I'm pleased at this time to call upon Geoffrey Krupa a member of the
graduating class to make remarks. Geoffrey. Thank You Professor Buszard,
President Ono, honoured guests and fellow graduates. Today we join a
community of 325,000 UBC graduates and change-makers. Connected to us by Alumni
UBC. We here to celebrate our achievement and to acknowledge the
contributions of the many others who supported us along the way. So first,
please, a round of applause for our family, friends and everyone who has
helped us get here. As a student of physics, I'm moved by the night sky. When
I look up the stars consume me and I think what amazes me is our
position among these stars. The fact that we are on a rock orbiting an average
star in an unimaginably vast expanse of dust, emptiness and time. When the Voyager
1 spacecraft was launched in 1977 its purpose was to study space beyond our
solar system but astronomer Carl Sagan also wanted to know our place.
He asked up the spacecraft turn its camera around and take a picture of the
earth. A photograph now known as the pale blue dot. From 6 billion kilometres away
the earth is smaller than a pixel. Suspended in dust and light. Today I want
to ask what is our response to this picture perhaps it is isolation in the
face of our aloneness or fear of insignificance
but I think this picture should fill us with awe and drive us to protect our
pale blue dot. While global quality of life is higher now than ever before we
must acknowledge the tremendous challenges that we face. Artificial
intelligence will cause changes that we do not fully understand. Automation may
lead to unemployment and increased income inequality. Climate change has
caused natural disasters in the face of ineffective political systems and
democracies are in danger because of cynicism the questions freedom and
tolerance. These problems sometimes seem insurmountable but our pale blue dot is
the only livable human home that we have ever found and it is something worth fighting
for. I believe that we science graduates have a special part to play in tackling
these challenges. We are skilled and adaptable. We are capable and critical
thinkers we have unprecedented access to information, technologies and ideas and
we are fluent in the scientific method. Humanity's most powerful tool in
understanding the natural world. Yes, the abilities and resources that we have
gained at UBC are a huge privilege but now to save our pale blue dot we must
use our scientific skills in all parts of our lives. We must become active and
engaged citizens who move society forward. For example, graduating earth
scientists who understand the effects of melting ice sheets on rising sea levels
should also engage with our political systems to limit greenhouse gas
emissions.
We need to make science accessible and relevant and we need to bring science to
everyone. We also must appreciate our diversity because we cannot protect our
pale blue dot if we are in conflict. We are not adversaries, neither we
competitors for fame or titles we are colleagues, we are allies. We have fellow
space adventures travelling on a tiny dot. The truth is that this degree by
itself is only a start. What is important is what we do with it and how we work to
preserve our pale blue dot. What matters is living a life of
curiosity, diligence and wonder. Our actions will make all the difference.
Thank you and congratulations