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Tyler Tran

Tyler Tran is a sophomore in the School of Arts and Sciences majoring in molecular biology and biochemistry and minoring in economics. His column, "Hung Up," runs on alternative Mondays.

TRAN: Voluntary assisted death can be morally right

Many would wish for a quick, painless death as opposed to spending a prolonged amount of time suffering from a terminal condition. Yet, in many places across the U.S. and the world, it can be difficult or even impossible to opt for that path despite terminal diagnoses, with palliative care forced instead.Apr 9

TRAN: IVF ruling does not protect, aid families or infants

Approximately 1 in 6 adults worldwide are affected by infertility and, for most of human history, these couples had no choice other than adoption to raise a family. But in the past few decades, multiple artificial reproductive technologies (ARTs) have been created, continuously advancing the field. In fact, the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Robert Edwards for his role in developing in vitro fertilization (IVF) therapy.Mar 26

TRAN: Using AI tools makes trusted information less reliable

In the past few years, artificial intelligence technologies for everyday use have rapidly improved, converting ordinary language prompts into meaningful outputs that can easily appear to have been created by a human instead. For instance, ChatGPT is widely popular for generating text or conversations in a variety of styles, DALL-E can perform a similar function for digital images and Sora can create hyper-realistic videos.Mar 12

TRAN: Do not allow AI to replace human writing

Writing is a ubiquitous skill — one used in everyday life and in almost every profession. But with modern technology, it can seem like a dated, unnecessary and time-consuming practice.Dec 12

TRAN: Students should consider learning 2nd language

Any given American is likely to be monolingual. In 2019, approximately 3 out of 4 people in the U.S. were only able to speak English. Of the remaining population, approximately 20 percent can speak another language. While that number has almost tripled in the past 40 years, it still lags far behind other countries.Nov 28

TRAN: It is OK to switch your major

Despite many students entering university as undecided and maintaining that status through their first two years, it seems that most college students are expected to instantly know what they want to do both in college and after graduation. The most common questions new college students are asked tend to be about their major or field of study. Nov 14

TRAN: Pricing in US must be more transparent about taxes, tipping

Something unique to the U.S. is the lack of transparency in knowing the actual cost of what you are paying upfront, stemming from two main sources: taxes and tipping.Oct 31

TRAN: College students should make effort to stay informed

For longer than most of the undergraduate population has been alive, we have been living in the "Information Age." Even just a few years ago, relatively speaking, it used to be common practice to go to the library in order to find sources on popular subjects.Oct 16

TRAN: Rutgers needs fall break or week-long Thanksgiving break

At this point in the semester, it seems as if everyone is checking when the first day off will be. But for many universities, including here at Rutgers, the first and only one of the semester comes in late November when Thanksgiving arrives. Some students are already asking their professors if they plan to hold classes that week.Oct 3

TRAN: Skipping class is not worth it

At the start of every semester, the whole campus seems to be full of life. Lecture halls are filled with students lining the rows of seats, and buildings are filled with people both in and out of class.Sep 19

TRAN: Why your class-free day should be on Wednesday

Creating a course schedule for the semester can be a delicate balancing act. There are some basic rules that many students have learned to follow, such as making room for lunch and avoiding unfavorable class locations that result in spending more time on the bus than in class. Most would also prefer to avoid the early 8:30 a.m. classes or some of the late class times, if possible.Sep 6

TRAN: We should support space exploration efforts

Humans have been fascinated with space for thousands of years. Many religions and gods have been associated with the bright stars in the dark night sky, and they have always seemed so far away as distant and unreachable objects.Apr 26

TRAN: Enrolling in variety of courses maximizes college experience

One of the most liberating parts of the college experience is being able to, maybe for the first time, completely choose what you want to study. Rutgers has thousands of courses spread through more than 100 undergraduate programs. While many of those have mandatory prerequisites, many intro courses are just that: introductory, so any student can enroll.Apr 12 2023

TRAN: We need to focus on nuclear energy as potential climate change solution

We are often asked to help reduce global warming and prevent climate change in our everyday lives. You should save electricity: Make sure the lights are always off when you are not in the room. You should conserve water: Take shorter showers and do not leave the tap running.Mar 29 2023

TRAN: Should SUVs be allowed in cities?

When you think about the typical car driven by an average person, you would most likely imagine a classic four-door sedan. If you had asked me, I would have pictured a Toyota Camry, Honda Accord or Civic. They seem like two of the most classic and common "cars" out there.Mar 7 2023

TRAN: Self-driving cars need more regulation but should be supported

Just this past Thursday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall of 362,758 Teslas with the Full Self-Driving (FSD) Beta, which makes up approximately 10 percent of the company’s total sales to date.Feb 22 2023

TRAN: Rutgers pedestrians need to be more mindful

Roughly speaking, humans are about 100 to 200 pounds of meat and bones, spread across five to six feet high and two feet shoulder-to-shoulder. A car comes in at approximately 4,094 pounds of metal and with a "slow" road speed of 20 miles per hour. Despite the obviously massive physical threat, so many pedestrians, who are mainly students here around New Brunswick, seem to blatantly disregard roadside awareness and disrespect drivers.Jan 27 2023

TRAN: Strong opinions require reflection, thoughtfulness before voicing

"You only get one chance to make a first impression." I think it is safe to say everyone has heard of the importance of a good first impression. Yet we also all hear about the necessity of listening to all sides of an argument before forming an opinion or making a decision. But how many people actually do that? Our first impression of a story is the most impactful, and then, our further judgments are based on those thoughts, no matter how one-sided they might appear. Dec 2 2022

TRAN: Ending Election Day on Tuesdays would strengthen American democracy

Election Day just passed, and I would be shocked if anyone missed it. Scheduled for Tuesday in November every two years, campaigns run for weeks in the lead-up. The election gets promoted everywhere, from social media and constant (often un-skippable) YouTube advertisements to road posters and universities, such as the Rutgers emails and professors’ reminders you likely experienced.Nov 18 2022