“The overarching theme of our faculty fellows’ research is the fusion of creation stewardship with environmental and social health. Especially in these troubled times, our need to revise our relationships with the environment and with each other is an urgent ethical imperative.”
— Dr. Richard Chandra, Associate Provost Research
Trinity Western University is honoured to be awarded a Supporting Structures grant of $230,000 to advance STEM research. The Supporting Structures project is designed to support science-affirming Christian liberal arts universities to strengthen their long-term engagement with scientific research and enhance diversity among their STEM faculty. The project is generously funded by the John Templeton Foundation and the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, and run by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and its UK subsidiary, Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford (SCIO).
Award recipients were chosen among 29 competing universities. TWU is one of nine institutions to be selected, and the only institution in Canada to receive the award.
As a global Christian university, Trinity Western seeks to unite reason and faith through mature scholarship and research, and to lead the discussion on integrating faith perspectives in all academic areas within religious and academic communities, as well as in the public sphere. The University aspires to be an international center of scholarly excellence, generating innovative knowledge in service of the world’s present and emerging needs.
Supporting diverse teams and newer STEM faculty
The Supporting Structures grant provides TWU with funding to conduct scientific research, support newer STEM faculty, establish student clubs, support undergraduate student researchers in STEM fields, as well as provide opportunities for the University community to engage science, faith, and societal issues.
“TWU will apply the grant monies to further the University’s mission to produce godly Christian leaders by focusing on faithful approaches to, and the connections between, environmental stewardship and human flourishing,” said Dr. Glen Van Brummelen, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences (FNAS).
TWU has assembled a diverse team, including student leaders, mentors for the research fellows, and faculty participants from across the University, to explore the interactions between science, faith, stewardship, and wellness in various public settings.
“We hope to engage with each other, our local township, and our supporting community by encouraging dialogue across various groups,” said Dr. David Clements, Assistant Dean of FNAS, Research.
The Supporting Structures grant empowers three research fellows, Dr. Shane Durbach, Dr. Laura Onyango, and Dr. Richard Chandra, in their efforts to advance STEM research at the University.
“The overarching theme of our faculty fellows’ research is the fusion of creation stewardship with environmental and social health," said Dr. Richard Chandra, Associate Provost Research. "Especially in these troubled times, our need to revise our relationships with the environment and with each other is an urgent ethical imperative.”
Year 1 Fellow Dr. Shane Durbach’s research on using waste plastics for the novel synthesis of shaped micro-nanocarbons (SMNC’s) will provide “particles of hope” amid the growing societal despair over plastic waste. At a time when microbial threats to human health have never been in sharper relief, Year 2 Fellow Dr. Laura Onyango’s research on microbial issues on dairy farms will point a way toward a regenerative approach to agricultural systems. Year 3 Fellow Dr. Richard Chandra’s research promotes healing in current practices that produce non-renewable, polluting plastics and fuels from oil-based resources by switching to renewable, sustainable and biodegradable nanomaterials and fuels from waste forest material.
For more information:
- Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford “The CCCU and SCIO have received a $2.1 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation to launch Supporting Structures: Innovative Collaborations to Enhance STEM Research at CCCU Member Institutions.”
- Council for Christian Colleges and Universities “CCCU and SCIO Receive $2.1 Million to Support STEM Research.”
Supporting Structures: Innovative Partnerships to Enhance Bench Science at CCCU Member Institutions program is run by Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford, the UK subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, with funding by the John Templeton Foundation and the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust.
See also—TWU's Dr. David Clements and team track climate change-driven spread of invasive plants in Metro Vancouver, inform municipal strategies:
TWU News
About Trinity Western University
Founded in 1962, Trinity Western University is Canada’s premier Christian liberal arts university dedicated to equipping students to establish meaningful connections between career, life, and the needs of the world. It is a fully accredited research institution offering liberal arts and sciences, as well as professional schools in business, nursing, education, human kinetics, graduate studies, and arts, media, and culture. It has four campuses and locations: Langley, Richmond-Lansdowne, Richmond-Minoru, and Ottawa. TWU emphasizes academic excellence, research, and student engagement in a vital faith community committed to forming leaders to have a transformational impact on culture. Learn more at www.twu.ca or follow us on Twitter @TrinityWestern, on Facebook and LinkedIn.
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