remains – it seems ranks thinned, and they let a feral strength and bestial the clansmen focused on fin- handful of soldiers escape,” fury seeking your death, but ishing off the chain of com- Zhenjin is saying. “Four– you cut them apart in the mand after killing mages. five thousand?” blink of an eye. Two thousand is not “Closer to five,” you say. A spearhead of grim- nearly enough, you think as “Two thousand from the faced soldiers widens your your soldiers stumble and western pocket, a little more breach for their comrades to limp past you, too tired to do than two and a half from the pass, and your ragged divi- anything but put one foot in east. The eastern breakout sion tears its way out of the front of another. Ten thou- was able to pull away and killing field step by bloody sand would not be enough. flee. Those from the west… step. The few surviving mag- You consider your op- not so much.” es churn the soil and mud tions, then make your deci- The clansman nods. behind the rearguard into sion… “I heard the tales of your quicksand, stymieing your ~~ flight,” he says. “The Kha- enemy’s pursuit. WHAT DID YOU gan sent sixty of his finest After what feels like an CHOOSE? warriors and ten thousand eternity, a ragged cheer goes 1. [Sacrifice. You bought men to bar your path to the up from the Imvarri as you time with the lives of your city, but they returned with- break out of the encircle- soldiers. Five hundred men out success.” ment, the last enemies finally and women in ambush You remain silent. breaking and scattering. The were no match for the best “Truly, a cornered foe is city of Krakov sits barely a warriors the plains had to capable of anything,” Zhen- mile ahead of you, its walls offer, but they blunted the jin continues, and you can the only safe haven within a Khagan’s advance enough tell from his grimace that day’s travel. for you to evacuate every- the words are bitter on his But you have so few sol- one else.] tongue. diers left – two thousand, if 2. [Endurance. You or- Lady Jin nods. “A your eyes can still be trust- ganized a fighting with- trapped beast will gnaw its ed – and more clansmen drawal into Krakov. The own leg off to gain freedom; are surely be on their way. Khagan hammered your a man can escape almost A competent commander forces between his elite any snare, if he has wits and would send shapeshifters troops and the anvil of the strength and composure in and cavalry to catch up to city gates, but you held equal measure.” you before all two thousand your ground in the face of “Beyond that,” Lord men can find shelter in the heavy losses. Imvarri steel Anselm says, “killing the hunter tends to be a valid – if getting louder and louder. nosed shapeshifters. But somewhat more bloodthirsty Then–” Olon Sün never so much as – option.” He claps his hands tested the sentries. I did what was necessary, abruptly, and the body- He knew we couldn’t you think. I did what I had– guards jump and shoot him guard everything at once, Yesui interrupts your reproachful looks. so he switched to sabotage. thoughts. “Those of my peo- “Another one gone,” No-one so much as caught a ple who fought at Krakov he says, scowling. “Just glimpse of him in action – all have a name for you,” she like that. No honor in their we ever saw was the trail of says. “For all three of you. deaths – not even the chance destruction he left behind: They call the archer Khar of retaliation. We moved the siege engines and tents in Sumnuud, the assassin Olon camp three times, back and flames, food and water laced Sün. Black Arrow and Hun- back and back. But we were with slow-acting poison that gry Ghost.” never far enough, and could took its toll over weeks…” She pauses for a mo- not retreat further without The plainsman grins. ment. Looks you up and dangerously thinning our “Then he slipped up. We down, gaze keen and ap- lines. So we grit our teeth held a clandestine meet- praising and just the slight- and watched good men and ing of most of the surviving est bit wary. women die as we felled trees medicine-men – the bait was “They call you Yar- and dug into the earth to too tempting for him to pass gachin,” she says finally. form the circumvallation – up. He was expecting four “Butcher.” watchtowers and barracks or five shapeshifters, maybe You incline your head in ringing a ten-foot earthen eight at most, but we had acceptance as Zhenjin con- wall.” two dozen lying in wait. tinues his tale. War is war, You remember Thirty- We fell upon him when he after all. Five casually loosing arrow tried to silence the sentries – ~~ after arrow from the city his ungodly power made him Zhenjin’s tale of the walls. “It’s like killing ants,” almost invisible in the dim siege is, unsurprisingly, a she’d said. “No matter how light, but we sniffed him out grim one. Taking a city tends many you squash, there are and tore him to pieces.” to be as messy and lethal as a thousand more.” Zhenjin pauses for a mo- it is long, especially one as Zhenjin goes on: ment, then continues: “For well defended as Krakov. “We completed the wall what it’s worth, Olon Sün “The defenders refused six days and nine hundred went down fighting. He to surrender, so we camped a men later. It should have killed six of us, and left me third of a mile away from the taken us two weeks, but we with this.” He pulls at his city walls,” he says. “Far worked ourselves to the collar, revealing a jagged enough to keep us safe from bone. We would be safe once scar across one side of his the stone-hurlers, but not it was up, after all. neck and part of his chest. far enough for Khar Sumn- Olon Sün had been busy, “I… see,” you say. uud. Two hundred dead on as it turned out. The night the “He…” the first day – pack leaders, earthworks were complete What else do I say? You shamans, medicine-bearers, and we toasted our success, wonder, a vague sense of un- picked off one by one. Strong he slit four dozen throats – ease crawling up your spine. warriors or wise healers, medicine men, experienced What do I say in memory of youthful or battle-hardened, fighters, pack leaders… a fellow warrior who gave brave or cowardly… all important men and women his life in battle? What do I dead the same way.” whose loss would be felt say to his killer? Zhenjin purses his lips most keenly. What will they say about and whistles, and Yesui’s From then on, his targets me? bodyguards begin to fidget. slept together, packed into “He will be missed,” you “First a faint whistle great tents ringed with keen- say at last. The Civic Designfest is coming to Olin College

The Newton Innovation Center is partnering with Olin College and the BOW Collaboration to host the MassChallenge Civic Designfest, connecting students with civic leaders across the local public and private sectors. They will brainstorm solutions to some of the biggest issues in civic technology, with a focus on Sustainability, Civic Tech/IoT and Transportation. Students will walk away with a clearer understanding of the processes and technologies needed to create impact, along with a portfolio of specific civic innovation proposals and Designfest Award Certificates. CIVIC EXPERTS: Transportation Nicole Freedman (City of Newton), and Justin Holmes (Zipcar) Chuck Tanowitz (N2 Innovation District), and Travis Connors Civic Tech & IoT (Borealis Ventures) Sustainability Susanne Rasmussen (City of Cambridge), and Jeff Satwicz (Big

Belly Solar)

Wednesday, April 12, 2 pm – 6 pm

Crescent Room, Olin College, 1000 Olin Way, Needham, MA 02492

Olin College of Engineering does not endorse and is Want to write for not affiliated with Frankly Speaking. Frankly Speaking? Editor-in-Chief: Jayce Shea Chow Contributors: Anne-Marie Doring, Keith Hop- Send us your articles at per, Joseph Hunter, Leon Lam, Megan McCau- ley, Jeremy Ryan [email protected] Or check out the website at Interviewees: Jon Adler, Mel Chua, Mitch Ci- eminski, Logan Davis, Graham Hooton, Ben- http://franklyspeakingnews.com jamin Linder, Alisha Sarang-Sieminski