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Julia Powles

PHD comics' Jorge Cham on misery, hope and academia

Jorge Cham, creator of the cult comic strip Piled Higher and Deeper , or PHD, is probably the most gut-achingly funny/tragic counsellor you could recommend to a PhD student -- or to any confounded friend, lover, or parent trying to understand what he terms, with some flourish, the "global misery phenomenon" of graduate school.

Cham is a full-time cartoonist, but the deep scars wrought by a PhD programme (in robotic engineering) remain his constant muse.

His webcomic has been running since he started grad school in 1997, is syndicated worldwide, and attracts a loyal following among that peculiar breed of poorly-paid, slightly masochistic overachievers, bravely hunting the frontiers of knowledge, free food, most random societies on campus, and unrequited supervisor approval.

PHD follows the travails of four main characters in grad school: the nameless, hapless hero that bears considerable resemblance to Jorge; Cecilia, the reluctant geek constantly frustrated by undergraduates; Tajel, the free-living social sciences student always willing to rally for a cause; and Mike Slackenerny, that person -- every research group has one -- who has been there longer than anyone can remember. The students' harried encounters with the demanding, loveless Professor Smith and absent-minded Professor Jones form the foundation for many priceless recurring gags, poking fun at the lows of grad student life.

Recently, Jorge was in the UK on an academic world tour , talking about 'The power of procrastination'. His thesis has something for all of us -- grad students and otherwise.

The power of procrastination

"The first thing to note", says Cham, "is that procrastination is not the same thing as laziness. Laziness is when you don't want to do anything. Procrastination, its close but distinct cousin, is when you don't want to do the one thing you really ought to be doing, right now. It's not that you don't want to do it, it's just that you find doing everything else possible, from some completely obscure hobby to categorising the entire internet, like the Yahoo dudes did when their supervisor was on summer break, more appealing."

How much time do you spend on a given comic?

I doodle and brainstorm on a notebook I always carry with me. It can take anywhere from five minutes to eight hours to work out a comic. Drawing it on the computer (using a Cintiq) usually only takes one hour.

Simon Singh has written a whole book about mathematics and The Simpsons . Have you got some examples of deep-coded nerd gags in your comics?

I always try to generalise things because my audience spans so many disciplines, but I do have a running gag that pi/2 is always the answer, and I've lost count how many times I've hidden 1.57 into my comics over the years.

Can you give away anything about your characters?

Increasing the ratio of female professors is a big topic I hope to address in the future. The nameless grad student was given a name in The PHD Movie (the film adaptation of the comics), but it's not clear yet whether that's canon or not.

The comics will eventually follow the characters to the completion of their time in grad school. One graduated several years ago (and is now a Post-doc), and I think another will graduate in the next year or two.

Lauren Goode

Madeline Ashby

Dan Gearino

You mentioned The PHD Movie . I've heard there's a sequel in the pipeline. Tell us about it.

Yes, we're trying to make a sequel to The PHD Movie ! A few years ago we made what I think is the first independent movie adaptation of a webcomic, and it was a great success in the academic world. It screened at over 500 universities and research centres worldwide (including Antarctica) and got great reviews.

Recently, I've gotten a lot of inquiries whether we're going to make a follow-up so I decided to give the fans a chance to make it happen by launching a Kickstarter . What's different about these movies is that they involve real scientists, researchers and staff members at a real top university (Caltech) in the acting and producing roles.

Part of the message we want to convey is that people in academia are not robots, that they have different passions, talents and even a sense of humour. So, the movie is in the hands of the internet to make it a reality.

Do you have a favourite PHD series?

I started listing out some of my favourite series, but then I realised another reason it's great to be a creator online is that it sort of doesn't matter how many people appreciate any particular piece of work you do. As long as you create something that has meaning to you, you will most likely find others who also connect with it, and the connection will probably be deeper than if you tried to create something that you think everyone would like. It's also easier to take risks because if people didn't particularly like something you did, you have your whole archive there for people to also sample and find something they like.

Is there one comic that stands out as particularly special to you?

One particular comic I've done that comes to mind is a version of Alice in Wonderland where Cecilia gets pulled through her monitor into Thesisland, as a metaphor for her feeling lost on her research. It's a series of comics I feel that works on different levels (character, arc, story, artwork, punch-lines). I also wrote and drew them during the first few weeks my son was born, so it's special also because I was somewhat inspired by that. It's not one I'm particularly famous for, but every once in a while someone will come up to me to say it's their favourite too.

You can see the 11 part series online, starting here and ending here .

The PHD Movie is available to watch for free all this month . You can fund the sequel through this Kickstarter campaign

This article was originally published by WIRED UK

Angela Watercutter

Jennifer M. Wood

• Jorge earned his Bachelor's of Science from Georgia Tech.
• In 2009, he was awarded the 2009 NSF/AAAS International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge First Place in Informational Graphics with his collaborator Dwayne Godwin, a professor of Neuroscience at Wake Forest University. Their comics about the brain appeared in Scientific American Mind from 2010-2017.
• In 2011, PHD Comics was adapted into a feature-length film called " The PHD Movie ", which screened at over 500 locations worldwide, including all 7 continents. A sequel titled, " The PHD Movie 2: Still in Grad School " was produced in 2015 and also screened worldwide. Nature Journal called the movie " Astute, funny " while the New York Times wrote, " Well, Postdocs think it's funny. "
• To date, he has delivered over 400 invited lectures internationally on his experiences in academia and being an independent artist and science communicator.
• The PHD Comics website has been visited by over 60 million visitors in the last 10 years.
• Six book collections of his comics have been published (available in stores and online ).
• " We Have No Idea ," his book co-written with physicist Daniel Whiteson was published May 2017 by Riverhead Books/Penguin Random House and was a Der Spiegel Best-Seller. The book won the Wenjin National Book Award in China.
• His animated explanations of the Higgs Boson and Gravitational Waves went viral and have been viewed millions times.
• He was the subject of a question in a British Quiz Show .
• He lives near Los Angeles, CA with his family.
• He was named one of Los Angeles' most interesting people of 2013.

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The comics depict the typical life of graduate students in Stanford University: how they obsess about ever getting their theses completed, struggle to make ends meet with their meager stipends, wonder why life is passing them by, and slack off while their supervisors aren't looking.

Contains examples of:

• Absent-Minded Professor : Almost all of the Research Advisors introduced. They can barely remember the students' name, and hardly ever bother to read their thesis draft.
• Adaptation Name Change : Cecelia's advisor Professor Jones is named Professor Chu in the movies.
• All Issues Are Political Issues : Tajel often carries protest signboards for various causes.
• Ambiguously Brown : Dee's friend has a dark skin, but he has no name or distinctive features to determine his actual race (unlike Tajel, who we know is half-Indian from her mother).
• Batman Gambit : During Cecelia's thesis defense in the second film, her advisor Professor Chu gets an adversarial committee member to endorse her thesis by agreeing with him that an additional year of work is needed, knowing that he will change his mind to be Commander Contrarian .
• Bread, Eggs, Breaded Eggs : The "How You Spend Your Time" pie chart has a Sports & Leisure section which consist of surfing the internet, doing sports, and reading about sports while surfing the Internet.
• Call-Back : Mike teaches the protagonist how to distract with graphs, which unfortunately doesn't work too well for him. Mike himself does it over a year later, with more success.
• When we see Tajel interact with Prof. Rivera for the first time, he was lamenting her lack of apparent seriousness in her studies, especially when she chose to write about "The Grad student of Academia" for her research topic. Nowadays, their dynamics are reversed, as Rivera becomes the most egregious example of Absent-Minded Professor who never reads Tajel's draft and gives her useless advice, while Tajel desperately tries to get his support in writing her thesis.
• Professor Smith changed too. Originally he was The Faceless , then started to become more of an Absent-Minded Professor who tries to blend in with the students despite being clueless of their trends. Later, he just became a professor with a serious Lack of Empathy .
• Chekhov's Gunman : Early in the second movie, Allison points out Dr. Dukosky as the founder of their field, but the latter is surrounded by other conference attendees at the time and cannot be seen. Later during conference presentations, the Nameless Hero has a casual conversation with an old lady who turns out to be Dr. Dukosky, and she provides him with helpful advice in a subsequent scene.
• Child Prodigy : Professor Jones's daughter is only a first year in elementary school, but is intelligent enough to fix Mike's research data.
• Comic-Book Time : Every year, the strip features the characters celebrating birthdays, summer vacations and various holidays, but despite their constant complains that they're never graduating, they never seem to actually age. Cecelia lampshades this in one of her birthday strips, in which she decided that the time she spends in grad school doesn't count to her age, because it's basically living in a vacuum.
• Cool Old Lady : The second movie has Dr. Dukosky, the highly respected founder of the Nameless Hero's field of study, who takes the time to strike up a friendly conversation with him and offers him advice.
• Scott all but disappeared from the storyline after he broke up with Cecilia.
• Played for Laughs with Gerard, the token Humanities student, who was told by the PHD Comics management that he should either change his major or leave the comics altogether. He was then forced to attend a hearing to justify his existence, and had not appeared ever since.
• Creative Closing Credits : The first film overlays the credits on top of academic paperwork, accompanied by sketches of the cast and crew in the art style of the comics.
• Cuteness Overload : Most of the campus faculty practically melts at the sight of Mike's baby daughter, Sophy. He exploits this to distract them while he steals food from associations he doesn't belong to.
• Demoted to Extra : In the first film, Mike and Tajel were important supporting characters who gave guidance to the Nameless Hero and Cecelia respectively. In the second film, their roles are diminished, only getting some token lines and scenes that for most part don't directly affect the main plot.
• Divergent Character Evolution : In the earlier strips , all the University professors were portrayed as a collective group of sinister, faceless Hive Mind who goes out their way to make the students' lives more difficult, especially during Quals. Now, they're mostly given distinct appearance and personalities: Professor Smith is still the mean Stern Teacher , Professor Jones tries to be helpful but is often scatterbrained, Professor Rivera is very flippant and easygoing, but doesn't really pay attention to what his students are doing.
• Education Through Pyrotechnics : The machines used for experimental research frequently blow up in people's faces.
• The Faceless : Most of the research advisors don't get drawn in the comic panels, at least in the earlier strips. No longer the case since the 2003 strips.
• Failure Is the Only Option : To keep going, the series needs the characters to remain grad students, meaning they have to postpone the completion of their respective theses indefinitely. Mike ultimately subverts this; having been the oldest grad student for several years, he finally manages to finish his dissertation after years of procrastination and graduate, but stays anyway as a member of the teaching staff.
• Fourth-Wall Observer : Tajel takes this role in the movies. She addresses the audience at the end of both films, and refers to herself as a "secondary character" in the first movie.
• Gag Series : The main point of the strips are to make jokes about the life (or lack thereof) of a grad student, and make fun of the research advisors and Academia in general. When the strips go for more detailed plot and character development, some readers actually complain.
• Ignored Aesop : A Smithmas Carol ends with Smith reflecting on his life's journey and concluding with this: Prof. Smith: Eh, who cares? I've got tenure.
• Limited Wardrobe : Probably justified considering how cash-strapped the characters are. In any case, they are almost always depicted in the same outfits.
• Living Prop : Discussed in-universe regarding the status of grad students. Apparently, the faculty would be more likely to notice an actual missing furniture than they would a missing student.
• Meta Guy : Gerard, the Humanities student Recurring Character , only exists to represent another Grad School department apart from engineering. He's definitely aware of this, and most of his appearances have him address the readers in some way.
• Misery Poker : A humorous variation took place during the PhD widows meeting between Scott and Jenny as they ranted on their respective partners, Cecelia and Mike. Scott: Cecelia seems to have lost her way... She has a lot of work ethic but lacks purpose. Jennifer: My husband, on the other hand, has a baby on the way, but his work is pathetic and slacks on purpose.
• Misplaced Kindergarten Teacher : Cecelia's teaching style has shades of this in the first movie; she prepares baked goods for her students and comes up with an interpretive dance (complete with props and rhymes) to introduce the course material to them. She is eventually discouraged from doing this by the undergrads' seeming apathy, but returns to it enthusiastically once she gets out of her funk.
• Named by the Adaptation : In the movies, the Nameless Grad Student's name is given as Winston.
• Obstructive Bureaucrat : Faced by Mike when submitting his thesis (he has to come back because the layout isn't in perfect conformity with university rules), by Tajel when applying for a visa, and by the main character when trying to get reimbursed for travel.
• Promoted to Love Interest : The second film pairs up Cecelia and Winston (the Nameless Grad Student), though this is only revealed to the audience at the end .
• Recurring Character : Scott. He's Cecelia's boyfriend, but since he's not a Stanford student, he is actually featured less frequently than the nameless Living Props that are the Engineering Grad students. Lampshaded by Tajel when he suddenly shows up after a long absence. "Scott? I feel I haven't seen him in years
• Relationship Reveal : Throughout the second film, Cecelia and Winston (the Nameless Grad Student) are both shown receiving texts from an unrevealed party. It is revealed at the end that they had been texting each other and are romantically involved, following a Ship Tease at the end of the first film .
• Rhymes on a Dime : A lot of the comics' punchlines come from characters bantering with each other in rhymes. One example is the Misery Poker mentioned earlier, and another is the following exchange between Cecelia and her advisor. Cecelia: I have to reference... without deference? Prof. Jones: That's the preference.
• Rhyming Title : Several strips have titles such as "Webcam Labcam" and "What is... a Thesis?"
• Right in Front of Me : Upon meeting Khumalo, Tajel starts chatting him up without realizing that he's her new professor.
• Running Gag : π/2
• Sequel Hook : Near the end of the first film, Mike learns that his wife is pregnant. A sketch of their baby daughter is shown in the end credits, with "Sequel!" written next to her. She does end up appearing in the second film, though only for a brief moment in the opening montage.
• Skewed Priorities : Mike can remember "important stuffs" like who is the colorist for a particular X-Men issue, but forgets to take Quals, which he needed to graduate.
• The Slacker : While several characters are slackers to some extent, Mike Slackenerny stands head and shoulders above the rest in this regard. An eternal student, he's the PhD answer to Doonesbury 's Zonker Harris.
• She also accidentally spurts her drink on Scott when the latter mentioned that he had a job offer in London.
• Starving Student : All of the students, who live off instant ramen, and spend a lot of their time scavenging for free food.
• Mike finally graduated from his Ph.D, but he continues to stick around the campus as a Post-Doc whose activities mostly involve sleeping, napping and scavenging for free food.
• Prof. Rivera left Stanford for a position in another University, but continues to serve as Tajel's adviser. Since he barely communicate with his student or give her useful advice anyway, his departure has no virtually effect to her thesis.
• Still Got It : Prof. Smith when he finds out he can still take a nap balanced on a chair, as he used to do as a grad student.

• Though the supposed take that at Mythbusters makes it abundantly clear that he's never actually watched it and doesn't think about what the actual purpose of the show is (not to prove that something always happens, but to prove if it could happen somehow).
• Two Scenes, One Dialogue : In both films, there's a scene in which Cecelia and the Nameless Grad Student receive the same advice simultaneously from different parties at a pivotal moment. In the first film, the advice is respectively given by Tajel and Mike. In the second, it's given by the emeritus professor on Cecelia's thesis committee and Dr. Dukosky.
• Vague Age : No one really knows how old any of the characters are, since most of them are grad students who have spent countless of years in their program and not showing any signs of graduating soon, despite their constant lament that they're getting older and older as the years goes by. And given that Mike's baby daughter visibly ages over time, the setting probably doesn't run on Comic-Book Time .
• PhD - Episode 1 is based on The Phantom Menace .
• What is... The Thesis? is from The Matrix .
• Raiders of the lost dissertation is Raiders of the Lost Ark .
• Yank the Dog's Chain : During the credits of the second movie, a montage is shown of Mike's attempts to land an industry job during the conference. He is eventually offered a position... only for the employer to retract the offer when Mike starts gratuitously celebrating on the spot.

Alternative Title(s): Piled Higher And Deeper , Piled High And Deeper

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• Published: 16 September 2011

PhD comics hits the big screen

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20 Comics Follow the Lives of Graduate Students and the Challenges of Academia

The lives of graduate students are a unique blend of academic rigor, personal growth, and numerous challenges. These individuals are pursuing advanced degrees, such as Master’s or Ph.D. programs, and are deeply involved in research, teaching, and scholarly activities. While the pursuit of knowledge and expertise is rewarding, the path to academia is rife with its own set of challenges.

Graduate students are committed to their academic pursuits. They spend countless hours conducting research, reading scholarly articles, and preparing for exams or comprehensive assessments. The intellectual demands are high, and they must continually push the boundaries of knowledge in their field. “ PHD Comics ” perfectly captures the lives of graduate students and the challenges of academia. The comics provide a humorous and relatable window into the world of higher education, resonating with graduate students, researchers, and academics who understand the unique struggles and idiosyncrasies of academic life.

Credit: PHD Comics

For more info: Instagram | Facebook | Website

#1. How’s it going?

#2. Lab Safety

#3. Manuscript

#4. Academic edition

#5. Academic conclusions

PHD Comics, also known as Piled Higher and Deeper , is a web comic strip written and drawn by Jorge Cham . It follows the lives of several graduate students as they navigate the challenges of academia. The comic is known for its humor, insight, and relatability. PHD Comics was launched in 1997 and has quickly become a favorite among graduate students and academics alike. The comic has won numerous awards, including the Web Cartoonists’ Choice Award for Outstanding Comic Strip. He has a strong online presence through their website and Instagram account, where he has an audience of 234,000 followers.

#6. Vacations

#7. Posting on Instagram

#8. Lifestyle Influencer

#9. Different Nightmares

#10. Personal Projects

#11. Drawing

The comics humorously depict the everyday struggles, challenges, and quirks of life in academia. They often touch on topics such as research, teaching, publishing, conferences, and the academic job market. The series features a set of recurring characters, each representing different facets of the academic world, including the graduate student, the advisor, and the postdoctoral researcher. These characters are relatable to anyone who has been through or is currently in academia. Jorge Cham’s art style is simple and distinctive, making the comics easy to recognize. The characters often have exaggerated features and facial expressions, adding to the humor.

#12. Social media

#13. What about research?

#14. That’s a valid career goal

#15. What’s this?

#16. Google is bestfriend

Cham experienced firsthand the trials and tribulations of graduate school, including the long hours, intense research demands, and the emotional rollercoaster that often accompanies doctoral studies. He found that humor was an effective way to deal with the stress and challenges. Creating the webcomic served as a form of catharsis for Cham. By turning his experiences into humorous and relatable comic strips, he was able to share his frustrations and triumphs with others who were going through similar experiences. This allowed him to find humor in the often absurd world of academia.

#17. Different Views

#18. There’s a conference

#19. Can’t Avoid

#20. Still Dreaming

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PHD Comics 20th Anniversary Book: The 6th Piled Higher and Deeper Comic Strip Collection Paperback – September 29, 2018

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• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Piled Higher and Deeper Publishing, LLC; Anniversary edition (September 29, 2018)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 200 pages
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8 of the Best New Graphic Novels and Comics Out in May 2024

Eileen Gonzalez

Eileen's primary literary love is comic books, but she’s always on the lookout for her next literary adventure no matter what form it takes. She has a Bachelor's in media studies, a Master's in digital communication, a smattering of published short stories, and a seriously cute dog. Follow her on Bluesky .

View All posts by Eileen Gonzalez

This month’s selection includes romance, fantasy, mystery, and even a nonfiction guidebook. And yet, for all the different genres represented here, a lot of these comics feature protagonists with a very similar problem: loneliness. From the fangirls who bond over their favorite franchise to the witch whose village has turned against her, many of these characters must deal with feelings of emotional and physical isolation and exclusion.

We’ve all felt alone before. Maybe you feel lonely right now. That common bond we all share, as unhappy as it is, makes the graphic novels below especially relatable and comforting. Most importantly, they remind us that loneliness does not last forever, as new friends and connections could be waiting just around the corner. Maybe things won’t be the same as they were before, but that doesn’t mean they can’t be just as rewarding and special.

With all that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the amazing new comics and graphic novels being released in May 2024!

Breathe: Journeys to Healthy Binding by Maia Kobabe and Sarah Peitzmeier, PhD (May 7)

In this brief comic, Gender Queer ‘s Maia Kobabe educates readers about chest binding. When done safely and correctly, binding is an invaluable tool that trans and gender-nonconforming people can use to help them achieve the body and the self-confidence that feels truly their own. Binding can be risky, but with this encouraging comic as your guide, you can minimize the dangers while enjoying the benefits!

Captain Marvel Volume One: The Omen by Alyssa Wong and Jan Bazaldua (May 7)

The Nega-Bands are powerful artifacts that help make Carol Danvers as unbeatable as she is — and Yuna Yang wants them. But when the attempted theft goes awry, and Carol and Yuna find themselves inconveniently joined by the Bands’ power, Captain Marvel will have to work fast to free them both before it really becomes a “till death do us part” situation!

Sunhead by Alex Assan (May 7)

Now in high school, Rotem grows more and more isolated from her former friends and interests. Fortunately, there is “Sunrise,” a franchise that is always there for her no matter what. Eventually, she is able to use the books to form a connection with another misfit student, Ayala. Can these two “Sunheads” maintain their bond, even as their relationship to the characters that brought them together changes?

Grand Slam Romance: Major League Hotties by Ollie Hicks and Emma Oosterhous (May 14)

Fans of last year’s Grand Slam Romance can now enjoy the further adventures of softball players Mickey, a newly minted Magical Girl, and Astra. There’s just one problem: Mickey doesn’t have her Magical Girl license, and until she gets one from the appropriate authorities — in Switzerland, of all places — she won’t be allowed to play softball with her friends anymore! Oh, and there’s the little matter of dealing with Astra and Mickey’s mutual ex-love interest, Wolfgang…

Lunar Boy by Jes and Cin Wibowo (May 14)

Adjusting to life with your stepfamily can be tough, but it’s even more so for Indu, who was raised on the moon and is now stuck on Earth. He wants nothing more than to return to his old familiar home, and the moon agrees to help him do so. Will Indu succeed in running away, or will he find a way to fit in with his new home, family, and peers?

Hobtown Mystery Stories Volume One: The Case of the Missing Men by Kris Bertin and Alexander Forbes (May 21)

In this gritty take on the classic “teen sleuth” genre, pipe-smoking Dana Nance and her amateur detective club hunt for the missing father of their strange new classmate, Sam. The trail leads them into the path of more kidnappings, murder, secret organizations, supernatural creatures, and a conspiracy that Hobtown’s most powerful citizens are in on — possibly including both Sam and Dana’s fathers.

The Worst Ronin by Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Faith Schaffer (May 21)

Chihiro has little interest in following in her samurai father’s footsteps — until she gets the chance to work with the great Tatsuo, a student at a famous samurai training ground, at which point she suddenly decides that wielding a sword is what she wants to do most. But Tatsuo is not all she’s cracked up to be, and with a literal demon breathing down their necks, Chihiro starts to wonder if she has made the right decision after all!

A Witch’s Guide to Burning by Aminder Dhaliwal (May 28)

What happens when a witch can no longer fulfill her magical duties to her village? They burn her at the stake in a cruel process that strips her of both her memories and her magic. When one witch, Singe, is saved before her burning is complete, she will need the help of some new friends as she embarks on an epic quest to regain all that she lost.

As always, you can find a full list of new releases in the magical New Release Index , carefully curated by your favorite Book Riot editors, organized by genre and release date.

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NYC Public Schools Distribute Two Millionth ‘Civics for All’ Comic Book

• Posted: Thu May 02, 2024

Publication makes NYCPS one of the top ten comic book distributors in the United States.

New York, NY – Schools Chancellor David C. Banks today announced the publication of Patsy Takemoto Mink and A Story in Every Object! An Asian American Comics Anthology , the 24th and 25th comic books produced in-house by the Civics for All Comics Group. This release marks the two millionth comic book distributed by the group, pushing New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) into the top ten comic book distributors in the country. This notable achievement was earned in just five years and features the work of many of the top writers and artists in the comic book canon.  

Patsy Takemoto Mink tells the story of a third-generation Japanese American woman from Hawai’i who fought for Title IX and was an advocate for peace, civil rights, and environmental justice. To tell Ms. Mink’s story, NYCPS collaborated with her daughter, Gwendolyn Mink, as well as writers Judy Tzu-Chun and Abigail Chun and illustrator Vian Nguyen, and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center.  

A Story in Every Object! An Asian American Comics Anthology includes six short personal histories:  

• Cleave by Greg Pak 
• Woodworking by Trung Le Nguyen 
• Cookbook by Shing Yin Khor 
• Wedding Dolls by Nidhi Chanani  
• Dearly Departed by MariNaomi 
• Name Plate by Kolbe and Gene Luen Yang 

“Prioritizing civics education is critical to empowering students to become informed citizens and leaders,” said Schools Chancellor David C. Banks. “By harnessing the engaging power of comic books and other media, our educators can inspire the next generation of New Yorkers and lay the foundation for a vibrant and inclusive world, while introducing students to voices and stories typically overlooked in textbooks.” 

“Our comic book biography introduces students not only to my mother’s life and times but also to the political advocacy and courage that remains imperative today,” said co-author Gwendolyn Mink, PhD . “I hope our comic book story will inspire students to learn more about specific topics we cover and take to heart my mother’s call to action: ‘I as an individual and you as an individual can make a difference.’” 

"I've absolutely loved working with the brilliant Asian American creators in this anthology,” said author Greg Pak. “Each one has crafted a gorgeous, personal, moving story that shows how everyday objects can shed light on an individual's and family's history of everything from immigration to identity to generational change. Most importantly, these kinds of stories have the potential to help make writing history -- and making comics! -- accessible to everyone." 

"We're thrilled to celebrate this amazing milestone of 2 million printed issues with our friends at NYCDOE! Every comic we’ve created together has been a chance to dive deep into the stories that matter, making space for essential conversations in classrooms and libraries even as we entertain,” said author and co-founder of Good Trouble Productions Kelly Sue DeConnick. “We're excited to keep the momentum of this educational journey going, ensuring that the lessons of history and the importance of civic engagement are accessible to all students. Here’s to the next 2 million!” 

"This is a watershed moment for the American education system as well as the medium of comics and sequential narrative. The opportunity to play a role in making this happen is something for which we will always be grateful,” said Andrew Aydin, author and co-founder of Good Trouble Productions. “But this is just the beginning. There are many more comics to make and much more history to teach. It is our hope that this program, and its success, becomes a model for school systems around the world.” 

“It’s very exciting to co-create a comic biography of Patsy Takemoto Mink, the first woman of color in Congress and the namesake for Title IX,” said author and UC Irvine scholar Judy Tzu-Chun Wu . “This work will hopefully introduce her to a wider audience, particularly our next generation of youth and future leaders. We both sought to tell the story of Mink’s life and political vision as well as highlight the process of historical research for young scholars.” 

About the Civics for All Comics Group  

The Department of Social Studies and Civics' Civics for All Comics Group began as a collaboration between New York City Public Schools, creators Fred Van Lente and Ryan Dunlavey, and Good Trouble Productions with the publishing of Action Activists #1 and Registered #1 in 2020. Since then, the comics group imprint has grown, developing social studies and civics comics as companions to several of our resources. 

NYCPS has commissioned and distributed comics to public schools across the city through year-round programming, including the widely celebrated ‘Civics Week’ each March and New York Comic Con. These works feature creators who have won such prestigious literary awards as the National Book Award, Coretta Scott King Book Award, Eisner Award, Robert F. Sibert Medal, Michael L. Printz Award, and many others.  

In addition, NYCPS distributes related posters and Hidden Voices curriculum guides that aim to tackle the ongoing challenges of civics education and literacy development. Using primary course and unique fact-based storytelling approaches, these works have added depth and breadth to the curriculum offerings for NYC Public School students.  

All of the comic books created by the Civics for All Comics Group are available for free download for anyone across the nation here .  

News | UCLA declares Palestine encampment unlawful,…

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News | UCLA declares Palestine encampment unlawful, USC president in talks with protesters

Ucla probes protestors who allegedly blocked students from class; they may be suspended or expelled.

For update, see: Violent clashes break out among opposing protest factions at UCLA

Meanwhile at USC, President Caroline Folt entered the second day of talks with student protesters and announced the university was investigating the discovery of a swastika that was drawn on campus.

Tensions have been escalating at both universities over the last week, where protesters refuse to stand down until leadership meets their demands, which including divesting from companies that do business with Israel and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Pro-Palestine protests in the region are also roiling campuses at UC Irvine, UC Riverside, Cal Poly Pomona and Pasadena City College.

UCLA delivered the notice to vacate to protesters at Royce Quad around 4 p.m. on Tuesday and sent an alert to all students notifying them two adjacent buildings, Royce Hall and Powell Library, will be shut down for the rest of the week.

“Those who choose to remain — including both students and employees — could face sanctions,” states the notice. “For students, those sanctions could include disciplinary measures such as interim suspension that, after proper due process through the student conduct process, could lead to dismissal.”

In a Tuesday evening statement, student protesters at UCLA declared the administration’s notice to vacate a “repression tactic” and a “continuation of a long history of attempts to shut down student activism and silence pro-Palestinian voices.”

Organizers said they intend to continue their occupation of Royce Quad, which was established last Thursday.

Earlier in the day, UCLA Vice Chancellor Mary Osako issued a statement saying that the university has removed metal barriers that protesters were using to control foot traffic in and around Royce Quad.

She said attempts to block student access “could lead to severe disciplinary action including expulsion or suspension” of the protestors and that “this kind of disruption to our teaching and learning mission is abhorrent, plain and simple.”

Osako also said that campus security is being expanded following altercations between protesters and counter-protesters, including “adding greater numbers of campus law enforcement, safety personnel and student affairs monitors.”

A Palestinian supporter at UCLA on Monday, April 29, 2024. Hundreds of Pro-Palestinian supporters joined in a march from their encampment in front of Royce Hall to areas around the campus. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Pro-Palestinian protesters continued to occupy the grounds at UCLA in front of Royce Hall on Monday, April 29, 2024. Security has surrounded the encampment after a skirmish broke out Sunday between the Pro-Palestianian protesters and Israel supporters. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Pro-Palestinian protesters watch pro-Israel demonstrators on Sunday morning, April 28, 2024. at UCLA. (Photo by Gene Blevins/Contributing Photographer)

Some UCLA faculty joined with Pro-Palestinian protesters at UCLA on Monday, April 29, 2024. Hundreds of Pro-Palestinian supporters joined in a march from their encampment in front of Royce Hall to areas around the campus. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

At USC, President Caroline Folt issued a statement on X condemning the discovery of a swastika on campus.

“Clearly, it was drawn there right now just to incite even more anger at a time that is so painful for our community,” she said. “We’re going to work to get to the bottom of this immediately.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Folt met for a second time with student leaders from the Divest From Death Coalition.

Tensions have been running especially high at USC following the administration’s decision to bar a Pro-Palestinian valedictorian from delivering a commencement speech and LAPD’s arrest of 93 protesters at the campus’ Alumni Park last Wednesday.

USC’s campus is closed to the public, and students have reestablished a tent encampment in Alumni Park. Folt initially met with protest organizers to discuss their demands on Monday.

A University of Southern California protester is detained by USC Department of Public Safety officers during a pro-Palestinian occupation at the campus’ Alumni Park on Wednesday, April 24, 2024 in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel)

UCLA students set up a Palestinian solidarity camp at their Westwood campus on Thursday, April 25, 2024. The encampment comes one day after a protest on their cross-town rival USC. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

In a statement on Instagram, the Divest From Death Coalition said the talks were “deeply disappointing” and “indicative of a larger pattern of the administration’s failure to address the needs of its student, faculty and surrounding community.”

Folt told the USC student newspaper the Daily Trojan that she understands students “wouldn’t have considered this meeting a win from their perspective.”

“I think we need to continue to have those conversations, and I’m pleased we all agree on that. We’ll go day by day,” she added.

Going into Tuesday’s meeting, USC protest organizers said they will not make any concessions and “our occupation will continue until our demands are met.”

While student demands vary slightly from school to school, most follow the principles of “disclose, divest, defend.” Students are asking their administrations to disclose all financial ties, divest from companies that do business with Israel, defend protesters by allowing activism to take place and defend the Palestinian people by calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

Also on Tuesday, encampments entered their second day at UC Irvine and Riverside and 300 students staged a walk-out at Pasadena City College.

“This is class. We are leading people out of ignorance,” said Grant Bridges, a theater arts major and protester at Pasadena City College.

The crowd’s chants to “free Palestine” echoed through the campus. They waved flags and DIY cardboard banners as many others looked on, some applauding, some just witnessing it all in silence.

Violet Stoeker, a political science student leader at Pasadena City College, told fellow students that the demands “will not stop.” And Kat Clark, a sociology student, said the action was important, even at a smaller school.

“Doing nothing doesn’t make a difference,” Clark said, adding that the diversity of voices at a smaller public campus amplifies the voices.

At UC Irvine, around fifty protestors continued their encampment protest, even though the administration said the tents were “unauthorized.”

Members of the Irvine Police Department and Orange County Sheriff’s Department were present on campus on Monday, prompting Irvine Mayor Farrah Khan to issue a statement asking law enforcement to stand down.

“I will not tolerate any violations to our students’ rights to peacefully assemble and protest,” she said.

In addition to the 93 arrests made at USC, 20 arrests were made at Pomona College on April 5 and 25 protesters were arrested at Cal Poly Humboldt on Tuesday morning.

Members of Arab American Civic Council, a grassroots organization based in Anaheim, released a statement saying they were very alarmed by the recent police response on college campuses.

“We are deeply concerned about the recent events at the University of Southern California and Pomona College, where peaceful demonstrations to oppose U.S. complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza have been met with excessive force and punitive measures by law enforcement,” they wrote. “These incidents represent a blatant violation of students’ constitutional right to protest and express their views without fear of repression or retaliation.”

Daily News photographer Sarah Reingewirtz and City News Service contributed to this report

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2 colossal solar flares explode from the sun and Earth is in the firing line (video)

The dual-flare spectacle came from sunspot region AR3663.

Newly emerged sunspot region AR3663 is already making a name for itself, firing off not one but two powerful solar flares within just six hours of each other. 

The first eruption occurred last night (May 2) when the sun released the most powerful category flare, an X-class solar flare, causing shortwave radio blackouts across Australia, Japan and much of China. The flare peaked at 10:22 p.m. EDT (0222 GMT) and ended shortly after at 10:27 p.m. EDT (0227 GMT). The next eruption came this morning (May 3) when the second most powerful category flare, an M-class solar flare, peaked around 4:00 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT). 

The explosive sunspot was facing Earth at the time of both eruptions and it is possible that a coronal mass ejection (CME), a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field, accompanied at least one of these solar flares. Shortly after the X-flare, the U.S. Air Force reported a Type II solar radio burst "a type of natural radio signal emitted by shocked gas at the leading edge of a CME," Spaceweather.com reported.

Related: NASA prepares for intense sun storms on Mars during solar maximum

If a CME is Earth-directed it can wreak havoc with power grids, telecommunication networks and orbiting satellites , as well as expose astronauts to dangerous doses of radiation. But they are a welcomed visitor for skywatchers as they can trigger geomagnetic storms which in turn spark dynamic aurora displays visible at latitudes beyond their 'normal' polar range. 

You can stay tuned with the latest details concerning any Earth-directed components of the recent eruptions on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center's forecast discussion .

According to solar physicist Keith Strong, last night's X-flare was the 11th largest flare so far this cycle. 

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"X FLARE! Sunspot region AR3663 just produced an X1.7 flare, the 11th largest flare so far this cycle. It was an impulsive flare lasting a total of about 25 minutes and peaking at 02:22 U.T," Strong posted on X .

X FLARE! Sunspot region AR3663 just produced an X1.7 flare, the 11th largest flare so far this cycle. It was an impulsive flare lasting a total of about 25 minutes and peaking at 02:22 U.T. This is the 30th X flare so far during SC25, compared to just 19 at the same stage in SC24 pic.twitter.com/zYgvqjm0Af May 3, 2024

Solar flares , eruptions from the sun's surface, emit intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation. They occur when magnetic energy accumulating in the solar atmosphere is subsequently released. Solar flares are categorized by size into lettered groups, with X-class being the most powerful. Then there are M-class flares that are 10 times less powerful than X-class flares, followed by C-class flares which are 10 times weaker than M-class flares, B-class are 10 times weaker than C-class flares and finally, A-class flares which are 10 times weaker than B-class flares and have no noticeable consequences on Earth . 

Within each class, numbers from 1-10 (and beyond for X-class flares) describe a flare's relative strength. Last night's flare clocked in at X1.69, according to Spaceweatherlive.com , measured by NASA's GOES-16 satellite, and this morning's flare peaked at M4.5. 

Shortwave radio blackouts like the one witnessed over Australia, Japan and much of China last night are common shortly after powerful solar flare eruptions due to the strong pulse of X-rays and extreme ultraviolet radiation emitted during these events. The radiation travels toward Earth at the speed of light and ionizes (gives an electrical charge to) the top of Earth's atmosphere when it reaches us.

Related : Watch 4 solar flares erupt from the sun at nearly the same time in extremely rare event (video)

This ionization causes a higher-density environment for the high-frequency shortwave radio signals to navigate through in order to support communication over long distances. The radio waves that interact with electrons in the ionized layers lose energy due to more frequent collisions, and this can lead to radio signals becoming degraded or completely absorbed according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center . 

— How to observe the sun safely (and what to look for)  

— Wild solar weather is causing satellites to fall. It's going to get worse.

— Satellites can disappear in major solar storms and it could take weeks to find them  

Solar activity is ramping up as we approach solar maximum , the peak of solar activity during the sun's approximately 11-year solar cycle , indicated by the frequency of sunspots . 

Despite the large number of sunspots currently visible on the sun's surface, our star has been relatively quiet in recent weeks. 

But not anymore. 

Just a few days ago, on April 30, the sun unleashed a near X-class solar flare and with the recent X-class and M-class flare eruptions overnight, the sun is anything but quiet. 

Solar scientists are keeping a watchful eye on the sun as it approaches solar maximum because solar activity can have a significant influence on our lives here on Earth. 

Potent solar flares pose significant risks to spacecraft, satellites, and terrestrial technologies. By traveling at the speed of light, they don't give us a lot of notice before striking. To mitigate potential damage, organizations like NASA, NOAA, and the U.S. Air Force Weather Agency vigilantly track solar activity. 

"We can't ignore space weather , but we can take appropriate measures to protect ourselves," NASA says .

Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: [email protected].

Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase! 

Solar maximum: What is it and when will it occur?

Sun unleashes near X-class solar flare: M9.5 eruption sparks radio blackouts across the Pacific (video)

Boeing Starliner rolls out to launch pad for 1st astronaut flight on May 6 (photos)

• BradW I am unclear about the statement that solar flares travel at the speed of light. I get that the light from them does, but the high energy charged particles do not, and they are the more important factor in terms of terrestrial impacts. It would make more sense to me if it said the light arrives at the speed of light (about 8 min travel time) and the high energy particles travel almost as fast arriving some minutes later. Pedantic perhaps, but worth the clarification, I think, because of the important underlying principle that particles with rest mass cannot travel at the speed of light! Reply
• Erik37 I agree, I don't care about the light I'm more concerned about when the flare is going to hit earth. Reply
• billslugg The solar flare emits X-rays that arrive in 8 minutes and ionize the upper atmosphere, degrade radio communications, and heat and raise the atmosphere. Some solar flares are accompanied by coronal mass ejections which are basically protons and electrons. They take 2-3 days to get here. Their charge will mess with the Earth's magnetic field, causing surges in the power grid. The particles create auroras and endanger astronauts. Reply
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Sean Carroll, author of the series ‘Biggest Ideas in the Universe,’ on reading cookbooks and sci-fi

The physicist aims to demystify the principles of modern physics for lay readers. he takes a scientific approach to novel writing as well..

You need not have a PhD in physics to read Sean Carroll’s new book, “ Quanta and Fields: The Biggest Ideas in the Universe .” Between his books and his podcast “Mindscape,” Carroll has spent most of his career making physics less intimidating and more understandable. His new book is the second in a trilogy on the principles of modern physics. Carroll is a professor at Johns Hopkins University and on the faculty of the Santa Fe Institute. He’ll discuss his book at 6 p.m. on May 13 at Harvard University ’s Paine Concert Hall.

BOOKS: What are you reading currently?

CARROLL: J. Kenji López-Alt’s “The Wok,” a cookbook. He’s a chef with a science background. He talks about where recipes come from and why you should make them in certain ways, which I love as a scientist. I also purchased Joël Robuchon’s cookbook. He’s won the most Michelin stars of any chef. His book is the opposite. It’s like, here’s your recipe. Do it this way.

BOOKS: Do you regularly read cookbooks?

CARROLL: I own a lot, books like Samin Nosrat’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” Harold McGee’s “On Food and Cooking,” and Grant Achatz’s “Alinea.” I recently purchased “Modernist Cuisine at Home,” [coauthored] by Nathan Myhrvold, who started life as a physicist working with Stephen Hawking. Then he moved to Microsoft and helped write Windows. He became super rich and now dedicates his life to cooking.

BOOKS: How would you describe your reading?

CARROLL: I bounce back and forth between sci-fi, classic literature, and mystery novels. I rarely read popular science books. I just started Dennis Rasmussen’s “The Infidel and the Professor,” which is a joint biography of the philosophers Adam Smith and David Hume. It’s pretty good but a little academic. I’m waiting to hear about Hume and Smith but Rasmussen wants to tell me the whole history of Scotland first.

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BOOKS: Are you a regular biography reader?

CARROLL: One of my favorites is Ray Monk’s biography of Ludwig Wittgenstein, this quirky, hugely influential 20th-century philosopher. He’s notoriously difficult to understand, and I understood his philosophy better from that biography than from reading Wittgenstein. But honestly, I don’t read a lot of biography.

BOOKS: What was your last best read?

CARROLL: “Gideon the Ninth” by Tamsyn Muir. A quote on the cover reads, “Lesbian necromancers explore a haunted gothic palace in space!” It’s hilarious. It does something that is difficult, to be weird without being goofy.

BOOKS: Is science fiction your favorite genre?

CARROLL: I grew up reading sci-fi, writers like Robert Heinlein, Roger Zelazny, and Ursula Le Guin. Iain Banks is my favorite contemporary writer. He alternated writing literary fiction with science fiction.

BOOKS: Which came first, your interest in science or your science fiction reading?

CARROLL: Science. There were influential books like George Gamow’s classic “One Two Three … Infinity” and, of course, Douglas Hofstadter’s “Gödel, Escher, Bach.”

BOOKS: Were you a Stephen Hawking reader?

CARROLL: By the time “A Brief History of Time” came out, I was an undergraduate physics major. Like a lot of people who knew some of what he was talking about, I found it hard to understand. I certainly admired how many books he sold.

BOOKS: What is the last classic that you read?

CARROLL: Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.” I want to write a novel some day and, the way that my brain works, I have to understand the theory of writing one first. Someone recommended reading “Gatsby” to understand how to plot a book. “Gatsby” is well done, but the characters’ concerns are not mine. When I read Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” which I do every two years, those characters’ concerns are not mine either but, somehow, I get them.

BOOKS: When did you start reading fiction?

CARROLL: When I was an undergraduate my friends mostly studied astronomy and physics. At Harvard, there were people in the dorm studying other subjects, like sociology and comparative literature. I met people reading Flaubert for pleasure. That was weird to me.

BOOKS: Did reading fiction come to you naturally?

CARROLL: It was hit and miss at first. One of the first Austen novels I read was “Mansfield Park,” which is not her best. You have to learn that just because a book is a classic, it may not be your speed. I learned to read for pleasure, not for homework.