By Brittney Dunkins

Maintaining a balanced diet, eating seasonal produce and making sustainable food choices are among the topics that will take center stage during the George Washington University 2015 Food Day celebration, a week of activities Oct. 19-24 designed to educate the university community about nutrition and wellness.

The national observance of Food Day is Oct. 24.

“The events hosted during GW’s annual Food Day celebration showcase healthy, affordable and sustainable food through panel discussions, cooking challenges and civic engagement with our D.C. community,” said Senior Advisor to the Office of the President Dawnita Altieri.

“GW is on the forefront of issues such as food justice, sustainability, nutrition and wellness, and we are constantly seeking opportunities to do more to support the university and D.C. community.”

Ms. Altieri recently was appointed to lead Healthy GW, the university-wide initiative that encompasses GW’s wellness efforts, including the GW Parenting Initiative, the Colonial Health Center, the Urban Food Task Force (UFTF), Smoke-Free GW and initiatives addressing sexual assault and violence, mental health, wellness behaviors and access to health services.

GW Urban Food Task Force Chair Diane Knapp, Ruffles the dog and Senior Advisor to the Office of the President Dawnita Altieri celebrate Apple Day and share a bench with the "George" statue last year.

The 2015 Food Day celebration includes Apple Day on Oct. 22, a GW tradition that celebrates the harvest with free apples sourced from local farms and businesses. GW Urban Food Task Force Chair Diane Knapp will offer remarks at the Foggy Bottom Campus giveaway at 12:30 p.m. on Kogan Plaza.

The Pop-Up Produce Market and Health Screening Fair will be Oct. 24 at the Deanwood Recreation Center in Northeast D.C. The volunteer-run event organized by the UFTF provides fresh produce and health screenings to residents. University Chef Rob Donis will also be on hand to provide cooking demonstrations.

New to the schedule of events is GW’s first university-wide cooking challenge. To enter, students, faculty and staff can use a recipe created by Mr. Donis to prepare a healthy dish and then upload a photo or video of the meal with the tag #HealthyGW. Challenge participants will have the opportunity to win a gift card from Cava Grill, a local Mediterranean-style, fast-casual restaurant.

The cooking challenge will run Oct. 19-23. Prizes will be awarded each day.

View a full list of Food Day activities below. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, Oct. 21

An Evening with Michael Pollan in Conversation with Renee Montagne
8 p.m., Lisner Auditorium, 730 21st St., NW
Author, journalist and food activist Michael Pollan joins Renee Montagne, host of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” for a discussion of the modern food landscape. Tickets are $34 for students, $40 for general admission. 

Thursday, Oct. 22

Apple Day
Noon, Kogan Plaza
The annual tradition celebrates the fall harvest with a give-away of free, locally-grown apples on Kogan Plaza and the Mount Vernon and Virginia Science and Technology campuses. The rain location for for the Foggy Bottom Campus giveaway will be the Marc C. Abrams Great Hall on the first floor of the Marvin Center. Rain locations for Mount Vernon and VSTC will be announced.

GW Milken Institute School of Public Health “Steps Challenge” Give-Away
Noon, Milken Institute School of Public Health
GW Milken SPH invites the university community to climb the seven story main staircase and #Stepitup in support of the GW Steps Challenge launched earlier this month. Free apples will be available at the top of the stairs to those who make the trek.

Friday, Oct. 23

The Smithsonian Food History Weekend: Growing Innovations Roundtable
11:30 a.m., National Museum of American History, Constitution Avenue between 12^th and 14^th streets, NW
George Washington University Executive Director of Sustainability Kathleen Merrigan and panelists discuss innovations in farming and food production.

Saturday, Oct. 24

Food Day
Nationwide
The annual nationwide celebration of healthy, sustainable and locally sourced food.

Pop-Up Produce Market and Health Screening Market
11 a.m., Deanwood Recreation Center, 1350 39^th St., NE
The Urban Food Task Force and GW Healing Clinic of the GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences provide fresh produce and health screenings to residents of D.C.’s Ward 7. University Chef Rob Donis demonstrates healthy cooking tips.

Columbian College of Arts and Sciences Dean Ben Vinson III became the latest headliner of the GWtalks series, which showcases the university’s top academic leaders and faculty members discussing global topics with international alumni, parents and friends.

Addressing the George Washington University community at events in Hong Kong and Beijing on Oct. 14 and 17, Dr. Vinson spoke about the globalization of higher education and how the dissemination of knowledge on a global scale has the potential to transform lives in significant ways.

“We live in a world that exists in what many have described as the information age, but information is meaningless if we cannot produce knowledge,” he said. “Universities have always been the repositories and incubators of knowledge. Today, we must live up to our calling, and we must do it not alone but with other partners and institutions.

“We must guide our students to mature into the lives that they were meant to have. We must nurture our students as they mature into the global citizens that we desperately need to push human society forward.”

The events drew alumni, parents, prospective students and current students. The Hong Kong event attracted more than 35 attendees. More than 60 attended the program in Beijing.   

Among those attending was Joseph Minder, B.B.A. ’13, a School of Business graduate and a recent arrival in Hong Kong.

“The event was an excellent reminder that no matter how far from campus you travel, the GW network is always present,” he said. “It was a great way to connect with fellow alumni in my new city and hear from Dean Vinson on the university's plan to further globalize the educational experience of GW students.”

For Zeb Eckert, B.A. ’03, the most meaningful part of the Hong Kong event was Dr. Vinson’s question-and-answer session. Mr. Eckert is a reporter for Bloomberg Asia and moderated the discussion.

“He challenged us to think about the power and perils of technology and how it is transforming higher education and the way we view the world,” Mr. Eckert said. “The dean's reflections unexpectedly sparked a vibrant discussion among the audience on global learning and leadership—with GW at its nexus.”

GWtalks, a series of discussions in international cities on topics including business, politics, education and healthcare, is hosted by International Advancement within the Division of Development and Alumni Relations. The series was launched this summer in New Delhi, Istanbul and Dubai featuring School of Business Dean Linda Livingstone.

“Our GW community internationally are interested in continuing their intellectual conversations that they had while they were on campus, and this new series offers the opportunity for us to bring top faculty internationally and to continue these discussions and conversations,” said Mansoor Ali, associate director of international alumni programs.

Graduate School of Political Management Director Mark Kennedy, a former three-term U.S. congressman from Minnesota, will continue the series Nov. 13 in Mexico City

By Brittney Dunkins

In the 21^st century, libraries are not limited to long study tables and dusty shelves of books. 3-D printers, computers and other technology have made these campus hubs more responsive to how modern students learn.

At the George Washington University, the next step in that evolution is the launch of GW ScholarSpace, an open access repository for scholarly work created by GW students, faculty and staff.

“Creating an institutional repository was a natural progression because we have had increased demand from faculty who want to share their work with multiple groups and students who want more access to journal articles and research,” said Matt Mihalik, GW Libraries director of information technology.

“GW ScholarSpace will raise the visibility and accessibility of faculty research and student work. It’s the way that things are moving for libraries.”

Designed by GW Libraries, GW ScholarSpace will store the academic work of the GW community, including academic papers, articles, data sets, artwork, photos and other digitized works. It will act as a permanent record of the scholarship produced at GW.

All works stored in the repository will be publicly accessible but will require a citation when repurposed. Authors who submit to GW ScholarSpace retain the rights to their work and can indicate the level of accessibility for each piece submitted. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to provide a Creative Commons license, which allows free distribution and use with proper citation.

The project is an example of the university’s commitment to an “open access” environment. GW defines open access as the “free availability of journal articles on the public internet, permitting any users to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search or link” to these works. The Faculty Senate approved the Open Access Policy in February.

GW will join colleges and universities across the country in observing Open Access Week with a series of events Oct. 19-25.   Provost Steven Lerman and GW Librarian and Vice Provost for Libraries Geneva Henry served as the keynote speakers for the Catholic University of America’s Open Access Week headlining event last Tuesday.

“We’re looking forward to educating the university community about the benefits of open access,” said Data Services Librarian Amanda Gooch. “ScholarSpace puts the power in the hands of the author to make a contribution to university scholarship that is permanently accessible.”

GW ScholarSpace is modeled after similar projects at Rice University and Harvard University. To date, more than 517 higher education institutions around the world have created open access repositories.  

Ms. Gooch said that the growing number of institutions with open access repositories indicates a cultural shift of which publishers are aware. Typically, publishers embargo a work for a specific time and will often allow the author to use it as he sees fit. A waiver form is available to those whose publishers do not permit them to submit their work to the GW repository.

“These stipulations are often spelled out in publishing contracts, and if not, faculty should know that they have the right to control access to their work,” Ms. Gooch said. “If faculty have questions about this process, they can reach out to the library staff, and we can talk them through it.”

To upload a work, students, faculty and staff will fill out an online deposit form. Library staff will manage and publish the materials. Once uploaded, a work is assigned a permanent link, and there are no restrictions on the number of times it can be downloaded. Citation software such as Endnote is also compatible with the repository.

“There is so much great work coming out of the university, and we hope everyone will see this as a record of the scholarship of GW,” Mr. Mihalik said.

View a full list of GW Open Access Week events held at the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library.

Wednesday, Oct. 21

Open Access Salon
9:30 a.m., Room 219
The GW Libraries Scholarly Communications Committee will host an informal salon to introduce faculty and students to the GW Open Access Policy. A presentation on ScholarSpace will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Responsible Conduct of Research Lecture Series: Data Acquisition and Management
Noon to 1:30 p.m., Room 702
The Office of the Vice President for Research will host a panel discussion with Jody Ganiban, professor of psychology; Tara Sinclair, professor of economics and international affairs; and Alexander J. Van der Horst, professor of physics. University Librarian and Vice Provost for Librarians Geneva Henry will speak.

Thursday, Oct. 22

ETDs: Open Access vs. Traditional Publishing
12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., Room 219
Valerie Emerson, ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) administrator, will lead a workshop on the interface for uploading a thesis or dissertation with a special emphasis on explaining the difference between open access and traditional publishing.

Friday, Oct. 23

Celebration of Faculty Authors
3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Room 702
This invitation only reception will celebrate all faculty members who published works in 2014. 

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Open Access Salon
4:30 p.m., Room 219
The second informal salon hosted by the GW Libraries Scholarly Communications Committee will introduce students and faculty to the GW Open Access Policy. A presentation on ScholarSpace will begin at 5:30 p.m.

By Brittney Dunkins

When the lights dimmed on the Charles E. Smith Center Saturday evening, George Washington University students, parents, alumni and friends offered a standing ovation for comedian Jon Stewart, who took the stage for the first of two sold-out headlining performances at Colonials Weekend 2015.

After an introduction from GW President Steven Knapp, the newly bearded and grey-haired Mr. Stewart quickly tapped into his signature observational humor, which he quipped makes him a “wit in the vein of Mark Twain.”)

Foregoing a suit and tie for a casual light blue shirt and jeans, Mr. Stewart joked that the audience may not have recognized him since his retirement as host of the “Daily Show” two months ago caused him to “age prematurely.”

“I’m so happy to be here at the George Washington University to celebrate…whatever this weekend is for you,” he deadpanned.

Mr. Stewart riffed on everything from the “joy” of being a comedian while Donald Trump is running for the Republican presidential nomination to the undue praise given to politicians for being politically incorrect—when really they are just incorrect. He also discussed gun control, the pope and even his losing battle competing with his wife for his children’s affection.

“Also, why are there four Eighth streets in D.C.?” he asked midway through the performance. The question was met with knowing laughter from audience members who were all too familiar with the difficulty that visitors have navigating D.C.’s four quadrants.

GW parents and students check in for Colonials Weekend 2015. (Logan Werlinger/GW Today)

Mr. Stewart is no stranger to hosting sold-out shows at GW. He previously performed during the 2005 and 2009 Colonials Weekend Celebrations and cohosted a sold-out mock debate at GW with conservative political commentator and “O’Reilly Factor” host Bill O’Reilly in 2012.

In a rare serious moment during his performance, Mr. Stewart revealed that when he was asked to perform for Colonials Weekend for the third time, he immediately said yes.

“This is always a wonderful crowd, a smart crowd to perform in front of,” he said.

Colonials Weekend’s high-energy series of events began Friday evening with Colonials Invasion, the annual spirit rally to kick off the 2015-16 basketball season.

Colonial pride was on display at Colonials Invasion Friday evening. (Zach Marin/GW Today)

Cries of “raise high!” filled the gymnasium as the university community welcomed the men’s and women’s basketball teams and applauded performances by the GW gymnastics team, the GW Bhangra dance team, the Voice Gospel Choir and more.

Saturday morning offered a glimpse into GW’s world-class leadership and faculty during the “Meet the Dean” breakfasts with the deans and faculty of the university’s five undergraduate schools and the “Classes from GW’s Best” series, which featured lectures by Professor of Theatre Leslie Jacobson and GW Assistant Professor of Engineering Management and Systems Engineering Ekundayo Shittu, among others.

Other highlights of the weekend included a book signing and discussion with esteemed author and GW professor Thomas Mallon, a tour of the Mount Vernon Estate and a 3-D printing demonstration highlighting GW Libraries’ modern technology. The Vern Harvest at the Mount Vernon Campus also returned for family-friendly face painting, lawn games and other activities in celebration of the season.

In true D.C. fashion, Sunday morning was reserved for brunch. Some GW families opted for the free “all-you-can-eat” meal at Pelham Commons, while others preferred a performance with their meal and chose to attend the Colonials Weekend Jazz Brunch hosted by WRGW.

The Vern Harvest tradition continued this year on the Mount Vernon Campus with family-friendly fun to celebrate fall. (Logan Werlinger/GW Today)

By Sunday afternoon, the 13^th Annual Neighborhood Block Party was in full swing, gathering more than 100 local businesses, student organizations and GW departments including the School of Nursing’s “Ask a Nurse” booth, which offered free health screenings.

The GW Office of Government and Community Relations hosts the annual event to bring together the GW community and residents of the Foggy Bottom and West End neighborhoods.

“It’s wonderful to see so many people out here today celebrating how far we have come as a community,” said D.C. Council member Jack Evans (D-Ward 2).

The crisp fall air was not a deterrent to attendees who spent the afternoon on I Street NW between 22nd and 23^rd streets sampling food from local vendors, watching performances on the main stage and getting to know one another.

“I hope that you are all enjoying yourselves at the Neighborhood Block Party, which is truly a university tradition that we can proud of,” Dr. Knapp said. “This is the 13^th annual block party, and each year it is an opportunity to bring together GW students, parents, faculty, alumni and friends for a final celebration during Colonials Weekend.”

GW President Steven Knapp talks with GW families at the Neighborhood Block Party on Sunday. (William Atkins/GW Today)

As afternoon clouds rolled in, Associate Dean of Students Tim Miller took the stage with the Tim Miller Band.

GW sophomore Anna Du and freshman Sarhana Fernandes said they were glad to celebrate Colonials Weekend and explore so many aspects of university life that they hadn’t before.

“I’m an international student from India, so this is my first Colonials Weekend, and it has been great,” Ms. Fernandes said. “My parents couldn’t make it because it is such a long journey, but it has still been nice to see everyone on campus—I had no idea it would be so busy.” 

George Washington University issued the following statement in response to questions about William H. Cosby Jr., who received an honorary degree from the university in 1997:

"While we are shocked and disturbed by the allegations against Mr. Cosby, honorary degrees are conferred at a moment in time, based on what the university knows about the honoree at that time.  It has never been the university’s practice to rescind an honorary degree.”

The George Washington University and the Central Intelligence Agency will co-host the second annual “The Ethos and Profession of Intelligence” public conference on national security at Lisner Auditorium on Oct. 27.

The all-day conference will feature remarks by CIA Director John Brennan and panelists including the director of the National Security Agency, chair of the National Intelligence Council, the director of French Directorate General for External Security, the CIA’s general counsel and the co-anchor of the PBS NewsHour. James Clapper, director of national intelligence, will be the keynote speaker.

“CIA looks forward to holding this conference in partnership with the George Washington University and its Center for Cyber and Homeland Security,” said Mr. Brennan.

“We believe the exchange of ideas at this conference will provide the public with greater insight into the challenges facing the CIA and other intelligence agencies in today’s world, while also providing critical input to the intelligence community on how to best meet these challenges.”

The theme for this year’s conference is “The 21st Century Intelligence Mission.” Panels will examine the ways in which technologies and social change are altering the role of intelligence agencies and how those changes affect the way agencies interact with policymakers, recruit and develop staff, protect civil liberties and build international partnerships.

Please note that tickets are required for admittance to the conference. If you are interested in attending, please email the Center at cchs@gwu.edu.

GW Law Professor Lisa M. Fairfax has been nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the Securities and Exchange Commission, Law School Dean Blake D. Morant announced.

During her time at GW, Ms. Fairfax has taught courses in corporate and securities law and is a nationally recognized scholar in the fields of corporate law, corporate governance, director fiduciary obligations and securities law. She currently serves as a member of the Investor Advisory Committee of the SEC.

"An extraordinary scholar and teacher, Professor Fairfax's intellect and experience confirm her stature as a national authority in the areas of corporations and securities,” Mr. Morant said. “She will be an exemplary commissioner."

Ms. Fairfax also has served on the National Adjudicatory Council of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and FINRA’s NASDAQ Market Regulation Committee. In addition, she served on the American Bar Association Business Law Section’s Committee on Corporate Law, an invitation-only committee responsible for updating and reviewing the Model Business Corporation Act.

She has served as chair of both the Securities Regulation and Business Association Sections of the Association of American Law Schools. Before entering academia, she practiced corporate and securities law with the law firm of Ropes & Gray in Boston and Washington. She graduated with honors from Harvard College and Harvard Law School.

The SEC is composed of five commissioners who are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. 

By Ruth Steinhardt

Incoming George Washington University students underwent a new mandatory training program this fall, part of the university’s comprehensive strategy to prevent campus sexual assault and to respond effectively to the issue.

Over the summer, incoming freshmen and graduate students were required to complete “Think About It,” a self-guided online training module from Campus Clarity that examines the interconnected issues students face on coming to college, including substance abuse, the spectrum of sexual violence, Title IX rights and responsibilities, healthy relationships and bystander intervention. Upon completion of “Think About It,” students were required to sign up for mandatory in-person training sessions during Welcome Week and the weeks after during which they could discuss these issues with peers and facilitators.

The program is the result of priorities identified by staff and experts across the university, including in the Division of Student Affairs and the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, in collaboration with student leaders and student organizations.

About 97 percent of students have completed the entire program, Title IX Coordinator Carrie Ross said. 

“Since this is our first year, we are focusing on compliance and individual open-ended feedback from participants [as metrics of success],” Ms. Ross said.

At one in-person training session, several dozen freshmen gathered around tables in a meeting room in the Marvin Center. Facilitator Angela Esquivel, an area coordinator in the Center for Student Engagement, began with a refresher, making sure participants had a shared understanding of words like “consent” and “coercion,” before moving into open-ended, difficult questions: what are the characteristics of healthy and unhealthy relationships, how alcohol can influence a hookup and how to check in with a sexual partner.

When students had volunteered necessary components of consent—including unimpaired state of mind, unambiguity and the ability to revoke at any point—Ms. Esquivel asked how participants would react to signals of uncertainty or an altered state of mind from a partner.

“Stop,” said one freshman, without hesitating.

“Stop and what?” Ms. Esquivel prodded gently.

“…Don’t continue,” the student responded, prompting slight laughter.

It was a response typical of workshop participants, who seemed informed and eager to contribute to a culture of shared responsibility at GW.

“Most feedback has expressed gratitude that the program exists,” Ms. Ross said. “But some students commented in written feedback that the material was review—that they are already familiar with concepts such as consent and felt that there were too many required conversations about it at the beginning of the year.”

The Colonial Inauguration sexual assault prevention and response program from the summer included references to bystander roles and consent in its "Scenes From College Life," information that was reinforced during floor meetings in residence halls.

“Message saturation is certainly not a bad outcome,” she said. “Providing as many opportunities as possible for students to talk about consent and healthy behaviors during this time is absolutely part of our strategy.”

Since the program is in its first year, Ms. Ross said, it has room to expand and evolve. She said she hopes to find new ways to make training sessions meet students where they are.

“I would like to consider offering choices to students in terms of a session theme,” she explained. “Students already involved in violence prevention efforts could choose an advocacy track, for example, and learn more about getting involved here at GW regarding sexual assault and relationship violence prevention. Students could choose a ‘party smart’ or ‘bystander intervention’ track, perhaps, where similar basic information could be covered but the in depth focus would be on one of those topics.

“I would also like to offer survivors or others who have been personally affected by relationship violence or sexual assault a track that is more targeted towards honoring those dynamics.”

Freshman Connie Lamos said the training was helpful, and that the multiple avenues from which it came helped her retain the information.

“I will never forget the definition of consent,” she said.

Ms. Ross said she would continue to engage students on the topic as the year continues.

“I will continue to reach out to individual groups for smaller and more focused conversations,” she said. “It is clear that students are interested in this as a topic and in talking about what it all means and looks like for them. Students are, for the most part, interested in identifying actionable ways they can help reduce sexual and relationship violence in their communities and how they can respond appropriately when it happens.

“We just have to keep up that momentum.”

By Julyssa Lopez

The legacy of former Vice President Walter Mondale helped shape Vice President Joe Biden’s own role and his relationship to President Obama, Mr. Biden said Tuesday in a panel discussion at the George Washington University.

Speaking one day before announcing he would not run for president in 2016, Mr. Biden provided remarks at a celebration honoring the life and career of Mr. Mondale. The University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs and the George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration organized a daylong symposium examining Mr. Mondale’s contributions as a political figure.

George Washington President Steven Knapp introduced Mr. Mondale in brief welcome at the beginning of the program.

“Vice President Mondale assumed an influential, substantive policy role, shaping the office for future vice presidents,” Dr. Knapp said.

He mentioned that Mr. Mondale changed assumptions about the position by becoming an active second-in-command and the first vice president to work directly out of the West Wing.

Mr. Mondale changed assumptions about the vice presidency, which had been previously called “the fifth wheel to the government coach.”

“I did not want to be involved in the details of government, I didn’t want to do anything that somebody else was doing. I wanted to be a general adviser to the president,” Mr. Mondale said.

Mr. Biden said that when he was offered the vice presidency almost 30 years later, the first person he called was Mr. Mondale. He wanted to continue building on the leadership the former vice president had established. Mr. Mondale provided him with a memorandum of essential elements that made the Carter/Mondale partnership successful.

Mr. Mondale went into detail about some of those qualities on Tuesday. He was keenly aware that anything he said could be attributed to the president. He also made sure that he and President Carter came across as partners, and that any disagreements they had happened in private.

Drawing on their example, Mr. Biden said that he is careful that his opinions do not undermine the president’s. He revealed one example during the 2011 raid that killed Osama Bin Laden: At a cabinet meeting, Mr. Biden waited until he was alone with President Obama before advising him to continue with the operation.

“I told him my opinion, that I thought he should go, but follow his own instincts,” Mr. Biden said. “Imagine if I had said in front of everyone, 'Don't go,' or 'Go,' and his decision was a different decision. It undercuts that relationship.”

The anecdote differs from an ABC News Report in which Mr. Biden said he told President Obama not to move forward with the raid, several media outlets noted.

Mr. Biden also said that after his early conversations with Mr. Mondale, he made sure he knew the expectations of his job. He added that he and Mr. Obama have had no ideological disagreements, and that they are “simpatico on all the major issues.”

“A vice president is totally a reflection of the president. There is no inherent power—none, zero—and it completely totally depends on your relationship with the president,” Mr. Biden said.

The “modern” vice presidency that Mr. Mondale established and Mr. Biden solidified has the potential to remain permanent, both men agreed.

“This is all personal to the president. What we’ve seen over these last years in particular is that this is so spectacularly, obviously, the best thing to do to strengthen a president and make a president succeed,” Mr. Mondale said.

Following the panel with Mr. Biden, the event continued with discussions examining how the Carter/Mondale administration impacted social justice, civil rights and domestic and foreign policy. James A. Johnson, the chairman of Johnson Capital Partners, provided closing remarks.

Mr. Mondale’s celebration concluded Tuesday evening with a dinner in Washington, D.C., attended by Mr. Carter.

The George Washington University makes a point of connecting academia to policy and the workplace. One demonstrative sign of this is that three current deans—Michael Feuer of the Graduate School of Education and Human Development, Linda Livingstone of the School of Business, and Blake D. Morant of GW Law—currently hold leadership positions in high-profile organizations in their respective disciplines.

“Having our deans leading such prominent organizations is extremely beneficial to GW,” Provost Steven Lerman said. “They are able to learn about practices across the country in their fields and use those insights in making decisions about the directions they want to lead their schools.”

Here is a quick look at the three deans’ afflilations and what, in their own words, those relationships bring to GW.

Provost Steven Lerman today announced that Paul Schiff Berman will conclude his service as vice provost for online education and academic innovation in January 2016 after three years in the position. He will return full-time to the faculty of the George Washington University Law School, where he has continued to teach and pursue scholarly research.

"Paul has done a tremendous job at building GW's online portfolio, particularly in leading efforts to expand the quantity, quality, and diversity of our offerings," said Provost Steven Lerman. "I'm extremely grateful for his efforts over the past three years to help develop new and innovative courses, and look forward to his continued contributions to the university community as a member of the GW Law faculty."

Dr. Lerman noted that under Professor Berman's leadership, the university's efforts in online education have expanded significantly and the university now offers more than 100 online degree and certificate programs serving several thousand students annually. He oversaw the launch of three massive open online courses and spearheaded a university-wide strategic planning effort that resulted in the creation of the eDesign Shop, a comprehensive team of instructional designers, video technicians and animation specialists that works with faculty to develop and enhance online educational materials.

"I am very proud of all that we have accomplished over the past three years," Professor Berman said. "We have increased both the scope and quality of our online programs including a host of new master's programs recently launched or in development. We have built state-of-the-art course production capabilities and created core central support for designing, planning, budgeting, marketing and administering top-flight educational programs in an online format. Indeed, GW is now viewed nationwide as one of the leaders in high-quality online education. I commend President Knapp and Provost Lerman for having the vision to create this important university role, and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to serve the university in this crucial strategic area."

Even while serving as vice provost, Professor Berman continued to teach and stayed active as a scholar. An expert on global legal pluralism, Berman published 10 articles and book chapters over the past three years and presented nearly 20 scholarly talks in Germany, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, France and the United States.

"After eight years in university administration, I am excited to dive back into my teaching and research full time, and I have numerous projects that are waiting for me," Professor Berman said.

By James Irwin

Within a few weeks of arriving at the George Washington University in 2013, Ben Vinson III began hearing stories about “a legendary professor” who made students “not only better scholars, but better people—someone who awakened imaginations and really encouraged students to be their best.”

“I asked, ‘Well, who is this guy?’” the dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences said Wednesday. “And I was told, ‘You’ll know him when you see him.’ And sure enough, when I first glimpsed him, I knew this must be the legendary Max Ticktin.”

Rabbi Ticktin, a longtime member of the George Washington University faculty, was honored Wednesday at an event celebrating the creation of the Max Ticktin Professorship of Israel Studies. Created through a grant from the Morningstar Foundation, the family foundation of Susie and Michael Gelman, the position will help develop an Israel studies component of the GW’s Judaic Studies Program by developing a strong community of scholars on Israel and fostering an understanding of the history, politics, society and culture of the modern Jewish state.

“I recall having a very interesting conversation when this was under consideration with Dean Vinson, in which he explained the whole vision for this position and how it fit into the broader fabric of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, where we are able to bring in history and culture and contemporary politics into a vital and vibrant interchange,” George Washington President Steven Knapp said at the event. “I think a professorship of Israeli studies is a perfect instance of what we mean by that.”

Rabbi Ticktin’s longstanding career in education began at Hillel at the University of Wisconsin in 1948. He retired in June 2014 from his GW post as a professor of Hebrew in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations.

The 93-year-old spoke briefly and eloquently Wednesday, showing off his charm and reflecting on moments that helped shape his life in education. He thanked GW for giving him the academic freedom to exercise creativity with his curriculum.

“We introduced students to language, literature and comparative literature—among other things, if they learned Hebrew well, their English was going to get better,” he said to laughter. “I was privileged to be able to have faculty, friends—including chairs of departments—who allowed me to experiment in my courses, to come up with new names. The last popular course, we gave it a grandiloquent title: “Israeli Society and Culture—Literary Perspectives.” We got an awful lot in one sentence.”

Rabbi Ticktin recruited and helped train and guide a generation of Hillel directors. He received the organization’s 85th Anniversary Alumni Award in 2008. He has been one of the most important figures in national Hillel and has been the bedrock of Judaic studies at GW for the past three decades, said Dan Schwartz, associate professor of history.

“His is a storied career of more than 65 years devoted to promoting Jewish life, education and culture on American college campuses,” Dr. Schwartz said. “But his most central legacy is as a teacher—Max has taught thousands of people.”

One of those people was Mrs. Gelman, who studied with Rabbi Ticktin for several years while taking non-degree classes in the Columbian College.

“I did it to brush up on my Hebrew, and along the way, I witnessed the special interaction that Max has with his students,” she said Wednesday. “Like so many of you, I’m the beneficiary of ‘the Max effect,’ which is namely: To know Max is to become his friend. And I really feel blessed by our friendship.”

By James Irwin

Seven George Washington University graduates, including the director of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the chief of staff of the Applied Physics Laboratory at Johns Hopkins University, were honored Thursday night by the School of Engineering and Applied Science at the 2015 GW Engineering Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony.

Christopher Scolese, M.S. ’82, the center director at NASA Goddard, and Ronald Luman, D.Sc. ’98, a longtime member of the physics community at Johns Hopkins, were joined by Donald Blount, B.S. ’63; Gennaro Colabatistto, M.S. ’96; Elizabeth D’Andrea, D.Sc. ’06; Kevin Kelly, M.S. ’97; and Patrick Marolda, M.S. ’86, as honorees Thursday. The annual event, held at Science and Engineering Hall, featured remarks from School of Engineering and Applied Science Dean David Dolling and Provost Steven Lerman.

“This is the top of the profession—this is the best of the best in engineering and computer science at GW,” Dr. Dolling said. “In the brief time I have tonight, I can only really just touch on the depth and breadth of their accomplishments and their achievements.”

Established in 2006, the GW Engineering Hall of Fame recognizes and honors distinguished alumni, faculty, staff and friends of SEAS who have contributed to engineering, technology, management or public service in a sustained and significant way during their careers.

“This is probably the pinnacle of my career—to be recognized by my alma mater,” said Mr. Blount, who kicked off a series of short acceptance speeches.

A glance at the 2015 honorees:

• Mr. Blount is the founder of Donald L. Blount & Associates, a naval architecture and marine engineering design firm. Previously, he was a civilian employee at the Department of the Navy, where he conducted research and engineering programs relating to technology in hydrodynamics and later conducted research in the design and testing of military craft.
• Mr. Colabatistto is president of defense and security at CAE, which in 2014 was recognized by Canadian Defence Review as Canada’s No. 1 defense company. Previously, he held senior management positions at SAIC, Space Imaging, SPOT Image, and Veridian. He also served in the United States Marine Corps during Operation Desert Storm.
• Dr. D’Andrea is a senior scientist with more than 38 years in government service focused on weapons development and science and technology. She was responsible for the development of the Navy’s Railgun as well as numerous technologies focused on terrorism and drug interdiction. She has worked for NASA, the departments of the Army, Air Force and Navy, and is a three-time recipient of the Navy Superior Civilian Award.
• Mr. Kelly is CEO of LGS Innovations, a technology company with strong ties to the U.S. defense and intelligence markets. His 15-year tenure at LGS includes stints as the company’s chief operating officer and senior vice president of strategy. He previously held senior positions within General Dynamics’ Advanced Information Systems and Lockheed Martin.
• Dr. Luman, as chief of staff of the Johns Hopkins University (JHU) Applied Physics Laboratory, has provided technical leadership in undersea and missile guidance systems, ballistic missile defense and intelligence systems architectures. He has served on special assignments at the U.S. submarine force headquarters in Pearl Harbor, the Office of Naval Research, the Missile Defense Agency and the National Security Agency.
• Mr. Marolda is COO for Rolls-Royce’s Defence Division. He joined the organization in 2002 as president of Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Inc. and has since held increasingly senior roles in the marine and aerospace businesses. Mr. Marolda previously was president of Kidde Fenwal Safety Systems and earlier spent 20 years with General Electric in its Power Systems and Energy Divisions.
• Mr. Scolese became director of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in March 2012. He previously served at NASA as associate administrator. From January 2009 until July 2009, he served as NASA’s acting administrator where he was responsible for leading the development, design and implementation of the nation’s civil space program.

A Celebration of Achievement

For the honorees, Thursday was a night of personal reflection, stretching as far back as childhood.

“I developed a passion at an early age when I had my first box of Legos,” Mr. Kelly said. “I liked to build things—I liked to create things. I went off script. When you get a little older, and you are tired of building things, you take things apart. Sometimes they go back together, many times they don’t. But you start to learn how things work.”

Others used their podium time to highlight their education at GW. Though they attended the university at different times and received different degrees, Mr. Colabatistto, Dr. Luman and Mr. Marolda each spoke fondly of their years in Foggy Bottom and how it helped them in their careers.

“That was where my professors unlocked secrets for me,” Mr. Colabatistto said. “I felt like I was learning something no one else knew, and I learned about wave propagation and analog-to-digital conversion and code theory. And I could bring that to my job every day. I was able to understand systems we take for granted every day. And that was exciting for me—to unlock those secrets of the universe.”

For Dr. D’Andrea, the tactics of a system engineer help her solve problems outside of engineering.

“I learned that at NASA,” she said. “Every complex problem you face, you decompose that problem into smaller problems you can solve. And whether you are raising your wonderful children or working through your career, it’s just a systems engineering problem. And when you look back, you are amazed at what you accomplished.”

Growing SEAS

Since its inception in 2006, SEAS has inducted 60 alumni into the GW Engineering Hall of Fame. The school has more than 22,000 living alumni, so the 60-member Hall of Fame represents a very select group.

“When I looked down at that list I, saw some of my mentors and colleagues,” Mr. Scolese said. “It’s incredible to be associated with them.”

Thursday marked the first Hall of Fame induction ceremony held inside Science and Engineering Hall, which opened last winter. The facility continues to impress—“the high bay is just to die for,” Dr. D’Andrea said—but the building, Dr. Lerman added, is nothing without the right people.

“You need facilities for people to do great things, especially in engineering—which is fundamentally much more experimental and hands-on than other fields,” he said. “You need laboratories, teaching facilities and gathering spaces that this incredible building provides. But what really makes this a great place is the faculty, staff and students who bring the activities of this building to life—the way they use the space.”

The George Washington University’s annual open enrollment period ends Oct. 30. GW faculty and staff have until 8 p.m. Friday to make elections or changes to their benefits for 2016.

Open enrollment, which began at the beginning of the month, is the annual opportunity for university employees to review and make changes to their benefits—medical, dental, flexible spending accounts, life insurance, vision and more. Changes made during open enrollment go into effect Jan. 1, 2016. Changes to health plans made outside this period require a "qualified life event," such as a change in marital status, birth or spouse's work status/eligibility for health insurance coverage.

University faculty and staff can make open enrollment selections online using the university’s EasyEnroll system.

Plan enhancements in 2016—outlined in detail in previous GW Today reports—include a GW matching contribution for participants enrolled in the High-Deductible Health Plan and enrolled in the Health Savings account, removal of the separate pharmacy deductible on the Basic and Medium plans and UnitedHealthcare Virtual Visits.

Additional plan changes include the introduction of prescription drug coinsurance in the university's Basic and Medium plans, pharmacy management programs and a new preferred network for labs and imaging.

UHR and the Benefits Administration department are sponsoring benefits fairs where employees will have the opportunity to speak directly with GW’s benefit plan providers, as well as receive assistance with the enrollment process. The last benefits fair will take place Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Marvin Center Grand Ballroom.

By Brittney Dunkins

Every week, 56-year-old Garcella Campbell rides her bike across D.C. to the Turkey Thicket Aquatic Facility to take water aerobics classes. She eats fresh, seasonal vegetables when she can, but said that it can be difficult to find local produce or healthy recipes.

“We learn as we go along when it comes to health and nutrition, but it has to be a priority,” Ms. Campbell said Saturday afternoon at the annual George Washington University Urban Food Task Force Pop-Up Produce Market and Health Screening Fair held at the Deanwood Recreation Center.  

“I want to be able to run and skip with my grandchildren.”

Ms. Campbell was among the D.C. residents of Ward 7 and 8 who attended the final event in the university celebration of Food Day, observed nationally Oct. 24. GW’s 2015 Food Day celebration included a talk by author and food activist Michael Pollan and the annual Apple Day giveaway.

Volunteers, including William Carnago, Board of Trustees director of board operations, Loretta Penn, wife of Trustee Emeritus and Campaign for GW Chair BJ Penn, Dawnita Aliteri, senior advisor to the president, Diane Knapp, UFTF chair and Chaka Butler, GW Office of the President staff, were all smiles on Saturday at the annual Pop-Up Produce Market and Health Screening Fair. (Zach Marin/GW Today)

Residents took home bright green reusable grocery bags filled with kale, apples, onions, potatoes and other fruits and vegetables donated by UFTF, Giant, Sodexo, the Corner Bakery Cafe’ and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Minority Health. Bags also included fresh mint from the F Street House garden and basil grown in the Division of Operations Facilities Services edible landscaping project.

“The Pop-Up Produce Market is the cornerstone event of our Food Day activities,” said UFTF Chair Diane Knapp. “It’s another opportunity for faculty, students and staff to get out into the community and walk the talk,  while the  university chef gives residents a taste of the simple joys of healthy eating.”

University Chef Robert Donis demonstrated for residents how to prepare healthy, simple recipes using the produce provided. Residents took home the recipes and tasted the creations—a tangy fresh slaw and a kale, apple and onion skillet.

University Chef Robert Donis provided cooking demonstrations of recipes using fresh fall produce. (Zach Marin/GW Today)

“The onion is a little spicy, but it’s good,” said Brenda Everette, a first-time fair attendee and 15-year Deanwood resident. “I enjoy cooking yellow string beans, but I’ve learned to just cook them for about 15 minutes so they are still crunchy and full of nutrients, not for hours like my mother used to do.”

In addition to cooking advice, GW Hospital Clinical Dietician Elaine Ferrel returned to the fair to offer basic nutrition information. Ms. Ferrel said that understanding portion sizes and nutrition labels is one the biggest hurdles for people adopting a healthier lifestyle. She recommends reading the labels on packaged foods to understand calorie content and serving size before purchasing or eating packaged foods.

“Eating larger portions can lead to obesity, hypertension and other diseases in the long term,” Ms. Ferrel said. “Reading labels and understanding serving sizes is a simple way to regulate how much you are eating.”

GW Healing Clinic physician assistant students also volunteered to measure residents’ blood pressure, weight and offer tips on maintaining healthy fitness levels.

 First-year physical assistant student Mark Morris was among the GW Healing Clinic volunteers who provided free health screening to residents. (Zach Marin/GW Today)

Cayla Carosone, a first-year physician assistant student, said that people are usually aware that blood pressure and weight are important but need guidance on ways to monitor their fitness. As a rule, she encourages people to consider everything they eat in terms of “whether they would feed it to their child.”

“People are busy and on the go and often they don’t consider how their food choices affect them in the long run—even if they are aware that maintaining their health is important,” Ms. Carosone said. “If you are healthy, you aren’t just better for yourself, you can be better for others.”

By Brittney Dunkins

The George Washington University Libraries announced Monday that the Virginia Science and Technology Campus Library located at Enterprise Hall will offer access 24 hours a day, seven days a week to members of the GW community.

Students, faculty and staff can use their GWorld identification cards to gain automated entry to the library for access to study space, computers and other resources. New hours begin Oct. 26.

Vice Provost for Libraries and University Librarian Geneva Henry said the increased access is a response to student need.

“Our students expressed a need for 24-hour access to quality study space, and we are pleased to provide that at the VSTC Library,” Ms. Henry said. “We are continually searching for ways to better meet the needs of all students and support learning and research.”

VSTC Library staff will continue to be available on-site 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday to assist with research and checking out books.

One-on-one research consultations with a librarian also are available by appointment during normal business hours at the Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library and via telephone, and online via GW’s free WebEx service. 

Detailed services and hours for the Gelman Library and the Eckles Library are available online. The Division of Operation and the Provost’s office released a comprehensive listing of fall building hours in September.

Students, faculty and staff also can access assistance by phone, email, text or the Ask Us Desk.

The VSTC Library will continue to provide access to visitors and members of Washington Research Library Consortium during regular staffed hours. Nonprofit organizations and individuals looking for resources through the Funding Information Network can also visit the VSTC library during staffed hours.  

By Ruth Steinhardt

In an effort to raise awareness of issues of sexual consent, the George Washington University chapter of fraternity Zeta Beta Tau and its philanthropic partner, Jewish Women International, organized 515 students Saturday in an attempt to break the world record for largest game of “Red Light, Green Light.”

The effort fell short of the Guinness record of 1,203 players, but organizers ended the day feeling triumphant in having met the larger purpose of initiating discussion about consent.

“The really important thing is having the conversation,” said ZBT president Nick Carr. “If this helped just one person, we’re doing something right.”

The game was emceed by Kyle Lierman, B.B.A. ’10, an associate director in the White House Office of Public Engagement, who helped develop and implement the “It’s On Us” campaign. It differed from the traditional Red Light children’s game in one respect: Players were asked to run when Mr. Lierman called “green,” to freeze when he called “red” and when he called “yellow,” to turn to a neighbor and ask for permission before continuing.

“This is the type of issue where you want to get as many new people involved as possible,” Mr. Lierman said. “So coming up with creative ways to get people thinking about it and talking about it is important.”

The game was the culmination of ZBT and JWI’s “Green Light Go!: Respect the Signals” campaign, which urges college students to talk openly about how issues like alcohol, double standards between the sexes and lack of communication can affect sexual consent, and how to be sensitive to verbal and nonverbal cues from a partner.

“The game itself reflects the signals,” Mr. Carr said. “It’s a way to talk about a serious topic, but make it fun and engaging.”

ZBT president Nick Carr addresses students gathered for the event. (Zach Marin/GW Today) 

The atmosphere on University Yard was festive. Students from Towson University and the University of Maryland munched pizza and tossed Frisbees alongside Georgetown and GW students. Young women in sorority sweatshirts danced in a circle to Justin Bieber’s chart-topping “What Do You Mean?” in which the pop star asks plaintively, “When you nod your head yes, but you wanna say no/What do you mean?” It is a question the event was, in a sense, aimed at eliminating.

“The framework of this event is about enthusiastic consent,” said Dana Fleitman, senior manager of prevention and training programs at JWI. “We’ve all heard of ‘no means no,’ but that’s kind of a problematic standard for sexual behavior. It assumes that everything’s fine until someone literally yells ‘Stop’ in your face. We don’t live our lives that way – we don’t assume everything is fine and ignore everyone’s social cues until we get yelled at. If we did that, we’d have no friends or jobs. So it’s weird that we’ve let that become the standard for sex, which is actually very intimate and risky.”

Players skid to a halt at a "red light." (Zach Marin/GW Today) 

ZBT members said fraternities and sororities have a particularly important role to play in preventing sexual assault.

“Greek organizations are such a big part of the social scene on campus, which unfortunately is where so many things related to sexual assault can happen—at parties, in social settings,” said freshman Enrique Covarrubias, a member of ZBT. “So I think it’s kind of our responsibility to help lead the conversation.”

Tellingly, Interfraternity Council President Keaton White and Multicultural Greek Council President Victoria Montero attended the event. So did members of GW’s administration, including Dean of Student Affairs Peter Konwerski, Associate Dean of Students Tim Miller and Title IX Coordinator Rory Muhammad.

“At the end of the day, we may be separate organizations, but we’re one GW community, and I think this really shines at events like this,” Mr. White said. “At GW, we want to be the Greek community in the country that’s really taking on this issue [of consent]. We all just want to talk about it.”

By Brittney Dunkins

George Washington University students will learn to prioritize wellness during the annual Be Wiser Week, hosted this week by Health Promotion and Prevention Services (HPPS).

The roster of events includes workshops on bystander intervention, time management and coping with adversity, the second annual Boo Bash Halloween party on Oct. 30 and a headlining event with speaker Mike Dilbeck. Mr. Dilbeck’s talk on “ResponseAbility: The Revolution for Courageous Leadership” is the foundation for the George’s Heroes bystander intervention training.

“This year Be Wiser Week will promote the expanded mission of HPPS as a part of the Colonial Health Center by providing students with the tools to make healthy decisions in all aspects of their lives at GW,” said HPPS Associate Director Alexis Janda. “Mike Dilbeck will also share a powerful message with the university community on Wednesday and host three private ‘deep dive sessions’ with athletes, emerging Greek life leaders, and staff and faculty.”

View a full list of upcoming Be Wiser Week events below.

Monday, Oct. 26

Happiness Workshop
5 p.m., Mount Vernon Campus, Academic Building, Room 119
Learn tips for coping with adversity and managing wellness during the workshop on the “tools of happiness.”

Bystander Intervention: George’s Heroes
7 p.m., J Street, Columbian Square
This training session will teach Colonials to step in and stand up for others with the principles of bystander intervention

Tuesday, Oct. 27

Social Host: Power Hour Workshop
7 p.m., Estelle and Melvin Gelman Library, Room 219
Learn to host social events responsibly at this event, which will offer GW procedures for registering events with alcohol.

Wednesday, Oct. 28

Overcoming Procrastination Workshop
5 p.m., Multicultural Student Services Center
This workshop will tackle the consequences of procrastination and offer time management tactics.

Courageous Leadership
7:30 p.m., Charles E. Smith Center
Mr. Dilbeck will offer a keynote address to the GW community on how being a “courageous leader” will contribute to the overall health and wellness of the university.

Thursday, Oct. 29

How Will You Be Wiser?
11 a.m., Kogan Plaza
Colonials can share their plans to “Be Wiser” by writing on a banner in Kogan Plaza at this outdoor awareness event hosted by HPPS.

Mount Vernon Campus Cookout for Campus Safety
4 p.m., Mount Vernon Campus Quad
Halloween safety gets a fun spin at this outdoor barbecue featuring games and arts and crafts.

Friday, Oct. 30

Boo Bash
7 p.m., Kogan Plaza
Get in the spooky spirit of Halloween at this outdoor fair featuring a photo booth, a barbecue, music, costume contest and more. Prizes will be awarded for the best costume.

By Brittney Dunkins

In the 21^st century, Grant Wood’s “American Gothic” painting of a farmer and his wife standing with rake in hand on a small plot of land has been replaced by urban farms tucked between skyscrapers, sprawling corporate farms sustained by machinery and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The tension between the old system and the new raises a question. What does innovation cost American farming?

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History gathered experts across the food spectrum Friday to tackle this issue and others at the Food History Roundtable. The event was the start of the museum’s Food History Weekend and a precursor to the Oct. 24 national observance of Food Day.

George Washington University Executive Director of Sustainability Kathleen Merrigan joined food and agribusiness experts for the “Growing Innovations” panel discussion to examine how issues of the modern food system are shaping the future.

Panelists included Dr. Merrigan, Nikko and David Masumoto, who represented the Masumoto Family Farm in Fresno, Calif., Malik Yakini, the founder and executive director of Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, and Zach Hunnicutt, farmer and partner of Hunnicutt Farms and DWH, Inc.

National Museum of American History curator Peter Liebhold moderated the panel.

Check out three highlights from the roundtable discussion curated by George Washington Today reporter Brittney Dunkins.

1. The organic food industry is only getting stronger.

Dr. Merrigan said that although the process of growing organic crops requires “eyes on acres,” intensive management and a commitment to using crop rotation to improve soil health, farmers are stepping up to the challenge to meet government standards. Mr. Masumoto thanked Dr. Merrigan for her contributions to developing the guidelines when she served as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Dr. Merrigan encouraged consumers to avoid the sensationalized fight over organic crops as seen in the pages of The New York Times, which questions whether organic foods are worth the extra cost to consumers and whether the crops are targeted for wealthier consumers.

“The organic food industry is growing and is stronger than ever,” Dr. Merrigan said. “The organic premium is worth paying.”

2. GMO controversy needs to morph from debate to discussion.

The panelists assumed staunch pro and con positions on the subject of GMOs. While Mr. Yakini took issue with the fundamental concept that GMOs allow a person to patent and own a life form, Mr. Hunnicutt said that the GMO crops on his farm allowed the farmers to stop using harsh chemicals to control weeds because the crops were weed resistant.

“If we demonize GMOs, we are going to give up a lot of future benefits,” Mr. Hunnicutt said. “It’s likely that the next generation of GMOs will be able to adapt to tougher growing conditions.”

Mr. Hunnicutt added that since people are becoming interested in the food system after decades of disinterest, it is farmers’ responsibility to communicate the value of GMOs better.

Both Dr. Merrigan and Mr. Matsumoto agreed that the issue was too complex for a simple pro/con debate. Mr. Matsumoto said that the tension lies in adopting quickly changing technology when farming is “by its nature” very slow.

“It is not about who is for or against. We need to open the floor to scientific discussions,” Dr. Merrigan said.

3. Technology is not just about convenience. It also affects the structure of the industry.

When Dr. Leibhold asked about the tension of scaling up agribusiness with technology, panelists took positons on both sides of the issue. While they agreed that modern agriculture was vested in agricultural advances, they noted that for every improvement the system has shifted, often pushing out workers.

“I am excited about what tech could do for us,” Dr. Merrigan said.

She optimistically pointed out that a milking robot could improve the economic viability of a dairy farmer’s operation. She added that the engineers and farmers working together at Stone Barns Center of Food and Agriculture are taking a holistic view of how technology can improve the lives of farmers.

However, Ms. Matsumoto advocated for “appropriate level technology” because she is concerned that new technology pushes workers down the chain.

“Farmers already have trouble paying workers what they are worth,” Ms. Matsumoto said. “Do we want less people involved in our food system?”

Mr. Yakini said that since technology can perpetuate inequality, it is important to focus on building an equitable system.

“The greatest innovations will be an innovation of our values so that they can guide how we create and use technology,” Mr. Yakini said.