THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY MARCH 4, 2008
TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008
NEWS
3A
SCIENCE
Professor discusses how physics,faith work together
BY JESSICA WICKS
jwicks@kansan.com
Michael Murray never learned that faith and science are separate. On Friday Murray shared with other KU faculty and community members how physics and faith were not separate from one another.
Michael Murray, physics and astronomy professor, says that religion and physics are intertwined. The responsibility of science, especially nuclear science, sparked his interest in the relationship between religion and physics and helped him understand his responsibility to humanity and morality in his work.
Distinguished professor Raj Bhala attended the talk and said Murray, a professor of physics and astronomy, raised profound questions at the intersection of science, religion and ethics.
"Sometimes people think that because you are religious, you do not think," Murray's wife, Maureen, said. "Michael believes that you should always be seeking out the truth, both in what you do and your faith."
Maureen said that means asking questions.
Murray is a Catholic father of seven and a nuclear scientist.
He said that the problem with particle physics was that everything you believe in eventually crumbles. You think you live in a 3-D world, that you know left and right and that here and there are separated, he said. But when you work in science, everything is questioned.
"The quantum world has limits to what we can know," Murray said.
He said that, like science, creation was not one event; it never stopped.
"In the 19th century, people had the idea that creation was a clock that God wound up and just left to run out."
Murray said he has to continually love humanity in the way God continuially loves creation.
In the late 80s, Murray went to
work for Los Alamos, a laboratory that did nuclear weapons research. He had to confront the morality of his faith in the work that he did.
Murray said this was a time when the world was on the verge of nuclear war, and although his research was not directly related to weapons science, it contributed to the atmosphere of the institution keeping it intellectually lively.
"For me, I felt that God wanted me to be a scientist," he said. "What I had to discern was how to do that in a way that made God happy. I felt that it was very important for scientists to work to bring peace and we had to take responsibility for the work that we did."
Murray said he ultimately decided to leave when Pope John Paul II called on scientists to leave the factory of death.
"The greatest thing in creation is people," he said. "We must respect that above everything else."
One of his first jobs as a nuclear scientist was for CERN, a European center for nuclear research.
Murray said that while he was there, he noticed that Israelis who had survived Auchwitz were able to work together with Germans on non-military projects that benefitted science.
University, Murray uses the same human morality in dealing with students.
"That had a profound affect on me," he said. "That they could overcome so much made a difference."
Bhala said that Murray's talk was substantially and stylistically valuable.
"Faith and reason are an indispenable and complimentary basis
Murray said that while he was at CERN, he met scientists from Hiroshima. He said when he showed them their museum, he was embarrassed that the presentation about the Hiroshima bombing was so one-sided, not having much to say about the human loss. Now at the
for knowlegde and progress," Bhala said. "Both of them should be taught."
Maureen said that in the United States we really seem to compartmentalize religion.
"From a young age, Michael had faith in his decision making; in how
he acted as a student, a professor, a researcher," Maureen said.
At home he teaches his kids to care about science and math and to ask questions. Murray said that
She said that her husband recognizes that he is not perfect, but he really strives to do what is right.
human respect in his work and family defined his humanity.
"I love my children and my wife," he said. "It is what makes me human. The more human we are, the more happy we become."
- Edited by Mandy Earles
CAMPUS
Senate to consider classdrop change Rules bogging down students
fchambers@kansan.com
BY FRANCESCA CHAMBERS
fchambers@akansan.com
Jack Connor had no idea that it would take him two hours to drop his one credit-hour beginner's basketball course.
First, Connor, Overland Park senior, could not find the graduate student who taught his class on KU people search, and then he couldn't find her at Robinson for her to sign his drop form. Finally, someone in the Office of the Registrar told him he needed a dean's stamp from the School of Journalism to drop the class because he was journalism major.
Connor thought the policy had changed, but trusted the Registrar's Office only to find out his instincts were right.
After following so many steps, Connor thought there had to be an easier way for students to drop classes.
"Everyone here is an adult," Connor said. "I don't think you should have to get your teacher's permission to drop a class."
The committee will also recommend that the University reinstate its use of "W" on transcripts to indicate students withdrew from a class after the first 15 days of the semester in place of the current "WP", withdraw passing, and "WF", withdraw failing marks. The University used the "W" system until last school year.
In the future students may be able to drop their classes more easily online. Today the Academic Policies and Procedures committee will recommend to the University Senate's Executive committee that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, as well as other schools at the University, be able to make their own drop rules.
Geraldo de Sousa, chair of AP&P, agreed with Connor that if students are mature enough to sign up for a class, they are mature enough to drop it as well. He also said Connor was not the only student who had to face what Sousa called a "traffic jam" to drop classes.
Sousa said many students who had decided to drop classes tried to do so on the last day, which caused problems for the Office of the
Registrar and for students as well, especially if they could not find their instructor, like Connor.
Jim Slocum, Wheaton, Ill., freshman, said he thought obtaining his teacher's signature was not worth his time because his teacher did not even ask him why he was dropping the class. Slocum said he wished his teacher had asked him why.
"Then I could have explained to him kids are dropping because he's just not a good teacher," Slocum said.
Erika Fisher, Eden Prairie, Minn., sophomore, said she had dropped two classes and was satisfied with the University's procedures.
"If it was a press of a button, that would be great," Fisher said, "but instant gratification is what we are all about these days, and its not that hard to go the couple extra steps."
He also said the University has had problems with students changing "WFs" to "WPs". He said only 10 to 15 students a semester had attempted to do this, but that it was academic misconduct. Sousa said one way of solving the problem was to do away with the "WP/WF" system.
Sousa said the committee would recommend a return to the "W" mark because teachers don't necessarily evenly enforce "WF."
He said instructors might interpret the grade in different ways but that "W" was a neutral grade.
"The only thing I don't like about the policy is the "WP/WF", if they could just reinstate the "W," I'll be happy," Gerald said.
SenEx has to approve the AP&P's recommendations before University Senate passes them. Connor, a student member of SenEx, said he would attend SenEx's meeting today to give the committee his advice.
He said the University should create ways to help students decide which classes they should drop instead of creating barriers.
Connor said he thought the drop system could be improved with better advising.
SenEx's meetings are open to students and faculty.
Edited by Nick Mangiaracina
Concert remembers friend, helps others
BENEFIT
Students hope to raise $20,000 at event
BY CALEB SOMMERVILLE
csommerville@kansan.com
The Miami Triad used to be a big party that Beta Theta Phi, Sigma Chi, and Phi Delta Theta fraternities threw every year. Enthusiasm for the party diminished in the past few years, so Theis, Sinks and Havens revitalized it with a new spin. The concert is called Miami Triad because the fraternities that Theis, Sinks, Havens are in were started at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
Three University students will present Miami Triad, a concert in honor of their friend who never made it to college. The concert will feature the band Citizen Cope, at the Granada, 1020 Massachusetts St., April 4. All proceeds will go to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
"This was our chance to combine three fraternities together to remember Scottie and to help out a good cause along the way." Theis said.
Brian Theis, Overland Park junior,
Chuck Sinks, Overland Park senior,
and Scott Havens, Overland Park
junior, started the benefit concert last
year for a high school friend who died
from cancer.
Scott Innes, who Theis and Havens knew from Blue Valley Northwest high school, died on January 29, 2004 after battling cancer for six years. Theis and Havens met Sinks at the University, and they decided to put on the concert.
Theis said they put on the concert because Innes always wanted to go to the University, and never got to "live his dream and become a student here," Theis said.
Innes' mother, uncle, grandparents and brother all graduated from the University.
They have been planning this year's concert since last fall.
They booked Citizen Cope because it was one of Innes' favorite bands in high school.
Last year was the first year of the benefit concert, and it featured rap artist Afroman. Theis, Sinks, and Havens raised about $6,000 and donated it all to Children's Mercy Hospital. More than 850 people attended the concert.
Children's Mercy Hospital gave Theis, Sinks, and Havens a plaque
for the donations from last year's concert.
This year their goal is $20,000.
"The support that we've received from the community of Lawrence as well as friends and family from Kansas City has been outstanding, and we feel like this goal is pretty obtainable." Theis said.
Tickets are available to the public on Friday.
Theis, Sinks and Havens went around the community and asked family and friends to help cover the costs, which Theis estimated at around $22,000. Citizen Cope costs $17,500, tickets and T-shirts had to be bought, and other expenses applied as well.
Scott Innes, right, dances with Emily Shepard after being crowned Freshman Sweetheart Prince in 2002. The Miami Triad benefit concert is in memory of Innes, who died of cancer in January 2004.
Edited by Sasha Roe
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Several of your friends already know what they're doing after graduation. It's just around the corner and you're trying to figure out the next chapter of your life. You're looking for a way to land that perfect job.Maybe you're wanting to find a great internship but don't know where to start.It's March and you're nervous about getting that job or internship.
JOURNALISM CAREER FAIR
We have an easy, fun way to accomplish your career goals - attend the 2008 Journalism Career Fair. It's a user-friendly place to network with professionals in journalism-related fields such as public relations, newspaper, broadcast, magazine, advertising and publishing. These professionals are taking time out of their busy schedules to come see you. That's because they always find top candidates and excellent journalism students here at KU. Don't miss out on this opportunity to start planning for your bright future!
Thursday, March 6 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kansas Room,Sixth Floor,Kansas Union
All students welcome Professional attire recommended
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