Bio Sciences

Hooding Ceremony for MS in Biomedical Sciences on June 24, 2021. We know the Lord has GOOD things in store for you, Graduates! Jeremiah 29:11.

Alumnus receives cancer research fellowship!
https://calbaptist.edu/news/alumnus_receives_cancer_research_fellowship

Alumnus receives cancer research fellowship The journey for Gabriel Muhire Gihana (’13) took him from Rwanda to California Baptist University then Indiana University for further study.

The American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) is one of the largest organizations for Christians in the Sciences in the US and has local chapters throughout the US, including one at CBU! This coming Saturday (January 30) starting at 9:00 am Pacific Time the ASA’s first ever ‘Winter Symposium’ will take place. (Please see below for the formal announcement and note the time – since this is an international event the times are mostly given in Eastern Standard Time (EST) which is 3 hours ahead of us).

The keynote of this event will be a talk from Dr. Francis Collins – who is both a committed Christian and head of the largest government-related health department (the National Institutes of Health). Dr. Collins is also one of the primary leaders in our country’s battle against the COVID virus and his agency has helped to oversee development of the vaccines that are currently being deployed. This is an opportunity to hear directly from Dr. Collins as he speaks to an audience of Christian who work in the sciences, and also potentially ask him a question directly. Opportunities like this do not occur often!

Registration is free and quick using this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_62KF6KYJQoitZWDhN4PLWw

Also, during the 2nd hour (from 10:00-11:00 am) our CBU chapter will be joining with the larger Southern California Chapter for a time of response and discussion. CBU’s Dr. Effat Zeidan will share her perspective on the vaccine based on her research experience with nanoparticles, which are fundamental to the delivery of these vaccines, and we will also have brief responses/perspectives from 1-2 other faculty at Christian colleges and universities in Southern California. This will be a great time to interact with other Christians in the sciences in our local area and discuss what has been happening from the past year, within a Christian perspective.

Finally, if you do plan to attend I would encourage you to register by tomorrow (Wednesday January 27) as the organizers are attempting to pre-assign as many individuals as possible to breakouts based on their local chapters. Registration only takes a minute and you can choose the California Baptist University local chapter when you register. If you are not pre-assigned you can always self-select the “Southern California / California Baptist University” breakout room at 10:00. Please also advertise this to your friends and others who may be interested!

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: The ASA Winter Symposium. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. "Scientific and Spiritual Lessons in the Time of COVID" with Francis Collins

🚨 California Baptist University is delaying the start of the spring 2021 semester two weeks due to the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Classes that follow the CBU traditional undergraduate and graduate calendar will begin Jan. 25, two weeks later than previously scheduled. The semester concludes May 1.

Click the link 🔗 below for more information and instructions on how to get your questions answered.

http://bit.ly/2JvOEob

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Hey CBU BioSci Lancers👋
Here’s a summer research opportunity you should check out.
Lance Up!
”

CBU to continue remote instruction in spring semester.

When the California Baptist University spring semester begins on Jan. 11, 2021, courses will continue to be delivered primarily through live/synchronous remote instruction, CBU officials announced today.

Additionally, there will be no spring break and the spring semester will end on April 17.

The coronavirus pandemic forced CBU to close its campus to the public and pivot to remote instruction in March. Since then, CBU has been planning and preparing for the day it can safely resume in-person classes and campus life.

“Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to affect all our lives,” said Dr. Chuck Sands, CBU provost and vice president for academic affairs.

“We are profoundly disappointed that most students will not be returning to in-person classes on campus this spring,” Sands said. “This does not alter our commitment to provide excellent Christ-centered instruction and foster meaningful interaction between students and professors in all programs at CBU.”

Sands said courses that are lab-based or experiential in nature may be taught in a traditional classroom setting.

Throughout the academic year, CBU has developed courses featuring synchronous delivery of live content along with other flexible instruction modalities to enhance the quality of the Christian higher education and related activities that are hallmarks of California Baptist University. Sands said these include:

・Excellent academic programs with a Christ-centered worldview
・Faculty dedicated to their students and their disciplines
・Live/Synchronous course delivery utilizing top-tier instructional technology
・Online chapel services designed to promote spiritual growth and inspire service
・Opportunities to connect virtually with your fellow students for learning and fellowship

Kent Dacus, vice president for enrollment and student services, said University housing will remain available for enrolled students during the spring semester. The University continues to invest significant resources to ensure social distancing, sanitizing and health screenings to safeguard the campus community, he added.

“CBU has taken steps to provide safe residences but the responsibility to prevent the spread of coronavirus is a shared responsibility,” Dacus said. “Residing in University housing is a privilege and residents are expected to assist in the effort to promote safety by following all CBU health guidelines and directives.”

Dacus said students who wish to move into campus housing for the spring semester should contact Residence Life and Housing Services Office via email at [email protected].

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Koo and the Environmental Science Club have been selected as 2020 Spirit of Volunteerism Award recipients in recognition of their leadership with the KRCB Beautification Projects!
Every year this award recognizes outstanding examples of what can be accomplished when local businesses, local government and community members within the City of Riverside exemplify leadership, teamwork and the spirit of volunteerism.
Congratulations. We are so incredibly proud!

Virtual Job and Internship Fair
October 6
3-6 PM
Register on Handshake:

https://app.joinhandshake.com/career_fairs/16303

The Career Center is excited to offer an outstanding recruiting opportunity for CBU students and alumni.

The Virtual Engineering Fair on October 6th, from 3 PM - 6 PM, presents numerous opportunities for nearly all STEM students.

It is very encouraging to see top companies register and show interest in hiring CBU candidates during this current climate.

This Virtual Fair not only offers full- time and internship positions. It also lends an opportunity for students to practice professional networking with employers. (The Virtual event is similar to a zoom or web ex meeting.)

For students to attend, they must register on Handshake and select the companies and sessions they would like to attend by October 4th

Handshake

New Student Mixer!!

Date: Wednesday, September 2
Time: 4-6 p.m.
Location: Harden Square (next to four-story James Bldg.)

All NEW students in the Division of Natural and Mathematical Sciences at CBU are invited. This includes new students in the following departments: Biology, Chemistry, and Math! Hope to see you there!

Interested in a degree that will prepare you to develop innovative solutions to global challenges while helping to protect the natural environment and build resilient communities?! If so, check out our new Sustainability major!





https://calbaptist.edu/programs/bachelor-of-science-sustainability/

Sustainability California Baptist University, one of the top Christian Colleges in the nation, is a private Christian university located near Los Angeles in Southern California.

We missed you! Have a great first day!

Biological Science Department students,

By now you have probably heard from others that there will be no face-to-face (f2f) lectures at CBU this semester (but labs that were scheduled to be f2f will continue to be f2f). The state of California announced on Friday August 7 that any counties that are on the COVID-19 ‘County Monitoring List’ for 3 or more days are prohibited from having face-to-face lectures; this includes Riverside County along with all of Southern California along with most of the state. While you will be receiving more information from your professors about your individual classes (or you can visit the CBU website regarding more general information) I did want to make sure everyone is aware of this change from last week and also that you know we are here for you. For those of you who were looking forward to f2f classes (as most of your professors were as well) this is quite a disappointment. However, we will continue to move forward and adapt while trusting in the Lord (and the State of California) for guidance. Here is a bit more detail:

Lectures: I know many of you were monitoring ‘the list’ of Face-to-Face classes last week to see which of your classes were going to be face-to-face and which were going to be Virtual/Live Synchronous (i.e. via WebEx for most classes). As of the writing of this email I do not believe ‘the list’ has been updated to remove lecture sections but all traditional lecture sections will be Virtual/Live Synchronous and not f2f for the foreseeable future.

Labs: Labs that were scheduled to be f2f will continue to be f2f (as indicated on ‘the list’) with increased Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) because many labs require individual students to work in pairs or as a team to complete an experiment. I am sure you have a face mask (or likely several masks!) so make sure you bring a face mask in addition to a face shield or goggles (depending on the course) to lab each week. Face shields will be provided during the 1st week of lab. Make sure you also wash your hands (before and after lab) and if you are sick or exhibiting any signs of COVID-19 let your professor know and do not come to lab that week. Labs rooms will also be disinfected between lab sessions. Please see page 10 on the State of California’s Guidance for Institutions of Higher Education for more details.

Social Functions: According to the Guidance from the state (page 19) all indoor gatherings are prohibited. However, we are still planning some outdoor functions, hopefully including a ‘new student mixer’ as we have done for the past several years! This will hopefully be during the 1st week of September for all new students in Biological, Chemical and Mathematical Sciences departments (more details to come as we get more guidance from CBU). We are also hopeful to have other outdoor functions for all of our majors.

The future: No one knows what the future holds but if things improve and Riverside County makes it off the County Monitoring List this semester the plan for lectures may be re-evaluated. At that point we could possibly be able to reinstate f2f classes for some lectures but all lectures will continue to be offered via Virtual/Live Synchronous format throughout the Fall 2020 semester so those who are just coming to class for labs can continue to do so and can participate in their lectures remotely.

Questions? If you have questions please contact us and we will try to help you. Also, a reminder that the university has a phone hotline and email for more specific questions: 951-343-4555 (M-F 8AM-6PM) or email at [email protected].

Our prayers are with you as we move toward the start of the Fall 2002 semester.


Thomas E. Ferko, Ph.D.
Associate Dean
Natural and Mathematical Sciences

Tomorrow (August 5th) is the last day to let CBU know that you want to live on campus for the school year! Send Residence Life an email to let them know if you still need on campus housing! 📧

Lancer Nation, we know you have questions about the upcoming fall semester. In response we’ve created a few ways for you to get those questions answered.

1. Check out the Planning and Preparedness page and browse through its content - which includes an FAQ section. https://calbaptist.edu/fall2020/

2. Call us at 951.343.4555 (Mon.-Fri., 8AM-6PM)

or

3. Email us at [email protected]

Dear Students:

Since the coronavirus pandemic forced California Baptist University to close its campus in March and pivot to remote instruction, we have been planning and preparing to safely resume in-person classes and campus life this fall. The task force I appointed in April has been recommending procedures and protocols for the much-anticipated return of students. The university continues to invest significant resources to ensure social distancing, sanitizing, and health screenings to safeguard the campus community.

Through it all, instruction provided by CBU faculty members and the service of university staff have continued at the highest levels of excellence that the Lancer Nation expects and deserves.

Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to affect all our lives. Because of a recent surge in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, and a lack of long anticipated higher education guidance from the governor, California Baptist University is changing direction once again.

Today I am announcing that courses will be delivered primarily through live/synchronous remote instruction when CBU’s fall semester begins on August 24. This significantly changes the plan announced July 10 to resume in-person classes at CBU this fall. But in no way does it alter our commitment to provide excellent Christ-centered instruction and foster meaningful interaction between students and professors in all programs at CBU.

We are profoundly disappointed that most students will not be returning to in-person classes on campus as we have been planning and preparing for this fall. However, this decision is based on the information we have at the current time.

The vision of CBU as a University committed to the Great Commission continues despite the current global health crisis. As we begin the new academic year, we have developed courses featuring synchronous delivery of live content along with other flexible instruction modalities to enhance the quality of Christian higher education and related activities that are hallmarks of California Baptist University, including:

• Excellent academic programs with a Christ-centered worldview
• Faculty dedicated to their students and their disciplines
• Live/Synchronous course delivery utilizing top-tier instructional technology
• Online chapel services designed to promote spiritual growth and inspire service
• Opportunities to connect virtually with your fellow students for learning and fellowship

In the coming days we will be sharing other general information about the fall semester, as well as details about essential programs that involve labs, internships, clinical placements, or other features. Additionally, the updated Fall 2020 Campus Plan will be published shortly. Be sure to check your CBU email regularly and watch for coronavirus updates posted on the CBU website and the InsideCBU portal.

Those who have an on-campus housing reservation for the Fall 2020 semester will be contacted by Student Services with available options.

I want to acknowledge the thoughtful messages many of you have shared with us as we navigate uncharted waters. The concerns, suggestions, prayers and encouragement you offer prove that we are all in this together.

Whether you are eager to return to campus or prefer to remain away for now, please know that we are praying for you all and wish you the best of health and success in the new academic year.

In closing, I want to share this encouragement from Paul, the Apostle: “May the Lord of peace Himself continually grant you peace in every circumstance. The Lord be with you all!” (2 Thessalonians 3:16 NASB)

Thank you for your understanding and patience as we move forward, anticipating the day when the Lancer Nation gathers again at California Baptist University. Until then be well, stay safe, and Lance Up!

Ronald L. Ellis, Ph.D.
President

New Major!! Sustainability, B.S.

For more information check out https://calbaptist.edu/programs/bachelor-of-science-sustainability/

Important Update regarding fall semester!!