Astronomy professor Michael
Meyer is at the forefront of the
study of exoplanets — a field
that explores planets orbiting
stars outside the solar system.
Recently, Meyer was part of a
team which discovered a new
planet.
After receiving his Ph.D. in
astronomy from the University
of Massachusetts and serving as
a professor in the Department
of Astronomy at the University
of
Arizona,
Meyer
worked
as a professor of star and
planet formation at the Swiss
Federal Institute of Science
and Technology, known as the
ETH, in Zurich, Switzerland,
from 2009 to 2016. He joined
the University of Michigan
faculty in fall 2016.
The
ETH’s
Institute
of
Astronomy was involved in an
international consortium that
built a device called Spectro-
Polarimetric
High-Contrast
Exoplanet Research instrument
on the European Southern
Observatory’s
Very
Large
Telescope in Chile. The ESO
is a research organization for
major astronomy institutions
in Europe; one of its most
groundbreaking creations is the
construction of four 8.2-meter
telescopes.
“The instrument (SPHERE)
is
a
very
high-resolution
The University of Michigan
released
its
2017-18
Annual
Security Report & Annual Fire
Safety Report this weekend,
indicating an increase in the
overall number of bias crimes
reported to the University and
Ann Arbor Police Departments
since last year. Two intimidation
incidents
increased
to
nine
incidents — which ranged from
property destruction to physical
assault — motivated by race,
religion and identity bias.
Furthermore,
the
report
also showed an increase in the
number of sexual assault and
harassment incidents reported
to the Sexual Assault Prevention
and Awareness Center. While
sexual
assault
incidents
increased marginally from 124
cases reported to 125, incidents
of sexual harassment jumped
from 25 to 60 cases.
The University releases these
statistics each year in accordance
with the Clery Act, a federal
statute that requires public and
private universities to release
crime statistics each year.
In an earlier interview with
the Daily, University President
Mark
Schlissel
described
plans for a website that will
provide a detailed account of
bias investigations. He noted
the importance of remaining
transparent
while
these
investigations occur to maintain
trust with students.
“I think one thing we are
doing is trying to be more rapidly
transparent about episodes that
occur, so that everyone in the
community knows where to
look when they hear a rumor
about
something,”
Schlissel
said. “We’re putting up a website
that gives basically a running
summary of the events that
happened, and the results of
any investigations and practical
things. I think that will at least
help people know what’s going
on.”
In
an
online
statement
released last week before the
report,
Eddie
Washington
Jr., executive director of the
Department of Public Safety
and Security, said DPSS officers
work tirelessly to identify the
perpetrators
behind
these
crimes. He identified the Office
of Student Conflict Resolution
as an additional entity used
to ensure students’ rights and
responsibilities are upheld.
“We
realize
that
recent
incidents on and near campus
have caused some members of
our community to feel unsafe,”
Washington
wrote.
“When
crimes are reported, we always
investigate each of the incidents.
While sometimes investigations
are not easily solved, we continue
to look for new leads that can
help identify perpetrators.”
President
Donald
Trump
intends
to
nominate
Michigan
state
Rep.
Tim
Kelly, R-Saginaw, to assistant
secretary for career, technical
and adult education in the
Department
of
Education,
according to The Detroit News.
If confirmed, Kelly will leave
his position as representative,
which he has held since 2013.
In a May interview with The
Detroit News, Kelly explained
he shares certain beliefs with
Education
Secretary
Betsy
DeVos, including their support
of school vouchers.
“We both believe in universal
choice, but this (position) is
more about trying to do what
we can for kids, instead of
loading them up with debt and
pushing everybody into four-
year college degrees, maybe
seeing what we can do for kids
who might do well in technical
training,” Kelly said to The
Detroit News.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Monday, October 2, 2017
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INDEX
Vol. CXXVII, No. 1
©2017 The Michigan Daily
N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
CL A S S I F I E DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
SPORTS ........ B -SECTION
Astronomy
researchers
talk planet
discovery
TEDx event showcases history
and traditions of Arabic dances
See PROFESSOR, Page 3A
MAX KUANG/Daily
LSA senior Mark Sultani scales the wall with the help of friends at the TedXUofM Dabke event in the Michigan Union Friday.
RESEARCH
Prof. Michael Meyer discusses his work
with planets outside the solar system
JENNIFER MEER
Daily Staff Reporter
“So You Think You Can Dabke” event attracts 40 students to Union on Friday evening
“So You Think You Can Dance”
made its way to Michigan this
weekend, but this one had a new
spin.
On Friday evening, TEDxUofM
Adventures hosted its “So You
Think You Can Dabke” event in
the Michigan Union to celebrate
and teach people about dabke
— a traditional Arab folk dance
performed at many weddings and
other occasions. About 40 students
attended the event that was co-run
by Arabesque, a dance group on
campus
that
practices
Middle
Eastern styles of dance.
LSA junior Hannah French, a
TEDxUofM member explained the
idea behind Adventures was to help
people step outside their comfort
zone, and learn about new cultures.
“Essentially an Adventure is
an experiential event,” French
said. “So we take members of the
community and we put them into a
space that they might not normally
have the opportunity to be in-such
as dabke, Arab folk dancing, or we
may take them to a farm and let
them experience why it’s like to try
something new or live that lifestyle
for a day.”
French also noted the main
difference between a TED talk and
an Adventure was the idea of first-
AMARA SHAIKH
Daily Staff Reporter
President
intends to
nominate
MI state rep
GOVERNMENT
Rep. Tim Kelly was chosen
by Trump for a spot in the
Education Department
JENNIFER MEER
Daily Staff Reporter
DESIGN BY JACK SILBERMAN
Annual crime report shows increase
in bias incident reporting on campus
The University’s new report finds an upswing in bias crimes and sexual harassment
KAELA THEUT
Daily Staff Reporter
A new era
The Wolverines helped Mel
Pearson start his career as
Michigan’s hockey coach on
a high note, netting 10 goals
against Western Ontario
in the season-opening
exhibition. » Page 1B
michigandaily.com
For more stories and coverage, visit
See DANCE, Page 3A
Fast
Forward
Medical
Innovation, a team based in the
University of Michigan Medical
School, in partnership with
the Ross School of Business,
the
School
of
Engineering
and the Michigan Economic
Development
Corporation,
held a symposium on medical
device innovation Friday.
The
goal
of
the
event
was to guide students from
developing
an
idea
for
a
medical device to receiving
funding for their project and
ultimately
commercializing
that device. The event included
several panelists, from faculty
members to venture capitalists
and
larger
corporations,
who discussed topics such
as gaining FDA approval and
funding a project.
Members of the FFMI team
also used this opportunity to
showcase posters that students
submitted as proposals for
new devices. Several of the
projects have already received
funding from FFMI, which
has
sponsored
more
than
See MEDICINE, Page 3A
‘U’ team
combines
business,
medicine
HOSPITAL
Fast Forward Medical
Innovation held its
first symposium Friday
RACHEL LEUNG
Daily Staff Reporter
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com