Experiences

My motivation for science

Anais Colibaba

Romania

Physics

Teaching in class, Laboratory, Online Learning, Extracurricular activity

Success

Whenever I think of science and its role towards my development, I remember Richard Feynmann's words that encompass so wittily the power of scientific discovery: “I have a friend who's an artist and has sometimes taken a view which I don't agree with very well. He'll hold up a flower and say "look how beautiful it is," and I'll agree. Then he says "I as an artist can see how beautiful this is but you as a scientist take this all apart and it becomes a dull thing," and I think that he's kind of nutty. First of all, the beauty that he sees is available to other people and to me too, I believe. Although I may not be quite as refined aesthetically as he is ... I can appreciate the beauty of a flower. At the same time, I see much more about the flower than he sees. I could imagine the cells in there, the complicated actions inside, which also have a beauty. I mean it's not just beauty at this dimension, at one centimeter; there's also beauty at smaller dimensions, the inner structure, also the processes. The fact that the colors in the flower evolved in order to attract insects to pollinate it is interesting; it means that insects can see the color. It adds a question: does this aesthetic sense also exist in the lower forms? Why is it aesthetic? All kinds of interesting questions which the science knowledge only adds to the excitement, the mystery and the awe of a flower. It only adds. I don't understand how it subtracts.” For me, science was always the expression of curiosity and strive for neverending knowledge and understanding. My physics professor opened my eyes and guided me on science path through his gifted method of teaching and constant positive outlook. I grew interested in the basic laws of nature thanks to the school classes and the work they required and via the numerous online physics courses and textbooks. I have even become attached to the modern physics figure, Richard Feynmann due to his unique sense of dealing with scientific mattes through a fresh and open-minded lense. Also, Walter Lewin and his online MIT courses gave me a quick and comprehensive headstart on the wonder of physics through his always surpising and amusing live experiments during his physics lectures. Therefore, choosing to study physics came naturally. Delving deeper, seeking for quantum 'truths', wrapping my mind around the idea of quantum computing are challenges that make me appreciate the world of scientific enquiry that I am happily part of.