GTCN Gets Taste of Own Talk Show with Tyler

pageFOCUS 11 Technique • Friday, February 27, 2004 • 11

Am I glowing? There’s no Leo DiCaprio... The Sam Nunn Security Program took a field trip to ...but there is beautiful choreography, music and FOCUS the Savannah River Site, a prominent nuclear facility, costumes. Check out our review of the Atlanta and the ‘Nique got to tag along for the ride. Page 12 Ballet’s production of Romeo and Juliet. Page 19 Technique • Friday, February 27, 2004 GTCN gets taste of own talk show with Tyler A program featuring Aisha Tyler—actress, author and former host of E!’s Talk Soup—will air on GTCN next month By Joshua Cuneo A Conversation (And Laughs) With Senior Staff Writer Aisha Tyler. The final product, complete with The hit television show Friends music and graphics, will air on wound up in the Georgia Tech Ca- GTCN21 at an undetermined date ble Network’s studio three weeks and time next month. ago—or, at least, a small piece of it “[The show is] designed to pro- did. vide insight into her perspective on Unbeknownst to many students, relevant topics such as career choic- the nationally-acclaimed actress, es, sex in the media and the chal- comedian and author Aisha Tyler lenges faced by minorities,” explained visited Tech’s Mark Adelman, campus earlier the general this month to manager of promote her new- “Women relate to her GTCN. est book, Swerve: without feeling “Interviewing A Guide to the Ms. Tyler is a Sweet Life for Post- intimidated, [and] unique oppor- modern Girls, a men find her tunity to frank- commentary on ly discuss those pop culture, sex intelligent and sexy.” topics in a way and dating. Mark Adelman that is entertain- The African- GTCN General Manager ing,” as previ- American celeb- ously rity with her demonstrated trademark razor on her other wit is popularly known from several shows, like the Comedy Central hit TV shows, including her recurring Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn, a role as Ross’s love interest, paleon- talk show famous for its merciless Photo Courtesy Institute Communications and Public Affairs tologist Charlie Wheeler, on Friends roasts of the people and situations Aisha Tyler, best known for her role as Ross’s ex-girlfriend Charlie Wheeler on Friends, came to Tech to promote and as a host of E!’s Talk Soup. in recent headlines, Adelman said. her book. GTCN was able to get a special interview with the actress, which they are producing as a program. The crew at GTCN had the priv- “Her comedic voice is raw, edgy, ilege of sitting down with Tyler for honest and wonderfully refreshing, formance style recalls Chris Rock or popped up at Tech’s Barnes and with the actress, and Tyler was in- an hour-long interview earlier this yet a look at the audiences at her live Richard Pryor with the physicality Noble Bookstore promoting Swerve, vited to the studio, where she sat month. That interview, where Tyler performances reveals her broad ap- of a young Eddie Murphy,” Adel- GTCN seized the opportunity to opposite LaToya West, a fourth- shared her life story and her views peal: women, men, mainstream, man said. “That attention translates produce a show that would attract year Science, Technology and Cul- on topics ranging from female em- urban, young, old,” Adelman add- to access…Women relate to her with- Tech’s own diverse student body. ture major and a student producer powerment to body image, is cur- ed. out feeling intimidated, [and] men Adelman coordinated with the who also hosts the GTCN show rently being edited into a GTCN “Aisha can attract attention due find her intelligent and sexy.” bookstore and Tyler’s publicist to special presentation called GTCN: to her celebrity...Her aggressive per- That was why, when Tyler arrange the short-notice interview See Tyler, page 15

Inspector Gadget would be proud Think textbooks are too expensive? By Marcela Musgrove picking up on technology trends as who’s had an iPod since last sum- Contributing Writer consumers. This week we focus on mer. Recent report blames publishers students who are using their tech- “I downloaded my entire CD Tech definitely no-toys in interesting ways. collection so I can carry it around By Jennifer Lee concepts change little, even with prides itself on its with me, and depending on my Focus Editor new developments in technolo- cutting-edge I love my iPod mood, I can listen to whatever I gy. “We’re teaching basic cours- technological One of the most visible gadgets want,” he said. To poor college students, ex- es [in] mechanics, dynamics, research, but on campus, with Jurenko also enhanced his iPod pensive textbooks will always be control, heat transfer, fluids. many of its its little by buying a car adaptor, which plugs a damper at the beginning of a Nothing changes,” said John students also into the iPod’s headphone jack. Once new semester. However, a re- Papastavridis, a Mechanical En- pride them- he specifies the radio signal, he cent study by the California Pub- gineering professor who read selves on can then listen to all of his tracks in lic Interest Research Group about CALPIRG’s report in the his car. (CALPIRG) points the finger at Atlanta Journal-Constitution. textbook pub- “They keep A new way of listening to the radio lishers for in- sending us Instead of carrying around a flating prices, new edi- Walkman, Pablo Macouzet, a fifth- through prac- “Publishers continue tions; there’s year Industrial Engineering student, tices such as no reason listens to his music using XM satel- issuing fre- to put out new for that, it’s lite radio instead. quent new editions...in order to wasteful.” Typically, most satellite radios editions and In addi- white head- are used in cars so that while some- bundling the combat our ability to tion, “all the phones, is the iPod. one is traveling, they can listen to textbook with sell used books.” six majors Typically, the user the same station the whole time or extra materi- publishers Joe Earle “rips” the tracks of one of 120 channels of commercial- al. now bundle Textbook Manager, GT B&N their favorite CD, free music, talk and news program- According their prod- changes them into ming transmitted via satellite. to Joe Earle, uct with mp3s using the iTunes However, Macouzet’s radio, the book- some type of program, then uploads called the “Roady,” is smaller and store’s text- CD or access them to the iPod. more portable, so he wanted to find book manager, this is indeed the code,” Earle said. Songs can also be a way to use it around Tech. case. “Publishers continue to put Chemistry professor David downloaded direct- “I soon found out that another out new editions...in order to Collard said, “Most introducto- ly from Apple’s iM- XM radio fan had developed a belt combat our ability to sell used ry science textbooks now come usic site. accessory called the X-Man with a books,” he said, adding, “there’s with a CD, and most students “I think it’s built-in antenna and a couple of continually new editions of books do not find them particularly great,” said Rob- battery packs that allow you to sim- coming out that clearly haven’t useful.” ert Jurenko, a ply attach the Roady to your belt changed over the past few years.” Many students agree readily third year Aero- and use it as a walkman,” he said. This is especially true for ba- space Engineer- sic undergraduate courses, whose See Rip-off?, page 16 ing major, See Gadgets, page 13 12 • Friday, February 27, 2004 • Technique FOCUS Trip to nuclear facility not exactly like Homer’s job By Art Seavey ing the Cold War. group was deluged with technical Fellows boarded tour buses provid- Plant. Since then, five nuclear reac- Entertainment Editor Leaving early Tuesday, Feb. 17th, information concerning the future ed by the Savannah River Site. tors have been built, utilized and the Fellows and the program’s fac- communications systems that will decommissioned. The basic outputs Where can you attend lectures transform military combat. of the site have included tritium on topics of international security, Jacob Sauer, a Ph.D. candidate and plutonium-239, essential ma- chat with agents at CIA headquar- for Physics, commented on the first “I definitely didn’t terials in the fabrication of nuclear ters, tour highly-secured nuclear fa- “The Savannah River leg of the trip. “In my opinion, we’ve understand everything weapons. cilities, receive a substantial stipend Site…was the most been exposed to some pretty high- In addition, the site also houses and still obtain an engineering Ph.D.? level stuff, which I don’t think ev- that was told to us at the largest Defense Waste Process- Look no further than Tech. interesting and erybody [understood]. I definitely Fort Gordon, ing Facility in the nation. Before The Sam Nunn Security Fellows, interactive part of the didn’t understand everything that the waste is processed, however, it is part of an International Affairs grad- was told to us at Fort Gordon, be- because...these guys stored in underground sludge tanks, uate program, receive the aforemen- trip that we’ve had.” cause it was a Battle Lab, and these use more acronyms some of which have leaked. This, tioned benefits and a myriad of others. Jacob Sauer guys use more acronyms then the then the CIA does.” among other activities that have gone The Technique accompanied the Physics Ph.D. candidate CIA does,” he said. “[But] the stuff awry, meld the site into a valuable group on their most recent trip to that I did understand was very in- Jacob Sauer environmental case study. Fort Gordon and the infamous Sa- teresting.” Physics Ph.D. candidate The Fellows were given a com- vannah River Site, a nuclear facility Leaving Fort Gordon, the Fel- plete overview of the site, from past that produced much of the material ulty headed to Fort Gordon, an Army lows traveled to a hotel in Aiken, to present, in extensive detail. As for the U.S.’s nuclear weapons dur- base just outside Augusta, Georgia. South Carolina to relax. There was the Savannah River Site is enormous, On site at the definite camaraderie among the Fel- In 1950, the Atomic Energy Com- buses were used to tour its 310 square Battle Command lows, and even with the faculty. Wak- mission asked the DuPont Compa- miles. Battle Lab, the ing up early the next morning, the ny to construct the Savannah River “The Savannah River Site…probably was the most interesting and interactive part of the trip that we’ve had. It was extremely well organized. We were on a tight schedule, but I’m sure everything involved with nuclear operators has got to be, but it was abso- lutely wonderful,” Sauer said. Diane Norris, a Ph.D. candidate for Nuclear and Radiological Engineering, said, “As a nuclear scien- tist, I was familiar with the technical aspect of Savan- nah River, but more importantly, the trip verified that the government takes

Photo Courtesy Sam Nunn Security Program national security serious- Students in the program interact with a variety of ly.” officials, including Senator Sam Nunn, above. “It is more of a concrete image to see, in person, sites that contain sensitive in- Photo Courtesy Savannah River Site formation, and how secure The Sam Nunn Fellows stand in front of the Savannah the facilities are, as opposed River Site before going on a tour of the classified area. to just reading about it in a brochure or in the news,”

Photo Courtesy Institute Communications and Public Affairs See Nuclear, page 15

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something that is not unusual at Gadgets from page 11 Tech. What is unusual, though, is Winner receives a free student combo at Li’l Dinos the way he has customized these Silly trolleys, GPS is for kids gadgets to control other devices. Global Positioning Systems made “I installed a program called headlines recently with the imple- OmniRemote on my Palm to cap- mentation of GPS devices in Tech ture infrared codes sent by the re- Trolleys to track their progress around mote controls from my TV and room Tech the campus loop. fan,” Adewale said. “Now I can chan- But Peter Jensen, a Computer nel surf and cool down my room Science graduate student, has his from my bed using my PDA.” Up own cellphone-sized GPS device that Bluetooth technology and a pro- he uses mostly for navigation. “My gram called SailingClicker are the Close device has mapping software built keys to Adewale’s control of the rest Last week’s winner: in,” Jensen said. “So, for example, I of his devices. can tell how far away I am from the “I’ve got my most commonly Gene Karshenboym freeway and what direction I’m used programs (mp3 player, movie moving in. The moving map is up- player, etc.) set up so I can control dated based on them from any- Last week’s Tech my frame of ref- where in the erence.” apartment,” he Up Close: One special “When I leave my said. Parking ticket dispenser feature of his de- “If I’m vice is its track room...my computer in the kitchen for Student Center lot log, which tells will automatically and don’t like the him where he song that’s play- was at given pause my music so my ing, I can just time. As photog- roommates don’t get reach over and raphy is one of change songs us- Jensen’s hobbies, annoyed.” ing my phone.” the device comes Fiyin Adewale Since in handy. “I can Fourth-year CompE major his computer is keep track of networked with where I’ve tak- his phone in a en photos by cor- Bluetooth short- relating the timestamps on my digital range network, it can tell when the camera and the time logs,” he said. phone drops out of range after he Jensen also uses his GPS device moves more than 30 feet away from for fun, in a popular activity called his computer and runs a series of “geocaching.” GPS users who dis- custom scripts. cover interesting locations around “When I leave my room,” Ade- the country can leave “treasure box- wale explained, “my computer will es” with logbooks or hidden pre- automatically pause my music so sents there and record its coordinates my roommates don’t get annoyed, on a website, www. geocaching.com. put up an away message if I forgot Other adventurers can then use their to put one up and put up a pass- GPS devices to go on a scavenger word-protected screen saver.” hunt for these treasures, and can Then, when he is back in his then replace them with something apartment, he said, “My computer else for the next person to enjoy. can tell that the phone is nearby and runs more custom scripts. I have it Not your average PDA anymore set to resume my music from where By Jamie Howell / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS Fiyin Adewale, a fourth-year it left off, remove my away message Computer Engineering major, has if it was set automatically, and say email: [email protected] both a PDA and a cell phone— ‘Welcome back, Fiyin.’” 14 • Friday, February 27, 2004 • Technique FOCUS

Tasheen Kazi, a Tech graduate, sort of military/technology stand- her life...where she came from, and Nuclear from page 12 manages the program. “The point,” said Ryan Johnson, a Ph.D. Tyler from page 11 how she got to where she is today,” McArthur Foundation had set up candidate for Mechanical Engineer- West said. she said. “Overall, it was an intense an initiative that wanted to address ing. Flava 101. For instance, “She talks about and positive experience.” this issue of science and interna- The Fellows’ education is fur- With three cameras focused on how she would get kicked out of The periodic field trips culmi- tional security,” Kazi said. ther supplemented by a range of the lively duo, West proceeded to class for speaking out,” West laughed. nate in a week-long visit to Wash- Four International Affairs facul- speakers who are experts in their ask Tyler a series of questions de- “And now the irony is [that] speak- ington, D.C., a visit which will ty members proposed a program field on hot security topics. rived from the actress’s book and ing out is what makes her successful possibly include tours of the Sen- unique to Tech to garner funds from “We’ve actually listened to sev- biography. today.” ate, Department of Defense, Cen- the foundation. “They wrote up a eral very talented and very well-in- According to West, the experi- She went on to describe how tral Intelligence Agency and other proposal with this whole idea of formed speakers during the course ence was fun for both interviewer Tyler flatly rejected the popular ste- high-profile facilities. bringing fellows in, scientists and of the class, including former am- and interviewee. reotype of wom- Many of the Fellows perform re- engineers, and giving them an op- bassador John Kelley, and former “It’s like a en as quiet, search directly related to what they’re portunity to learn about policy is- Senator Sam Nunn,” Sauer said. conversation be- submissive crea- learning in the program. Sauer, for sues as they relate to international “[Speaker] Steve Flynn was talk- tween me and “We gave her the tures. example, is working on a quantum- security and conduct research at the ing about export control and im- Aisha,” West “She computing project involving cryp- intersection between their expertise port control…He basically said. “We actu- option of [filming in] talks a lot about tography. explained...the dangers of the cur- ally gave her the segments...but the empowering Norris’s research, on the other rent situation with the containers option of [film- women…and hand, focuses on bioterrorism. “My and how easy it would be to plant a ing in] segments, conversation flowed that’s how she thesis involves not only simulating “It’s pretty good. It’s nuclear weapon or any type of chem- because we usu- so well that it just went got to where she the dispersion of harmful particles really loose, like a ical or biological weapon,” Sauer ally do things in is today, being a in buildings, i.e., anthrax, but also said. segments...but for one straight hour.” successful ac- to look at current first-responder discussion forum. It’s The actual classroom portion of the conversation LaToya West tress/comedi- guidance relating to the response to not very structured the Fellowship counts as a three- flowed so well Fourth-year STaC major an,” West said, bioterrorism.” hour course each semester. This that it just went touting Tyler as The Fellows agree that the pro- and allows us to...go portion gives students the opportu- for one straight a wonderful role gram has been remarkably worth- whatever direction we nity to debate and probe others on hour.” model for both while. It has been a welcome change the issues. West also had nothing but praise male and female viewers. from their engineering and science might take.” “It’s pretty good. It’s really loose, for Tyler’s personality, compliment- West hopes that the show will classes, allowing them to study top- Ryan Johnson like a discussion forum. It’s not very ing the actress on her easygoing atti- have a similar impact on its viewers. ics of utmost national saliency. ME Ph.D. candidate structured and allows us to sort of tude, modesty and conversational “Female viewers, especially, I hope “This program is an absolute ne- go whatever direction we might take,” skills. that they can see a powerful woman cessity for scientists who want to Johnson said. “She’s not one of those celebri- who didn’t play the stereotypical pursue careers in government, re- “The [Sam Nunn Security Fel- ties who lets her status go to her role and who’s very successful now search, academia and the private sec- in science and technology and poli- lowship] has…more importantly head,” West said. “She never wants because she didn’t play that role,” tor,” Norris said. “The skills cy,” Kazi said. given me the opportunity to think to think that she’s actually made it. West said. “I hope that the female learned...are necessary for scientists Tech’s proposal was accepted, beyond the ‘tunnel’ and assess glo- She just wants viewers are inspired and that the to market and drive their potential- earning a 1.3 million dollar grant, bal impacts of how science can be to al- male viewers learn from Aisha…She ly advanced ideas that might have and placing it among nine other used to combat terrorism and de- had a lot of advice, a lot of good otherwise been ignored or down- schools in the upper echelon of aca- velop potential public policy,” Norris things to say.” played.” demia including the likes of Har- said. Adelman agreed. “I hope Sauer agreed. “[People] don’t vard, Princeton, Stanford and MIT. With all of the fellows having students will gain perspective from realize that a lot of these technical International Affairs Professors backgrounds in engineering, this Ms. Tyler’s views,” he said. fields, especially at Georgia Tech, Seymour Goodman and John En- loose format is quite a change. “Dis- “Of course, I are almost one-to-one with security dicott serve as the Principal Investi- cussion in science classes are almost hope students are enter- issues. I think if more people real- gators leading the Fellows. Three nonexistent,” Sauer said. ways tained,” he added. ized that, they’d definitely jump on hours a week for the Spring and Fall So if science and engineering are know that there’s “Ms. Tyler is the chance to learn about these semesters they train the pre-doctor- not fulfilling enough, then look to somewhere she can go…I felt hilarious, things.” al, post-doctoral, and mid-career the Sam Nunn Security Program to like she was the type of person that I and it The School of International Af- Fellows in policy issues relating to fill the void. Applications for next could relate to.” c o m e s through fairs established the fellowship un- national security. year’s program are due March 15th. The two also talked about issues in the interview. This in- der the Center for International “[The faculty] represent an amaz- that relate to Tech’s student body. terview is a great chance to Strategy, Technology and Policy just ing amount of experience from a For more info, visit http://www. “We talked a lot about different meet the personal side of this noted this year. diplomatic standpoint and from a cistp.gatech.edu/cistp/SamNunn. things that she’s been through in celebrity.”

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still have the CD sealed inside of it,” In contrast to the report, David with were major revisions,” that took ers brag about ‘pedagogical use of Rip-off? from page 11 said Benjamin Stensland, an Unde- Smith, a lecturer for computer sci- over a year, she said. color,’ meaning all the force vectors cided Engineering major. “A lot of ence, said that publishers are often In addition, Block said that pub- are red, all the displacement vectors on this count. Jignesh Fifadara, a that extra material we never use, willing to work with faculty. lishers are often flexible. When the are green, etc., that’s always seemed Chemical Engineering major, said, and the teacher never references.” For example, Smith is working decision was made this year to do a like a marketing ploy to me,” said “Usually the CDs in the back of the Time is also an issue for stu- to give students the option of just smaller number of experiments in Eric Murray, a Physics professor. book—I never usually use them, I dents, who have enough to study as buying online access to a book. the introductory chemistry lab, Th- However, Block pointed out that never even open them.” it is. Papastavridis, who has authored “For CS1322, they have a web- omson Learning, which publishes an attractive book may motivate stu- Collard said that in a survey by a textbooks, said, “My philosophy is site that you have to pay for…but I the lab manual, worked with the dents to read it, “instead of it being, company, RevText.com, on what to do the books as self-contained as was talking to [the publishing rep- department to produce a “custom ‘Oh, that’s an awful dull book, I resources students found useful, study possible, because students have so resentative] about getting our stu- version” of the book with a short- don’t even like to look at it,’” she guides ranked high while accompa- little time.” dents access to just the website,” he ened number of experiments. said. nying CDs ranked low. “This aris- On the other hand, CALPIRG’s said. “So she’s talking about pack- Thomson Learning also made But many students said they es, in large part, because the faculty portrayal of textbook publishers as aging an economical workbook and news after CALPIRG’s report was would appreciate a lower-cost op- members do not assign exercises from money-hungry companies may be a just access to the website for much tion when it comes to textbooks. the CD for credit,” he said. bit harsh, according to other faculty less than [the book].” “I would definitely go for that,” “I have some books [where] I members. In his experience, Smith said, said Suyog Mody, a computer sci- “the conversation with me is always, “Most introductory ence student. “I don’t see any need how can we get the cost down.” to make such heavy, huge, thick Tech may also have an advan- science textbooks textbooks with all that shiny pa- tage as a large school. For organic now come with a CD. per.” chemistry, which enrolls approxi- “If the same information is in mately 400 students a semester, stu- And most students do there, who cares what the book looks dents are required to purchase a copy not find them like?” added Albert Whiteside, a of the ChemOffice suite, a chemis- Mechanical Engineering major. try graphics and analysis software. particularly useful.” Bottom line, students and pro- This software is available bun- David Collard fessors say that the more options, dled with the organic chemistry text- Chemistry professor the better. book, a decision that was facilitated “The professors could stay with by the Chemistry department. same editions of the books, so there- “The publisher’s salesperson in- fore new ones aren’t needed. They dicated that they would pass along released, when it announced that it could make full use of the ones they this software ‘at-cost,’” said Col- would produce “economy” versions make us buy. They could possibly lard, which is about four times cheap- of textbooks by using, for example, consider books that are softcover er than purchasing the software alone. cheaper paper, or less graphics and instead of hardcover,” suggested Jen- “The publisher was very willing to colors. nifer Rogers, a first-year History, do this to keep Georgia Tech as a Papastavridis said that these less- Science, and Technology major. customer.” fancy versions may even be benefi- Papastavridis suggested, “The li- Toby Block, a chemistry profes- cial to students. brary should buy multiple copies of sor who authored the general chem- “In basic subjects, the colors and undergraduate books,” pointing out istry textbook, Science of Change, all the glossy diagrams, they are dis- that they do so for graduates. “Why By Scott Meuleners / STUDENT PUBLICATIONS also emphasized that not all new tracting, [and] do more harm than not give students a choice?” The report released by CALPIRG accused publishers of price-inflation editions are driven by a desire for good,” he said. practices such as frequently putting out new editions without many profit. “The two revisions for the “Less colors and photos shouldn’t To read CALPIRG’s report, see changes, and bundling textbooks with additional, non-pertinent software. textbook that I have been involved be a problem. While some publish- www.calpirg.org.