STEM Campus Seminar Post

On October 23, I attended a seminar presented by the 1997 co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics and former Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu. This year, the 57th Annual Alpheus W. Smith Lecture was about “Climate Change and Innovative Paths to a Sustainable Future”. The seminar was about how the world has transformed due to the agricultural and industrial revolutions and the unintended result of those changes on the climate. The main takeaway of the seminar is how the smartest minds of the world expect when the point of no return is

When coming to the presentation, I walked alone an hour before it started to make sure I could find a seat to my liking. This being the case, as I watched people file into the large auditorium, I realized that I was probably one of the few undergraduate students that attended. This did make me feel out of place, however, I could tell that everyone there was there to listen to the lecture at hand rather then ask, “why is an undergraduate student here?” I felt as though everyone had an unspoken understanding that they were all here to learn rather than make judgments.

I understood most of the information that was given at the lecture. The only question I had was “why was the co-winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics presenting on climate change?” This got me thinking. Maybe research in your respective field isn’t as black and white as I once thought it was. I realized that people from different backgrounds and with different degrees must work together on common causes because of how many different ideas are needed for the cause.

Though some may disagree, I do believe that being active in the academic community as an undergraduate student has merit. I believe that even if you have no clue what is being talked about during the lecture or seminar, it allows you to get an understanding how well versed the presenter is about their research. I also think that it can be an excellent way to network and show your interest in the topic to people who might be interested in taking someone under their wing on some of their projects and future research. When one is in the room with a researcher that does research in the field that they are interested in and possibly surrounded by even more researchers with similar interests, it is a fantastic idea to network. I don’t think that going to research seminars and lectures is a waste of time. In fact, I think it is one of the best ideas for someone who would like to pull back the curtain on what it is like to conduct research in their respective fields.

Overall, this was a great experience for me. It showed me how research lectures are structured and showed me that I shouldn’t be scared to attend. It will allow me to network and build bonds with fellow peers and create connections with researchers and professors.

Campus Resource Post

Yes, every campus has support, but when someone says campus resource, they think about academic support. This could be tutoring, seeing an advisor about a class, or going to some sort of seminar regarding the class. However, not all campus resources are academic. Some resources can assist with mental health, career choices, or multicultural issues. At The Ohio State University, there are a ton of different resources for the students attending to take advantage of. Two examples are the Career Counseling and Support Services and the Counseling and Consultation Services, both of which are located in the Younkin Success Center.

Everyone in college eventually thinks about whether or not they are going into the right field and as of late, I have had my doubts. As of a week before writing this post, I had tried to make an appointment with the Career Counseling and Support Services, however, they were all booked up for the week. This being the case, I tried to go to their walk-in hours, but when I asked the lady behind the reception counter, she informed my that they were all booked up for the day. I was unable to book a time for the Career Counseling and Support Services, which made me think. What does it mean that the service was completely booked?

Some may take the fact that the career counseling service was all booked up as a bad sign. Wondering why so many people are convincing themselves that they are on the wrong career path. Yes, this can be thought of as a bad thing, but I believe that this is a good thing. It shows that these students aren’t scared to ask for help and counseling for their doubts. It makes me think that my fellow peers know that they are not alone here.

It is also very good to know that there is the Counseling and Consultation Services on campus for anyone and everyone to use. It is also very nice that it is free for any student attending the university, especially knowing how tight money can be for students attending a university. Another thing great about the Counseling and Consultation Services is that they have group settings, which allow students to talk to one another about their issues and feel more involved with their peers instead of simply speaking to a therapist.

In conclusion, yes, I would have been happy going to the Career Counseling and Support Services for a talk about my future, but I feel as though not being able to have a meeting with them because of their unavailability sparked some valuable thought processes. It made me think that even though a lot of people are possibly thinking about changing their career paths or simply trying to plan their future better, they are seeking help and not just trying to get by on their own. Even the Counseling and Consultation Services are such a help to those college students who are overwhelmed with everything that comes with college life. The Ohio State University truly does want the best for it’s students.