This week’s lecture in the series, Presence of the Past was fitting as it culminated a semester of interdisciplinary lecture with a topic that we had not yet thought about: space and astrological processes. Professor Elizabeth McGrath addressed the process in which stars in the galaxy move from blue to red shift processes through their lifetime, and how this process can help us to better explain our universe and all of the galaxies within it.
While this lecture was arguably one of the lectures that contained the least amount of warning that the global climate (both environmental and social) was approaching a dangerous point in time where a serious intervention would be needed, it was not far off from the general purpose of the lecture series as a whole. It did seem however, that the broadening of our sights on the strict humanities came as a surprise for other members of the audience.
Having been in the class titled Extraterrestrial Life all spring with Professor Kocevski (whom professor McGrath has also worked with on some other projects, similar to those she spoke about in the lecture), this topic was something that I have been working with and thinking about for a while, therefore resulting in more reflection of the year. At the end of the lecture, one student asked Professor McGrath if working in this field was discouraging or frustrating due to the intangible nature of the things and ideas that she was working with. I found this to be nearly the perfect question, and one that took great confidence to ask; as it is not easy or comfortable to question one’s passion for their field of study (and profession).
Professor McGrath responded with great excitement (seemingly she gets this question more often than one would think) and explained that this was part of the field that she really enjoyed more than was it something that made her frustrated. She explained that looking up towards the night sky as a kid was something exciting for her, and that following this passion into her career was something that brought her great joy. She also explained that while her work is far from tangible, the discoveries that she has been able to contribute in making have had profound impacts on the way in which we view the universe and that in itself is extremely pleasing.
I found her response to this question interesting and applicable not only to the field of astronomy and physics, but also important when tying this lecture to the greater theme of the series. Going back to the ideas of climate change and social changes as well, it is important to take Professor McGrath’s answer to heart when thinking about how we interact with these issues as they continue to pop up on the dashboard of our daily lives. While long term issues such as climate change may feel intangible (although it is certainly becoming more tangible as we continue onwards), it is crucial to take passion similar to that of Professor McGrath when looking at ways to help. While this lecture was more pointed than others, it did serve as a nearly perfect ending to such an interdisciplinary lecture series; reminding all of us that there are limitless possibilities for innovation, exploration and betterment of the world we live in.