Hawa Ali
University of Minnesota Rochester
A critical component of my capstone experience was enrolling in upper level science classes to increase my scientific literacy. I enrolled in two upper level science classes and one science related humanities course: Neurocience, Microbiology & History and Philosophy of Science. Upon completion of these courses, I have strengthened my basic science knowledge as well as enhanced my critical reasoning and analysis skills.
COURSEWORK
Neuroscience allowed me to explore the systems that underlie complex brain functions. In this course, I explored concepts such as synaptic plasticity, memory, cognition, emotion & sex. This course was extremely beneficial in helping me understand the type of research mechanisms that are used to discover the knowledge we have about the brain.
HISTORY & PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
In this course, I explored historical and contemporary philosophical problems that arise in science. We discussed topics such as demarcation of science from a pseudoscience, models, explanations, laws, rationality/objectiviety in science and the social responsibilites of scientists. This course challenged me to think about how scientific theories and revolutions emerge and how that impacts the qualtiy and type of science that is consequently performed.
Microbiology allowed me to explore the structure, physiology, metabolism, and genetics of bacteria and viruses. From this class, I gained an appreciation for the hidden impact microbes have on our health and environment. I was introduced to many intriguing microbes such as the Trypanosoma brucei which causes African Sleeping Sickness. Overall, this class has taught me the interconnectedness of all the different species and the world that we live in.
NEUROSCIENCE
MICROBIOLOGY
Photo credit: Hawa Ali