UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
could be scientists. Regardless of their words and ignorance I continued to explore my interests collecting as many samples, and books as possible. Then when I was eight years old I first set foot into the National Natural History Museum in Washington D.C. and this bright-eyed girl found her passion. Wandering around the halls of fossils and ancient animals hooked me and paleontology and museum studies have held me captivated ever since.
High school was when I truly realized the strength of my passion. Mr. Mike Koenig, the geology professor at the local community college challenged and encouraged me through lab work and field experience in Ohio Aggregates and Industrial Mining Association affiliated limestone quarries. Mr. Koenig encouraged me to compete in science fairs, where I presented my research done on prehistorical fossils at The Ohio State University
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My entire childhood I dreamed of being a geologist, and now as a student at The Ohio State University my dream is coming true. Paleontology is the area of geology I wish to pursue as a career. To me paleontology is a world that has opened its arms and accepted a young girl who never accepted herself. I have always been fascinated with history and geology and I am delighted that I can explore both interests in my college and professional career. Telling the story of what our Earth and its inhabitants looked like millions of years ago is my deepest joy, especially when I get to share that with young children. I hope to be a scientist they all can look up to.
About the Essayist
Molly Elizabeth Hunt is a undergraduate student at The Ohio State University in the School of Earth Sciences study- ing Vertebrate Paleontology under Dr. Jonathan Calede. She is also the education and collections assistant at The Orton Geological Museum on OSU’s campus
Telling the story of what our Earth and its inhabitants looked like millions of years ago is my deepest joy, especially when I get to share that with young children. I hope to be a scientist they all can look up to.
Erica Scarpitti, SA-10594 The Ohio State University - Ohio Section
I believe that our Earth is in critical condition. The global population is rising at an exponential rate and developing countries need the energy that only non- renewable resources provide. Developed countries are capable of switching to renewable energy, but we are still in a period of transition where society is not capable of completely operating without
nonrenewable energy yet. How are we going to possibly get energy to the populations of the world that need it the most? The United States and Europe developed without consider- ation for the environmental footprint it would leave; is it fair for us to deprive developing countries of environmentally negative energy usages? As climate changes and sea levels rise, some of the world’s poorest populations are at risk. What do we do to ensure their safety? How do we protect the ecosystems and species that have suffered because of human-influenced
CO2 rise? As geologists, we know that there have been global warming and cooling periods for millions of years. However, none of the species living before us had the consciousness to make such extreme decisions when it came to resources, the landscape, and the environment. Geologists are needed now more than ever to conduct glacial, geochemical, and environmental studies as well as improve energy efficiency from natural resources. I want to be a geologist because I am fascinated by the interconnectedness of earth processes and I want to help the integrity of our environment and species through this understanding.
Additionally, I believe that geologists are the communica- tors among the sciences. We can speak in different languages; such as chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics. Our background allows us to excel in leading because it’s easy to communicate with various professions. We need a solid
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foundation in all of the sciences to do the interdisciplinary work that earth-related questions require. We’re also puzzle solvers; when looking at an outcrop, a person only sees the final product. The interpretation of energy dynamics to form a particular structure involves critical thinking and knowledge of natural materials, movement, and processes. The critical thinking skills that geology requires prepare students for any job that requires thoughtfulness.
My love for the Earth and these personal attributes is what brought me to the geologic field. I did not grow up looking for rocks or playing with dinosaurs; before high school, I wanted to pursue art. However, when I started learning about evolu- tion, I began researching deep time and paleontology in an attempt to understand Earth’s vastness. We say millions and billions of years commonly in class, yet I still don’t think I’ll ever grasp how old the Earth actually is. Geology has brought me a community that I love as well. Niche-specific research has global implications because every biological, chemical, and physical process can be related to earth dynamics. Geology has allowed me to travel and see beautiful parts of the world;
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We say millions and billions of years commonly in class, yet I still don’t think I’ll ever grasp how old the Earth actually is. Geology has brought me a com- munity that I love as well.
understanding how a landscape formed makes me appreciate it more and I feel enthusiastic to share this knowledge with others. Most importantly, however, I want to be a geologist because I am concerned for the condition of our planet and I want to devote my skills to researching viable solutions for
Jul.Aug.Sep 2020 • TPG 23
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