California Tech v. 120:11, January 17, 2017

The California Tech VOLUME CXX NUMBER 11 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA TECH@CALTECH.EDU JANUARY 17, 2017 Dean Gilmartin talks about feminism EMILY MAZO Contributing Writer Could you tell us how Caltech undergraduate education Caltech has changed, since is challenging enough, without the you got here? added responsibility of changing What 1S your personal definition of feminism? It comes in two parts. Clearly there is the sense that we all deserve the same opportunities. Yet in some ways I think the more important thing is the realization that we're not there yet. Feminism can't simply be a state of mind-it also needs to be a commitment to ongoing change. Certainly, we have many more the institution one inhabits. As female undergraduates. One of far as what feminists should do, I the interesting things about being would go back to my earlier point a humanities professor is that I about not taking for granted that often feel I've seen the future of anything is finished. Another Caltech. It was about a decade ago important thing is to look at the that I started to see more than fifty Caltech community as a whole. percent women in my classes. I It wasn't until I became Dean taught a Jane Austen class recently that had just two male student. And I am a feminist that I first received a group email addressed to "Ladies." That gave the dynamic changes, there is a real me pause. And it's because the tipping point when gender balance administrative world of the Dean's Why are you a feminist? In some SCIIC、 it's just so obvious. I'm not sure why or how one wouldn't be. In my own lifetime I've seen so many advances in terms of opportunities - when I was in graduate school it was clear to me that changes were going on in humanities programs that were not yet going on in the sciences. That was very vivid to me, and it's been welcome to see the process continue across the disciplines since I've come to Caltech. So part of it is my own life experiences, and realizing that I've lived through a phase of history in which many things have changed, but there is still so much to be done. is reached. It was just extraordinary office and student affairs includes a to me how the intellectual dynamic lot more women in leadership roles in the classroom changed, as well yet. than the world of our professorial as the social dynamic. When I first faculty. I remember thinking, "this arrived here, I taught a freshman is the first time that as a man at humanities course with both Caltech I've been made to feel that Robinson Crusoe and Jane Eyre I'm not a part of the team-and how on the syllabus. I think there were many times would I have felt that perhaps two female students. And as a female faculty member, when Photo Courtesy of Emily Mazo there was overwhelming complaint a meeting started with 'Hey guys?" that Jane Eyre was a girls' book. That was challenging to me as a young professor. How could I work with that kind of response? It's the kind of thing that happens in an intellectual environment that is not widely representative. While we're not to the point of gender balance in the undergraduate population, it's absolutely transformative. In fact, I just met with a student who returned, after graduating eight or nine years ago, at a point where she said the ratio dipped back to thirty [percent female], and she described experiences as a first year student that I expect were quite different from what goes on now. What do you think It was an enlightening moment for feminists here on campus can me. Student affairs at Caltech is a or should do to improve our substantially much more diverse community? I'm glad asked the group, across many dimensions you than the Caltech faculty When question by starting with "What do" we think about diversity we can't feminists should instead just look at the campus as a whole, of "What women should do..." and think we're doing a great job because I wouldn't want to impose because there are parts of the but I've seen what happens in a expectations for what female campus where significant work still classroom when you get there, and students should or should not do. A needs to be done Discovering India with India Ki Khoj traffic light (people mostly access to. In that sense, rural to the problem of a lack of migration became a huge trading center, and Contributing Writer followed them!), and an improved urban garbage disposal mechanism in migration is "positively for education by building more we got our own share of shopping selected" as only the upper castes dormitories for women and being and bargaining for prices in the 10 When I visited in India in elementary school, it was like I had stepped into a whole other world for the summer. In my eyes, this was a world where people bargained at street markets on a regular basis, a world with no traffic lanes or traffic lights yet somehow everything seemed to flow naturally, a world where my dollar could buy so much. This was a world where I could eat those Indian cookies I loved all the time, a world where instead of hot chocolate powder I mixed an Indian chocolate mix, Bournvita, with milk. This was also a world where even as an eight-year-old, I saw a lack of proper garbage disposal leading to traffic accidents, extreme pollution leading to asthma, and stray dogs lying in roads and neighborhoods. As Igrewolder, I became curious about why these two worlds-the one I lived in and the one where my family came from-were so different. On the Caltech Y's India Ki Khoj (Discover India) trip, I saw that while some things, like bargaining, had stayed the same, others had changed: There were traffic lanes, even the occasional some areas. Yet, this trip brought have the ability to move. inclusive of all castes, we can then days we were there! forth discussions of more complex Unlike China and a lot of other begin to solve the problem of a lack Our trip included a stop at issues that I hadn't realized when countries, men migrate more than of migration for work regardless of Gandhi Ashram (Gandhi's house) I previously visited India back in women in India. However, men gender and caste. However, he also and Basan Village, where we got elementary school. who migrate for work continually noted that we need to realize that to talk with children playing the While India is a proponent of send back money to their families while building physical structures game of cricket and waiting for democracy like the US, inequality with the intention of returninb g might take time, changing school to start. Within our packed in general is still prevalent due back home and being replaced by mentalities will take even longer. schedule of lectures and visits, to deeply ingrained cultural and the next generation of men. This Other talks illustrated the we also watched two Bollywood societal values about gender roles results in a lot of people moving, unique construction and layout movies, Kahaani (translating to and structures such as the caste but little net migration and thus of Ahmedabad, the city we were Story; 10/10 would recommend) system. One talk that particularly little urbanization. Due to this visiting. We learned about pols, a and Kahaani 2 (less plot twists and stood out to me and addressed this absence of migration, India has Gujarati word meaning residential also personally a little scary; 5/10 topic was led by our first speaker, actually been "deurbanizing" area, and got to visit an area and might recommend if you're up for Professor Chinmay Tumbe from While the death rates between rural walk around the houses the next intense, dramatic, scary music) IIM Ahmedabad. He spoke about and urban areas have converged day. There were even secret tunnels ate plenty of Indian food at IIT how traditional gender roles and to the same limit, there are more constructed within the houses Gandhinagar (the college campus the caste system affect migration and urbanization kids being born in villages. Thus, for protection and evacuation we were staying at), restaurants, patterns in contrast to other countries. purposes. We visited several and street shops, and spent time progress in India. The professor India's rural population has been mosques on the trips and learned talking and playing board games focused on masculine urbanization growing, particularly in the North. that every mosque must indicate with IIT Gandhinagar students. and remittance urbanization to In addition, more than half of India the direction of Mecca. We saw The Caltech Y India Ki highlight how India's urbanization is not served by a metropolitan large text of the Quran written on Khoj trip is an annual trip during and migration patterns differed center. mosque walls like murals. We also the beginning of winter break and from most other countries. The professor suggested that went to Adalaj, a step well. Step is part of a collaboration betweer Migration in India is highly to encourage more women to wells became increasingly common Caltech and IIT Gandhinagar ir contingent on networks and migrate, there need to be more in Northern India, built by the India. Special thanks goes to the knowing people in the area to spaces created in cities for women rich who wanted to be known as Caltech Y Staff for organizing and which you are about to move. to live. Currently, cities are generous. As time went on, these preparing for the trip and all the However, what caste a person is dominated by male-only housing step wells also became places to students and professors we meet impacts what jobs they can have and communities. The speaker and what networks they have ended by saying that if we solve rest and were built along trade at IIT Gandhinagar that made our routes. Ahmedabad, as a result trip so enjoyable! IN THIS ISSUE OPINION | PAGE 2 AKSHAY AND TIM OFFER INFORMATION ON THE SFC OPINION | PAGE 2 TIM ADVISES FROSH ABOUT WHAT THE ARC DOES SPORTS | PAGE 5 PENG STARS FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL DESPITE LOSS OPINION | PAGE 7 ANDREW DISCUSSES DUNBAR'S NUMBER AND FRIENDSHIP OPINION 2 JANUARY 17, 2017 What does the ARC do? Contributing Writer Option Fair - The option fair passed through house mailing lists is similar to the annual club fair. through house ARC members The Academics and Research Committee (ARC) is the academic branch of ASCIT, charged with improving academics at Caltech. Throughout this term, each of the eight houses will hold elections for excomm and other positions, include house ARC reps. This article is a quick description of what the ARC does, and what being a house rep entails. Tables are set up on the Olive Walk, and each option sends students and faculty members to advise frosh on which option to declare. The option fair will be held winter term this year, and usually takes three or four ARC members to organize. House Peer Advising - Once a term prior to registration, house ARC reps will sometimes organize a peer advising event for house members to discuss what classes to take and give academic advice Add cards, conflict cards, blue books - In some houses, the house ARC rep is responsible for providing blue books, add cards, Broadly speaking, the goal of the ARC is to improve academics at Caltech. ARC members work with the Deans, the CTLO, and with faculty to improve courses and to address academic concerns. Some of the different tasks and projects that ARC members do include: Analyzing Survey Data Administrators often turn to the ARC when they want a feel for student opinion, or to collect data that is later used to guide academic policies. The ARC has run surveys on the amount of time spent on core classes, preferred set due times, and midterm grade reports. The data from these surveys is then analyzed and written up into a report. Results from past surveys have been reported to the Faculty Board, the Deans, and the Core Student Faculty Lunch - One of the goals of the ARC is to promote student-faculty interaction. The Student Faculty Lunch is a once a term event where about 30 students are chosen to have lunch with 5 faculty members. Since demand usually outstrips the number of seats, we're hoping to expand the program. of each term, the ARC and the Center for Teaching Learning and Outreach (CTLO) run a training training, we share ways to gather with professors, and be an effective information. Questions such as which classes can be taken on pass fail or how to declare a minor are often answered by ARC reps. The minimum time commitment for an ARC member is coming to a 1 hour meeting once a week. On average, house ARC members spend about 2-3 hours a week depending on how many projects they take on, though this number widely throughout the term. If you have more questions about the responsibilities of being a house ARC rep, feel free to contact me at tsliu@caltech.edu or ask your Mathematica/Software Seminar - The ARC runs a series of software seminars where an instructor gives a crash course on how to use a specific piece of software. Last term, Tal Einav taught Mathematica to about 45 students. The ARC is working on putting together seminars for other commonly used software packages. These are just some of the many projects ARC members have worked on. As a house rep, there are also a few house-specific roles outside of the different projects you take on: Avery - Richard Zhu Blacker - Allison Tang Dabney - Michael Seaman Fleming - Cece Andrews Lloyd - Reeti Gulati Page - Avikar Periwal Ricketts - Ariel Hasse Ruddock - Akshay Srivastava Forwarding emails - news about programs and seminars is often ACKTECH Group photo of the students on the India Ki Khoj trip. Story on page 1 Photo Courtesy of Kavya Sreedhar WRITE FOR THE CALIFORNIA TECH! WE ACCEPT REVIEWS, OPINION PIECES, RESEARCH, NEWS STORIES, COMICS, AND MORE! WE PAY FOR SUBMISSIONS, SO JOIN THE STAFF TODAY! EMAIL TECH@CALTECH.EDU WITH QUESTIONS. THE CALIFORNIA TECH Student Faculty Conference TIM LIU AND AKSHAY SRIVASTAVA Finally, there is the Core Contributing Writers Curriculum Committee, which will be chaired by Anusha Nathan, and will convene to analyze the current state of the core curriculum and A biennial conference held suggest improvements to adapt the improve undergraduate central tenets of Caltech education academics to meet contemporary standards. Issues this committee hopes to What is the SFC? address specifically include the restructuringof freshman seminar/ The Student Faculty Conference, menu class reauirements. HSS or SFC, is a daylong, campus- requirements and the staggering of wide symposium convened core set deadlines. with the purpose of improving undergraduate education at Caltech. The SFC is organized by What happens the day of the actual SFC? the ARC once every two years in effort to give both students and faculty the chance to evaluate and develop the Caltech educational experience. In order to make the SFC run as smoothly as possible, the ARC breaks the conference into a multitude of smaller committees, of which there are two main types: option committees and special committees. The option committees are formed with the sole intent of improving the educational experience within specific options, thus these committees are comprised of relevant students and faculty that work in concert to evaluate and improve the areas of study that they represent. Each option committee was formed earlier in the fall term, and has already begun gathering feedback and developing recommended changes to the options. The second type of committee is the special committee, which consists of unique committees The SFC itself will take place on Wednesday, February 1, over the course of two sessions: a morning session and an afternoon session The morning session will consist of each of the special committees reporting on their respective findings, and allowing for questions from the audience. This session will be held at 10 AM in Ramo Auditorium, and will be open to the entire Caltech community. Lunch will be provided afterwards for those in attendance. The afternoon session will consist of several breakout sessions for each of the options. Each option committee will schedule its own breakout session independently throughout this afternoon, and will use this time to present the findings of that option committee, and to host a discussion concerning the proposed changes along with the option in general. Note that some professors may cancel classes to allow students to attend the SFC. convened to discuss topics relevant the year of the SFC. The purposes of How can I get involved? these committees vary widely from year to year, and this year we have three different special committees that will be discussing the pressing issues in undergraduate education. What are the special committees this year? The special committees this year will be discussing computing education, industry opportunities, and changes to the core curriculum. The Computing Education Committee will be chaired by Jay Palekar, and has the task of evaluating how computing is integratedintoCaltech'scurriculum overall. So far, the committee has focused on studying a potential restructuring of introductory CS courses in order to meet the needs of both CS and non-CS majors. Within this topic, the committee will also discuss possibly making CS 1 a part of core. The Industry Opportunities Committee will be chaired by Nikita Sirohi, and will analyze the resources that Caltech offers to help students find both jobs and internships in industry. The committee includes not only students and faculty, but also certain alumni and contacts at the Career Center, who will discuss, amongst other things, how faculty and alumni can more formally help students break into industry from Caltech. The SFC only works because of undergraduate involvement, and so we hope that this year as many undergraduates as possible will contribute to the conference. The easiest and best way for you to get involved is to go to the SFC. Both the option committees and special committees will be looking for discussion and feedback, so please attend the sessions and contribute your ideas. Additionally, over the next couple of weeks, you may receive surveys and questionnaires from the various committees, and so please fill these out. The more information that the committees can gather from the undergraduate community at large, the more successful they will be in addressing the problems that need to be resolved. THE CALIFORNIA TECH ANNOUNCEMENTS JANUARY 17, 2017 3 Caltech Y Column Caltechlive! CALTECH Y EARNEST C WATSON LECTURE SERIES The Caltech Y Column serves to inform students of upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. The list is compiled by Katherine Guo from information given by the Caltech Y and its student leaders. Upcoming Events 1. Candlelight Vigil in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr 5:30PM - 6:00PM | Red Door Café Join the Caltech Center for Diversity and Caltech Y for a life and service of Martin Luther King, Jr. Representatives from Caltech (BLAC), as well as Black Students at the California Institute of Technology (BSCIT) will lead us in remembrance, prayer, and a moment of silence as we take this brief time to give recognition to the legacy of MLK. For more info, please email apinkney@caltech. edu and RSVP at diversitycenter. caltech.edu/RSVP Washington and the iconic "I Have A Dream" keynote speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Come hear Dr. King's most famous speech, along with a few other of his most iconic speeches, and discover why it is still significant today. A display, and handouts, will provide the text for those who would like to follow along. For more info, please email apinkney@caltech.edu and RSVP at diversitycenter.caltech. edu/RSVP 5:15PM - 9:15PM | 412 S Raymond residents at Union Station Adult materials are provided. The Adult Center provides shelter, meals and supportive services for more than 150 homeless men and women each year. For more info and to Spring Break Trip Due January 20th student). Sales are first-come first served. The Orbit Pavilion is the brainchild of Dan Goods and David Delgado, visual strategists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory who worked in MICROBIAL LIFE SUPPORT: THE INVISIBLE LIVING NETWORKS THAT SHAPE OUR OCEANS Wednesday, January 18, 2017 • 8 PM Shane Myrbeck "soundscape" experience Orphan will talk about the activities of marine microorganisms from the ocean surface to deep in the earth's crust and consider the globally important geochemical processes they orchestrate through metabolic collaboration. International Science Victoria Orphan James Irvine Professor of Environmental Science and Geobiology Caltech Division of Science and Geobiology shell-shaped the powerful story of three African- instrumental in launching NASA's first human space missions. Join the Caltech Center for Diversity and Caltech Y as we discuss themes (i.e. race and gender barriers in STEM to the film, as well as how we can all learn and benefit from this true story being told. For more info, please email apinkney@caltech. edu and RSVP at diversitycenter. Spring Break trip to Tena, Ecuador. Join other Caltech Students and experience a non-traditional spring break this year. On the Ecuador trip we will be working with a host in poor communities to improve access to medicine, education and staying in the local community where we will have the opportunity to explore some of Tena's great national parks and biodiversity. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to explore another place and culture while making a why you are interested in the trip, experiences and skills that would contribute to the group, and your opinion on the objectives of foreign community service is now available Ecuador Alternative Spring Break trip is coordinated by the Caltech Y in partnership with the Caltech chapter of MEDLIFE and is possible thanks to generous funding from the Frank and Elsie Stefanko Fund, the George Housner Fund, Caltech Student Affairs, and the Caltech Y. and Chief Executive Officer for The California Endowment, a health foundation established in 1996 to address the health needs of Californians. During his tenure at The California Endowment, the foundation focused on the health needs of underserved Californians by championing the cause of health coverage for all children, and strengthening the pipeline for bringing racial and ethnic diversity to the health professions. Join us he shares his Keynote Address honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Lunch will be provided. Coordinated by the Caltech Center for Diversity and Caltech Y. For more info, please email apinkney@caltech.edu and RSVP at diversitycenter.caltech. 4. "I Have A Dream" Audio - 1:00PM | Red Door Café years since the historic March on https://caltechy.org/programs_ Public Lecture • Free Admission - Free Parking Caltech's Beckman Auditorium www.events.caltech.edu • 626.395.4652 branch moving, interprets one of the satellites' day at the Huntington Library and Gardens, so feel free to enter whenever you wish, and stay after to explore as well, but come join us at the Orbit Pavilion at 1 pm-Dan and Dave will be at the Huntington to discuss their creation and answer (SASS), Caltech Center for Diversity and Caltech Feminist Technology and Data-Driven Justice with Dr. Jennifer to 1:00 pm | Center for Student Services 2nd Floor Common Area I Lunch is provided (spaces are talk will draw attention to some of the risks that accompany these projects and consider how they support people who have been labor situations. A cash-only book Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Wellesley College where she teaches courses on gender, She has lectured widely on the laws, policies, and technologies designed Every Wednesday | 5:30 - 8:00 Sycamores, a group that supports local underprivileged but motivated high school students. There are a variety of ages and subjects being tutored.The service trip includes about an hour of travel time and 1.5 hours of tutoring. Transportation Sherwood Richers at srichers@ CAL TROY 1 Dad El experiments Transportation provided. For more information and to RSVP, contact azhaia caltech.edu. Eligible for Federal Girls on the Run Los Angeles needs passionate people just like YOU to join our team of Coach/ Mentors in a transformational after school program for girls in 3rd- integrates running into character development lessons that inspire girls to love who they are, have healthy relationships, and make a difference in their community. We love to see girls activate their Coach/Mentors and girls of every size, shape Transportation NOT provided at the Caltech Y | Subsidized Cost: only, but students may sign up a guest (and that guest may be a non- Musto will draw upon chapter excerpts from her book Control Carceral Protection, and Domestic Sex Trafficking in the United States (University of California Press, 2016) to describe how technology innovations in particular are being leveraged to respond to human trafficking in the United States. In addition to highlighting how tech- boundaries between state and non-state anti-trafficking activities, this Every Friday | 3:00 - 5:00 PM Jackson Elementary School! We are partnered with the Pasadena LEARNs program and work with their Science Olympiad team or do regular tutoring along with at your school to facilitate our fun with a group of 8-15 girls over the May), culminating in a celebratory 5k event on May 21st. Coaches tell us all the time, "I wish there was a program like this when I was a girl" AND "I got as much out of Girls on encourage girls to realize their full potential! Sign up today: http:// 4 JANUARY 17, 2017 ADVERTISEMENTS THE CALIFORNIA TECH Join the Meditation Mob! Tuesdays, 12:00 - 12:50 Want to leam more about mindfulness meditation? Its a great way to improve your attention and to become more grounded in the present moment. ¡here's no religious component. We use secular, evidence-baseo meditation techniques. MEDITATION MOB We meet in the small room just off the lounge in Winnett. Al students are welcome, from total beginners to more experienced meditators. Mailing list and MP3 archive: counseling.caltech.edu/students/meditation You chose one of the most trusted institutions in SCIENCE. Now choose one of the most trusted institutions in FINANCE. When you want unsurpassed stability, integrity and value for your money, Caltech Employees Federal Credit Union offers an honest alternative. There are no gimmicks. No annual fees. No harsh penalties Just some of the lowest lending rates and highest savings rates in the nation... and a state-of-the-art eBranch for easy, convenient online and/or mobile access to your account. We're the overwhelming choice for financial services among the entire Caltech family. If you haven't yet joined, call or visit us online or in person today. You belong here. /CAL TECH EMPLOTERS Federal Credit Union Smarter S olutions. oven Re sults. Campus Office 515 S. Wilson Ave. (physical address) • Campus ATMs Winnett Center & Keith Spalding Building 626/395-6300 • 800/592-3328 • www.cefcu.org Must qualify for CEFCU membership to join. Minimum $5 deposit and one-time $5 membership fee due upon opening any CEFCU account. Federally insured by NCUA. SPORTS THE CALIFORNIA TECH JANUARY 17, 2017 Young core, star leaders Peng lights it up in loss fueling men's fencing GOCALTECH.COM long range which resulted in more than half Actual Sports Content Editor of her points. She also went 7-for-12 from the field and made four out of her five free throw attempts. GOCALTECH.COM He has already picked up where he left off, Caltech opened the game with a promising Actual Sports Content Editor matching his 2015-16 finish of 11th place at 15-8 first quarter, but really fell behind in the the elite BladeRunner ROC in November. middle two frames before battling back with PASADENA, Calif. (Jan. 13, 2017) - After a season that included three NCAA wins and a second-place finish in the IFCSC, Caltech men's fencing is ready to challenge for its first conference title behind a young core made up of multiple NCAA Championships hopefuls. With key contributions in two of those three NCAA wins and another four weapn victories against the likes of Air Force and the University of North Carolina, the épée squad paced Caltech throughout last season and looks to do so again thanks to the return of its tri of stalwarts. Rookie sensation Qifan Wang was one of four Beavers to qualify for the NCAA West Regional in the weapon and came out on top of the group at the IFCSC Championships, earning the gold medal. The top point earned as a cadet in Canada prior to his arrival on campus, he also picked up a silver in a Division I A Regional Open Circuit competition in late February while defeating a whopping 18 fencers rated 60 or better. Junior Ethan Lo and sophomore Alex White provided a potent 2-3 punch behind Wang and will reprise those roles in 2017. Both qualified for the West Regional, with Lo earning a silver medal behind Wang in the IFCSC while White more than lived up to his 'C'-rated billing in his rookie season, beating five 80-rated fencers. CLAREMONT, Calif. (Jan. 7, 2017) - Sophomore Grace Peng had a huge offensive day for Caltech women's basketball in Saturday's SCIAC road tilt with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges. The Beavers' point guard led the way with 22 points, nine of which came in the fourth quarter. Much like how fellow freshman Samantha D'Costa did in the team's previous game against Occidental College, Peng really found her rhythm from three-point land. She converted on four of her six attempts from an improved fourth quarter which featured two of Peng's three-pointers. D'Costa, meanwhile finished out the day with 10 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior Kate Lewis appropriately rebounded from a four-rebound performance in the previous game with 11 rebounds to go with four points, two steals and two blocks. Junior Spencer Strumwasser, another West Regional qualifier, is set to rejoin the team after studying abroad during the fall term, as is senior Johnathan Stauffer after a one-year hiatus. Sophomore Julius Oppenheim was the team's lone West Regional qualifier in saber after converting from épée. He will team with senior Kai Chang, who fronted the team as a sophomore, and sophomore Aaron Shih. Senior Keegan Mendonca is the lone returner in foil, but with seven newcomers joining the team, surely will not be on his own for long. REBI 11 DUN NUN NUh NAh na naaaa - CHHHAAARRRRGEEEEEE! -gocaltech.com Al-Rayes career night propels men's hoops to SCIAC opener win GOCALTECH.COM Actual Sports Content Editor PASADENA, Calif. (Jan. 3, 2017) - Senior Nasser Al-Rayes scored a career-high 24 points and completed the double-double with 12 rebounds in the Caltech men's basketball team's 95- 83 SCIAC-opening victory on Tuesday night. With the win, Caltech starts SCIAC play 1-0 and breaks into a five-way tie for first place in the conference while Whittier drops to 0-2 in the SCIAC. Al-Rayes started the scoring for the Beavers with two free throws and it was back-and-forth from there. After Caltech went up 7-4, Whittier fired back with an 8-0 run to take the lead, but senior Ricky Galliani hit his second of four three-pointers to cut into the margin and fired up the Beavers' offense. Sophomore Brent Cahill would then enter the game and rattle off the next 11 points for Caltech as the hosts took back the lead from Whittier, 21-20. The Beavers briefly stretched that Nassar makes an offering to the basketball gods, putting his height to good use. lead to five before Whittier came back to tie the game at 33-33, but a layup by senior David LeBaron, an Al-Rayes jumper and Galliani trifecta staked the Beavers to a game-high seven-point edge with 3:26 remaining in the half. The Poets fired back with a flurry of scoring, but it was met shot-for-shot by the Beavers, including an Al-Rayes dunk in the final minute. Sophomore Andrew Wang layed in an acrobatic shot with 11 seconds on -gocaltech.com the clock to keep it a two-possession game, but Poets leading scorer Louis Kurihara nailed a deep three-pointer at the buzzer to cut the lead to two going into the half, 44-42. Caltech kept its offense rolling in the second half as LeBaron scored back-to-back buckets in the opening two minutes, with both baskets assisted by Al-Rayes. Another Galliani three began a seven-point run for Caltech before Whittier would score again and call a timeout. LeBaron kept the scoring going with a free throw and three-pointer to give Caltech its first 10-point lead of the contest with 14:26 remaining in the game, then sank a layup to negate a pair of Poets free throws. Al-Rayes and Cahill then combined to score 17 of the Beavers' next 19 points before freshman Alec Andrews earned several trips to the free throw line, contributing to a game-high 18-point lead with 2:34 left to play. As Whittier resorted to fouling, the Poets managed to cut into the deficit a bit, but never came closer than nine. Al-Rayes capped the impressive team performance and set his new scoring mark with a thunderous dunk that sent the packed crowd into a frenzy Four Beavers scored in double digits, with Cahill notching 21 off the bench on 6-for-9 shooting and 9-for-11 from the free throw line. LeBaron and Galliani scored 18 and 15, respectively, with LeBaron adding five assists and Galliani grabbing nine rebounds. 6 ANNOUNCEMENTS JANUARY 17, 2017 THE CALIFORNIA TECH Counseling Center Groups and Workshops Winter Term 2017 The counseling center is excited to announce our workshops for the Winter term: Workshops Catalyst: A 3-week workshop teaching general coping skills Refresh: A 1-hour workshop teaching how to get better sleep Emotion Lab: A 1-hour workshop to recognize your emotions better Spark: A 1-hour workshop to cope with procrastination and work avoidance. Groups Social Confidence: A 7-week week group for anyone who'd like to be more comfortable and less anxious in social situations. Pre-screening required; see the webpage for more information. Begins 1/23. Mindfully Resilient: An 8-week group focused on reducing the risk of relapse for depression and anxiety. Pre-screening required; see the webpage for more information. Begins 1/12. For the full list of workshops, dates, and times, visit: counseling.caltech.edu and follow the link to the new classes and workshops. OPINION THE CALIFORNIA TECH Friends: How many is too many? ANDREW MONTEQUIN up paper published the next year, that decision may or may not have Contributing Writer he extrapolated from the data he been completely arbitrary at the had on other primates to make a time (the four new houses replaced "Primates, as a group, ale prediction on the cognitive limits five existing fraternities), it has characterized by having unusually of human group sizes. Doing so certainly made a huge impact on large brains for their body size." led him to the conclusion that on student life over the years. Houses When anthropologist Robin average, a group of about 150 people have equilibrated at a size that is Dunbar published that sentence, is the maximum size for which an small enough so that any member the first in his now famous paper individual can mentally "keep track can reasonably have a stable from 1992, he was frustrated of" all of the possible relationships social relationship with any other by the lack of quantitative between other members of that member and that distinct cultures evidence available to explain this group. Furthermore, he noticed can thrive, but still large enough phenomenon. It was believed that that 150 was roughly the maximum to organize regular social events, a larger brain and the greater size of many early hunter-gatherer form governments and maintain cognitive powers that come with groups and even some businesses diversity of opinions. Many of us it could be selected for either due were made up of groups of about have probably spent surprisingly to the social advantages (forming 150 people working together. Over little time thinking about what the cliques, outsmarting others, etc.) time, this group size has become houses would be like if they were the ecological advantages appropriately known as "Dunbar's not so conveniently sized, as there (foraging for fruit) provided, but Number" and, even if more have been few reasons to do so in there was little concrete evidence emphasis is placed on it than it may the past. However, questions like supporting one hypothesis over the deserve (150 is just a mean and the these will be unavoidable in the other. After choosing appropriate 95% confidence intervals are huge), coming years as the construction metrics for measuring brain size the idea of having a cognitive limit of Bechtel will soon introduce over and behavioral complexity for to social interactions is profound 200 new beds to undergraduate different social and ecological but far too easy to overlook. housing. variables, Dunbar performed a Most people will agree that regression analysis to measure the Caltech, with fewer than 1000 correlation between brain size and undergraduates, is a "small" school. these behavioral variables. However, it is highly unlikely that To spare you the details of the student body is small enough Dunbar's statistical analysis, I'll go to form a single stable social group ahead and say that, after correcting of the kind that Dunbar studied. In for body size, he found the greatest light of this limit proposed in the correlation between brain size 199os, it is all the more interesting and group sizes. However, if he that, with the construction of the had stopped there, I probably South Houses six decades earlier, would not be spending my time a decision was made at some point writing a Tech article about the to divide the student body into study 25 years later. In a follow-even smaller social groups. While ASCIT Minutes Meetings are every week in SAC 13 JANUARY 17, 2017 7 Deans' Advisory Council NIKITA SIROHI Contributing Writer Andrew Montequin (Sr, Bioengineering, Ricketts amontequin) The Deans' Advisory Council was created to provide an additional opportunity for the Caltech Deans to receive feedback and to discuss issues of concern with students from a variety of backgrounds. As it's currently only in its third year and as such might not immediately come to mind, the purpose of this article is to (re) introduce the council and its purpose; to list the council members; and to remind students, staff, and faculty that the Deans' Advisory Council (DAC) is a resource available to them if need be. Kate Evans (Sr, Geobiology, Blacker, kevans) Ricky Galliani (Sr, Computer Science, Fleming, pgallian) Jenny He (Sr, Chemistry, Avery, jhe) Olivia Hindera (Jr, Biology. Avery, ohindera) Ted Hu (Sr Electrical Engineering, Ruddock, thuz) Stephanie Huard (Jr. Biology, Ruddock, shuard) Netgie Laguerre (Sr Chemistry, Dabney, nlaguerr) Tim Liu (Jr, Electrical Engineering, Ruddock, tsliu) The group often serves as a Lilly Luo (Sr, Applied and sounding board for the Deans' Computational Mathematics, on topics of concern, and is also Fleming, luo) responsible for relaying any Daniel Molina (Jr, Physics, concerns brought forward Page, dmmolina) individual group members by Carly Robison (Jr, Computer their peers or by others affiliated Science, Blacker, crobison) by Caltech. Students and staff Jeff Rosenberg (Sr, should feel more than free to Chemistry, Blacker/Ricketts, discuss current campus issues jrosenbe) with any member of the Council, Alex Ryan (Sr, Computer and to bring up concerns to the Science, Ruddock, atryan) Council relating to any aspect of Bobby Sanchez (Sr, student life. Some past topics have Geophysics, Lloyd, rmsanche) included the alcohol policy, the Nikita Sirohi (Sr, Computer independent studies program, the Science, Ruddock, nsirohi) varying graduation rates between Kristie Yu (SI, Biology, houses, and campus security. Lloyd, kbyu) The current members of the DAC are (all emails are @caltech. edu): Word Search LGIEDEDKSGSHLSA ASCIT Board of Directors Meeting Minutes for 11 January 2017. Taken by Alice Zhai. Officers Present: Andrew Montequin, Tim Liu, Sakthi Vetrivel, Robin Brown, Alice Zhai Call to Order: 12:20pm XHAAALKIDSHDGVS EM SLSUNUWESFEXH MHEDKSHLLAHISIG President's Report (Andrew): • First town hall meeting is about the design of Bechtel • Considering publishing the ASCIT budget • Will talk to BoC and CRC chairs about amending bylaws to mention studying abroad while holding student positions XGAHJSBKBELKDCI Officer's Reports: V.P. of Academic Affairs (ARC Chair: Tim): • ARC sent out a list of professors looking for undergraduate research • SFC is on February 1st • Will be meeting with special topics committees • Will be looking through past ARC survey V.P. of Non-Academic Affairs (IHC Chair: Bobby): • Absent Director of Operations (Sakthi): • Meeting with Elise and Tom to discuss getting new computers for Yearbook - writing MHF proposal for them Treasurer (Kalyn): • Absent. Social Director (Robin): • Winter Carnival is happening on February 11th • Will send MHF proposal for the ice rink • Need to start planning Be a Kid Again Day Secretary (Alice): • Meetings have been moved to Thursdays at 12:15PM DSGKHDKDHYHLADD KLA JEFILHEGL D J SM SD L K J ƯGJ LEDAD S GHGL S J G S SKJ LHOIMM A KJ JSHGA K D JESHLAS HIJEHDJ If anyone has any questions or concerns about a section of the minutes please email the appropriate officer. We are happy to answer any questions. Meeting Adjourned: 12:46pm AHGLSJD ASHGLKDLG DLSAHFJKSAD FDKSGSHLS FDSAGLGHG FHDJSKFHK FHDJSKLAHG FHJDSJ FJDKSAGHSJ FSDJKAGL GFSDJAFHJ HAJKLLSGD HDFJKSHAG HFDJKSLGAL HFDJKSLGH HFDJSKLAG HFDKSHLLAHJS HEIDSKSAGL HFSDJKLAGHJ HJLGLSDDD HSDJKLAAA LHSDJAKFLJDSKA SHSHLGHLG 8 HUMOR JANUARY 17, 2017 THE CALIFORNIA TECH Monday Punday The California Tech Editors-in-Chief Jon Cotler Katherine Guo Page Editors Ramya Deshpande Chloe Hsu Hye Joon Lee Maitreyi Nair Ciara Ordner Contributing Writers Emily Mazo Andrew Montequin N٦KITa +٦٢٥٦٦ Kava Sreedhar Akshay Srivastava Contributing Photographers Kavya Sreedhar Circulation Manager Kit Chinetti Advisor Kichard Kipling mondaypunday.com This picture represents a common phrase, title, or person. Think you know the answer? Take a guess at mondaypunday.com/316 The California Tech Caltech 40-58 Pasadena, CA 91125