Feb. 25, 2020: Reyes *11 Promotes Science Education; Ferriss ’00 on the Potential of Psychedelics

Reina Reyes *11, left, with Professor James Gunn and researcher Rachel Mandelbaum in 2010, found fame as an astrophysics student helping to confirm Einstein’s theory of relativity. Today, she’s using the experience to promote science education in her native Philippines. Read more in Symmetry magazine.

Entrepreneur Tim Ferriss ’00 is leading a new movement to treat mental-health issues with psychedelic drugs. — Fortune
 
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ’86 pledged $10 billion of his world-leading fortune to fight climate change. — NPR
 
Author Morgan Jerkins ’14 and Autumn Womack, an assistant professor of English and African American studies at Princeton, discussed forgotten works of the Harlem Renaissance in a recent radio roundtable. — 1A (WAMU)

Blaming undue harassment from “Bernie Bros,” Lindy Li ’12 resigned her post as treasurer of the Pennsylvania Young Democrats following outrage over tweets she wrote about Bernie Sanders. — The Philadelphia Inquirer
 
Lawyer Liz Hallock ’02 entered Washington’s gubernatorial race as a Green Party candidate. — Yakima Herald-Republic
 
Paul G. Haaga Jr. ’70, the chairman of National Public Radio’s board of directors, said that the outlet was still well-loved and supported despite ire from President Donald Trump. — The New York Times
 

“Having the university contact me about a viral tweet is basically the opposite of trying to keep a low profile.”

—Steffi Diem *08, a new engineering physics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, after an early February tweet celebrating her academic journey back to Wisconsin drew some 50,000 likes. Read more in UW News.

Architect Kutan Ayata *04 was interviewed about what it means to “practice” architecture and the process of founding his own firm, with Michael Young *05. — The Architect’s Newspaper
 
New Zealand national-team athlete Julia Ratcliffe ’17 has improved her personal best in the hammer throw and is inching closer to the qualifying mark for the 2020 Olympics. — Stuff.NZ

The Toronto Maple Leafs acquired forward Max Veronneau ’19 in a trade with the Ottawa Senators. — CBC

Doug Snyder ’78, a high school basketball coach in Allentown, Pa., delayed his celebration after winning a local championship game to teach one of his players a lesson about sportsmanship. — The Morning Call