TEDx, a program that allows local organizers to create an atmosphere to stimulate conversation about new ideas, brought members of the Cornell community together to share their ideas on the topic of “Rethinking Our Society” Monday night.

With increasing requests for space in the Straight, the Student Union Board decided to close the ceramics studio to the dismay of many of its users.

For the first time this semester I decided to stop by the Ivy Room for lunch on a Friday. I wasn’t too impressed. Rather, my spinner needed some serious work to be remotely what it was last year. Has it ever happened that you get in a bad mood if you don’t eat what you expected? I’m sure you’ve had the feeling before. And the tables, though more practical, gave the place the look of a school cafeteria more than its old medieval bar look. All in all, I would not take visitors down there anymore. Tsk, tsk.

Research.

Quick, what associations did you make? I’d venture to guess that either a beaker or a pipette crossed your mind, however briefly.

According to Nobel laureate Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, “ Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.” Szent-Gyorgyi’s definition, not specific to any particular field of study, implies extended creative thought on a particular subject. “Research” for many, however, suggests little about creativity.

Why, then, does “research” conjure up images of lab coat-clad, microscope-using individuals, mainly in the fields of biology, chemistry or physics?

It is 10:30 p.m and while many students slowly drag their feet home after a long day’s work, some others, carrying drum sticks or hockey pads, set off in the opposite direction to begin practice sessions.

Many students, staff and alumni alike have voiced concern over a “severe” shortage of and “dire need” for sports and performing arts facilities on campus.

“The issue is that the University gives priority to classes, athletic teams and other academic or University sponsored meetings and events above student groups. Student groups get last priority for reservations, often leaving them to meet at night,” explained Elyse Feldman ’09, vice president of public relations of the Student Assembly Finance Commission.

With classes, social interactions, future goals and constant deadlines, the Cornell world may seem overwhelming enough — but consider this chilling fact: One child dies of malaria every 30 seconds in Africa.

When Babette Stern ’09 and Shoshana Aleinikoff ’08 attended Americans for Informed Democracy’s two-day “Malaria Bootcamp” last January, they felt empowered upon learning that the devastating disease is preventable. They joined with Sarah Mongiello ’09 and Zeke Rediker ’09 to create Cover Africa — a non-profit organization to literally cover Africa with mosquito bed-nets.