My experience as a Science & Global Change Scholar has helped me to view the world differently. I look for logical fallacies in arguments. I try and find the truth in every news story I read. I look for the hopeful climate change news while understanding the gravity of the situation we are in. I think that because I am an SGC scholar, I am a better person, a person who values truth and science and humanity above all, and a better servant of the Earth. For example, I know that I will not be fulfilled if I am not serving the environment in my career. Without this course, I would not have known about as many career options as I do, I wouldn't have gotten to refine my interests and I wouldn't have gotten to find a calling.
Very recently, the Biden Administration passed the Inflation Reduction Act that aimed to lower inflation while lowering the costs of prescription drug prices and investing in Clean Energy. This semester in scholars there has been a lot of focus on people's ideas around science and people's belief systems. Watching climate legislation discourse in the Senate is a prime example of that. Many Democratic Senators supported the bill and many Republican senators called it "insanity" (R-SC Lindsey Graham). There were mixed reviews from environmental organizations but many did support the bill, and those who criticized it praised its attempt at aiding climate change efforts while saying that the bill didn't do enough. SGC has taught me to analyze different perspectives around an issue, but value the ones that value science and logic over self-interest and irrationality. I think today we are seeing a slip towards conspiracy in government, which is incredibly dangerous. With climate change and election deniers sitting in public office, it becomes even more important to recognize truth over lies and get information from the scientists, not the government.
Science and Global Change has been incredibly important and influential in my college career and expanding my interests. If it was not for this scholars program, I would not due geophysics research for the Geology Department! SGC gave me an opportunity to combine my interests in the environment and physics. Over the last semesters, I SGC has helped me realize that I am called to work outside and I am also called to code! My geophysics research is a cool combination of working outside and gathering data in creeks and on big rock-outcroppings, and then using computer algorithms to analyze the data we get. That has also cemented my choice in minoring in Computer Science. When I ended freshman year last semester, I was giving Computer Science a shot. Now I know that I really like it and it can help me in the future. Through SGC, the lessons on green technology, specifically the energy systems we discussed, have showed me that I can find fulfillment in a career that satisfies my need to help the earth and my need to work on physics projects (with a little geology and CS thrown in there). I am so grateful to SGC for showing me where my career could go!
This semester I took a lab for the first time (as well as doing my practicum in a geophysics research lab)! I took PHYS275, which is the Mechanics and Heat Lab for physics majors. Here I directly used the scientific method in performing experiments and analyzing data. Now I feel like the hypo-deductive method is the default thinking pattern for my brain! I loved doing hands-on work in the lab and I loved devising experiment plans and possible testing structures. Four hours of my week went to 'messing around' with physics equipment and seeing what I could do, which was awesome. I think that using the hypo deductive method as a basic thinking pattern is helpful for my major (definitely) and for becoming a better person. I think that the best humans are the must open to new ideas, and SGC has taught me the value of that.
Also this semester, we did the Visions of the Future project! I really enjoyed getting to put my own spin on a climate solution utopia. I talked a lot about community gardens and bringing people closer to nature as well as the science-technology advancements our utopia would have. This combined two very important parts of my life: nature-human connection and STEM! This project allowed me to bring some creativity to modern technology which I thought was fun to explore.
Overall, through SGC I have found a calling for serving the environment and being in nature as well as a pull towards Computer Science and Physics. I understand the world through questions and hypotheses rather than through denial and pre-conceived notions. Also, SGC has allowed me to interact with people who think differently (not contradictory) from the way I do. I think being exposed to different thinking patterns is a great way to keep an open mind and learn about new perspectives. Even if they do not directly contradict you, talking to someone with different ideas exposes you to a different way of thinking, which is always beneficial, I think.
Aside from the actual SGC coursework, I met my best friend through SGC! Living with SGC provided me with the best freshman-year roommate and friend I could ever ask for. We have aligned career goals, experiences, and friends, but wildly different personalities (always a lot of fun). I am eternally grateful to SGC for bringing me to her because without her I would not be where I am! We have supported each other through everything and I think that having that kind of person in your same field is super encouraging and important.
I am grateful for all that SGC has given me. From participating in colloquium to going to talks and field trips, I think that the best thing I can do to give back to SGC is to recommend it for future students. I gained my best friend, a research position, perspective changes, and an open mind from SGC, and I hope that others have the opportunity to as well!
