Lia Bu

What’ve you enjoyed most about your area of study? Was there a particular discovery, new skill or way of thinking, or insight that you found especially valuable? Please share an example from your favorite class or experience.

Prior to studying political science at MIT, I did not truly realize how many factors, ranging from all levels of influence, shape our current domestic and international governing systems. I remember being surprised by IR theory in my first class freshman year, where the professor discussed one of the most fundamental but most powerful ways to examine sources of influence: the international, state, and individual level. While sounding rather simplistic, unpacking the true nature of these levels is a tremendous amount of work. But once done correctly, political scientists can effectively classify, for example, how past key decisions affect life and government today.

Part of political science necessitates examination of history to understand how political structures change over time or in response to developments. However, in my opinion, the most exciting part of political science is its use towards examining possible political futures. My favorite class, 17.449: Emerging Technology and International Security, utilized political theories such as IR theory and history to predict not only what emerging technologies are arriving, but also how it might affect the political sphere. This holistic way of thinking will only become more valuable as we propel towards our unknown future.

How does the knowledge from this field, or your interest in it, combine with your other major or minor studies at MIT?

My major is chemical engineering (10), with my interests particularly lying in electrochemical engineering for renewable energy and sustainability purposes. Within this field, there currently exist a lot of promising technologies to reshape our current energy infrastructure. However, it is critical to remember that likely only a subset of these technologies will be politically viable – what will people agree on, what can be used in a reasonable timeline, and what will its societal impact be?

The most explicit example in my classes of combining my 10 and 17 skills occurred in 17.449, where I was able to examine how the emergence of hydrogen energy technology might affect U.S. economic, defense, and energy security with China. It is important to remember that technologies do not exist in a vacuum and will generate political consequences that need to be examined properly before implementation.

An MIT education includes study in the scientific, technical, social science, arts, and humanities fields. How do you think that wide range of knowledge and perspectives will be valuable to you – for your career success and for your enjoyment of life?

As I wish to work in the intersection of government security policy and renewable energy, having both the political science background focusing on security and the technical ability in chemical engineering will be extremely helpful in investigating the political impacts of new technologies.

In an increasingly complicated world, bridging the understanding gap between scientists and policy makers is crucial to ensure that effective changes can be implemented well.

What are your plans for the future?

In the near future, I will be pursuing graduate studies (PhD) in chemical engineering at Stanford University. I hope to formulate a thesis investigating my interests in electrochemical engineering for sustainability, with the incorporation of a political science influence through the new School of Sustainability. After that, I hope to continue the academic track to professorship.