Introduction
Over the past three semesters as a Science & Global Change Scholar at the University of Maryland, I have had the opportunity to explore both the Science of Nature and the Nature of Science in a way that goes far beyond what I expected coming into college. Through the colloquium, supporting courses, and interactions with other Scholars, I have developed a deeper understanding of how science is practiced, how knowledge is built and challenged, and how scientific information is essential in addressing complex global issues such as climate change. The program has pushed me to evaluate not only the content of what I learn, but also the process by which that knowledge is established and communicated. This experience has significantly shaped both my academic perspective and the way I approach problem-solving, especially in relation to my major in aerospace engineering. Compared to the experience I would have had without being part of SGC, my understanding of scientific inquiry and global change has been much broader and more interdisciplinary. I have not only been exposed to the hard science behind climate change, but also to its social, economic, and political dimensions. This integration of perspectives has helped me see global change not as a single-issue problem, but as a highly interconnected system of natural and human-driven processes that require thoughtful, collaborative solutions.
Using the Scientific Method and Recognizing Failures in Critical Thinking
One of the key takeaways from the SGC program has been learning how to properly apply the hypothetico-deductive method in a variety of contexts. While this method was discussed frequently in the colloquium, I have also found myself using it in courses and projects outside of SGC. For example, in engineering-based problem sets and labs, I often begin by forming a hypothesis about what outcome I expect based on physical principles, then test that hypothesis through calculations, simulations, or experimentation. The emphasis in SGC on forming testable hypotheses, isolating variables, and analyzing data critically has strengthened my approach to these technical problems. Rather than jumping straight to an answer, I now spend more time thinking about assumptions, uncertainties, and alternative explanations. In addition, the skills I developed in SGC helped me recognize failures of critical thinking among my peers and in everyday discourse. On multiple occasions in class discussions or group projects, I noticed logical fallacies such as hasty generalizations or false cause-and-effect relationships. For example, some students would attribute short-term cold weather events to the “end of global warming,” which reflects a common misunderstanding of the difference between weather and climate. Because of my experience in SGC, I was able to identify this flawed reasoning and explain how long-term climate trends are measured over decades, not isolated days or weeks. Recognizing these breakdowns in logic has made me more careful in my own arguments and more aware of misinformation in both academic and public conversations.
Connections to Supporting Courses: AREC200 and FMSC110
Several supporting courses further reinforced and expanded upon the concepts introduced in SGC. One of the most significant was AREC200: The Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem: Intersection of Science, Economics, and Policy. This course focused on the impacts of human activity and global warming on the Chesapeake Bay. Topics such as stormwater runoff, fertilizer runoff, impervious surfaces, acidification, algal blooms, and hypoxia closely aligned with discussions from the SGC colloquium. In AREC200, I learned how nutrients from agricultural and urban areas lead to algal blooms, which, when decomposed by bacteria, reduce dissolved oxygen levels in the water and create dead zones. This idea connected directly to what I learned in SGC about the cascade effects of human systems on natural environments. The depth and specificity with which AREC200 explored these issues enhanced my understanding of the broader global systems we studied in SGC. It helped me see how climate change and environmental degradation manifest on a local level, affecting ecosystems, economies, and recreational and commercial industries. The class made climate change feel more immediate and personal, and it demonstrated how policy, science, and economics must work together in order to create meaningful solutions. I also took FMSC110: Families and Global Health, which, while less directly connected to environmental science, contributed an important human perspective. In that class, we studied global health, social determinants of health, inequality, family systems, and access to resources. These topics connected to SGC by illustrating how environmental conditions and global change disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Communities with fewer resources often suffer the most from pollution, extreme weather events, and food or water insecurity. This reinforced the idea that climate change is not just a scientific or environmental issue, but a deeply social and ethical one as well.
Interaction with Other SGC Scholars
One of the most valuable aspects of the SGC program has been the learning community created through interaction with fellow Scholars. In both formal and informal settings, I was able to exchange ideas with students from majors very different from my own. These interactions broadened my perspective and challenged me to consider approaches to problems that I might not have thought of on my own. Forming study groups and collaborating on projects with students outside of engineering strengthened my communication skills and helped me appreciate the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork. For example, working with other Scholars on class assignments helped me understand how students from environmental science, public policy, or social science backgrounds analyzed the same issues through very different lenses. These conversations often led to deeper insights into the complexity of global change and made learning more engaging and dynamic.
Personal Contributions to SGC
I believe I have made meaningful contributions to the SGC community through active participation in discussions, group activities, and collaborative projects. One key example is the group project on ocean acidification. In this project, I contributed research and analysis on the causes and consequences of increasing carbon dioxide levels in the ocean, as well as potential mitigation strategies. Additionally, in-class activities focused on solutions to climate-related problems, such as green infrastructure, renewable energy, and sustainable urban planning, gave me the opportunity to share ideas and engage in constructive debate. These activities helped me not only learn the material more deeply, but also sharpen my ability to articulate ideas, listen to others, and build on collective knowledge.
Challenged Beliefs and New Perspectives
While none of the information I encountered in SGC directly contradicted my prior beliefs, it significantly expanded and challenged my understanding of the scale and sources of environmental impact. I was surprised to learn how many everyday materials and industries contribute to carbon emissions, including concrete production, which I had not previously considered to be a major emitter. At the same time, I learned about innovative solutions such as green roofs, smart grids, and sustainable urban design, which demonstrated that there are practical, creative ways to reduce environmental harm. These realizations shifted my mindset from one of vague awareness to informed concern and proactive interest. Instead of seeing climate change as a distant or abstract problem, I now view it as an urgent engineering, scientific, and societal challenge that requires immediate and sustained action.
Looking Forward
As an aerospace engineering major on the space track, I expect my SGC experience to continue influencing my academic and professional path. The focus on systems thinking, long-term planning, and sustainability will be valuable in fields such as spacecraft design, satellite systems, and planetary exploration. Understanding Earth’s climate systems also provides important context for studying other planetary bodies and the future of human activity in space. The problem-solving methods, interdisciplinary mindset, and ethical considerations emphasized in SGC are tools I will carry forward into my junior and senior years, potential graduate education, and eventual career. While I cannot fully predict where my path will take me, I am confident that the lessons I have learned through SGC will remain a critical part of how I think, analyze, and lead in a world shaped by global change.