By Lezlee Gutierrez, Student Reporter
A Chapel forum called, “Cosmology” peaked students interest March 26 with a discussion on science and creation.
Some of the concerns discussed included: Where did the world come from? How can we promote a healthy differentiation of the physical and metaphysical? What can be done to ease tensions and promote understanding between naturalism and creationism? What is the duty of someone who is both a Christian and a scientist?
The forum was one of three forums the Society of Physics Students (SPS) chapter at ACU is presenting it is directed at non-science majors and consists of brief lectures and open discussion. These forums will provide a chance to hear about topics in recent scientific studies and provide answers to the ACU community.
“We wanted to give back to campus and address the various needs for information surrounding the debate between creation versus evolution,” said Scott Stewart, junior physics major from San Antonio. “We wanted to address and show both sides while approaching them with a respectable manner.”
SPS traveled to a physics conference last fall called the Sigma Pi Sigma Quadrennial Congress. The congress was at Fermilab, the campus of the national research center near Chicago. As a repayment for the funds it allocated by SA congress for travel expenses to the conference, SPS wanted to come back from the congress and share with the ACU community what they experienced.
“Our main goal for the forums is to give helpful information, not opinions, to everyone especially those who are not physics majors,” said Nathan Pickle, junior physics major from Colorado Springs, Colo. “We hope to promote the discussion of science around campus within the next two weeks and encourage everyone to join us for the next two forums.”
The second Chapel forum called “Why do Science?” will be April 2 at 7 p.m. with Dr. Powell, M.E. Pruitt Professor of Chemistry. Some of the questions discussed will include: What is the point of doing science in the first place, and what are its benefits? An enormous amount of resources is poured into pure research, experiments that seem to have no application, so what is the role of these experiments in a struggling economy? How is science applicable to those other than scientists? For example, what can be the value of problem solving or the scientific method in everyday life?
The third Chapel forum called “Energy” will be April 16 at 7 p.m. with Dr. Towell associate professor of physics and Dr. Sadler professor of physics. Some of the questions discussed will include: What are the most promising new forms of energy production? What are the problems of today’s energy production? What problems are we going to face if we don’t change our sources of energy? What can we do as individuals (specifically as college students) in response?
All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend the Chapel forum Thursday to discuss the need for science and how it relates to the world. For more information concerning each forum, visit the ACU events calendar at www.acu.edu.
