Delta Tau Delta - The Ohio State University

Delta Tau Delta page 2 (Continued on page 6) A s loyal Delta Tau Delta alumni, we strive to live out the fraternity's mission to be committed to lives of excellence. One of Beta Phi Chapter's newest alumni is not only dedicated to Delta Tau Delta's mission but is spreading excellence all around the world. Turner Adornetto '19 took his many talents to Germany and Tanzania while studying abroad. During his 2017-18 stay in Tanzania, Turner quickly picked up the Swahili language and did two internships. His Denman Undergraduate Research Forum project, "Sociotechnical Imaginaries of Solar Energy in Tanzania," was centered on how Tanzanians viewed the future of their society and how it would be impacted by solar energy technologies. The inspiration behind Turner's work in Tanzania came from the Modernity vs. Post- Modernity course he took with Professor Phillip Armstrong. As a part of the class, Turner watched the documentary Darwin's Nightmare, which featured how European aid to Tanzania was actually anything but considering how much harm was done. Turner is making a documentary of his own that will highlight his experience in Tanzania. "It really took Ohio State as a giant, expansive institution for all of this to be possible," Turner said in an interview with OSU's public relations department. "Each place I went, I found someone who was welcoming. Those conversations pushed me in the right direction." Making films and videos was a hobby Turner thoroughly enjoyed when he was younger, and OSU gave him a newfound love for the arts. One of his favorite college courses was Moving Image Art with Assistant Professor Vera Brunner-Sung. "Vera was the first person to show me there's a whole world outside of engineering at Ohio State and I could be a part of it," Turner said. Two of Turner's documentaries were featured in film festivals. When Turner graduated in the spring, he had earned a degree in electrical and computer engineering with a minor in science and technology studies. His hard work was rewarded with various scholarships. "I became a different person here at Ohio State," Turner said. "It was a transformation." Turner's transformation was special in that it not only transformed him but changed many others. His commitment to excellence is a perfect example of the amazing impact Delt's mission can have on undergraduate members, alumni, and everyone who interacts with the men of Delta Tau Delta. N ick Uhas '09 has led an interesting career path, to say the least. The son of two high school teachers, Nick always placed a high value on education, becoming a published chemist in his studies at OSU. While living in California before college, he became a professional stunt rollerblader, and filming stunts sparked his interest in content creation. After college, Nick would combine these passions into Nickipedia, a YouTube series of thrilling science videos; his channel has over 246,000 subscribers and more than 280 videos. Nick's YouTube clout led to him competing on the reality shows Big Brother and America's Got Talent, and this experience along with his science proficiency led to his latest job: host of Blown Away, a glass-blowing reality competition series on Netflix. But you might not know that Nick is a proud Beta Phi alumnus. He took some time to speak with us about his Delt and OSU experiences, his varied career, and the value of the fraternity experience. Why did you decide to join Delta Tau Delta? When I got to college, Alex Bailey '08, an elementary school friend, asked if I wanted to join a group of friends continuously bettering themselves through graduation. Who could say no to that?! I didn't go through recruitment my first year because Greek life seemed to clash with the "counterculture" of skating. When I did it the following year, I found that both had a similar community aspect—but this was arguably better thanks to the structure! I moved into the Shelter that same year, and brothers from my member class are still my friends. Tell us about your favorite memories as a Delt. Attending the Leadership Academy in Maine was great on so many levels. Another great one was my senior year Greek Week; I entered the Greek God competition as a skater and one of my stunts helped win Greek Week for us! Delt was also on fire academically that year, thanks largely to our advisor, Jeff Pelletier '94. How do you think Delta Tau Delta helped you become who you are today? It helped sculpt my personality, both professionally and socially. I learned to communicate with everyone by finding common threads, even if we were widely different. We were all upfront with any issues or problems and learned to resolve them quickly. The producers of Blown Away discovered you via your YouTube channel. Why did you decide to join the show? I knew very little about glass blowing but liked the idea of learning something new by observing others at work. They essentially hired me to be a liaison for the audience—I had the right science background but was still learning new things alongside the viewers. What Nickipedia video would you recommend to first-time viewers? "Liquid Sand Pool" is a great one. By pumping nitrogen through a sand bed that we lined with copper pipes, the sand acts as a liquid! Since we're talking about glass blowing, another good one is "Unbreakable Exploding Glass Committed to Excellence Turner Adornetto '19 Makes the Most of Undergraduate Experience Blowing Us All Away Nick Uhas '09 Talks Netflix, YouTube, and Delta Tau Delta

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