The intersection of technology and society has long been a fertile ground for intellectual exploration, sparking profound debates and thought-provoking science fiction. In response, schools and universities have developed programs to equip students with the skills and strategies for critical thinking about future trends. Top universities offer undergraduate majors like Science, Technology and Society (e.g., Stanford, MIT) and freshman pathways. At UC Berkeley, students explore the historical, philosophical, and artistic dimensions of tech-society relations throughout their first year. The annual SUIS Gubei Technology and Society Writing Competition (co-hosted with the Joint Institute, now in its second year) exemplifies the campus culture of curiosity.
科技与社会的交汇点长期以来都是知识探索的沃土，激发了深刻的辩论与引人深思的科幻构想。作为回应，各大院校纷纷开发相关项目，旨在培养学生清晰思考未来趋势的能力与策略。斯坦福、麻省理工等高校开设了 “科学、技术与社会” 本科专业及新生课程体系；加州大学伯克利分校的学生则在大一学年全面探究科技与社会关系的历史、哲学及艺术维度。协和古北年度科技与社会写作竞赛（与上海交通大学下属学院联合主办，现已举办至第二届），正是校园求知精神的生动印证。
The competition’s interdisciplinary nature was reflected in its supervisors, who integrated perspectives from humanities, college counseling, English, and Economics to shape competition materials. Key contributors included Professor Ryan Thorpe from the Joint Institute and SUIS Gubei educators: Toa Lohe (University Guidance Counselor), Paul Phillips (Deputy Head of English), and Jonathan Coates (Head of Economics).
竞赛的跨学科特性体现在指导团队中 —— 他们融合了人文科学、大学升学指导、英语及经济学视角，为赛事材料提供专业支撑。参与指导的包括上海交通大学下属学院的 Ryan Thorpe 教授，以及古北协和的老师们：大学指导顾问 Toa Lohe、英语学科副组长 Paul Phillips 和经济学学科组长 Jonathan Coates。
Grade 10 and 11 participants—dubbed Technology and Society “Enthusiasts”—attended info sessions to explore essay themes. Their works covered diverse topics crucial to the tech-society landscape: controversial issues with future-shaping potential, ethical debates on whether scientific advancements should exist, the impact of computers/internet, social media’s effect on global literacy, entrepreneurs’ role in economic/technological trends, and data’s dual potential to transform societies. Notable essays included Grade 10 winner Nina Zhang’s analysis of nuclear weaponry consequences and Grade 11 first-place winner Hrithika Pradeep’s evaluation of big data’s societal pros and cons.
来自10年级和11年级的参赛者（被称为 “科技与社会探索者”）通过参加说明会，深入了解可探讨的主题方向。他们的文章涉猎广泛，每一个主题都是构成科技与社会复杂图景的重要脉络：有人直面争议性议题，就可能左右未来走向的话题提出独到见解；有人深入探讨某些科学发现或技术进步是否本应发生，审慎考量其深远影响；亦有人探究计算机与互联网对社会的冲击，剖析社交媒体对全球读写能力的影响，研究创业者在推动全球经济趋势与技术进步中的角色，以及数据重塑社会的双向潜力（或利或弊）。他们的结论引发读者深思，促使人们重新审视科技对日常生活的变革。其中，10年级一等奖得主 Nina Zhang 的文章探讨了核武器的后果；11年级一等奖得主 Hrithika Pradeep 则分析了大数据在社会中的利弊权衡。
By engaging students in debates about controversial technologies, ethical dilemmas, and transformative impacts, the competition provided a platform for sharing perspectives. It not only fosters critical thinking but also highlights the need to re-examine tech-society externalities for responsible innovation.
通过引导学生辩论争议性技术、伦理困境与变革性影响，该竞赛为学生提供了分享观点的平台。正如学生们的努力所展现的，竞赛不仅培养批判性思维，更提醒我们：必须重新审视科技与社会的外部效应，以推动负责任的创新。
