Here’s another in our series of STEM-related reflections by recent Newton high-school graduates. Dan Ehrlich, who graduated last year from Newton South, is a freshman studying applied math at NYU.
Biology. Chemistry. Oceanography. Geology. Astrophysics. One by one, the sciences were crossed off my list of potential college majors. In middle school, I thought for a while that I would be a scientist. I would discover the cure for cancer (little did I know that there were multiple types), or design autonomous underwater vehicles and explore the ocean depths. I would be a theoretical chemist or perhaps a neurologist who understood the brain so well that he created an artificial intelligence. I wanted to work on the frontiers of science. I wanted to change the world. I knew I would be a scientist before I had even picked up my first biology textbook.
Two things happened in high school, however, that dissuaded me from these dreams: First, I joined a robotics team, and second, I worked in two labs. Both experiences left me empty and unsatisfied. Robotics? Not for me. I had no interest in mechanical and electrical engineering, and don’t get me started on the programming aspect. Working in a molecular biology or electrochemistry lab? Just as a bad. The monotony and lack of social interactions drove me crazy. The science life, I concluded, was not for me. I could love science; I could find it fascinating and keep up with the latest findings (I still read Science Magazine regularly), but I would not be the one conducting experiments.
In college, I turned to economics. I find the science behind decision making fascinating. Since economics is considered a social science, I thought I was done with STEM forever, but to study economics and game theory it turned out one must first master applied math. Additional knowledge of both neurology and psychology is also required to study neuroeconomics, a field I am particularly interested in. I may never be a STEM scientist per se, but STEM will always permeate my life. Whether in the form of knowledge I seek to understand, or the latest findings aired on some website, STEM is not something I cannot completely escape. Not being a scientist doesn’t stop me from standing in awe of the cutting- edge research being currently conducted.
If you want to go into a STEM field, that’s great. Kudos. Maybe you’ll design the next humanoid robot, write the code for the next Google, grow a beating heart from scratch, or finally understand consciousness. If you do, I envy you. But if like me you don’t, that’s fine too; we are in the same boat. Maybe you’ll be a diplomat, a business analyst, or a lawyer. Maybe you’ll be a doctor or the CEO of a non-profit. Opportunities exist everywhere. For me, understanding the world is the highest calling. If you have a passion for knowledge, a desire to make a difference, or a love of solving yet unsolved problems, STEM will be an important part of your journey.