“At the end of the academic year, people long for connection and a time of rejuvenation,” says Dr. Valorie Zonnefeld. “The ACMS conference provides that through devotions, prayer times, an excursion, board games, and a worship service, and more."
In late May, the Mathematics and Statistics Department at Dordt University hosted the Association of Christians in the Mathematical Sciences (ACMS) 2024 conference on campus.
“At the end of the academic year, people long for connection and a time of rejuvenation,” says Dr. Valorie Zonnefeld, professor of mathematics who helped with leading the conference. “The ACMS conference provides that through devotions, prayer times, an excursion, fellowship over good food, board games, and a worship service.”
Approximately 120 people attended the ACMS conference on Dordt’s campus. Speakers included:
In addition to hearing talks about history, pedagogy, faith integration, and research, participants were able to go on excursions including a trip to the Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.
“Dordt has a beautiful campus to host conferences, and the staff are great in terms of flexibility and hospitality,” she says. “Guests were blown away that a place still exists where bikes are unlocked, and kids head to the pool without their parents.”
ACMS was developed by a group of mathematics teachers at Christian colleges who desired to integrate their faith with their academic discipline. The organization has a strong tradition of examining the ways in which our faith and the mathematical sciences interact, whether that be in teaching, research, or the philosophy of the mathematical sciences discipline, she adds. “The ACMS is a valuable resource for Christians teaching in both public and private settings to share approaches and to support one another.”
Zonnefeld says that the ACMS conference is an “academic conference with the feel of a family reunion. The support and encouragement of this group have been important for my growth as an academic, and I am grateful that I could give back to the organization by helping to host this conference.”
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, The Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
The Fourth Avenue Townhomes, which will consist of 10 units and house 48 students, are being built in response to Dordt's continued enrollment growth, which has seen a 15 percent increase in undergraduate enrollment over the past decade.
Ian Eshelman has been chosen to serve as head baseball coach at Dordt University.
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