Heather Foucault-Camm and Fr. David Brown, S.J., speak to students at the St. Albert Initiative
Nearly 160 high school students, and their teachers, along with catechists and members of the public attended the St. Albert Initiative this March. Funded by the John Templeton Foundation and sponsored by the Science and Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life, The Society of Catholic Scientists, and The Collegium Institute, this day-long program on the complementarity of science and faith featured talks and meet-and-greets with Catholic scientists.
Highlights included presentations from Steven Barr, President of the Society of Catholic Scientists and Professor Emeritus of theoretical particle physics at the University of Delaware, on “Is the Universe Made for Life?” and Heather Foucault-Camm, Program Director of the Science and Religion Initiative at the McGrath Institute, and Fr. David Brown S.J., Astronomer at the Vatican Observatory who co-delivered a talk on “The Chemical Elements and Cosmic Order.”
Additional sessions included lightning round talks, and ask-a-scientist poster sessions where attendees had the opportunity to meet Catholic scientists and ask them about their field of study, career path, and big unsolved questions in their area of science.
This day-long initiative is named after St. Albert the Great, bishop, scientist, philosopher, theologian, teacher, and patron saint of natural science and scientists.