Category: Introductions

In this introductory Blog Post, please include the following elements:
1. Describe your previous experience with science including the courses you have taken in college or high school, and explain which ones you liked most, and why?
2. Explain what would you most like to get out of taking this course.
3. Explain which of the four Watershed UGA projects you are most interested in working on and what Watershed UGA could get from having your perspective on this issue.
4. Provide examples of things you might learn relative to civic engagement by helping with this service learning.

Reflective post #1

This is me with a friend from high school looking all dapper (I’m on the right).

In high school, I took intro science classes each of my first three years: Physics as a freshman, Chemistry as a sophomore, and Biology as a junior. I’m not really a science-oriented student, so I didn’t have a favorite course, more just a favorite teacher. My Chemistry teacher was incredible so I always looked forward to listening to her even though the course material wasn’t too fun.
Even though I’m taking this course because it’s required for my major, I want to get a basic understanding of Biology. I passed Bio in high school, but never fully grasped a lot of the concepts. I think that having a small classroom environment and unique agenda will help me really understand biology.
How much does the diet of farm animals play into the addition of antibiotics in soil? If we fed farm animals food more similar to their undomesticated diets would that make a change?
It seems to me that the reasons composting hasn’t really taken off on a big scale all comes down to money. How could we make composting and reducing the amount of antibiotics in soil more cost-efficient so that the general public would approve it over cheaper, less eco-friendly options?
I think that going out into the local area and promoting composting and other ideas will help me learn how to connect with others and have civilized discussions about issues. Climate change is always talked about in the news, so if we start by making a small difference in the Athens community, we can make a broader impact on a larger scale if we stick with it.

Self Portrait: Karan Pol

Majors: Economics (AB/MA); Political Science

1. In high school, I took a two-year intensive physics course that went through the topics covered within the initial courses that one would take in a physics major along with an additional focus on climate change science, understanding the greenhouse effect and factors that exacerbate it along with concepts of fuel efficiency.
  Furthermore, last semester, I took a class titled Forestry and Natural Resource Conservation, which went through summarily various concepts in conservation science, ranging from soil, to wildlife preservation, and more.
2. I particularly enjoyed my high school physics class, as it took concepts that I was already interested in from a political perspective and provided background knowledge that solidified my viewpoints and made me a more critical thinker, specifically in regards to climate change science.
In taking this course I would like to diversify my courses of study, seeing as my major (Economics) lends to a more mathematical and political degree, discounting many concepts that would be integral to any occupation going forward with my degree, particularly as I hope to work within the realm of public policy.
Questions on antibiotics in soil or composting:
1. What methods are used to identify antibiotics in soil? What tools are necessary for doing so?
2. Is there a standardized list that outlines what goods are to be composted, and why are these instructions not provided either in a classroom setting already or by compost bins?
3. How prevalent is the discussion of soil and composting in the political realm of policy and legislation?
Composting is an issue that seems to be the most relatable to my generation of students, seeing as many elementary schools (depending on location), would focus deeply on teaching responsible recycling methods to young children. Composting serves as an extension of these teachings and as such, should be easily adoptable as a field of study.
This course highly values outreach in the community which, while discussed in high school, is not something that is often valued for students, as education and income are the primary goals. Through this class, hopefully, I can find ease in civic engagement as well as enjoyment, so as to bypass the priorities that I currently have for myself and give back to the community as much as I can.

Introduction Ashley Compton

I was in an IB program in high school so we all took a semester each of chemistry, biology and physics then chose one science to do for the last four semesters. I chose Chemistry because I thought it would prepare me best for what I wanted to do in college- I used to be pre-med, but I had about the same interest in all three.
I would like to learn the more applicable parts of biology to daily life instead of things that I won’t be able to use in my future. I hear so much about problems with the environment, but knowing why and how we can make changes in day to day life that will impact these issues would be really nice.
I would ask about the entire process of antibiotics getting into soil- it’s something I’ve never really thought about before and don’t know much about so I don’t have super in-depth questions about that. As far as composting goes the science behind it would be interesting to know but also how to get involved in doing it since it still isn’t very mainstream. Also, is it possible to take smaller steps first (since a lot of people aren’t going to go all in right now)?
I think global warming is a huge issue and that most other students understand that and care about helping our environment become healthier, so stressing that as well as the dangers that we face by continuing what we are currently doing and why.
Any service learning ties in very tightly with civic engagement, but for me, I wouldn’t have thought about getting involved with something like this before learning about it, so I would learn about the processes/science and more specific impacts on the environment. I think we always hear about things that are going wrong but there isn’t as much information about how we can help, so having the skill to know and explain that is really important.

Introductions – Greg Gruschow

In high school I took science classes involving biology, chemistry, and physics. Chemistry was my favorite, because I enjoyed learning about the basic building blocks of matter. In this course I would like to know more about the internal processes of plants, such as photosynthesis. In terms of composting I would like to learn more about how compost specifically helps plants as opposed to other types of soil. I think my fellow students would be interested in what the topic of global warming involves and how it can affect them in their lifetimes. I think by learning about what composting does, this class will teach me how big of a problem global warming can be.

Peggy Brickman – civic neat freak

I am really excited to get to know all of you and working together to help Watershed UGA
1. I never took Biology in high school because they made you dissect a cat, and that is just wrong. I loved Chemistry, though, and wanted to design perfumes. I figured out after a few college courses that I couldn’t actually work with most Chemists, though, because they are often mean and lack a sense of humor.
2. The thing that I would most like to get out of this course is to learn how to make you lifelong fans of Biology.
3. It is so hard to choose. As a natural clean freak, I love the idea of ending stinky polluting dumpsters and leaking sewage, but as the mother of a high school student, I am really excited to share some Biology with them.
4. I really want to learn more about what my responsibilities are as a citizen and how I can get involved.