https://spark.adobe.com/page/fXLKl3g2jY00G/

For my third story, I plan to discuss the role of technology in combating climate change and econ-friendly uses of technology, whether that be LED lighting, nanotechnology, or more controversial technology that is aimed at reversing climate change such as climate capture technology. I plan to speak with David Carroll, who is an expert in nanotechnology, about this and more.

For my second story, I want to talk about what Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie is trying to do with his contract, which is essentially tokenize it and sell shares to the general public. In recent days, the NBA has blocked him from doing so, so it’ll be interesting to see what he does. The idea behind this is to essentially turn his contract into an investment vehicle, allowing fans and investors to buy into his contract and make money if he gets a higher next contract. I still have to do some reading into this topic as I don’t fully understand the details of this investment vehicle, but as a massive sports fan and someone very interested in financial services, blockchain, and fintech, this is a fascinating development.

I’m a member of the FinTech Club here at Wake Forest, and I was planning to ask both members of the club, who have a strong knowledge of cryptocurrencies, as well as other Wake Forest students and sports fans who may not know as much about this topic about what they think. It will be interesting to see if this idea catches on and becomes mainstream.

For my first story, I plan to write about an event I attended this past Tuesday with Former New Orleans Mayor/former Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu. Due to a clashing commitment with another class, I was unable to attend his main speech at Wait Chapel, but I did get to meet him and hear him speak at a small Q&A session along with about eight other students from the undergrad/law schools. Landrieu is considered a rising star in the Democratic party, mainly due to his forceful defense of his decision to take down four prominent Confederate statues a few years ago. His speech explaining his decision quickly went viral, propelling him to national recognition.

I want to cover this event because it encompasses my interests in politics, public policy, and the overall dialogue surrounding race relations in this country and how to heal those divisions.

Reporter: 

Brian X. Chen

Bio: 

Brian X. Chen is The New York Times’ lead consumer technology writer. He writes Tech Fix, a column about solving tech-related problems. Additionally, he reviews new consumer technology products, such as the new Apple iPhone. Prior to joining The Times, he reported on Apple and the wireless industry for Wired magazine. He currently lives in San Francisco.

In 2019, Chen received numerous awards, including a George Polk award, Gerold Loeb award, and a Pulitzer Prize nomination as a member of a team of reporters who wrote about social media giants (mainly Facebook) who mishandled user data.

Chen also wrote a book called “Always On” about how the smartphone has permeated all aspects of our modern society.

Reason: 

I’ve become more and more interested in technology, specifically consumer technology and the large Silicon Valley tech/social media firms. I’ve been following the Facebook Cambridge Analytica scandal closely since it has tied into my interest in politics. Additionally, I was reading reviews of the iPhone 11 and 11Pro, which was just announced last week by Apple. Chen is the leading writer for NYT on these topics, and given that I spend most of my NYT reading time on the Politics/Business/Finance sections, I wanted to focus on another section.

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