Experiencing Teton Through the Lens of Science

A worn path winds around Walden Pond, separating the woods and a wooden hut. The earth of the trail is soft and molded to the shape of bare feet. For Henry David Thoreau, this path represents a track for someone’s life, the distinction between nature and society, society and science. For different people, the path can mean many different things. For me, the path is less of a line and more of a bridge, less of a barrier and more of a bond that brings people together.

From events in Science Olympiad -- like Topography and Forestry -- to high school courses -- biology, chemistry, environmental science -- learning about science is learning about the world around me. The two subjects often blur: for me, science is a lens that you can use to view nature, and I love it! Especially hands-on activities: working in labs, using micropipettes and centrifuges, neutralizing reactions and determining species of trees from leaf structure. And although I’ve learned much from my classes, laboratory experience pales in comparison to researching in a national park. There’s still much to learn about science, and through science, nature: how can I use chemistry to learn about soil, or use Punnett squares to predict the color of young sprouts? How can I use science as a tool to find the optimal balance between conservation and development?

Moreover, for me, science is a way to connect to the people around me. In my community, there are no lone scientists; science brings people together. As an editor and regular contributor to the international Journal for Youths in Science (JOURNYS), I review and analyze new scientific discoveries before putting together what I’ve learned in an article, sharing my research and knowledge with friends and teachers. Readers and editors pore over new articles together, learning together. Additionally, given opportunities such as the San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering, I participate in outreach programs, volunteering to demonstrate pH indicators, meeting students interested in science and working with professional scientists. I also coach Science Olympiad at a local middle school, putting together materials for my students to study. Through volunteering and teaching, I’ve realized the importance of cooperation and communication and built importance bridges to other people around me, all thanks to science.

I’ve learned much from science: how to use gel electrophoresis; how to cooperate in team efforts like Science Olympiad; how to analyze and compile data in a research project. To further this education, I’d like to participate in camp at Grand Teton National Park and apply these skills -- both people skills and science skills -- in a hands-on environment, alongside students with similar aspirations and under the guidance of instructors, bringing all of my skills together in the best ways possible, continuing to explore the areas where science, nature, and people overlap.

I submitted this essay to the Elementary Institute of Science and was fortunate enough to win a scholarship to attend the Jackson Hole Expeditions in Yellowstone and Teton National Park for a month this summer! I will write all about my experience as soon as I can!