The Butterfly Effect

Everyone who attended Convocation last Wednesday received a small butterfly made out of wire and fabric. It's a symbol to remind us that even a small act can have a significant impact. This is part of a campus-wide effort to get students, faculty and community members thinking about the butterfly effect.

The term “butterfly effect” comes from a Ray Bradbury science fiction story, “A Sound of Thunder”, and from Edward Lorenz’s research in meteorology, first published in the early 60’s, that led to the development of chaos theory. It refers to the occasional huge effects of even the tiniest actions, often unintended or even unknown, and also unpredictable when they will occur.


Many events and projects on campus this year will incorporate the butterfly theme. The kick-off event took place right after Convocation. Campus clubs and community non-profits set up tables and signed up volunteers. About 200 people attended, possibly because of the free ice cream. Campus clubs reported 75 new students signed their lists. Some of those signatures were for the Navigator, Debate Club, Radio Club and Yearbook.
 
Let's flap those wings!