It is a quiet Wednesday afternoon and a frustrated student walks towards their college’s academic support center. They wonder to themselves why liberal arts students are forced to take science courses. After failing their previous exam their chemistry professor recommended meeting with a chemistry tutor. They find themselves at my office door, reading a sign stating: “Kate Randall, Chemistry Peer Tutor.” The fluorescent lights hum peacefully in the background as the student prepares to take on their biggest enemy: chemistry. What they do not expect is to find is the most outgoing and energetic communications major behind that door.
Yes, you read that correctly. I am a communications major. I will always enjoy the look of total confusion students have when I tell them this. Classmates and Students alike wonder why I take courses such as Biology and Chemistry. My answer: I enjoy it!
Most people either love science or hate it. The same goes for understanding it. What if I told you that you do not have to understand every nuance of the Krebs cycle or memorize every element on the periodic table of elements to find science useful and even enjoyable? Chad Orzel (2018), in his article for Forbes, explains that liberal arts students who study science are better able to understand complex topics. Studying science helps us learn how to analyze a situation and take action.
Dr. Valentí Rull explains that science education will create a world in which everyone can participate in decisions on how innovative technologies can be instituted to address social issues (Rull, 2014, para. 5). Science permeates, finds its way into, every aspect of our life. Science not only allows us to understand our world, but it also allows us to develop skills such as rational thought, content organization, and critical decision-making. Most importantly, science allows us to better engage with our world.
You should be able to tell by this point that I love science. So, you might be wondering, why am I studying communications? Well, I believe that in order to make science more accessible, it needs to be communicated well. That is exactly what I intend to do through this blog. My posts will explore a range of topics explaining basic science principles that can be found in everyday life, providing tips for taking science classes, and exploring recent scientific discoveries.
Are there any scientific concepts that have kept you stumped? How about an everyday experience that you would like to understand the science behind? Let me know in the comments!
Until next time,
Kate Randall
Communications and Science Enthusiast
St. Cloud State University
Works Referenced in this article:
Orzel, C. (2018, April 18). Why Science Is Essential For Liberal-Arts Education (And Vice Versa). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chadorzel/2018/04/18/why-science-is-essential-for-liberal-arts-education-and-vice-versa/?sh=323921be5bb5
Rull, V. (2014). The most important application of science. EMBO Reports, 15(9), 919–922. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.201438848