Published on March 15, 2013 by Steve Donaldson  

The Samford University Center for Science and Religion has received a $170,000 research grant from the Randomness and Divine Providence initiative with funding provided by the John Templeton Foundation. Senior Center Fellows Dr. Steve Donaldson and Dr. Tom Woolley and Center Fellow Dr. Josh Reeves will serve as principle investigators in a two-year project entitled, "Who Pulls the Random Strings in Neural Evolution?" This project investigates the role of constrained randomness in simulations of the evolution of neural circuitry and considers potential ramifications of the anticipated scientific and mathematical findings with respect to a variety of significant theological and philosophical issues. Additional members of the project team include Dr. Bruce Atkinson, Dr. George Keller, and Dr. Wilton Bunch as well as several students (yet to be named).

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.