Biola University

The Stable Marriage Problem is an algorithm used to match people in practical situations such as roommate pairings.

Nine Biola University students in the School of Fine Arts and Communication were selected to present their research at the 2024 National Communication Association Annual Meeting conference in New Orleans November 20-24, 2024.

Biola University students in the Stewart Science Honors Program participated in a summer internship to complete research projects with Biola faculty.

Biola University's new Stewart Science Honors Program welcomes twelve students into its inaugural class. Following the opening of Biola's $63 million Alton and Lydia Lim Center for Science, Technology and Health earlier this year, the program offers a cohort of 12 advanced science, technology and health students a unique opportunity to pursue a rigorous course of academic study coupled with focused undergraduate research and internship opportunities. "The rapidly developing fields of science, technology, and health demand a new level of academic rigor, a focus on original, innovative technology-driven research, and an interdisciplinary approach to solving science's most pressing problems," said Behzad Varamini, associate professor of biological sciences and director of the Stewart Science Honors Program. Named after Biola co-founder Lyman Stewart, the Stewart Science Honors Program seeks to provide students with an excellent science education grounded in a deeper understanding of a Christian worldview and how faith and science align. "The Stewart Science Honors Program aims to provide students with an opportunity to be exceptionally prepared for their post-graduate careers as insightful leaders in the sciences," said Varamini. Stewart Science Honors Program provides students with additional specialty coursework in computer programming, data analysis, the philosophy of science, and scientific communication to complement their general education courses. The Stewart Science Honors Program is a highly selective program, open to 12 incoming undergraduates each fall. Students are selected based on GPA, test scores and an application with essay questions. The inaugural cohort in fall 2018 had a high school average GPA of 4.0 and average SAT score of 1439 (ranking in the 95th to 98th percentile nationally). The Lim Center, which is now the home for Biola's School of Science, Technology and Health serves 1,112 students and provides state-of- the-art equipment and collaborative spaces for research, learning and community. Biola graduates advance to top medical school and graduate programs across the country, such as UCLA, USC, Dartmouth, University of Chicago, Georgetown, Yale, Harvard and MIT. In addition, Biola graduates demonstrate excellence in their careers post-graduation and work in well-known organizations such as City of Hope, Children's Hospital of Orange County, Apple, Amazon, and NASA.

The National Communication Association [NCA] invited 11 Biola University students to present at its 104th Annual Convention: "Communication at Play." NCA is the largest professional organization for scholars in communication. Students from Biola in addition to several faculty members had work accepted into the convention, which was held in Salt Lake City, Utah in early November. "Often graduate students as well as doctoral and post-doc students are selected for the conference as a way to build their curriculum vitaes, but to have undergraduate students chosen is quite rare," said Joy Qualls, chair of the communication studies department. "To have 11 students chosen (8 individual papers and a 3 person paper panel) is nearly record breaking. Certainly this is the largest group from Biola to present and we could not be more proud." To be selected, students need to apply and submit work. Submissions are evaluated by pre-selected evaluators. Having work accepted means that at least 2 of 3 reviewers gave high points. "The rate of acceptance for undergraduate papers into the convention is particularly low, and the acceptance of eleven students from a single school is virtually unheard of," said student Hannah Williamson, a communications major and one of the students selected to present. Biola's Department of Communication Studies aims to produce committed Christian graduates who are trained in the theory and practice of communicative arts and are masters at constructing and delivering ethically written and globally relevant oral messages, using all forms of popular and religious media.

A select number of Biola University students were selected among top-notch students from more than 80 colleges seeking careers in business and leadership to attend Praxis Academy. The five-day academy to foster entrepreneurial skills in the next generation of business leaders was hosted by Biola University's Crowell School of Business July 30 to August 3. Participants selected through an application process came from different parts of the world, including students from eight Latin American countries and 35 students from Biola. Participants represented more than 80 diverse major fields of study, such as agriculture and religious studies. Biola had its largest class ever attend Praxis this year, in addition to a cohort of 12 students from Latin America. Praxis places an emphasis on designing an engaging learning experience that is both inspiring and action-oriented. They do this through workshops, keynotes, and breakouts where students can learn from those with experience.