Doug Axe’s Endowed Chair at Biola

[swamidass (S. Joshua Swamidass)]

Continuing the discussion from Comments on Egnorance Post by Coyne:

@Timothy_Horton

Isn’t that what the biologic institute is?

The Biologic Institute’s last published article was put on their web page in Jan. 2018. That leading light of science publications BIO-Complexity has yet to publish anything in 2019.

Axe recently moved to the Biola biology department.

$2.5 million donation funds science school’s first endowed chair - The Chimes

Two professors from Biola (William Lane Craig and Sean McDowell) endorsed my book. @art has given a talk there.

[cwhenderson (Curtis Henderson)]

@swamidass

Axe recently moved to the Biola biology department.

Josh, do you know if this is a “real” faculty appointment, or just something like the WLC professorship that really has very little to do with activity on the campus? WLC was an HBU “faculty member” for a couple of years at one point, but I never saw him in any faculty meetings…

[swamidass (S. Joshua Swamidass)]

I do not know. It is worth sending a note to the chair of the dept to find out, but it shouldn’t probably be me doing the asking. I’m not sure it makes much difference either way though. What do you think?

[T_aquaticus]

From the article in the OP:

“He’s going to teach undergraduates, he’s going to conduct a research program and he’s going to do quite a bit of lecturing outside of Biola,” Ferguson said. “He’ll be providing specialized courses on molecular biology and Christian faith and science.”

It looks like a real faculty position. I would imagine Axe will also be expected to play a leadership role in building the program.

[cwhenderson (Curtis Henderson)]

We’ve had special arrangements with “faculty” that would teach a course Thursday night, Friday night, and all day Saturday, before returning to regularly scheduled life. I’m still not 100% convinced by the article quote implies an active campus presence since a similar scenario could apply, but it does sound like he might have a more active role. I do hope he has the opportunity to test ID more thoroughly than it has been in the past. Maybe @pnelson can tell us a little more.

[cwhenderson (Curtis Henderson)]

@swamidass

I’m not sure it makes much difference either way though. What do you think?

I think it does make a difference. A token “famous guy” that spends limited time on campus would be much different from a professor that has an active on-campus role. The latter would be an interesting move both for Axe and Biola.

[pnelson (Paul A Nelson)]

@cwhenderson

Maybe @pnelson can tell us a little more.

Doug and his wife Anita moved from Seattle to southern California this past summer, and he is taking a very active (involved) role in leading this new science Honors program at Biola:

Stewart Science Honors Program - Biola University

I don’t know what courses he is teaching this academic year at Biola, but I’ve seen his office in the beautiful new Lim Center for Science, and he’ll be there on a daily basis (to my knowledge):

Lim Center - School of Science, Technology and Health - Biola University -...

Developing ID with greater precision and rigor is on the agenda.

[cwhenderson (Curtis Henderson)]

Thanks for the info, Paul!