I was a poor science student. Always was. A high school friend once confided in me that a mutual acquaintance told them, “Robert might know English, but he doesn’t know jack about science.” And they were right.
Mind you, I was in school in the age of the bug collection (please tell me schools don’t still do that), leaf collection (yawn) and the dissection of critters who never did me any harm.
Out of high school and into college, my scientific regimen was more rigor mortis than rigor. Chemistry and Biology might as well have been written in Urdu, considering my comprehension of the subjects.
Sadly, they are required courses if one wants to get their college degree. And I wanted to. Of course, this was when MCTC was just MCC, and Dr. Ed Story was a science professor, not yet the President of the college.
As I was going through my second year at Maysville Community College, my father was diagnosed with lung cancer. Anyone who has or had a loved one go through it knows the upheaval it has on your life. My family was no different.
The stage is set. A student with no aptitude for science is trying to pass a semester of science with the emotional weight of a dying father on their shoulders.
That is where Dr. Ed Story comes in. He was generous not only with his office hours with me, but also the latitude and patience to slow walk a student who was quite dim when it came to the subject at hand. As a result, I squeaked by my science course and was able to graduate in May, just four months after Eugene Roe, my Father, passed.
I have never forgotten Dr. Story’s kindness during that time, and was overjoyed when he became President of MCTC. He continued to show the kindness and consideration of his Professor days while ushering in the next phase of the college’s growth. Now retired, I sincerely hope he is enjoying much deserved relaxation as thanks for a job well done.
Years later, I am an avid watcher of scientific advancements. From artificial intelligence to virtual reality to technology’s effect on everything from medicine to movies, I am fascinated by what wonders the human mind can create.
It goes without saying that I do not understand the mechanics behind scientific breakthroughs. Nevertheless, I am enthralled and amazed by the people who make the dream become reality. Stop to think about it. Heart procedures as an outpatient operation. AIDS not a death sentence. Covid vaccine developed at warp speed. Thanks to science and the people who work hard to make it happen.
And it’s kudos to students taught by people like Ed Story who make it possible. While I did not become a scientist, I can appreciate the strides the white robe crowd make on humanity’s behalf.
Huh. What started out as a confession of my scientific ignorance became a treatise on why I appreciate and follow the advancement of science. Maybe I learned something after all.
