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 and Global Change Scholar helped in your understanding of its topics?
Other than in colloquium, I have used the hypothetico-deductive method in my life in some very different settings. Firstly, I have used it to determine the effectiveness of different natural pesticides in my garden back home. I had read online that neem oil was very efficient at killing gnats, however my mother preferred to use soapy water to keep them off of our produce. So, I set up an experiment as to which would be the best to use strictly accounting for how much of the plants were intact by the end of the expeiment. I sprayed half of our mustard greens and half of our collard greens with neem oil, and did the same to the other half with soapy water around once every two days during evenings. I made sure that the nozzle for each spray was only interacting with the specified plants, as well as ensured similar water, light etc. conditions for each batch of plants, each plant having their counterpart in the other group. After a few weeks of this, portions of the greens were ready to collect. I kept note of how big the leaves were in proportion to those of the same species, how many available leaves there were to pick from, and the quality of the ready to pick leaves. Neem oil ended up narrowly beating out soapy water in both species, while both were not as effective as I had hoped they would be against the infestation. Ultimately, however, we still went with soapy water because of the price difference. My SGC experience prepared me to employ this as I was presented with a problem that could be solved quantitatively and qualitatively, and as such the most logical thing to do would be to prepare a rudimentary test as to which solution would work the best in my situation (albeit google searching would have likely produced similar results).
Another thing I have used the hypothetico-deductive method on is, strangely enough, volleyball! Being the non-physical sport it is, volleyball requires far more strategizing than most other sports (which is a part of why I like it so much). Anyway, one game I notice that my serves are generally pretty terrible. As such, I went home and began to look up information online such as tips and examples of a good serving posture. After which, I started my experiment. During my next practice, I used what I learned and started to change my posture for serving, a little bit at a time, and tallying how many were successful and how many went absolutely everywhere. Through this, I had learned that I was subconsciously moving the palm of my hand just before impact with the ball, which was affecting my serve every time it happened without fail. Thanks to this exercise, I was able to focus more on what parts of serving were the most impactful on the ball, and further honed my abilities through the power of science!
One of the more memorable instances of a lack of critical thinking was in my ENGL101 class where, similarly to in SGC, we learned about logical fallacies. What stood out especially to me, however, was my professor`s examples for each fallacy we went over. In a completely unbiased approach, my professor was able to find plenty of examples of public figures incorporating logical fallacies into their arguments decisively, whether intentional or not. The professor then analyzed these scenarios that came to be, showed why they were logical fallacies, and how their argument could be debunked. It was a very helpful situation that I still remember a lot from today.
Similarly to in SGC, in my ENSP101 class there was a significant amount of talk regarding climate change. I remember in particular having to write a paper about the affects of climate change on amphibians, a lot of the information from which stays with me today. Specifically, the increase in global temperatures has made a chytrid fungus that infects tropical frogs especially is far more prevalent now than previously thanks to a broadened range. Scientists from this fear that many species of frog are even going extinct before we can ever classify them, especially in south america. I had to read a lot of scientific and lay articles to collect enough material for the essay, from Britannica to National Geographic and Nature. Overall, however, the public`s thoughts on this are very similar to climate change as a whole, though. Primarily, reactions being that of inaction and indifference. The problem seems far away, and as such people tend to care less about it. However, entire clades being wiped out by a disease will inevitable cause great environmental catastrophe, similarly to how the ever prevalent threat of climate change will only continue to get worse if treated with negligence.
As far as interacting with my fellow peers in SGC, there is very little to be said about it. I`ve made a few connections and acquaintances in the program, but nothing that I am expecting to be preserved into next year or even semester. This is exacerbated by COVID, of course, and that many people who I lived with in the program have since moved to other dorms.
I have not contributed all too much to SGC. I had initially very high hopes for the program, and even went to the zoo with many of my peers for an excursion, but I have since learned that a lot of people in the program are not as passionate about the issues at hand, and that sentiment has killed a lot of the passion I had coming into the program.
I have not had any of my beliefs or previous opinions challenged by this program. If anything, it has aided in steeling my resolve towards the global issues gone over in the program.
I think that the scholars program will have an impact on my future studies, but not nearly as much as it could have. Once again, this can partially be contributed to COVID, but the lack of proper connections with others on the program is also a less desirable part of it. Nevertheless, I think that a lot of the lessons regarding future technologies I was unaware of beforehand, dissecting thought processes and logical fallacies will stay with me for a very long time, especially if I want to become more politically involved in the future. Lastly, though I am going into the veterinary field, I still believe that the overall premise of the program, and especially the personalities behind it, have left a very unique impression on me that I hope to keep with me for furture reference and aid.