Author: The UTD Mercury
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Vending machines offer disposable face masks
Vending machines across UTD are now selling disposable surgical face masks to help students safely return to life on campus. As schools and businesses begin to reopen amidst mounting safety concerns, they’re implementing a variety of strategies to keep people safe. One method of increasing the accessibility of personal protective equipment – putting PPE in…
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Looking behind the mask
Greeting a stranger with a friendly smile is certainly a little harder than it used to be, but perhaps one of the more negative side effects of wearing masks all the time is the breakdown of communication. William Katz, a BBS professor, is primarily interested in speech, production and language in the brain. As demonstrated…
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Virtual art exhibition reflects pandemic
Naked, with Fur, running from Aug. 14 to Sept. 26,is the latest virtual exhibition to grace the SP/N Gallery, and the second virtual exhibition ever. The showcase stands out as being the first all-faculty art exhibition at SP/N in over a decade. The pieces on display reflect contemporary issues like coronavirus and the Black Lives…
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Living in a twilight world
WARNING: minimal spoilers The best movies don’t just change the way we see the world after we leave the theatre – they change the way we think. Acclaimed writer and director Christopher Nolan – known for films such as “The Dark Knight,” “Inception” and “Interstellar” – has done just that in his recently released…
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Student gatherings: what’s permitted, what’s not
Student gatherings and club events are prohibited until further notice – with exceptions for free speech activities. Student organization officers received an email from the Student Organization Center on Aug. 18 prohibiting face-to-face or socially distanced events – indoor or outdoor – during the fall 2020 semester. Furthermore, the email said that the EMS room…
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Making a name from TikTok fame
Famous isn’t an inaccurate description of finance freshman Karthik Veduruparthi. College student by day and TikTok star by night, he boasts six hundred thousand followers and counting. He, as well as computer science sophomore Tisha Arora and marketing sophomore Neha Dharma, are popular creators on the acclaimed video-sharing platform who have garnered considerable fanbases with…
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Friendship through the screen
A year ago, students walked into class, chose a seat and made small talk with their classmates — a luxury we no longer have. A valid concern, in light of students and teachers opting for online classes, is the issue of making friends virtually. Physics professor Amena Khan said in a typical in-person setting, her…
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Think outside the (potato) bun
Edit as of 9/4/2020, 3:00pm: when contacted by The Mercury earlier today, Dining Services said that the Taco Bell Cantina was not able to open Sept. 3 as previously anticipated. Instead, they plan to open Sept. 10, and will still be available for walk-in and Starship deliveries. If you’re a fan of endless tacos, cheap…