Associate Professor of Chemistry Amanda Nichols was selected among 25 scholars from across the world to study at the University of Oxford for two summers.
As part of Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford — a program that incorporates science and religion — Nichols will continue research and participate in seminars on her field of study. The program is run by the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities that connect Christ-centered institutions with each other to provide a variety of academic work.
While at Oxford Nichols will further her research on molecular symmetry.
“My proposal is centered around this idea of molecules have an aesthetic beauty, but is also functional and so they are somewhat tied together,” Nichols said. “I am proposing an idea that is going to suggest a built-in design.”
Nichols is the first Oklahoma Christian University professor to participate in this program, which will take place during July and August and will reconvene the following July.
Nichols said she had to consider her family and three kids in her decision.
“I talked with my husband Josh before applying and he said go for it,” Nichols said. “If I was picked then we would figure it out when the time came. My husband is very supportive in all my endeavors.”
Nichols said she tries to integrate science and religion in her teaching, despite the difficulties that each topic creates.
“I am getting to co-teach the honor’s bible, science and faith class which is all about science and a Christian’s faith, so there is a large implementation in the curriculum,” Nichols said. “In my general education sections, the conversation of how to reconcile scripture along with theories of how the world came in existence is also discussed.”
The program will also help fund a science and religion club that is to be established on campus, which Nichols will sponsor.
“I will be receiving ideas on how to start conversations about the two topics, speakers will come in and maybe take some field trips to organizations who focus on science and religion,” Nichols said.
Coupled with the new club, Nichols will also be looking into a mentoring program for high-achieving female students in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“First and foremost, Nichols genuinely cares about the success of her students and there are a lot of times she goes above and beyond to see them achieve their highest potential,” Hannah Leftwich, honor’s staff assistant, said. “In the same respect she has done the same for me as friend and during the project.”
Leftwich said she helped Nichols gather information about female students in the STEM fields. They discovered that females in male-dominated majors would benefit from a mentor of the same gender within the same area of study.
“There’s a big gap for high, ability women and society tends to think that women are not smart or given special treatment to get where they are,” Leftwich said. “It was eye-opening to know that one of things that helped females is a mentor.”
As a woman in a male-dominated field of natural sciences, Nichols tries to set an example for high achieving females in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.
0
0
Be First to Comment