Rockefeller Mutant Takeover

Alice Gadau

“What about ‘Spooktacular’?”, “I like spooky scientists!”, “What about something with CRISPR?”, “Oh! I got it ‘CRISPR Gone Wrong’!”—and that is how, in the back of yellow cab, Donovan Phua came up with the theme for this year’s Halloween party. Each year, the first year graduate student class organizes the Rockefeller University Halloween party. A group of highly qualified party planners (wink!) were chosen from the first year class to organize, plan, order, and set up for the party. Just as every other year, the party took place in the famous Faculty Club with a chill bar set on the patio outside. The party planners created fun activities for kids and adults alike, including pumpkin DNA extractions during the kids’ hour, and a costume contest for adults. Beautiful, original pumpkin carvings designed by the first years were on display during the Halloween party, which took place on October 26. Hopefully you didn’t miss it! In the words of one party planner, Mari Soula, “It [was] lit!”