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Department of Sciences

Sciences at d'Youville

Sciences are For Everyone

The study of sciences is something that anyone can do. It simply requires interest and an inquisitive nature. Humans are naturally inquisitive about the world around them. Chemistry, physics and biology are disciplines of science which attempt to explain the world around us. Scientists from around the world have made wonderful contributions to our body of knowledge in the disciplines of science. Names such as Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin are well-recognized. But what about Subramanyan Chandrasekhar? Or Rosalind Franklin? Or how about Ahmed Zewail? Each of these scientists have made significant contributions to the fields of astrophysics, biology and chemistry, respectively.

The teachers of sciences at d’Youville strive to foster a sense of ethnic and gender inclusiveness in our classes by making students aware that they can all contribute to the sciences no matter their background, culture, gender or abilities.

A Natural Curiosity

People use the scientific method in their everyday lives without being aware of it. It is a natural method of problem solving that can be used as a powerful tool in the sciences. Whether you are trying to figure out why the lights are off in your house, or whether you are trying to elucidate the biosynthesis pathway of a cellular metabolic product, the process is basically the same. Whether students go further in the world of science or not, these skills give them tools to be more critical and analytical in their daily lives.

A goal of the teachers of sciences at d’Youville is to help our students realize that they are already scientists, and to help them formalize their skills in this area by asking questions about the world around them, to propose hypotheses, and to design methods to test their hypotheses.

In Awe of God’s Creation

There has never been a time like the present in the world of science. Classical civilizations, aboriginal populations, even Newton and Einstein did not have the technological abilities available to us today. We have new ways of seeing the universe and all that is in it. About 13.7 billion years ago, the universe in a great flash, flared forth. Only now is the universe, in the form of a human, able to reflect on itself. Only recently have we developed the technology that allows us to see the light from that first flash of the universe’s existence. We now have a profoundly different understanding of our place in the universe as humans. This new situation calls for a new narrative. A new story of the universe. No longer can we view the earth as having been created with humans and other life placed upon it. Rather, we now understand that all life has come from the earth itself. The universe has taken 13.7 billion years to express itself in the wonderfully rich variety of life forms we see on the Earth today. In the words of Thomas Berry, “The planet Earth, once molten rock, now sings opera.” Humans have an incredible responsibility to care for this living system that we are a part of.

It is the goal of the department to instill a sense of stewardship of the earth in our students. With the environmental issues facing us today, it is hoped that students will carry this responsibility through their lives as they make choices and decisions that affect the future of the Earth.

“Science without religion is lame. Religion without science is blind.”
~ Albert Einstein

"The human person is the sum total of 15 billion years of unbroken evolution now thinking about itself."
~ Teilhard de Chardin

Course Instructors Sept 2014 - Jan 2015: