Learning by study and by faith1 has long been a hallmark of a BYU education. Dr. Ryan Cordner and Dr. Tim Jenkins lead out in this cause as two of the recipients of the Spiritually Strengthening Award from the College of Life Sciences. Each semester, students nominate professors who spiritually enrich their academic courses in meaningful ways. Award recipients are given a traveling trophy filled to the brim with BYU truffles and engraved with the names of each recipient.
Dr. Ryan Cordner
Dr. Ryan Cordner, associate professor of microbiology and molecular biology, received this award in fall 2022. Cordner teaches a variety of courses, including hematology, pathophysiology, clinical chemistry, and molecular diagnostics. His emphasis on faith and science has had a positive impact on many of his students. “Dr. Cordner includes a powerful thought about the gospel in each of his lectures,” says a student who nominated Cordner. “He looks for the Savior in the material we are learning about. Many times, his thoughts have been just what I needed to hear.”
In one of his lectures, Cordner taught his students about the anemia that occurs as a result of extreme blood loss and explained that this was likely what the Savior experienced when He suffered for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane. “I feel that the most important thing that I can point out to the students is that the scientific principles they are learning about in class can also teach them important principles about our Savior,” Cordner says. “Some of my greatest joys in teaching come from pointing the students toward Christ as we study and learn together.”
In a Faith and Science seminar hosted by the college, Cordner shared the importance of helping others even when it seems like our efforts might be small or insignificant. “Sometimes we get too focused on seeing the outcomes,” Cordner explains. “Do we have to see the outcome of the good we do for it to be worth our time? We shouldn’t stop helping simply because we can’t fix everything; even the smallest kindness is worth our time.”
Cordner’s ability to weave the gospel into his lectures has deeply resonated with his students and helped increase their faith. One student shares, “I am grateful for Dr. Cordner’s willingness and desire to share his testimony often and remind us of the Savior’s love for us. Cordner has made an impact on my experience and learning as a student here at BYU, and it’s something I will never forget.”
Dr. Tim Jenkins
Dr. Tim Jenkins, associate professor of cell biology and physiology, was chosen as the recipient of the Spiritually Strengthening Award in winter 2023. His students have benefitted significantly from his spiritual insights. One student nominator says, “He gave the most spirit-filled testimony of God’s power as the Creator that I have ever heard in any STEM classroom. He was honest about his belief in current scientific evidence and what it points toward, which was intellectually inspiring to me. He also humbly acknowledged the position of the scientist: a vessel seeking to understand and discover truth.”
Jenkins wants all his students to know that “all things denote there is a God,”2 which he emphasized in his presentation for the Faith and Science seminar. Jenkins believes that discussions of science and religion too often relegate God to current gaps in our understanding, which makes it seem like He is only present in the mysterious aspects of life. “If you force God to be mysterious in your life, you’re missing opportunities to see His hand in your life,” Jenkins explains. “If you believe, one, that God set things in order correctly in the natural world and, two, that science is a means by which you can explore and learn about natural things in the world, then you should constantly see things that are both scientifically verifiable and sourced from the Divine.”
Both in the lab and in the classroom, Jenkins has a Christ-centered approach. He works with a large number of students in his lab, researching the utility of DNA methylation as a diagnostic tool for various complex diseases including cancer, Alzheimer’s, and infertility. He also teaches several courses, including biology and epigenetics.
BYU professors in the College of Life Sciences have a unique opportunity to help students make connections that tie scientific study back to the gospel, allowing them to see God’s hand in every aspect of life. Cordner and Jenkins are incredible examples of this, and their gospel-incorporated teaching efforts help students understand the interdependence of science and faith in a way that strengthens the students’ testimonies and knowledge. The recognition Cordner and Jenkins have received as recipients of the Spiritually Strengthening Award is well deserved.
2. Alma 30:44