Topic 1/2

Many concepts have been covered during this class to give you an opportunity to delve into your professionalism in more depth. After reviewing the results of the survey, what is one area that you feel is a professional strength for you and one area that you continue to need to work on? How do you plan to work on this area to improve it?

Topic 2:

"Happy accidents"

1. What examples of learning by "happy accident" have you experienced in your own life?
2. What do you think it means for a person (especially a scientist) to have a "prepared mind," as Pasteur describes?
3. How can a person prepare his or her mind to be open to chance within any particular discipline? What roles might education, job experience, and life experience play in creating a prepared mind?
4. What about science makes it particularly good at allowing people to analyze their accidents?
5. What are some risks associated with research that involves chance? [Hint: Use your reading this week and consider the risks associated with stem cell research, cloning, gene therapy, HIV.] Are there circumstances when research should not be conducted due to risks or are there ways to reduce risk?