I remember a specific article relating to global climate changing that struck my attention in February of 2022. It was a BBC article titled, “Climate change: IPCC report warns of ‘irreversible’ impacts of global warming.” It stated that many impacts of climate change are irreversible, but that there is a “brief window of time” before it evolves into the worst case scenario. It talked about how more people are dying due to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and storms. Coral reefs and whittling away and dying. The rise of the sea level is accelerating. Diseases will spread quicker. Many species will go extinct. However, it stated that the report was dismissive of technological advances, and that technology could just make things worse. It said that the key to reducing climate change is changing the health system, education system, growing the economy, and reducing inequalities. While I do agree that these will help, I believe that technology will be a major factor in reducing climate change. SGC helped me not get too frightened by this article, because it allowed me to realize that there are many solutions and technologies to implement that will reduce climate change. In addition, SGC helped me understand why each of the negative effects were happening due to climate change.
The topic from SGC colloquium that was most helpful in enhancing my attitude towards my major was the various solutions that can be implemented to reduce climate change and make Earth more sustainable. Previously, I knew I wanted to help the environment, and I knew of some solutions, but I believed that in the semi-near future, there would be no point because climate change was too much of a force to reduce with only a few solutions that not everyone was willing to implement, such as not using plastic water bottles. In addition, I also did not understand the practical applications of computer science in regards to reducing climate change, and I was chagrined at the thought of having a career in computer science in which I did not make a true difference in the world and help people. SGC has made me realize that there are unlimited solutions to climate change, because technology will keep on developing. While technology is not the be-all end-all solution to climate change, it is extremely important and necessary when coming up with solutions. For example, the artificial leaf would only be possible with science and technology innovation. The artificial leaf is a silicon based device that converts the Sun’s energy into hydrogen and oxygen in a clean way. In my opinion, technology is truly elegant, and it is helpful to society as well. Another technology that is fascinating to me is magnetic levitation bullet trains. They use magnetic fields and electricity to levitate above the track, and are much better for the environment than their alternatives. These technologies give me hope for how much technology can influence climate change solutions, and revitalize my passion for computer science, as I have a much clearer purpose in my education now.
I feel that being in a living learning community, living in Centreville Hall, aided in my SGC learning a lot. Interacting with my fellow scholars, especially ones in SGC, gave me a community of like minded people who shared the same goals in helping the environment. Specifically, in the “Visions of the Future” project, the living learning community made it much easier, as I live on the same floor as my group mates (Charlie, Max, and Kevin). Living on the same floor enabled us to work on the project whenever we wanted to, and communicating to each other was easy because we could just go and knock on each other’s doors. Additionally, interacting with my fellow SGC classmates was very beneficial within the classroom as well. The group work enabled me to bounce ideas off with my peers, and gain a better understanding of the material that we worked on for the homework assignments. For example, I was not clear on examples of regenerative agriculture techniques until we talked about it in groups during class.
I have contributed to SGC in many ways. The main source of my contributions was my time as an SGC peer mentor. This year, I have been a mentor to nine new freshmen in the SGC program, and I feel that I really made a difference in their transition into college. During service day this year, I talked to all of them about their classes and how to make their transition into college easier. I held events such as getting dinner with them throughout the semester to check up on them and give any advice they needed. In addition, I texted them every month to ask how they were doing, and many times I ended up providing them with encouragement and motivation to stay positive under the stress of their classes. Also, I volunteered at various events related to SGC. For example, I volunteered at the Cambridge Community block party for the ADIPA room. I also volunteered at the pizza and trivia night for fall fest, and I reached out to my mentees to come out to the trivia night. In freshman year, I went on SGC field trips such as the trip to the Futures Exhibit in D.C. Additionally, I fostered a friendship with my peer mentor, and made sure to respond to her texts on GroupMe.
If anything, SGC has strengthened my beliefs and challenged my doubt of those beliefs. I have always believed that science is the only thing that can be used to do our best to understand the world and reality. Previously, I had some doubts about this, and I was a bit skeptical. For example, I would sometimes question, how do we know that there is only one true reality? After the recent SGC lecture talking about this topic, these doubts have mostly subsided, and I have realized that there is no doubt in my mind that there is one external reality.
Practicing the scientific method and falsification will help me for years to come, in classes and in the workplace. I will always make sure I have evidence to back up my claims, and that I don’t say my findings are absolute, because it could always be disproven. Overall, SGC has been a life changing experience for me, and I will cherish it and utilize my knowledge forever.