Being a part of College Park Scholars Science and Global Change program for the last three semesters have been very rewarding and has helped me in my academic career as well as personal career. The program has allowed me to shape my future and has taught me some of the most important skills necessary for achieving success in all areas of life. Personally, I have been able to apply some of the concepts or share some of the topics we have learned and discussed in our colloquiums. The program's curriculum has not only contributed to my academic growth but has also had an impact on my personal and professional trajectory. Being a Science and Global Change Scholar has deepened my understanding of environmental issues beyond my original understanding before coming to the University of Maryland. The program’s hands-on activities and various opportunities for collaboration with fellow scholars has given me the chance to develop my presentation skills as well as time management skills. Through the program, I've learned to critically analyze information, recognize patterns, and understand the intricate ways in which our actions affect the environment. The program has empowered me to see the broader picture, comprehend the interconnectedness of global ecosystems, and understand the profound impact of individual and collective actions on the world around us.
In my Introduction to Psychology class I took in Spring 2023, I had the opportunity to employ the hypothetico-deductive method, which I first became familiar with through the Science and Global Change program. This method includes forming hypotheses based on existing theories, and furthermore, designing an experiment to test those hypotheses, and then analyze those results to make conclusions. It was pretty relevant in my psychology class when we dived into the analysis of various psychological studies. By using this process, I was able to apply the scientific method by forming hypotheses based on theories in psychology and then get to design my own experiment to these hypotheses. My experience being part of SGC played a crucial role in preparing me for using the hypothetico-deductive method in different academic settings. In my psyc100 class, I was able to apply the hypothetico-deductive method to understand and question the research that we were given from studies.
In my USLT201 class, although not a science-based course, I had the opportunity to apply the research skills that I have developed in SGC over the past three semesters. Being able to extract important information while also taking note of the language being used to describe certain issues, and how this can affect an audience’s ability to understand the message. Drawing on my SGC background, I could find instances where pseudoscientific claims were used in sophisticated language in order to develop some kind of credibility. It just allowed me to recognize the connection between effective and clear communication and the potential for misinformation. Overall, by using my SGC skills and using it in this class, I was able to understand the importance of learning critical language analysis skills in order to navigate pseudoscientific persuasion.
Over the last three semesters, a news-related item that caught my attention outside of our SGC was the newer released reports of climate change. There are various reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and from The Nature Conservancy that outline the increasing impacts of global warming and highlight the urgent need for global efforts to mitigate its effects. This resonated with me because of the implications for the planet’s future. Being in SGC colloquium discussions allowed me to understand this complex issue better. We covered different topics and perspectives of climate change, ranging from scientific basis and environmental consequences to even the socio-economic/political side. With looking at these different perspectives, some held by our own fellow scholar students, we got to see a comprehensive view of the challenges that come with climate change mitigation. SGC has allowed and encouraged me to critically think about the interrelationship between environmental, social, and economic factors that contribute to climate change and the topic as a whole. Being a part of SGC has helped me to understand climate change better than just referring to it being “global warming”. It gave me a space to learn about it in theory and in real life examples. Overall, SGC made me realize how complex the challenges of climate change are and how important it is for everyone to work together to tackle them, for the sake of our planet.
By being in a living-learning community, it aided me by allowing me to be physically closer with people which also aided me in making those connections stronger. Personally, I have had the privilege of working with a close group of classmates/friends that I have grown closer to over the past two years. Since we have gotten to know each other, we’ve learned each other’s learning habits and ways that we could work together - with each assignment, this bond got stronger. Whenever I felt confused on a topic, or confused with an assignment for colloquium, I found them to lean on to fill me in or clear up any worries that I had. Being so close with people in my class allowed me to open myself up and get to know other people in our class as well.
In my times with Scholars, I have actively contributed to the community through my engagement in various academic activities. Although I am not the most extroverted person when it comes to full-class discussions, I am very collaborative in small group discussions whether in class or on excursions outside our classroom. On excursions to DC and on Service Day, I demonstrated a positive attitude to complete our tasks while still making it an enjoyable and memorable experience for myself and fellow peers. I am very much an independent person but when it came to completing excursions activities and making sure our group got full points on scavenger hunts, I made sure my team was working towards success. I also believe that through my group activities and group projects I added my insights to whichever topic presented or chosen.I always made sure that our group project was meeting our ‘in-group’ deadlines for ourselves and just making sure everyone was staying in communication with each other. I would consider myself a team player and uplifting of my other students.
Being in SGC has challenged my perspectives on different topics because before coming into the program, my beliefs were solid but not well-backed up. I don’t think they necessarily changed with being in Scholars, but being part of the program taught me to make sure that my beliefs are backed up with research and being prepared to defend them. For example, I think the whole unit focusing on pseudoscience really opened my eyes about how evaluations of information that I see in the media and read in articles need to be done in order to discern between real or fake news. SGC’s emphasis on critical thinking has transformed my approach to these concepts which guides me toward making a more informed and reasoned evaluation. My experience as a Science and Global Change Scholar has without a doubt laid a foundation that will influence my future endeavors in not only school but other areas as well. While there are many valuable lessons I’ve learned as part of SGC, I believe that the most valuable lessons were the ones that had emphasis on my critical thinking and analytical skills. I believe that these skills are invaluable when I move onto more advanced coursework and research as I move into my junior and senior year. I also believe that SGC’s very collaborative environment and lessons have fostered teamwork skills that I know I will use in group projects and any collaborative research that I may do in the coming years. The experience of working with different people and different perspectives within SGC has prepared me to collaborate in the future with people in academic and professional settings. I believe that with some of the relationships that I’ve built within the SGC community and attending some events hosted by the Scholars community, I have been able to develop my networking skills. Such skills are most important when I have to look for internships, mentorships, or job opportunities post-graduation. In addition to that, I have also been able to develop my presentation skills and become better at communicating scientific information and concepts to an audience. Whether presenting my research fingers or participating in meetings, the communication skills I acquired in SGC will help me in all areas of life. Post-graduation and my professional career will be guided by my critical thinking skills, open perspective, and communication skills.