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I came to psychology sulking and reluctant. The discipline was too young, too incapable of answering the questions that interested me. But while I struggled to get decent grades in biology and philosophy, I received high As in psychology without trying. Finally, tired of fighting my God-bestowed talents, I accepted that psychology was where I belonged.

Dr. Colin C. M. Campbell, who taught at McMaster University for 15 years in the Department of Physics and in the Department of Computer Science.

I love evolutionary science and see it as God’s natural mechanism for creating all life on earth. It also helps students break out of the false dichotomy and allows them to worship God through his Words (Scripture) and His Works (Nature).

I’m a philosopher and theologian, not a scientist, but I chose to be involved in the “faith and science” world because of the challenges of science to the faith I grew up with.

In my fourth year as an undergraduate, I still did not know what I wanted to do with my life. I went to the lab one Saturday morning to work on my research project. The supervisor dropped by and asked what I was up to. I was feeling down and concerned about deciding what was next upon completing my BSc. He asked me if I had a favourite subject and what it was. Without hesitation, I answered Anatomy. And his response was, “So be it.”

From an early age, I was interested in engineering and all of the physical sciences including astronomy, but I never thought I could earn a living in that specialty. However, in June 1952, when I had finished writing the examinations required for matriculation into the University of Toronto and had time to think about a summer job, I wondered if something might be possible at the University’s David Dunlap Observatory, 15 km north of my home. Dr. Heard, the Director, told me the Observatory normally does not hire students until they have completed at least one university year. but he was short of summer staff and would take a chance with me. When I arrived for my first day of work, I expected to be given simple tasks, but instead was immediately shown how to operate the 1.9 m telescope and photograph stellar spectra. During my daytime shifts, I measured these spectra, so I was delighted to be doing science and contributing new astronomical information.

I got interested in collecting fossils in North Wales as a kid, but my real vocation as a geologist began in the late 1960s, when several major TV documentaries were broadcast about the Plate Tectonic revolution. It was very exciting to see a field of science completely revolutionized by new discoveries. As a graduate student, I got into the field of radioactive dating, which of course is interested in the age of the earth. This led me to be concerned about the correct interpretation of the Book of Genesis, and around that time I came across P. J. Wiseman’s book, Clues to Creation in Genesis. Even though a lot of that book is wrong, it has inspired me over the years to want to study and understand Genesis better.

My scientific discipline is physics, but my first love was Astronomy. I chose to go into physics instead because I believed that I could do something more practical/ helpful to humanity through physics. As well, I felt I could still be involved in astronomy research through my physics training if the opportunity arose.

I did not do well in the US boards for microbiology and infectious diseases after graduating from Manitoba in 1961. I went to Baltimore, then Lahore in Pakistan and back to Seattle to acquire these skills and brought them back to Winnipeg—training 78 physicians or pediatricians over the next 50 years. About 10 million individuals die of infection each year globally (before COVID), so it’s important to have skilled expertise in microbiology and infections around the world.

For the past 50 years, the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation has facilitated discussions about science and Christian faith in Canada. As part of our 50th-anniversary celebrations, we asked 50 CSCA members to comment on their personal connections to science, scripture, and Canadian scenery. We will share these contributions throughout 2023 in hope that you will find them engaging and encouraging. CSCA member of the week: Rebecca Dielschneider, Associate Professor of Health Sciences at Providence University College 1. Why did you choose your scientific discipline? I’ve been fascinated by the immune system for a long time. From the moment that a …