Honors Program Hosts Evening With Dr. James Tour

November 30, 2021

By Paul Nesselroade

In November, several Asbury University Honors Program students were privileged to spend an evening with world-renowned scientist, Dr. James Tour. Dr. Tour, named in “The 50 Most Influential Scientists in the World Today” by TheBestSchools.org in 2019, is the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry and Professor of Materials Science & NanoEngineering at Rice University.

Having spoken earlier in the day to the entire campus in chapel, Dr. Tour (pictured at center front) spent his evening mealtime with a selection of our AUHP students where he reviewed some of his work on the synthesis, unique properties, and unbelievably exciting applications of graphene.

Dr. Tour and our AUHP students were joined by Asbury alumni Dr. Walt ’63 and Rowena ’63 Shaw (prestigious alums and founders of Avanti Polar Lipids) who, along with Dr. Tour, shared their story of God’s intervening blessings upon their lives and professional endeavors, reinforcing what mighty things God will do in the lives of faithful young disciples. After the presentation and a period of interacting with student questions, Dr. Tour echoed his challenge from the earlier chapel service and implored the students to set aside time each and every day to read and meditate on God’s word and to seek to honor Him in all that they do. “Before you stands a choice,” Dr. Tour declared, “between life and death; please choose life!”

What a privilege it was for our AUHP students to be given access to this distinguished scientist, thinker, and Jesus follower. And how kind it was for Dr. Tour, a person who routinely commands huge audiences, to give so generously of his time and attention to our students!

For more information about events related to the Asbury University Honors Program, see an interview here with Dr. Chris Bounds regarding his inaugural Human Dignity Lecture, or here with Dr. Devin Brown reflecting on the recently released film about C.S. Lewis’ conversion to Christianity, The Most Reluctant Convert. Watch for more content as AUHP events continue to happen. The honors program is just getting started!