editor’s desk Apex n our previous issue, we talked a And yet, for most people, the field great deal about how Penn is such a of bioethics remains a bit vague, a bit great place for the burgeoning new shrouded in uncertainty as to what ex- field of nanotechnology, because of actly it is, what questions it tries to an- Iour long history of interdisciplinary re- swer, what bioethicists do for a living, search. “Breaking down barriers is not and perhaps the most important ques- new to us, whether they be those be- tion – why is their work relevant – not tween different departments or between just to doctors, or lawyers, but to ev- academia and industry itself,” I wrote in eryone? Twenty eight percent of Penn my previous column; or as Prof. Alan T. undergrads deciding to go on to gradu- Johnson, Jr. termed it, interdisciplinary ate study in 2004 went into the field of research at Penn is a “historical mythol- medicine, and 30% of them went into dar Balu tells us about some interest- ogy”. This issue, we see this spirit mani- law – two fields where bioethics is per- ing Penn Engineers; and Debbie Chadi fested in another increasingly prominent haps most at home. But what about the writes about business and engineering in and relevant field, spanning medicine, other 42% of undergraduates who went her “Tangents” column. law, education, philosophy, public poli- on to graduate study – or for that mat- Welcome to the Spring 2006 issue of cy, public health, and even nanotechnol- ter, the 72% of Penn undergrads who the Pennsylvania Triangle. As always, we ogy: that of bioethics. didn’t go on to graduate study: why hope you find this publication meaning- A quick look at Bioethics at Penn should they care? ful, interesting, and ultimately, thought- leaves one breathless. We recently Or main bioethics feature, an inter- provoking. Whether you are a starry- hosted the 8th National Undergraduate view with Dr. Arthu Caplan, Emmanuel eyed freshman, new to the University of Bioethics Conference, welcoming over and Robert Hart Professor of Bioethics Pennsylvania; or perhaps a seasoned up- 300 students and faculty to our campus and founding director of Penn’s Cen- perclassman, graduate student, or facul- from almost 25 states and provinces and ter for Bioethics, attempts to deal with ty member, flipping through these pages 7 foreign countries. Interested under- these questions, and gives us a glimpse on College Green in a lab somewhere, graduates can pursue the “Bioethics and of some of the issues he faces in the or administering an exam: if you walk Society” concentration in the Health field of bioethics everyday. away from this magazine having learnt and Societies (HSOC) major, or can join In keeping with this issue’s “bio” something new, having come across a the Penn Bioethics Society, a group of feel, Kathy Wang writes about tissue unique idea you wouldn’t have other- students who organize talks and other engineering, and research being done at wise thought of, or simply having seen activities involving the biggest names in Penn Engineering in the field; and Nur something you already knew in a totally the field. We are even home to the new Selin Cagli writes a virological guide to different light – then we will have done “Penn Bioethics Journal”, a peer-re- recent reports of avian flu. our job right. The many, many days (and viewed journal dedicated to publishing In other articles, Michael Young and many more late nights) that we have scholarly work on bioethical subjects by Tushar Khanna discuss the philosophy put in to this publication will have been undergraduates across the nation. of technology; Hunter Schloss helps worth it. And of course, Penn is home to us better understand the recent slew the Center for Bioethics, which accord- of natural disasters across the planet ing to its website is “a leader in bioethics by delving into the origins of tsuna- research and its deployment in the ethi- mis, hurricanes, and the Coriolis effect; cal, efficient, and compassionate prac- Shawn Dimantha reports on Mercora, a tice of the life sciences and medicine”, new way to legally download music, and funded by various government agencies, in a separate article, writes on PennUm- foundations, corporations, and other bra, a workshop group for writers inter- organizations, including NASA, the US ested in writing and sharing fantasy and Department of Health and Human Ser- science fiction; Janice Gunther explores vices, National Institutes of Health, the medicine in ancient Mesopotamia; Office of Naval Research, and Pfizer, Hunter Schloss reviews “Six Degrees”, Sujit Sankar Datta and employs over 20 full and part-time a book that explores social connected- Coeditor in Chief faculty across the University’s various ness through the notion of being six Pennsylvania Triangle departments and schools. degrees away from Kevin Bacon; Sun- [email protected]

2 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 contents Penn Triangle: Spring 2006 2 APEX: FROM THE DESK OF THE EDITOR ABOUT THE Sujit S. Datta, coeditor-in-chief of the Pennsylvania Triangle, writes on the importance of understanding the ethical implications of advances in medicine. PENNSYLVANIA TRIANGLE LTERNATIVE NERGY Coeditor-in-Chiefs: Michael Young, A E Sujit Sankar Datta 4 RACING INTO A BRIGHTER FUTURE Executive Editor: Tushar Khanna The reivention of Penn Solar Racing Barry Scharfman Faculty Advisor: Dr. Noam Lior 6 GIVING POWER TO THE PEOPLE Copy Editors: Shawn Dimantha, Stan Ovshinsky, a self-taught technologist and entrepreneur, shows Detroit a thing Janice Gunther, Steven Hershman, or two about the cars of the future. Michael Young Hunter Schloss, Easwaran Subbara- man, Sriraman Subbaraman COVER STORY: BIOETHICS Production & Graphics: Tushar 8 THE BIOETHICAL CHALLENGES OF Khanna, Michael Young, Neeti Ba- MODERN MEDICINE gadiya An interview with Penn Professor Arthur Caplan Dan Ross

Webmaster: Hunter Schloss ECOND HANCES AT IFE Business Manager: Shawn 11 S C L A look behind the science of tissue engineering Kathy Wang Dimantha Public Relations: Sundar Balu 13 PHILOSOPHY AND ENGINEERING: CONTRASTING PARALLELS Science has historically been inextricably tied to philosophy. All material within this publication What about engineering? Tushar Khanna and Michael Young is copyright 2006 the Pennsylvania Triangle, unless otherwise stated. The Triangle is published twice annually by WORLD OUTLOOK students at the University of Penn- sylvania, and is funded in part by the 15 NATURE’S WRATH Student Activities Council. Technology learns lessons from the past to predict impending devastating natural disasters earlier Hunter Schloss The opinions expressed within this publication do not necessarily reflect 16 AVIAN FLU those of the administration, faculty, What are the consequences it on global health? Nur Selin Cagli or the student body of the University of Pennsylvania. 18 THE MAGICIAN AND THE PHYSICIAN Medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia and what lessons we learn from our past. Janice Gunther

Contact Information: 322 Towne Bldg, 220 South 33rd St PENN IN THE NEWS Philadelphia, PA 19104 E-mail: [email protected] 20 PENNUMBRA Science fiction fans find a new crowd at Penn Shawn Dimantha HTTP://WWW.PENNTRIANGLE.COM 21 BECOMING AN INTERNET DJ SANS THE JAILTIME A computing how-to guide with Mercora Shawn Dimantha

23 SIX DEGREES TO KEVIN BACON A book review of Duncan Watts Six Degrees Hunter Schloss INTERESTED IN CONTRIBUT- ING ? NSPIRATION FROM ISTORY The Triangle encourages submissions I H 24 Outstanding Penn scholars whose donations to the scientific and world take center from students and faculty alike - just stage. Sundar Balu visit us on the web or flip to page 40 for details. 34 TANGENTS: BUSINESS ESSENTIALS FOR THE ENGINEER Engineering saavy doesn’t come without business sense Debbie Chadi

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 3 alternative energy

Racing into a Brigher Future The Reinvention of Penn Solar Racing by Barry Scharfman

magine cruising in your car on a sunny summer day without ever having to stop at a gas station. You Isip a cold, refreshing beverage while scanning the surrounding landscape through your sunglasses. The sun’s intense rays don’t bother you, because you are aware that they are the source of your vehicle’s energy. Think this vision is only a sweltering mirage? Well, it might not be as far off as you believe.

Here Comes the Sun 2003 American Solar Challenges. PSR’s and business teams have all been putting Penn Solar Racing (PSR)’s Keystone previous car, the Spirit of ’76, raced for forth their best efforts to improve PSR’s is the latest invention rolling out of the 11 days and more than 1,000 miles from performance. Many enhancements solar car lab in B11 Towne. Weighing Chicago to Los Angeles in the 2003 are also being made to the solar car in at 500 pounds, the team’s seventh ASC. After successfully completing team’s website (www.seas.upenn.edu/ solar-electric automobile resembles the difficult qualifying round, in which ~solarwww) to reflect this progress. an alien spacecraft. This sleek, white, 11 teams (including 2001 ASC winner Upperclassmen have been training streamlined car is adorned with dark the University of Michigan) failed to freshmen to become fully involved in blue solar cells and sports the logos of meet the strict qualification standards, every aspect of the team. Penn and team sponsors. A small dome the Spirit of ’76 finished the race in Great progress is being made in the peeks out from the center, allowing the seventeenth place. Although the races mechanical department. Mechanical crouched driver to view the racetrack as are the most visible part of PSR, the Team Leader Zach Friess has outlined he coasts at about 55 miles per hour. team spends most of its time preparing his goals for Keystone’s renovation: Although the car was disqualified for these exciting events. “Many of the crucial components of at the 2005 North American Solar the car that the team plans to perfect Challenge (NASC) last summer due to Zoom, Zoom! this semester include the steering malfunctions experienced during the Zach Kirkhorn, co-leader of the linkages, suspension alignment, brake qualifying rounds, the team considers team, has outlined PSR’s plans for this rotors, and battery boxes.” To improve Keystone to be an important achievement year, “Our strategy for the 2005-2006 steering, the mechanical team plans to and a springboard for success in future school year is quite simple. It consists replace the current system, which uses races. Penn Solar Racing is currently of testing, testing, and, well, more left- and right-handed levers, with a preparing for the 2006 Formula Sun testing! We have isolated the electrical more traditional steering wheel. One Grand Prix and the 2007 NASC. and mechanical weaknesses of the car challenge, however, is the lack of space The solar car team was established and are addressing them one by one. around the driver. The team is analyzing in 1989 when a group of Penn students We also have an impressive group of where exactly to place the steering wheel designed and constructed a solar- new members who have demonstrated and is considering installing a removable powered vehicle for the first GM their commitment to the team and are one to permit easier entrance and exit Sunrayce. Since then, PSR has competed eager to take on projects. The team from the car. Old shock absorbers have in all of the Sunrayces, the 1994 cannot wait to demonstrate Keystone this also been replaced on Keystone. Freshmen American Tour de Sol, and the 2001 and summer.” The mechanical, electrical, have been acquiring experience in the 4 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 machine shop by working on small that will last through school and into the remarked Camacho. The team is projects such as creating components future.” Additionally, the business team preparing another Illumination Tour for for a ramp that can be used to move is working to improve and expand its the summer of 2006. the car in and out of the solar car lab. relations with major corporate sponsors In coordination with the electrical like GM, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Enter the Winner’s Circle team’s rewiring of the car’s circuitry, Brenner Aerostructures, Mitsubishi From team members’ perspective, the mechanical team plans to rebuild Electric, and Northrop Grumman. the advantages of being part of PSR are the battery boxes so that they function immeasurable. In Sosonkin’s opinion, more effectively than in previous races. Knowledge is Power “It has given me an opportunity to In regard to the electrical aspects of PSR is not only focused on racing. apply what I have learned in my classes the car, Electrical Team Leader Nadya Since the team’s inception more than a to real-world engineering situations. Sosonkin is excited about Also, it’s a lot of fun to the influx of new, devoted “ I am not saying we will all be driving modified work with a group of really members: “This year the smart and creative people electrical team has gotten Keystones in the future, but if we can power a car to on something as cool as a off to an impressive race across two countries, we can surely find many solar-powered car. How start. We have almost more applications that will reduce the ever-present many college kids get twenty new members to do that?” Members on the electrical team energy comsuption crisis in America. ” also learn important alone who have shown interpersonal skills that will a remarkable desire to learn about the decade ago, an important goal has been certainly prepare them for their future car’s systems. Unlike previous years, to promote the use of alternative energy endeavors. Kirkhorn believes that we have also acquired members from a sources including, but not limited to, “[b]esides learning how to market the wide array of disciplines ranging from solar power. None of the members team campus wide or how to engineer cognitive science to materials science.” believe that the automotive industry the suspension, this experience is At the beginning of the fall semester, should rely on solar energy to power its irreplaceable for two reasons: leadership upperclassmen taught new members cars, as co-team leader Noël Camacho skills and teamwork.” how to incorporate capacitors, LEDs, states, “I am not saying we will all be Joining the team is simple. Anyone transistors, and resistors into a circuit. driving modified Keystones in the future, who is interested may attend the weekly While building their own circuits, but if we can power a car to race across meetings on Monday from 7 to 8 PM in electrical team members learned how to two countries, we can surely find many Towne B11 and contribute to the efforts solder. They later tested and repaired more applications that will reduce the of the mechanical, electrical, or business the car’s blinker system, which will be ever-present energy consumption crisis teams. No prior experience is necessary. used in the upcoming race. Some of the in America.” Penn Solar Racing’s Team leaders and upperclassmen are current electrical projects are a battery educational initiative is a key venue for willing to teach new members everything protection system and a new set of spreading awareness of “green energies.” they need to know. Dedication and driver displays that inform the driver The Keystone has been displayed at the enthusiasm are the only prerequisites to of battery voltages and of the current Green Festival in Washington DC, NBC membership. and temperature of the battery stack. A 10’s TechFest, and, this past September, group of team members has also been at the Delaware Transportation Festival. discussing how to protect Keystone’s Locally, the team helped the Society of circuitry from unwanted noise. Women Engineers Girls in Technology The business team has also come up day and has taken the car to West with some ideas for PSR. One of the new Philadelphia schools to instill in students biannual newsletters has already been an interest in studying science, math, or produced to notify affiliates, sponsors, engineering. In the summer of 2004, and others of the team’s progress (it one such local outreach program, PSR’s can be viewed on the solar car team’s Illumination Education Tour, shed website). Another goal is to begin light on the benefits of utilizing solar hosting social events for members from power. Elementary, middle, and high each of PSR’s three teams. According school students across Pennsylvania Barry Scharfman is a to business team co-leader Alan Hsieh, were excited to learn about such energy- freshman studying me- “This allows for the disparate forces saving technology. “When a student chanical engineering. driving Penn Solar Racing to come realizes that you can use math and together in a more social setting, science to do amazing things like build a building strong bonds and friendships car powered by the sun, that’s exciting,”

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 5 alternative energy Giving Power to the People Stanford Ovshinsky and the story of a “Hero for the Planet” by Michael Young

ook inside your laptop battery, from a nonconducting copy machine, rewritable CD, or to conducting state hybrid car, and you’ll probably under voltage. This is Lfind something Stan Ovshinsky created. called the “Ovshinsky Such of his scientific ideas in solid state Effect” in physics. physics blazed a successful trail for Growing up in him into industry, where he invented a Jewish-American techniques that might do for solar family during the energy what the assembly line did for Depression, he was automobiles. An accomplished scientist forced was forced to turned entrepreneur now 83 years of support his family age, Ovshinsky is hailed for the creation right out of high of a new realm of materials, which has school. After high invigorated the engineering of energy school he went straight generation, conversion, and storage. into the workforce as His ultimate goal is to figure out how an entrepreneur and to solve serious societal problems by machinist during World War II. He soon restraints of the crystalline structure. improving energy conversion. Today proved himself to be an avid inventor, In 1960, Ovshinsky founded ECD he is a father of five children, an and grew fond of physics and materials Ovonics, establishing amorphous author of hundreds of basic scientific science for what he saw as their lucrative semiconductor materials as a proven publications, inventor of over 300 US potential to impact the economy. technology in consumer optoelectronics patents, a “Hero for the Planet” named Specifically, he noticed how chemists spanning from copying and fax by TIME Magazine, and the founder of often dismiss disordered or amorphous machines to LCD displays. His ground- Energy Conversion Devices, Inc. materials—that is, substances that are breaking ECD ovonic phase change Not going to college is no not uniform in crystalline structure— principle was a precursor to present day impediment for a self-taught, self- as unfavorable due to their properties CD-RW technology, from which many made man like Ovshinsky. At home resulting from their internal disorder international hi-tech firms today have his walls are covered with prestigious and lack of crystalline periodicity during launched operations in search for the honorary degrees, public distinctions, fabrication. In 1955, his fundamental next generation of information storage. and scientific awards. Besides these contributions to the field began to In 1983, he patented his concept of decorations, however, he holds that his transform the old approaches with thin-film amorphous silicon solar panels biggest claim to fame is that his name unexpected new electronic mechanisms. to be manufactured in continuous appears in the dictionary. “Ovonics” is His special approach to old problems sheets 1000 feet long. These rolling a branch of materials science, named in semiconductors tackled problems off his “Continuous Amorphous Solar after Ovshinsky, which is based on a that originally seemed to be unsolvable, Cell Production System” is analogous surprising effect of materials turning since he did not need to worry about the to a newspaper rolling off its printing rollpress. Printing lithography rapidly and inexpensively imprints a plasma of amorphous silicon semiconductors onto “I’m 81 and I’m still learning. I love learning. The fact is that in science it’s your a thin, negatively-charged metal sheet. contributions that are important. And I look upon science differently, and These photovoltaics have been installed that is that nature, or God if you’re religious, did not make disciplines. Man in places around the world and even out did, humans did. And therefore I don’t recognize separation of disciplines. of this world, from Mexican mountain So I have published in neurophysiology, neuropsychiatry, cosmology, solid villages to the MIR space station. state physics, chemistry, physics, materials science, and so on. Wherever I These “Uni-Solar” shingles, aimed for feel I can make a contribution that people want what I have to invent. I work residential use, have won awards from in it, and I get great joy out of it.” – Stan Ovshinsky Popular Science and Discover Magazine. Many people call Stan Ovshinsky

6 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 Stanford Ovshinsky and the story of a “Hero for the Planet” by Michael Young

the architect of the hydrogen economy. plansTK. An ever growing tension is founding their family owned company. Out of all of his research, what really building between him and oil companies “We founded ECD with the express revs him up is the car battery. The and large automotive conglomerates purpose of using science and technology turning point came in 1982 when a line who depend upon the country’s inelastic to solve serious societal problems. And of small, powerful batteries from ECD reliance on gasoline. Simply from their both of us are dedicated to that, and emerged into the Japanese market. names—Chrysler Motors, General that’s why everything we’ve done has These batteries were made of a Motors, Ford Motors—one can tell been to make for a better environment breakthrough nickel-metal-hydride that the automotive industry at heart is and better life for people.” Just knowing (NiMH) compound, a system so based on the gas motor, the combustion that the fruits of their labor can provide promising that it has attracted plenty of engine. The other daunting task is clean and cheap energy to schools and investment—$36 million in grants from convincing the government and industry rural villages is fuel for Ovshinsky’s the U.S. Advanced Battery Consortium, that solid storage of hydrogen is fit for groundbreaking ambitions. Their $20 million from GM, and $200 million commercialization, and is the most viable discoveries of amorphous materials from Chevron-Texaco. solution surpassing hydrogen storage have helped pave the way to a more Ovonic batteries powering electric with other methods such as compressed energy efficient society. Someday, Stan cars have won the American Tour de Sol or nanotube facilitated storage. Ovshinsky will look to be remembered races for seven straight years. GM’s EV- During a leisurely drive in one of his by history in much the same vein as 1 electric car, which premiered in 1999, company’s electric cars, he spoke, “One Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. runs on advanced Ovonic batteries. of the big oil companies said hydrogen Ovshinsky developed the ovonic is a possibility in 50 years. We’ve regenerative fuel cell as well, which shown with our work that you’re in absorbs braking energy and recycles the hydrogen economy.” He fervently it into the battery for acceleration. believes in the solid storage of hydrogen His company has recently initiated a as the premier alternative to gasoline multitude of projects in China, and has combustion power. While he and his expanded to cover energy generation wife Iris, a biochemistry doctorate, hold with thin-film photovoltaics and fuel all commercial NiMH batter patents, cells, energy storage with nickel metal there is no lack of competition in solid hydride batteries and solid hydrogen storage, as a number of companies in storage, and information technlogy with the sector also have patents in fuel cells Michael Young is a optical memory and electronic memory. and are proposing other techniques for sophomore majoring in It doesn’t take a genius though to energy generation and storage. physics and materials imagine the barriers against Ovshinsky’s Iris explained the couple’s goal in science.

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 7 cover story

The Bioethical Challenges of Modern Medicine An interview with the world’s premier bioethicist Arthur Caplan By Dan Ross

r. Arthur Caplan knows what motivational calendar, Dit’s like to be the best in the world at and a bookshelf that something. stocks everything from Earth’s most sought after bioethicist, Pragmatic Genetics to a regular commentator on CNN, and Slaughterhouse Five to the a bimonthly columnist for MSNBC, Kaddish Minyan. Art Caplan is one of the jewels of Of course, when Penn’s faculty and the Director of you’re dealing with some the University’s unrivaled Center for of the most complicated Bioethics. Unsurprisingly, the windowsill ethical issues facing of his office hosts numerous displays modern medicine (Terri testifying to his distinction: plaques, Schiavo, stem cells, certificates, and awards ranging from etc.), something has to “100 most powerful people healthcare” keep you light-hearted. to excellence in teaching. Intrigued by this field But not to be lost amidst the and its amusing leading accomplishments of this intellectual man, the Pennsylvania heavyweight are the things that make Triangle had a him human, the other occupants that line conversation with Dr. his shelf: his wonderfully eccentric array Caplan to find out what of charming objects. Caplan’s knick- bioethics means from knack collection includes a wooden he who knows it best. beaver, an Allen Iverson bobble-head doll, a dream catcher, a Leaning Tower What is a bioethicist or the sciences: so nanotechnology, of Pisa, and, the gem, a small action in a bioethicist’s own words? new ideas about gene therapy, etc. And figure box with the word “clones” in I’d say a bioethicist is someone also, in addition to new areas of science, spooky print that encases some plastic who has speciality training, usually in we pay attention to the ethics of the mice in an Erlenmeyer flask. That’s not philosophy, religion, or the law, who pays practice of healthcare, so that issues to mention the stuffed lobster above attention to ethical problems that arise about pulling the plug or taking away a his desk that smiles at visitors, the anti- due to new technologies in medicine feeding tube—though they’re not new,

8 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 they’re sort of present. were kind of doing it so And the third area that something was in the air, sort of gets the interest of and I wound up working at bioethicists is what’s going the Hastings Center for a on with research ethics, few years after that. so issues that come up in studying and experimenting So the role of medicine with new technologies, new in bioethics is clear devices, new drugs. That from your educational tends to be the core of the background. But what field, those three [areas]. is the role of the law? The law is kind of the You got your BA in starting point for a lot of biology and your Masters bioethics discussions, or and PhD in the History whether there should be of Science, so where did laws is a starting point, bioethics fall out of that? or whether the laws that Some people assume “So we want to know what the law says a lot exist are not up to the that I invented bioethics— of the time, but it doesn’t mean we’re going task. For example, there’s that’s not true. I did not to be bound by it in the discussion” - Arthur a law that allows you to invent it. It was already be an organ donor and around by the time I got Caplan it talks about your right interested in it. But it wasn’t very old. went up to the Columbia medical school to carry a card and check off your Bioethics really began in the late ‘60s, and did a talk to the first-year medical driver’s license. Just in the past three and people who were in religious studies students, and it was terrible—they hated years we’ve had the emergence of the and theology were really at the forefront it. I talked about it with dean and he said, possibility of face transplantation— of pushing forward. They talked with “It’s terrible because you don’t have any [on December 2, the world’s first face doctors and a few philosophers and medical examples. You’re just talking transplant was performed on a young lawyers who were interested. And the about evolution and everything and they woman in France]—and maybe ovary key institutions at the time were the don’t care about that that much—they transplantation, and maybe testicular Hastings Center, which was created want to be doctors.” So I said “Well… transplantation. in ’69, and the Kennedy Institute at I’m kind of interested…I hadn’t realized Most people who signed organ Georgetown, which was created in ’71. there were ethics problems in medicine. donor cards weren’t thinking about So those were really pioneering places. How do you learn about that?” He said, those things when they signed up. Do I went to graduate school at Columbia “Well, you could take some classes here you have to change the law and say this to get my PhD in the philosophy and see if you’re interested.” So I began includes transplantation of your face? department. But I had an interest in to go to the medical school…That’s Or you could restrict that: “I only want the life sciences, and I was writing about where I got interested, so I watched kidneys and livers and hearts and I don’t evolutionary theory. Interestingly I all of those different areas within the want anything else taken like that.” So was writing about things like, “what medical school, learned a little bit about transplantation technologies are shifting makes evolutionary theory scientific?”. the medicine and the dean said to me: and the law may have been dated. So we So that’s still an issue these days with “Do you want to go to the medical want to know what the law says a lot of intelligent design and fights about school?” And I said, “No, no.” But the time, but it doesn’t mean we’re going creationism, which I was interested in I am interested in this medical ethics to be bound by it in the discussion. back then. But I was also interested in stuff. And then, [in 1977 or 1976], I some of the fights that were breaking happened to hear about the Hastings So after you’ve compiled all of your out about things like the IQ debate Center, which was only ten miles north data points from science and law, and sociobiology, which was just being of Columbia in West Chester. And it how do you go about making a invented in the mid-‘70s. was think-tank that was, low and behold, recommendation? Where do your So I got interested in some of the doing bioethics. recommendations go? ethical issues around science. And So I applied there for an internship. The most routine way of thinking the medical school was looking for And then I found out that there was through an ethics problem goes like somebody to give talks to the medical this emerging field. For the whole time this. First get the facts straight. So students about ethics and science. They I was doing this up at Columbia, for at it’s very important, in addition to didn’t know what they wanted but they’d least two years I didn’t know that anyone [knowing] the law, to know something heard about this bioethics stuff and they was doing this but me. Then I found about the science or the medicine, or were kind of fishing around a little. So I out that there were other people who in the case of agriculture, genetically

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 9 modified foods; what are the facts? isn’t anything intrinsically wrong about it-is. There are issues around [trusting Second is to know the moral issues that being clone—it’s just like test-tube baby the doctor]. If you’re on a pro team and are being disputed. So a good part of technology which we already accept, but a doctor is hired for you by the team, ethics is to classify and diagnose moral maybe it is problematic to be made to do you need your own doctor anyway. problems. That also means that you look like someone else who’s older than Because he’s working for the team and don’t necessarily trust what somebody you. And that might be hard on the his job is to keep you out there, even if says when they come and tell you that clone. Is it enough to prohibit cloning: you’re injured and it’s not in your best they have a particular ethics problem. no. But it might be enough to keep an interests. For example, you come to me and say, “I eye on who does it. can’t get the doctor’s to have my father’s Speaking of interests, how do you ventilator shut off in the hospital. And So did you see The Island? If so, wade through all of the special that’s really wrong and they should what did you think of it? What about interests that must come your way? listen to me because he wouldn’t want other art on the subject? What happens in a Terri Schiavo it.” But when I go find out what’s Okay…not bad. We have play coming situation where you’re the expert going on, I find out that your sister is in to town next spring call A Number, and some many different groups disagreement with you, and that actually which is about cloning, which was on have a stake in the outcome? there’s a family fight. And though that’s Broadway. And this is coming to the I’ve got a lot of op-eding to do, so maybe what you would want, and maybe Wilma Theater. I saw it on Broadway. somebody’s always writing some pissed- you think you’re the decision-maker, It raises a lot of the questions that I just off email. But if you don’t agree with something else is going on. So most went through too. It doesn’t actually me here’s a little secret: you can because ethics problems that are presented are take a stand; it just raises questions. I have no power. I can’t make anything usually treated like symptoms, but not That one of the differences of movies, happen. All I can do is yammer. I can’t until you evaluate those would you really arts, novels, Grey’s Anatomy, CSI, [Law impose anything on anybody. I don’t say what’s going on. So there’s a certain and Order:] SVU: they raise questions choose to. I don’t want to. amount of “can you tease apart the and don’t answer them. So the ethicist’s At the same time, I don’t think that issue” and be sure that the real problems job is to answer them. bioethics would make sense if it stayed are being identified. a purely academic field. It needs to be But about 10 percent of the time, What’s the first thing you do academic. You should research. You’ve you’re stuck with a problem where everyday? got to have your peers criticize. We nobody has much to say and you need an When I get up, the first thing I do need good scholarship. But we should argument to a principle. So is it wrong is take a look at the news, because that talk to talk-radio. You can appear on to clone people? Well, there aren’t any could be a big determinant of what I’m TV. You can try to convince the people clear analogies and it isn’t really clear going to be doing the rest of the day. I who do Grey’s Anatomy to see if they can what to do. So there you start to tease might look at the New York Times and work an ethics idea into a story to see if the thing apart and ask if it would be the Philadelphia Inquirer. I might take a they can get people to think about organ wrong. Well, what does that mean? Is look at the [Daily Pennsylvanian] or listen donation or living wills or something. It it wrong inherently? Is it undignified? to public radio when I’m coming in. I should be an engaged discipline. Is it disrespectful if you make people want to know what’s going on that day. in dishes or you make people as copies? If somebody transplanted somebody’s Are you demeaning their value? Is it head, that’s going to change my day. wrong because it might harm other Normally if somebody transplanted people? Are clones dangerous? Will somebody’s head, they’re probably they run amuck? Will they be insane? calling me at the house already. But Will they carry diseases? What’s [his or there are news things that happen that I her] problem for everybody else? And need to know about. The first thing I’m then, is it good to be a clone? Is it in doing is checking the news. the best interests of somebody to be a clone, to look like someone else, to see Where is another interesting place to your parent age before you, to have a lot look for bioethical issues? of knowledge about what might happen Your coach in high school says to you, to be treated as perhaps not your he wants you to train 6 hours a day as own person because you’re created in a gymnast—it affects your puberty. someone else’s image. That’s why those girl gymnasts aren’t So in that case you’re mounting an very fat. They don’t form body fat argument using philosophical, religious, [because] they train so much. Is that and logical reasoning to see that you can okay? Steroids for athletes comes up, say there is no danger to others, there or performance enhancing whatever-

10 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 modern medicine

You’ve mentioned Grey’s Anatomy committees in Portugal and Denmark, advice do you have for Penn twice now. Do you work with that in Britain and Japan, Pakistan. So a lot undergraduates? show a lot? more international discussion of issues, Even if I wasn’t interested in being Every once in a while a producer a lot more input, and a lot more attempts a bioethicist when I grew up, I think calls up from ER or Grey’s Anatomy and to bridge social and cultural gaps that that bioethics issues are important ones, he’s just checking a fact. And every are pretty severe. because I think that 21st century is going once in awhile someone will call and A second big issue, I would say, is to be the era of biology and life sciences. cast for a story idea. And we give them. going to be the neurosciences. We all And to be good citizens, you should We don’t charge them. And sometimes know about the genetic revolution, but have some acquaintance with bioethics they use they and sometimes they don’t. there’s a lot of new knowledge coming issues…It’s an area that would be useful And sometimes they take them in weird in about the brain: scanning your brain, to have some contact with. directions because a show like Grey’s putting things in your brain, surgery Anatomy is basically about the characters on the brain. That’s going to be a hot and the story is secondary. subject and we call that neuroethics. I think we’re also going to see, What is the current direction of down the road, more discussion of bioethics? What are the next major this topic of genetically engineering issues? animals and plants for food. There Where we’re heading is in these are possibilities to engineer plants and directions. First bioethics is becoming animals to put medicines in them. We more international. It was a very might put vaccines into our foods. American thing for a long time. When I You might be able to take your breast started, there wasn’t bioethics anywhere cancer medication in your asparagus or except here. There are [now] bioethics something. That area of food versus programs at the United Nations, the medicine is going to come together. Dan Ross is a fresh- World Health Organization, UNICEF, man in the college. and other countries. There are bioethics What suggestions or bioethical

Second Chances at Life Tissue Engineering holds the promise of new organs for those in need By Kathy Wang

magine that you’re suffering from a disease and desperately need an organ transplant. You’re far from Ialone; there are more than 87,000 people like yourself at any moment. In fact, the greatest cause of death for a patient who can be saved by an organ transplant is not the surgery or the possibility of organ rejection; it is the lack of donor organs. But, there is an exiting solution in the works. It is tissue engineering. The nervous system, the skin, the eyes, the liver – these are all parts of the body that are currently being developed in the lab to act as replacement organs among a variety of other purposes. The basic idea of tissue engineering is the growth

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 11 of cells in dissolvable three-dimensional gut lining), mesoderm (muscle, bone, engineered products. Particularly in scaffolds until they have matured into blood), or ectoderm (epidermal tissues bone marrow transplants, the host can functional tissues and organs. and nervous system) cells. Although this reject immuno-compromised grafts Scaffolds are unique artificial structure property makes them more useful, their of cells. The rejection is often a result capable of supporting cell growth tissue use is also widely debated, since ethical of interactions between subsets of formation. They must maintain the quandaries arise from their origins of cells that differ in various properties structure, biochemical properties, cell human embryos. that are very difficult to control. Also, nutrient delivery systems, and cell phases To grow into an implantable organ, any change in a single cell culture of the cells. To meet these requirements, cells have to grown in an environment variable will change the optimal value scaffolds must be built with pores of that lets them interact with each other. for all other cells because cell cultures adequate size, such that cell growth This integration of cells is done through often interact with these variables. and nutrient delivery can take place connective tissues between cells, called Despite these problems, tissue evenly throughout the scaffold. Also, the extracellular matrix (ECM), which engineering has become an integral part scaffolds must be degradable since it consists of complex weaves, glues, and of the field of bioengineering as well as must eventually be absorbed into the gels that interconnect all the cells in a the world of clinical research because surrounding tissue, leaving only the tissue and their cytoskeletal elements. of its huge array of possibilities. After cells. One common material used to Its main components are various another twenty years, engineered make scaffolds is polylactic acid, which glycoproteins and proteins. On the tissues will be able to replace native degrades within the human body to surface, there are several adhesion and tissues. Currently, on any given day, form lactic acid, a compound that is ECM receptor molecules that facilitate about 4,000 patients are waiting for a easily removed. cell-ECM communications, called lung transplant. In tissue engineering, a Where do these cells come from? cellular adhesion molecules (CAM). lung can be engineered in the lab with These cells actually originate from living They contain instructions for migration, cells from the patient’s own body, thus cells that are extracted from various replication, differentiation and cell not only providing the lung, but also places, including the skin and cartilage. death. All of these signals are controlled ensuring that there will not be rejection These living cells come in three by the ECM, which in turn is directed during implantation. This kind of categories. First, autologous cells are by cells found in the original tissue. research is actively going on around the obtained from the individual into whom The ECM is an integral part of cell country, and at Penn. Just behind the they will eventually be implanted. These growth, especially cell differentiation. doors of the Towne Building, the Cell cells have the fewest problems with The cell differentiation process involves and Tissue Engineering Laboratories rejection simply because they are from a series of changes in cell phenotype are researching various new methods of the same patient. However, because and morphology determined by overall engineering tissues – ranging from the only a small amount of the original tissue dynamics. The different cells in modeling of arteries outside of the body cells can be taken, they must be cultured the ECM communicate by secreting to engineering microvascular networks before implantation, which takes a long soluble signals, direct cell-to-cell contact, for gene therapy. These efforts at Penn time. Secondly, allogenic cells come and making proteins that alter the ECM. and those around the country can truly from a donor of the same species. These proteins are called growth factors, make tissue engineering a field with Most of these transplants have been which are relatively chemically stable and infinite possibilities. demonstrated to be immunologically have long half-lives. They are produced safe. Finally, cells isolated from a donor by signaling cells and secreted to reach of another species are called xenogenic. target cells. For instance, some animal cells have The environment surrounding the been used in constructing human developing cell must also be similar to the cardiovascular implants. environment that they will experience in Stem cells are undifferentiated cells a person’s body. This biologically active that can be from any of the sources environment is called the bioreactor, mentioned above. These cells are which controls cell growth. It is controlled particularly useful because they have to deliver dynamic forces (e.g. tension, the ability to give rise to different compression, shear strain, or hydrostatic forms of specialized cells. Stem cells pressure) of physiological magnitude are split into two categories – “adult,” and frequency, so that engineered or multipotent, and “embryonic,” or tissues have the same properties as pluripotent. Multipotent cells are native tissues. Biocompatibility must be Kathy Wang is a fresh- restricted in the type of cells that they taken into consideration in building the man studying bioengi- can replace when ready for implantation. bioreactor. A lack of biocompatibility neering. Pluripotent cells can grow into a variety can lead to immune rejections by the of cells, specifically endoderm (interior patient in clinical applications of tissue

12 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 reflections on tech

Philosophy and Engineering Contrasting Paradigms By Tushar Khanna and Michael Young

hilosophy is a lot like engineering actually. Both work toward the construction of grand frameworks from the bricks and mortar of Pabstraction. Both act as symbols that indicate how advanced civilization is. Both speak in terms such that only a select, educated elite can understand. Both are illustrations of how knowledge is power. Where the similarities end, however, conflict mounts. One demands no less than precision and perfection in its final product. The other, holding the standard of falsifiability as its cornerstone, can only be content with trial-and- error and statistical approximation. Engineering adds many dimensions absent from science. While science provides satisfaction to man’s innate curiosity, engineering is firmly grounded in reality and attends to society’s need for efficiency, energy, and productivity. The engineer’s product cannot be applied at will, but must operate within all too real cultural, economic, and ethical constraints. If engineers truly desire to understand their profession and their role, they should grasp a few basic philosophical concepts about technology.

Technicism As society progresses, there is an increasingly prevalent mindset that, some day, technology will be able to solve we have to ask ourselves what might be This then serves to fuel that capitalist all problems. This school of thought, the consequences of such a manner of drive to spend and consume, instead of known in philosophical circles as thinking? appreciating what is already available. technicism, purports that man will be able It is not difficult to see that, Secondly, the values and meanings that to master all of reality with technological consequently, Western and Eastern comprise interpersonal relationships innovation. Human begins will one day civilizations are becoming increasingly and individual human worth are being have completely conquered nature and materialistic. Every year, more diminished in favor of efficiency and gained total autonomy. Whether spelled electronic gadgets become obsolete effectiveness for the whole, creating a out or not, this idea is indeed an integral as the latest wave of invention arrives rather utilitarian ethos. Founded by John part of the spirit that drives engineers on the market, supposedly better Stuart Mill, utilitarianism is a philosophy and scientists to create and discover. But equipped to handle current problems. that deems the greatest happiness for

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 13 the greatest number of persons as the would pose a rather grave roadblock for condition, but also a common ultimate good. Yet, the more we follow the philosophical quagmire of free will. philosophical mindset many people this mindset, the more the individual For example, it can be argued that have. At its surface, technology appears person’s worth is downplayed in favor communication technologies such as artificial. Products of engineering of a technological framework that television and internet has allowed almost seem to be comprised of unnatural will benefit the maximum number of instantaneous global communication, synthesized materials in mechanical people, while leaving some alienated thereby gradually making cross-cultural factories. Technology appears instable, and excluded. differences seem more negligible. This as parts falsely put together, that will one What should be done about this? The technology has indeed influenced our day stop functioning and break down, most important thing is that we must put values by increasing our global tolerance, the terror of entropy accelerated. This forth a consistent effort to maintain our and controlled our perception of human is placed in contrast to the natural and fundamental values. Morality, spirituality, societies in the world. Yet, this is a great more permanent facets of the world, faith, and tradition are fundamental progression. We need to reflect and like the seasons of nature. Technology elements of human society is seen intrinsically to be that should not be ignored. “ While science provides satisfaction to something cold and uninviting, Also, it is up to us to maintain man’s innate curiosity, engineering is firmly corrupting our essential way our individual worth in the face grounded in reality and attends to society’s of life. of great advancement. Alan need for efficiency, energy, and productivity. Yet, what is the cause of C. Kay once wrote, “Some this way of thought? Its very people worry that artificial The engineer’s product cannot be applied root lies at an inability to intelligence will make us feel at will, but must operate within all too real comprehend the principles inferior, but then, anybody cultural, economic, and ethical constraints. ” of technology, a fear and in his right mind should have dislike of something that one an inferiority complex every time he realize that even if technology restricts cannot understand. To some extent we looks at a flower.” It is crucial that we and controls our lives in many ways, it is all do this, but in order to correct this, not allow the age-old questions of the a tremendous catalyst for social change we must drastically shift our mindset world to be replaced by what seems to to improve the human condition. Even from aversion to awe. Resonating inside be a technological solution. There are if technology complicates life, it also every feat of engineering is evidence some things that technology will never greatly simplifies it in other ways, leaving of the brilliance of the human mind. be able to control and solve, and once more time to pursue more essential Reverberating inside every technological we can accept this our approach to things. When settlers came to the New innovation is the wonder and mystery the role of technology will be molded World in the Colonial Age, life consisted of the scientific ideas that created it. To appropriately. of mainly activities that were required correct all the problems of technology, for subsistence. But now, technology we must strive to understand it. Only Technological Determinism has greatly simplified these activities, then can we appreciate its beauty. There is another school of leaving more leisure time to enjoy philosophical thought that warns of relationships, travel, and just ponder. technology being an autonomous Some claim that technology removes the force. “Lo! Men have become tools personal human touch, and is resulting of their tools,” Henry David Thoreau in the dehumanization of society. Yet, once wrote. Known as technological this is the price that must be paid for determinism by the thinker Thorstein increased connectivity. Others claim Veblen, this sociological theory that technology is inevitably causing the describes technology as a powerful force pollution of the planet, thereby relaxing that follows its own logic and is outside our environmental concerns. While cultural or political control. What is this is currently true, it is only with perhaps the most shocking ramification technology that new sources of energy of this is that it is technology itself that in the long run can be discovered to determines a culture’s values, social save the environment. We must focus Tushar Khanna is a Michael Young is a structure, and history. For instance, Karl our attention on the great instrumental sophomore studying sophomore study- chemical biomolecu- ing physics and Marx wrote in 1847 that, “the windmill changes that technology is allowing, lar engineering. materials science. gives you society with the feudal instead of the its seemingly overpowering lord: the steam-mill, society with the nature, if we are to progress. industrial capitalist.” Could this be true? Could technologies be more than useful Technophobia tools, and rather be subconsciously Technophobia, a fear or aversion controlling our essential values? This to technology, is not simply a medical

14 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 world outlook

Nature’s Wrath What drives hurricanes and tsunamis by Hunter Schloss

he aftermath of one of these vacuum forms in the center of the rising see nothing but blue sky above. At the natural disasters is clear to see, air, steering air from surrounding high outer edge of this circle is the eye wall, but it is not as clear to discern the pressure areas to quickly rush in to take a collection of clouds where the most initial conditions that permit these its place. As a result of this, warmer air intense thunderstorms develop due to Tphenomena to form. Understanding is pushed up and out even more. At this the warm rising air mentioned earlier. In these origins may be the key to thwarting point, the whole process starts all over. the strongest storms, several concentric such occurrences in the future. It is easy to see that this system has no eye walls develop which progressively “equilibrium”, meaning this loop can replace the innermost wall, a process Hurricanes continue indefinitely. known as an eye wall replacement cycle. A hurricane has humble beginnings, So what gives hurricanes their Not much can be done to halt a starting out as an atmospheric distinctive appearance once fully system so large and complex. The disturbance that creates an area of low formed? As is common with all major United States Government in the 1970s pressure and the thunderstorms that hurricanes, there exists a distinct area tinkered with the idea of dumping go along with it. Fueling these initial of no thunderstorm activity in the silver iodide into the eye wall. This, in thunderstorms, and indeed the entire center (called the “eye”) around which theory, would decrease the amount of hurricane throughout its lifecycle, is the all clouds rotate counterclockwise. precipitation and lower wind speeds. heat released as water on the surface of The rotation is due to the Coriolis However, when put into practice, the ocean condensing into water vapor. effect, a phenomenon that is related to the resultant decrease in severity was This extremely warm water vapor heats the rotation of the Earth. As for the temporary and only served to make the air around it, and as it begins to rise-- eye, the interplay between air rushing the storm’s path more unpredictable. due to the fact that density decreases with into the center of the storm and the This is not to say, however, that we temperature--it condenses and forms Coriolis effect forms a circle that is so are completely defenseless against even more thunderstorms. A temporary calm that one can literally look up and hurricanes. Our accuracy in predicting

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 15 world outlook

disasters, there is little that one can do to prevent or predict tsunamis. The best one can do is to try to mitigate its effects. Tsunami warning systems have been installed along the waters of nations particularly prone to tsunamis, as well as in the openness of the Pacific Ocean. The system consists of several buoys that detect water pressure at depths of up to 6000 meters. They are also able to detect any seismic activity that happens (since earthquakes are the main cause of tsunamis) and from there forecast where and when the tsunami will hit. However, because underwater earthquakes don’t always translate into tsunamis, these warning systems give the speed and location of landfall has create wavelengths of up to several plenty of false warnings. Due to the increased dramatically in the last 10 hundred kilometers. They also travel fast localized nature of the alarms, however, years, sometimes giving homeowners a – upwards of 500 miles per hour. Even disruption to daily life is minimal. whole week to prepare. worse, they can cover vast distances The common theme shared between without losing their original punch. all natural disasters is that prevention is Tsunamis A tsunami will slow as it approaches impossible. Mother Nature is too large A tsunami never occurs in isolation; land. However, the total energy of the and complex a force to be stopped it is instead the consequence of some system must remain constant. The net entirely. However, as our ability to other event such as an underwater result is that the waves get much taller, predict where and when these natural earthquake, volcanic eruption, or up to a maximum “runup” height of 30 disasters hit improves, people will landslide. Wherever a large body of feet. This effect, called shoaling, is also hopefully receive enough advance notice water is displaced, a tsunami will form. helped by other waves “bunching up” to head to safety. One day, we may be Instead of traveling merely on top of the one after the other due to the decrease able to eliminate the lethal effects of water, as a small whitecap wave might in speed. natural disasters. do, a tsunami travels instead through the A wave can rush inland thousands water. This force of water pushing the of feet, destroying everything in its tsunami along is what gives the disaster path. The force of all the incoming its unique strength. rushing water is enough to sweep away Although started by a violent event, people, cars, and destroy foundations a tsunami traveling in the open water of buildings. Flooding happens almost can seem far from turbulent. The sea instantaneously. Indeed, the initial level rises suddenly, but only by a few amount of energy released by the shock feet, making it much harder to notice. offshore is now transferred onshore, in This attribute is due to the fact that as liquid form. Hunter Schloss is a tsunamis move through the ocean, they As is the case with many natural junior studying systems engineering. Avian Bird Flu Messenger of a World Wide Threat by Nur Selin Cagli

ho would have thought that with the human flu and as a result create to pass from birds to humans, may kill the chicken that adorns our a new virus, potentially more grave between two and 150 million people W plates at meals could turn out and harmful to human life? Since its if it becomes transmissible between to be fatally dangerous? Who would outbreak in 1997 in Hong Kong, avian humans. have thought that the avian influenza influenza has become a world-wide We first came across bird flu, defined which has killed thousands of birds threat. Experts worry that the same in scientific terms as avian influenza, would also have the ability to combine virus, which has already been shown in late 1997. The media reported

16 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 Vaccination is yet alive today. However, if there is delay in another solution, but producing an effective vaccine or drug, like in many other the number of birds killed to prevent cases, the vaccine the further spread will increase for sure. could come too late, And if this increase is to put the food not be accessible to chain at stake, then we should expect all, or not be efficient a real disruption in the natural flow of in the prevention of food. The decrease in number of birds the circulation of the will lead to the increase of its prey. The virus. The vaccine predators of birds will decrease causing is manufactured a continuous disruption throughout the through the injection chain. of the flu strain Bearing in mind the recent deaths due into the embryos of to bird flu in Turkey, the primary reason chicken eggs that act behind the sudden spread of the disease as small incubators. appears to be the lack of attention given outbreaks of the virus in eight countries The virus is then exterminated, by the farmers and people in general to in Asia. Soon, more than 100 million extracted, and stored in vials. This the matter. Farmers whose lives depend birds died due to the disease or were process takes at least eight months. In on poultry products stay in contact all slaughtered to prevent further spread. addition, the three companies that are day with birds raised on their farms. Even though it was announced in responsible for making flu shots can More than four fifths of the quarantined March 2004 that the outbreak was under manufacture at most 150 million doses; people in Turkey are children who had control, just three months later, several nevertheless they would have to meet touched the sick chickens in their farms Asian countries--some of them for the the demand for 600 million doses in prior to their death. Thus it is right to first time--reported new outbreaks of the case of a pandemic. Yet the H5N1 assume that most of the deaths that the disease. Since January, new cases virus, the avian flu virus, can kill most have occurred thus far are the direct of the disease among birds have been of the chicken embryos and eggs and result of the ignorance about the bird detected in Russia, Turkey, Croatia and manufacturing companies would need flu and the reliance of the poor Turkish Romania, clearly indicating a spread of billions of eggs to meet the dose demand. farmers on raising poultry to get by. the virus westwards to Eastern Europe Clearly, a lot of effort is being put Bird flu is not something that must via migratory birds. Experts fear that into being put into the eradication of be taken lightly. It has the potential the virus can spell doom for the African the virus, but is it really worth the effort? to change thousands of lives around subcontinent once it proliferates, due to If the avian influenza virus happens to the planet, if not studied carefully, the dense population, and insufficient evolve into the form that will put the from a medical, epidemiological, sanitary facilities. lives of human beings in danger, what and sociological point of view. Every So why are the health community will happen? Hundreds of millions mutation, potentially deadly to millions and governments around the world are of quarantines all over local areas is of humans around the planet, just makes concerned over a disease that seems to one thing that is expected for sure, as this issue a more relevant one. be restricted to domesticated birds? The well as a rush to get the future drug, if answer to this lies in the nature of the produced, to all the people in affected influenza virus. The flu virus is different areas. There will surely be limits on air from many other viruses because it transportation. For those who rely on usually evolves more rapidly than the hunting birds for food, they will have host’s immune systems. The flu virus to start seeking another healthier and lacks the mechanism to “proofread” its safer way of getting food. What about genetic data during replication, making the variety of food available at our table it susceptible to modifications in its each meal? Even though virus activity genetic code. no longer exists if an egg is boiled up Health authorities around the to seventy degrees Celsius, some people world have taken many cautions against will refuse to buy or eat chicken and the foreboding flu, ranging from the poultry products like eggs. encouragement of further stockpiling If, luckily, the avian influenza continues to be restricted to just birds as of Tamiflu, an antiviral drug that Nur Selin Cagli trans- protects humans with the flu virus, to it is now, the repercussions will be less ferred to Penn from the financing of countries to use faster appalling. Millions of poultry birds have Turkey and is in the manufacturing technologies such as been killed up to now, and there are College. cell cultures instead of chicken eggs. hundreds of billions of birds that are still

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 17 world outlook The Magician and the Physician An insight into the minds behind medicine millennia ago in Mesopotamia. By Janice Gunther

edical progress is normal to us. more familiar, such as the Assyrians and Got a Toothache? M Scientists continually publish Babylonians. Accomplishments of this new studies, companies promote new “cradle of civilization” include the first Unlike the Egyptians, we have medical devices, and governments pour libraries, schools, law codes, writing, and evidence that the Mesopotamians vast amounts of money and resources empires. had some sort of dentistry. Here is poured into medical research. Surely, It was a world, however, in which the an ancient text that points to this to modern society the possibility of past was paramount, and people were conclusion, and is an example of a full understanding of disease seems highly conscious of their history and mixing the magical and mythical: to become all the more tangible with traditions. The Mesopotamian approach breakthrough after breakthrough; to medicine reflects this reverence. “After Anu [had created he sky], however, a look back to the thousands Which treatment would you prefer, The sky had created [the of years of human history makes it a recent innovation from your own earth]…, clear that only recently has the growth society, or one that is hundreds of years The marsh created the worm. of scientific knowledge become so old from an ancient civilization with its The worm went forth weeping, exponentially rapid, and that most of heartland thousands of miles away? To before Shamash5, humanity has lived with a very different the Mesopotamians, the latter would Before Ea6 in tears (saying), worldview. It’s worth our attention to be preferred. The older the treatment, ‘What will you give me to eat? look back in history to discover any the better. This is why we find nearly What will you give me to suck relevance that ancient society may have identical medical texts, separated by on?’ on modern medicine. Let us look back hundreds of years and thousands of ‘I will give you ripe figs, armannu at ancient Mesopotamia, where the first miles! Scribes would copy and recopy fruit, apples.’ cities were built and civilization began. the texts, and at most add explanatory ‘Of what use to me are ripe figs, How did these people view disease and notes on the side. In this world where armannu fruit, and apples? treat illness? the natural forces themselves were (Instead), raise me up and let me live Although the ancient approach gods and the past was held in such high between the teeth and the jaw!’” to medicine may now seem strange, regard, the concept of science as we (Instructions to dentist): Drive in we should not look down on these know it today did not exist. a pin and seize its foot. ancient peoples, since the societies ‘Because you have spoken thus, which flourished in this region were The Magician and the Physician O worm, highly complex after all. The first For the most part, the Mesopotamians May Ea strike you with all the urbanization began here nearly five considered disease to have a supernatural strength of his hand!’ thousand years ago, eventually growing origin, such as sorcery, demons, or ghosts, Text for tooth trouble. into the empires with which we are or as punishment from the gods. Still, Procedure: you mix together they recognized beer, a lump of malt, and oil; the natural You recite the (above) incantation cause of some over it three times; illnesses, including you put it on his teeth.”7 overexposure to the sun and rotten medical. Both of these approaches were food. They also equally respected, and they could work realized that disease together; for instance, within medical is contagious. texts, there are sometimes prayers and The combination references to myth. However, the two of perspectives methods developed separately, and were resulted in two distinct options for a sick person to two different try. approaches to The more medical approach revolved curing illness: the around the physician, or asu. Physicians magical and the were responsible for many of the more

18 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 asipu would be something like this: including various potency rituals. A Incantation--If a man has a blow to the different approach was through the cheek, practical prescription for this: following medication: “If a man loses Bray [a plant] in water from the well his potency, you dry and crush a male of Marduk [a god], collect therein dust bat (?) that is ready to mate, you put it from four crossroads… Seven and into water which has sat out on the roof, seven times cleanse his mouth. you give it to him to drink; that man will Again, these magical approaches recover potency.”4 were respected just as much as their Probably, most of the treatments more medical counterparts. had more of a psychological benefit than anything else. Some treatments certainly Don’t Try This At Home make sense though. For instance, The medicine of the ancient Mesopotamians used oil when making Mesopotamians was a folk medicine, with bandages, and this would certainly treatments consisting of various plants, prevent the bandage from sticking to animal parts, and sometimes minerals, the wound, and some bacteria would not which were often merely ground, or be able to grow. Some plants would also practical issues of the day, such as boiled and soaked with vinegar, tallow, have contained rudimentary antibiotics. lancing boils and setting broken bones. honey, milk, or beer. These mixtures They shaved their heads and wore poor were swallowed, used with bandages, Medical Progress? clothes, probably went door to door used as lotions, or inserted in metal If Mesopotamian society was so advertising their services, and carried tubes or reeds through the ears, nostrils, rooted in tradition, how much medical paraphernalia such as a censer and or urethra. There is also evidence of two progress did they make over all those medications. This except from a hymn more sophisticated medical techniques centuries? Probably not much. They to Gula, the goddess of healing, also that the Mesopotamians apparently certainly did not have any vision of gives us a picture of a physician: used: creating rudimentary soaps from progressive scientific knowledge, like I am a physician, I can heal, heating fat or resin with alkali obtained society does today. Even if progress I carry around all (healing) herbs, I from burning certain plants, and was made in the field of surgery, drive away disease, distilling plants to use their “essence” there is no evidence of it, because I gird myself with the leather bag for use as ingredients in medications. there are so few written records about containing health-giving incantations, So what would the physicians prescribe? surgery. Prescriptions found fifteen- I carry around texts which bring Skin problems seemed to have been hundred years after the earliest medical recovery, common, and remedies often involved prescriptions on record contain I give cures to mankind. fat from animals or vegetable oils. Ear basically the same substances, the only My pure dressings alleviates the problems called for pomegranate juice. advancement being a new widespread wound, There were treatments for kidney stones use of sesame oil. Records of medical My soft bandage relieves the sick. and bladder problems, and to treat texts eventually peter out, leading to the Note the fact that this physician carries incontinence, the physicians inserted conclusion that medicine was eventually incantations; although he takes the less medications into the urethra with a only passed down orally, or all of magical approach to healing, he still bronze tube. The Mesopotamians also medicine reverted to sorcery. incorporates the supernatural into his practiced some sort of dentistry, and at All in all, do not assume that all treatments. times would pull teeth. societies have shared our love for the new The magician, or asipu, had many Surgery was especially crucial and view of progress! For the first human functions: besides being a healer, he was considering that every society of the civilization, the old held a very high also a priest. His area of expertise was time was a warrior society, and having authority, even in the field of medicine. illness that seemed to come from the physicians to treat battle wounds and supernatural, and he necessarily needed perform amputations was therefore a many texts to reference for incantations. necessity. At least in Babylon, physicians One group of texts that reflect his more performed some sort of eye surgery, superstitious approach to medicine list as well. However, there are no medical omens that he might see on the way texts that describe techniques for these to a house of a sick person, and their procedures, so they must have been significance. Examples include “If he passed down orally. sees a white pig, that patient will recover,” Finally, just as today, the and “If he sees a goat’s hair, the hand of Mesopotamians were very concerned a ghost has seized him; his sickness will about sexual impotence. They had Janice Gunther is a 2 sophomore studying be long.” A typical prescription of an many ways of addressing this problem, biochemistry. Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 19 penn in the news

PennUmbra: Science Fiction and Fantasy Finds a New Crowd A workshop group for writers interested in writing and sharing fantasy and science fiction By Shawn Dimantha

cience fiction has a huge audience, Could current and future generations of House] KWH would just be on fiction, movies and magic combine writers have a similar effect on society? not genre fiction, so I was really into it. to create some of the most On Penn’s campus a solution exists We had 15 people in the class, we all got spectacular cinematic productions for those interested in getting more very into science fiction, so Jen [Snead] Sof our time. Isaac Asimov’s works have involved with the sci-fi genre. Lucy suggested that we make a writing group put the seeds into the minds of budding Ho, a senior biology major, heads up after the class is over,” Lucy recalls. scientists and innovators for years now. a small yet active group that brings a From then on, the group members The Oxford English Dictionary credits common ground for those interested would meet regularly to go over one his science fiction for introducing the in genre fiction. How did the group other’s work. They were not too eager to words “positronic” (an entirely fictional start? It began as a creative writing class publicize the group’s activities, with the technology), “psychohistory” (frequently in the English department that allowed intention of keeping the atmosphere used in a different sense than the for submissions of sci-fi and fantasy close and comfortable. The current imaginary one Asimov employed) and writing. group consists of about five people, “robotics” into the English language. “Presentations here at [Kelly Writer’s with Lucy as the moderator.

20 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 “It has always been pretty small, science fiction and fantasy as follows: people who read the books? These [we] came up with the group not really “Science fiction deals with improbable listings juxtapose the musings of a panel thinking to publicize our stuff; we possibilities, fantasy with plausible of a selected few against the power of a wanted an environment where peers impossibilities.” TheSD characters multitude of opinions. could be reading our work.” The group employ the use of magic through mana Steve still believes that despite particularly wants to target students a sort of source for the magic to feed the negative reputation that science who are new at writing and who may from and channel into the various uses. fiction and fantasy sometimes have in feel insecure. Leslie’s Alyando embarks on a journey ‘respected’ literary circles, good writers Two of Penn Umbra’s most active to discover her hidden magic powers, are still breaking ground in these two members, Steve and Leslie, bring a to see if she is worthy of the title of genres. unique combination of sci-fi and ‘mage’. Fantasy stories are not all about “If you are a good writer, you get fantasy to the table. Steve is in the magic and monsters, the main part of respect no matter what genre you are process of revising a story based on the story deals with Alyando’s growth at in.” On the other hand, people who are the mind control googles of a sadistic the school for mages through interaction not fans of sci-fi are are not particularly Big Brother-type dubbed Mr. Higachi. with her peers. respectful of the genre. “It goes for Leslie’s story revolves around a budding The group believes that fantasy gets any genre: if it is a popular-culture type mage named Alyando and her familiar, a much less respect than science fiction in book, those people will not give the cat named Ayadora. (A familiar is a spirit general. The advent of Harry Potter has book any respect.” which obeys its conjurer). Both writers actually hurt the cause, as the exploding Lucy believes there is great have heavily revised and improved popularity of the series has led to general potential for the relatively new genres. their pieces from the inception of their ignorance of the genre. By and large, PennUmbra, after all, has an enthusiastic, respective works. the group agrees that the explosion of if small following. The group uses a Socratic method of the genres in television and full-scale “You need to tell people and revising the works, developing questions cinematic productions has both helped show them the best of the best. for the author and finding appropriate and hurt the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Directing people to the fantasy part solutions through collaboration. All of “Harry Potter got so popular that of the bookstore would do nothing, the members tend to like Steve’s piece, there was somewhat of a backlash because they would just look at the though found a few bits that were [against the genre]. “Lord of the Rings” crappy lucrative stuff; sci-fi and fantasy detracting from the work. Some of the is annoying, it’s nice to get people to generally attract a lot of bad writers, aspects of science fiction that tend to read the books. But we should prevent unfortunately, they think they can coat turn off the mainstream audience are people from the movie before reading their story with shiny stuff.” actually appreciated in this forum. At the books. A lot of people only read Down the road, PennUmbra may first the group did not like the vagueness Harry Potter; [they] have to read other contribute to the movement bringing of the goggles and what happened to things. ” science fiction and fantasy to the the characters as a result, but then they Science fiction and fantasy are not forefront of today’s literature, creating began to understand that the ambiguity the two areas that generally come to tomorrow’s classics right here at Penn. was a hook for the reader. What were mind when classifying great literature. these mysterious visions? Why couldn’t Even in film fantasy and science fiction K, the main character, take them off are just getting noticed with the final his wife? These questions while never installment of the Lord of the Rings really concretely answered, were what triology sweeping the 2003 Oscars. made the story interesting, and what There is an obvious dichotomy between has brought flocks of readers to science the ‘experts’ and the readers. Take the fiction: the unknown. Random House Modern Library Top Leslie embarks on quite a different 100 list of books for example. The adventure dealing with the fantasy genre. board chooses only one science fiction Her story has nothing of the sort dealing novel, Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World, with gadgets and technical wizadry, but for the “Top 10” list. The readers, on does deal with wizadry of a different the other hand, chose only one novel, sort. One could even say this was old Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Shawn Dimantha is a school science fiction. Which one came outside of sci-fi for the top 10 list . junior studying bioengi- first? Science fiction or fantasy? Well the Writer Ayn Rand is also notably popular, neering. two genres’ history are intertwined, just as she has four books listed on the top as they are grouped together on the first 10 list. (http://www.randomhouse. floor of Penn Bookstore today. Miriam com/modernlibrary/100bestnovels. Allen de Ford, a noted mystery fiction html). But who is to say that the so- writer put the slight difference between called ‘experts’ are more right than the

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 21 how-to Becoming an Internet DJ Sans the Jailtime Mercora Radio: RIAA Approved By Shawn Dimantha

he digitization of music has had for Sure’ DRM approval and encoding a long history. First there was enabled), but these tracks/files are the advent of Compact Discs not burnable to CD or any other in the early 1970’s, and more incompatible devices. These files also recently the recordable CD. P2P expire after a certain period of time, Tnetworks emerged way before Shawn or in the case of subscription services, Fanning came up with the digital world- after you last paid for period. You must altering, but illegal, Napster. Now also use legitimately purchased music in version. There is always the option of there is BitTorrent with seeding, where your webcasts (i.e. purchased CD rips / line in recording the audio to a different multiple users have different parts of a iTunes downloads) and not tracks ripped format, but this is an illegal route and file and a user does not download from from P2P networks, an interesting will not be discussed in this article. The one user, but from many. This is also compromise that should help to time frame for removal of the audio is an illegal avenue. But what are the legal increase the legitimacy of this program. not clear as well, but the ‘lease term’ is methods available? Well there are not a How all this can be enforced is another longer than some temporary services lot of options. The New York Times challenge that maybe the RIAA will try such as Real Rhapsody, where songs did a piece on so called ‘darknets’, to monitor. The lack of permanence disappear with your subscription. The essentially P2P networks with limited for the music on your computer (a exact bit rate is 160 kbps, which is fairly membership and that insert certain sort of tethered arrangement) also close to CD quality, as far as your ear copyright requirements to prevent any helps legitimize this program, but how can tell. The file format is a streaming litigation. But how can you share your is the company keeping afloat without audio recording, and can only be played music with the world? Mercora has an a revenue stream? Well there are paid on the Mercora client program. answer for you with their latest creation versions of accounts where you are What are the alternatives? Other IMRadio. This product allows you to be given much more bandwith/quality of software for free webcasting incudes a DJ to a limitless audience, spinning music in the webcasting scene. Also on JetCast, a development of the South underground trance sets or bass-heavy the sidebar there are various text ads Korean electronics company, Cowon. crunk juice. What adds more to this related to the genre and artist of the This program does not have a similar experience is the whole idea that you music playing currently. legal disclaimer. JetCast stations can can record directly to your computer up The biggest draw for this type of be accessed via the company’s website, to 20 hours worth of streamed music! program is the ability to be the guy http://www.jetaudio.com/jetcast/, And it is all legal. How did they underneath the headphones spinning which lists the various ‘stations’ and do this? Through completely legal the tables. You are the DJ, and your their popularity. The quality is somewhat means: Mercora obtained a “statutory content is broadcast to an audience that reduced from the Mercora streaming license for non-interactive webcasting is as large as the popularity of Mercora audio, but is bearable (48 kbps vs. of digital audio” through the Digital goes. Internet DJing has been around for standard near-CD quality 160 kbps). Millenium Copyright Act.They have some time (check out www.internetdj. There are some other initiatives by obtained licenses to performance com, and other internet radio sites), but the Silicon Valley company including rights/associated royalties. a program that cohesively puts all the IMArtist, a program still in the beta Sound too good to be true? There are production and distribution elements stages allowing you to freely publicize a few limitations. First of all webcasts, into one, probably has not been put your music to any user. You can put that is the DJ set you broadcast to the together as convincingly as Mercora. your own cover art and band photos on community, cannot consist any specific All the aspects of the user interface the module and create forums to chat requests within the past one hour. are great, but how is the quality of with your fans. It is similar to the whole Downloaded content on your computer the audio? Excellent. Using a pair MySpace artist craze, but allows for is automatically erased after a set period of Sennheiser HD 485’s, top quality actual broadcasting of the music. The of time. But it is a free alternative to headphones, I could not pick up any requirements are that you have a sample Napster2Go and other such unlimited compression artifacts. The file type is CD, or are looking to commercialize tethered music services. Tethered music “Mercora streaming audio”, which makes your music. In November there was a services allow for you to download it pretty much useless unless you have contest that rewarded the most popular unlimited tracks off of the selection Mercora to run it. If you have a smart artist with a billed performance at the at the store and transfer to your music phone you can access this collection on Los Angeles Music Awards. Maybe that player (as long as it has Microsoft’s ‘Play the go though as IMRadio has a mobile budding artist or DJ could just be you.

22 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 book review Networks in Our Lives A book review of Duncan Watts Six Degrees By Hunter Schloss

he game “Six Degrees to Kevin condition arises when the clustering not at all obvious. Bacon” is nothing new to most coefficient, how likely that a group of The book progresses not only with of us. Pick any actor and within nodes are connected to each other, is the theory of networks but with Watts’ six steps we can associate said larger than the path length, how many life as well. He masterfully weaves his actor with Kevin Bacon. What steps it takes to reach a node chosen own experiences as a graduate student Tis less known is the science at random. Part of what makes this at Cornell all the way to a professor at behind this fact. The field of network possible is the sudden large drop in Columbia with the story, letting each theory deals with this the path length at a subplot support the other. Along the very real phenomenon. certain threshold, quickly way, we get a small sense of what a life What’s more, this science reaching a minimum of academia and pure research truly can be applied to more when the network is entails. Watts’ research is particularly than just Kevin Bacon, randomly connected. interdisciplinary, with Watts himself ranging in subjects as With a large enough holding a degree in physics yet acting diverse as chairmen of network, this random as an associate professor of sociology. corporate boards to the approximation holds up Once again, this point is reinforced by national power grid. “Six quite well. For instance, the stories and experiments used to drive Degrees” by Duncan Watts shows us that the story of network theory, drawing Watts serves as one of the within the realm of movie from problems in physics, economics, best introductory texts actors, theory predicts and famous experiments in psychology to this field while giving a path length of 2.99, and sociology. Watts’ ultimate point is the reader an entertaining whereas the actual case is that no theory that hopes to have any read. 3.65 – even smaller than the six degrees real world impact can exist in a vacuum; In the book, Watts takes us from we’re afforded with Mr. Bacon. it must take into account the context in the absolute beginnings of network With this conclusion firmly established, which it operates, necessitating the use theory when he was a graduate student Watts explores other characteristics of of the “softer” social sciences. up to present day. Along the way, the networks that pose far thornier problems. Watts achieves his objectives reader is bombarded with graphs and Search, for example, is treated as an area beautifully. He educates the reader not terminology that shed some much that can be improved drastically with only about the social aspects of science, needed new light on the problem at network dynamics in mind. Watts poses but also presents in a semi-rigorous hand. This is not to say, however, that this problem in the context of peer-to- fashion the main points of the highly any student could pick up this book and peer networks. Presently, if people want fascinating theory of networks. As a immediately start gaining from it. The to find an ISO image of their favorite bonus for those more interested, the reader should have good “math sense” Linux distribution, users perform what book contains references broken up by and intuition, to grasp the richness of the Watts calls a broadcast search – they ask chapter to other works that study more methodology, rather than accept Watts’ everyone they know if they have a copy in depth a particular piece of the puzzle, conclusions at face value. Familiarity of Ubuntu on their hard drive, who which makes “Six Degrees” an excellent with probability theory is a plus, in turn asks everyone they know, etc. recommendation for anyone interested particularly in the presentation of the This ignores the concept of a shortest in the daily events played out on and numerous graphs sprinkled throughout path and such results in spamming the even dictated by networks. the book. Nonetheless the math, while network (An analogy closer to home important, shares instead of overtakes may be Career Services e-mailing the center stage with the overarching story. entire engineering school to notify us of, This welcome change of pace is only for example, an info session on L’Oreal’s possible with Watt’s engaging writing shampoo division). Conversely, with the style, which manages to placate both the power of networks users would be able scientist and the lay reader at the same to perform a directed search, another time, an accomplishment that is rare in term for the shortest path. Watts leaves this genre. the solution as an open problem (and What a story it is, too. Watts first rightly so) although he makes one introduces us to the concept that drives key observation: global searches can Hunter Schloss is a every subsequent chapter: what he dubs perform much better when users act on junior studying systems the “small-world phenomenon”. This their perceived local optimums, a result engineering.

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 23 penn in the news

Inspiration From History Outstanding Penn scholars whose donations to the scientific and world take center stage. By Sundar Balu

he people featured in this column The father and son duo worked out Washington had the resolve to see that are connected to Penn or the their plan and evaluated the theory. dream come to fruition. Both Roeblings state of Pennsylvania. They They hired a crew and eagerly began are considered the foremost American Tare defining scientists and engineers construction. Unfortunately, tragedy engineers of the nineteenth century in in several regards - they dared to struck within two months. A terrible the construction of suspension bridges. create what others deemed impossible mishap on the construction site took Their Brooklyn Bridge is now a National to create, and overcame seemingly the life of John Roebling. His son Historic Engineering Landmark. insurmountable obstacles. The sustained severe injuries. Washington Determination and strength of following inspirational stories celebrate Roebling could not walk nor talk, and character are no clearer than in the story the accomplishments of these people. suffered decompression sickness. Even of Roger Arliner Young. Prevailing so, he was mentally alert and active. over racial and sexual barriers, among John Roebling was driven to While everyone else was in the process other enormous difficulties, Young was construct a bridge in New York that of abandoning the project, Washington the first African-American woman to be would connect Brooklyn to Manhattan persevered through the memory of his awarded a Ph.D. in Zoology, earned at Island. Civil engineers far and wide father. On a hospital bed, he and his the University of Pennsylvania. reasoned that such a bridge could not be wife developed a code. By moving the Growing up in Burgettstown, built, as there were numerous barriers one and only finger that he could move, Pennsylvania, one would never have to overcome. Though initially very he conveyed messages to his wife. For imagined Young going on to become a doubtful, Roebling’s son Washington over a decade, Washington tapped out remarkable zoologist. Despite her poor was finally convinced by his father directions for the bridge-builders till the grades, Young’s first science teacher, about the possibility of such a bridge. completion of the Brooklyn Bridge. notable biologist Ernest Just, saw Ironically, it was the younger Roebling John Roebling, a former Pennsylvania promise in her and decided to mentor that would go on to realize his father’s state engineer, had the courage and her. Young took to this opportunity, dream. faith to carry out a dream. His son studying and improving her scientific

24 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 skills. With her grades improving taught that led to her being fired from every day. That did not thwart them dramatically thereafter, she was able to a lab post. It was then in June 1937, however, and through painstaking care find funding for her graduate education, that Young came to the University and design they overcame this and other and went on to complete a master’s of Pennsylvania where she began a engineering challenges. Not to mention degree. doctorate under Dr. Heilbrunn, whom hand-soldering 5 million joints. Hoping to obtain a Ph.D., Young was she had assisted in previous research. Eckert and Mauchly pushed the stalled after failing her qualifying exams. In 1940, she earned a Ph.D. in zoology. limits from 1943 to 1946, to rapidly She was broke, and to further complicate complete work on what was arguably matters, a debilitating medical disorder During World War II, the U.S. military the first general electronic computer affected her mother who required great was in need of a calculating device to – the mammoth Electronic Numerical care. Yet none of this held Young back. compute firing tables on how to aim a Integrator and Computer (ENIAC). She went on to do much work with gun to reach a target. Every new gun Interestingly, most of the tube failures marine organisms and cellular processes required one such table, which entailed took place when ‘warming-up and at Just’s Marine Biological Laboratory. someone spending 40 hours solving cooling-down’ the computer. To avoid Her knowledge grew and grew, and she equations and considering everything this, they just never turned the machine came to be regarded for her brilliance from angle of elevation to the weather off. in zoology. Some of her notable work conditions. ENIAC was the first computer to included improved understanding of the The task of building this device was perform more than one task reliably, hydration and dehydration processes of undertaken at the Moore School of capable of performing 5000 additions living cells, the structures that control Electrical Engineering at Penn. Visionary and 300 multiplications per second. salt concentration in certain microscopic physicist John Mauchly and engineer The computer was applied to everything aquatic organisms, and the fertilization Presper Eckert led the endeavor. from calculations for designing the processes in marine organisms including Mauchly took a war-related course hydrogen bomb to cosmic-ray studies. the effects of radiation on eggs. in electronics at Penn where he met It was the first computer to perform For years, Young handled the dual Eckert, a graduate student in Electrical the useful “if ” statement, a conditional burden of caring for her invalid mother Engineering. Mauchly, Eckert and their command universal to programming and conducting her research. In team overcame many challenges along languages today. What’s more, the addition, she taught at many institutions the way. Many engineers said that no ENIAC’s registers did not use the binary including Howard University, North one using vacuum tubes, instead of system that most modern computers do, Carolina College, Shaw University, and previously used switches and relays, but instead relied on decimal arithmetic other universities in Texas, Louisiana, could build a computer to work reliably – making its circuits far more complex. and Mississippi. She would later endure or render anything useful. Eckert and The ENIAC occupied 1800 square another string of hardships that included Mauchly used 18,000 vacuum tubes, but feet and weighed in at over 60,000 lbs. confrontations in the laboratory, and they were fragile and expensive, and tube Such was the awe with this machine that allegations at the university where she failures resulted in replacing 50 tubes it was said that lights in Philadelphia dimmed whenever the ENIAC was turned on! With murals and photo galleries in the newly renovated Moore 100 Computing Suite, its legacy lives

Sundar Balu is a sophomore studying computer science.

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 25

Tangents

Business Essentials for the Engineer

hether or not you like it, the environment, the proliferation of the moves ahead, for thanks to the web, the business world affects engineers web will both help and hurt you. The domino effects of novel information W in many ways. It will affect most wonderful aspect of the web may take place at lightning speeds. your career, your salary, and be that it provides virtually limitless The best advice that I can give to your investments. Rapid technological access to information to whatever anyone entering today’s information- change due to increased investment and depth one desires at low cost. The intensive world is to approach new the proliferation of the web will force downside is that a large population of endeavors with as much preparation as you to stay ahead or sink. As I leave one’s competitors also has ready access possible. Knowing even a few things Penn, the best advice I can give to you to new information almost as it occurs, about an area can likely give you an is to prepare to the greatest possible calling for a razor sharp mind and rock- edge on the job, in interviews, and in extent for what lies ahead. solid commitment to the work required determining solutions for unforeseen The business world is changing to stay ahead of the crowds. More problems. As an engineer or manager, rapidly and as an engineer, you must than ever, coming out first will require your job security will be much greater if keep abreast of current events that will intelligence, ambition, and the ability to you try to understand what’s going on affect your field and your future. In this understand and prepare for the game in your field ahead of time and work to

34 Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 prepare for it through education, what communicate with the marketing team example, when you own stock options you learn on the job, and what you can as much as possible. with Kodak, for example. One stock pick up in your free time. A company’s chances of success will rise when the other falls, and you To the best of your ability, you are much greater when the people will be safer from a crash in either should keep multiple possibilities open developing the products make the market. A word of caution before you for the future so that you can step safely effort to relay key design specifications enter stocks, however: a stock price will into the haven of the next opportunity to the people responsible for selling generally reflect expectations for future before a disruptive technology tidal the products. A first-rate marketer performance of a company in addition wave rushes in with a pink slip. If you can sell a black box with functions he the current health of a company and think this never happens, look what or she doesn’t understand, but think the general market. This is a difficult happened to Kodak. The company was how much more effective the sales concept to understand, but it explains completely unprepared for the onset strategy can be when the marketer can why it can be dangerous to buy the of digital photography; its workers express exactly why the “black box” is stock of a company that is doing well were largely specialists in chemistry the best in its field. Receiving feedback which has no real prospects for earnings who suffered as Kodak hit rough times is just as important, for the sales force growth. because of its late entry into the popular is the company’s interface with clients Integrating your technical strengths field. Had the company been more and is in a position to understand and with business awareness will help you prepared, it might have done a better communicate to the engineers the as an investor and propel you forward job of integrating its existing operations simple product improvements that will in your career. In today’s intensely with the new demands of the market make the client sign on the dotted line. competitive world, knowing your by retraining its workers or by entering Outside of your involvement with company’s strengths and weaknesses a different chemical-intensive market a company and its clients, you can also relative to the competition, in addition where earnings were not being eroded. leverage your knowledge of business and to its challenges and the options open Kodak and many other similar technology from your job at home as an to it will help you in a never-ending instances illustrate that in today’s world, investor. As an engineer, you are likely battle against your competitors. In this complacence leads to failure at all to understand new technologies and struggle, understanding the markets that levels. A CEO cannot afford to miss their potential better than anyone else. are demanding your products and the profitable opportunities for earnings You have exposure to new concepts forces that cause these markets to rise and growth for long; the company’s far before they end up on the market, and fall will be additional armor against friendly Wall Street analysts will pounce and can get a sense before anyone else disruptive technologies that can topple like a tiger and rip the quarterly results whether or not they will succeed. The your company. If nothing else, your to shreds in their next report. Think best investment research includes not years of preparation for the future will engineers are safe? Think again. Hard only a detailed analysis of the news only make the taste of your victories work must be coupled with market available online and in print but also that much sweeter. awareness, as a novel technology can communication with people in the field. render old methods useless in a few This includes speaking to the managers years. Prohibitive costs and low market who are gauging the markets, to the awareness are often the initial factors product developers who understand slowing the dominance of new entrants, the pros and cons of the products, and but over time, cost curves shift rapidly to the customers who ultimately create downward, and newer products catch the demand for the products. As an on as the public is tempted to cast away engineer, you will have access to these the original solutions for newer, sleeker, people and will be in the best position cheaper, or more efficient products that to understand the future success or are available. failure of new products. Use it to your In an age where various companies advantage in making investments. simultaneously develop multiple solutions In addition to making investments as to the same problem, the technology a speculator, you can also use the market that wins out as the standard isn’t always to hedge, or protect yourself from loss. the most advanced. Marketing, which If part of your compensation is in stock Debbie Chadi is a includes not only advertising but also options and the industry that you are graduate of the Man- decisions regarding pricing, quality, and in is suffering in the markets, you can agement and Technol- ogy program. the design and distribution of products, always buy the stock of a company that can play a huge role in deciding the has negatively correlated returns with victor. Engineers should leverage this the returns of your company. This fact and, rather than keeping a distance is not very complicated; it can involve from the marketers, they should buying digital photography stocks, for

Pennsylvania Triangle www.penntriangle.com Spring 2006 35