MULTIDISCIPLINARY

When I started the Thorson Honors Program, I oversimplified the process that goes behind designing a product or system. I believed people just came up with an idea, had a round of testing, and then created it. However, through Thorson, I realized the importance of considering the material, community, and impacts that come with the design process. The videos and readings we completed in class changed my perception of design, and team collaboration helped me realize the importance of working with others to design products that make an impact. 

Learning from a solely STEM perspective or working alone can lead to insensitive products that may have dire effects.

As a final assignment for this year-long class, I put together a portfolio that presents what I've learned and how I learned it. This can be found here.

McBride has been filled with projects that have pushed me to my creative limits, conversations about difficult or uncomfortable topics, and explorations that have challenged my preconceptions. I’ve appreciated how, time and time again, when I feel like I “know” something, I’m proven wrong—there are so many different perspectives surrounding any given topic. While Thorson focused more on the design phase and aligned more closely with engineering, McBride leaned toward the liberal and creative arts, helping me grow as an individual. I’m constantly asked what I think and why I think that way—something I’m rarely asked in my other STEM classes. Through these questions, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of myself and my values. 

In addition to what I’ve learned, I’ve had the opportunity to create art and synthesize arguments for various projects. Having an idea or argument is one thing, but getting people to listen and engage is a whole different challenge. I’ve had to think carefully about how my creations carry the different elements of my argument.

Although a STEM education at Mines provides a thorough foundation for understanding how the world works, the core curriculum lacks an emphasis on communication. The absence of strong communication skills in science can be staggering within the scientific community and even detrimental outside of it. A clear example of this is the rise of the antivaccine movement. A common argument among antivaxxers is that vaccines cause autism due to mRNA becoming incorporated into the genome, permanently modifying one’s DNA. While anyone with a background in biology would recognize this as false, it can sound plausible to those without a scientific background. Miscommunication, misinterpretation, and a general lack of communication have all contributed to increasing polarization both within and beyond the U.S. To correct widespread misinformation, scientists must become better communicators, whether through visual or written means. These skills are developed and expanded through multidisciplinary experiences. My artistic practice has nurtured my creativity, and my time in Thorson and McBride has helped build my communication skills.

Through my artistic endeavors, I’ve become more creative, and that creativity directly applies to my research. During my time at Mines, I’ve produced increasingly effective visuals for the research I’ve conducted. While these visuals don’t rely on technical artistic ability, they do require the ability to conceptualize what’s happening on a microscopic level and represent it clearly through images and diagrams. This skill has helped me communicate scientific concepts more effectively, both in research settings and when explaining ideas to others. In addition to enhancing my research communication, these skills have also helped me explain complex topics as a tutor. Although I discuss this more in the Service section, I’ve used the artistic skills I’ve developed to help students visualize difficult concepts such as photosynthesis, chemical reactions, and more.

I’ve also grown significantly in my writing abilities through Thorson, McBride, and the Writing Center. As mentioned above, Thorson and McBride provided many opportunities to form arguments and defend them. While I’ve also practiced technical writing in lab reports across various classes, I’ve come to understand the importance of writing in different styles, tones, and with diverse objectives. To communicate effectively, you must not only understand your argument but also your audience. I found that although I could write a lab report, I initially struggled to effectively support my own opinions or arguments on a given topic. My experiences in Thorson and McBride gave me valuable opportunities to practice this type of writing, and the Writing Center provided detailed feedback on clarity, tone, and structure

By developing my communication skills through my art and writing, I hope to contribute to a growing movement aimed at bringing together people within and outside of the scientific community; implementation of sustainable technologies like biofuels cannot be accepted without this communication.