Science and Global Change has not only provided a deeper understanding of topics like climate change, but it has been a very useful tool in strengthening critical thinking skills to navigate through the world and everyday life.
SGC provided a way to navigate election season without falling into the trap of misinformation. The best way they provided this is teaching us the vocabulary of logical fallacies and critical thinking skills. Even the moment of watching events like the Presidential and Vice Presidential Debate, I could easily name different types of logical fallacies. The easiest example to date was when I was watching the Presidential Debate between Vice President Harris and President-Elect Trump. Trump's claim of "In Springfield, they're eating the dogs, the people that came in, they're eating the cats... They're eating the pets of the people that live there," is an example of a slippery slope (AP News). It doesn't take that much brainpower for people to realize Trump's claim about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio is completely false. His claim is a perfect example of the Slippery Slope technique. Based off of his claim, he implies if we let immigrants into the country, they will eat our pets. That is an outrageous claim. There has been no evidence that Trump's claim was happening. However, it was unfortunately effective in inciting hate towards Haitian immigrants. Even if I didn't experience SGC, I would be able to see the ridiculousness of the claim, but I now have the tools to name what it is. Despite my ability to spot false statements during the debate, other people need education (much like SGC's curriculum) to do what I and my peers can do.
Even outside of important topics like politics, SGC's skills lessons have been extremely useful in helping me move through my major. As a computer science major, there is an underappreciation for other subjects (especially the humanities). However recent lectures describe how important understanding other fields are and how they overlap with Science. From the Mad Scientist and lectures Science and Democracy, my two most important takeaways were that we are influenced by fiction, and we must learn about the dark sides of history because it is irresponsible to ignore it. So classes like English and History are important to not only dissect and appreciate the media we consume, and to become aware of the atrocities we should avoid repeating (such as supporting and upholding authoritarianism). So when I am spending time around people in my major during my CMSC lectures-who frequently vocalize our 'superiority' to other disciplines-I can take a moment to take a step back and appreciate how SGC has made me appreciate interdisciplinary education. I loved taking ENGL101 because it enhanced SGC's toolbox for critical thinking skills. We actively discussed how to read and decipher academic journals, news, and much more.
Outside of SGC's curriculum, my learning further continued with my friends from the program. In our weekly 'Girl Dinner' discussions post-lecture, we frequently talk about the lecture's topic. Then if we have group work to complete for the class, they make researching subjects and completing the project much more enjoyable. I look forward to working with my friends and spending time with them.
Outside of my two excused absences, one because I got sick after accidentally consuming lake water from our volunteer trip to the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, I have attended every colloquium to date. On top of that I have participated in class activities and lectures. Then I have been on field trip activities that I did not have to go on. I went with other SGCers to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum this semester when I didn't have to go with them.
Even in a small program, like SGC, I've been exposed to various of my peer's beliefs. While talking to some other students, especially other Computer Science students in SGC, I have found that they lean more towards 'pro-AI' while I lean more 'anti-AI'. Whether I like it or not, AI is going to be used. I would say with the rise of 'AI' in general everyday life and people's support for AI and LLM's (large language models), I would say I have taken a more nuanced approach to my views and beliefs of it. As a creative, my original stance was I was totally against AI, especially generative AI, because it takes from other creatives with or without their consent. Not to mention, the horrible side effects that come with turning to programs like ChatGPT to write assignments instead of critically thinking about it yourself. I genuinely wonder how children's education will be affected (either positively or negatively) by the easy access to AI. I am still very against generative AI and environmentally damaging AI. Now I have opened myself up to supporting and encouraging less energy intensive AI that helps with basic automation, ever since learning of some benefits. But even just summarizing my views on AI and LLM's does not do them justice. Like everything in life, things should be consumed in moderation. And determining what program to use and why is the key for me.
I am truly very grateful that I have had the opportunity to have the Science and Global Change Scholars experience. I couldn't ask for a better program, people, and professors. I love what SGC has done for me. Who knows if I will have any or a lot of post-undergraduate education? The future will decide. Whether or not I am done with school after undergrad, my SGC experience will come with me wherever. Despite there being no one particular lesson that I would particularly draw upon in my future life, I would rather draw upon the larger lesson I've learned over the last three semesters: stay educated, be informed. I mean there is a reason why 'Knowledge is power' is a saying. Other than that, I would most likely draw upon our many lesions on logical fallacies. No matter what the future holds for me, I'm excited to use everything I've learned from SGC.