Andrews University Agenda

Andrews University Agenda http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/ News and Events at Andrews University en-us Copyright 2026, Andrews University Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:32:00 +0000 Sun, 20 Sep 2026 11:32:00 +0000 webmaster@andrews.edu webmaster@andrews.edu September 18, 2026: Going out http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/70335 Sometimes you just have to get out! Studying, reading, and watching is ok some of the time. But we are meant for movement. And there is a lot to see, sometimes just in your own backyard, so to speak. I know that many of us have been getting out this week, to different parts of campus and to nearby destinations. Here are some of the ways we have gotten out this week: <ul> <li> Week of Prayer. We have been blessed by presentations this week from Anthony Wagener-Smith, sharing from his heart on how we are called by God. Perhaps you got to some of these – hopefully you have gained a blessing in addition to the worship credit.</li> <li> Our Systems Physiology class got out of the lab this week and did lab at the Wellness Center! It looks like they had fun learning about sports and muscle physiology. Maybe they got a workout in the process!</li> <li> General Ecology took a trip to a local bog. Not a place we typically spend much time in, but life in a bog requires special adaptations to make it.  I saw some carnivorous plants in those pictures!</li> <li> Not too far from Andrews is the University of Notre Dame – a major research university that often brings presenters of note to town. Just yesterday some of us from Cosmos, an Honors course that touches on the big questions of science and faith, traveled to Notre Dame to hear another perspective: a presentation by engineer and Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist Damien Marie Savino, who spoke on how science and theology can work together to understand the creation and enrich our humanity.</li> <li> Earlier in the week, I enjoyed another trip to Notre Dame to hear Nobel Laureate (Chemistry 2018) Francis Arnold, whose lab has managed to engineer enzymes new to biology. It was a packed house for that one! This one was special to me because one of our recent biology graduates is now working in the lab of Dr. Arnold at CalTech towards a PhD degree. Next week I hope to share more about the success of our alumni over recent years.</li> <li> Today and tomorrow are SciFest. We have had a great group of academy students working through activities in all the sciences and learning about cells – whatever might be the definition of that word in different disciplines. In biology, we considered plant cells and we performed a stomatal peel. No, that’s not the surface of a fruit, it’s a method to look at stomata – and it works so beautifully! You should try it sometime!</li> </ul> Well, that was a full week!  But now just a heads up about the week to come. One week from today, Friday, September 25, is the beginning of our annual Alumni Homecoming Weekend. In the afternoon at 2:30 in the Biology Amphitheater, biology alumnus Dr. Paul Kovalsky, DDS, will be sharing “Return of the Tooth Sleuth: Life as a Forensic Dentist.” Please put that on your schedule, you don’t want to miss it! Fri, 18 Sep 2026 18:56:03 +0000 September 11, 2026: Change http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/70304 Change. Sometimes challenging. Often exciting. A change in job, location, friends, school, circumstance. 9/11, this day 25 years ago, was a day of change. 9/11 is an example of an event that has a dramatic impact, an event for which you remember the details – where you were, what you were doing, who you were with. I had just woken up, groggy from a late-night arrival back home from a vacation in Mexico. I turned on the TV, saw smoke from the World Trade Center, was sure it was a movie. Whew, so glad I wasn’t still in Mexico! A similar event for me was the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion. January 28, 1986. I was on a school bus heading home from school, when we heard it on the radio. Silence. I even remember where the bus was. Maybe you remember the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Do you remember where you were when it was first announced that school was canceled? (perhaps we didn’t realize how long it would be at the time) We don’t want too many of these dramatic events. They change the world – in difficult ways. Yesterday was Change Day here at Andrews.  We changed our world yesterday, if only in some small way. Some of us went to nature preserves, some to nursing homes, some to nearby communities, schools, parks, even cemeteries. Something I noticed in my visit to a nature preserve, and in other change-inducing events, is that life is resilient! You can bulldoze life, tear up the trees, turn off the water, but it will re-emerge if you give it time and space, and maybe a little help along the way. I don’t know your background, where you’ve been, where you are going. But I do hope that your time here at Andrews will give you the time and space (and incentive) to grow, in a variety of ways. This coming week will provide some of those times and spaces: <ol start=""> <li> If you are an Honors student, be sure join the Fall Honors Agape Feast this evening, 6pm, at the HPAC.</li> <li> Next week is Fall Week of Prayer. Be sure to come for some inspiration to daily meetings at 11:30 am and 7:30 pm in Pioneer Memorial Church. This also means that the MWF class schedule changes next week. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:30 classes start at 8:10, 9:30 classes start at 9:00, 10:30 classes start at 9:50, 11:30 classes start at 10:40</li> <li> Some of you will see a few additional people around on Thursday evening through Sunday morning. SciFest is a yearly program that brings teams of students from academies and high schools to participate in science activities. We look forward to meeting new people and learning new things.</li> </ol> Blessings to you as you develop resilience in the face of change. But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." Isaiah 43:1-2 Fri, 11 Sep 2026 17:12:09 +0000 September 4, 2026: Challenges and Rest http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/70291 What do you think are today’s greatest challenges in medicine? Cancer? Yes, that one will likely never go away. Last week, news broke that a new pill for pancreatic cancer will give you 6 more months of life. You don’t want me to list the side effects. Maybe you will want to take a class in cell biology to learn more about cells gone rogue. Infectious disease? They say it’s only a matter of time until the next big one comes our way (infectious disease, that is). We need more ways to fight these diseases. Think about how incredible the simple discovery of antibiotics was! My own grandfather died before the widespread availability of antibiotics, because of a splinter. A little cream today would probably do the trick. Maybe we should all take a class in microbiology or immunology to learn more about this constant battle going on inside of us. Heart disease and stroke? The leading cause of death in the US. A real challenge that requires a broad range of knowledge. But have you ever thought about the wonder of a human heart when it is working right? I did the math: at an average resting heart rate of 70 beats/minute and an average life expectancy of 79.0 years here in the US, one can expect their heart to beat, on average, 2,906,568,000 times. That’s a lot of beats! Take a class in physiology to learn more about the amazing design of your body! Well, if you’re still with me, the reason I’ve been thinking about this is because of what I’ve been reading recently: a lot of smart people think that aging is the greatest challenge in medicine. The most recent issue of National Geographic, a favorite magazine of mine, has the front-page title “The End of Aging?” It is a little mind-blowing to read about the things people are planning to regenerate aging tissues, to slow diseases of aging, even to provide a ready supply of spare parts. (If you want to read more interesting news in National Geographic, all recent issues are on the shelf in the bio office for your perusal!) However, I’ve noticed that no matter how much plastic surgery one gets, aging still catches up. Last week we lost America’s sweetheart, Dolly Parton. No matter how many supplements one takes, aging still catches up. I heard that biohacker Bryan Johnson, who has spent millions to stay young (he aims to live to 163), was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder. Based on my reading of the Bible, I think that immortality is unlikely this side of Heaven. Of course, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't strive to live longer, healthier, and happier - many of you want to make that kind of difference through your career! I appreciate the words of the teacher in Ecclesiastes. NLT. 11:7-8.Life is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning. When people live to be very old, let them rejoice in every day of life… 9.Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. 12:13.Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. So please enjoy the long weekend. Get some rest. Talk to a good friend. Go for a walk. Maybe catch up on your sleep. Perhaps catch up on some study – this could help you to enjoy future days more. God wishes the best for you. So do we! The coming week will be a little different, with no class on Monday, and fewer classes on Thursday, Change Day! Remember to sign up to participate! Fri, 04 Sep 2026 13:23:14 +0000 August 28, 2026: Stinky questions http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/70265 Was your week as busy as mine?! As is typical of the first week of the semester, mine was a blur of new faces and registration challenges and computer system hiccups and questions. Lots of questions. Amongst all these new people, new classes, and new questions, a highlight of my week was when I discovered our carrion plant flowering. It made me ask more questions. Like, why did the plant wait for a couple of years before flowering now? Is it ok that I think this flower is beautiful even though it looks and smells like rotting meat? Is it ok that the plant is tricking the flies into thinking they will find food? Why is it that flies love its smell?! Yes, I know, because they are flies.  But really, what are the structures, cells, receptors, molecules that cause these flies to be attracted? Good scientists ask lots of questions. You might think that the best way to tackle your classes is to find answers, but rather, the best way is to ask lots of questions! Good conversationalists ask lots of questions as well. We had a great Welcome Back Waffles and Pancakes event on Tuesday! The food was great, the company was even better, and the conversations were engaging! Thanks to those of you who came out and started the semester off well. Pancakes were followed by Convocation on Thursday and some snacks on the lawn. And the wall of biologist faces has been updated – you might find yourself there. One thing to take note of: Change Day is coming! Please visit <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe_7hLhNLVex5pgj5TtdMbftNQc7-PFBJ0XWHOUivP_NJ36Zw/viewform">this page</a> to learn about and sign up for one of the 50 different projects that are available! I think I might spend the day outside. I’m sure there is something that fits your skills and interests. Have a blessed Sabbath rest following this busy first week of school. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:57:11 +0000 August 21, 2026: Learning from squirrels http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/70249 Learning – that’s why you come to college, right? Maybe there are other reasons, too. To meet new people, to grow closer to God, to become a better citizen. But learning is part of all of these. In the coming weeks, you will spend some time thinking about learning. <ul> <li> How can I learn all of this stuff quickly and easily? (hint: you can’t. It takes time and effort)</li> <li> How can I fit it all into my schedule? (hint: use a calendar)</li> <li> How can I find help? (hint: just ask)</li> </ul> I have two bird feeders hanging outside of my house. In reality, they are squirrel feeders. A few weeks ago, I decided I would try to rig up something to keep out the squirrels. As you might guess, they learned quickly and found a way around my device. They just kept trying – persistence counts. But they didn’t just study from afar. They were active problem solvers. They used their ideas. They tested themselves. Psychologists have spent a lot of time thinking about learning. They have learned: 1) you have to test yourself (ask questions – do you know the answer – if not, try again), and 2) you have to do this repeatedly, over time. Cramming is not effective for long-term learning. I’m going to print out a list of students now, with photos, and over the next few days, test myself. I’ll cover up the names, look at the photos, and try to say the names. I’ll fail miserably the first time, do a little better the second time, and by the 10th time hopefully know most of you. New student orientation has been lots of fun! Now the work begins. Some notes for the week ahead: <ol> <li> If you are new to the campus, you might hunt down your classrooms on Sunday so that you know where to go as the week moves forward. Classes in the Science Complex are either PH (Price Hall), HYH (Haughey Hall), or HH (Halenz Hall).</li> <li> This Tuesday at 11:30am (put it in your calendar!) is our first departmental assembly. Please come to the Chobotar Commons (the Biology Lobby) and enjoy a light lunch with us, chat with a professor, meet somebody new. We’re hoping to see all of our biology majors there!</li> <li> This Thursday at 10:30am is Fall Convocation. Everyone will come together at PMC for some pomp and circumstance and a big welcome to the new school year!</li> </ol> Praying that your new semester is full of fun, hard work, new friends, interesting places, and time growing in your walk with God. Don’t forget the blessing of the Sabbath!     Fri, 21 Aug 2026 14:41:13 +0000 August 14, 2026: Summer Travels http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69604 STOP! Don’t read any further. First, go to our most recent post at <a href="http://www.instagram.com/aubiologydepartment">www.instagram.com/aubiologydepartment</a>  or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AUBiology">www.facebook.com/AUBiology</a>, and make some guesses. Where did your Andrews biology faculty go this summer??     As you figured out, some traveled far, some were closer to home. It’s likely that almost all traveled through O’Hare International Airport at some point (above). All learned lots this summer and are looking forward to translating their discoveries to insights in the classroom! The prize for most travel goes to Dr. Gonzalez!  He traveled more than 38,000 miles this summer, by plane, boat, rickshaw, bus, taxi, and foot, as Andrews University biologist and National Geographic Explorer. His travels took him to both Bangladesh and Papua New Guinea to study the dugong, a close relative of the manatee and the national animal of Papua New Guinea. They, of course, want to know more about this gentle giant that represents their country. Dr. Navia also traveled far. He and his family recently returned from several weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand at the Institute for World Mission. The Institute is a cross-cultural training event, considering things such as cultural intelligence, appreciation for other cultures and faiths, and the challenges and joys of serving in diverse cultures. Having gone through this training, he feels better prepared to relate to students coming from all different backgrounds and cultures. We sometimes say, “the world comes to Andrews!” Dr. Moore recently returned from a conference in Washington state organized by the Geoscience Research Institute. This conference enabled participants, Adventist scientists from a number of Adventist institutions, to discuss their professional interests, build community, and particularly connect their science with the Adventist mission. Many participated in a field trip to learn about the geology of the Columbia River Plateau and Channeled Scablands of Washington. Dr. Zdor traveled to Colorado this summer, spending time with family and in the mountains. Dr. Murray visited Trinidad and Tobago, where she ran a marathon, the Midnight Marathon! I visited Walla Walla, Washington, to visit family and celebrate a graduation, and followed that with some time in Seattle. But now the summer is over.  Many of you will be traveling yourself, heading towards southwest Michigan and Andrews University. We look forward to seeing you! Actually, southwest Michigan is a vacation destination in its own right – so you might be able to continue your summer for a little bit (but keeping your focus on your classes, of course) with a trip to the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan. So, if you are traveling in the coming days, safe travels. If you are finishing up the last days of summer, enjoy the sun! If you are already studying for that Early College Experience course, I hope you have settled in and are gaining some new insights! And to all of you (students, faculty, staff, and friends alike!), I’ll be praying for your success as you dive into the challenges and adventures of the months ahead! Fri, 14 Aug 2026 14:43:07 +0000 August 7, 2026: Chaos and Order http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69535 Sometimes chaos is necessary before order. When I clean, I often drag my stuff out from where it was accumulating and make piles of stuff: chaos. While you don’t want things in this state for too long, it is necessary. The junk eventually gets moved to a new location, a new space, a trash can, a dumpster. Eventually spaces come to order. We’re seeing this in biology right now. Lab floors are getting a deep cleaning. Old carpets are being ripped out. Books and furniture are cluttering the hallways. But trust us, the chaos will return to order very soon! It takes a lot of energy to get to order. You might recall the second law of thermodynamics, which states that natural processes tend to move toward disorder. Just yesterday, however, I saw evidence that an input of energy from the sun can cause the unexpected. You have to be quick, and observant, to see these things, but some of us spied a cactus bloom. They don’t last long. But WOW! The beauty! The order! (You can see it above, or even better at <a href="http://www.instagram.com/aubiologydepartment">www.instagram.com/aubiologydepartment</a>  or <a href="http://www.facebook.com/AUBiology">www.facebook.com/AUBiology</a>) I imagine this as a little biological illustration of what God can do with each one of us – how He can take anything, the mundane and ordinary, even the chaotic, and turn it into order and beauty. “O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we all are the work of your hand.” Isaiah 64:8 Next week the school year begins, for some of us. The biology faculty will meet on Tuesday. The annual Faculty and Staff Institute, a day of professional development, will happen on Wednesday. Other preparatory meetings and work will be happening the rest of the week, followed by an employee dedication service at PMC as we launch into the new year. We want to give a big thank you to Marshley Stewart, who has served as our Administrative Assistant for many departmental tasks over the last couple years. Next week she will be moving on to a role in the Berrien County Forensic Laboratory (which means she won’t be very far away – just next door in Halenz Hall), where she will more directly use her chemistry skills. Congratulations, Marshley, and thank you for taking care of many of the details of departmental life for us, perhaps reducing some of the inevitable chaos that we encounter😊. Wishing you all the best for the upcoming Sabbath and the week ahead. Sun, 09 Aug 2026 08:52:18 +0000 July 31, 2026: Breathing space http://www.andrews.edu/agenda/69505 The weeks of July tend to be quiet ones here in the Science Complex. The summer classes of May and June have finished. Research projects are winding down. Vacation time is enticing, before the hectic semester begins. We now have a little time to breathe. In this breathing time, some of us are returning to challenges that need time and space. Time to percolate in the spaces of our brains. In some ways, it’s kind of like sleep. Although scientists haven’t yet come to a definitive answer for why we sleep, leading theories point to waste clearance from the brain, tissue repair, and memory consolidation. Yes, memory consolidation! It is in the quiet of the night, when all is silent, that our minds get to work to store away the information of the day. Don’t forget to sleep if you want to remember well! So, what challenges are we working on, to consolidate those thoughts, memories, data and ideas? <ul> <li> Well, I’ve seen Dr. Goodwin in his lab, putting finishing touches on a research paper on Ice Age ground squirrels from South Dakota. He tells me that another paper is in press, describing a unique group of Ice Age ground squirrels from Nebraska that includes a new genus and species. Congrats!</li> <li> I have been putting finishing touches on a research paper as well, in collaboration with colleagues at the National Institutes of Health and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and am working with a former student, Konstantin Zubkov, to wrap up a project exploring the role of an enzyme in digesting neuropeptides at neuronal synapses. </li> <li> Speaking of neurons, Dr. Navia and Dr. Mbungu have been working with a former student and current science teacher at Great Lakes Adventist Academy, Lilly Widdicombe, to investigate the connection between neurons and behavior in crickets. They are studying what happens to cricket behavior when the packaging of neurotransmitters is disrupted. It is a joy to welcome back our former students and to provide professional development opportunities to science teachers at our schools!</li> <li> Dr. Wong is visiting with high school student Rex to work on a cancer prevention project. They are studying the ability of Chinese medicinal herbs to cause death (by apoptosis) of colon cancer cells.</li> </ul> Other faculty members are traveling right now, working with others to consolidate information so that they can be better educators and scientists (more on that in a future email). As you can see, here in Biology, we aim to Seek knowledge. Affirm faith. Change the world. We don’t think that is just a slogan. We take seriously our mission to be top-notch scientists, engaging and effective educators, and faith-affirming mentors. August is here tomorrow. With that comes the start of the new school year! Mon, 03 Aug 2026 19:18:43 +0000