Graduation 2008 - University of Hawaii at Hilo

8 Ke Kalahea
Spring Issue 7: May 6, 2008
“Complex”
Bethany Trieb
Staff Writer
The quality and importance of research,
the in-depth findings of one person’s thought
processes, and finally, the intellectual pathway
of achievement and knowledge into “complex
systems,” are you ready?!
I would like to share with all readers of the
Ke Kalahea that a professor at our university
(yes…our University in Hilo) has thought
about “complex systems” for fifteen years,
resulting in a very important advancement
in the world of science.
A professor of Physics, Dr. Philippe M.
Binder, has published his story in Science. Science
is, “the academic journal of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science and
is considered one of the world’s most prestigious
scientific journals.” I wish to point of
the significance of this journal, Science, on a
basis that, the reputation of publishing articles
in this journal is marked as a “fundamental
breakthrough” in the respected field of science;
Binder’s being “complex systems.” This
journal is considered “one of the very few elite
scientific journals [in science],” and one must
be of great knowledge and understanding [in
the sciences] to be allowed this great opportunity.
The fact that a journal like Science has
agreed to publish Dr. Binder’s work, means
that, “the article will reach an estimated audience
of a million scientists who read this
journal worldwide.”
Dr. Binder’s findings on, “complex systems”
is a breakthrough in this area of science, which
is why he has been granted the ability to have
his work published in the Science journal.
Binder declares, “although I am a theoretical
physicist, “complex systems” includes examples
from biology, chemistry, computation,
mathematics and the social sciences, and this
is reflected in my paper.” Obviously, the importance
of research in many different fields
has brought Dr. Binder to his discovery.
Dr. Philippe M. Binder, a graduate of Yale
University in Physics knows a plethora of information
about something that many of us
may never even contemplate a single thought
on. I have been challenged to put into consideration
what Dr. Binder has introduced, and
I am also challenging those who read this
article to reflect on something so deep into
the brain of a man, that again, you and I may
never think of this at any other time. To find
the deserved recognition owed to Dr. Binder
for the quality of his explanation, and many
years of thought and research on “complex
systems” may be the essence to my writing.
What comes to mind when the words
“frustration in complexity” are said, read,
written, stated, and enunciated? I must start
from scratch. The dictionary meaning of
frustration is: “to disappoint or to oppose successfully;
prevent from accomplishing a purpose.”
The dictionary meaning of complexity
is: “composed of many different interconnected
parts.” One must consider, “defining
complexity is frustrating,” (the opening sentence
to Binder’s story), and yes, complexity
is difficult and frustrating to define due to the
fact that it means, “many different interconnected
parts.” Binder later explains the essence
of complexity, “a system without dynamical
frustration will either settle to equilibrium or
grow without bounds.”
To all those who are not scientists, (including
myself), I wish to help you take an understanding
of what Dr. Binder has discovered.
When I first read about his findings, I didn’t
quite comprehend this breakthrough. My
attempt at fathoming, which may also allow
readers to understand will be drawn from
this article, and my own interpretation of
something as profound and intellect as Dr.
Binder’s shall be feasted upon by the readers
of this article, “Complex.”
A sentence; one sentence, that to me can
explain a great depth of what Dr. Binder has
found is written, “the common thread between
all complex systems may not be cooperation
but rather the irresolvable coexistence
of opposing tendencies.” Dr. Binder states, “the
main point is to provide a new look at complex
systems. Instead of focusing on cooperation
(where new behavior arises from the sum of
that of the parts), I look at frustration, which
means that a “system” may want to do several
different things at the same time, and none
of them dominates.” “The paper is the result
of fifteen years of thinking about complex
systems.” When I read that, I draw pictures, I
try to contemplate it into my own translation,
I try to perceive Dr. Binder’s interpretations
so I may also be capable of explaining this to
readers. Sudden realization: what is written in
the Science journal is “often incomprehensible
to anyone except for researchers in the field
[of science] and advanced students.” Thus, Dr.
Binder’s findings are so important, full of intellect
and in such high academy that he should
simply be congratulated on his the work he
has accomplished and the quality of it.
I do understand a portion of what Dr. Binder
has found, though,
which I will say to
help readers better
understand also.
There are many
complex systems
in the world we
inhabit. What is
the common feature
of these complex
systems? It is
not cooperation,
but it may be explained
in terms
of the fact that
there are opposing
trends to these
complex systems.
Opposing trends
that may never be
able to defeat each
other and these
opposing trends
exist in most complex
systems. Opposing trends must exist together,
making complex systems what they
are: complex. There is much more depth to
Binder’s research that I can not explain, but
I wish to have informed more than one of
the common students or faculty members of
our university with a fact: Dr. Binder’s hard,
qualifying work that has been integrated and
specialized so well into his findings of depth
and intricacy that he has been allowed an article
in Science. Congratulations Dr. Philippe
M. Binder on your accomplishment!
“I think the Big Island, and UHH, are potentially
great places to develop more complex
systems-related activities because of the
unique natural and social conditions that we
find here.” A statement made by Dr. Binder
indicating there is more work to be done in
this area of science; especially on The Big
Island.
Sudoku
www.yatam.com
What are you going www.sudoku.name
to do?
Hard
8 7 1
6 5 4 2
4 9 3
2 9
7 3 4
9 2 8
5 8 7 2
8 1 7
www.yatam.com
#5859 Tell everybody else where you www.sudoku.name
are going to
3
Top 10 Ways to Spend Your
Summer Like a UHH Student.
Luke Linhoff
HawCC News Editor
10. The fall back plan summer:
Learn to juggle. Then get really good at juggling. Think
of this as your fall back plan if you cant find a job after
your graduate; you can always juggle torches on Waikiki
for money right?
9. The biggest gainer summer: Find a super cheap
place to stay for the summer, work an easy job, and blow
ALL the money you make on Gourmet food. This choice
will make you gain 20 lbs, but you will live like a celebrity
before your liposuction appointment.
8. The biggest loser summer: Find a super cheap
place to stay for the summer, work an easy part time
job and spend ALL your free time at the gym. Getting
incredibly muscular and eating eggs all day. Note: you
will also be able to fight crime fall semester with your
huge biceps.
7. Be a professor’s work horse summer:
Find a professor and help out with their research.
When teachers are not teaching, they are still working
on their own projects. However, don’t plan on making
any money this one is for volunteers only.
6. The rippin’ summer:
Go buy a cheap long board and learn to surf. Get
good enough to short-board the next winter swell. A
good tan comes with this choice for free!
5. The get out of da’ states summer:
Spin a globe, find some crazy country, find a job there
online, and move out da’ states. Learn a bit of the local
language hopefully some unusual obscure dialect then
go home and impress your friends.
4. The 40 ounce summer:
Drink…. a lot.
3. Annoy the crap out of your neighbors summer:
Go downtown to the music shop, buy some crazy instrument
you have never heard of, and practice really
loud all summer. Screw lessons, just teach yourself!
2. The parasitic summer:
Go home and live off your parents. Yes, the place
were the fridge magically fills its self and dishes clean
themselves. AKA paradise.
1. The lamest summer possible:
Take a really hard, boring class ALL summer. Organic
chemistry 1 & 2 with both labs will do nicely!
Don’t worry if you don’t need it for your major, just take
it for fun.
Hard ++
Last issue’s solutions
8 3
6 9
7 5 6
2 9
4 6 7
1 2 8
5 1 2
5 4
7 9
#5390 www.sudoku.name
Hard
www.yatam.com
Where are you going to?
Hard++
www.yatam.com
Where are you going to?
5 1 2 4 6 7 9 3 8 5 1 2 4 6 7 9 3 8
6 7 8 3 5 9 2 4 1 6 7 8 3 5 9 2 4 1
4 9 3 8 2 1 6 5 7 4 9 3 8 2 1 6 5 7
1 2 6 9 8 3 4 7 5 1 2 6 9 8 3 4 7 5
7 3 5 1 4 6 8 9 2 7 3 5 1 4 6 8 9 2
9 8 4 2 7 5 3 1 6 9 8 4 2 7 5 3 1 6
8 4 9 5 1 2 7 6 3 8 4 9 5 1 2 7 6 3
3 5 7 6 9 8 1 2 4 3 5 7 6 9 8 1 2 4
2 6 1 7 3 4 5 8 9 2 6 1 7 3 4 5 8 9
#6984 www.sudoku.name #6984 www.sudoku.name