How a Clock is the Missing Piece to Deep Space Travel

How a Clock is the Missing Piece to Deep Space Travel

Jaret Prothro
Technology

Imagine this scenario: You are tasked with shooting an arrow and hitting a target the size of a quarter. This in itself is a pretty difficult task that requires immense accuracy. Now, the quarter-sized target that you are tasked with hitting is sitting in Times Square, New York, and you are standing in Los Angeles. This is the example that Jill Seubert uses to contextualize her job as a deep space navigator. Seubert is in charge of steering spacecraft from the moment they separate away from the launch vehicle until they reach their final destination. She has the opportunity to adjust the course of the spacecraft (the arrow in the analogy) only a couple of times along its trajectory. But in order to make the necessary adjustments, she must know the exact location of the spacecraft at any given moment in time.

Quantitative Easing: Its Mechanism, Aftermath, and Evaluation

Quantitative Easing: Its Mechanism, Aftermath, and Evaluation

Vincent Z. Yu
Economics

While conventional monetary policies involve mild modifications of various metrics, unconventional policies are aggressive endeavors for a short-term major impact. Quantitative Easing (QE) is a major component of it, envisioned more than a decade ago for strong stimulation of a distressed economy. QE refers to large-scale purchases of securities, through which central banks directly pump a tremendous amount of cash into the market. For example, the Fed had already reduced the federal funds rate to zero in 2008 amid economic deterioration. While some European countries pushed down the rate to its negative, the Fed announced a plan of buying mortgage-backed securities and debt issued by government-sponsored enterprises. This was the beginning of the five-year long expansion period for the Fed’s balance sheet as well as the debate over QE and its application.

Private Equity’s J-Curve and Its Mitigation

Private Equity’s J-Curve and Its Mitigation

Ethan Wildes
Finance

Within private equity, a fund’s returns often resemble a J-Curve where there exists a small loss before a continued gain. This image would resemble a “J” when charted. This is especially common for private equity firms that purchase struggling companies and attempt to turn them around. These firms will take on unprofitable businesses, and tag along management fees that keep investor returns low or negative until their investments begin to mature, and the purchased businesses become profitable. This creates a period wherein traditional private equity investment is unprofitable and returns are low, or the dip at the beginning of the “J”. These cash flows depend on the “timing of cash flows, timing of performance, and market performance” (Diller, 20). By pulling these levers one way or another, the J-curve can be manipulated. With research indicating that funds with at least 15% private investment outperform their peers, the benefits of seeking these investments are clear. But how can we reduce the time in which these investments underperform?

ESG: The Future of Investing

ESG: The Future of Investing

Peyton Stanley
Finance, Investing

As society moves towards more sustainable measures and public consciousness increases, ESG components will become more prevalent and a determinant in investing. Pivotal investment companies, such as Morgan Stanley, are already prioritizing ESG in their strategies and integrating monetized measurements to provide a competitive advantage. Currently, ESG proceedings are primarily symbolic over substantive. Many ESG topics will not have prompt impact but over time, companies can reap the benefits from the longevity of their ESG investments (Insights, 2020). However, as research and technology prevail and society looks forward, tangible initiatives will transpire and ESG investing will promise a future edge for progressive investors.

The Coding Interview

The Coding Interview

Ina Patrice Gonzales
Technology

About four years ago, in August 2017, I began my journey to obtain my undergraduate degree as a biology major on the pre - health track. For the majority of my life, I dreamed of wearing the iconic white lab coat, listening to patients, and providing aid for their ailments. However, all of that changed when I enrolled in the first four courses of my freshman year of college: General Chemistry I, Introduction to Biology I, Composition II, and Faith and Critical Reasoning. I struggled through my first two science courses and after receiving my horrible midterm grades, I promptly decided that biology was no longer for me. I felt lost with what I wanted to do in my life, but I knew that I had to achieve my undergraduate degree one way or another. On average, about 36 million Americans attend college but are unable to complete all of their coursework in order to obtain their respective degrees (Fain, 2019). Although I was incredibly lost in my future, I knew that I wanted to push myself further and finish college as it is an extreme privilege that many do not have. This led me down the path of mathematics where I rediscovered a passion for logical reasoning and calculations. Following this, I enrolled in my first computer science course, Computer Science I.

Ethiopia Industrial Policies Part 2: Importance of Private Entrepreneurship in Export-Oriented Strategies

Ethiopia Industrial Policies Part 2: Importance of Private Entrepreneurship in Export-Oriented Strategies

Vincent Z. Yu
Public Policy

In part 1 of our discussion, we talked about how import-substituting strategies have their unique and crucial contributions to the progress of a developing country, like Ethiopia. Domestic control over far-reaching input capital goods, such as cement, metal, natural resources, etc. provides robust support to virtually all other industries. Contrary to import-substituting policies, export-oriented ones provide fast rides to advanced technologies, mature management, and a larger market, though at a high cost of local control and path certainty.

The Symbiosis Between Art and Science

The Symbiosis Between Art and Science

Darcy Harris
Science & Nature

The world seems intent on dividing things into art and science. This is apparent in the inaccurate notion that people are either left-brained or right-brained. Society possesses the characterization that a person can only be analytical or creative. A person will attempt to define herself as an “art person” or a “science person.” There is no in-between area presented in society, which gives rise to stereotypes of both fields.

Automation, From an Economic Point of View

Automation, From an Economic Point of View

Juan Dufour
Economics

In the next ten years, one out of three American workers (and 800 million globally) are at risk of losing their jobs to new technologies, according to research from McKinsey (Manyika et al., 2019). Automation, the use of largely automatic equipment in a system of manufacturing or other production processes, and Artificial Intelligence, the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, are going to replace millions in the workplace. Many people are freaking out about this; while at the same time, many people are looking forward to it. Should we be worried about automation or should we be happy? That depends. When discussing automation it is crucial to understand that (i) we don’t want jobs, (ii) it will bring about massive economic disparity, and (iii) we must approach this future in an intelligent manner.

The Numbers Behind the Universe

The Numbers Behind the Universe

Ciera McFarland
Science & Nature

It is easy to observe the universe as a whole and decide it is rather chaotic. If nothing else, we have all at least vaguely heard about the entropy of the universe in pop culture. This idea stems from the fact that in thermodynamics, systems trend toward increases in entropy, or disorder. By that logic, the entire universe is eventually going to achieve its own maximum level of disorder, though it is hard to say exactly what that means. However, despite our general concerns about the logic of the universe, a surprisingly small amount of numbers forms the basis for phenomena occurring around us all the time. It would seem the universe has more order than we think.

Load More