"As a society we must strive for positive change in all aspects of our lives, for all people. The coming century will present challenges that we as human beings will struggle with, and our first step must be to understand our world and these challenges. Positive change is solving these challenges, be they environmental, social, political, or economic for the betterment of all peoples and to strive towards prolonged and sustainable growth with respect to the quality of life for all humanity. The courses I teach serve a fundamental role in helping to develop student understanding of the natural world, which, in conjunction with other disciplines, provides the footing needed to begin attacking these challenges head-on."