FShamima Begum is one of three private-school students from Great Britain that, when she was 15 years old, fled her home to Syria, in hopes of being recruited into ISIS. Four years later, she wants to return home. The catch? Her reason is not a change-of-heart about her radical political alliance, but rather, she fears the safety of her child, who was just born in Syria. The New York Times reported that Begum begged for clemency in a, “televised interview,” while also wiping her hands clean of any involvement in Islamic propaganda and the recruitment process, citing that she solely took care of her family, which consists of her husband…
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Professor spotlight: Alicia Catalina Barrientos, Psychology
PBy utilizing the skills and life lessons she learned from her unique background, professor Alicia Catalina Barrientos carved out a path that allows her to pursue a Ph.D. in behavioral and cognitive neuroscience, conduct research, and teach – all at Queens College. Barrientos’s research in Dr. Joshua Brumberg’s laboratory focuses different topics: the early development of mammals, the somatosensory cortex, and plasticity in the mammalian brain. Early development is especially interesting to her, as it is a sensitive period when an individual is making the first contacts with the environment through absorbing sensory information and incorporating it into their nervous system in a way that makes them better adapted to…
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Club Spotlight: Speech debate team
After just two minutes of preparation, Rebecca Kalendarev was able to deliver a five-minute speech about a quote she had read for the first time just two minutes ago. As a member of the Speech and Debate Society at Queens College (QC), this was for her what a warm-up would be to a runner. The Speech and Debate team at QC, led by alumnus Randy Perez, is focused on delivering a promising experience to its student members that hone their public speaking presentation skills, aid their community service work, strengthen their ability to access and relay knowledge and boosts their confidence. The team is involved in this year’s National Competition…
