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As a celebration of the Religion and Public Life Program's 10-year anniversary, we are showcasing stories from the students, scholars, and leaders we have trained and worked with over the past decade.
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Since its founding in 2010, RPLP has had a pedagogical imperative to train the next generation of thought leaders in how to conduct cutting-edge, impartial research on religion with the goal of helping them to develop into passionate and dedicated change-makers. We strive for our fellows to be able to take the lessons they learned and apply them beyond their time at Rice University. The impact that our fellows have on our program is immeasurable. They are an integral part of who we are and hold a special place in our past, present, and future. We asked one of our former undergraduate student fellows who worked with us from 2013-2016, Timothy Chang, to reflect on his time with RPLP:
“When I examine my time at Rice, one of the most academically and professionally transformative experiences was working as a fellow,” he said. “The program developed my communication skills, critical thinking, and teamwork capabilities which have been invaluable in my post-grad years.”
You can view Timothy’s full video spotlight here. Stay tuned for more personal stories from those involved with RPLP.
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We at the RPLP are delighted to congratulate Dr. James Furr, President of Houston Graduate School of Theology (HGST), on his retirement. Throughout his career as a congregational leader, professor, and consultant, he has guided organizations with honor and integrity, fostered innovative and collaborative partnerships, been at the forefront in affirming the gifts and callings of women in ministry, and so much more.
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His leadership, vision, and dedication have been integral in cultivating a community of learning at HGST, and he is the embodiment of the school’s missional, multicultural, and multidenominational ethos.
In addition to his work at HGST, Dr. Furr has been an invaluable advocate for the RPLP. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Furr for his service as a member of the Friends of the RPLP Committee from 2016-2018 and for his continued involvement and support over the subsequent years. As he said in his video spotlight for our 10-year anniversary, “the RPLP exemplifies the synergy of scholarship and social concern at its best.” Dr. Furr is the epitome of this synergy and his impact on the Houston community and beyond will be felt for decades to come. We send Dr. Furr our heartfelt congratulations for all his admirable accomplishments and send him and his family best wishes for the years ahead.
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OUR SUMMER STUDENTS - The RPLP has two Rice University students working with us in research this summer. Alex Nuyda (left) is majoring in sociology, and Shifa Rahman (right) is studying religion and French studies with a minor in African and African American studies. Over the next two months they will work across all RPLP projects, including our studies looking at faith and work, religiously based discrimination, and religion and gender.
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NEW ARTICLE FROM THE TEAM - Coauthored by a graduate fellow, undergraduate fellow, and our director, this latest article addresses Jewish and Muslim responses to social media and is published in the journal Religions. Read more about their findings here.
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FELLOW RECEIVES ANOTHER AWARD - RPLP graduate student fellow Dan Bolger has been awarded a Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughn Fellowship for 2021-2022. This award is given to a very limited number of Rice University graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and promise, and pays a stipend over the coming academic year.
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DIRECTOR INTERVIEWED FOR NPR'S 1A - In addition to pastors and fellow scholars, RPLP director Elaine Howard Ecklund was interviewed on NPR's 1A show about evangelical Christians and the COVID-19 vaccine. Listen to the conversation here.
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WELCOMING A NEW FELLOW - Dr. Oneya Okuwobi (PhD, Department of Sociology, The Ohio State University) will be joining the RPLP as a postdoctoral fellow on July 1. Oneya has also been accepted into the Rice University Academy of Fellows (RUAF) program. This prestigious postdoctoral fellowship is for scholars who have recently earned the doctoral degree in any area and who want to pursue research with faculty at Rice. Our congratulations and warm welcome to Oneya!
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IN PURSUIT OF MULTIPLE TRUTHS - For the latest episode of our podcast, we invited three of our previous guests to return and reflect on their unique viewpoints as scholar, activist, and journalist working on the ground and at the intersection of immigration, religion, and gender. Listen to the latest episode of RELIGION UNMUTED.
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AAAS 2021 ANNUAL MEETING SESSION - Several RPLP fellows shared findings in a panel session for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2021 Annual Meeting. Drawing on the largest international study of scientists’ attitudes towards religion, gender, and ethics ever undertaken, this session examined religion as an essential, but overlooked, dimension of diversity in science.
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