When: June 8, 2023, 1:45 pm - Thursday

Where: LTL Main Hall

Session 4

Part One

Session Abstract

The Science section of the CSC invites a broad range of STEM disciplines to participate in academic discussion on basic science and the faith-science intersection. This session includes papers exploring the future of artificial intelligence, the mathematical beauty of the genetic code, and a 2-part presentation on student attitudes towards faith and creation care and a pedagogical path forward.

Paper Abstracts

Juan Rojas, Lipscomb University, “Artificial Intelligence and the Road Ahead: Opportunities, Challenges, and Considerations”

Where did the study of Artificial Intelligence begin? AI today is the confluence of mathematics, statistics, neuroscience, expert systems, and computational sciences. The last decade has yielded exponential advances as computing, memory, and neural networks have produced everything from superhuman multi-modal data classification and generation, natural language processing and translation, advanced machine control in domains including art, robotics, finance, medicine, and military. The AI research community continues to strive towards Artificial General Intelligence which confers both opportunities and challenges. We consider how to best harness AI as a great human amplifier and how to mitigate its downfalls.

 

John DeMassa, Housatonic Community College, “Messages in the Genetic Code?”

Is the Genetic Code merely a set of instructions that tell a cell how to make proteins? Are there any undiscovered non-protein instructions or even messages?  The present work offers a mathematical investigation of the genetic code using a two step approach. The first step uses a counting procedure for nucleobases and amino acids and the second step collects and expresses triangular difference tables for each. Internal numeric matches of the resulting tables surprisingly suggest assembly to make a 2-D picture that expands into a recognizable 3-D object. Startling theological implications result and potentially a new future for scientific investigations.

 

Part Two Abstract

“Training Christian Leaders for a Suffering World: The Evolving Perspectives of Students and a Responsive Pedagogy Going Forward”

By many objective measures, the breadth of human suffering in the 21 st Century represents unprecedented challenges for those entrusted with the formation of future Christian leaders. In this session, two presentations will overview research and reflect on findings regarding changing student realities over the past 20 years, summarize a paradigm and pedagogical process for addressing these cultural realities and explore one model that incorporates these insights in a graduate fellowship at ACU.

Paper Abstracts

Kendra Jernigan and Ian Shelburne, Abilene Christian University; Eden Center for Regenerative Culture, “Findings from Research on Student Attitudes and Understanding of Faith and Creation-care at Faith-based Universities”

This presentation reveals findings from research on student attitudes and understanding of faith and creation-care at faith-based universities with attention to noteworthy data points, correlations across data, and comparisons between studies in 2007 and 2022.

 

Laura Callarman, Abilene Christian University, “Pedagogical Implications of Evolving Student Perspectives and a Demonstration Program”

In this paper Laura Callarman, from the field of Biblical Studies, addresses Pedagogical Implications of evolving student perspectives and a demonstration program: Eden Fellows for Regenerative Culture at Abilene Christian University. Eden Fellows for Regenerative Culture is an instantiation of a learning model that is academic but also deeply experiential; that takes seriously spiritual formation both individually and communally; that is carefully attuned to both the built and the natural settings of human life; and that empowers students to build a healthy vocational identity.

Speakers

John Lewis, Lipscomb University, Convener

• Juan Rojas, Lipscomb University, “Artificial Intelligence and the Road Ahead: Opportunities, Challenges, and Considerations”
• John DeMassa, Independent Scholar, “Messages in the Genetic Code?”
• Kendra Jernigan and Ian Shelburne, Abilene Christian University; Eden Center for Regenerative Culture, “Findings from Research on Student Attitudes and Understanding of Faith and Creation-care at Faith-based Universities”
• Laura Callarman, Abilene Christian University, “Pedagogical Implications of Evolving Student Perspectives and a Demonstration Program”