Although it has only been nine months, I can say that I have learned so many things during these past three semesters. Being in the Science and Global Change Scholars program here at the University of Maryland has made me more aware about the world around me.
Throughout colloquium and my supporting classes, I utilized the hypothetico-deductive method of science. When I took PHYS161 during the Fall 2022 semester, I studied Isaac Newton and his classic three laws of motion. Using observations and data from Galileo's experiments to prove heliocentrism, Newton was able to analyze the technicalities in his findings. He concluded that Galileo did not account for the presence of unbalanced forces (such air resistance). This was responsible for the birth of Newton's first law of inertia which has been repeated countless times. Despite still having relativity, Newton's laws of motion were then replaced by modern quantum mechanics in some aspects of physics.
At the beginning of the Fall 2021 semester (around early September), I could not believe the amount of destruction that Hurricane Ida dealt to the Southeastern quadrant of the United States. In fact, it was considered as one of the most costing and deadliest hurricanes in the history of Louisiana. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the waters in the Gulf of Mexico at that time were measured to be unusually warm at 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Initially, I believed that the urban island effect was the prime cause behind this disaster. However, after my experience in second year colloquium, I now know that thermal expansion played an enormous role. As water heats up, it expands which causes sea levels to rise. Seeing how the 150 mile per hour winds ravaged countless towns and cities really made think about what our future holds regarding climate change.
During this time, I also encountered failures in critical thinking, particularly in the environmental history class, HIST205, that I took during the 2022 Spring semester. When learning about environmental determinism, which is the belief that a physical environment affects social and cultural development, I was instructed to read an excerpt from a series of letters titled "Letters of an American Farmer." They were authored by French nobleman Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur in 1782. In the letters, he reflected on the climates of various locations and their authority on the populations that reside there. As he applauded the practices of colonial merchants, he despised those of Native Americans. He often compared them to wild animals who were only accustomed to mayhem and violence. In a condescending manner, he reported how they primarily relied on meat and subsisted on grain in times of famine. de Crèvecoeur however failed to realize that there is justified reasoning behind their techniques. By utilizing slash and burn and flood irrigation methods, they were able to produce fertilized fields with minimal labor. Also, relying on animals as a primary food source may have made small experiments with planting seem less risky. It was obvious that de Crèvecoeur misperceived the world around him as he only sought to confirm, not question, any of his ideas. This directly goes against the principles of the scientific method.
Personally, I would say that Dr. Merck's Think Like a Scientist lecture going over Sagan's Toolbox has been very helpful in improving my attitude towards my major. As a computer engineering major, I am required to take many computer-programming courses (such as CMSC131, CMSC132, etc.). When I began coding, I used to write very lengthy blocks of code just to solve one issue which was very frustrating. However, as time passed on, I remembered how Carl Sagan encourages one to favor simplicity. By applying the principle of parsimony, the principle of consilience, and proportionality, coding has become more digestible. Dr. Merck's lectures and resources on HTML and CSS have also encouraged to me make webpages of my own.
By interacting with my fellow Science and Global Change classmates, I was able to have an improved relationship with what I was learning. While living in Centreville Hall during my freshman year (Fall 2021 to Spring 2022), I often met and studied with other Scholars in the basement after class. For those who may have missed class or was behind, this was also an opportunity to share notes. Due to this, I believe I received a better understanding in many of the classes that Scholars commonly take, such as CHEM135 and PHYS161. Additionally, we shared jokes, interests, and the pros and cons of being a college student to pass the time. This definitely made Service-Learning Day more fun as we weeded the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in the sweltering heat. Consequently, I have made many friends and acquaintances around campus.
Although I did not live on campus during the Fall 2022 Semester, I was still able to interact with many scholars. We still went on many field trips together (such as the National Museum of Natural History in Washington D.C.). We also interacted through Zoom and conducted in person meetings whenever group projects (such as Vision of the Future) needed to be completed.
While in Scholars, I was surprised to hear about the existence of professional deniers. With so much data published and readily available, I could not believe that there are professionals hired by some of the most respected intuitions of science who promote this way of thinking. It was challenging to hear that there are people who believe that smoking cigarettes or inhaling second-hand smoke cannot directly cause cancer, or that the use of very energy-dense nuclear weapons won't have an inverse effect on the environment. Most importantly, I was astonished to hear that there are individuals and organizations who believe that anthropogenic climate change is nonexisting. With the increasing number of media outlets on television, the internet, and other mediums of communication, I wonder what other things people will deny in the reality around them.
To conclude, I believe that my experience in Scholars has greatly increased my interest in world matters. Learning about the Anthropocene, climate change solutions, and similar important matters has changed my overall perspective of the world. In the near future, I may become more involved in campus events and organizations that are related to these issues.