Winter 2019 Scholarship Submissions

Nathan Arora
Nathan Arora

From Medicine to Cars; Code

By Willa Campeau

The most influential piece of technology in today’s fast pasted society would be code. Coding is not only a technology but a mathematical language that happens to be the format of most of today’s app and online world. From Html to Javascript; it also happens to be part of a problem within the United States. The problem being occupational fields such as the medical field using outdated forms of code to where if one knows how to hack into the programming, they can easily corrupt files upon files of information. This information most likely being a patient’s vitals and their form of treatment which could then possibly lead to a lawsuit that could’ve been easily prevented if they’d taken the time to update their software. Coding also happens to be used in cars now-a-days. A few of these computerized components being the windows rolling up and down, the locking mechanism and even regulating the temperature. Thus the vehicles that 76% of Americans use on daily based can also be hacked. An episode of Criminal Minds was dedicated to the topic; and all the average civilian has to do is buy a device off of Amazon that allow them to override the mentioned locking mechanism. A simple click of a button a second right after you lock your vehicle, advancing faster than when the main way of stealing a car was hot-wiring it.

Now while code has allowed for problems to occur like those mentioned above, it has also allowed for our society to advance far than those in the past millennium could ever imagine. One of the many being in the field of medicine, those with diabetes can now make insulin pumps that regulate themselves. The way it does this is by sensors placed on the skin that measure the glucose. This has helped diminish the amount of patients going into a hyperglycemia coma. Hyperglycemia comas are what occurs mostly in patients with type 1 diabetes when their glucose levels get too high but it can also occur in those with type 2 as well. Coding has also helped society in more everyday use as well. A few of those being online shopping, transportations services such as Uber and Lyft along with helping people get into shape. One of those apps that helps people get into shape is Pokémon GO, which also has connected a ton of people on the basis of collecting creatures in Pokéballs and leveling up—a means of storytelling. Concluding all of this; code has its downfalls and it upsides and it’s the pros that outweigh the cons thus giving rise to products that some individuals wouldn’t dare to live without. One of them, I haven’t mention till now; the smartphone. So let’s see what the world has offer when it has the influence of coding within our society.


A Picture of Time

By Izabella Caruso

The lightbulb made everything visible, no one was to be left in the dark. My grandmother’s young hands pressed the camera’s button, capturing the smiles of pure triumph. Waiting to be developed, her fingers shook the imperfections into existence as the reality of flaws were accepted by all. Patience was compulsory and never questioned. Smiles were genuine, never staged.

The hands of my grandmother began to tell a story, much like the journey she took her camera on. Disposable and inexpensive, times were designated to process the memories but reduced to an effortless escapade. Being handed the pictures from across the drugstore counter, society began to be handed their livelihoods as well.

The hands of my grandmother are now weathered. She holds a posed picture instantly, contrary to the joy that once sprung from her fingers. How ironic it is that the selfie she took is more representative of the person next to her than of herself. Patience is nonexistent, the world can never be satisfied. An image must be taken a billion times because one will never be enough, and even that one will never be perfect. A lens is placed on the images taken today, altering the existence of pure triumph. How disastrous it is to live in a world where the camera my grandmother holds in her hands is more disposable than the disposable camera itself. If dropped, the memories will shatter. If disliked, they may be deleted. History has the potential to be lost, flashing before the future’s eyes before they even have the opportunity to appreciate the raw delight once encompassed in an image.


Information Technology Discussion Essay

By Destney Johnson

There is no doubt that social interaction plays a big role in every human’s life. It doesn’t matter whether they are more social online or in person how social you are or how social you aren’t plays a big role in how your personality develops and how you react to different things. In fact, people can actually be considered to be a part of social networks even when they are not online. Back then, people had roles in the social network in their society. However, things have definitely changed now and social media has a strong control on how information is developed, how people think, feel, speak and how they act.

This unit in my Composition Rhetoric Class we are learning about argumentative writing. We have been challenged to write an argumentative paper on our point of view of social media and the positive and negative effects of social networking on society. I have done some research and in the result of it, I have found out that in my point of view I feel that the old school social media has definitely been taken over as a result of the social media networks that are out now. In my first source, “Who Do You Think You Are?” I found a statement that supports my claim that the social media networks now have caused people to become more cowardly and less social ironically, “Our results reveal that, although both identities have similar effects on usage behavior, users with higher social identities are more oriented toward variety seeking, while those with stronger relational identities are more oriented toward reinforcement”.

Back then when everything was not based off of how many likes you have or how many people follow you, it was easier to be yourself and for people to get to know the real you. How can someone get to know you and become a real friend if all you do is sit behind a computer screens? As Dylan says in the back to the lake source, “Our results reveal that, although both identities have similar effects on usage behavior, users with higher social identities are more oriented toward variety seeking, while those with stronger relational identities are more oriented toward reinforcement”. These are the types of questions that you asked when you only know someone in the new social media and not meet someone in person like the old school social media.

After all, would you rather have friendly smiles and healthy relationships like back then in the old school, or would you rather an unhealthy selfish online social life? Many people would definitely pick the healthy lifestyle over the unhealthy one. In my second source, “Old school” meets “new school” the journal focuses on “Using books and tablets to improve information literacy and promote integrative learning among business students”. When I read about this I felt like this could be a very good way to improve the technology and social media sites nowadays. I do feel social media plays a huge role in how people behave and how people think as well.


The iPhone ́s effect on our society

By Anissah Surita

I believe the most influential piece of technology today is the smartphone and particularly the iPhone.I believe that Apple has become the most influential technology brand involving iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, and other items. A reason that I believe iPhone has the popularity is because in our society there has been a line drawn between iPhone and Samsung or any other brand of smartphone. People believe there is a better quality in speed, camera, apps, and other features of the iPhone.The reason why this is the biggest influential in today’s society is because it affects everyone including who do have an iPhone and those who do not. The iPhone allows users to call,text,surf the web, use apps, facetime (video chat), and other tools. One of the biggest problems in society has been produced from all of the uses that are available on this phone. In groups of people that are friends or family you would imagine interaction between them. In today’s society almost everyone in a room is noticed to be on an iPhone or other brand of smartphone. I have experienced situations where I am with friends and everyone is just sitting on their phone. I think to myself wondering what the point of being with each other is when everyone is sitting on their phone scrolling. One way I tried to solve this is I have told the people I was with to place their phones in a pile so that we could interact with each other.This is one way in which smartphones including the iPhone have affected our society while one more being the use of apps of social media. With so many people using iPhones it comes with the ability to use social media in an easier way that on the web. Social media influences our society in positive and negative ways. A beneficial way I have experienced is that it is an easy way to stay in touch with friends and family that are near and far. Of course you could call, but sometimes that is not always quick or they may not be available when you are. Social media is a quick casual way to see pictures and posts of how others are doing. One negative that has affected many people emphasizing young and older teens which is cyber bullying. With apps being at an easy access through iPhones and various smartphones people find it easy to say attacking words about or to people through their accounts on social media or even through text. Of course there was bullying before the smartphone, but this has given bullies an easy way to say what they want to people without having to face them. Social media does have the option to report, but unfortunately some people will continue the bullying. Through social media,the way people are interacting with each other, and the dominance Apple has over other products I believe that the iPhone is the most influential piece of technology.

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