As I am finishing up my third semester as part of the Science and Global Change Scholars Program, I have had the opportunity to increase my knowledge and improve my skills when it comes to conducting science. I have also been given the space to learn from past and present global change, as well as a chance to explore future climate change along with different methods that can aid in resiliency as we encounter global warming.
My experience as a Scholar has helped me in the understanding of the foundations of scientific practice, and the use of scientific knowledge. One instance of this is through the hypothetico-deductive method. This theory is based on results obtained through direct observation and experimentation that aids in the creation of a hypothesis that can then be proven or disproven through additional experiments. I employed this method in my organic chemistry laboratory course. In this course, many of the labs were based off of each other. A direct observation of how some compounds behave in certain environments allowed me to create a hypothesis. Then, through the extraction of that specific compound, I was able to test my hypothesis through additional labs and testing. Some of these experiments included extraction of compounds, reflux, separation, chromatography, and distillation. Through these experiments and labs, I was able to increase my knowledge and change my hypothesis as I learned. I was also able to use this opportunity to gain additional skills in a laboratory environment which will help me employ the hypothetico-deductive method again in the future. I would say that the SGC program has helped to prepare me to employ this method, as I made active decisions on my hypothesis, and I was able to mesh together scientific theory, my hypothesis, and lab results.
Another instance in which my experience as a Scholar has helped me to further my understanding of the foundations of scientific practice and knowledge is when I have encountered a news article about how diseases can be more widespread as a result of the worsening climate. This in particular has struck my attention, especially because of how quickly widespread COVID became since being discovered in 2019, as well as how quickly different strains have been able to spread. I would definitely say that my SGC experience has enhanced my understanding of it. Because of SGC, I was able to automatically recognize that part of the reason why diseases are able to spread more easily, is because more animals are behaving in a migratory fashion. This is a result of certain regions of the Earth being warmer than usual, and these animals are migrating in search of a cooler climate. This creates an increased amount of interaction that we would not have normally.
In addition to my organic chemistry laboratory course, another course that has aided me in learning about the scientific process is my physics II laboratory course. At the end of every lab, we were tested with critical thinking questions about different aspects of the lab, and why certain things were designed a certain way. SGC has aided me in the development of some critical thinking skills that has made thinking through experiments easier, which in turn allowed me to reason through the post lab questions for the physics II laboratory course.
With regards to the scholars program being a living and learning program, I do not think that I have benefitted much from this aspect of the program. This may be largely due to studying online my freshman year of university. However, being here in person has made it much easier to coordinate with group members for projects, and this leaves room open for spontaneity, especially when it comes down to meeting up with group members. For the short time that we have been on campus however, I believe that my learning was enhanced by interacting with classmates inside and outside of class. I was able to make connections in class, and I was pleasantly surprised to encounter many other engineering students in addition to myself, which I have not had the opportunity to do last year.
Although I have tried my best to be an active contributor to SGC, I wish that I could have contributed more. I have completed group projects to the best of my abilities, as well as attending SGC field trips when they have aligned with my schedule. However, though these efforts are an active form of contribution, I feel that I could have voiced more of my thoughts during class discussions. Nevertheless, I believe my participation and contribution to SGC allowed me to enjoy it more, since I had more of a hands-on experience.
Being in scholars has brought me in contact with a wide range of people with a wide range of interests. Because of the diverse pool of people, I would say that my beliefs and opinions have been challenged in a positive manner. I have learned to be more open, and consider a larger point of view, especially after talking with others, and having an open group discussion.
I think that my experience in scholars will definitely impact the way I go about certain decisions in my future. For instance, I have found that I have been thinking more about sustainability, and how it fits into my major as well as things I can do that aid in sustainability after I have finished my degree program and start to transition into going into the workforce. I expect this thought process to continue into my experience as a junior and a senior at UMD, and I am sure that this will reflect in the classes I choose for electives as I progress through my education. Additionally, I intend on using the knowledge of the scientific method in the future, as I will be faced with many laboratory environments in which it will be beneficial. Overall, I am really grateful that I have had the opportunity to participate in SGC because it allowed me to meet people and learn things that I would otherwise not have had the chance to.