By Leo Chang, Triangle Editor-in-Chief
Penn is a special place, a place where complete strangers coming from opposite ends of the world can end up living next door to each other, practicing presentations with each other, and fighting one another in the long lines stretching from the food trucks on Spruce on a weekday afternoon. Any randomly-plucked group of people off Locust Walk will probably represent different parts of the country and the world, different skin colors, and different interests. But in the end we all get crammed into this coupl’a blocks in West Philly and call it home. All you have to do to have a good time here is to jump in with both feet and get wet!
Take the Penn Triangle staff for example; this year’s issue was created by an entirely new staff that began this daunting project without much experience but still had a lot of enthusiasm and a belief that we’ll put Triangle back on the map. After all, the magazine you’re holding right now is one of the oldest publications on campus, tracing its origins to 1899. Where were you in 1899? I’m very proud of the staff for putting all the hours and blood and sweat into the production of this magazine. We come from different states, different countries, and study different things. Yet we all threw whatever reservations we had about taking on the project and jumped into the pool without knowing how deep it went In the end, I’d say we survived. Of course, how well we score in terms of substance and aesthetics is up to you, the reader, and I’d love to hear from you about anything you have to say about the magazine.
“The Triangle” originally stood for science, engineering, and architecture – the three main arms of the engineering school in the early 1900s. Since today’s science and engineering departments offer many more options to students, I pondered the idea of changing the title and logo of the magazine to keep it up to date with the times. I ultimately decided against it because I didn’t have the heart to erase this fixture at such a tradition-bound campus. The decision was solidified when I spoke with some alumni, who fondly recalled their college days and remembered Triangle as a piece of cherished college memories. Instead of changing the name, I’d like to redefine the Triangle as sets of threes that will guide future development of the magazine. Please allow me to explain.
In the past, the Triangle has somewhat limited both its staff and audience to SEAS students. Beginning with this issue, future Triangle magazines will be written by students from three main groups including engineers, scientists, and anyone else interested in science and technology. We’d love to have you join us even if you’re not in SEAS.
We’re also expanding our intended audience from just engineering students to three main groups: students, faculty, and the outside community (alumni, visitors, prospective students, etc.). The issues we address will not be limited to SEAS or even Penn topics but also interesting events and news that happen outside our campus. You’ll find this broader view in Steve Hershman’s report on science news from around the world, Chintan Desai’s review of Philly stadiums, Sujit Datta’s piece on science vs. religion, and Tushar Khanna’s column on stem cell research. We’re also starting a “Voices from the Podium” feature with every issue in which a faculty member is invited to write about a topic of his or her choice. Of course, we’ll still stay close to Penn, as David Mu writes about the sciences behind Penn’s Archaeology Museum and Sujit Datta muses on the quality of science education at Penn.
Finally, the Triangle has always done a good job of informing and educating its readers, but from now on we’d like to add a third corner to the triangle and also have some fun. To this end you’ll find Jon Singer’s “Engineered News” on the grandeur of Skirkanich Hall as well as a trivia contest that could win you $25 at the bookstore.
Whether you’re a professor reading this magazine while proctoring a final, a student skimming through before (ok fine, during) lecture, or a prospective student trying to get a taste of Penn, welcome to the new Pennsylvania Triangle. Don’t forget to let us know how we’re doing. If you’d like to join the staff, keep your eyes peeled for flyers come Spring. And since this is a small world anyway, you can’t escape from meeting a Triangle staffer sooner or later. Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you have. For now, we hope you enjoy the magazine.
Come on in, the water’s fine!
Penn is a special place, a place where complete strangers coming from opposite ends of the world can end up living next door to each other, practicing presentations with each other, and fighting one another in the long lines stretching from the food trucks on Spruce on a weekday afternoon. Any randomly-plucked group of people off Locust Walk will probably represent different parts of the country and the world, different skin colors, and different interests. But in the end we all get crammed into this coupl’a blocks in West Philly and call it home. All you have to do to have a good time here is to jump in with both feet and get wet!
Take the Penn Triangle staff for example; this year’s issue was created by an entirely new staff that began this daunting project without much experience but still had a lot of enthusiasm and a belief that we’ll put Triangle back on the map. After all, the magazine you’re holding right now is one of the oldest publications on campus, tracing its origins to 1899. Where were you in 1899? I’m very proud of the staff for putting all the hours and blood and sweat into the production of this magazine. We come from different states, different countries, and study different things. Yet we all threw whatever reservations we had about taking on the project and jumped into the pool without knowing how deep it went In the end, I’d say we survived. Of course, how well we score in terms of substance and aesthetics is up to you, the reader, and I’d love to hear from you about anything you have to say about the magazine.
“The Triangle” originally stood for science, engineering, and architecture – the three main arms of the engineering school in the early 1900s. Since today’s science and engineering departments offer many more options to students, I pondered the idea of changing the title and logo of the magazine to keep it up to date with the times. I ultimately decided against it because I didn’t have the heart to erase this fixture at such a tradition-bound campus. The decision was solidified when I spoke with some alumni, who fondly recalled their college days and remembered Triangle as a piece of cherished college memories. Instead of changing the name, I’d like to redefine the Triangle as sets of threes that will guide future development of the magazine. Please allow me to explain.
In the past, the Triangle has somewhat limited both its staff and audience to SEAS students. Beginning with this issue, future Triangle magazines will be written by students from three main groups including engineers, scientists, and anyone else interested in science and technology. We’d love to have you join us even if you’re not in SEAS.
We’re also expanding our intended audience from just engineering students to three main groups: students, faculty, and the outside community (alumni, visitors, prospective students, etc.). The issues we address will not be limited to SEAS or even Penn topics but also interesting events and news that happen outside our campus. You’ll find this broader view in Steve Hershman’s report on science news from around the world, Chintan Desai’s review of Philly stadiums, Sujit Datta’s piece on science vs. religion, and Tushar Khanna’s column on stem cell research. We’re also starting a “Voices from the Podium” feature with every issue in which a faculty member is invited to write about a topic of his or her choice. Of course, we’ll still stay close to Penn, as David Mu writes about the sciences behind Penn’s Archaeology Museum and Sujit Datta muses on the quality of science education at Penn.
Finally, the Triangle has always done a good job of informing and educating its readers, but from now on we’d like to add a third corner to the triangle and also have some fun. To this end you’ll find Jon Singer’s “Engineered News” on the grandeur of Skirkanich Hall as well as a trivia contest that could win you $25 at the bookstore.
Whether you’re a professor reading this magazine while proctoring a final, a student skimming through before (ok fine, during) lecture, or a prospective student trying to get a taste of Penn, welcome to the new Pennsylvania Triangle. Don’t forget to let us know how we’re doing. If you’d like to join the staff, keep your eyes peeled for flyers come Spring. And since this is a small world anyway, you can’t escape from meeting a Triangle staffer sooner or later. Don’t hesitate to ask us any questions you have. For now, we hope you enjoy the magazine.
Come on in, the water’s fine!
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