FREE PUBLIC EVENT: The CSCA presents a lecture by John Wood (Professor Emeritus, The King’s University) at the close of our 50th anniversary celebration.
The CSCA & ASA – A Cross-Border Checkup
The CSCA and ASA hold a special place in the world of faith-science dialogue. Not only are we focused on integrating ideas of science and scripture but also on developing a sensitive Christian presence in our professional and personal lives. We seek to be an engaging community, with a mission reach that includes cultivating the next generation of faithful leadership. So, with apologies to the CBC and host Ian Hanomansing, I am going to offer a few thoughts on history and mission from both sides of the border.
Anniversaries are a good time for reflection. When combined with the disruption that Covid brought the CSCA & ASA leadership responded with thoughtful mission-focused adjustments. Where have we been? What is our ongoing mission in the next decades? The dynamics of cultural, technological, and institutional change are arriving daily at work, in our churches, communities and for our families. How will we respond?
While none of this is especially new, the organizational challenge remains in successfully handing off our mission to the new generation of leaders. It is not remarkable to say that increasing time demands press on every professional in the social and natural sciences. Yet, traditional membership organizations must respond to the opportunity cost on our community.
What will the future of the CSCA look like in these dynamic times? At the highest level, we intend to be a redemptive organization that inspires and equips our members. Together the CSCA and ASA express our missions this way. We are seeking to serve our members in ways of expressing their individual vocational calling and professional gifting. As Christians, we do this broadly in service to the church, society, science, and one another.
Tonight, I want to give you my sense of the state of our two societies from the unique view of a long-time member of both the CSCA (since 1989) and the ASA (since 1974). I came into the ASA with the gift of a student membership. I remained as the mentorship and ideas were valuable across my entire career. Hopefully, this will be an opportunity to sharpen our cross-border insights and increase our collective mission impact.
John R. Wood, PhD, is Emeritus Professor at The King’s University in Edmonton and most recently Emeritus Executive Director for the ASA.
In 1974 John completed his BA in Biology at North Park University, Chicago and was given student membership in the ASA. He went on to a MSc-Biology at Central Washington University, and his PhD is from the University of California, Berkeley, in Stream Ecology and Insect Behavior.
Before moving to Canada in 1989 John taught for 6 years at Simpson College, a Christian and Missionary Alliance institution in California. Although now twice retired he continues providing guest lectures, leading field trips and occasionally pulpit supply.
John’s field research has been on population ecology and behavior. He began with pheromone and population studies in caddisflies (a stream insect) and moved to urban-dwelling White-tailed Jackrabbits when he came to Edmonton. He recently published a 25-year study of these urban hares and their behavior. Together with Dr Heather Looy, Professor of Psychology at The King’s University, he has explored a uniquely Western cultural blind spot. Their focus is on disgust and exceptionalism to accepting tasty food insects as a normal part of the human diet. His current research interest is exploring the theory and place of physical death.
John’s administrative and professional service includes program reviews for biology and environmental science programs in Canada and the United States. He was on the first review team for ECO Canada, the national accreditation agency for environmental science and environmental studies programs. In addition to his emeritus status with the ASA John is also the past Academic Dean for the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies in Michigan.