Wednesday, May 13, 2020
To the Princeton University community,
How does it feel to be graduating in the time of COVID-19? And what’s it like to be making history as the Princeton Class of 2020 Valedictorian? In this week’s newsletter, we highlight the latest episode of the “We Roar” podcast with Princeton’s 2020 valedictorian, Nicholas Johnson. An operations research and financial engineering concentrator from Montreal, Johnson looks back at his education and experiences, and shares his pride at becoming the first black student to be named valedictorian in the University’s history. He also expresses his empathy for his 2020 classmates, whose studies and celebrations were disrupted this spring by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We Roar” also features new interviews with surgical resident and Princeton alumnus Glenn Wakam, and with Princeton post-doctoral research fellow and immunologist Caroline Bartman.
This week’s newsletter also includes information about:
- Princeton research that explores how symptomless transmission helps pathogens thrive such as viruses like the one that causes COVID-19;
- The #TigersHelping the Special Olympics during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic; and
- Planning for virtual Commencement and Hooding ceremonies at the end of May.
You can learn more about these topics below, and as always, please continue to consult the University’s coronavirus website for updates and answers to frequently asked questions.
Princeton’s First Black Valedictorian Nicholas Johnson Marks Multiple Milestones in ‘We Roar’ Podcast
In the latest episode of the “We Roar” podcast, Princeton senior Nicholas Johnson reflects on becoming the first black student to achieve the honor of valedictorian in the University’s history. He also explains the impact he hopes to have with his computational research into human behavior — including behaviors related to COVID-19 — and how he and his 2020 classmates have persisted through one of the worst crises in modern times.
“The pandemic has impacted us, impacted myself, impacted my classmates, very significantly, in unprecedented ways,” he said. “Working from home to finish off our Princeton experience poses a unique set of challenges, particularly for students who don’t have a supportive home environment or one that is not conducive to conducting Princeton’s academic work. My heart especially goes out to all students who have lost loved ones to the pandemic.”
Johnson was featured on NBC’s Today Show and has received congratulations from people across the world, including from Princeton Class of 1985 graduate and former First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy.
Johnson was announced as valedictorian in April with Latin salutatorian Grace Sommers. They will speak at Princeton’s virtual Commencement on May 31.
‘We Roar’ Podcast Features Views from COVID-19 Frontlines, Public Health Expert
The ‘We Roar’ podcast also features new episodes with surgical resident Glenn Wakam, Princeton Class of 2011, and immunologist Caroline Bartman, a Princeton post-doctoral research fellow.
Glenn Wakam shares his view of the health disparities exposed and amplified by the pandemic, from his perspective on the front lines in a Detroit-area hospital. “When this all started, COVID-19 was touted as the great equalizer,” said Wakam in the podcast. “Officials said it didn’t matter your race, your religion, your socioeconomic status, that this would affect us all the same. That’s just not true.”
Prior to starting medical school, Wakam had tackled health disparities between white and black Americans from an unexpected angle, looking into possible genetic origins. For his senior thesis at Princeton, he compared the health outcomes of African immigrants and their children to those of African Americans whose families have lived in the United States for centuries.
In another podcast episode, immunologist Caroline Bartman, a post-doctoral research fellow in the Joshua Rabinowitz Lab, talks about her and Rabinowitz’s recent op-ed in The New York Times, which brought important knowledge about coronavirus infections to the public's attention.
Bartman explains viral load and how catching COVID-19 isn’t all-or-nothing. Like poison, a high dose of virus can kill while a low viral load may cause mild infections, Bartman says.
Virtual Hooding and Commencement 2020
The University’s Commencement website includes information about virtual events being planned by the University, as well as by individual departments and programs, for Commencement 2020. Please continue to check the website for additional details and updates throughout the month of May.
As previously announced, in-person Commencement activities and ceremonies scheduled for May 31-June 2 have been canceled due to ongoing concerns and public safety and health restrictions associated with COVID-19. A special in-person ceremony will be held in May of 2021.
In a letter to the Class of 2020, President Christopher L. Eisgruber explained the University will “officially and enthusiastically” confer degrees to all seniors and graduate students earning their degrees in a virtual ceremony on May 31. Additional details on the virtual ceremony will be provided to the senior class and shared on theCommencement website.
In a letter to graduate students, Dean of the Graduate School Sarah-Jane Leslie explained the University will host a virtual Hooding ceremony, to honor and recognize this milestone achievement on Friday, May 29, at 4 p.m. EDT. Graduating students are also invited to return to campus and be hooded in person at next year’s Hooding Ceremony in May of 2021.
Graduating students who wish to participate in the virtual Hooding ceremony must register online using the unique username and password provided in the email sent to graduate students the week of May 4. If you will be graduating in May but did not receive a registration email, please email gradevents@princeton.edu.
Princeton Researchers Study ‘Silent Spread’
COVID-19′s rapid spread throughout the world has been fueled in part by the virus’ ability to be transmitted by people who are not showing symptoms of infection.
A study by Princeton researchers has found that this silent phase of transmission can be a successful evolutionary strategy for pathogens such as viruses like the one that causes COVID-19. The study was published May 8 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The study examined the pros and cons of silent transmission on the pathogen’s long-term survival. Does transmission without symptoms enable the pathogen to infect greater numbers of people? Or does the lack of symptoms eventually lessen transmission and reduce the pathogen’s long-term survival? The answer could inform how public health experts plan control measures such as quarantines, testing and contract tracing.
The research was conducted by: Bryan Grenfell, the Kathryn Briger and Sarah Fenton Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Public Affairs, Woodrow Wilson School; Simon Levin, the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Chadi Saad-Roy, a graduate student in the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics; and Ned Wingreen, the Howard A. Prior Professor in the Life Sciences and a professor of molecular biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics.
#TigersHelping Social Media Spotlight
The #TigersHelping website and social media campaign continue to spotlight Princeton alumni, faculty, staff and students who are serving and supporting their communities and fellow Tigers amid the challenges of COVID-19.
After Special Olympics events were canceled, two Princeton field hockey players volunteered to keep athletes active virtually. Class of 2021 members Mary Kate Neff and Grace Brightbill created a 13-minute video called “Staying Fit at Home.”
“I really wanted to do this well, so we put a lot of effort into thinking about which exercises would translate,” Neff said. “I looked online for possible examples and videos that could give me more insight, but what I found was that there really weren’t many at-home workouts for Special Olympics athletes. That made me even more passionate about what we were doing, because I recognized that the video could have an immediate impact.”
Read more about the students’ Special Olympics fitness video and share their story on social media using #TigersHelping.
Public Health Update
All students, faculty, staff, postdocs and researchers should contact University Health Services if they are tested for coronavirus, in any jurisdiction. Please email communityhealth@princeton.edu as soon as you are tested; do not wait for results to notify UHS.
The University will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests and cases involving community members which UHS is aware of. These numbers, especially those involving students who no longer reside on campus, are based on self-reporting. The most recent update can be found at coronavirus.princeton.edu.
University Health Services continues to support the University community through its on-campus and virtual services. Information on UHS hours, medical and psychological services, and virtual consultations is available on the UHS website.
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