Big Science

For my second Honors Experience, I took a seminar called "Big Science." In the honors seminar, we studied the history of large-scale scientific undertakings—from the Manhattan Project and the Apollo Program to contemporary collaborations like CERN and ITER. The course provided a historical and philosophical framework for thinking about how scientific investigation has evolved from individual and small-group research to massive, interdisciplinary, and frequently international collaborations. We took into account the political, ethical, and economic dimensions of these kinds of projects, and their effects on society and the perception of science by the public on a global scale.

Throughout the seminar, I gained a deeper understanding of the complexities of modern scientific research—not just in the fields of technology and discovery, but also in the infrastructure, communication, and governance required to sustain such activities. The case studies and presentations challenged me to consider how scientific progress converges with global citizenship, responsibility, and fairness. This experience reshaped my understanding of what it means to be a Global Citizen Scholar by showing me how science can both unite and divide people depending on how it is pursued and disseminated.

Included in the seminar was a trip to Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where we explored firsthand where modern day Big Science originated. We met with numerous researchers and scientists at the lab and were given tours of sites such as the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS), Frontier Supercomputer, and the old X-10 Graphite Reactor used during World War II.

This seminar has had a lasting effect on how I think about my own work in the scientific community and has inspired me to pursue work that unites science, ethics, and public engagement.

Below are some images taken during the Oak Ridge tour: