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magazine YALE UNIVERSITY BWe take the bs out of bbs. Congratulations to ourselves for making it to our TENTH volume and to you for surviving this long, cold In this issue winter! We'll warm you up with hot news, great winter recipes, and lots of outdoor fun. Keep smiling! 1 Crime and Safety in New Haven 2 Death of the Natural Philosopher, Birth Crime and Safety in New Haven of the Scientist B Y ANNIE LE 4 Weird Laws Yale University is an intellectual hub consisting experienced only 53 thefts, also with over 22,000 Public Speaking Tips of over 11, 000 undergraduate, graduate, and pro- students. Harvard’s Cambridge and Longwood 5 Winter Blahs fessional students, and over 11, 000 faculty and campuses reported 324 thefts combined for their 6 Grad Recruitment Nightmares staff. With so many members, the Yale commu- 26, 000 students. As it stands, Yale experiences 8 Scientists Who Cook nity is protected by a full-service police force that more thefts per student than any of these metro- 10 Lifestyles of the Poor & Academic works in conjunction with the City of New Haven. politan Ivy League institutions. Well, at least Yale 11 Trail Mix Despite safety measures such as door-to-door graduates have the highest earning potential of 12 Buzz escort and shuttle services, the Yale community is this sample, according to BusinessWeek maga- B Contest: Grad Recruitment Nightmare still plagued with thefts, some involving frighten- zine. ing confrontations. According to the Department Most students are all too familiar with emails of Education, Yale’s on-campus motor vehicle with the subject: “Message from Chief Perrotti” thefts have doubled since 2005. Overall, theft on detailing the latest robbery. What can one do to Yale campuses has increased by 59%, totaling avoid becoming another unnamed victim in these to 162 reported events in 2007. By comparison, emails? We sat down with Chief James Perrotti of neighboring Quinnipiac University in Hamden has Yale University Police (yes, he is real) to discuss at most two thefts per year. Southern Connecticut precautions that members of the Yale commu- State University, also located in New Haven, albeit nity can take. On their end, the Yale University further away from the downtown area, had a mere Police have increased their presence in the East 10 thefts on its campus in 2007. Such numbers do Rock neighborhood, the scene of a rash of Fall not bode well for Yale. According to CNN Money semester robberies that were, thankfully, solved. Magazine, the City of New Haven has 7 times as The additional patrols from 6:00 PM to 2:00 AM much personal crime compared to the average for have succeeded in keeping the area quiet. Chief “safe” cities in the United States. Perrotti assured us that “quality of life issues are How does Yale compare to other Ivy Leagues on top of [his] list.” Student life in the Combined Program (football stats aside)? In 2006, Columbia The Chief provided us with these handy tips for in the Biological and Biomedical Sciences University’s Morningside and Medical campuses crime prevention: reported 168 thefts, almost the same number as 1. Pay attention to where you are. Volume 10 Issue 1 February 2009 Yale, yet Columbia University had twice the number 2. Avoid portraying yourself as a potential vic- of students enrolled. University of Pennsylvania tim. continued on page 3 b magazine staff Death of the Natural Philospher, the departments/programs Birth of the Scientist MCGD Track Philip McCown* B Y MOLLY KOTTEMANN Andrea Stavoe* There are many names given to us here in we shy away from more holistic examination, Cell Biology Hannah Chapin BBS, ranging from title to epithet - doctor, crys- preferring the technical practice of science to Elisabeth Wurtmann tallographer, nerd. One term, scientist, we all the interpretation of it. Our question is often Chris Mader shrug on with our lab coats and little thought, less “what do I have to do?” than “what do I C & M Physiology Michael Coggins unaware of its origins and implications. Coined have to do with it?” Comp Bio & 275 years ago by the Romantic poet Samuel To many of us, philosophy is dry tracts more Bioinformatics Kevin Keating Taylor Coleridge, the word scientist was created unreadable than the most eye-crossing Cell Jamie Duke not only to label a trade but to define a mode paper, or the hairy Hegelian at GPSCY to be Ex Pathology Kathryn Tworkoski of thought. It was meant to differentiate tech- avoided at all cost. Our evangelists – Watson, Genetics Molly Kottemann nical practitioners of the field from the Natural Dawkins – seem to trade in technical detail and Khalid Fakhro Philosophers, the Hookes and the Liebnizes, controversial, sensationalist claims. Our think- Natalie Powers men who first make discoveries, then place ers – Stephen Jay Gould, E.O. Wilson, C.P. Snow Immunobiology Jessica McDonald those discoveries within the framework of their – argue for great change, sweeping consilience INP Nicole Horst societies and use them to shape the intellec- across academia, syncretism of science and the Kristi Rudenga tual zeitgeist. humanities. Perhaps what we need is simpler. Yvonne Yang The Natural Philosopher has in the past Let’s try to communicate more clearly, with each Microbiology Nicole Pagliaccetti emerged when scientific progress tests the bar- other and with the public. Let’s think not just Felicia Barriga riers of both specialized knowledge and the about the answers to our scientific questions, MCDB Jane Kim general human relationship with the world. but also about the answers to the ethical ques- Alice Ly From Aristotle to Newton, the early philosopher- tions engendered by our science; let’s consider Rafael Rosengarten scientists grappled with a shift from supernatu- how the shape and direction of our civilization Mary Kunjappu ral explanations – gods and humors, demons is informed by those ethics. Jason Wallace and homunculi – to the more concrete meta- When science outpaces a more complete Pharmacology David Harburger physics of the observable and reproducible. In understanding, it can lead to tragedy: Nazi Annie Le the early twentieth century, the great physicists eugenics, the atom bomb. And as our research BBS Program John Alvaro were faced with a restructuring of knowledge on opens increasingly spectacular avenues, from Bonnie Ellis both the grandest and most miniscule scales designer babies to the resurrection of the yet explored. Neanderthal, we open ourselves to increas- *I'm new! In such cases, discourse expanded beyond ingly spectacular failures. So, let’s do our best the purely objective, as technical analysis to deliberate as we discover. The scientist was Special thanks to Benjamin Lacar, became inextricable from the philosophical. named nearly two hundred years before the Neuroscience, for his story on page The question of how we are became that of modeling of the atom, two hundred and twenty 4, Shirlene Scott, MCGD Registrar for who we are: what are our origins, and, knowing before that of DNA: it could not anticipate the photo on page 6, Matt R. Johnson, them, what is our responsibility? As biologists experimental trials we set up or the moral trials Neuroscience, for photos on page 3 & today, we occupy a similar position in history, we face. As scientists working at the cusp of the 8, Carol Russo, Neuroscience Regis- and therefore have a similar task. Yet too often, twenty-first century, let’s reclaim our word. B trar, for photos on page 3 & 8. Fellowship Winners We missed a few students when we announced fellowship winners in our previous issue. Bradley Rubin, MB&B 4th Year American Heart Association Fellowship Crew Smith, Cell Biology 3rd Year NIH National Research Service Award Predoctoral Fellowship 2 B magazine Crime continued from page 1 3. Do not be distracted by ipods and phone then call it in immediately. In the meantime, include the standard steering wheel lock, affec- calls. make as many observations as possible regard- tionately known as “The Club” (about $25) and 4. Reduce your exposure (use the Yale escort ing clothing, facial hair or distinct facial details a brake lock ($30). Even simple $2 decals warn- and shuttle services). (if unmasked), and other physical features. ing potential thieves that the vehicle is pro- 5. Walk with a purpose. These are the usual, but Chief Perrotti added tected by an alarm system can be a deterrent. 6. Keep a minimum amount on your person. one twist: the shoes. “The shoes are very impor- Spending a little money to up the intimidation As an illustration of tip #6, Chief Perrotti tant because they can shed the clothing along factor could really be the difference between pointedly provided us with an exclusive look the way… shoes are unique,” he explained. As walking out to your car at the end of a long day at his wallet, a small leather fold with a little for car thefts, Yale Police is not required to send in lab versus the police finding your car stripped cash, driver’s license, and only one credit card. out emails regarding those, but since Yale car and abandoned at McDonald’s. Chief Perrotti’s “Chances are, you don’t need all the stuff in your thefts have doubled in the past three years, it is final point was that “crime prevention is nothing wallet on a day-to-day basis,” he commented. noteworthy to point out that the length of time more than recognizing a risk and taking steps to This is all well and good, but what should it appears to take to steal a car is inversely pro- prevent it.” In short, New Haven is a city, and we do if, heaven forbid, we were being robbed? portional to a thief’s motivation to attempt it.