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Hannah Eagleson

Join Us at the ASA Faith/Science Conference (July 29-Aug 1)


Jul 29–Aug 1: ASA Faith & Science Conference in San Diego

Grow. Connect. Renew.


Are you a Christian scholar who cares about science, longing for a renewed sense of purpose? Join us July 29–Aug 1 for a faith and science conference on the beautiful Point Loma Nazarene University campus in San Diego. The American Scientific Affiliation, a professional society for Christians in science and science-related fields, will host: engaging plenary talks, chances to connect with other Christians in many field areas, worship and spiritual formation opportunities, and a special student/early career track co-hosted by InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network. Come and be renewed!


InterVarsity Events:

  • Student/Early Career Track & Lunch on Sat July 30
  • InterVarsity Franciscan Way walk on Sun July 31
  • InterVarsity Reception on Sun July 31

Learn More & Register

Need funding? Student & Early Career Scholarships 

Short on Time? Saturday Only & Sunday Only Options Available (choose in registration form)

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Join Us at the ASA Faith & Science Conference, July 29-Aug 1 (Scholarships Available)


Faith & Science Conference: American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) Annual Meeting

San Diego July 29-Aug 1
Student/Early Career Track Cosponsored by InterVarsity Emerging Scholars Network

Grow. Connect. Renew.


Are you looking for a place to grow connections for your faith and your scientific work? Find community with other Christians in science, grow your ideas on science and faith, and renew your sense of why your work matters. Hear from engaging keynote speakers who are modelling different ways to connect faith and scientific work. If you’re a student or early career professional, explore your own ideas and professional growth in our student/early career programming. Wherever you are in your scientific career, connect with a community of Christians in science. Keynote Speakers: Francis Su, S. Joshua Swamidass, Erica Carlson, Jessica Moerman, Harry Lee (Hal) Poe

Registration opens soon–in the meantime please submit scholarship requests and poster abstracts below.


Student/Early Career Programming: 

 

InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network will sponsor a student/early career session, a gathering over a meal to connect with other grad and undergrad students and early career professionals, and a reception. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other Christians in a similar career stage.


Scholarships—Available whether presenting or not: 

ASA has generous scholarships available, covering 100% of conference registration costs and meals and lodging. All student/early career participants are eligible to apply for scholarships, whether they are presenting a poster or not. Grad students, postdocs, and professionals less than 3 years out from their most recent degree are eligible. Apply for scholarships.
 
Poster Opportunities: 
 
Submit a poster abstract and share your scientific work with other conference participants. We will provide an opportunity in the early career track for support in thinking through how the project might integrate with your faith.

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Sign Up for 4/5/22: Preparing for Graduate School Online Event

Sign up today at bit.ly/gradprep422


We’re delighted to present a panel on getting ready for graduate school. Please join us or invite students or friends. 


​​Preparing for Graduate School Spiritually & Practically 

Tuesday April 5 @ 8-9pmEDT/7pm CDT/6pm MDT/5pm PDT

Are you starting graduate school this fall or considering it for the future? Would you like to know how to thrive in grad school? Join us to hear tips on adjusting to the workload, finding community, and flourishing in graduate school. From health sciences to English literature, meet some friendly professors and professionals who can share great ideas on getting ready for grad school. There will be time to ask questions. 

Panelists

Panelists include:

Dr. Scott Santibanez, a physician and previous adjunct professor at Emory University, and an ESN blog author

Dr. David Vosburg, professor and green chemistry specialist at Harvey Mudd College and author of Jesus, Beginnings, & Science (2017)

Dr. Jayme Yeo, associate professor of English at Belmont University and author at InterVarsity’s The Well 

Moderator: Dr. Hannah Eagleson, Associate Director of InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network

Cosponsored by InterVarsity’s Emerging Scholars Network and Belmont University’s Office of Spiritual Development.

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Interview with 2021 Christian Scholars Foundation-ESN Grant Recipient Kyle Brawner

Photo of Kyle Brawner in the lab
Photo of Kyle Brawner by Kristi Jones, used by permission of Kyle Brawner

We’re delighted to share an interview with Dr. Kyle Brawner, 2021 Christian Scholars Foundation-ESN Grant Recipient. Learn more about the CSF-ESN grant for junior faculty here, and please consider applying!

Biography for Kyle Brawner

I grew up in the Nashville, TN area and received my bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from Lipscomb University in 2012.  I subsequently pursued doctoral studies at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where I researched Helicobacter pylori, the leading cause of stomach cancer. After receiving my Ph.D. in 2017, I stayed at UAB another three years for postdoctoral studies. I joined the Biology faculty at Lipscomb in August 2020. At Lipscomb I teach Introductory Microbiology and Molecular Basis of Human Disease in the undergraduate curriculum and Biomolecular Laboratory I, Immunology, and a course on the microbiota in the Master’s program in Biomolecular Science.

Interview with Kyle Brawner

1. Would you tell us a little bit about your field and specific area(s) of study within that field?

I have a Ph.D. in Microbiology, but I consider myself more of an immunologist.  My primary interest is how the gut microbiota, the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit the small and large intestine, influences both the gut and areas outside the gut. Most recently, I have studied how diet and stress alter the microbiota composition and the effects of that altered composition in contributing to gut inflammation.

2. Would you describe your Christian Scholars Foundation Grant project for our readers?

The project revolves around a disease called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). NEC is characterized by rapid-onset and often severe inflammation of the intestine, almost exclusively in premature infants. In fact, NEC is a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States.  The ultimate goal of the project is to identify molecular biomarkers for NEC, which would allow infants at-risk of NEC to be identified and therefore treated for NEC sooner than they otherwise would be. We are exploring several candidate biomarkers that are produced by metabolic reactions within our own cells as well as candidates produced in metabolic reactions by the microbiota.  In the short term, students in my lab are conducting cell culture experiments to determine if these metabolites exacerbate or ameliorate gut inflammation. In the long term, we plan on acquiring intestinal tissue and fecal samples from NEC patients and non-NEC controls and measuring the levels of these metabolites and the enzymes that produce them. If a metabolite is higher in the NEC group, it might suggest inhibiting that metabolite or blocking the metabolic pathway that produces it could be a treatment strategy for NEC. On the other hand, if levels of a metabolite are lower in the NEC group, it might suggest providing a purified form of that metabolite to infants could be a viable therapeutic approach.

3. How does the Christian Scholars Grant support you in this work?

The CSF grant has allowed me to purchase the supplies and equipment necessary for the project. My goal is to gather enough preliminary data to apply for a larger grant and ultimately publish our research. The support from the CSF will also allow me to fund travel to conferences where my students and I can present our work.

4. This is a big question, but I know our readers will be interested in at least the short version of your answer to it. How does your faith influence your scholarship and teaching, and vice versa?

I often begin the first day of my courses by reading Romans 1:20 to my students: “For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made”. What a statement! Every facet of creation, from atoms to galaxies, not only testifies to the existence of God but also reveals some aspect of his character. I therefore view my study of God’s creation as an act of worship in which I am repeatedly reminded of God’s brilliance, wisdom, kindness, and power. I challenge my students as we are learning about complicated biological pathways that occur in a cell to not let the details overshadow the amazing truth that the mindboggling complexity and organization we are really only scratching the surface of what came from the mind of God. It is a privilege to get just a glimpse into how his mind works. Furthermore, I want to model for my students the idea that science and Christian faith are wondrously compatible. Good science and good theology will always agree. They do not tell opposing stories but rather tell different aspects of the same story.

I strive to see my students not just as minds waiting for me to deposit information, but for what they truly are: made in the image of God. I pray for them and over them. I love having them over to my home for a meal. I try my best to treat them with kindness and respect. I want them to know I care about them and desire for them to not only succeed professionally but to experience the joy and peace that only come from knowing Christ.

5. What else would you like to say to other emerging scholars who are followers of Christ?

A. Apply for this grant and any others you can find! There are many funding opportunities out there specifically for early-career scholars.

B. Actively seek out collaborators for your research. Collaborations are especially important if you’re at a smaller institution with limited access to research equipment and supplies.

C. Don’t be shy to ask more senior faculty in your department or even outside your department what teaching strategies and pedagogies have worked for them. Take advantage of the collective wisdom of the seasoned colleagues around you.

D. Never forget you are made in God’s image, and your performance as a scholar does not give you value. You already have infinite value by being a child of the King of the universe.

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New Scholar’s Compass Retreat Breakout Group Guide

Pille Kirsi at Pexels

Use Our New Retreat Guide

Are you planning a grad/faculty retreat? Looking for a doable way to engage questions of faith and work? Or spiritual formation in the academic life? Check out our new Scholar’s Compass retreat breakout group guide!

ESN partnered with the Northern California GFM team 2022 Winter Grad Conference to design and test this retreat guide for small group discussions of Scholar’s Compass. We’re sharing it here with the hope it will help spark faith and work and spiritual formation conversations in many other places too.

Retreat Format Ideas

Note: We tested this in an online retreat format due to pandemic safety planning. We believe this structure is easily adaptable to an in-person retreat as well. 

  • 3 Main Sessions
  • 10-minute talk by speaker introducing each topic
  • 45-minute small groups conversations, participants encouraged to take notes they’re willing to share publicly in a Google doc (Protocol: We may share these ideas in the retreat, on social media, etc. If you want credit for an idea please include your name. If not, we’ll assume it’s okay to share anonymously.)
  • 5-min speaker Q&A with questions chosen from Google Doc notes

Share Your Ideas & Resource Needs

As always, feel free to share your ideas and resource needs in the comments. We would love to know what other resources you might find helpful, how you used this retreat guide, and any other ideas you have.

Order Scholar’s Compass Booklets

You can order Scholar’s Compass booklets here.

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