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Stephen F. Austin State University will host its fourth annual Darwin Day program from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 11, in the Kennedy Auditorium with featured speaker Dr. Michael Zimmerman presenting “The Confluence of Religion and Science.”

An annual celebration of science, Darwin Day is held on or around evolutionary biologist Charles Darwin’s birthday to commemorate his contributions to the field of biology.

“Simply put, if we don’t make evolutionary theory the centerpiece of biological education, we end up teaching students biological information without any context,” said Zimmerman, professor of biology at Evergreen State College and founder and executive director of The Clergy Letter Project. “If we don’t explain why evolution is important, we fail to explain the very nature of science.”

During the presentation, Zimmerman will address the significance of evolution and discuss The Clergy Letter Project, speaking about the value of scientists and science educators working with clergy members to promote high-quality science education, he said.

“Having an understanding of where science and religion overlap, and where they do not, is extremely important,” said Dr. Stephen Mullin, professor and chair of the Department of Biology. “Hosting this presentation will help develop a correct understanding not only among students but also among members of the East Texas community.”

The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Mullin at (936) 468-3601 or sjmullin@sfasu.edu.

By Joanna Armstrong, marketing communications specialist for Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s dance program will showcase the Repertory Dance Company in concert during its production of Everything and Nothing … etc., which premieres at 7 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Cole Concert Hall on the university’s campus.

Additional showings are scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 15 and 3 p.m. Feb. 16. Admission is free for SFA students, and students outside of SFA may attend for $8. Tickets are $10 for faculty, staff and senior citizens, and $12 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

The production will feature works by guest artists and SFA faculty members from the dance program. The Alief Jazz Ballet Company, which is under the direction of alumna Kelsey Key, will perform, marking the first time alumni from the SFA dance program have performed alongside the Repertory Dance Company.

“I love the content of this concert. It’s diverse and exciting, and I feel the students really enjoy the work they are performing,” said Heather Samuelson, dance program co-coordinator and assistant professor. “Our guest artists and faculty members have really sparked intrigue and a sense of creativity into our dancers and it shows through their dancing.”

The concert will feature a variety of dance styles and will showcase pieces covering topics such as friendships and unfinished relationships, corporate America, self-image, and self-love.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture has entered into a partnership with Beihua University, located in China’s Jilin Province, assuring further opportunities for international research and collaboration across the disciplines of environmental science, forestry and spatial science.

“The relationship will be mutually beneficial through study abroad opportunities, graduate student exchanges, faculty interactions and research collaborations,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.

This is the second relationship established with an institution of higher education in Jilin Province. In 2018, the college signed a cooperative agreement with Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences with similar goals of student exchange and the advancement of forest science. Although separate entities, Beihua University and the Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences also engage in collaborative research.

Dr. Yuhui Weng, assistant professor of forest biometrics at SFA, facilitated the establishment of both partnerships through his ongoing research with the institutions.

For more information on this partnership and additional activities, visit atcofa.sfasu.edu.

Story by Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator for Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture.