February 1, 2018 at 10:30 pm

Science Cafe | Perceptions of Science and Religion in the U.S. and Beyond, Feb. 7

Science Café presents Dr. Kimberly Rios discussing “Perceptions of Science and Religion in the U.S. and Beyond,” at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 7, in the Baker Center Front Room Coffeehouse.

Rios is Associate Professor of Psychology at Ohio University.

More than 90 percent of Americans believe in God, and a large majority of religious believers in the United States identify as Christian. Yet Christians are severely underrepresented in scientific fields, relative to their proportion in the national population. Why is this the case, and why does it matter? According to Rios, “Oftentimes, the reasons people think religious believers are underrepresented in science are quite different from the actual reasons. Understanding this issue is critical for broadening participation in related disciplines at a time when scientific literacy among the American public is woefully low.”

Dr. Kimberly Rios

In her upcoming Science Café, Rios will address common misperceptions about the science-religion relationship and how such perceptions contribute to the lack of religious believers, especially Christians, in science. Rios will discuss common stereotypes about religious believers, religious non-believers, and scientists within the United States and the applicability of these stereotypes to non-Western religions and contexts, where perceptions of the science-religion relationship are very different. Throughout the discussion, Rios hopes to engage the audience in a discussion of the downstream implications for trust in science, scientific literacy and conflict between different religious (or non-religious) groups.

Watch live or later on A&S TV.

Sciencé Cafe events are held on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. in the Front Room at Baker University Center. They are free and open to students, faculty and staff. Science Café is a venue for students to share their interests informally during a conversation exchange in a friendly setting.

The Science Café is hosted by Dr. Sarah Wyatt, Professor of Environmental & Plant Biology and Vice President of the Ohio University Chapter of Sigma Xi, and Roxanne Malé-Brune, Director of Grant Development and Projects in the Office of the Vice President for Research and Creativity.

Science Café and Café Conversations are sponsored by the Office of Vice President for Research and Creativity and the Ohio University Chapter of Sigma Xi.