Dr. Hank Radda (right), GCU’s provost, hands a diploma to a 2016 graduate.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

For the six years that Jennifer Girl has organized commencement ceremonies at Grand Canyon University, she has held fast to an all-encompassing goal.

“Commencement is for the students,” said Girl, director of campus events. “We do everything we can to make it special for them and their families. It’s their day.”

This spring’s six ceremonies for nearly 5,250 students and their 30,000 guests are no exception.  Planned by Girl and her staff with military precision, they combine pomp and circumstance with efficiency.

Two commencement ceremonies are scheduled for 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily from Thursday to Saturday in GCU Arena.

This year’s speaker is Jade Simmons, a pianist and self-proclaimed “purpose pusher” who also headlined GCU’s 2016 fall commencement.

Simmons, a former first runner-up in the 2000 Miss America pageant, again is expected to weave together inspiration and music.

“She’s someone who speaks from the heart,” Girl said.

Student speakers for traditional commencement ceremonies include Luis Fernando Ruiz, who is receiving a music degree from the College of Fine Arts and Production, and Bethany Wilson, who is receiving an elementary education degree from the College of Education.

GCU President Brian Mueller will address graduates at all ceremonies. Dr. Hank Radda, GCU’s provost, will confer the degrees, and Dr. Tim Griffin, GCU’s pastor and dean of students, will give the invocation and benediction. Critical Mass, a 14-member GCU a cappella ensemble, will perform beforehand.

The Arena will open two hours before each commencement. Visitors attending the 9 a.m. ceremonies will park in the garage at 29th Avenue and Camelback Road, and the 2 p.m. attendees will be directed to the garage at 33rd and Camelback. Game Day parking will be in effect for GCU employees.

Graduates and their guests are welcome to walk around campus or take a guided tour between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Wednesday, starting at the Antelope Reception Center in the Arena.

The spring commencement schedule:

Traditional students

• 9 a.m. Thursday: Colangelo College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Production, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 2 p.m. Thursday: College of Education, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, College of Theology

Nontraditional (Online/cohort) students

• 9 a.m. Friday: College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, College of Humanities and Social Sciences
• 2 p.m. Friday: College of Doctoral Studies, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions, College of Nursing and Health Care Professions
• 9 a.m. Saturday: Colangelo College of Business, College of Fine Arts and Production, College of Theology
• 2 p.m. Saturday: College of Education

For more information, click here.    

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

The post Thousands set to gather for GCU commencement appeared first on GCU Today.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

Heidi Rausch walked into the Learning Lounge at Grand Canyon University during her sophomore year seeking help with a physics concept tangling her brain in knots.

By her junior year, she’d gone from struggling student to “A” student — and from a student receiving help to one sharing her knowledge.

Heidi Rausch

Rausch became one of nearly 75 learning advocates, or LEADs, offering free academic advice to about 14,000 students a year. During Thursday’s commencement ceremony, she’ll silently thank the Learning Lounge for playing a positive role in her academic career.

“It was a huge part of my life at GCU — my support system, really,” said Rausch, who is graduating with a degree in Biology and plans to attend medical school. “It took me awhile to go there because I was not a student who typically needed help, but once there, I stayed,”

Although inspiring, Rausch’s story is commonplace at GCU.

“The Learning Lounge is made up of students who walk in to get help and leave giving help,” said Trish Anderson, program manager for Student Development and Outreach.

“It’s all about building a relationship between the student needing help and the LEAD.”

Bryce Beatty, a 2016 graduate, was the LEAD who untangled the physics concept for Rausch.

If not for his two jobs — an engineering project manager who also works in a hospital emergency room in Oregon — he’d be in the GCU Arena stands watching her graduate.

“I really pushed her to excel, and we bonded,” said Beatty, a GCU Biology major who also has plans to attend medical school. “It’s a joyful feeling when someone you worked with at the Learning Lounge graduates.”

He’s even prouder that she returned the favor by “eventually helping guide other students to the finish line and graduation.”

According to both Rausch and Beatty, the Learning Lounge succeeds in large part because of face-to-face, peer-on-peer counseling.

“They are able to figure out what piece is not clicking for a student and explain the concept in a different way,” Rausch said.

Beatty agreed: “Students helping students just works. You walk into the Learning Lounge filled with students and work with another student who knows what you are going through.”

After graduation, Rausch plans to return home to Montana and begin applying to medical schools. While she’s ready for the next challenge, she will miss all things GCU, especially her friends in the Learning Lounge.

“It really is about the relationships, the student you work with and along with,” she said. “I have been so blessed to have so many.”

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

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By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

There’s still time to add your name to GCU’s Think Big Summer Math Institute for teachers and school teams.

It’s not too late for mathematics educators and school teams to sign up for Grand Canyon University’s Think Big Summer Math Institute.

Coordinated by GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances, the workshops seek to promote the “conceptual development of important mathematical ideas, develop teacher mathematical content knowledge and apply strategies to facilitate professional development that makes sense of Think Big math practices,” according to SEA promotional materials.

Two workshops will be held: Think Big Institute 1.0 from June 5-8 and Think Big Institute 2.0 from June 12-15. Each offers separate topics and are taught by Dr. Scott Adamson and Dr. Trey Cox, two leading education mathematicians from the Chandler-Gilbert Community College.

The program got rave reviews in 2016. High school math teacher Megan Cornille described it as “the best week of my summer and the best math training I have been to!” Scott Sanchez, also a high school math teacher, said that “every single day was useful.  My mindset has changed regarding how I teach.”

For registration and information, click here.

2017 Think Big Topics schedule

 Think Big Institute 1.0: June 5-8, 2017
   • Monday, June 5: Linear modeling
   • Tuesday, June 6: Quadratics and higher order polynomials modeling
   • Wednesday, June 7: Statistical modeling, emphasizing univariate and bivariate data
   • Thursday, June 8: Leadership development, focusing on recognizing good teaching strategies and supporting colleagues’ professional growth

Think Big Institute 2.0: June 12-15, 2017
   • Monday, June 12: Exponential and logarithmic modeling
   • Tuesday, June 13: Trigonometric modeling
   • Wednesday, June 14: Calculus concepts
   • Thursday, June 15: Leadership development, with strategies on how to provide leadership  in implementing the eight mathematical teaching practices 

The sessions will be held from 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on the main campus, 3300 W. Camelback Rd., Building 6, rooms 203-205. The cost is $350 for participant schools and $400 for non-participant schools and those who enroll are eligible for 28 professional development hours per institute. The cost includes instructional materials, lunch, snacks and ongoing contact with Adamson and Cox throughout the year.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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Two GCU faculty members will be among the speakers at the wildly popular Phoenix Comicon.

By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

When Phoenix Comicon kicks off Thursday, two Grand Canyon University faculty members will be among the estimated 200,000 superhero aficionados expected to descend on the city’s downtown.

Dr. Roméo Farinacci and Deborah Haralson, both avid comic book fans as well as veteran Comicon attendees, are joining the throng of self-proclaimed Trekkies and techies to speak on panels about the science in such stories as Star Wars, Star Trek and the Justice League.

In other words, the two College of Science, Engineering and Technology faculty members will emphasize the S-T-E-M in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Dr. Roméo Farinacci of CSET displays his Morpheus costume from the “Matrix” movies.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Haralson said. “Comicon is a pop culture magnet.”

The character Morpheus from the “Matrix” has been played by actor Laurence Fishburne.

Dressed as Batman, Wonder Woman, Captain America and other colorful characters, fans flock to Comicon to hobnob, memorabilia-shop and meet celebrities. This year’s impressive celeb roster includes actor Dick Van Dyke, author Diana Gabaldon and DC Comics artist Dave Beat. 

Many futuristic fantasy fans will hope to hear quotes such as “Wait a minute, Doc. Ah — are you telling me you built a time machine — out of a DeLorean?” (Marty McFly, “Back to the Future”) and “Don’t call me a mindless philosopher, you overweight blob of grease!” (C-3PO, “Star Wars”).

It’s the nerds’ time to be cool. Comicon is their turf, and its participants are their homies.  The schedule for the 15th annual Phoenix Comicon on Thursday through Sunday at the Phoenix Convention Center is brimming with costume contests, film festivals, fashion shows and events such as The Dork Night Rises Party. There will be trivia contests, gaming rooms, exhibits, speakers and panelists — including Farinacci and Haralson.

To make the point that science is fun, Farinacci and Haralson also plan to come clad in costumes. Farinacci will dress as Morpheus from the “Matrix” film franchise, and Haralson will look like the Scarlet Witch from such films as “Captain America: Civil War” and “Avengers, Age of Ulton.” 

“It’s fun, but particularly for these panels, we need to communicate that STEM is exponentially awesome,” Haralson said.

Weapons and gadgets, oh my!

Each is speaking on multiple panels. One of Farinacci’s sessions will explore the fancy weapons and gadgets that pop up across the science fiction universe. He plans to pose questions like these: “How do they work? Is there science behind them?”

There’s no denying the link between the science fiction in comic books and the STEM subjects that have become main attractions at GCU, Farinacci said. STEM can impart the knowledge needed to invent future technology, he said.

“It’s like the bridge from fantasy to reality,” said Farinacci, CSET Information Technology and Cyber Security program director.

Haralson’s  costume is based on this outfit worn by actress Elizabeth Olsen.

CSET faculty member Deborah Haralson gives a preview of her Scarlet Witch costume.

Once upon a time, Star Trek truly went where no man had gone before in the area of telephone technology. While families who tuned into the show in the mid-1960s still relied on landlines and rotary dials, characters such as Capt. James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock were communicating on cordless mobile devices.

“The inspiration for the cellphone came from Star Trek,” Farinacci said.

Similarly, Marty McFly’s flying skateboard in “Back to the Future Part II” is now reality in the form of the hoverboard. The franchise’s once wondrous self-lacing shoes can now be found on store shelves.

“A lot of us might have fantasies of things like flying cars that may not be reality, but we can put them in a comic book. The kids see it and they bring it to reality,” Farinacci said. “What you see on TV may one day come to fruition.”

Star Trek is also one of the inspirations for the electronic tablet, Haralson said. Dr. Leonard H. “Bones” McCoy had one. So did Lt. Nyota Uhuru.

“Star Trek had tablets before there were tablets,” Haralson said.

Does the Empire need CSET?

One of Haralson’s panels will explore the two different robots that destroyed two Death Stars years apart in “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope” and “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens.”

“The (earlier) robot (R2-D2) went on to the big, giant space ship and magically figured out what was wrong with it,” Haralson said. “Then, in a brand new Star Wars film last year, a different robot (BB-8) went to a different bad space ship and did the same thing.

“For being this all-knowing, evil consortium of badness, how come they can’t figure out how to digitally modernize? Haven’t the bad guys developed better electronics after all this time?”

In other panels, Haralson said, “we are also going to look at some of the creatures from ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ movie. We are going to look at signal jamming. … We are going to look at some physics with regard to some parallel-universe timelines.” 

Both GCU faculty members use comic book stories to make points in class.

“It gets students engaged, keeps students engaged and gets them thinking outside the box,” Farinacci said.

Farinacci’s favorite superheroes are the mutant X-Men, born with extraordinary abilities that are used for humanity’s benefit.

He is such a big fan, he named his son Xavier.

MORE INFORMATION

Farinacci’s sessions:

      • Noon Thursday, May 25: Super Friends: The Science of the Justice League, North 132BC.

Details: The Justice League’s membership includes aliens, cyborgs, mythological royalty and billionaires. With their powers combined, they are something even greater. Experts discuss the science of the powers and gadgets used in the Justice League.

• 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25: Set a Course for Home: The Science of the Star Trek Voyager, North 132BC.

Details: As the crew of the Intrepid-class ship Voyager journeyed home, it enjoyed technologies such as neural computers and a holographic AI doctor. We discuss the science behind the ship and its encounters on the way home.

Session that includes both Haralson and Farinacci on the panel:

• 6 p.m. Friday, May 26: Art Imitating Life Inspiring Science: Drawing Inspiration from Comic Lore, North 132BC.

Details: Contrary to popular belief, a lot of creativity goes into science and engineering. Whether it’s noticing previously undiscovered patterns or coming up with new ways to solve problems, STEM professionals draw inspiration from a number of sources. In this panel, experts will discuss how comics and pop culture have influenced science.

Haralson’s sessions:

• 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 25: Ask an-Ologist: How to connect with STEM experts, North 131C.

Details: There is an increasing push within the STEM community to perform outreach and education. We discuss some of these projects and how you can connect with them to bring experts into your classroom.

• 3 p.m. Thursday, May 25: Technology and Entrepreneurship: How to teach 21st century skills, North 131C.

Details: Emerging technology in fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, autonomous vehicles, 3D printing, and 3D Design are creating new and exciting opportunities. Exposing students to these technologies, as they relate to gaming, costuming, film, robotics, engineering, music and much more, is a perfect way to provide them numerous ways to learn 21st-century skills and an entrepreneurial spirit.

• 3 p.m. Saturday, May 27: Cybersecurity in Star Wars: “It’s an older code, but it checks out,” North 132BC.

Details: Thanks to poor password security, the Empire had TWO Death Stars destroyed. In this panel, cybersecurity experts will discuss this and other ways the Empire went wrong.

For more information about Farinacci’s sessions, click here. For more information about Haralson’s, click here. For more information about Phoenix Comicon, click here.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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GCU faculty members Dr. Roméo Farinacci (left) and Deborah Haralson dressed the part for their panel presentations Thursday at Comicon.

By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

Take entrepreneurship and computer science — two of Grand Canyon University’s most popular programs — and add science fiction, and you could make money.

It might seem like a stretch, but money-making opportunities abound for anyone with an idea and some STEM know-how, GCU faculty member Deborah Haralson said Thursday during a panel discussion at Phoenix Comicon.

Deborah Haralson (right) stressed during one Comicon panel that cell phones have a place in the classroom.

“I enjoy finding alternative ways to exploit things in positive ways,” Haralson said.  

Haralson and Dr. Roméo Farinacci of GCU’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology are giving educational talks this weekend at the annual gathering of self-proclaimed geeks and nerds who flock to the Phoenix Convention Center to immerse themselves in a comic book universe. More than 200,000 superhero aficionados are expected to attend.

The schedule for the 15th annual Phoenix Comicon, which ends Sunday, is packed with activities such as celebrity-autograph signings and meet-and-greets, fashion shows, costume role playing, gaming rooms, exhibits, speakers and more.

Farinacci and Haralson are on several panels, and each spoke on two Thursday.

Haralson, speaking on the “Technology and Entrepreneurship: How to Teach 21st-Century Skills” panel, recalled a time in her family’s history when she needed to come up with extra income in a hurry. She did so with a role-playing video game called Diablo. In the game, every time a hero wins a battle, the defeated foe leaves behind items that improve the hero’s abilities.

Haralson used her IT and computer science skills to create a hero that played numerous Diablo games at a time. Haralson had a system for gathering the items that the foes left behind – and selling them to other gamers on eBay.

Dr. Roméo Farinacci (right) spoke on two panels, including this one on the science of the Justice League.

She also suggested that teachers quit removing cell phones from the classroom and start using them to provide on-point activities and challenges for students.

“The sum of all human knowledge lies in this box,” Haralson said. “Use the box. Use it in class and they won’t do Facebook.”

Farinacci, speaking on the “Set a Course for Home: The Science of the Star Trek Voyager” panel, said some of the science fiction ideas from the show — among his all-time favorites — are real.

While the science isn’t here yet to create “warp speed,” a fictional faster-than-life spacecraft propulsion system, the “replicator,” which can create meals on demand, is on its way, he said.

The device under development is similar to a 3D printer that produces food.

“It would be beneficial for long trips to lighten the load,” he said.

The cellphone and tablet first featured on the original Star Trek are reality, he said. And in fact, panelists noted, today’s real-life communications are far superior to Star Trek’s.

MORE INFORMATION

Remaining Comicon sessions with Farinacci and/or Haralson

• 6 p.m. today: Art Imitating Life Inspiring Science: Drawing Inspiration from Comic Lore, North 132BC. Both faculty members are on the panel.

Details: Contrary to popular belief, a lot of creativity goes into science and engineering. Whether it’s noticing previously undiscovered patterns or coming up with new ways to solve problems, STEM professionals draw inspiration from a number of sources. In this panel, experts will discuss how comics and pop culture have influenced science.

• 3 p.m. Saturday: Cybersecurity in Star Wars: “It’s an older code, but it checks out,” North 132BC. Haralson is on the panel.

Details: Thanks to poor password security, the Empire had TWO Death Stars destroyed. In this panel, cybersecurity experts will discuss this and other ways the Empire went wrong.

For more information about Farinacci’s sessions, click here. For more information about Haralson’s, click here. For more information about Phoenix Comicon, click here.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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Dr. Heather Monthie (right) helps a STEM summer camper with a programming exercise.

Story and photos by Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

The sounds of yowling kittens, angry elephants and even Star Wars’ Chewbacca filled the air Monday on day one of Grand Canyon University’s Cipher Avenger STEM Summer Camp.

These were the sounds of success.

The 30 high school juniors and seniors had been tasked with using code to add virtual animal noises and a sunset filter to a photograph. Each camper had been provisioned with a laptop, and each was fully engrossed in the activity.

“We are learning Python and JavaScript to host a server for a website and code it,” said David Gallmeyer, a Horizon High School junior.

David Gallmeyer, a Horizon High School junior, said GCU’s learning style suits him.

For Gallmeyer and the others in the four-day camp, which ends Thursday, the camp’s challenges thrill their eager minds.

“Normally, teachers hand out a textbook and tell us to read it and fill in the answers,” Gallmeyer said. “This is a hands-on learning experience. For me, I have to be active with my hands to learn.”

High school students flocked to sign up for the camp, which offers sessions on Python, Raspberry Pi and Cyber Warfare Range programming, a cipher scavenger hunt and a Student Union Gaming Event.

Spots were taken so quickly that GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances office created two more sessions for later this month, and they also are maxed out, said Amanda Hughens, K-12 STEM outreach manager.

Koby Caputo, a Liberty High School junior, was one of the first to enroll because he has an in: His sister Kaitlynn a GCU Christian Studies major, also works with Hughens in the SEA office.

Caputo already knows he’s going to GCU, and he can’t wait.

“It’s a super, super, super awesome school,” Caputo said.

Caputo has been tinkering with computers since he could walk, he said, and started up his own hosting program site, called IronHosting.

“I made websites for companies to use on my servers,” he said.

Caputo, too, far prefers hands-on activities.

“If you give me a project, I will learn from doing it,” Caputo said.

It’s the learning style the students will embrace in GCU’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology, said assistant dean Dr. Heather Monthie.  

“Do it to get better at it,” was Monthie’s advice in her remarks to the group. “Just start doing it.”

Jackson Coleman, a Saguaro High School junior, said he was thrilled with the camp’s challenges.

GCU’s engineering, computer science,  IT and natural science programs are flourishing with robust student numbers, hands-on curriculum and cutting-edge technology.

“We are trying to build more competence in the STEM fields,” Hughens said.

A key GCU goal is to help fill a gaping void in technology jobs by training top-notch students who can enter the workforce equipped with the latest information.

 “We are seeing a huge increase in enrollment in our science programs,” said Dan Hazy, Computer Science program recruiter specialist. “Why STEM? Because it’s intriguing and it’s constantly changing. You can be creative and build new things. It’s like solving a puzzle.”

He was preaching to a choir of STEM enthusiasts who had raced to sign up for the camp before it filled.

As students mastered new skills, a light shone in their eyes.

Jackson Coleman of Saguaro High School was quietly amazed when he successfully added a sunset filter to a photo.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Coleman said.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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GCU is offering a new Master of Science in Cybersecurity online degree.

By Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

Grand Canyon University is offering a new degree to help combat cyber attacks like the WannaCry ransomware worm that recently raced across the web and infested systems in 150 countries.

The new Master of Science in Cybersecurity program, scheduled to launch in August, is intended to produce cyber experts who can detect and prevent attacks that are hurtling along the internet with increasing speed.

Dr. Roméo Farinacci is the Information Technology & Cybersecurity program director for GCU’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

“We are in a race to thwart the black hats,” said Dr. Roméo Farinacci, the Information Technology & Cybersecurity program director of GCU’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology. “New cyber threats are arising weekly.”

It’s no longer a case of when criminals will commit another act of espionage, fraud or destruction — or of how far-ranging or significant the damage could be.

It’s now a race for cyberspace, a battle to protect vital and sensitive information before it is attacked, stolen, leaked or destroyed, Farinacci said.

The rise in cyber threats is growing as quickly as the job market’s demand for cyber experts. Job openings have topped several hundred thousand in the U.S. and more than 1 million worldwide, Farinacci said. Arizona is among states with the largest demand for such skills.  

One of GCU’s top goals is to help fill the void by educating graduates who can quickly occupy the empty roles, which include such titles as corporate information security officer, senior security architect, information security analyst and more.

By collaborating with industry and college representatives, GCU has developed a program that aligns with the needs of the nation, Farinacci said.

“We have a program that covers the breadth of cybersecurity, with enough hands-on and detail to effectively prepare students for what the nation needs to change the tide in the cyber war,” he said.

The master’s degree program, a 34-credit online degree, prepares students for cyber warfare and cyber defense.

Farinacci, far left, recently taught students attending GCU STEM camps skills to use at the Cyber Warfare Range.

Students learn techniques for penetration testing, vulnerability assessment and innovation in security frameworks.

The culminating class is Cybersecurity Program Development, which challenges students to build a comprehensive cybersecurity program.

Students will also learn how to hack — a necessary evil that trains them to weed out hack attacks, he said.

“We will learn how the bad guys do what they do so we can protect against them,” Farinacci said.

It’s like teaching someone to use a gun to avoid deadly consequences, he said. The goal is to prevent harm.

“There are no hats here,” Farinacci said. “There are no white hats, black hats or gray hats because we have halos.”

Hackers-with-Halos refers to the methodology that readies Cyber Lopes (the students) to join a network of skilled professionals who perform work from a Christian worldview perspective.

“The nature of the program is to get our students out there in the workplace,” Farinacci said. “Our students want to protect people. I love that our goal is to protect people.

“Sure you learn to hack, but the goal is to protect identities.”

For more information about the degree program, click here.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or @laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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The new Code.org cohort of educators and their teachers gathered at Grand Canyon University on Thursday. Code.org seeks to universally require computer science as part of the K-12 curriculum along with English, history, math and science and to encourage participation among girls and minorities, who remain under-represented in the field.

Story and photos by Laurie Merrill
GCU News Bureau

Lisa Hunter, a software development engineer for Amazon, didn’t start out to be a computer scientist, she said Thursday during a presentation at Grand Canyon University.

“I’m certainly not the poster child for picking out a career,” said Hunter, speaking to about 25 teachers from across Arizona who are members of the newest cohort in the GCU-supported Code.org program.

Lisa Hunter, an Amazon software development engineer, wowed a Code.org cohort of 25 teachers.

In fact, Hunter said, when she applied to California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, she originally considered putting chemistry down as her major – before hastily switching.

“I didn’t even know I liked computer science,” Hunter said. “But I knew I liked computers.”

Uncertainty turned to passion, and Hunter graduated magna cum laude in 2010. Today she’s a glowing example of a growing phenomenon – women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

Hunter represents the Amazon Future Engineer program, which seeks to introduce computer science to Arizona schoolchildren of all ages. Amazon recently joined a partnership with GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances (SEA) and Science Foundation Arizona that brings Code.org training to K-12 educators across the state.

Code.org seeks to universally require computer science as part of the K-12 curriculum along with English, history, math and science and to encourage participation among girls and minorities, who remain under-represented in STEM fields.

Linda Coyle, the Science Foundation Arizona’s Director of Education, enthusiastically introduced Hunter to the teachers and said outreach programs such as Amazon’s – and examples like Hunter – can help reverse the low women/minority STEM statistics.

Hunter’s decision to choose computer science was formed by a number of factors, she said.

• When she was 2½ years old, there was a personal computer in her family.
• Her parents supported and encouraged her interest.
• There was internet in her house.
• She had a girlfriend whose hobby was building websites.
• There were computers in her classrooms.
• She had talented, patient mentors.

“I had these privileges that really helped me stand on my own feet,” she said.

Linda Coyle, Director of Education for Science Foundation Arizona (in front of class), discussed the scarcity of women and minority in STEM fields.

She ticked off key concepts that attract children to STEM, which include access to technology, a supportive network, role models, career guidance, knowledgeable mentors and early introduction to programming.

The last point is where K-12 educators, like the 25 in attendance, are so powerful, Hunter said.

“I want to say thank you,” Hunter said. “You guys are going to be the game changers.”

SEA Director Kathryn Scott is the Code.org partnership’s program manager, and Dr. Heather Monthie, Assistant Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, is the Code.org facilitator who teaches AP Science Principles to teachers.

Scott welcomed Amazon’s participation and enthusiasm in spreading the love of STEM across Arizona.

“It all stems around computer science and aligning the University’s mission,” Scott said. “We are doing our best to strengthen our pipeline.”

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

The post Engineering a path to computer science jobs appeared first on GCU Today.

New high school Chief Science Officers shared a light moment during a CSO Training Institute team-building session.

Story and photos by Laurie Merrill 
GCU News Bureau

Several dozen new Chief Science Officers (CSOs) from across Arizona thrust their hands in the air to answer the question posed to the group.

Jessica Hauer, leading a “Stem-onstrations” session, stressed the value of clear communication.

“Why is it important to be able to communicate a scientific concept like electricity?” asked Jessica Hauer, an educator teaching sessions at this week’s CSO Training Institute, hosted by Grand Canyon University.

Each of three students selected to respond stood to make their answer heard, and the third teenager’s voice quavered with emotion.

“It’s part of our jobs as CSOs to share our passion for science and to teach people what we are passionate about,” she said.

Hauer agreed, adding, “You need to make sure that people absolutely understand the science of what you’re teaching.”

The session, “Stem-onstrations,” is part of the curriculum offered during the intensive training institute at GCU. More than 130 Arizona CSOs in grades 6-12  are attending the four-day program, which ends Friday. 

Like student body presidents, CSOs are elected by students at the end of the previous school year. More than 330 CSOs in Arizona were recently elected. They act as ambassadors for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) activities at their school and in their community. CSOs identify science opportunities and are the champions of student engagement and interest in STEM subjects.

“When you can take STEM, entrepreneurship and leadership and combine it together, now you have innovative and creativity combined with marketability,” said Olenka Cullinan of risingtycoons.org, who is also teaching at the Institute.

Samuel Sesena, a senior from Carl Hayden Community High School in Phoenix, was one of more than 130 attendees.

GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances is a driving force in the CSO program, which was launched in 2015 by Arizona SciTech and the Arizona Technology Council Foundation, headed by executive director Dr. Jeremy Babendure. Arizona’s initiative has become a national prototype. Thirteen states have launched the program, and more are on the horizon.  

The training offers students the opportunity to define their STEM passions, devise action plans and hone their communication, leadership and strategic-planning skills.

The Stem-onstrations session Hauer led is intended to coach students in how to inspire and excite others by giving scientific presentations. The students were practicing their demonstrations and planned to present them to a wider audience Friday.

An earlier team-building session led by Cullinan encouraged positive thinking as a tool to increase confidence and leadership ability.

“Your thoughts will control you, your outcomes and how other people think of you,” Cullinan said.

In one exercise, students were asked to list three “guilty pleasures” and then to turn them around into three positive actions.

Samuel Sesena, a senior from Carl Hayden Community High School in Phoenix, wasn’t alone in listing video games, YouTube and eating too much food as guilty pleasures. His positive actions are to spend more time cooking, cleaning and reading.

Cullinan showed the students a short video featuring Steve Jobs, the Apple computers co-founder and visionary who died in 2011. In it, Jobs says that every day he asked himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I’m about to do today?”

Darrell Clauschee, a sixth-grade teacher at Eisenhower Center for Innovation in Mesa, praised the Institute.

Cullinan asked the CSOs what they would want to be remembered for if today was their last day:

• Spending time with my family
• Trying to save the world
• My passion for others and my taste in music
• I did my best to live my life as I should
• My wittiness and my random weirdness

Darrell Clauschee, a sixth-grade teacher at Eisenhower Center for Innovation in Mesa, praised the Institute’s role in developing important character traits. 

“It brings out a lot of positive thoughts among kids,” Clauschee said. “It’s building them to be leaders.”

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu. 

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Four members of the Taillon family — Christian (left), Kirie, mom Renee and Jared — are both students and employees at Grand Canyon University.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

For Renee Taillon and her three children, Grand Canyon University feels like a home away from home.

All four are students and employees at GCU and spend countless hours on campus.

“We really do bleed purple in our family,” said Taillon, an affiliation agreement coordinator in Health Sciences who also is working toward a master’s degree in Business Analytics.

Her 20-year-old son, Christian Taillon, is a junior majoring in Information Technology with an Emphasis on Cybersecurity and also is a student worker in IT Services.

His twin brother, Jared Taillon, is a pre-med major working in student IT services.

Renee’s daughter, Kirie Taillon, is a sophomore with plans to become a pharmacist and also is a student worker in IT services.

The Taillons bring more than just family unity to GCU. Whether in class or the office, they share their faith with others on campus and believe in the University’s mission.

“Our number one attraction to GCU is its Christianity. It’s what matters most,” Renee said.

The Taillons’ path to GCU began in 2014 when Renee accepted a job as a university counselor in nursing.

A former GCU employee who attends the same church suggested she work at GCU.

“He thought it would be a perfect fit, and it is,” said Renee, who earned her undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from Arizona State University.

At the same time, her twins, seniors at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Phoenix, selected GCU as their first choice for college.

All three were joined last year by Kirie.

Yes, their father remains the odd person out. James Taillon graduated from Purdue University and works as a civil engineer in Phoenix.

He is, however, a Lope through marriage and fatherhood.

“Dad wears purple and is a big basketball fan,” said Christian, a commuter student who spends nearly 16 hours a day on campus attending classes, working and participating in clubs. He’s president of the Computing Club and treasurer of the Biblical Theology and Defenders clubs.

For the Taillons, GCU is more than a college and workplace. The University provides them an opportunity to excel, they said, and also brings out the best in their strong work ethic and nose-to-the-grindstone study habits.

Take Christian, for example. Mike Manrod, GCU director of security in IT Services, calls him “one of the most intelligent and promising young security analysts that I have ever crossed paths with. He is a perfect example of what type of student we want our cybersecurity program to produce.”

All the Taillons will commute this fall semester to class and work, a drive that does nothing to diminish their sense of belonging.

“GCU has such a strong sense of community, even for the commuters like my kids,” Renee said. “We all feel very close to everything GCU.”

The Taillons have grown accustomed to others connecting the dots and discovering the family connection. Christian and Jared, fraternal twins who look alike, often get mistaken for each other.

“People think it’s cool that there are so many of us at GCU,” Jared said.

So what do the Taillons talk about at the dinner table?

GCU, of course, but also about politics, music, theatre, relationships and plans for the future.

“We have so much in common,” Renee said, “that there’s always something to talk about.”

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

The post This family has found its (dual) purpose at GCU appeared first on GCU Today.

Arriving students are warmly greeted as they return to campus for Welcome Week.

By Karen Fernau
GCU News Bureau

Welcome Week works.

The annual tradition of welcoming new and returning students to campus is one of the highlights of the year at Grand Canyon University, but it’s also a critical component in getting acclimated to college life.

Just ask senior Kelsey Wood.

The smiles are abundant during Welcome Week, even when students get up at dawn to help with Move-In.

“I came as a transfer student who didn’t know anyone. It was very scary. The week activities and all the help I got moving into my dorm room really made me feel a part of GCU from day one,” said Wood, a biology major from Oregon.

The friends she made during the week remain her closest friends on campus.

“The week really made a difference,” Wood said. “Without it, I might have just sat in my room until classes started.”

When Welcome Week 2017 begins on Monday, Aug. 21, there will be a jam-packed schedule of activities to help students navigate campus, learn study habits, make friends, strengthen their faith and jumpstart their school spirit.

Nearly 2,000 volunteers – 1,000 students, 800 student leaders and 200 staff – make it all happen.

There are the traditional favorites, such as the Ignite ceremony.

There are the relatively new ideas, such as Lope-A-Palooza.

And there’s a wide range of other activities, from residence hall get-togethers and a dodgeball tournament to movies and dances.

“The week is all about giving new students a sense of belonging and direction while welcoming back returning students. The week says to all, ‘You belong here,’” said Charity Norman, manager of GCU’s Student and Family Program.

Students come together in prayer for the Ignite ceremony.

The week coincides with nearly 11,000 students moving into residence halls. Along with helping students physically move into their rooms, Residence Life also aims to make students, especially freshmen, feel right at home.

As Matt Hopkins, Director of Residence Life, explained, “Freshmen are undergoing a number of changes as they transition to college – responsibilities, relationships with family, change in social network, daily schedule, academic rigor and sharing a bedroom, perhaps for the first time.”

One of the week’s signature events is the First 72 Experience, an initiative between Residence Life and Spiritual Life begun last year to bolster unity and friendship among freshmen in their new homes.

The three-day hugfest includes low-key hangout times, pizza, board games, get-to-know-you activities and campus tours.

“The first three days are critical to feel a sense of welcoming and belonging,” Norman said. “If students are just spending time in their rooms or with their parents, that feeling carries over. We want our students to get off on the right foot.”

For the first time, GCU will extend Welcome Week support with its newly established Lopes Connection Crew.

Crew members will work with students who feel disconnected when the week is over, Norman said.

One of this year’s most anticipated new events is “Party Like It’s 1999” in GCU Arena.

The “1999” theme is aimed at freshmen, the last class to be born in the 1990s, Norman said.

The nostalgic dance will celebrate a decade that produced movies such as “Titanic,” “Jurassic Park” and “Home Alone” and musicians such as Michael Bolton, Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men. Even the refreshments will be ’90s inspired – Fruit Roll-Ups and Capri Suns.

A few of the week’s other highlights:  

• Canyon Cool Down: Students beat the heat with an after dark pool and ice cream party.
• Ignite: In one of the week’s most dramatic events, thousands of students gather to light candles to signify their unity, faith and desire for their light to shine brightly.
• Lope-A-Palooza: This is a crash course on becoming a Lope. Organized by the Havocs student cheer section and Canyon Activities Board, the event showcases GCU’s energized school spirit and support of all athletic teams.
• Ultimate Lope Venture: An all-day scavenger hunt that pits teams of 3-6 students against each other. Each team must follow a checklist of things to find, each assigned a point value based on difficulty.

“Welcome Week is a fun time of the year, so festive,” Norman said. “There’s nothing to do but be excited.”

Welcome Week 2017 schedule

Monday, Aug. 21

7 a.m.-4 p.m. — Bed, Bath and Beyond Tent, Kaibab

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Parent Hospitality Corner, GCBC Student Union

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

2-3 p.m. — Orientation Expo, GCU Arena

6-7:30 p.m. — Community Gathering, Juniper, Cypress and Acacia halls

8-10 p.m. — Canyon Cool Down, Grove lawn and pool

Tuesday, Aug. 22

7 a.m.-4 p.m. — Bed, Bath and Beyond Tent, Kaibab

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Parent Hospitality Corner, GCBC Student Union

9 a.m.-noon — Lope Life 101, GCU Arena

9 a.m.-noon — Thrive, Antelope Gym

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

1-2:30 p.m. — New Student Hall Meetings, Juniper, Cypress and Acacia halls

2-3 p.m. — New Student Orientation, GCU Arena

3-4 p.m. — Out-of-State and International Social, Thunder Alley

6-7:30 p.m. — Community Gathering, Willow and Ironwood halls

8-10 p.m. — Night at the Movies, GCU Arena

Wednesday, Aug. 23

7 a.m.-4 p.m. — Walmart Tent, Kaibab

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Parent Hospitality Corner, GCBC Student Union

9 a.m.-noon — Lope Life 101, GCU Arena

9 a.m.-noon — Thrive, Antelope Gym

9 a.m.-noon — Keys to Academic Success, STEM Building

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

1-2:30 p.m. — New Student Hall Meetings, Willow and Ironwood halls

2-3 p.m. — New Student Orientation, GCU Arena

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Commuter Lope Life 101, Building 6, rooms 139 and 140

4:30-5:30 p.m. — Commuter Social, Commuter Lounge

6-7:30 p.m. — Community Gathering, Chaparral and Saguaro halls

8-9:15 p.m. — New Student Worship and Ignite, GCU Arena and Quad

Thursday, Aug. 24

7 a.m.-4 p.m. — Walmart Tent, Kaibab

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Parent Hospitality Corner, GCBC Student Union

9 a.m.-noon — Lope Life 101, GCU Arena

9 a.m.-noon — Thrive, Antelope Gym

9 a.m.-noon — Keys to Academic Success, STEM Building

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Honors College Kick-Off, GCU Arena

1-2:30 p.m. — New Student Hall Meetings, Chaparral and Saguaro halls

2-4 p.m. — Campus Tours, depart from the Orientation Expo Entrance

3-4 p.m. — Transfer Student Social, Lopes Performance Center

6-7:30 p.m. — Community Gathering, Ocotillo Hall

7:49 p.m. — Lope-A-Palooza, GCU Arena

Friday, Aug. 25

7 a.m.-4 p.m. — Walmart Tent, Kaibab

9-10 a.m. — Lope Life 101, Antelope Gym

9 a.m.-noon — Keys to Academic Success, STEM Building

9 a.m.-4 p.m. — Parent Hospitality Corner, GCBC Student Union

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

11 a.m.-noon — Thrive, Antelope Gym

Noon-2 p.m. — Student Worker Job Fair, GCU Arena

1-2:30 p.m. — New Student Hall Meetings, Ocotillo

2-4 p.m. — Campus Tours, depart from the Orientation Expo Entrance

3-4 p.m. — Out-of-State and International Social, Thunder Alley

5-11 p.m. — Dodgeball Tournament, Lopes Performance Center and Antelope Gym

5-11 p.m. — Sand Volleyball Tournament, All Outdoor Courts

8 p.m. — Party Like It’s 1999, GCU Arena

Saturday, Aug. 26

6 a.m. — The Ultimate Lope Venture, check in at Cypress Hall north lawn

7 a.m.-7 p.m. — The Ultimate Lope Venture, various locations

10-11 a.m. — New Student Orientation, GCU Arena

10-11 a.m. — Veteran Student Orientation, North Lecture Hall, Room 104

10-11 a.m. — International Student Orientation, North Lecture Hall, rooms 101 and 102

10 a.m.-4 p.m. — Orientation Expo, Student Union

11 a.m.-1 p.m. — Campus Tours, depart from the Orientation Expo Entrance

11:15 a.m.-noon — Commuter Lope Life 101 with lunch provided, GCU Arena

1:30-4:30 p.m. — Keys to Academic Success, STEM Building

8 p.m. — Glow Party, GCU Arena

Sunday, Aug. 27

7 p.m. — GCU women’s soccer vs. Weber State, GCU Soccer Stadium

Monday, Aug. 28

5-8 p.m. — GCU Club and Community Fair, GCU Arena

Commuter Student Events

Wednesday, Aug. 23

3:30-4:30 p.m. — Commuter Life 101, Building 6, rooms 139 and 140

4:30-5:30 p.m. — Commuter Social, Commuter Lounge

Saturday, Aug. 26

11:15 a.m.-noon — Lope Life 101, GCU Arena

1:30-4:30 p.m. — Keys to Academic Success, STEM Building

College Kickoff Event Schedule

Honors College: 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, GCU Arena

Colangelo College of Business: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6, GCU Arena

College of Education: 4-5:30 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7, Antelope Gym

College of Fine Arts and Production: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m., Friday, Sept. 15, First Southern Baptist Church

College of Humanities and Social Sciences: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 13, GCU Arena

College of Nursing and Health Care Professions: 5-7:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 6, GCU Arena

College of Science, Engineering and Technology: 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 8, Antelope Gym

College of Theology: 5-7 p.m., Monday, Sept. 11, GCU Arena

Contact Karen Fernau at (602) 639-8344 or karen.fernau@gcu.edu.

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Yabal Fesehastion, an engineering student and lab technician, experiments with the Reynolds Apparatus, an example of the new equipment in one of six new labs in GCU’s engineering building. (Photo by Travis Neely)

Editor’s note: This story is reprinted from the August 2017 issue of GCU Magazine. To view the digital version of the magazine, click here.

By Laurie Merrill
GCU Magazine

Third-year engineering students returning to Grand Canyon University this fall will be greeted by a host of gleaming new laboratories loaded with cutting-edge equipment.

They also will be offered innovative, hands-on curriculum designed exclusively for them by College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) faculty and staff, plus a host of new engineering programs.

“These are very unique labs,” said Dr. Michael Sheller, the CSET associate dean in charge of engineering. “You don’t often see equipment like this at the undergraduate level.”

Every year since GCU’s engineering program kicked off in 2014, Sheller’s team has expanded the curriculum and developed course and lab work to accommodate the surging number of electrical, mechanical and biomedical engineering students.

This year is one of the busiest for the thriving program. GCU welcomes more than double the number of engineering students from last year. It is putting the finishing touches on six new labs for this fall and preparing six more for the spring.

Students also can choose two new engineering programs, a B.S. in Engineering and B.S. in Engineering with an Emphasis in Robotics, and two new engineering technology programs: Electrical Engineering Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology.

The expanding engineering program is integral to GCU’s goal to be an Arizona center for science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and a University that works with industry to create curriculum and prepare graduates to fill the ongoing void in STEM jobs.

Traditional engineering classes consist largely of professors talking … and talking … with separate time set aside for experiments.

In the curriculum Sheller and his team have developed, students engage in more hands-on activities throughout class.

During the first five minutes of a class, a professor will introduce a concept. Then during the next 10-15 minutes, students will apply it in a “mini-lab.” This is repeated throughout the class, Sheller said.

“You can think of it as a lab interspersed with a lecture,” Sheller said.

The new electrical, mechanical and biomedical labs were completed over the summer in the one-year-old, 170,000-square-foot engineering building.

Engineering students perform experiments in one of GCU’s new labs. (Photo by Travis Neely)

They will allow students to apply a broad range of engineering principles to materials using state-of-the art equipment. For example:

• Over the summer, a group of student workers conducted an experiment with the Reynolds Apparatus in the new transport phenomena lab. Named after Osborne Reynolds, the device allows students to observe “laminar (smooth), transitional and turbulent pipe flow.”

Students inject dye into water flowing in a pipe and gradually increase the flow rate to test the change in water behavior. Such information is relevant when experimenting with projects that involve liquid moving through pipes.

“You want to control how things move and how fast,” said Ben Encinas, engineering lab coordinator. “You want to understand the velocity. If I want to put new air conditioning units in a building, I need to know the size of the ducts and size of the fans. I’m converting electrical into energy to move air in a building. Studying how things flow tells me how to harness the energy.”

• In a new biomaterials lab, students can use equipment such as torsion and biomaterials testers to assess medical devices.

“For example, if you pull a ligament, what happens?” Sheller said. “What happens to it if you pull it all day long? If you are designing a prosthetic, you can program a tester to pull it and twist it all day. Does it change shape? At what point?”

• Students can make electronic chips in a new electronic materials lab, which contains equipment such as a scanning electron microscope, atomic force microscope, circuit equipment and photolithography equipment.

The scanning electron microscope “focuses a stream of electrons at what you are looking at” and allows students to look at things one-millionth of a meter in size, such as shadows of molecules and small parts of electronic devices, said Donald Ellis, associate professor of electrical engineering.

Photolithographic equipment aids in making electronic chips from silicon by etching patterns on silicon wafers.

“These programs have been rigorously designed and structured to prepare our students for industry,” Sheller said. “It’s not enough to teach these students about engineering. We are teaching them how to be engineers by having them use software and hardware they will encounter on the job. By the time they graduate, they will be industry ready.”

More bells and whistles

● LARGEST: A two-ton, six-foot tall large materials tester that has its own room and is used to study the properties of materials under force. For example, if you are building a new car, the device can help determine under what conditions the metals will bend.

● LOUDEST: A new jet engine motor in one of the thermodynamics labs that allows students to determine the properties of heat and study how the exchange of heat creates power.

● COOLEST: A refrigeration system that allows users to cool materials by removing heat.

Contact Laurie Merrill at (602) 639-6511 or laurie.merrill@gcu.edu.

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By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Dr. Timothy Clarey wanted to be a journalist.

But then dinosaurs came calling. And rocks. And dirt.

“In high school, I was on the school paper,” said Clarey in a phone interview from Dallas. “… But I liked science more. I always liked science and math. I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I got to college.”

Dr. Timothy Clarey

That’s when the dinosaurs, rocks and dirt started to speak to him and geology started to build the strata of his life.

“It uses chemistry. It uses calculus. It was a nice transition for me … and it touched on my love of history.” As he says, geology is “using the rocks as your pages,” and as a creation scientist and flood geologist, he has focused much of his time shuffling through those pages to prove the truth of the Bible.

Clarey will bring that love of history, dinosaurs and rocks when he visits the Grand Canyon University campus for a One Foundation talk, “Genesis, Global Flood and Giant Reptiles,” from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Friday in Room 104 of the North Lecture Hall.

Clarey, a geologist with the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research, worked for eight years with Chevron USA, using seismic data to locate oil and gas prospects. In those years of looking at oil data and rock data and what sediments are there, he said he does not believe that the earth is millions of years old.

“Did it take millions of years to deposit rocks or thousands of years? … I think thousands of years.”

There’s no evidence otherwise, he said, and he will be using rock data in his presentation.

He also will detail findings related to the Bible’s Great Flood. He has researched tectonic occurrences during and after the flood, namely on catastrophic superfaults in Wyoming, Montana, Utah and Alaska.

“I’ll be sharing North American data that shows evidence that there was a global flood.”

Beyond science, he shares how Noah’s Ark in the Bible is a metaphor for Jesus and how only Noah and his family accepted the invitation to board the vessel. “Jesus opened the door for salvation to him.”

Clarey, who taught at Delta College in Michigan for 17 years and earned doctoral degrees in geology and hydrogeology, will talk dinosaurs, too.

He is the author of the 2015 book, “Dinosaurs: Marvels of God’s Design – the Science of the Biblical Account.”

Christians haven’t known what to do, really, with the idea of dinosaurs and how they fit into the biblical timeline. They aren’t mentioned in the Bible, and then there’s the question, too, of science dating these giant reptiles millions of years back – they became extinct some 65 million years ago.

Clarey, whose daughter is a GCU online student scheduled to graduate this fall with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing, said scientists are now discovering protein cells in dinosaurs.

“How can they be 150 million years old and still have these preserved proteins?” he asked.

What he finds exciting about the work he’s doing now in his post-college days is that, whether as a secular or creation scientist, he’s still doing the same science.

“But we’re saying things now we couldn’t say,” he said, when it comes to scientific data supporting the Bible.

Even more exciting, he said, is “how Genesis is verified by all this … science really does support the Bible.”

IF YOU GO

What: “Genesis, Global Flood and Giant Reptiles,” a talk by geoscientist Dr. Timothy Clarey

When: 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22

Where: Main campus, North Lecture Hall 22-104

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

The post Geologist digs on dinosaurs – and the Bible appeared first on GCU Today.

Melissa Beddow, GCU associate professor of forensic science, examined the content of fictional forensics television shows for her dissertation. She touched on some of her findings during a recent talk at the Arizona Science Center.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

CSI. DNA. A-OK.

Melissa Beddow, Director of the Bachelor of Science in Forensic Science program in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology at Grand Canyon University, delved into the effects of television forensics programs recently as part of the Arizona Science Center’s “Science With a Twist” series, which targets adult science aficionados.

Beddow chatted up the audience and answered questions, such as, “How do fictional forensic crime shows, such as “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” really compare to what happens at an actual crime lab?

“While a lot of research has been done on … the ‘CSI’ Effect, little has been done to examine the actual content of forensic crime shows, and no research has been done outside of the ‘CSI’ franchise,” said Beddow, who worked for more than seven years in several laboratories, has experience in human diagnostic testing and biotechnology, and has testified as a DNA analysis expert in criminal trials.

The talk was based on the results of her doctoral dissertation, a content analysis of the “Bones” TV series, which focused on the portrayal of DNA testing and analysis.

The theme of the “Science With a Twist” evening was “1987 High School Reunion Gone Bad,” which set up this scene: A murder has rocked a 1980s-themed high school reunion, and attendees investigate the murder room, compare blood splatters, process fingerprints and analyze handwriting. Who could have “dunnit” – the prom queen, the class president or someone else?

Also at the event, GCU adjunct faculty member Tally Violette, who teaches forensics lectures and labs, helped guests process fingerprints and blood-spatter evidence.

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

The post Bones of the matter: Beddow talks forensics appeared first on GCU Today.

Dr. Timothy Clarey says scientific data supports the Bible’s story of a global flood. The Institute for Creation Research geoscientist is working on a project involving building a database of stratigraphic columns from across the world, and it’s in those rocks, he said, that he sees evidence of a global flood and can’t find any data that tells him the Earth is millions of years old. Clarey’s talk at GCU Friday sparked a lively discussion during the question-and-answer session.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Dinosaurs were on Noah’s Ark.

That’s the belief of creation scientist and flood geologist Dr. Timothy Clarey of the Dallas-based Institute for Creation Research.

“There were these giant reptiles called dinosaurs that actually did go on the ark — and they came off the ark,” said Clarey, whose One Foundation-sponsored talk Friday on the GCU campus, called “Genesis, Global Flood and Giant Reptiles,” spanned the gamut of his research on the Bible’s great flood and how dinosaurs fit into the Bible story.

For Clarey, the overriding message was this: The Bible is true. Scientific data proves it.

Clarey spoke about scientific data that supports a global flood.

Not that his research didn’t meet with some resistance.

Audience members challenged his belief that the Earth is a few thousand years old and not millions, they questioned his doubts concerning carbon 14 dating, and they asked about his literal, rather than symbolic, translation of the Bible.

Dr. Daisy Savarirajan, One Foundation faculty lead who teaches in the College of Science, Engineering and Technology, said the goal in bringing Clarey to campus is for students to be exposed to a diversity of viewpoints and to be able to address faith- and science-related issues with a Christian worldview perspective.

“It is to achieve this end; we are committed to creating open forums for discussion of controversial topics without fear of being judged,” Savarirajan said.

She added that another goal of the guest speaker series is to provide professional-development opportunities for faculty to explore the relationship between science and faith.

“The intent to invite the ICR scientist is to gain insights into scientific facts and research that support the creation account in the Bible. This will help us develop a well-rounded understanding and be able to serve the needs of our students that specifically seek to learn at a private Christian school.

“The views of the creation scientist certainly sparked a lively response from the audience. The information he shared provided valuable insights into how scientific discovery helps confirm the Genesis account of creation.”

Clarey, who worked as an exploration geologist for Chevron USA and taught at Delta College in Michigan for 17 years, said some probably question how dinosaurs could fit on the ark. He said it was “because God probably didn’t bring full-sized T.Rexes on there. He brought juveniles.”

His belief is that most dinosaurs were the size of a bison and that monolithic creatures, such as sauropods, skewed the median.

Clarey believes only about 60 kinds of dinosaurs existed, not the roughly 700 species recognized by secular scientists. Just like we have dogs of different breeds, he believes dinosaurs thought to be different species actually were just different breeds.

“Nobody argues the ark wasn’t big enough. They (those in the secular world)  just think it didn’t happen. It’s just a fairy tale,” he said.

Recent research that Clarey said supports his belief that the Earth is nowhere near millions of years old also rests with dinosaurs.

“Every year, there are two or three more papers coming out showing more proteins, original cells, osteocyte cells with the nuclei. … They’re finding collagen and proteins — all those things that can’t be there, that shouldn’t be there … blood vessels still preserved, still soft. How can these things be millions of years old? You look at the biochemists and they’ll tell you after 900,000 years, even collagen can’t survive under the greatest conditions. … They (dinosaurs) aren’t millions of years old.”

The discovery of proteins in dinosaur fossils, Clarey said, “is something that’s being suppressed by most of the scientific community. They’re not talking about this. They’re not bringing it up.”

He also questioned secular thought about dinosaurs evolving into birds: “Dinosaurs are not birds. They walk completely differently … reptiles today sprawl.”

Clarey spent much of his talk on the Bible’s global flood.

Secular science, he said, recognizes these flood events: the Sauk, Tippecanoe, Kaskaskia, Absaroka, Zuni and Tejas.

“The secular world believes there were six floods. If you study geology, we call these megasequences. The secular world believes these waves came in, almost like tsunami-like waves flooding the continents over millions of years, then backed off. … But do the rocks really show those millions of years?

“No, I don’t see that. … I believe, as a scientist, these all happened in a year — the year of the (global) flood. There’s no evidence of all these millions of years between.”

Clarey spoke about blanket sandstone being deposited across the earth.

“How do you get this exact same rock type that was supposed to have taken millions of years and deposit it with nothing else, nothing below it, nothing above it?”

The sandstone can be found not just across North America but Jordan and a slew of other countries.

“How do you have events that are worldwide without a worldwide event?” he asked, referring to the great flood, which would have deposited the sandstone.

He also spoke of Redwall limestone that goes into Canada, all the way up to Greenland and Alaska.

“How do you have limestone that covers half the continent all at one time?”

Clarey said much of his data comes from his experience as an exploration geologist working in the oil industry. He added that he has been plotting his findings in a database of stratigraphic columns from across the world as part of an ICR project.

One audience member challenged Clarey’s belief that the earth is a few thousand years old and not millions of years old.

He said the age of the Hawaiian islands, using two independent measurements of potassium argon dating and tracking the Pacific plate, is millions of years old. Both methods reveal the same age for the islands — millions of years and not thousands: “A scientist looking at the data … without the benefit of Genesis, would not be a scoffer, but would be somebody who would look at that objectively and say, ‘I’ve got two measurements, two independent measurements.’”

GCU reptile biologist Rachel Pikstein also questioned Clarey’s literal view of the Bible.

“Is God’s definition of a day the same as ours? You see numbers like 40 and 8 and 7 over and over and over again,” Pikstein said. “Many people say that maybe we should not take the Bible directly, or literally, and are they exact numbers or are they representations of time?”

Clarey said he was concerned about the attempts to convert the six-day creation that the Bible mentions into great periods of time.

He also asked why anyone should care about the Great Flood or dinosaurs. He said we have to ask ourselves if we’re making science our idol and putting science above God’s word.

“The fastest growing religious group in America are the ‘Nones.’ They have no religious affiliation at all,” he said. “… They’re turning from God because they are believing we don’t need God to explain life, we don’t need God to explain the universe.”

Savarirajan said the College of Science, Engineering and Technology faculty will have a follow-up discussion of Clarey’s talk this week.

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

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David Hernandez, a volunteer with the Arizona Cyber Warfare Range – Metro Phoenix, scans over code at the GCU-based facility, which will make its debut Oct. 7 with a soft opening and open house. The open house will be followed by a dignitary-filled grand opening Nov. 15.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Body armor?

Nope.

Sig Sauer firearms?

Not really.

Tasers?

Negative.

When it comes to the kind of front-line assault tackled by the Arizona Cyber Warfare Range – Metro Phoenix, think less traditional military tactical and more terabyte. Fewer combat boots and more CPU. Less tear gas and more toggle keys and task bars.

In short, you won’t see any SWAT-team type attire at this Grand Canyon University-based cybersecurity learning center, which will debut with a soft opening and open house from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7 and a dignitary- and media-filled grand opening Nov. 15, thanks to a partnership between the University, the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance and a group of dedicated volunteers with the Arizona Cyber Warfare Range.

The Arizona Cyber Warfare Range – Metro Phoenix, stocked with laptops, servers and the like, is where anyone with an interest in cybersecurity can analyze malware, learn how to crack passwords and more. The facility is making its home on the GCU campus, thanks to a partnership between GCU and the Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance.

Instead of SWAT-team attire, you will find a smattering of furniture, a room of servers touting some serious power, and a gaggle of laptops and their computer enthusiasts (namely coders and hackers of the good-guy variety) trying to break into computer networks, clone key cards, crack passwords and the like.

The goal: to teach those interested in cybersecurity how to fight cybercriminals with hands-on activities that make clear what those bad guys do to steal people’s identities, infect devices with malware or ransomware, or hack into accounts.

The open house, dubbed the Cybersecurity Exploration Event, will be in Building 66 at the University’s 27^th Avenue location, which is in the midst of being converted into an innovation center.

Tours are scheduled every 30 minutes, beginning at 11 a.m., a barbecue will be open to everyone, and cyberexperts will give demonstrations. Attendees also can delve into a capture-the-flag competition (a game of hackers vs. hacker blockers), password cracking, social engineering, network wiring and network/forensics analysis.

The open house is a precursor to the November grand opening of the facility – one of only two such facilities in Arizona where anyone can learn hands-on cybersecurity tactics. It’s a feather in the cap of the University, which is positioning itself as a big player in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) and aims to be the go-to place for cybersecurity education. More than 200 are already signed up to attend the grand opening.

“Having a facility like that where students in our cybersecurity programs can be involved is a tremendous opportunity,” said Dr. Mark Wooden, Dean of the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

Second location

The AZCWR – Metro Phoenix is the second location for the nonprofit range, which was founded about a decade ago in the East Valley.

“The range itself is a community asset,” said Vince Grell, GCU’s Vice President of Operations for Non-Degree Technology Programs.

As such, it isn’t run by the University, though GCU has supplied the space and infrastructure. The University is looking for the range to be yet one more technology resource for its students as it puts its full weight behind STEM programs to meet the need for related careers.

In the past three years, GCU has opened two STEM buildings totaling 300,000 square feet of classrooms and state-of-the-art laboratories for its College of Science, Engineering and Technology. The University in 2016 also partnered with the nonprofit Arizona Cyber Threat Response Alliance, which collaborates with the FBI, the Arizona Counter Terrorism Information Center and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to name a few.

It is through this alliance that GCU became connected with the cyber warfare range.

“The range is where a lot of cybersecurity enthusiasts go in and try to hack into systems … and try to better understand how cyberterrorists are penetrating some of the security walls that companies have built up,” Grell said. “The range is run by a group of volunteers who are cyberexperts from throughout the Valley.”

A flier announcing the new cyber warfare range

Promotional materials for the Oct. 7 Cybersecurity Exploration Event say, “OMG. Hackers! Run! … Or, instead, come and learn.”

And for good reason.

The image in pop culture of the hacker is someone sitting alone in a dark basement with a laptop “bringing down the world,” said 20-year-old David Hernandez, a volunteer with the AZCWR.

But the volunteers — about two dozen are active at the Metro Phoenix location, Hernandez said — aren’t interested in bringing down the world.

Just the opposite.

Their mission is to teach others how to protect their identities and prevent the bad guys from causing destruction. That’s vital knowledge, considering the recent data breach at Equifax, in which hackers were able to access the personal data of 143 million customers via a series of data breaches from May to July 2017.

“What we are here for is to educate the public … to break down that barrier,” said AZCWR volunteer Jesse Reed.

Hands-on learning

Visiting the 4,500-square-foot range means checking in at the building’s front desk, calling a number posted on Building 66’s front door and waiting for a volunteer to meet and escort you back – all very James Bond.

But the space itself is less flashy James Bond and more cybersecurity practical.

You won’t find flashing lights, colors or a lot of bells and whistles. What you will find are laptops, computer monitor, carts, dismantled servers, printers, desks and chairs.

Hernandez points to one area that’s going to be where cybersecurity students can connect networks.

There are also computers and web pages to hack into, dismantled servers to explore, a malware forensics analysis room where analysts try to figure out how malware works and prevent it from spreading, digital forensics (analyzing past security breaches to understand how a cyber attack happened) and a military liaison, too.

Open house attendees will “be able to take apart the servers – a lot of people have never seen the inside of a server,” Hernandez said.

“These carts are planned to be our mobile range. … We do hands-on demonstrations with students,” Hernandez added of bringing cybersecurity technology into schools. “What’s interesting is teachers enjoy it, as well.”

What the organization emphasizes is hands-on learning for anyone who wants to learn. If you want to play with malware, you can do it at the AZCWR, and you don’t need to be an elite hacker to do it.

GCU is on the cutting edge of cybersecurity education.

“Here, we’re not charging anybody to hack on our systems. Anyone can come from the street,” Hernandez said. “My youngest presenter was a 9-year-old when he started. He’s 12 years old now. He presented at our medium to large cybersecurity meet-up. His audience was 110 (people). … On the other side of the scale, we have volunteers who are upwards of 84 years old. … He (one senior volunteer) went into a retirement home and taught them how to do cybersecurity.”

Visitors to the open house will find an area where they can solder together devices and practice RFID cloning, which is copying key cards or work security badges.

“It shows how easy it is to take someone’s identity and walk through a classified building,” Hernandez said.

One of the fun activities will be capture the flag, in which a red team will try to hack into a system and a blue team will try to defend the network.

The purpose of the RFID cloning activity and other similar cybercriminal activities is to teach those interested in cybersecurity what the bad guys do for the purpose of knowing how to better combat them, and ultimately, to better secure our digital lives.

In the end, the AZCWR wants to strengthen the cybersecurity landscape and prevent scenarios like the one that happened at Equifax. Part of that equation means producing a bigger and stronger cybersecurity workforce – something the group sees as a desperate need.

According to data from Cyberseek (www.cyberseek.org), almost 7,200 cyber security jobs are open in Arizona alone and 300,000 nationally.

Reed emphasized that cybersecurity is a potentially lucrative job. The median pay nationally for a cybersecurity analyst is $92,600, according to 2016 statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

For GCU, the presence of AZCWR on campus means students have yet one more way to fine-tune their skills before heading off into the post-college world.

While Wooden said GCU would not likely hold many classes there, students will be assigned work that can be completed at the range, and he sees it as a place for students to build simulations, for example. “It can be a place they can go outside of class, where they can network.”

He added that the college is looking to use the facility for cybersecurity boot camps in which students can receive certifications that will help them work in cybersecurity, even without a full degree.

Grell said the plan is for AZCWR – Metro Phoenix to be open from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday and, “as long as there’s a volunteer, the public can come.”

IF YOU GO

What: Soft opening and open house of the new Arizona Cyber Warfare Range – Metro Phoenix

Where: Building 66 at Grand Canyon University, 5115 N. 27^th Ave.

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 7

Admission: Free

Registration: Register at www.eventbrite.com

Grand opening: This soft opening is leading up to the GCU grand opening of the facility Nov. 15.

Information: www.azcwr.org

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

The post ‘Hacktivists’ boot up at GCU with cyber warfare range appeared first on GCU Today.

Verizon recently donated $100,000 to Code.org Arizona Regional Training Partners GCU and Science Foundation Arizona. Pictured are (from left) Kathryn Scott, GCU Executive Director of Educational Development and Support in Strategic Educational Alliances; Gov. Doug Ducey; Michelle Robinson, Regional Vice President, Government Affairs, Verizon; and Linda Cole, Director of Education, Science Foundation Arizona.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Grand Canyon University and Science Foundation Arizona are talking code and will spread their love of computer science with Code.org training expected to benefit more than 300 educators and thousands of students.

That educational mantra is getting a boost, thanks to Verizon. The company donated $100,000 to the partnership program, which, this year, runs from July through spring 2018. The check was presented Sept. 20 at the Arizona Governor’s Office in the Arizona State Capitol to GCU and Science Foundation Arizona, who are Code.org Arizona Regional Training Partners.

The contribution will help provide no-cost curriculum training to the teachers participating in Code.org Advanced Placement Computer Science Principles, Computer Science Discoveries and Computer Science Fundamentals programs.

In 2017, the regional partnership trained 457 kindergarten to sixth-grade teachers, 38 middle-school teachers and 50 high-school teachers, “and we’re just getting started,” said Kathryn Scott, GCU Executive Director of Educational Development and Support in Strategic Educational Alliances. She added, “We share Code.org’s mission of computer science being taught in every classroom to every student, especially girls and underrepresented groups. GCU and Science Foundation Arizona are working to build computer science pathways from grades kindergarten through 12 into higher education and the global economy.”

According to Code.org, only one in four schools in Arizona offers a computer science curriculum, despite the lack of trained employees in this growth industry. Through its Verizon Innovative Learning Initiative, Verizon is investing $160 million overall in free technology, free access and hands-on immersive learning in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for students in need. The company also launched #weneedmore to create greater awareness of the call for more STEM training to fulfill the more than 4 million jobs available now in the United States in science and tech.

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

The post Donation keys into computer science training appeared first on GCU Today.

A cybersecurity speaker panel on Wednesday at the North Lecture Hall talked about industry resources and how to build a career in the cybersecurity field. Panelists (from left) included GCU information technology security analyst Jim Biddle, CSET faculty member Scott McCrea, Charles Schwab security analytics senior manager Nereo Loresto, Arizona Cyber Warfare Range volunteers Rachel Harpley and David Hernandez, and GCU IT Director Mike Manrod.

By Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

It was a cybersecurity debacle to beat all.

Equifax, a major player when it comes to credit reporting, revealed hackers had breached its network in a series of hacks over three months this summer and that the sensitive information of about 143 million customers had been compromised.

Yahoo’s parent company, Verizon, on Tuesday divulged that, in 2013, the identities of all its users – roughly 3 billion of them – were at risk when cybercriminals cracked into its network. That number is three times as many users as the company previously reported.

Those cybersecurity rifts highlight how vital the field of cybersecurity has become as the world’s digital footprint continues to take larger and larger strides – something emphasized at a cybersecurity speaker panel Wednesday in the Antelope Gym’s North Lecture Hall. The event was a way to introduce those with an interest in the field to some industry experts and, ultimately, to try to build the cybersecurity workforce.

GCU is positioning itself as the go-to place for cybersecurity education, and this was the first of several such speaker panels, all on different themes, organized this school year by the College of Science, Engineering and Technology.

“Equifax was hacked because they didn’t do a (security) patch,” said Rachel Harpley, an Arizona Cyber Warfare Range recruiter and cybersecurity workforce developer for Recruit Bit and one of six panelists. A patch is software used to address a security flaw and keeps hackers from continuing to exploit that flaw.

She emphasized the importance for businesses and other organizations to address these security risks. “The business tradition has said, ‘We don’t have time to do patches. Doing patches costs us money.’ Thankfully, if anything, the Equifax (incident) will help us teach the businesses that not patching will cost you more.”

“It’s very hard to be the CEO of Equifax,” said panelist Scott McCrea, a CSET faculty member. “We didn’t update and patch our systems because it would have cost us $3½ million, and their stock value is down by something like 80 percent and billions of dollars that maybe they’ll recover. … They’ve earned their position as the laughingstock in the cyber universe because they were foolish beyond any kind of defense, and there will be legal liabilities that they’ll face for years. … Equifax is going to be damaged by this for a very long time to come.”

Panelist Nereo Loresto, a senior manager in security analytics at Charles Schwab, said, “Equifax’s problem was not their vulnerability. It was a culture of not caring. That’s what it was.”

Still, he said cybersecurity goes beyond companies not caring enough to secure their systems. The government has to do the same, and something has to change in the culture of the government as well.

“Security is not us (the cybersecurity experts). Security is everybody, literally everybody,” Loresto said. “Believe me, if you don’t think China is hacking your data, you are really putting your head in the sand. … It is the American public’s lack of desire to be part of the solution that they are taking advantage of.”

Harpley agreed.

She relayed that countries outside the United States operate with armies of hackers, and the U.S. needs to do the same.

“These nation states have skyscrapers full of people that go to work every day to hack our country and to steal our data. … There are armies of people doing this. That’s why there are people like us who are so passionate about creating an army here in the U.S.”

GCU has focused on building a cybersecurity program over the past few years and now offers a bachelor’s degree in Information Technology with an Emphasis in Cybersecurity as well as a master’s degree in Cybersecurity.

Saturday, the new GCU-based Arizona Cyber Warfare Range – Metro Phoenix will make its debut with a soft opening and open house, to be followed by a dignitary-filled grand opening Nov. 15. While the range is not operated by GCU – it is a volunteer-run community organization – the University has partnered with the range and has provided the space and infrastructure to the group. It is a move that provides students with networking and hands-on opportunities and is yet one more tool in their technology education arsenal.

The panel of experts – it also included GCU IT Director Mike Manrod, GCU information technology security analyst Jim Biddle and Arizona Cyber Warfare Range core volunteer David Hernandez – shined a beacon on the industry and served as examples of individuals who have found a career in the cybersecurity world.

The panelists found their way into cybersecurity in different ways.

McCrea said his path started when he was young and began taking things apart.

“I was poor as a child,” he said simply. “Back then they had payphones. I was required to call home from time to time and check in. Frequently I didn’t have the dimes (to pay for phone calls).”

So he learned how to fix payphones so he could make free calls. He eventually joined the Air Force and, after showing an aptitude for electronics, was sent to work in a secure environment, where he learned about working on jamming enemies’ radars and radios.

Then he got a call: “Hey, we need somebody to help us build the space shuttle launching and landing system.”

“I immediately said, ‘You have the wrong number,” said McCrea, who told the audience about a conversation he once had with a general in the KGB.

“He explained how they had been taking over our systems and planting worms.”

McCrea was recruited into cybersecurity, and GCU ended up hiring him.

“I’ve had a wonderful time. … Now it’s your turn,” he told those in attendance, advising them to learn by taking things apart and putting them back together and by hanging out with people who are doing the job they want.

Biddle, who told the audience he had taken some wrong turns in his cyber career, used to work for Microsoft. Cybersecurity had always been a hobby.

“There are a lot of resources on the web,” he said, for those who want to learn.

The Arizona Cyber Warfare Range is a good resource, too, and is an organization that panelist Loresto refers people to when they mention they want to go into cybersecurity.

“We have $100,000 of donated equipment,” said Hernandez of the Metro Phoenix range, which is in Building 66 at the University’s 27^th Avenue location. “… Oh! This is a cool one. We have a POS (point of sale system).”

Those who want to learn can go there to hack into systems or clone security badges, for example, so they can better learn what hackers do and can better learn to fight them. It’s a place for hands-on experience and for something important in cybersecurity – networking.

One person to network with is Hernandez, who is a program coordinator for the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education RAMPS grant. In addition to his volunteer work with the range, he promotes cybersecurity internships and apprenticeships.

College of Science, Engineering and Technology Assistant Dean Heather Monthie asked the panelists each to leave attendees with security advice.

“Be aware of what you click on, beware of what you open,” Manrod said.

Harpley added that, whatever you do, never accept standard security settings on your computer.

McCrea advised audience members to use the administrative privileges they have on their computer and make a new user account that has no privileges.

“My family hates me,” he said with a smile.

Earlier in the talk, Hernandez told the audience to know how to network: “Know how to say hello and continue with the conversation.” He also said to attend cybersecurity meetups and rattled off a host of helpful sites, such as hack.me. Fellow range volunteer Harpley directed attendees to www.swcse.com, which aggregates the cybersecurity events in the state.

Loresto had this one piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid to learn … I assure you, the hackers are using it against you.”

And Manrod emphasized that one important piece in the cybersecurity puzzle these days is talent. “We need more people in the game. We need you. We need intelligent, forward-thinking people to come in, to plug into the range, to go into cybersecurity degree programs.”

He added, “Just because you’re three months from graduating with a degree in something noncyber, that doesn’t mean you can’t play, too. It’s that knowledge development.”

Contact Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu.

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By Jeannette Cruz
GCU News Bureau

An author, a reading teacher and college deans at Grand Canyon University all shared the same stage at Monday at Grand Canyon University Arena to carry on a meaningful conversation about the realms of faith and science.

Dr. Antoinette Farmer-Thompson

Dr. Antoinette Farmer-Thompson, Vice President of Institutional Effectiveness, delivered the first presentation at the conference, on maintaining the value of Christianity while conducting scientific research. 

“How do you create and cultivate Christian research when there are so many questions, complexities and a lot of controversy in the world of bioethics?” she asked the audience. “How does one distinguish Christian research from that of others?”

While it appears that we live in a society where many Christian people are unsure and fearful of where bioethics fits both in the past and present, Farmer-Thompson pointed to various ways that GCU has supported purpose-driven student research.

As an example, she pointed to a group of electrical engineering students who created an electrical wheelchair for a toddler who had cognitive-development challenges. 

“This is how we’re bringing Christian research into the classroom and making a difference,” she said.

Farmer also recognized several on-campus research groups – the Doctoral Community Network and the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching – for their research. She then cited prominent Christian researchers she hoped the audience could learn from, including Joseph Murray, a Christian researcher who performed the first successful human kidney transplant on identical twins.

Ultimately, Farmer-Thompson emphasized that Christians can and should be engaged in science. She urged that, as believers, researchers must have a commitment to maximize the potential benefits of research while minimizing harm.

“It is recommended that we focus on three things,” she added. “Respect for persons, respect for justice and respect for beneficence.”  

Katie Dickey

Next up, Katie Dickey, a former Teach for America educator who was born with distal spinal muscular atrophy, shared her testimony of living with a disability, being a teacher and serving globally.

During her presentation, titled “Ten Perks of Being in a Wheelchair,” Dickey, described how the genetic disease (a product of a recessive trait shared by both of her healthy parents) impacted her family. Dickey is one of three children, and because they were all born with the disease, they have shared the struggle of their personal journeys. An experience that has brought her closer to family, said Dickey.

Having faced many challenges, Dickey said she has learned many valuable lessons.

She spoke about being able to see the absolute best in others: “Sometimes homeless people ask me if I need anything.” 

And seeing the best in herself: “I’ve learned how to fall gracefully and get back up, literally and figuratively. My disability has taught me perseverance.”

Alan Shlemon, author and speaker for Stand to Reason, addressed controversial issues of our time, including abortion, evolution and homosexuality.

Dr. Sherman Elliott

Dr. Sherman Elliott, Dean of GCU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, spoke about increasing active civic engagement to discuss ethical dilemmas in artificial intelligence.

Elliott highlighted how cloning took a meaning many years ago, when, for the first time, a sheep (named Dolly) was cloned from the udder cell of an adult sheep born six years earlier.

He added, “Scientists are rapidly working on the ability to clone us, and the question is, ‘How does that shape the dignity of the human person?’”

“Our civic engagement can help us decide … we, the people, have common ground in which to figure out solutions to these dilemmas. … What a way to be empowered right now.”

Contact Jeannette Cruz at (602) 639-6631 or jeannette.cruz@gcu.edu

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Adesuwa Osayaren, a GCU junior biology major with a premed emphasis, recently was crowned the first Miss Africa Arizona. (Photos by White Deer Studio and Photographer Gladys Marietti)

Story by Lana Sweeten-Shults
GCU News Bureau

Pageants aren’t exactly Adesuwa Osayaren’s bailiwick.

The Grand Canyon University biology major, with a premed emphasis, said, “That’s my sister.”

Her sister, Itohan Osayaren, is Miss Black Nevada 2018.

“The closest thing I’ve ever done was the debutante program back in high school,” said Osayaren, who on Saturday was crowned the first Miss Africa Arizona. The Antelope Gym event was presented by the GK Folks Foundation and hosted by the University’s African Student Association.

Osayaren’s platform is “Cheerfully and Wonderfully Made: Women of Value.”

It was on a whim that Osayaren decided to sign up for the cultural pageant, which offers scholarships to winners. She walked by an African Student Association table, where organization members were handing out fliers about the event.

“I thought, ‘Why not?’ Normally, I’d be, ‘No!’”

While other pageants focus on beauty, this one put the spotlight on cultural heritage. That made a difference to Osayaren, who is a first-generation American.

“Our goal is to help African students here and African refugee students in the United States gain competitive skills to help them advance in life, and we provide a platform to showcase African culture and help them develop skills in the workplace,” GK Folks Foundation Executive Director Gloria Mensah said, adding that the pageant is “more culturally focused and educationally based.”

According to Mensah, competitors must be females of African descent — first- through third-generation — and must range in age from 18-30. They cannot be married or separated, and they must be in good standing with their respective schools and/or organizations.

The cultural scholarship program is offered in Utah, Idaho and, now, Arizona.

Samuel Buadoo, President of GCU’s African Student Association, told “Good Morning Arizona” that the club wanted to bring Miss Africa Arizona to campus because “GCU is a school that supports cultural diversity.”

Osayaren’s family is from Nigeria, and so she represented that country in Miss Africa Arizona, which also featured contestants representing Congo-Brazzaville, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya and Rwanda.

The new Miss Africa Arizona is from Nevada – she decided GCU was the university for her after attending a Discover GCU event – and grew up in a household where “respect is a big thing as well as education and, of course, God.”

She said certain things in her Nigerian culture wouldn’t mean the same thing to others: “Little gestures, like I couldn’t hand something to my mom with my left hand – it’s a sign of disrespect.”

Osayaren, whose father is a pharmacist and mom is in medical billing, had to come up with more than just an evening gown for the competition; she also needed traditional garments from the country she was representing. Her Parade of Nations outfit had to reflect the colors of her country’s flag.

A church member helped her make some of her attire for the traditional outfit. “My mom was super excited for that,” she said.

The Miss Africa Arizona pageant, in addition to traditional pageant elements, incorporates cultural elements, such as the Parade of Nations. Pageant winner Adesuwa Osayaren, a GCU biology major (center), represented Nigeria.

As for her purple evening gown, apropos considering she’s a GCU student, Osayaren said she wore her prom dress.

What likely made the bright and plucky Osayaren stand out was a poem she recited while donning traditional Nigerian clothing, including a vibrant red shirt and patterned yellow skirt:

“If I could go back to my younger years

A couple, two or three,

What would I tell my younger self of who she’s meant to be?

I’d say, Child of Africa,

Open your ears, do not be deceived,

What I’m about to tell you is truth that no one could take from you or me.

I’d say, ‘Know your roots

‘And do not be disgraced.

‘You are more than a color or a pigment or a race.

‘This hair they call nappy, and this skin they call brown,

‘You wear it like a queen, with your afro as your crown.”

The poem emphasized culture, tradition, family, education – all the things she grew up cherishing – and also included cultural empowerment, “When people say you can’t, you say, ‘Listen, I’m Afri-CAN!’”

Osayaren, who wants to become an obstetrician and gynecologist, said part of her duties as Miss Africa Arizona will be to make media appearances and give talks at different schools and events, where she will speak about such topics as being proud of your culture — and yourself.

Her platform is “Cheerfully and Wonderfully Made: Women of Value.”

She wants to speak to girls who struggle with self-image, she said, and tell them, “You don’t have to meet society’s standards.”

She already has been invited to appear at a couple of events this weekend, which she’s squeezing into her busy GCU schedule as a premed student and as an active member of her church, where she’s involved with the Young Adult Single Ministry.

Osayaren said she was most concerned during the competition about how to represent her platform but is ready to help empower young women.

“I still can’t believe I won,” she said.

Contact GCU senior writer Lana Sweeten-Shults at (602) 639-7901 or lana.sweeten-shults@gcu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @LanaSweetenShul.

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