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The AAC addressed issues which students and USG members had voiced concerns about and which lie at the heart of Jacobs: The future of research, need-blind admission, cultural diversity and transdisciplinarity at the university. Furthermore, the committee and the Deans discussed whom students should approach with academic concerns and how the interaction between the students and the administration could be improved. The Deans did not hesitate to respond in detail and the AAC consequently received a good insight into directions the universitys leadership will presumably take in the future. RESEARCH Students uttered concern about Prof. Windts statement that it is the role of a university to solve the problems of industry. Consequently, the question arose whether fundamental research might be dropped in favor of applied sciences and industry training. In the meeting, however, the Deans emphasized that they regard research as an integral part of Jacobs University and explained that they believe the Provost (Prof. Windt) is in line with this view and will ensure that Jacobs will remain a research-driven university. The Deans explained that the new leadership might merely foster more linkages between master programs and industry as this would give graduate students a greater opportunity to enter the job market after completing their studies. NEED-BLIND ADMISSION The AAC addressed the issue of the need-blind admission, hinting at students concern that the process might become need-aware and, thus, obstruct the path to Jacobs for many talented students. The Deans were ardent in saying that admission will, to their knowledge, be kept open to everyone. The university would
OF THE WORLD
Issue 32 Monday, December 9, 2013
the
A Dawn of Hope
DEANS Prof. Lerchl, Prof. Unger, Prof. Henkel and Prof. Wilhelm Prof. Nau (could not be present) ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (USG) Yohana Tesfamariam (Chair), Gabriela Ponce (Chair), Franziska Neumann, and Benedikt van den Boom Uillred Dallto and Matthias Aengenheyster (could not be present) A very insightful and stimulating meeting took place between the Deans and the Academic Affairs Committee of the USG (AAC) on November 19th. The Deans had invited the AAC to an extensive meeting in which the AAC could pose questions regarding the future course of the universitys leadership. The meeting allowed for more conversation after the Question and Answer Session held during a regular USG meeting on October 31st. The Deans stressed that they had perceived the previous session as very constructive and were thus glad to offer their time and presence for the discussion of issues that the committee members would like to address. At the beginning of the meeting, the Deans underlined that the phase the university is in now is not one of drastic transition but of relative stability as President Peitgen will only leave office on January 1st and as ideas and strategies are already being formed by Katja Windt, the future interim president.
instead focus on providing more external funding from foundations and companies. Currently, the Vodafone and MasterCard foundations, for example, collaborate with Jacobs University to financially support students from different parts of the world. The Deans expressed their under-
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standing that the increase of tuition fees would not be the means with which the financial straits could be overcome whereas external funding seemed more promising. According to the Deans, the leadership wants to preserve Jacobs diversity by all means and would thus develop a scheme of financial support that is more adjusted to the universitys financial situation. The new scholarship policy is part of the adjustment but does not apply to currently enrolled students, as has recently been proclaimed by the leadership. CULTURAL DIVERSITY Diversity is a great asset and a challenge, but not an obstacle, the Deans underlined. They do not see a threat to the diversity of the student body, one of the most salient features of Jacobs University. In the eyes of the Deans, diversity enriches the teaching and learning atmosphere within the classroom. Prof. Unger stressed: The diverse perspectives brought in by students from different cultural backgrounds undermine the Eurocentrism which can still be observed in academic discourse. Following the Deans statements, the leadership is aware of the great qualities a diverse student body entails and will not prune it. TRANSDISCIPLINARITY According to the Deans, transdisciplinarity has always been one of the key priorities of Jacobs and will be preserved as such. The transdisciplinary approach was described as a core characteristic of the university that attracts many students. The Deans explained that a soon to be inaugurated transdisciplinary graduate program is an expression of the continuing emphasis the university puts on the transdisciplinary approach. Professors themselves also conduct research trespassing disciplinary boundaries, thus expanding their knowledge and discovering new interests. The USCs are seen as an essential component of transdisciplinarity as they maintain space for students interests and do not require an early specialization. BOTTOM-UP APPROACH The Deans put particular emphasis on the right and responsibility of students to voice their criticism in regard to academic affairs. If students want to see change in the teaching method in their courses or in the structure of their majors, for example, they can approach the respective instructors, the AAC or the program coordinators either individually or by selecting a
Mainting quality while reducing costs is the proclaimed approach of the new president.
student representative. If the matter cannot be resolved in this manner, students can approach the Academic Board or the Deans themselves. The students should realize that they can modify their courses through feedback and could even stimulate curricula changes, the Deans stressed. The Deans shed a positive light on the future management of Jacobs. According to them, the new leaderships strategy will be to save money and increase revenues without compromising on the universitys core features. Maintaining quality while reducing costs is the proclaimed approach the new president will take and according to the Deans, changes to the good* have already been introduced and will be upheld in the future.
* Here, the Deans were referring to the now encouraged transparency, as supported by the newly established news portal Jacobs Post.
Editor-In-Chief Nadine El-Nabli Executive Board Franziska Ehlert Sarah Reitz Section Editors Lisa-Marlen Gronemeier Beenish Waris Emre Yildiz Copy Editors Christopher Michael Casebeer Helena Gellersen Lorna Schtte Paola Solimena Layout Designer Ciara Mulvaney
Traces of Transparency
A Press Conference on Jacobs Annual Financial Results
Lisa-Marlen Gronemeier Integrated Cultural Studies 2015, Germany
million euros, which are components that have to be closely examined. Prof. Peitgen explained that the operating result consists of the outflow from ongoing business operations amounting to 12.8 million euros in 2012, including 3.0 million Euro interest payment, of which interest for Bremer Aufbaubank is the largest (2.2 million Euro per year). The remaining amount of the cash flowrelevant part was spent on write-offs, accruals, value adjustments and stipends*. Disbursements of the remaining 9.8 million Euro, which are cash flow-irrelevant, were not covered by corresponding inpayments, explains the president. The neutral result, according to the president, consists of onetime expenses caused by extraordinary circumstances (unplanned costs for the removal of building defects resulting from the insolvency of building contractors*) and extraordinary value adjustments (assessment changes in relation to claims against students*) and is thus due to exceptions, which made the red numbers soar.
Transparency is imperative for our new course, stressed President Peitgen in the introduction to Jacobs Universitys press conference on Thursday, November 14th. With the Publicized Annual Report 2012, the university presented the financial results to the public for the first time in Jacobs history. Attendees were numerous Bremen newspapers and radio channels, like Weser Kurier and Radio Bremen, as well as Germany-wide TVchannels, like RTL and Sat1. The Pulse of the World also received an invitation by the leadership, which seems to be setting a new benchmark for the communication between students and admin. President Peitgen emphasized that he did not want to reveal mere numbers but rather explain what lies beneath them. He asserted that the at first glance shocking annual result of -32.3 million Euro is composed of the operating result of -21.1 million euros, the financial result of -1.4 million euros and the neutral result of -9.8
The Jacobs Foundation and the City of Bremen will continue supporting the university until 2017.
In the face of edgy gestures by journalists, President Peitgen emphasized that the current and the next leadership have the clear objective to progressively reduce the financial deficit through stringent structural management to gain financial stability. The trilateral agreement between the university, the Jacobs Foundation and the City of Bremen is, according to the president, a reliable basis for a continuous progression into this direction. The Jacobs Foundation will continue supporting the university with 81 million Euro until 2017 and the City of Bremen will contribute 15 million Euro until 2017. From 2018 onwards, Jacobs University will still be partly carried by the Jacobs Foundati-
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on for presumably another ten years, with 10 million Swiss Francs annually. Despite the red numbers, Prof. Peitgen assured the audience: A financial crisis is non-existent. Even if we continued our financial management as before, we would be able to write black numbers by 2017. However, we will undertake further measures to reduce our deficits and will thus see considerable improvements in the next annual results. In fact, the president already sees an amendment in the expected results of 2013. As cited in the PR-release of the administration, the president explained: I am glad that Jacobs Universitys first measures during the financial year 2013, a period which I am responsible for, have already proved effective to the extent that for the financial year 2013 we can report an improvement vs. budget of 1.8 million in the operating result and an improvement of 3.5 million Euro in the annual result. To increase the universitys income, the leadership developed the new scholarship policy, which will first be implemented for incoming students of 2014. Collaboration with external scholarship programs which could financially support the students will be encouraged. As stated in the PR-release, third-party funding is another focal point for financial enhancement: Since its inception, Jacobs University has received 110 million euros for research. For this reason, emphasis will be put on comprehensive research-focused learning and agile research teams [who] work on selected focus topics* so that the university can have a positive impact on Bremens science landscape. Furthermore, Jacobs relation to business will be strengthened by enhancing employment-market oriented study programs*. Reasoning is that the strengthened collaboration with companies will be beneficial for the financial landscape and the prestige of the university. It is to be seen if the university will be able to cut surface and draw black by the proclaimed year 2017, or if it will get entangled in red numerals. We hope for the former and simultaneously for measures that will not strangle the core features of Jacobs. And as the walls of Reimar Lst Hall have become a bit more transparent, we have an incentive to hope that our perspective will be taken into account in the future.
* PR-release of the administration "Jacobs University presents financial results to the public for the first time: Publicized Annual Report 2012 increases transparency. The PR-release can be accessed on the universitys homepage: http://www.jacobs-university. de/2013/11/jacobs-university-presents-financialresults-annual-report--2012-increases-transparency
An Exhibition
Art on Campus
Julia Psilitelis Integrated Cultural Studies 2015, Germany
If you recently have been to the IRC you probably noticed the advertisements for the photography clubs first exhibition, Memoirs from Travel. If you take a moment to walk down the stairs instead of up, you will find a selection of photographs taken by 23 members of the young club. With its topic the curators Raju Guriung, Archisman Sarkar and Alexandru Mihai choose something most of us can relate to. Photographs are probably the most popular souvenir people bring home from their travels. In the basement of our library we are invited to experience all kinds of journeys through a number of beautiful images. If you need some help to remember how the world outside the bubble looks like, you will still have the chance to see the captured impressions until the end of the semester. While the photography exhibition is organized solely by students, logic takes form was initiated by our current president Heinz-Otto Peitgen, who knows the artist and occasionally introduces the works of art. In the RLHs Lounge West
Wing one stumbles over nicely arranged sculptures which are complimented by graphical prints. The artist, Mr. Oliver Niewiadomski, is a professor at the University of Arts (HFK) in Bremen and sees geometry as a discipline to bridge arts and sciences. While Dr. Peitgen explained the mathematical background at the opening, the artist sees himself primarily as a designer concerned with aesthetics. The spatial geometric sculptures work with negative space and are nicely lit as soon as it gets dark. So go visit the exhibition when the sculptures project beautiful shadows upon the walls. If you want to experience more visual arts on campus, the shows by last years photography course are still displayed facing the coffee bar. If you are interested in creating some art yourself, talk to the Photography or Art Club on campus or go and visit the PaperStudio.
"A Torajan funeral is certainly an event worth visiting. In the midst of the grief for the loss of loved one, there was also beautiful dances as a tribute of respect for the dearly departed. These two girls were one of the beautiful and talented dancers garbed in their traditional attires. Photo Credit Alessandra Bertone
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In the second week of November, the Environmental Club established once again a forum for information and dialogue about current environmental issues. The members became advocates of our planet and organized an Environmental Awareness Week to raise consciousness and understanding of current environmental issues. Vegetarian food was offered at the annual banquet, concerns were raised about the conflict of infinitive economic growth and earths finite resources, insights were given into problematic food supply developments and the week ended with the demonstration of the truth about climate change. Professors and students joined in for a week devoted to our planets challenges. According to Gabriela Ponce, this should be a daily concern for all of us. We talked to her about this years Environmental Awareness Week and its advocators. Why did you pick this years events for the Environmental Awareness Week? Was there a specific focus? GABRIELA PONCE: Basically, the Environmental Awareness Week did not have a focus topic. We chose several topics to target different people. Hence, we had the banquet for a vegetarian community dinner, a discussion about genetically modified organisms (GMOs), the panel discussion on limits of growth and Trevors presentation on climate change and the reliability of the predictions. What were the aims of the Environmental Club with this event? GP: It was really about learning and discussing. We targeted a more polemic and interesting discussion than the one within the Environmental Club, where the members share, to a certain extent, the same values and concerns about nature. Which event was your personal favorite this year? GP: I really enjoyed both the GMO discussion and the panel. The GMO discussion was held for more than two hours and the people were willing to stay after the
cussions. Maybe we can also get in touch with groups off campus or attract people from Bremen to our events. What is your personal motivation to organize these events? GP: When you are part of the Environmental Club, you end up learning the most: Not only content-wise, but also with regard to organization and PR. I believe that certain things need to be discussed and it is dangerous to have only one single opinion. Thus, I appreciate the interesting arguments that come up at our events. In general, I care a lot about the environment and think our events have a meaning, no matter how many people show up. How successful do you think you are in raising awareness as a club? GP: We were successful in attracting many people with different academic backgrounds to our events. I mean, we can always try to get more people, but it also limits the possibility of actively discussing the different topics as was the case in both the GMO event and the Climate reality. It also was a success for our club, as we were all very supportive and worked together well. These events are also a good way to raise awareness among ourselves.
The club presents itself to campus during Environmental Awareness Week. Photo Credit Gabriela Ponce
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can learn, discuss from different perspectives on campus. How concerned is the university in general? GP: Even if the university claims to be environmentally friendly and sustainable to the outside world, it is yet far from being a sustainable campus. There is an incredible amount of waste of energy and resources. It could be so much better: There are some small and smart solutions that can be implemented for example when it comes to recycling. Both the Environmental Club and the Environmental Affairs Committee are working on figuring out what the best approaches are to tackle the different problems. Hopefully, next semester both entities will be able to work closely together.
How aware are students at Jacobs about environmental issues? GP: I mean, predictively, some of my close friends in the environmental club are very concerned about the environment, but I also think there are people on campus who are not so concerned or have different priorities depending on their background. Which makes it interesting when discussing in such a way that you
Ladies and Gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts and prepare yourself for a journey to remember! The pilots for the night, Maria Diaz and Dennis Ledwon welcomed us aboard the plane and were right to promise a spectacular evening. The lights went low and stop by stop individual performers, duos and dance crews invited the public to the most faraway destinations, sharing their traditions, enthusiasm and passion for dance. Carried by the ringing of the Ghunghru bells around her ankles, opening act Tripti mesmerized with a traditional Indian Kathak and let us forget the Bremen cold. Beyond the mere fascination of her intricate movements she shared a key part of Indian culture through her dance. The first duo of the night, Franziska and Akshun, performed two pieces. In Just the way we are, a modern piece, and "escalation, a blend of hiphop and ballet, they showcased great talent. The captivating love stories were a breathtaking demonstration how contrasting dance styles can complement each other. Next, dancers from on and off campus from local dance school La Sanduguera wowed the audience with a stunning performance by their four female dancers.
But, the stop in Latin America had still more in store. After the intermission, two other dancers from La Sanduguera left everyone speechless with their energetic show. The duo is currently rehearsing for the Worlds most prestigious Latin Dance Competition in Miami. Back aboard the plane, the audience was
a tight hip hop choreography. This was their first performance together as "No Day Without Music and also the only opportunity to get a glimpse of main organizer Nick Reicks talent. Upon return to Bremen, Burst the Bubble, a duo from Jacobs University and Universitt Bremen showed off their synergy on stage in a powerful piece. Yohanna and Luan met at a dance battle in the Mensa a while back and have performed together multiple times since. In spite of the evening slowly coming closer to its end, the dancers kept the energy up. Afroamazing blew everyone away with one of the most powerful pieces of the night. They invited the audience to the heart of the continent accompanied by a mash up of different African songs. In the sensual finale of the night Sid and Liane rounded off the event with a revealing performance about passion and temptation. What a night! As the organizers were thanked on stage and broke into a catchy choreography, the public turned the cinema into a dance floor and the vibe carried on to the after party. With the small price paid for tickets contributing towards the Jacobs fundraising for rebuilding the damage caused by typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, DanceStoned13 was more than a moving world tour.
taken on an escape into the mysterious orient with the Oriental Dance performance and introduced to the local dance culture characterized with fluent movements and dazzling costumes. Hosts, Maria and Dennis wondered about the meaning behind the outfits, but found that they were just to show off. Nonetheless this was a brilliant performance. Taking the public to North America, Dance crew NDWM owned the stage with
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In observation of Deepawali, a Hindu festival of lights symbolizing goodness and one of the oldest running diverse Jacobs celebrations, students at Jacobs witnessed the on-campus edition of the festival of Deepawali on November 16th. Coordinated and sponsored by Krupp College, Campus Life, GSA, and USG, the festival drew over 500 people from both within and outside the bubble to enjoy authentic Indian and Nepali culture, cuisine, dance, and music. The festival of Lights is so called due to its Sanskrit etymology awali the rows of deepa lights. It falls on the new moon between mid-October and mid-November with a four-day long official celebration in India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Fiji, Trinidad & Tobago, Surinam and a five day long celebration in Nepal where the fifth day Bhai-tika is a celebration of brother-sister relationships. The clay lamps are filled with oil and then burned to represent the triumph of good over evil. Throughout Deepawali, individuals buy new items and clothes for themselves as a way to celebrate good luck, prosperity, and new beginnings. Summarizing the event, it began with the cultural workshops in the servery of Krupp College. These workshops brought out various cultural aspects of the Indian, Nepali, and foremost the Hindu community in general. With multiple stalls for Henna, Dancing, Rangoli (folk art) making, Langur-Burja (Nepalese dice game), Devanagri script name writing, Carrom board game, and a rest lounge playing Bangladeshi, Indian, Mauritian and Nepali tourism videos alongside cultural music, it offered something interesting for people from all continents. After the workshops, multiple cultural performances including dance, music, and a modern day comical version of the Hindu epic Ramayana entertained the audience at Krupp College
delicacies such as tandoori chicken, dalbhaat, gulab jamun, mango lassi, and many more, everyone relished the rich tastes and spices, signature elements of the cuisines from the subcontinent. Once the main event was over, the celebration continued with the Deepawali after-party at The OtherSide with Bollywood mashups to make people groove to the beats of modern Indian music. People from different cultural backgrounds seemed genuinely interested in knowing more about the culture back in the subcontinent and indulged themselves in all the activities. One of the busiest stall was the Henna workshop. Many female students and host families enjoyed creating beautiful henna tattoos on their palms. Stalls such as Devanagri name writing, dance, saree wearing and board games such as Carrom and LangurBurja also garnered quite some attention from the guests. People also appreciated the cultural perfor-
mances done by the Indian and Nepalese groups. QiFeng, from China, said that he appreciated the dancing performances and the effort put in by the students in organizing the festival and enjoyed playing the game where people kick stuff with their fingers (Carrom). A host parent, Angela, from France, said that the event, as a whole, was engaging and impressive and remarked that the saree wearing and henna tattooing were quite interesting. Anna Lena, from Germany, found the food amazing and the desserts interesting "because the type of desserts served were quite unusual for Germans. She also applauded the efforts put in by the decorations team by saying that the atmosphere was very festive. To conclude, the celebration was successful and the organizing team looks forward to planning it once again next year and to outdo themselves with every event. Deepawali was a great opportunity for the students to meet new friends and get to know the people around them on a more personal level, said Anirudh Bayanwala, head coordinator along with Pritam Shah, Deepawali organizing committee. The event was a great success and we plan to make next years event even bigger.
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J a c o b s B i o t e Jacobs Biotech Society- The world of applied science tackling global problems c h newest student organizations on campus, aiming to be Who are we? Biotech Society is among the closer to students studying or having a passion about biotechnology. A refreshing academic year has S started with new energies in a new team: Yohana Tesfamariam and Eva Schmitz, presidents, Maame o Appiah-Nuamah as vice president, Megi Mustafai, PR, Kareem Al Nahas, IT and Michail Boyadzhiev, c treasurer. i e various companies and extra, advanced lectures for life After a successful internship fair presenting t Jacobs Biotech Society webpage. Everything is now science students, Biotech Society introduces y team at Jacobs, the major, or companies and several career possible: from getting to know the Biotech - opportunities; it is also easier and more accessible to be the first to learn about biotechnology news world by simply signing up at http://jacobs-biotechsociety.webnode.com. T h Many events will be happening next semester and over the winter break challenges so keep an eye e on the spams! w o r l d o f a
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Catch Up on the Latest News and Results * The History of the Jacobs FC
Darlina Mamaqi Foundation Year, Albania Jacobs is represented by several sport teams such as basketball, football, rugby, volleyball, rowing, Frisbee, hockey, running and cricket. Unfortunately, we do not know anything about the history of each team. In order to change that, I interviewed Angolwisye Paul, RA in C3 and Junior Admissions Officer, about the football team. How was the football team founded? ANGOLWISYE PAUL: I came to Jacobs University at 2006. I became a member of the football team, but we did not play in competitive matches. Every match was on campus which was annoying and wasnt allowing us to improve as a team. We had training twice a week, but not an intensive one. I had always played in my home country and I could not get used to the idea of the lack of a proper team. So I talked with Harald Burchard, from Germany, student of 2007. We both began to discuss this situation. The person who mostly had the same ideas as me was Andre Syaasen from Norway, student of 2009. After deciding with An dre that it was time to make our dreams come true, we talked with Sport Coordi nator, Michele Lapenna and the director of campus life Larissa Kuhler. Both of them were in favor of our idea. What did the foundation of the team require? AP: The first step was to have the ap proval of Mr. Lapenna and Mrs. Kuhler. But it was not enough. The problem was that we were not registered as a local club and had to play under different names. We began from the last league, the first season 2008-2009. Even though our team was not named Jacobs Univer sity I was excited because the team could play in competitive matches which was the realization of a wish. You became a proper team and obviously things changed a lot, did not they? AP: Yes. Thanks to Michele Lapenna, who was the organizer, we had a coach, whom the university paid. Moreover, the most important thing is that we had matches outside of campus. We have had three coaches and the final one is Lars Linsen. He is actually a professor at Jacobs University for Computational Science and Computer Science. I was the captain and sometimes the trainer from 2008 till 2012. Do you remember your first match? AP: Yes. We all were exciting. We played against Habenhauser FV IV and the result was 2-0 for us. Since then, the team has improved a lot and has matches all over Bremen.
Mens Football
Last Game Results: 16 November
JACOBS
6:2
FC Mahndor f
Womens Football
Last Game Results: 16 November
JACOBS
0:5
TUS Schwachhausen
Mens Basketball
Last Game Results: 17 November
BREMEN
67:49
BV BRINKUM II
Womens Basketball
Last Game Results: 17 November
JACOBS
18:70
BREMEN 1860 II
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Typhoon Haiyan
typhoon. By the next day the typhoon had attained winds of over 305 kph. Infrared images by satellite were able to visually confirm the power of the typhoon. 315 kph gusts were attained by the time Haiyan hit Guiuan, which received the full brunt of the typhoon. However, Talcoban City was the most ravageddescribed by the survivors as in a state worse than both war and hell. The initial physical state of the ravaged city included not only rubble and the remains of fallen buildings, but also the presence of many dead bodies lining the streets. Combined with the physical damage, were socioeconomic problems in the form of a spur of violence and looting due to the lack of supplies. There were also accessibility challenges caused by rubble a-nd debris blocking the roads and the lack of a functional airport. The lack of supplies included basic nutritional needs such as water; this forced survivors to walk through the city to find watermany did not consider water cleanliness. By November 14th, the BBC deemed the city a war zone with military tanks brought in for protection. The other cities within the region have also suffered similar infrastructure and socioeconomic problems as an aftereffect of Haiyan. The provinces of Aklan, Cebu, Leyte, Samar, and many more were considered states of calamity. Within the rural areas of the affected regions, heavy loss of crops has caused a severe blow to the Filipino economy. Haiyan also left an emotional scar on its survivors. Many survivors now live in fear of the water and the wind, and they are asking themselves how God could let such a thing happen. Additionally, there is anger at the government for underestimating the power of the storm. The local Filipino response to the incident was slow with relief provided three days following the events of the typhoon. One reason for the slow response was, according to Filipino President Benigno S. Aquinto III, that the local authorities who were in charge of the relief effort were
In the early morning of November 8th, tragedy struck the Philippines as monsterstorm Typhoon Haiyan, also known as Typhoon Yolanda in the Philippines, made landfall on Guiuan, Eastern Samar. The category 5 storm, determined to be one of the greatest storms in history, ravaged the central Philippines with winds as fast as 315 kilometers per hour (kph) and waves as high as 6 meters. The powerful typhoon travelled 1,802.46 kilometers across the central Philippines hitting 41 provinces. The islands of Samar, Leyte, and Cebu, which are home to the major cities of Guiuan, Talcoban City, and Cebu City, respectively, were among those that were hit directly by Haiyan. Haiyan left these areas in a state of devastation. Although the typhoon had come with warning, and despite the fact that these areas had previously been affected by typhoons, the cities were unprepared for the power of Haiyan. Live video footage showed coastal buildings engulfed by waves and houses torn apart by wind. Even the evacuation centers, where 800,000 refugees were sent for safety, were unable to cope with the power of the storm. The strong gusts cut off the regions electricity making initial reports of dead and missing obscured by the inability to communicate with the affected region. The typhoon originated six days prior to hitting the Philippines as an area of low pressure 4,231.67 kilometers away from the Philippines. Following this, it experienced a period of rapid intensification from November 4th to November 6th. Within the two days it became a category 5
themselves victims of Haiyan. Furthermore, Aquinto described the situation as overwhelming while acknowledging the failures of the governments emergency response. He stated The systems failed We had a breakdown in power, a breakdown in communications, a breakdown in practically everything. Despite this, the Filipino government is making its best efforts to provide relief for the affected regions including a plan to provide permanent housing for the displaced inhabitants and create a long term three-to-five-year plan for reconstruction. Abroad, the tragedy sparked an immediate international relief effort with heavy relief aid being provided by the United Nations, the United Kingdom Rapid Release Facility, the European Commission; and over two dozen countries including the United States, China, Australia, New Zealand, and various international relief organizations. Aid is being provided in the form of money, volunteers, military personnel, and supplies. However, for both local and foreign aid, the isolation of the affected areas and the inability to communicate created an initial delay in the provision of resources. Current statistics estimate Haiyan to have affected 13 million people. The death toll is 5,235 people; however, the number is rising daily. Additionally, 1,611 people are still missing. There are fears that the death toll could rise to over 7,000 people making it the deadliest typhoon to hit the Philippines. According to Reynaldo Balido, spokesperson for the Philippines disaster management council, there are 23,000 people injured. Four million people have been displaced including one million children. Luckily, aid continues to flow in from both local and foreign sources and conditions are slowly improving. Within Talcoban City, looting and violence has decreased since the first week, the debris is being slowly removed, and the local airport is open to the public for providing supplies and leaving the typhoon affected areas. Public hope is seen in the form of the upcoming televised fight of Filipino boxing hero Emmanuel Manny Paquiao in Talcoban City. Although it is clear that it will take a long time for the Philippines to fully recover, and the devastation is still overwhelming, according to Filipino Interior Secretary Mar Roxas: the worst part is over.
At Jacobs University, around 30 students are majoring in Earth and Space Sciences. They are fascinated by the universe and by what is happening beyond the borders of our field of view. Right now, an event is taking place which is not only interesting for our ESS students, but for many Bremen citizens as well. They are witnessing a significant event in scientific history. Nine years ago, on 2nd March 2004, the space probe Rosetta is launched in order to accomplish an incredible journey into space. The destination is the comet 67P/ChuryumovGerasimenko. It will be the first time ever that a probe will land on a comet. Thus, there exists no knowledge the scientists could refer to. If the space probe reaches the comet in May 2014 as is planned, the researchers want to be ready in advance. Therefore, scientists of the German Aerospace Centre in Bremen (DLR) rebuilt the Rosetta landing unit Philae and tested various landing maneuvers on different surfaces to be prepared for every
In the past few weeks, history has surprised us yet again. Two discoveries were made that will change how anthropologists and historians look at our ancestral beginnings. In Georgia, five skulls were found that may change how the evolution of humankind is viewed. These ancient humans are believed to have lived around 1.7 to 1.8 million years ago, and their existence suggests that there was only one human species at the time, not multiple as previously thought. The skulls were found in the medieval town of Dmansi, Georgia. Dmansi
few weeks is that tzi, the iceman, has living relatives. tzi is an ancient, mummified human around 5,300 years old who was found in the tztal Alps in 1991. He is the oldest natural mummy found in Europe. Only male relatives have been found, though, since researchers used Y chromosome haplogroup analysis to find male descendants of the iceman. The Iceman had the haplogroup G, sub category G-L91. In our research we found another 19 people with this genetic group and subgroup, said Walther Parson, one of the forensic scientists working on tzi. (A haplogroup is a grouping of individuals who have a certain mutation). tzis mutation is fairly rare within Europe, and it helped find his descendants
After days of negotiations, on November 11th, Ali Akbar Salehi, the head of Irans atomic energy organization, and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief, Yukiya Amano, agreed on a roadmap for greater cooperation. "It was agreed that Iran and the IAEA will cooperate further with respect to verification activities to be undertaken by the IAEA to resolve all present and past issues, a joint statement said. Meanwhile, Iran will allow inspectors from IAEA to enter long-unseen nuclear sites, including the Gchine uranium mine and a heavy-water reactor in Arak. Although the negotiation did not reach any concrete conclusion, the talk is progressive
enrichment. In addition, Iran has virtually stopped its installation of new-model, IR-2m centrifuges, which are the most advanced centrifuge models in Irans enrichment plant. Their efficiency is 4 to 5 times more than the old models. This will largely enhance the production of enriched uranium. Moreover, Iran has also terminated the installation work for the main IR40 heavy-water reactor components. Once this reactor is activated, plutonium production (another material used to produce nuclear warheads) would sustain Iran with resources for obtaining nuclear power: a tremendous threat to Western countries. Although initially the situation seemed to be quite optimistic for all parties involved to reach a final agreement in the next round of talks, progress seems to have been halted by divergent contentions among the involved parties. In a statement released on November19th, the White House pointed out that the talks presented an opportunity to halt the progress of the Iranian program and roll it back in key respects, while testing whether a comprehensive resolution can be achieved. However, the Israeli side was obviously more than dissatisfied with the statement. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu harshly criticized and attacked the terms under negotiations as an extraordinarily bad deal. He insisted on imposing strict sanctions on Iran until it finally gives up its uranium enrichment capacity. The Iranian side condemned Netanyahus comments as malicious intentions to impede the negotiations. Adopting a position that is drasti-
parture of the few remaining scholars of religion and art. Three attempts have been made to make the program more attractive: History and Theory of Art and Literature became Integrated Cultural Studies, only to be replaced by Global Humanities. But still it was impossible to report in November 2013 to the Academic Board a number (with only two students) that would assure its existence. Its future is uncertain.
The symptoms are widespread: the number of students enrolling in Humanities majors is decreasing. In Liberal Arts at the Brink V.E. Ferrall explains the problem in regard to the US: The Liberal Arts were once designed to assist students in acquiring a broad historical and cultural knowledge they later need after finishing their vocational instruction. Nowadays students prefer those undergraduate majors that improve their chance to get admitted to professional schools. Accordingly the focus of teaching shifts away from Humanities, as we can observe at our very own Jacobs University. Positions in the Humanities that fell vacant were not filled gain in areas such as: philosophy, cultural history, linguistics, literature and media. One need not be a prophet to predict what will happen after the de-
In strident contrast to the low enrolments, the figures of students in our courses have risen: not from two to four, but often to more than thirty. When assessing the Humanities curriculum one has to take this paradox into account. The experience of the modern world permeates the life of all of us. To be modern is to experience personal and social life as a maelstrom to find ones world and oneself in perpetual disintegration and
I am a self-exiled political scientist. Why, will you ask, did I opt out of my mother discipline? Apart from the luck I had in January 2004, to start as a Professor of Mass Communication at then International University Bremen (IUB), my refuge to communication science was mainly owed
to the dogma of abstract rational choice theory pervasive in political science as well as the drag of aloof methods that had already bothered me during my MA-studies: So little creativity, so much abstraction from reality, and worst of all devoid of any humor, let alone amusement. During the time of my studies in 1980s West Germany, entertainment became the enemy, not only for the social sciences.
In 1985, this approach went public with Neil Postmans book Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. Blame it on entertainment media became a standard warning, and led to serious research shying away from empirical studies of filthy entertainment. For decades to come, the focus of political science was on rational choice theory and its derivatives, following the
The prosumer revolution, is the development of online communication channels and cultures in the past decade. This new media becomes a hybrid form which allows individuals to communicate globally.
Here, creativity, divergent thinking, and popular media might provide hope as well as an action plan for the generation of our students. The prosumer revolution, as I would label the development of online communication channels and cultures in the past decade, has actually trimmed the asymmetrical power of traditional mass media, of providing information from one to many. The new competition of the traditional mass media are so-called hybrid media (see Andrew Chadwicks recent book: The Hybrid Media System. Politics and Power. Cambridge/ UK: Cambridge University Press, 2013). These type of new media cover all communication levels from interpersonal to group and mass communication, but also
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