Renowned Scientist vs. Eerie Witches

This week, I attended the Annual Lecture of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre - my first European Union event. The keynote speaker, Dr. Alan Leshner, is the Chief Executive Officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Executive Publisher of the journal Science. The event marked the 50th anniversary of the inauguration of the European Commission’s first research site. I was especially excited that my fellow Furman students were in attendance to discuss "Europe and the United States: A crucial moment for science and cooperation."

Dr. Leshner was quite energetic, framing deliberate points, while making the speech amusingly engaging. For the betterment of our global society, it is vital for the nations of the world to collaborate in science and research. While the public seems to lack enthusiasm for science, it is time to empower our educational system from the start. The United States’ science education is one of the worst in the world! It is imperative to start now and improve science and research, as it leads to improved technology, improved economy, and improved quality of life for its citizens. The US must engage the public with science to create a dialogue, not a monologue of "intimidating scientists." If the US can accomplish this, and the EU and the US can collaborate, this will bring countries and people together. I am eager to follow the progress and excited to see what positive outcomes may occur.

On Thursday, I experienced another protest in Brussels for the Lisbon reform treaty and climate debt. Who would have known that Furman's study away program would make me an expert in navigating through angry protestors. On the other side, I was able to score an invite to Ogilvy Brussels' Halloween party. What an opportunity to see my supervisors and colleagues dressed as pirates, goblins, monsters and devils! (Halloween has been "Americanized" in Belgium, so people only dress up as scary things - no Disney princesses or Ninja turtles.) Ogilvy Brussels office was decked out with pumpkins, spider webs, fake bats and eerie candles. As you can tell from the photo, I did not know what I wanted to be this year - notice the witch's hat, vampire teeth and skeleton earrings!

Today I am headed to Berlin for my final class journey with our Furman group. Prior to this trip, we read Stasiland by Anna Funder. The book is based on events from behind the Berlin Wall during the GDR regime. I was deeply moved as I had not even heard any background about neither this post-Nazi government nor the Stasi secret police that controlled and manipulated their citizens. I will visit the Stasi museum and hear more insights that seem so secret from our side of the world.

Plus, Halloween in Berlin should be memorable!