I went to the 57th Annual Alpheus W. Smith Lecture given by Steven Chu with a group from POLARIS, my mentorship class, and two of my other friends. I was particularly interested in this talk because it focused on climate change, its impacts, and what possible solutions we can use going forward. This event was unique compared to many of the other events I’ve been to because there was a wider age group present at the event. I really enjoyed going with a group to this event because we talked about the event before and after and were able to share our impressions. I definitely got more out of the event by going with a group and being able to distill the information I learned with my peers afterward. I have done a lot of research on climate change, since it is an issue that impacts my everyday life and will continue to (increasingly more) over time.
I understood the content Dr. Chu presented very well and I learned a lot about the progress we are making with meat replacement and other agricultural environmentally friendly policies. I appreciated the plethora of data that Dr. Chu presented to properly explain just how dire the climate crisis is and what its impacts will be in coming years. Some of the data that Dr. Chu presented I had never heard before and it made climate change all the more present in my mind. Dr. Chu’s lecture renewed my determination to do all that I can to mitigate the impacts of climate change and to lower the CO2 levels globally.
I also went to the major-specific event that the department hosted earlier in the day where we met with Steven Chu for him to give us his background and for us to have a chance to ask him questions. Hearing Dr. Chu’s story and his professional development was inspiring for me. He told us fondly of both his rejections and his successes and it made him very relatable. One of the things that surprised me was that he has shifted his areas of research and taught himself new material more than once. I know many physics majors who find it stressful to pick and discipline. I have personally worried about picking the right subfield and worried that I would have to stay in whatever subfield I picked for my whole career. Knowing that my subfield can shift with me as I evolve throughout my career is comforting. Dr. Chu has had an amazing career and continues to work hard within the field. Hearing about his career was exciting and reaffirmed my love for physics. I have found being involved in the academic community within the physics department integral to my experiences so far at Ohio State. I have networked with peers, professors, and other notable members of the physics community. I have heard talks on multiple topics and already been able to narrow down my specific interests by hearing different stories like Dr. Chu’s and learning of their research.
