November 2016
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Issue 134 November 2016 A NEWSLETTER OF THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY Photo Courtesy of Dumitru Mihai Renewable Energy Y VETTE C HIN When Sheikhs invest in solar, you know a over times when the sun isn’t shining or the What Else paradigm change has arrived. A slew of sun- wind isn’t blowing—have brought down costs drenched Middle Eastern states, prompted by and increased reliability so much that the Inside? the now-favorable economics of renewable sector is competitive (as low as under $0.04/ Postdoc Retreat 2016 energy, and a concomitant cloudy outlook kWh) versus fossil fuels. Upfront investment for fossil fuels, are looking to transition their costs are lowered by tax credits and net me- 2 JULIETTE WIPF oil-heavy economies towards solar energy tering rules, which allows the sale of unused Culture Corner production. Closer to home, New York State energy back to utilities to recoup expenses. Mr. Robot and Gomorrah Governor Andrew Cuomo too has a vision— Tax credits in particular were essential to the 3 B ERNIE L ANGS expedited in no small part by the exigencies of adoption of renewables, although the neces- climate change, economics & energy securi- sity of subsidies is receding as the industry is Nobel Prize in 2011 ty—to secure a clean, affordable and resilient able to stand on its own merit. In December Ralph M. Steinman post-oil future. 2015, a divided Congress rallied to extend the 4 JOSEPH L UNA Governor Cuomo’s Reforming the Energy 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for solar Vision (REV) commits NY state to a Clean energy & the 2.3-cent/kWh Production Tax Ostuni, Italy Energy Standard (CES) with the goal of meet- Credit (PTC) for wind energy for five years 5 F RAN C ES C A C AVALLO ing at least 50% of the state’s energy use with (through 2020), among a slew of renewable renewable sources such as solar, wind, hydro- subsidies, to ensure successful implementa- New York State Of Mind power and geothermal energy and reducing tion of the CPP. On current form, the impor- Interviewing Tiago Siebert greenhouse gas emission levels from 1990 by tance of such subsidies will diminish further 6 G UADALUPE A STORGA 40% by 2030. This was prompted by the US as innovation continues to drive down costs New York City Dialect Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and bring about mass adoption. New York-ese, Lesson 2 Clean Power Plan (CPP), which mandates a Second, climate change and environmen- 7 A ILEEN M ARSHALL less stringent 32% reduction in carbon emis- tal concerns lend an urgency to the transition sions from 2005 levels by 2030. to clean and low-carbon energy sources. Credit Crossword: Think Big Deal The pivot to renewables has many causes. Hurricane Sandy for the harsh reminder that GEORGE BARANY AND JOHN CHILD First, cost is king and with renewables at least, ocean levels are rising and reclaiming low- 8 cheaper is better. Advances in technology— lying flood-prone land. The energy sector ap- Life on a Roll cheaper, more efficient photovoltaic (PV) cells Les Sables d’Olonne and wind turbines; souped up batteries to tide CONTINUED TO P.2 * 10 ELODIE PAU W ELS 1 Postdoc Retreat 2016 Editorial Board JULIETTE WIPF EDITORIAL BOARD This year’s Rockefeller Postdoctoral Jim Keller Editor-in-Chief, Managing Editor Association (PDA) Retreat was held Aileen Marshall from September 21 to 22 at the Inter- Assistant Copy Editing Manager laken Inn in Lakeville, CT. The In- Qiong Wang * CONTINUED FROM P.1 terlaken Inn is a charming country Copy Editor, Webmaster, Public Relations Manager pears to be a zero-sum game with the rise resort with great facilities and over Juliette Wipf of renewables occurring at the expense of 130 Rockefeller postdocs came to en- Copy Editor, Webmaster the coal industry where a projected 50GW joy this getaway. Many supported the Peng Kate Gao of capacity is expected to be lost by 2022 event with presentations, ranging in Copy Editor Johannes Buheitel and, indeed, completely phased out in scope from social evolution in ants, Copy Editor New York state. The upheavals of this en- aphids and their interacting microbi- Chew-Li Soh ergy revolution have being manifested in omes, through to visual signaling in Copy Editor the rise of populist presidential candidate Drosophila. Yvette Chin Donald Trump, fueled in part by the loss The PDA further organized a panel Copy Editor of jobs in America’s Rust Belt. Advocacy discussion focusing on non-academic Nan Pang groups such as the Sierra Club and ardent careers, which was one of the high- Designer environmental activists are also playing a lights of the retreat. Candid responses Guadalupe Astorga significant role in the adoption of low-car- to heartfelt questions were given by Designer bon fuels. The Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal George Yancopoulos, the President selections.rockefeller.edu Campaign organized a community-based and CSO of Regeneron Pharmaceuti- [email protected] push for off-shore wind energy investment cals, Inc., who also gave the retreat’s with a Clean Energy rally in lower Man- keynote address, Nadim Shohdy (Di- hattan followed by personal testimonies rector, Office of Therapeutics Allianc- from state-wide attendees to the Public es NYU Langone), David Pompliano Service Commission. These efforts paid off (co-founder & CSO, Lodo Therapeu- in the adoption of a 90MW offshore wind tics), Imran Babar (Private Equity / project, the largest in the country, in feder- Venture Capital, OrbiMed Advisors & ally leased waters off Montauk, in a tie-up VP of Scientific Affairs, Rare Genom- between the New York Power Authority ics Institute), Yaihara Fortis-Santiago (NYPA), the Long Island Power Author- (Director of Science Alliance, the New ity (LIPA) and Deepwater Wind, a private York Academy of Sciences), as well as company. Moreover, the CES envisions es- two Rockefeller insiders, namely our tablishing New York state as a clean ener- new President Richard Lifton and our gy powerhouse to safeguard the economic Career and Professional Development future of the state’s workforce by ensuring Director, Andrea Morris. The speak- its technical expertise in the renewable en- ers depicted the advantages of drop- ergy sector. Slated to be one of the largest ping into a non-academic field and solar panel factories in the world, a 27-acre attempted to boost our self-confidence $750m SolarCity battery facility financed for trying out such alternative career and constructed by New York state is an- routes. In some cases maybe even out other example of the economic thrust of of a personal recruitment interest? the REV. The high-efficiency solar panels A bonfire by the scenic Lake manufactured in the gigafactory produce Wononskopomuc brought the first electricity at a cost of roughly $2.5/W and day come to an unforgettable end. production is expected to hit full capacity S’more roasting gave the postdocs en- in late 2017. ergy after burning themselves out on The REV is expected to lower energy the dance floor. After another round bills through localized power generation of talks in the morning, playing ten- and distribution, furnish a greater choice nis, sunbathing by the heated pool, of energy providers to reduce dependence kayaking and swimming in the lake in on a central utility, advance net-zero en- the afternoon, everybody reluctantly ergy efficient smart homes that can be made their way back to New York City controlled remotely, boost employment in on Thursday night. the hi-tech renewables sector and improve overall quality of life from the greening of Thank you PDA for organizing this the energy industry. n event! n 2 Culture Corner Television Series Review: Mr. Robot and Gomorrah B ERNIE L ANGS Caution: spoilers ahead bringing down friends and familyl. Drug societal depression enables the mob family addiction, hallucination, paranoia, loneli- syndicates to move in to recruit dispirited There is a widely-held notion that television ness, intense anger, sexual confusion, and a young men to join their ranks with fast cash is presently in the midst of a golden age and host of other problems including the anxiety and an exciting life. They don’t blink an eye that the quality and diversity in program- of breaking the law are what makes Elliott’s when these youths wind up murdered in ming has never been better for the medium. world a terrifying place. Elliott’s personal- the undertaking of their exploits, much of One might generally associate the phrase ity problems make for tense, dramatic and which centers around bringing cheap drugs “golden age” with eras of creativity in cultur- deeply disturbing viewing and are original to the area for desperate junkies and users. al history, such as the glory days of Ancient to the concept of a star lead in a serialized Gomorrah is beautifully filmed with grit- Greece or Renaissance Italy, while thinking show. tiness and often showcases a world of deep of television more in terms of crassness and The plot to undo E Corp and change shadows, dark alleys, and junkyard aban- the lowest possible taste (think the Kar- the course of history involves a great cast doned factories. None of the actors and ac- dashians or the Housewives reality series). of characters including Elliott’s co-workers tresses are familiar to American audiences Yet I can’t deny that TV is offering many at a cybersecurity firm and the insiders at E and all of the performances are seamless and more stimulating choices these days than Corp, in particular their own technology ex- powerful. It’s almost akin to watching a fast- big Hollywood studio films.