This course had a meaningful impact on my understanding of science and the process involved in evaluating and analyzing scientific data and observations.  I learned how to use the science senses of number sense, data sense and knowledge sense while conducting scientific experimentation and research during the soap and aspirin labs, the healthcare innovation project and BioBlitz.  These skills enhanced my ability to think critically while I developed a broader knowledge of various scientific topics.  The course was a worthwhile experience that taught me to look at science from a different perspectives.  Rather than looking at each project and assignment individually, I learned how to apply the findings and lessons of these assignments to the broader view of how important and revolutionary scientific discoveries are made.

What made this course most worthwhile and interesting was the challenge of developing our own scientific ideas and innovations.  Developing our own Bioblitz project hypothesis was one such challenge.  This project was a great way of incorporating our research skills with with Bioblitz observations and data.  By finding, interpreting and analyzing data collected by students at previous Bioblitz events along with other data sets collected by scientists across New York City, we were able to test our hypothesis and look for correlations in data that could support our ideas.  Another such challenge was developing our own healthcare innovation.  This project involved analyzing scientific sources from popular news articles and peer-reviewed journals to find a need for a specific healthcare innovation and evaluate how our proposed innovation could address the problem.  This project tested our research ability and our ingenuity, both of which are vital for scientific discovery.  These two projects taught me how to think and approach science like a scientist by evaluating and building off of the ideas of others while developing original and innovative ideas of my own.

However, the most noteworthy learning experience of the course was having the opportunity to work in a group.  Working collaboratively with other group members on our various projects and assignments was a great way to produce the best ideas.  Everyone made important contributions to the group that made the projects better.  We were able to divide responsibility so that everyone could be involved, but we were also able to effectively merge our ideas together into a cohesive project.  This collaborative work gave us a better understanding of how scientists must work together and build off of one another to make important advancements and discoveries.  Just as our projects would not have been as successful had we not worked together, many scientific discoveries and developments would not be possible without the collaboration of scientists who work together to conduct experiments, collective data and analyze their findings.  Aside from its relevance to science, the collaborative group work that we gained experience in will be vital to all of us regardless of what career path we choose, as we must always be able to work together with others to develop ideas and solve problems.