I have personally encountered many examples of failures in critical thinking skills in my college experience thus far. A key example of this is while working with other students (from differing fields) on projects, I have realized that it is not difficult for some members to blindly follow others in the group who seem to be “more familiar” with the given tasks of the project due to their field overlapping with that particular task. While it is true that you should listen to “experts” in a specific field, it is still imperative that you analyze their claims and general ideas to make sure you understand them and that their ideas match the given facts of the case under discussion. There are also many examples of fallacies in the news, particularly concerning the topic of global climate change. Unfortunately, the federal government is currently being led by a group of politicians who do not believe in climate change, in contrast to most of the U.S. population. These particular politicians tend to twist scientific evidence presented to them and convey incorrect facts through social media platforms, as well as by taking advantage of their political fame. Moreover, many politicians are more concerned with decreasing the national budget to cut costs in research and scientific development in this area, and are instead focusing their attention on the fossil fuel industry. It is also important to note how these politicians have close connections with these companies, which are presently an integral part of the U.S. business and economy. Thus, deniers argue that if regulations are placed, these industries and the broader economy would be negatively impacted. Understanding the history, causes, impacts, and possible solutions associated with climate change in SGC has further opened my eyes to this grand issue and ideas such as those discussed above, and has enabled me to become an advocate for climate change action within my community.
A common misunderstanding often encountered in my engineering laboratories is the assumption that because the results do not align with your initial hypothesis or expectation, it is a complete failure. This is simply not true since this could be interpreted in many different ways and thus should not be taken with deep disappointment. Oftentimes, it means that your hypothesis or the conditions you are working with should be revised, calling for a rerun of the experiment. Moreover, new and unexpected data discovered should be analyzed carefully to form these new revisions. It is important to understand that this field encompasses much trial and error, and learning from your mistakes and past ideas is part of the process. In addition to the skills acquired in these experiences, I have learned to question everything and be curious about the world around me, especially in my field. These skills are also incredibly helpful when encountering pseudoscience in the news and on social media.
Another key component of my scholars education has been the many classes I have taken for SGC requirements. One of these supporting courses is ANTH266: Changing Climate, Changing Cultures. This class discussed anthropology and climate change, allowing me to connect my knowledge of global climate change in SGC with anthropological applications and contexts. What made this a unique experience for me was that this course specifically focused on the interactions between humans and climate from the past, present, and future, as well as the people of Smith Island. This opened my perspective to the inhabitants of that specific area and how they have coped and are currently coping with the effects of climate change. Building on my scholarly education, I have had the opportunity to take several CMSC courses as part of my field of study, which has further broadened my understanding of the inner workings of various technologies and the ever-evolving world of technology. From object-oriented programming to computer systems, I have been exposed to differing levels of critical and logical thinking and have learned that there are many different ways to approach complex problems.
Because I was able to live in the Cambridge Community in my freshman year, specifically at Centreville Hall, I had the opportunity to be in the same building as many of my classmates. It is there that I was able to get to know more about each person and realize that we have many similar interests and approaches. For example, there were several occasions in which we all gathered together to study for the same course in the evenings. All these experiences thus allowed me to form closer bonds with them, creating long-lasting relationships that go beyond just the two-year Scholars program. It is important to acknowledge that these same people are my bestest friends today, and that is something that I am truly grateful for.
SGC has enabled me to have a variety of experiences in which I have contributed to academia and to the larger Scholars community. From the academic standpoint, I have been vocal in discussions and projects with my classmates and professors, such as on the topic of climate change, and have attended numerous excursions on campus and off campus. An example is that last year I worked with three other students to research and craft a slide presentation on the subject of wildfires in California. Not only did this require much time and effort from a technical perspective, but it also required much teamwork and effective organization of tasks for the whole group. Another memorable aspect of my contributions has been giving back to the community. A prime example of this was assisting with outdoor habitat maintenance at the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens at the start of my freshman year. This opportunity allowed me to better understand the goals of SGC and support the community of Washington, D.C., especially regarding the propagation and display of aquatic plants.
Even prior to being exposed to the content of the SGC courses, many of my already existing ideas connected well with the ideas of SGC. In fact, one of the factors that made me truly consider this program was that it deeply aligned with my pre-existing beliefs and goals. After completing the corresponding courses, I believe I have gained a vast amount of knowledge and skills in different areas of science, particularly regarding global climate change, and have further strengthened my previous ideologies, pushing me to become a stronger advocate for these issues. Additionally, it is in these courses that I have been exposed to students from different backgrounds who, in addition to having different ideas, also have similar ideas and interests to me. SGC has taught me many applicable ideas, such as to question everything, to analyze the choices and pieces of evidence around me carefully, and to apply these notions to the real world.
With all these points in mind, I do not doubt that the numerous valuable themes and experiences I have learned and gained from SGC will make their presence known in my junior and senior years of my undergraduate education at UMD. What makes SGC a powerful program is that its corresponding courses cover a wide range of areas of science from the past, present, and future, and allow you to further learn about the mode of scientific thought and its applications to today’s sphere. Ideas of pseudoscience, logical fallacies, the biosphere, and climate change’s implications are not only applicable to this program but also apply to many other STEM fields and arguably non-STEM fields, due to their high relevance in today’s world, even in my field of computer engineering. It is for these same reasons that I expect that these important themes and lessons will be present in my post-academic studies as well as when I am employed. It is natural to claim that this is purely speculation, but what remains certain is that my experiences in SGC have undoubtedly shaped me into the person I am today and that these are experiences that I will cherish forever.