Tag: scientist in residence

Categories
Video

2017 Scientist in Residence Presentations (Videos)

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe

Named to TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list for 2014, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist who studies climate change, one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. But Hayhoe may be best-known to many people because of how she’s bridging the broad, deep gap between scientists and some Christians—work she does in part because she’s a Christian herself.

Together with her husband Andrew Farley, a professor of applied linguistics, pastor of Church without Religion, and best-selling author, Hayhoe wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles the complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming. Her work as a climate change evangelist has been featured on the Emmy award-winning documentary series “Years of Living Dangerously” and “The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers.”

Hayhoe is a professor at Texas Tech University, and the director of its Climate Science Center. She has a BSc in Physics from the University of Toronto and an MS and PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Illinois. Hayhoe is currently serving as lead author for the upcoming Fourth U.S. National Climate Assessment and producing her new PBS Digital Studios short series, Global Weirding: Climate, Politics and Religion (see the Global Weirding Facebook page for more on the series).

January 30 | Student Forum
Science in a Post-Truth World: A Climate Scientist’s Perspective​

In public discourse today, opinions often overwhelm facts. Both science and faith, however, are based on immutable truths. The reality of God doesn’t depend on whether we believe in Him or not—and if we step off a cliff, we’re going down, regardless of our opinion on gravity.

How can we be “salt and light” in a world that rejects the existence of unchanging truth? Join Dr. Hayhoe as she shares from her experiences from the field of climate science.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YSTDIvn63ZU[/youtube]

January 31 | Chapel
Listening to God’s Creation: A Faith Story

When we listen to God’s creation, what is it telling us?

Join Dr. Hayhoe as she shares what we know about our planet today, and reflects on a Christian response to the responsibility we’ve been given to care for it.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBU5FvWMH0c[/youtube]

February 1 | Public Lecture
Talking Climate: Why Facts are Not Enough

Is climate really changing? Are humans responsible, or is this just a natural cycle like we’ve seen before? And even if it is warming, who cares—wouldn’t we all prefer a little less snow?

Join Dr. Hayhoe as she discusses the compelling science behind a changing climate, describes the innovative solutions that are already being implemented today, and explores the importance of connecting our hearts to our heads when it comes to caring about the impacts of a changing climate on this planet and the people who live on it.

[youtube]https://youtu.be/GR-DVKgRaHk?t=4m44s[/youtube]

Categories
Events News Releases

CMU welcomes renowned climate change expert as Scientist in Residence

Dr. Katharine Hayhoe set to speak about science in a ‘post-truth’ world

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to announce it will host acclaimed atmospheric scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe as its 2017 Scientist in Residence.

Katharine Hayhoe
Dr. Katherine Hayhoe
Photo: Ashley Rodgers, Texas Tech University

Hayhoe is a professor at Texas Tech University and the director of its Climate Science Center. In 2014, TIME magazine listed her as one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

Hayhoe will appear on campus January 30−February 1 to share her insights, observations, experience, and personal reflections in a number of speaking events open to the public.

As a means to minimize carbon emissions related to these speaking events on the topic of climate change, Hayhoe’s appearances will be via two-way video conference technology.

CMU is looking forward to hosting Hayhoe, says Dr. Tim Rogalsky, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Science and Faith Advisory Committee.

“Katharine is a renowned researcher with more than 120 peer-reviewed publications in the top journals in her field,” Rogalsky says. “More than that, she’s a fantastic communicator with a remarkable ability to talk about the connections between science and faith.”

Dr. Hayhoe’s confirmed speaking engagements are as follows:

A student forum titled, “Science in a Post-Truth World: A Climate Scientist’s Perspective,” on Monday, January 30 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM in the CMU Chapel (600 Shaftesbury Blvd.).

 2017_01.SIR.poster.finalproof.wifi[1]A chapel titled “Listening to God’s Creation – A Faith Story,” on Tuesday, January 31 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM in the CMU Chapel.

A lecture on Wednesday, February 1 at 7:00 PM in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave). The lecture is titled, “Talking Climate: Why Facts Are Not Enough.”

For the first time ever, all of these presentations will be streamed live on YouTube, allowing anyone from anywhere in the world to watch and participate in the discussion. It’s an exciting aspect of this year’s events, Rogalsky says.

“It really allows us to involve people from off campus in ways we haven’t in the past,” he says.

Hayhoe says she is looking forward to her time as Scientist in Residence because it will give her the opportunity to talk about both science and faith in the same breath.

“So often the two are completely separated in our society and even in our Christian communities,” she says. “The reality, though, is that if we truly believe that God created this amazing universe that we live in, then what is science, other than trying to figure out what He was thinking when He created it?”

While Hayhoe has been named one of Foreign Policy’s 100 Leading Global Thinkers, as well as one of POLITICO’s 50 thinkers, doers, and visionaries transforming American politics, she may be best-known to many people because of how she’s bridging the broad, deep gap between scientists and Christians—work she does in part because she’s a Christian herself.

Together with her husband Andrew Farley, a professor of applied linguistics, pastor of Church without Religion, and best-selling author, Katharine wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles the complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming. 

Her work as a climate change evangelist has been featured on the Emmy award-winning documentary series Years of Living Dangerously and The Secret Life of Scientists and Engineers. In 2012, she was named by Christianity Today as one of their “50 Women to Watch.”

Hayhoe has a BSc in Physics from the University of Toronto and an MS and PhD in Atmospheric Science from the University of Illinois. Hayhoe is currently serving as lead author for the upcoming Fourth U.S. National Climate Assessment and producing her new PBS Digital Studios short series, Global Weirding: Climate, Politics and Religion.

“My hope is that people walk away from these events with a better understanding of climate change and the role they can play in caring for our planet,” says Rogalsky.

All of the Scientist in Residence events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit cmu.ca/sir.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

Categories
Video

2016 Scientist in Residence Presentations (Videos)

Dr. Martin Entz was CMU’s 2016 Scientist in Residence during the week of February 1. Professor of Cropping Systems and Natural Systems Agriculture at the University of Manitoba, Entz leads Canada’s oldest organic versus conventional farming systems experiment and participates in ecologically-integrated farming system research and development work in Central America, southern Africa, NW China, and has volunteered with MCC in North Korea.

Video recordings of Entz’s three speaking engagements—which highlight biblical themes of stewardship to suggest a shift in emphasis from smart resource management to wonder, humility, and inspiration—are found below.

​

February 1 | Student Forum
Journey Into Natural Systems Agriculture

Sir Albert Howard, Rachel Carsons, Wes Jackson, and many others argue that agriculture should take a different path, one based more closely on Nature’s processes. Many research groups around the world have embraced the Natural Systems Agriculture research paradigm. Entz will share his story; his approach; what he has discovered; and how he and his research team are engaging farmers in the research process.

Because Nature’s principles can be applied at all scales—from 5000 acre grain farms to urban permaculture gardens—everyone has a chance to participate. This highlights another benefit—bringing people together in community.

​

February 2 | Chapel
Land as Gift: A Game Changer

When it comes to the ecological crisis we face, good guideposts are hard to find. Viewing the earth, the land, as a gift from the creator offers such as guide. Seeing the Land as a gift changes the emphasis from “smart resource management” to greater “wonder, humility, and inspiration.” Seeing the Land as a gift changes the emphasis from “scarcity” to “abundance”—thereby offering hope to an increasingly worried world.

​

February 3 | Public Lecture
The Science of Sabbath: Meeting the Expectations of the Land

“In the seventh year, there shall be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land, a Sabbath for the Lord.” As a scientist, Entz attempts to understand what Sabbath looks like in modern agriculture. What happens when we give up some control, when we allow the Land to be itself, when we allow it freedom from our inventiveness? Entz’s scientific work shows that sometimes less is indeed more. Serving the garden to release its own potential offers practical solutions that address both the food and the ecological crises.

Entz reflects on over 25 years of natural systems agricultural research and highlight biblical themes of stewardship to suggest a shift in emphasis from smart resource management to wonder, humility, and inspiration.

Categories
Lectures News Releases

CMU welcomes renowned agronomist as Scientist in Residence

Dr. Martin Entz to explore Sabbath and its applications to natural systems agriculture

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to announce it will host Dr. Martin Entz as its 2016 Scientist in Residence.

Prof. Martin Entz
Dr. Martin Entz, CMU’s 2016 Scientist in Residence, will deliver a public lecture on February 3 titled, “The Science of Sabbath: Meeting the Expectations of the Land.”

Entz, a professor of Cropping Systems and Natural Systems Agriculture at the University of Manitoba, will be on campus February 1-5 to share his insights, observations, experience, and personal reflections in a number of speaking events open to the public.

CMU is looking forward to hosting Entz, says Dr. Tim Rogalsky, Associate Professor of Mathematics and Chair of the Science and Faith Advisory Committee.

“Martin is a renowned researcher with more than 25 years of experience and work published in more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers,” Rogalsky says. “His work is exciting because it explores questions of food security that are important in our world today.”

Entz’s confirmed speaking engagements are as follows:

  • A student forum titled, “Journey into Natural Systems Agriculture,” on Monday, February 1 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM in the CMU Chapel (600 Shaftesbury Blvd.). Entz will share about his journey in the field of Natural Systems Agriculture, which explores cropping systems found in nature and develops systems that mimic them.
  • A chapel titled “Land as Gift: A Game Changer,” on Tuesday, February 2 from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM in the CMU Chapel. In this presentation, Entz will explore how viewing the Earth as a gift from the creator is a helpful guide when addressing the ecological crises humans face today.
  • A lecture on Wednesday, February 3 at 7:00 PM in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave). In the lecture, titled “The Science of Sabbath: Meeting the Expectations of the Land,” Entz will reflect on more than 25 years of natural systems agriculture research and highlight biblical themes of stewardship to suggest a shift in emphasis from smart resource management to wonder, humility, and inspiration.

While his week as Scientist in Residence will mark Entz’s first time speaking at CMU, he is no stranger to the university.

He is currently on sabbatical and using office space on campus as he researches the concept of Sabbath and how it can be applied to designing food production systems.

Interacting with CMU faculty is helping him think theologically and philosophically about the topic, as well as leading him to ask richer questions in his research.

“The concept of Sabbath is not part of our narrative,” Entz says of the research he and his University of Manitoba colleagues do. “It could be and it should be. If I explore the idea of Sabbath at CMU, I can bring some of that wisdom back to my colleagues in the science faculty I’m in.”

2016 Scientist in Residence PosterEntz says he is looking forward to his week as Scientist in Residence because it will allow him to interact with CMU students and faculty in a more formal way.

“It’s an honour to be selected for something like this,” he says, adding the events will “allow me to highlight some of the linkages between faith and science.”

Entz says that his research has revealed repeatedly that humans live in a world of abundance rather than scarcity. The idea of a sustainable food production system that includes periods of rest for the land in order to keep it healthy is entirely possible.

He hopes to share this message during the three events, and is looking forward to exploring these topics in greater depth with the community of people who attend.

“I really do think the difficult challenges we face as a civilization we need to work on together,” Entz says.

Since earning his PhD in crop physiology at the University of Saskatchewan, Entz has carved out a significant career that includes teaching courses in crop ecology and organic agriculture, as well as overseeing an active graduate student program.

A highlight of Entz’s work is collaborating with farmers and learning from their experiences. He participates in ecologically-integrated farming system research and development work in Central America, southern Africa, and northwest China.

Entz and his wife, Jereleen, have two adult children and attend Douglas Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.

All of the Scientist in Residence events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit cmu.ca/sir.

Categories
Events News Releases

CMU to host reading by acclaimed author, university professor

David Waltner-Toews to read from The Origin of Feces

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to host a reading by acclaimed author Dr. David Waltner-Toews.

Waltner-Toews will read from his most recent book, The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 30 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.). All are welcome to attend. Admission is free. <event poster>

2015-05-19 - Origin of Feces
Dr. David Walter-Toews will read from his book The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on May 30 at CMU’s Marpeck Commons

An entertaining and enlightening exploration of why waste matters, The Origin of Feces is a cultural history that explores an often ignored subject matter and makes a compelling argument for a deeper understanding of human and animal waste.

Approaching the subject from a variety of perspectives—evolutionary, ecological, and cultural—the book shows how integral excrement is to biodiversity, agriculture, public health, food production and distribution, and global ecosystems.

Upon its release in 2013, The Origin of Feces won the silver medal at the Independent Publishers Book Awards and was shortlisted in the Canadian Science Writers Association’s Best Adult Science Book category.

John Brubacher, Assistant Professor of Biology at CMU, is looking forward to Waltner-Toews’ visit.

“David is always entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure,” Brubacher says, adding that Waltner-Toews’ work fits in with a variety of different program areas at CMU. “He combines the humanities, sciences, and social sciences in a really delightful way.”

Based in Kitchener, ON, Waltner-Toews is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, scientist, and popular author.

He is the author or coauthor of 17 books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and recipes, including The Chickens Fight Back: Pandemic Panics and Deadly Diseases That Jump from Animals to People (Greystone Books, 2007) and Food, Sex and Salmonella: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick (Greystone Books, 2008).

A University Professor Emeritus at University of Guelph, Waltner-Toews was founding president of Veterinarians Without Borders and of the Network for Ecosystem Sustainability and Health, and a founding member of Communities of Practice for Ecosystem Approaches to Health in Canada.

He is the recipient of the inaugural award for contributions to ecosystem approaches to health from The International Association for Ecology and Health.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

Categories
Articles

Inaugural Scientist-in-Residence offers hope during week on campus

Asking questions and being faithful central themes as Dr. Henry Janzen visits CMU

The importance of community, asking questions, collaborating, and trusting God were key themes as Dr. Henry Janzen visited Canadian Mennonite University earlier this month as the university’s first-ever Scientist-in-Residence.
 
Janzen, a research scientist in soil biochemistry at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centre in Lethbridge, AB, was on campus February 2-6.
 
He shared his insights, observations, experience, and personal reflections in a number of speaking events including a student forum, chapel, and lecture.
 
While sharing his faith story during a Tuesday morning chapel gathering, Janzen told students, faculty, and staff how he grew up as a timid farm boy ensconced in the church: “two robust sermons on Sundays, bolstered by Sunday and Saturday school” allowed him to grow in his faith.
 
Dr. Janzen addresses the audience at public lecture
Dr. Janzen addresses the audience at the public lecture on  February 4 at CMU’s Marpeck Commons

As he left home to study and advanced in his education, Janzen’s questions—and his once-simple faith—became more complex. The words of the disciple Thomas echoed in his mind: “Lord, I don’t know where you are going, so how can I know the way?”

 
Janzen went on to share that studying the story of Thomas has helped him see that questions are “not a peril, but a treasure.”
 
He added four things that he has learned during a lifetime of questioning: exploring questions is best done with other people; asking questions demands honesty and precise phrasing; the questions that hound him are often shared by others; and that Anabaptism compels him to test his “faith hypotheses in the experiment of daily dilemmas.”
 
Janzen then quoted T.S. Eliot: “We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time.”
 
“That’s what I live for, my all-consuming hypothesis,” Janzen said. “That the end of all my exploring will find me nearing home again, forgiven, quickening, re-awakening in the will and wake of One who all this time has been urging me home, steering me with the questions.”
 
In addition to sharing his faith story, Janzen gave a public lecture on February 4, titled, “Following Carbon Flows Through Life and Times.” Janzen provided an overview of the carbon cycle and the way its flows connect all species in a planet-wide continuum. He also explored some questions that emerge: questions relevant to all of us, enfolding interwoven strands of science, of ethics, and ultimately, of hope.
 
The following evening, Janzen participated in the latest installment of “Germinating Conversations,” an ongoing series of dialogues that brings together people from urban and rural locations to discuss faith, food, farming, and land from a range of perspectives.
 
During his time at CMU, Janzen lived in the university’s residence and ate in the cafeteria, where he eagerly interacted with students.
He also made presentations about his work in two biology classes.
 
DSC04283
Dr. Janzen (r) with CMU President Cheryl Pauls

Dr. John Brubacher, Assistant Professor of Biology at CMU, said he greatly appreciated Janzen’s visit and the fresh perspectives he brought to campus.

 
“He’s a soil chemist but he speaks like a poet,” Brubacher said. “He’s got a great way of communicating and a deep humility that make him very accessible and approachable.”
 
Dr. Tim Rogalsky, Chair of the Science and Faith Advisory Committee, which was responsible for organizing Janzen’s visit, agreed.
 
“Henry is an engaging speaker, and he offered a sense of hopefulness despite some of the doom and gloom surrounding issues of global environmental change,” Rogalsky said. “It was a great week.”
 
Janzen, a long-time CMU supporter whose three children were students at the university, described his time as Scientist-in-Residence as enlightening and energizing.
 
“I’ve had a real education here in a week,” Janzen said, adding that being able to dialogue with faculty from a variety of disciplines, as well as students and members of the wider community, stretched his thinking.
 
“I’m very grateful for the privilege I’ve had here,” Janzen said. “I’m coming away from (CMU) with a renewed gratitude for this place.”

 

February 27, 2015 Update
[youtube]https://youtu.be/z4I18kDv56E[/youtube]
Categories
Events Lectures News Releases

CMU welcomes inaugural Scientist in Residence to campus

Research scientist Dr. Henry Janzen interested in fostering hope at events

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to announce it will host Dr. Henry Janzen as its first-ever Scientist-in-Residence.

Janzen, a research scientist in soil biochemistry at the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, will be on campus February 2-6 to share his insights, observations, experience, and personal reflections in a number of speaking events open to the public.

CMU is looking forward to hosting Janzen, says Dr. Tim Rogalsky, Chair of the Science and Faith Advisory Committee, which is responsible for organizing Janzen’s visit.

“He is a respected scholar in soil science, he’s a deep thinker, he’s a Christian, he’s a great storyteller, and he’s concerned about the state of the world,” says Rogalsky, Associate Professor of Mathematics at CMU. “It’s going to be great to have him here for the week.”

Janzen’s confirmed speaking engagements are as follows:

  • A student forum titled, “Footprints on a Greening Planet,” on Monday, February 2 from 11:30 AM to 12 PM in the CMU Chapel. This event will look at how humans can live more gently and creatively on the land of their grandchildren, and how people of faith can foster hope, in the face of many troubles on a rapidly-transforming planet.
  • A chapel on Tuesday, February 3 in which Janzen will share his faith story, titled, “How Can I Know the Way?” In this presentation, he will focus on the anguished exhilaration of seeking clarity from the muddiness of admitted ignorance, both in science and in matters of the spirit. The event begins at 11:30 AM in the CMU Chapel.
  • A public lecture on Wednesday, February 4 at 7 PM in Marpeck Commons. In the lecture, titled “Following Carbon Flows Through Life and Times,” Janzen will provide an overview of the carbon cycle and the way its flows connect all species in a planet-wide continuum. He will then explore some questions that emerge: questions relevant to all of us, enfolding interwoven strands of science, of ethics, and ultimately, of hope.

Janzen says that he is looking forward to interacting in an academic community that is also a community of faith.

“What’s important to me is not only what I might bring to CMU,” Janzen says. “I suspect the one who learns the most may be me.”

He adds that there is typically a lot of doom and pessimism involved when ecological challenges such as climate change, food security, and biodiversity conservation, are discussed. He will be looking for ways, during this visit, to jointly foster hope.

“This is one of the reasons I’m interested in looking at these questions in the community of CMU,” Janzen says. “I suspect there may be answers lurking there that will help us together forge a way forward that is ultimately hopeful.

The challenges that have been identified by science will not be resolved by science and technology alone, he adds.

“The way forward, I think, will be guided also by the artists – musicians, poets, essayists, and writers,” Janzen says. “It’s not to leave these problems to the technologists. We may also want to change the way we live, and maybe artists can help direct us there.”

A scientist for the past 30 years, Janzen studies how farming and other human practices affect prairie ecosystems, with emphasis on the carbon and nitrogen flows within them.

In recent years, his interests have expanded to also explore other socio-ecological issues, such as growing more food, preserving biodiversity, conserving soils, using energy wisely, seeking beauty, and fostering social harmony.

Janzen and his wife, Sandra, live on a small farm near Lethbridge. They have three adult children and attend Coaldale Mennonite Church.

For more information, visit www.cmu.ca/sir.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury Campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit: www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2