In the fall, Koen Beaver will begin studying at Columbia University in New York City, majoring in physics, and possibly minoring in philosophy.\u00a0\u00a0He relishes researching and exploring the similarities and differences between these two disciplines, both of which are concerned with fundamental\u00a0questions about the universe.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beaver stresses his personal philosophy to refrain from being one-dimensional, embracing an interdisciplinary focus on science, debate, the humanities, and international affairs.\u00a0\u00a0Although his principal focus\u00a0at this time\u00a0is on physics, Beaver is enthusiastic about his multiple interests: science in general, being an award-winning member of the debate team, serving as a science camp counselor, and being a founding member of Model UN at Cheyenne Mountain High School.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beaver describes a tipping point in his belief\u00a0system\u00a0and perspective was a result of debating a Model United Nations topic:\u00a0\u00a0\u201cOrgan\u00a0trafficking\u00a0isn\u2019t\u00a0morally wrong\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Through research, angst, logic, and skepticism, his worldview shifted.\u00a0\u201cStatistics, science, and logic gave way\u201d,\u00a0says Beaver.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI had found philosophy and discovered I love pushing logic past its breaking point.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For\u00a0six weeks\u00a0last summer, Beaver attended the Summer Science Program based in Boulder.\u00a0\u00a0This experience, along with being mentored by his Cheyenne Mountain High School physics teacher, Adam Bentson, capped Beaver\u2019s self-described\u00a0\u201clifelong craving for physics.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cKoen has demonstrated an impressive academic skill set,\u201d\u00a0says Bentson, and\u00a0\u201chas performed as the top student in his class, not through endless hours of study, but through a pragmatic and effective no-nonsense approach to learning.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dedicated to currently researching climate change, Beaver asserts\u00a0that\u00a0\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0remain\u00a0further committed to moral conviction\u2026In the future, as a researcher, I hope to bring the laboratory into the real world to design achievable and effective solutions, bridging the divide between theory and reality\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beaver notes that logic vs. philosophy challenges his beliefs.\u00a0\u00a0He sees that philosophy defies science.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cDebate, physics, politics, chess \u2014 each pursuit I had kept exclusive was commonly rooted, like an aspen grove, in philosophy.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Bentson observes that\u00a0\u201cWhile many students may debate the solution to a problem\u2026Koen is always confident in what he knows and is not afraid to make bold decisions in solving problems, even when they are contrary to the opinions of his peers.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
As the lead counselor at an AI Summer Camp last summer, Beaver\u00a0demonstrated\u00a0strong\u00a0skills in overcoming\u00a0challenges and barriers.\u00a0\u00a0The weeklong day camp is offered to a broad\u00a0age range\u00a0of students, typically 5th-11th graders.\u00a0\u00a0He succeeded in ensuring the camp was free, so no one who was interested in attending was left behind.\u00a0\u00a0Sixty kids showed up on the first day of camp, twice the number expected.\u00a0\u00a0Beaver dove in and worked with donors and volunteers to ensure that every camper had a positive experience and was also\u00a0fed.\u00a0\u00a0The highest comprehension results in the history of AI Summer Camp were achieved under Beaver\u2019s direction.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cLeadership\u201d,\u00a0he says,\u00a0\u201cis caring enough to throw everything at a problem when preparation fails.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
As an example of Beaver\u2019s ongoing hunger to explore long-held beliefs, he uses the concept of winning vs. losing.\u00a0\u00a0After losing at\u00a0chess,\u00a0he found\u00a0that\u00a0\u00a0\u201c\u2026winning became irrelevant.\u00a0\u00a0Games, I realized,\u00a0weren\u2019t\u00a0line segments but one collective path.\u00a0\u00a0Each win or loss\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0the destination but a pitstop, fuel for learning to come.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Beaver expresses his deep gratitude to his parents for their ongoing support and encouragement, and for fostering his independence.\u00a0\u00a0He relates that his mother always tells him to\u00a0\u201cfight the good fight.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGoing forward\u2019,\u00a0Beaver says,\u00a0\u201cI aspire to fight not just the\u00a0\u2018good fight\u2019\u00a0but the best fight \u2014 and\u00a0I\u2019ll\u00a0fight it with every fiber of my being.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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