Class of 2029 Take on Macaulay’s Night at the Museum
By Olive Treadwell and Tamia Turner When most people hear the phrase “Night at the…
New graduate traineeship program at CUNY aims to create the next generation of scientists in bio-inspired nanoscience
The NanoBioNYC research traineeship program is set to officially launch during Earth Week on April 18th, 2023. Funded by a $3 million dollar National Science Foundation (NSF) grant in partnership with CUNY, it aims to give students the tools to succeed in careers in bio-nanoscience research by offering internships with industry or academic labs, professional…
Is Quantum Mechanics the Answer to Our Problems? Macaulay’s Dr. Emily Rice Dives Into How Quantum Phenomena Helps Manage Her Complex Identity
Dr. Emily Rice, an Associate Professor of Astrophysics at the Macaulay Honors College of CUNY and resident research associate in the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), is one of the keynote speakers at the TEDxCUNY conference held on March 10, 2023. Dr. Rice is extremely involved in the scientific…
Turkish-Syrian Border Earthquakes Shake Communities
On Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, Turkey experienced two major earthquakes measuring 7.8 and 7.5, respectively. The earthquakes have been estimated to have killed 45,000 people. The first earthquake occurred near Gaziantep, close to the Turkish-Syrian border. The second occurred near Ekinözü. Turkish President Erdogan expressed that “words are not enough” to describe the calamity. The…
The Comeback Conference
TEDxCUNY’s entirely women and non-binary team leads the first conference since 2019 TEDxCUNY is led by Katiera Dickinson and Emily Madray. Katiera is a graduating senior and Emily is a sophomore, both at Macaulay John Jay. Below is the Messenger’s interview with TEDxCUNY’s co-organizers, edited and condensed for length and clarity. Q: (For Katiera) Tell…
Seven Killed, Three Injured By Palestinian Gunman Near Jerusalem Synagogue on International Holocaust Remembrance Day
On Friday nights, the streets in Jerusalem are silent. Few cars travel the road as the city prepares to observe the Sabbath. Instead, many people walk with their families to their synagogues to pray. However, on Friday, Jan. 27, a 21-year-old Palestinian gunman drove to a synagogue and disturbed this peaceful scene. As worshippers finished…
Hunter’s Most Affordable Dorm Slated for Demolition, Administration Offers Little in Response
Hunter College’s most affordable dorm option, Brookdale Campus, also known as the current home for many Macaulay Honors and Hunter College students, is being demolished to make way for SPARC Kips Bay: a “first of its kind,” 1.6 billion dollar life sciences campus. The new building is slated to house “Hunter’s School of…
Are We Solving America’s Physician Shortage Correctly?
From a young age, most of us are taken to the doctor’s office. Whether it be for a cold, cough, fever or the flu, we have all been treated by a physician. Unfortunately, it gets harder to seek the same level of treatment as the years pass by due to our existing physician shortage problem….
The Future of Magazines
The growth and expansion of digital news media has led to widespread debate regarding the future of print publications, particularly that of pop culture magazines. Glossy issues of Entertainment Weekly were once the primary source for lifestyle and celebrity news. Yet, after three decades on newsstands, the American entertainment magazine announced in February of this…
Macaulay’s Spooky Social
Banana Bonanza! Macaulay Honors College hosted its annual Halloween party on Friday, Oct. 28 at the Macaulay building on W 67th St. The event, which had either been canceled or had its capacity heavily restricted for the past few years due to COVID-19 was finally back in full swing. All CUNY students were allowed to…
Scary Story Contest Winner
Congratulations to Alaina DiSalvo: winner of the Halloween Scary Story Contest, co-hosted by the Macaulay Messenger and Macaulay Scribe! DiSalvo wrote a review on Waking the Witch: Reflections on Women, Magic, and Power by Pam Grossman, in which she discusses the ties between witches and women. We at the Messenger are proud to publish her work,…
Q&A with Evan Mandery, Professor at John Jay College
Evan Mandery’s book, Poison Ivy, was published on Oct. 25, one week from when this interview took place. A professor of criminal justice at John Jay College, Mandery routinely teaches Macaulay John Jay students. As a student in one of his courses titled “Intellectual Foundations I: What is the Common Good?,” I sat down with…
The Rise of Fascism in Europe
The ever-widening gap between the elites and masses continues to cause problems for us all. Where oil barons profit from burning fossil fuels that lead to rising coastlines and then safely retreat to their in-land luxury penthouses once regions become uninhabitable, the poor struggle to recover life earnings from tropical storms. While the vast majority…
A Night to Remember
CUNY Macaulay Honors College students have long regarded “A Night at the Museum” as the highlight of the Arts in New York City Seminar. After being canceled for the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Macaulay was finally able to celebrate a triumphant return to the Brooklyn Museum last month. Freshmen, sophomores and…
Entertainment Watch: What to watch, read, listen, and see this fall
Leaves are falling, rain is pouring and the list of upcoming entertainment is growing. Here is what to watch, read, listen and see during Fall 2022. Television ABBOTT ELEMENTARY, SEASON TWO – This fall, students are returning, not just to CUNY schools, but also to Philadelphia’s Willard Abbott Elementary School. Abbott Elementary is in its…
Queen Elizabeth Dies, Critics Rejoice!
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II ended on Thursday, Sept. 8, when she said goodbye to her family and died at the age of 96. Buckingham Palace has long been prepared for the queen’s passing. However, it is likely that the palace was not anticipating the range of reactions of many people around the world…
Affordable Healthcare for CUNY Students; Will it Drive Enrollment?
A few weeks ago I met with Luna Liu, Associate Director for AAPI Marketing and Community Relations Manager at MetroPlusHealth, to discuss a healthcare plan that is available to both Macaulay Honors College students and CUNY students at large. Liu excitedly described Mayor Eric Adams’ campaign to re-enroll 10,000 students who dropped out of…
The Next Theranos? An Alzheimer’s Drug and a CUNY Professor Face Questions Over Research Validity
Cassava Sciences touted the drug simuphilam as a cure to Alzheimer’s Disease. Now, the core science behind the drug that was partially pioneered by a CUNY professor is being questioned by scientists and regulators alike. The scientific journal PLoS One retracted five studies co-authored by Dr. Hoau-Yan Wang, an associate medical professor at the…
It is Time to Abolish the SAT and ACT
Picture this: you have been working towards gaining entrance to your dream college throughout high school. Similar to many of your overachieving classmates, you have tackled a rigorous course load filled with honors and AP classes, extracurricular activities and even internships or research work. You boast an exceptional GPA and all of your teachers…
Why Asian Hate Crimes Happen
On Feb. 13, Christina Yuna Lee is murdered in her apartment after having been stabbed over 40 times. Nearly a month prior, Michelle Go is shoved in front of a subway and killed in a seemingly random attack. And on the second day of last March, seven Asian women are physically assaulted in a string…
The Science Behind Teleportation
Imagine waking up 30 minutes before your 8:30 a.m. class. After rushing onto the train, it runs into a delay. There is no possible way for you to get to your class on time. This is all too familiar to the majority of CUNY students who commute to college. Now picture the same scenario, but…
Ukrainian New Yorkers Protest Against War in Ukraine in Times Square, Greenwich Village
As I stepped off the A train at Port Authority Bus Terminal, I saw crowds of people adorn their jacket sleeves with blue-and-yellow bandanas. Exiting the station, people carried posters and sunflowers as they trekked towards 42nd Street, where Razom for Ukraine, a non-profit dedicated to “supporting the people of Ukraine in their continued quest…
Megan’s Pop Culture Watch: May 2022
Media is messy. With countless social platforms and ever-changing trending pages, it is easy to miss the biggest headlines. The Messenger is back with the latest triumphs, trends and troubles of the pop culture world. Lunar Eclipse Marvel’s newest show “Moon Knight” starring Oscar Isaac quickly eclipsed the hearts of many fans….
Why the MTA’s Platform Screen Doors Plan is Set Up to Fail
Every time I enter a New York City train station, I swiftly dash towards the middle of the subway platform and lean against a column or electronic sign. In some stations, I remain near the staircase in order to make a swift run back up the stairs if needed. While waiting for my train to…
Is Quantum Cryptography the Answer to Hacking?
There were 1.4 million reports of identity theft reported last year, and it is estimated that by 2025, cybersecurity will cost the world $10.5 trillion annually. While conventional methods (i.e: public key encryption, private key encryption) of cybersecurity are becoming obsolete, quantum cryptography may be the key to a more secure digital world. Quantum…
The Russia-Ukraine War has Important Geopolitical and Human Rights Ramifications
Russian troops invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, marking the start of a war and causing widespread geopolitical and human rights ramifications. Invading Ukraine is one aspect of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s strategy for rebuilding the Soviet-era Russian empire. Putin seeks to seize control of Ukraine and establish a pro-Russia, pro-Putin government in the country. …
Hunter College’s New Art Exhibit Presents Viewers With an “Alternative Practice”
At Hunter College’s Leubsdorf Gallery, The Black Index celebrates Black art and history, seeking to change the way Blackness is viewed in the art world and beyond. How is Black identity understood and constructed? What is the significance of self-representation and containment? How does art upend notions of convention and truth? “The Black…
Megan’s Pop Culture Watch: March 2022
Media is messy. With countless social platforms and ever-changing trending pages, it is easy to miss the biggest headlines. The Messenger is back with the latest triumphs, trends and troubles of the pop culture world. Turning Red Pixar’s newest release “Turning Red” focuses on the story of a newly-turned, 13-year-old Asian-Canadian girl…
The Darkness Behind the Glamor of ‘Euphoria’
If you have not watched the entirety of “Euphoria”, please note that there are spoilers in this article. For the past eight weeks, students, teenagers and adults alike tuned in on Sunday nights to catch the long-awaited season two of the hit HBO show “Euphoria.” Starring actors including Zendaya, Jacob Elordi, Eric Dane, Alexa…
CBS’s “Survivor” Tests Survival of the Fittest on a Whole New Level
The first season of “Survivor” initially premiered in May 2000, before some of its viewers were even born. Often referred to as “the greatest social experiment” by host Jeff Probst, the show has been pushing boundaries in reality television since its inception, always pushing itself to do more to be new and exciting. But have…
Recent Scientific Research Raises Concerns About Antibiotic Tolerance to COVID-19
People building tolerance to prescribed antibiotics can make way for “superbugs” more harmful than COVID-19 in the future. More than 35,000 people in the United States have died due to antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in 2019. The cost to treat these antibiotic-resistant infections is estimated to be more than $4.6 billion. Yet, the bigger challenge…
Megan’s Pop Culture Watch: November 2021
Media is messy. With countless social platforms and ever-changing trending pages, it is easy to miss the biggest headlines. The Messenger is back with the latest triumphs, trends and troubles of the pop culture world. Disaster in “Utopia” — The Astroworld Tragedy: To begin is a topic of the utmost sensitivity, unlike…
Student Clubs Co-Host First Ever “Macaulay Night Live” Performance
Three people crowd around the small monitor of a camera, cautiously reviewing footage. On the other side of the camera, cast members mingle, waiting to hear if they finally produced a take the production team was happy with. A wave of relief sweeps over the cast as the crew announces that there will be no…
The Show is Back On: The Return of Live Music After Two Years
It was surprisingly quiet for a New York City Tuesday morning as I walked to Hunter College a few weeks ago. I relished in the silence, which was short-lived, interrupted by the sound of…is that jazz? I looked around, expecting to find an ensemble of buskers jamming in the streets. The sidewalks were…
Macaulay and Honors Program Students at John Jay See the New York Philharmonic
Students in the Macaulay Honors College and Honors Program at John Jay College of Criminal Justice saw “An American Triptych: Mazzoli, Davis, and Adams” at Alice Tully Hall on Friday, Oct. 22. The highlight of the evening was a clarinet concerto written by Black composer Anthony Davis entitled, “You Have the Right To…
‘Squid Game’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Show of All Time
A still-twitching body shoved into an incinerator. Masked men in bright pink jumpsuits harvesting organs. A man pours himself a drink while dozens of people are shot on his screen. These are only a few scenes from Netflix’s newest hit, “Squid Game.” In less than a month, the show has reached 111 million viewers, surpassing…
Has Emily Mariko Found the Recipe for Success?
TikTok content creator Emily Mariko has arguably taken the internet by storm with her salmon rice bowl recipe, but has her rise to fame really been so quick? For those who do not spend 12 hours a day on TikTok, her recipe includes mashed-up salmon and rice, microwaved with an ice cube and parchment paper…
A Voter Guide to New York City’s 2021 Mayoral Race
This year’s general election is slated to be one of the most significant in New York City’s modern political history. Thirty five council seats and the mayorship are currently up for grabs, and the outcome of the election is certain to shape the course of the city’s future in the years ahead. With debates raging…
Megan’s Pop Culture Watch: October 2021
Media is messy. With countless social platforms and ever-changing trending pages, it’s easy to miss the biggest headlines. Here’s what you may have missed from the pop culture world this month. 1) The Most Dangerous Game When it arrived on Netflix in mid-September, “Squid Game” quickly rose to being the platform’s highest-viewed show in…
Time Magazine Names Joe Biden and Kamala Harris 2020’s People of the Year
Every year since 1927, Time Magazine has selected one person, group, concept, or movement to be given the honor of Person of the Year. Before announcing 2020’s honorees, Time Ceo and Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal went on TODAY to announce the magazine’s shortlist. The top four contenders for the honor were: President-Elect Joe Biden Felsenthal said…
Day and Night On Those Ferry Rails
By SIDDRAH ALHINDI This is an anecdote I wrote back when I was commuting to college and when learning was in person. Remote learning is safe and has its advantages, but it also makes us reminisce on an ordinary routine that now sounds like a great escape. Despite being born and living in New York…
A COVID Vaccine: Silver Lining Amidst the Winter Blues?
With the incoming holiday season, it is evident that the past 9 months have created a new normal among Americans. While strolling down almost any New York City street, people walk with masks adorned on their faces ranging from surgical grade KN95’s to fashionable cloth ones to match their style. On public transportation, seats are…
Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way
There is no denying that the holiday season, a favorite time for an overwhelming majority of the American population, will look very different in New York City this year. The annual Macy’s Thanksgiving day parade has not been cancelled. However, the event will follow CDC guidelines to impose restrictions on the usual celebrations. Maximum capacity…
Media Censorship in the Middle East: A Violation of Human Rights
By Siddrah Alhindi Banning books and manually covering exposed skin in magazines are actions regularly taken by higher powers in a society. In the Middle East, it is no surprise that certain websites are blocked, the Internet can be shut off, journalists are imprisoned, and voices are silenced. Propaganda used to take the form of…
Five Terrifying Non-Horror Films to Stream this October
It’s Halloween season folks. In the middle of our current pandemic, one of the only things we could do to celebrate is watch horror flicks on Netflix. When you think of horror, mostly gore, ghosts, or monsters come to mind. I personally always find non-fiction pieces on psychotic serial killers or corrupt institutions to be…
America Doesn’t Need Horror Movies This Halloween: Our President and the Pandemic
By Lia Hauser After criticizing his opponent at the first presidential debate on Tuesday September 29th for wearing “the largest mask you’ve ever seen,” President Donald Trump contracted COVID-19. Trump’s public appearances sans-mask have sparked controversy consistently throughout the pandemic that has overtaken life in the United States. Forbes has broken down a definitive timeline…
Avatar at Arms: Why do people hate Avatar Korra?
In May of this year, Netflix added Avatar: The Last Airbender (ATLA) to their streaming collection, and almost immediately, the 15 year-old children’s cartoon became the most popular item on the platform. ATLA follows the training of Avatar Aang, the only person in the world with the ability to bend all four elements, over a…
Trump v. The American Democracy
It is safe to say that this presidential election has been particularly stressful on all Americans. On top of the fact that we are living through a pandemic and literally everything about life has changed, the country is going through a very meaningful political metamorphosis. Although there have been many affirmations that former Vice President…
Conducting Research During COVID-19: A Student Perspective
Conducting research, which is considered a key component of one’s undergraduate career and one way to fulfill the experiential learning requirement for graduation, is no easy process. Throw a mid-semester global pandemic into the mix, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for disaster. But disaster it was not for many Macaulay students, taking advantage of…
COVID-19 Resources for Macaulay Students
By Arvind Dev As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, the editors of the Macaulay Messenger are committed to providing a hub of resources for our readers and their loved ones. This list will be periodically updated. To add to our list, please leave a comment or email arvind.dev@macaulay.cuny.edu. Information For up-to-date information on CUNY’s…
Class of 2029 Take on Macaulay’s Night at the Museum
By Olive Treadwell and Tamia Turner When most people hear the phrase “Night at the Museum,” they may think of the 2006 movie by Shawn Levy where a security guard at the Natural History Museum witnesses the exhibits come to life upon the building’s closure. However, Macaulay students may have a different association with that…
To Infinity and Beyond: The CCNY Planetarium
By Eman Sadiq In the basement of the CCNY Marshak building is a space the size of a moderate classroom, sporting rows of plastic folding chairs, a couple of desks and podium-like stands, and an unassuming projector setup. Around once a week, lights dim and celestial bodies become visible overhead. Here sits the CCNY Planetarium,…
MoMA Visit Transcends Into Living Art
By Sasha Smolansky At first glance, the MoMA struck me as an extravagant waste of space—a collection of splatters and errors by artists who, having failed to master traditional techniques or to acquire conventional acclaim, invented new movements like cubism and abstract art to mask their inadequacies. I entered with this rigid, unyielding opinion, my…
AI actress enters a male-dominated world. She’s excited. I’m horrified.
The debut of AI-generated actress Tilly Norwood does not bode well for real-life women. By Sarah Ahmed On July 30, a YouTube video titled “AI Commissioner” was posted by Particle6, a UK production company spearheading an AI-driven approach to filmmaking. The comedy sketch features producers struggling to come up with television’s next big hit before…
In Defense of Regents Exams
By Veronica Witkowski Those of us who grew up in New York are likely familiar with the Regents exams. These standardized tests have been used to assess student learning and understanding since 1864. Currently, to graduate with a Regents Diploma, students must pass at least 5 Regents exams. Recently, however, the New York State Board…
Radicalized Online, Violent Offline: How America’s Youth Are Turning Toward Extremism
Why Trump’s words and digital echo chambers are driving the next generation toward political violence. By Isaiah Muniz An American political activist was gunned down on a college campus, not an unthinkable act in a country long plagued by school shootings, but still a deeply jarring one. The assassination of Charlie Kirk in Utah did…
Zury’s Spotlight: 10 More Fall Movie Recommendations
By Zury Cordova 1. Dead Poets Society (1989) The scenery is the definition of the perfect east coast autumn, but it’s not just the fall atmospheric visuals that make this movie a classic. It’s set at a strict, elite, all-boys boarding school where a new English teacher, Mr. Keating (played by Robin Williams), shows up…
We Are Having the Wrong Conversation About Cabaret
Is it Billy Porter or Emcee that scolds us for laughing in the face of fascism? By Sarah Ahmed From the moment you step into the August Wilson Theater, you become a character of “Cabaret.” You are ushered through a side alleyway as staff place a sticker on your phone camera to prevent you from…
Apocalypse Now
In a time of immense social unease, the Apocalypse series is strikingly relevant — it is complex and chaotic, but that complexity and chaos is the point. by Eman Sadiq In December 2024, the art series Apocalypse (1988), brain-child of beatnik William S. Burroughs and artist Keith Haring, was donated to the City College of…
Empty Homes, Rising Rents: NYC’s Housing Crisis
by Prisha Rao In 2011, New York City had 979,142 extremely low income and low income renter households, but had only 424,949 units available to these groups. However, the issue isn’t merely a shortage of housing units. It’s a complex problem rooted in affordability and policy decisions that have left thousands of units unoccupied while…
