MIDDBRIEFS

Author: KATHRYN FLAGG AND LISIE MEHLMAN

Jordan receives grant for project bridging science and religion

Augustus Jordan, director of the Charles P. Scott Center for Spiritual and Religious Life at Middlebury College, recently received a three-year matching grant to facilitate discussions on science and religion at the College. The project, which is titled "Human Flourishing in the 21st Century: A Dialogue of Science and Religion at Middlebury College," is being funded in part by an off-campus agency called Metanexus. Funding for the project totals $30,000, with half of all funds being supplied by the College Academic Enrichment Fund, the Religion Department, Ross Commons and the Scott Center.

According to Jordan, the program aims to foster conversation between science and religion, tackling the prospects for global human flourishing in the new century. To date, said Jordan, approximately 25 faculty, staff and professionals in the Middlebury community have agreed to participate in the project. The project will include reading groups, on-campus speakers and theatrical performances, as well as a newsletter and corresponding Web site.

Tentative topics for the project include: "Notions of Human Flourishing in Science and Religion," "Religion, Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience: Is God an Accident?," "Cosmology: Reflections on the Nature of Origins, Time, Freedom and Teleology," "Evolution and Design: The Purposes and Limits of Technology," "Science and Human Values in a Time of Environmental Change" and "Science and Religion in Art."

Jordan said that students will be invited to join the project in the fall of 2006.

Carnival overcomes financial challenges, deemed successful

Now that Winter Carnival is in the past, it is possible to examine the success of the weekend's events. According to Assistant Head of the Winter Carnival Board Lauren Van Wagenan '08, the Board was "very pleased with the turnout at events this year. Orange Crush sold out, as did both shows of Dan Ahdoot. We also had great attendance at the cultural gala in the Center for the Arts on Friday afternoon. This year's ice show was particularly successful - we were really pleased with how many students came."

The Winter Carnival Board, comprised of 17 people and headed by Laura Wakim '06, had found financing this year's events quite challenging. "We had to put together a great carnival on minimal funds, which was difficult. However, thanks to co-sponsorships from MCAB, Hillel, Brainerd Commons, Omega Alpha, ADP, Xenia, the Mill and KDR, we were able to raise extra money which really contributed to the success of Winter Carnival this year," Van Wagenan explained. Most impressive to the Board, however, was the success of Saturday night's ball. "We sold more tickets than we did last year, and everyone we've talked to has said that they had a great time," said Van Wagenan. The chairs of this year's ball committee were Marisa Porter '09, Allison Bailey '09 and Lemar Clarke '08. Concluding, Van Wagenan said, "We were psyched that so many students came out to all our events. It was great to see so many students enjoying an event that we'd worked incredibly hard to put together."