Erik Drews

SOSComAlt Self Eval

Word Count: 1,076

Intro: As this program was my first attempt at an independent learning contract, or a student originated study, I was originally somewhat intimidated. Though I do believe that sometimes being challenged is indicative of successful learning. Once a week on Tuesday our class would meet and share ideas in a rather comfortable setting. This was an opportunity to feed off of one another’s creativity while simultaneously offering up our own in a casual, humbling manner without fear of being judged for our personal opinions. Much of what I have taken away from this SOS has to do with simply being conscious of what previously dwelled within the confines of my subconscious and unconscious. I feel that there will always be work to be done in regards to developing my own moral compass and allowing it to evolve without being disrupted by my own obduracy. Further recognition of my own bias is possibly one of the most valuable things that I have taken away from this program. My hope is that it will encourage me to live every aspect of my life in a more self-aware manner catalyzed by the recognition of my own subjectivity. This is not to invalidate the influence that my emotions have on the formation of my opinions, but rather a conscious decision to label them as such with consideration.

Seminar: As an author, Tompkins’ style of rhetoric requires the reader to slow down and digest each sentence carefully before determining meaning. The need for consciously processing external stimuli is encouraged by both her writing style itself as well as her content and intention of convincing the reader to eat both mindfully and critically. This sentiment also requires the reader to be present with their stimuli, and to consider their own subjectivity as a product of their past that influences their view of the present. My most successful response was to chapter 5 in Racial Indigestion in which I connected a quote from Karl Marx to the current state of economics in America, specifically the exploitation of conflict minerals by the apple corporation. The concept in this chapter that was most thought provoking to me was the idea that corporate anonymity creates a void that can then be filled with fantasy through advertisements, which allows for the capitalist to relinquish accountability for the practices in which they employ. Themes of conscious processing and critical eating could be put into practice consistently throughout the quarter with tasting labs as well as within my own independent project.

Tasting Labs: Each week in class on Tuesday we had a tasting lab or a tea tasting that encouraged students to be mindful of a food’s appearance, aroma, and flavor while considering the particular cultures that are associated with the particular food. One aspect of these tasting that I found increasingly important was to not only consider the particular culture from which a style of food comes from but also to consider the inaccurate portrayals of said culture that I have most likely been subjected to throughout my life as a white American male. I now consider this to be a requirement before I consume another culture’s cuisine and become absorbed in indulgence.

ILC: The title of my in-program Individual Learning Contract was “Beer Brewing and Mushroom Growth” in which I focused primarily on the beer brewing process while simultaneously exploring the use of mushroom cultivation as a means of recycling the existing by-products of the brewing process. My first learning objective was to simply determine how to successfully create particular characteristics in beer through the utilization of different types of malted grains. In order to adequately accomplish this goal, I found that an understanding of the chemistry at work within the brewing process was imperative. This being said I have more of an understanding of the use of malted grains and water adjustment additives in brewing than I had ever hoped to discover in this ten-week period. My second learning objective was to find out what is needed for the cultivation of saprophytic fungi on spent grain substrates, and whether or not it could be done efficiently through a small home scale operation. In the case of oyster mushrooms, I have learned that it is possible with little additional effort and an excellent option for brewers attempting to make use of their spent grain by-product no matter the size of the brewing operation. This particular use of mycelium could also allow for brewers to actually make a profit off of their by-product that was previously seen as waste. In the case of Shiitake mushrooms, I have learned that spent grains are an excellent option for spawning mycelium onto a larger substrate to grow it out enabling it to colonize an even larger bulk substrate suitable for fruiting. However fruiting shiitake mushrooms off of spent grains alone is not very efficient and would work significantly better with a mixture of spent grains and hardwood chips.

Website Documentation: This was the first time in my academic career that I have been required to create a website on WordPress. This aspect of my work this quarter frustrated me originally as I felt it was occupying much needed research time and seemed like a hindrance, but after shifting my perspective to looking at it as an opportunity to become more equipped, I was able to create a website that I feel extremely proud of. The skills that I learned include how to format a web page to be an aesthetically pleasing reflection of my work, while remaining informative and professional. I see this being of great use to myself in the future as a tool for marketing and the sharing of new ideas with a larger audience.

Looking Ahead: Given what I have taken away from this program, I believe that I am fully capable of completely “Field Plant Taxonomy” this upcoming spring. Never having taken upper division credits prior, I feel that this SOS solidified the concept that I must be accountable and responsible for my own education. I feel that based off of my experiences in this program I feel that only I am responsible for my own achievements as well as failures.

Proposed Credit Equivalencies: 16 Total of 16 registered

4- Commodification Processes: Racism and Sexism in Food Systems

2 Critical Eating Studies: Tasting Labs

6- Individual Learning Project: Beer Chemistry and Mushroom Cultivation

4- Creative and Expository Writing: WordPress ePortfolio