Emerging Scholars Blog

InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Network

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Science Corner: Trust the Scientist, Not the Science?

Photo of woman working at a lab bench amidst assorted glassware and equipment
This scientist trusts us enough to not keep an eye on us. (Photo by jarmoluk)

In a week when the popular-but-contrary-to-the-evidence theory that video games contribute to gun violence is making the rounds again, I’m finding it hard to be optimistic about public engagement with science. Yet according to the latest Pew survey results, public trust in scientists to act in our best interests is up in the United States. That trust has been trending upward since at least 2016 (the earliest year shown in that particular report). I have to admit, I found that result surprising. I personally don’t feel more trusted over that time period; if anything I’d say the opposite. Of course, my feelings matter very little; presumably more relevant are statistics on vaccine refusal or climate change skepticism. Are dissenting voices galvanizing the trust of the rest of us, or do the questions allow for a distinction between scientists generally and specific claims and inferences?
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Science Corner: You’ve Got A Lot of Nerve(s)!

octopus photo
Photo by Morten Brekkevold

It’s been a while since we had some real science news in this space. My favorite recent story is the sequencing of the octopus genome. I’ve shared previously my fascination with ants; octopuses (not octopi, as it turns out, since octopus is Greek, not Latin) are rapidly joining them among my favorites. Did you know that octopus tentacles are capable of independent sensory processing, even if they are severed? The genome sequence reveals a number of interesting genes involved in nerve cell function, including genes not seen in vertebrates. There’s lots to learn there for sure.
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ESN Devotional Has a Name

compass map photo

Thanks to everyone who commented for giving us so many great name ideas. We were impressed as always with the creativity and thoughtfulness of ESN members. We deeply appreciated your ideas, and may use some of them as theme ideas and titles within the devotional.

We’re also profoundly grateful for the response to the project so far. We’ve had nearly 50 people respond, and we’re delighted for each reply. If you haven’t responded, you can still fill out our survey, and we’d love to include you in the participants.

After discussing which names commenters recommended the most and weighing the metaphorical nuances of each one, ESN has found a name for the devotional: Scholar’s Compass.

As commenters and emailers noted, Scholar’s Compass is easily recognizable as related to the academic life, and it suggests the idea of charting a path and going on a journey, two themes that fit the goal of crafting devotionals about integrating faith and academic vocation.

We love the other ideas as well, and are working to find ways of integrating some of them into the devotional.

Please thank God with us as we celebrate such an exciting response to the project, and please pray for wisdom as we move into the next steps in the writing and editing process. Please continue to pray for deep and thoughtful community to come from this project, and join us in thanking God for the ways that is already starting to happen.

Thank you again for your participation, and stay tuned for more.

Photo by Lee Cannon (cc)

8/20/2014: Scholars’ Compass revised to Scholar’s Compass. More on the revision in a future post.

Devotional for Scholars: Prayers and More

great blue heron photo
Great blue heron.

We’re deeply excited by the response to the academic devotional so far. Over forty writers in at least five countries have gotten in touch. We’re delighted to hear from so many scholars who want to talk about integrating faith and academic vocation.

If you haven’t responded yet, we’d love to hear from you. We’d also love to receive your input on names. Which are your favorites? Any new suggestions? We’ll be deciding soon, so please tell us your ideas.

We’re so grateful for the many people who’ve offered to pray for the project, as well.

Please thank God with us for:

  • The number of writers who are willing to share their experience
  • The groups who’ve expressed an interest in engaging with the devotional as we’re writing
  • The great name input we’ve received so far

Please pray for:

  • More writers and communities who desire to collaborate
  • A deep sense of community among writers and readers of the devotional
  • Wisdom as we choose a name soon

Photo by TexasEagle (cc)

Help ESN Choose a Devotional Name

Sabbath rest

Thank you so much for your response to our academic devotional survey last week! We’re thrilled to have so many graduate students and faculty participating already, from a wide variety of institutions including state and private universities, engineering institutions, and universities in the UK and Australia. Thanks so much to everyone who participated so far. We’ll be in touch soon! If you haven’t filled out the survey yet, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Soon, the devotional needs a name. Here’s a list of some possible ideas. Please let us know your top three and/or contribute your own idea in the comments below.

  • Gathered Pieces
  • ‪InSeason
  • ‪Kaleo
  • ‪Midnight Oil
  • ‪Rivers and Roots
  • ‪The Table
  • ‪Tasting the Call or Tasting the Call Together
  • ‪The Scholar’s Compass
  • Work in Progress

We can’t wait to hear your thoughts.

Photo credit: Thomas B. Grosh IV. The Ends and Goals of Higher Education in Twenty-First-Century America: Change and the Calling of the Christian Educator (Cedar Campus, June 21-27).