Due Date: December 9, 2024 The Topic: Over the last three semesters, we have examined the Science of Nature and the Nature of Science. Specifically, we've looked at how we use the foundations of scientific practice to explore the evidence, causes, and implications of past and present global change, and examine the use of scientific knowledge and communication when making decisions for the future. Ultimately, we aim for the program to help students plan for resilience in a future of global change.
How has your experience as a Science & Global Change Scholar helped in that understanding (compared to what you have received if you were not in SGC)?
I believe that most of what I have learned from previous courses has been very surface level. Mainly along the lines of: "climate change is bad" and "human activity has ruined our environment". I am grateful that I was able to learn the real details behind this issue through SGC. I feel like I can confidently explain the more intricate details behind climate change, and even create a strong argument on why this is such a serious issue and that change needs to be made. If anything I have become more passionate about climate change and want to help others understand its implications on the human population.
I used to think studying computer science only yielded one career path: software development. However, during my time at SGC, I came to realize that computer science can be utilized in almost any field. Through the program, I was able to combine my two passions: my major and my love for the environment. Specifically, researching environmentally friendly technologies (like geothermal energy, modern transportation devices and green buildings) made me believe that I can apply computer science to help develop these advancements. I have become motivated to explore new opportunities and pathways that come with computer science. After all, college is the time to find what topics pique your interest. I am excited to see where my studies take me. Almost my entire family lives in the Philippines, so hearing about the heavy rainfall or tropical storms is not uncommon. However, a few months ago a really bad storm hit, leaving the streets flooded and my relatives posting updates on their safety. I looked to news sources for updates on the weather and wished that more groups would cover topics like this. Increasingly stronger weather events are a directly consequence of climate change, and I am afriad of what other storms may hit my home country and others in the area. Adding on, there was also Hurrican Milton, which I was constantly keeping updates on during its time. After seeing its aftermath I fear for what our future holds. If storms are getting more powerful we need to take some serious precautions. More news sources should be bringing attention to this issue as it has the potential to affect all communities across the globe.
In ENGL101S we spent half of the semester creating an argumentative paper/presentation, the lesson on logical fallacies helped me prepare a strong case. Knowing how to spot mistakes in an argument allowed me to build stronger ones by avoiding certain fallacies. I felt confident on my position and was able to give helpful feedback to my peers by noticing if they accidentally included any fallacies in their work. This made me realize that logical fallacies come up more often than I thought, and it is important to know them in order to pinpoint truthful information. Next semester I am taking GEOL123, which focuses on the causes and consequences of global change, almost perfectly matching up with everything we have learned in SGC. However, after looking at the syllabus I realized we will be going into the deeper implications behind climate change like its history and future predictions. I will be able to connect my previous knowledge to a broader perspective and continue to build upon what I know. It is interesting to see how different parts of the world are affected by the same issue. Learning about climate change also has a direct impact on my life, and it is beneficial that I know what my future may hold and if I can do anything to help. My past experience in SGC will allow me to do well in this class.
I made a lot of friends from the program and we helped each other through our classes. I loved the community of people at Centreville and found myself studying with my fellow SGC Scholars in the lounges. With a majority of my fellow scholars taking the same classes as me, I was able to build a support system and always had people to go to if I was feeling stuck. I remember during my first semester, my SGC friends and I studied in the CCC together for over twelve hours while preparing for finals. We push each other to be better, and I realized that it was okay to ask for help sometimes. I learned that I study better in group settings. In high school I only studied by myself but now I am able to ask direct questions on concepts and work out problems with my peers. We shared notes, worked on practice exams together and helped each other relax during stressful times.
I believe I have shared a lot of my own knowledge and experiences with my fellow SGC scholars throughout my time in the program. Whenever I worked in groups or participated in discussions, I always made sure to listen to what everyone had to say and be accepting of their ideas. I also provided support to my peers because I know personally how helpful even the smallest bit of encouragement can be. If anyone ever needed help with their assignments or part of the project, I would not hesitate to aid them. In this last group project and presentation I helped my group members organize the slides and made sure to communicate frequently about deadlines and specific requirements for the assignments. I made sure our work was split up evenly so no one was too overwhelmed with content. This proved to be beneficial as we easily completed the project and knew how we wanted to present our information in an organized manner. We were very proud of our final draft.
Furthermore, discuss to what degree (if any) did being in Scholars brought you in contact with people or concepts that challenged previous beliefs or opinions you had (either concerning the academic material of the program or other personal issues in your life). [Please note: a challenge is not necessarily a contradiction! Consider a "challenge" as any situation that caused you to examine or reflect on a belief or opinion that you already had.] How have these beliefs and opinions changed as a result of your experiences over your first three semesters?
While a lot of my peers and I shared the same beliefs regarding climate change, it was interesting to see their perspectives on certain issues. Sometimes people have different motivations behind their beliefs, even if they are similar to yours. Some of my peers had different opinions on how to tackle the problem, and had their own personal connections to what we were learning. Over the three semesters I spent in SGC, my beliefs did not change much, they just became stronger. After learning more about climate change, pseudoscience and environmentally friendly practices/technologies, I feel more confident about my beliefs. I also think that now I have the necessary knowledge to explain why I have these beliefs if someone were to ask. Now I understand the importance of listening to others and learning from them, instead of criticizing their thoughts. I tried to understand where they were coming from when discussing our beliefs/
I believe that my time in scholars has made me become more open minded and informed about the topic of science altogether. I realized that there is always more to learn, and working with with your peers is the best way to do so. This winter I will be working alongside a team of interns on building architecture docs for an cybersecurity consulting firm. The experience I gained through groups projects and team assignments will be key in preparing me for this role. Now I know how to properly organize my work and actively ask for my expectations so I can do the best possible work. I will be able to optimize my experience as I am no longer afraid to share my ideas or take feedback from others. This will allow me to grow as a student and as a professional.