STUDENT PROFILES
geneva trotter '09
Concentration
Engineering SciencesExtra Credit
Geneva Trotter worked with Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering Robert Wood as part of PRISE.Quotable
"I will leave Harvard prepared to be more than just a useful asset ... but a person that advances technology with better comprehension of how it may impact the world."Those who pursue engineering, applied math, or computer science in a liberal arts setting benefit from a stronger emphasis on learning how to view the world through a different lens, and as a result, become more analytical thinkers.
When you are in competitive classes with people who plan to publish their first book before they graduate or when you have professors with a list of bestsellers, everyone in the class benefits. The Expository Writing class I was required to take my freshman year at Harvard both challenged me and gave me confidence that will be valuable for studying the sciences.
Being in classes with peers who have a genuine interest in the subject matter pushes everyone to become better in the subject area. The professors expect nothing less for all enrolled in the class. I learned that writing is about bringing yourself into the paper and reaching only conclusions that you with your history and background could have reached. This is true of applied math, computer science
and engineering in many ways.
I began to understand that what we choose to study in these fields is shaped by our past experiences. Therefore, studying liberals arts should translate into an increased ability to view technology with a critical eye. Not only are we learning how to create and work with new advances in technology, but we are learning how to look beyond the bells and whistles to its real potential and impact on society.
A liberal arts setting trains your mind to handle concepts from the
humanities as well as the hard sciences making you a more well-rounded person. We all know the stereotype of the “brainiac” that decides to concentrate in these technical fields: it’s an unkempt guy with glasses hunched over a computer that randomly recites “sophisticated” equations like E = mc2.
We all know there are some strong stereotypes about people who pursue these analytical fields. The ideas that those who pursue them are non-social, and out of touch with the “real world”, and only concerned about their work are rampant. But partly due to its liberal arts setting, that is not the case for those who graduate from Harvard. Peers who concentrate in the humanities provide opportunities to be with people who view the world from a different perspective. Instead of always having a majority of your academic conversations centered on math or science, you get more chances to partake in conversations about Shakespeare, morality, justice, or any other topic that your peers are studying.
These types of discussions prepare us for our entrance into the real world where issues studied by liberal arts institutions are real concerns. It’s intriguing to think that I can go to a lecture of a Nobel-prize winning scientist one day and then the next day I can be at the Institute of Politics listening to a possible presidential candidate discuss
his platform (which will often have some type of application to computer science, applied math, or engineering).
I will leave Harvard prepared to be more than just a useful asset that does calculations like a calculator or computer, but a person that advances technology with better comprehension of how it may impact the world, and with a better skill set to address the majority of people from non-technical backgrounds that rely on us to help meet their needs.
A liberal arts setting is the best environment for pursuing a degree in
engineering, applied math or computer science. Some would argue that not only are the skills one can get by attending a liberal arts institution important but that they are necessary for living In a global society. Thanks to the recent advances in technology, everyone is becoming more connected, and an ability to effectively communicate ideas is imperative as more and more opinions are being voiced.
At a liberal arts school, we are molded by a majority of people who follow different passions than us. The different types of experiences that arise from our encounters with our diverse peers are fuel for the imagination. By the time we graduate, not only will we receive degrees
indicative of our work in computer science, applied math, or engineering, but we can be sure that we are equipped to tackle the challenges of society with a unique type of knowledge and understanding that can only be developed when you are exposed to a myriad of intellectual tastes.