Throughout my time in the SGC program, I have been exposed to various ideas, ideologies, and ways to go about my life in the future. While this could easily be overwhelming, I found that the experience I had in the past two years has shaped my thinking to be one that is more objective, critical, and resilient to misinformation and bias.
The knowledge that I have learned in SGC has greatly affected how I look at climate change events in the news. In colloquium, I have learned about the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as the scientific evidence that supports the reality of this phenomenon. This knowledge has helped me to better understand the news reports about climate change, and to evaluate the accuracy and reliability of the information that is presented.
For example, when I read news headlines on the rising frequency and severity of extreme weather events like heat waves, floods, and storms, I can clearly see how these phenomena are linked to climate change. I am also capable of critically evaluating the statements presented in the articles and identifying any potential biases or disinformation. This understanding has enabled me to grasp the broad picture and comprehend the interdependence of the numerous elements that contribute to climate change. My supporting courses were an illustration of how my SGC knowledge was tied to various aspects of my life. I was able to use my physics and chemistry knowledge to better understand the phenomenon of thermal expansion of water that was mentioned in colloquium. This has helped me to develop a more nuanced and well-informed view of climate change and its effects on the world around us.
In addition to assisting me in better understanding and evaluating the news, the information I gained in colloquium has influenced how I think about my own actions and behaviors. I am now more conscious of how my everyday actions affect the environment, and I am more driven to take steps to decrease my personal carbon footprint and to support initiatives to combat climate change.
As a college student, I have encountered many examples of failures of critical thinking skills in my experiences. For instance, I have often seen people using logical fallacies, such as appeal to authority or emotion, to try to support their arguments during general education classes. In other cases, I have seen people failing to employ some of the tools of the scientific method, such as conducting experiments or gathering evidence, in situations where these tools could have improved their understanding of a problem or issue.
One specific example of this that I encountered was during a group project in one of my business classes. Our group was tasked with developing a company or product to satisfy a social need, and we spent several weeks working on the project together. However, one member of our group consistently refused to consider any ideas that did not align with their own beliefs and biases. They often used sunk cost fallacies to try to dismiss the ideas of other group members, and refused to switch to a different idea after we believed that we may have to regroup and rethink our plan. As a result, our group was unable to reach a consensus on a solution to the problem, and our final project was not as successful as it could have been if we had all been willing to think critically and consider different perspectives.
After this I was forced to change my outlook and try to be more proactive in preventing such an event in my group projects in the future. Later, in my physics classes, I was faced with differing opinions among my lab partner when we were working through our experiment. Through my prior experiences, I was able to use critical thinking and consider different perspectives to find a solution that worked for everyone. I took his advice and didn’t shut it out, but I was also able to explain my point of view and increase the efficiency of our testing and ultimately save us both time and have a more valuable experience during our experiment. This experience taught me the value of being open-minded and willing to listen to others, while being able to offer my own thoughts when necessary. Overall, it was a valuable lesson in the importance of collaboration and communication in problem-solving, something that SGC has emphasized with group assignments and a global world view.
To add on to the group project experiences in SGC, I found the visions of the future project quite fruitful. Working with others provided a diversity of perspectives and ideas, which helped me see the problems and solutions from different angles and come up with creative solutions. Second, collaborating with others helped me divide up the work and share the workload, which made the project more manageable and efficient. This is especially effective when you have peers who have been through SGC with you and are trusted. Third, working with others provided an opportunity for learning from each other and sharing knowledge and skills, which helped everyone in the group improve and grow.
The science and global change program was first advertised to me as a program dedicated to learning about climate change, however it is proven to be more than just that. It taught me the importance of using critical thinking skills in all aspects of my life, and the potential consequences of failing to do so. It also reinforced the value of being open-minded and willing to consider different perspectives and evidence, even when they may challenge our own beliefs and assumptions. It showed that there is more than one way to solve a problem and that there are things we can do to combat global issues on an individual and community level. While I wished that I would have given more back to the program, I still felt that being an active part of the scholars community by going to colloquium has given me fulfillment and a sense of belonging to the community. I am thankful for the opportunities and teachings of SGC for making my college experience more valuable. Looking forward, I hope to continue to challenge what I think I know and try to make choices that would improve the livelihood of myself, others, and our planet.
