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Center for the study of world religions.

The Center for the Study of World Religions is an academic community for interdisciplinary, international, and interreligious exchange, learning, research, and dialogue. Through conferences, symposia, film series, public lectures, and faculty research projects, it brings the rich intellectual resources of faculty and students across the schools and departments of Harvard University to bear on the forms and issues of the world's religions in today's complex, global, and changing world.

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215 Religion Research Paper Topics for College Students

Studying religion at a college or a university may be a challenging course for any student. This isn’t because religion is always a sensitive issue in society, it is because the study of religion is broad, and crafting religious topics for research papers around them may be further complex for students. This is why sociology of religion research topics and many others are here, all for your use.

As students of a university or a college, it is essential to prepare religious topics for research papers in advance. There are many research paper topics on religion, and this is why the scope of religion remains consistently broad. They extend to the sociology of religion, research paper topics on society, argumentative essay topics, and lots more. All these will be examined in this article. Rather than comb through your books in search of inspiration for your next essay or research paper, you can easily choose a topic for your religious essay or paper from the following recommendations:

World Religion Research Paper Topics

If you want to broaden your scope as a university student to topics across religions of the world, there are religion discussion topics to consider. These topics are not just for discussion in classes, you can craft research around them. Consider:

• The role of myths in shaping the world: Greek myths and their influence on the evolution of European religions
• Modern History: The attitude of modern Europe on the history of their religion
• The connection between religion and science in the medieval and modern world
• The mystery in the books of Dan Brown is nothing but fiction: discuss how mystery shapes religious beliefs
• Theocracy: an examination of theocratic states in contemporary society
• The role of Christianity in the modern world
• The myth surrounding the writing of the Bible
• The concept of religion and patriarchy: examine two religions and how it oppresses women
• People and religion in everyday life: how lifestyle and culture is influenced by religion
• The modern society and the changes in the religious view from the medieval period
• The interdependence of laws and religion is a contemporary thing: what is the role of law in religion and what is the role of religion in law?
• What marked the shift from religion to humanism?
• What do totemism and animalism denote?
• Pre Colonial religion in Africa is savagery and barbaric: discuss
• Cite three religions and express their views on the human soul
• Hinduism influenced Indian culture in ways no religion has: discuss
• Africans are more religious than Europeans who introduced Christian religion to them: discuss
• Account for the evolution of Confucianism and how it shaped Chinese culture to date
• Account for the concept of the history of evolution according to Science and according to a religion and how it influences the ideas of the religious soul
• What is religious education and how can it promote diversity or unity?7
• Workplace and religion: how religion is extended to all facets of life
• The concept of fear in maintaining religious authorities: how authorities in religious places inspire fear for absolute devotion
• Afro-American religion: a study of African religion in America
• The Bible and its role in religions
• Religion is more of emotions than logic
• Choose five religions of the world and study the similarities in their ideas
• The role of religious leaders in combating global terrorism
• Terrorism: the place of religion in promoting violence in the Middle East
• The influence of religion in modern-day politics
• What will the world be like without religion or religious extremists?
• Religion in the growth of communist Russia: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• Religion in the growth of communist China: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• The study of religions and ethnic rivalries in India
• Terrorism in Islam is a comeback to the crusades
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping world diplomacy
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping plurality in Christianity
• The religion and the promotion of economics
• The place of world religions on homosexuality
• Why does a country, the Vatican City, belong to the Catholic Church?
• God and the concept of the supernatural: examine the idea that God is a supernatural being
• The influence of religion in contemporary Japan
• Religion and populism in the modern world
• The difference between mythical creatures and gods
• Polytheism and the possibility of world peace
• Religion and violence in secular societies?
• Warfare and subjugation in the spread of religion
• The policies against migrant in Poland is targeted against Islam
• The role of international organizations in maintaining religious peace
• International terrorist organizations and the decline of order

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

As a student in a university or MBA student, you may be requested to write an informed paper on sociology and religion. There are many sociology religion research paper topics for these segments although they may be hard to develop. You can choose out of the following topics or rephrase them to suit your research interest:

• The influence of religion on the understanding of morality
• The role of religion in marginalizing the LGBTQ community
• The role of women in religion
• Faith crisis in Christianity and Islamic religions
• The role of colonialism in the spreading of religion: the spread of Christianity and Islam is a mortal sin
• How does religion shape our sexual lifestyle?
• The concept of childhood innocence in religion
• Religion as the object of hope for the poor: how religion is used as a tool for servitude by the elite
• The impact of traditional beliefs in today’s secular societies
• How religion promotes society and how it can destroy it
• The knowledge of religion from the eyes of a sociologist
• Religious pluralism in America: how diverse religions struggle to strive
• Social stratification and its role in shaping religious groups in America
• The concept of organized religion: why the belief in God is not enough to join a religious group
• The family has the biggest influence on religious choices: examine how childhood influences the adult’s religious interests
• Islamophobia in European societies and anti-Semitism in America
• The views of Christianity on interfaith marriage
• The views of Islam on interfaith marriage
• The difference between spirituality and religion
• The role of discipline in maintaining strict religious edicts
• How do people tell others about their religion?
• The features of religion in sociology
• What are the views of Karl Marx on religion?
• What are the views of Frederic Engels on religion?
• Modern Islam: the conflict of pluralism and secularism
• Choose two religions and explore their concepts of divorce
• Governance and religion: how religion is also a tool of control
• The changes in religious ideas with technological evolution
• Theology is the study of God for God, not humans
• The most feared religion: how Islamic extremists became identified as terrorist organizations
• The role of cults in the society: why religious people still have cults affiliations
• The concept of religious inequality in the US
• What does religion say about sexual violence?

Religion Essay Topics

As a college student, you may be required to write an essay on religion or morality. You may need to access a lot of religious essay topics to find inspiration for a topic of your choice. Rather than go through the stress of compiling, you can get more information for better performance from religion topics for research paper like:

• The origin of Jihad in Islam and how it has evolved
• Compare the similarities and differences between Christian and Judaism religions
• The Thirty Years War and the Catholic church
• The Holocaust: historic aggression or a religious war
• Religion is a tool of oppression from the political and economic perspectives
• The concept of patriarchy in religion
• Baptism and synonym to ritual sacrifice
• The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology
• The life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the themes of theology
• How can religion be used to promote world peace?
• Analyze how Jesus died and the reason for his death
• Analyze the event of the birth of Christ
• The betrayal of Jesus is merely to fulfill a prophecy
• Does “prophecy” exist anywhere in religion?
• The role of war in promoting religion: how crusades and terrorist attacks shape the modern world
• The concept of Karma: is Karma real?
• Who are the major theorists in religion and what do they say?
• The connection of sociology with religion
• Why must everyone be born again according to Christians?
• What does religious tolerance mean?
• What is the benefit of religion in society?
• What do you understand about free speech and religious tolerance?
• Why did the Church separate from the state?
• The concept of guardian angels in religion
• What do Islam and Christianity say about the end of the world?
• Religion and the purpose of God for man
• The concept of conscience in morality is overrated
• Are there different sects in Christianity?
• What does Islam or Christianity say about suicide?
• What are the reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
• The role of missionaries in propagating Christianity in Africa
• The role of the Catholic church in shaping Christianity
• Do we need an international religious organization to maintain international religious peace?
• Why do people believe in miracles?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

Creating argumentative essay topics on religion may be a daunting exercise regardless of your level. It is more difficult when you don’t know how to start. Your professor could be interested in your critical opinions about international issues bordering on religion, which is why you need to develop sensible topics. You can consider the following research paper topics religion and society for inspiration:

• Religion will dominate humanity: discuss
• All religions of the world dehumanize the woman
• All men are slaves to religion
• Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the return of the repressed, “the sigh of the oppressed creature”: discuss
• Christianity declined in Europe with the Thirty Years War and it separated brothers and sisters of the Christian faith?
• Islamic terrorism is a targeted attack on western culture
• The danger of teen marriage in Islam is more than its benefits
• The church should consider teen marriages for every interested teenager
• Is faith fiction or reality?
• The agape love is restricted to God and God’s love alone
• God: does he exist or is he a fiction dominating the world?
• Prayer works better without medicine: why some churches preach against the use of medicine
• People change religion because they are confused about God: discuss
• The church and the state should be together
• Polygamous marriage is evil and it should be condemned by every religion
• Cloning is abuse against God’s will
• Religious leaders should also be political leaders
• Abortion: a sin against God or control over your body
• Liberty of religious association affects you negatively: discuss
• Religious leaders only care about themselves, not the people
• Everyone should consider agnosticism
• Natural laws are the enemy of religion
• It is good to have more than two faiths in a family
• It is hard for the state to exist without religion
• Religion as a cause of the World War One
• Religion as a tool for capitalists
• Religion doesn’t promote morality, only extremisms
• Marriage: should the people or their religious leaders set the rules?
• Why the modern church should acknowledge the LGBTQ: the fight for true liberalism
• Mere coexistence is not religious tolerance
• The use of candles, incense, etc. in Catholic worship is idolatrous and the same as pagan worship: discuss
• The Christian religion is the same as Islam

Christianity Research Paper Topics on Religion

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not as you need to develop a range of topics for your essay or project. To create narrow yet all-inclusive research about Christianity in the world today, you can consider research topics online. Rather than rack your head or go through different pages on the internet, consider these:

• Compare and contrast Christian and Islam religions
• Trace the origin of Christianity and the similarity of the beliefs in the contemporary world
• Account for the violent spread of Christianity during the crusades
• Account for the state of Christianity in secular societies
• The analysis of the knowledge of rapture in Christianity
• Choose three contemporary issues and write the response of Christianity on them
• The Catholic church and its role towards the continuance of sexual violence
• The Catholic church and the issues of sexual abuse and scandals
• The history of Christianity in America
• The history of Christianity in Europe
• The impact of Christianity on American slaves
• The belief of Christianity on death, dying, and rapture
• The study of Christianity in the medieval period
• How Christianity influenced the western world
• Christianity: the symbols and their meaning
• Why catholic priests practice celibacy
• Christianity in the Reformation Era
• Discuss the Gnostic Gospels and their distinct historic influence on Christianity
• The catholic church in the Third Reich of Germany
• The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament
• What the ten commandments say from a theological perspective
• The unpredictable story of Moses
• The revival of Saul to Paul: miracle or what?
• Are there Christian cults in the contemporary world?
• Gender differences in the Christian church: why some churches don’t allow women pastors
• The politics of the Catholic church before the separation of the church and the state
• The controversies around Christian religion and atheism: why many people are leaving the church
• What is the Holy Trinity and what is its role in the church?
• The miracles of the New Testament and its difference from the Old Testament’s
• Why do people question the existence of God?
• God is a spirit: discuss

Islam Research Paper Topics

As a student of the Islamic religion or a Muslim, you may be interested in research on the religion. Numerous Islam research paper topics could be critical in shaping your research paper or essay. These are easy yet profound research paper topics on religion Islam for your essays or papers:

• Islam in the Middle East
• Trace the origin of Islam
• Who are the most important prophets in Islam?
• Discuss the Sunni and other groups of Muslims
• The Five Pillars of Islam are said to be important in Islam, why?
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Month
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Pilgrimage
• The distinctions of the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments?
• The controversies around the hijab and the veil
• Western states are denying Muslims: why?
• The role of religious leaders in their advocacy of sexual abuse and violence
• What the Quran says about rape and what does Hadiths say, too?
• Rape: men, not the women roaming the street should be blamed
• What is radicalism in Islam?
• The focus of Islam is to oppress women: discuss
• The political, social, and economic influence of modernity on Islam
• The notable wives of prophet Muhammad and their role in Islam: discuss
• Trace the evolution of Islam in China and the efforts of the government against them
• Religious conflict in Palestine and Israel: how a territorial conflict slowly became a religious war
• The study of social class and the Islamic religion
• Suicide bombers and their belief of honor in death: the beliefs of Islamic jihadists
• Account for the issues of marginalization of women in Muslim marriages
• The role of literature in promoting the fundamentals of Islam: how poetry was used to appeal to a wider audience
• The concept of feminism in Islam and why patriarchy seems to be on a steady rise
• The importance of Hadiths in the comprehension of the Islamic religion
• Does Islam approve of democracy?
• Islamic terrorism and the role of religious leaders
• The relationship of faith in Islam and Christianity: are there differences in the perspectives of faith?
• How the Quran can be used as a tool for religious tolerance and religious intolerance
• The study of Muslims in France: why is there religious isolation and abuse in such a society?
• Islam and western education: what are the issues that have become relevant in recent years?
• Is there a relationship between Islam and Science?
• Western culture: why there are stereotypes against Muslims abroad
• Mythology in Islam: what role does it play in shaping the religion?
• Islam and the belief in the afterlife: are there differences between its beliefs with other religions’?
• Why women are not allowed to take sermons in Islam

Can’t Figure Out Your Religion Paper?

With these religious research paper topics, you’re open to change the words or choose a topic of your choice for your research paper or essay. Writing an essay after finding a topic is relatively easy. Since you have helpful world religion research paper topics, research paper topics on religion and society, religion essay topics, argumentative essay topics on religion, Christianity research paper topics, and Islam research paper topics, you can go online to research different books that discuss the topic of your choice.

However, if you require the assistance of professional academic experts who offer custom academic help, you’ll find them online. There are a few writing help online groups that assist in writing your essays or research paper as fast as possible. You can opt for their service if you’re too busy or unmotivated to write your research paper or essay.

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Activities for the 5 Major World Religions

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Why Teach About the 5 Major World Religions?

One of my favorite social studies topics to teach about is the 5 major world religions. My students also love learning around this topic! Whether they research a world religion that they already knew something about or are learning about a religion that they are not familiar with, they always find information that is interesting to them.

The study of religion has been around for thousands of years . It is an important part of many people’s lives, and understanding different religious beliefs can help us better understand each other . It’s so important that our students see their own cultures represented in our learning . As well as this, it helps our students to develop empathy towards people in their communities that may come from different backgrounds than their own.

What are the 5 Major World Religions?

Here’s a quick run-down on the 5 major religions and just a snippet of information to get you started.

• Judaism, the religion of Jewish people, was founded by Abraham. Their Holy Book is the Torah.
• For Christians, their religion is Christianity. They believe that Jesus was the son of God and their Holy Book is the Bible.
• For Muslims, their religion is Islam. The founder of the religion was Muhammed and their Holy Book is the Koran.
• Hinduism is a religion followed by Hindus. They follow the Four Vedas and it is a polytheistic religion, which means they believe in more than one god.
• For Buddhists, they follow the religion of Buddhism. They follow the teachings of Buddha.

Each of these religions has its own set of beliefs, values, and traditions. They also share some common beliefs and practices. 

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Teaching About 5 Major World Religions Beliefs, History, and Practices

So, how do I differentiate the task to ensure that all students can access the material? Here I will tell you about a Social Studies task that I give my students and how I adapt it to their needs. You may like to incorporate these lessons into learning about different cultures as well as religions. I created a chart for students to fill-in as they learn about the different religions. There’s different ways you can incorporate this in your class. 

You can assign the religions to students and have them conduct research on one or more of the 5 major world religions. If a student has a particular interest in a religion, you might like to let them choose.

Another option would be for your class to complete the chart together.

You might also like to have students share the information they have found either in pairs, small groups or as a presentation to the class. Depending on your students’ individual needs, they may need more scaffolding with support to find information either via the internet, your class textbook, or notes. You can get a copy of the 5 major world religions chart here . I also created a completed chart as reference for teachers and to check students’ answers.

5 Major World Religions Mini-Book Project

Personally, I’m a big fan of project based learning. This style of teaching lends itself so well to differentiating lessons so that all students can access the material and experience success in our classroom.

When I design lessons around project based learning, it’s essential that I consider the end goal. Where do I want my students to be by the end of this period of learning? What do I want them to produce?

When I plan my lessons, I consider in what ways materials can be easily adapted for my English Language Learners, special education students, and students who need extra support. I have students create a mini-book on one of the 5 major world religions. I scaffold the project by giving my students a checklist to work through to make sure that they know what information needs to be included.

Students include important information like the founder of the religion, popular religious holidays, where in the world it is commonly practiced , and more!

If you are interested in using my 5 World Religions chart and mini-book , you can find these activities here .

I would love to hear from you. How did this learning go in your classroom? How did your students respond to the task? Feel free to reach out to me on my social media or email.

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The Best 50 Religion Research Topics to Use for Students

In our multi-religious and multicultural society, crafting a great research paper on religion is a challenging task. Indeed, this challenge starts from the first stage of preparing your paper: identifying a good religious research paper topic. Further, it is almost impossible to write a paper without offending one or more religious feelings, especially when working on the history of religion. To make writing your paper easy, you must start by picking good religious paper topics.

In this paper, we list 50 religion research paper topics and a guide for selecting the best. If you want to get good grades, start with the right step- the best topic.

Why You Need the Best Religion Research Paper Topics

When working on any research paper, the most important step is identifying the topic. Indeed, the topic determines the direction you will take with the paper. Here are other benefits of selecting the best topics for a religious research paper.

• It allows you to work on the preferred area of interest.
• With a good topic, you do not get bored midway.
• A great topic offers you the opportunity to fill knowledge gaps in the field of religious studies.
• It is your opportunity to make your contribution felt.
• Picking the best topics is the first step to better grades.

How to Pick the Best Topics for a Religious Research Paper

Now that you know the benefits of selecting the best topics for your religious papers, you might be wondering, “How do I pick it?” Here are some useful tips to help you identify the best:

• Brainstorm your religious study subject. This will help you to get the best ideas to work on.
• Comprehensively research your area of interest. For example, you might be interested in the history of religion, church and social action, creationism, or modernism and religion.
• Look at the latest happenings. Things such as religious involvement in economics and education might inspire your paper ideas.
• Follow your teacher’s recommendation. Often, professors give guidelines to students on the areas they should work on. For example, if you were covering a certain area in your religious education studies class; your teacher might ask you to pick topics from that section only. But in most cases, teachers leave the topics open for students to select on their own.
• Read other research on religious studies. Most researchers point at gaps that exist in the niche so that later students can work on them. This is a great place to commence your research paper.

The Best Religious Topics for a Research Paper

Whether you prefer working on religious controversial topics or philosophy of religion essay topics, we have listed the best 50 ideas to get you started. Check them and pick them as they are or tweak them to fit your preferred format.

• Christian and economics.
• Religion and homosexuality.
• Black churches.
• Christianity history.
• Comparing and contrasting Christian and Islam history.
• A closer look at world religions without gods.
• The concept of religion and soul.
• The impact of religious laws on morality.
• The phenomenon of trickster gods.
• The impact of Greek religion on European culture.
• Impact of religion on American culture.
• Impact of religion on Chinese culture.
• Comparing the similarities of images of gods in different religions.
• How does gender affect religion?
• Islam in modern India.
• What is the future of religion?
• Afterlife: What are the differences in diverse religions?
• What are the main causes of the faith crisis?
• Analyzing the influence of female clergy on religion.
• Relooking at the reincarnation concept.
• What role do men have in religion?
• The impacts of yoga on religion.
• Can faith remove the harshness of adolescence?
• Why is Ramadhan referred to as the holy month?
• Comparing religious counselors to classical psychologists.
• A closer look at the main differences between the bible and Koran.
• What is the importance of Christmas for Christians?
• Creationism.
• Religion and science.
• How do people implement different religious practices today?
• Should atheism be considered another form of religion?
• Judaism: A closer look at its history.
• Analyzing attitudes towards sex in the Christian religion.
• Children: Are they considered innocent in all religions?
• A closer look at the history of Hinduism.
• A closer look at the existence of God as a supernatural being.
• Comparing and contrasting monotheistic cultures.
• Female goddesses.
• Chaplain-ship: How does it trigger peace and harmony?
• Impact of women in the history of Christianity.
• What are the implications of forced religion on people?
• Religion and terrorism.
• Religion in the workplace.
• Religion and evolution.
• Nordic mythology.
• A world without religion: Is it possible?
• Applying religion to address global problems.
• The primal religions.
• Do you think religion should play a role in modern politics?
• Do you think religion influences societal virtues?

Got the Best Religion Topics to Write About – What Next?

Now that you have a list of the best world religion research paper topics, it is important to appreciate that the journey of writing your assignment has just started. The next step is to write down your paper in line with your teacher’s guidelines. This is where your writing skills come into play. Well, it is never easy for many students. Often, some lack good writing skills, have other engagements, or acquire the right resources is a challenge. For others, the deadline is too tight and almost impossible to beat. The best idea is to seek affordable college assignment writing help.

After selecting the best topics, be they sociology or religion research topics or religious debate topics, writing help is provided by experts with years of experience in academic writing. They have handled such papers before and are willing to help you craft the best paper for top grades. Well, do not let that religious research paper stress you anymore, let a professional help you!

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Inauguration 2024 Research on Tap Celebrates BU’s Power to Bring Scholars Together to Better Our World

Event showcased some of bu’s star researchers, celebrating how they cross and blur disciplinary boundaries in the pursuit of change.

At the Inauguration 2024 Research on Tap event, 12 of BU’s leading researchers gave quick-fire talks about their work and its potential impact on the world.

Andrew Thurston

Cydney scott.

From preventing pandemics to taking down cancer cells to making global economic policies more sustainable, Boston University researchers shared a glimpse into their work and how they are changing the world for the better at Wednesday’s Inauguration 2024 Research on Tap event. 

Part of the weeklong celebration marking this Friday’s formal installation of Melissa L. Gilliam as BU’s 11th president, the event at the Center for Computing & Data Sciences was billed as “a high-level showcase of BU’s research,” with some of the University’s leading experts discussing “how their work is making change.” Among the dozen presenters: a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” winner, a former White House advisor, a National Academy of Inventors Fellow, an expert advisor to the Brazilian presidency of the G20, and an American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellow. 

“I think the set of speakers that we have today really demonstrates the unique power that a place like Boston University has to bring together top researchers across so many different fields,” Gloria Waters, University provost and chief academic officer, said in her opening remarks. “Our researchers are really united by their curiosity, their drive to discover new knowledge, and also their real goal—to advance ideas to foster a better world. They’re all leaders in their respective fields, and they’re also incredible teachers and leaders in the classroom.”

As a major research institution, BU produces a wealth of knowledge, findings, and translational solutions. According to the University’s research office, BU researchers produced 7,697 publications last year, an average of almost 150 per week, while there are more than 200 companies developing and selling products based on their discoveries. (Read about some of the latest BU breakthroughs and accomplishments on The Brink .) The long-running Research on Tap series provides a glimpse into that impressive output, featuring lightning talks by BU researchers, typically on a specific topic or question; each expert is given just four minutes (with a bell keeping everyone on track) and a handful of slides to dive into their work.

One of the central themes of the inauguration event was how much time BU researchers spend collaborating outside of their academic fields in pursuit of innovative ideas and approaches, blurring and breaking traditional disciplinary confines by working with colleagues from across BU—and beyond. It’s what Waters called “convergent research.” The Center for Computing & Data Sciences, built to make and amplify connections between a diverse array of fields—and designed to resemble a stack of books—provided a fitting setting for the event, with spectacular views of the Charles River and downtown Boston.

“All of the speakers are developing goals, ideas, and solutions that really transcend disciplinary boundaries,” said Waters, who previously led BU’s research enterprise. “And they are all topics that really do compel society to [make] some important changes [that really] make a difference in people’s lives. It demonstrates why a place like Boston University is among the world’s best universities and an engine for the production of new knowledge.”

From Single Cells to Global Projects

As the speakers jumped into their presentations, they introduced questions, problems, ideas, and solutions that went from the microscopic—like Xue Han , a College of Engineering professor of biomedical engineering, who talked about measuring cellular voltage to improve the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders—to the global, such as Nahid Bhadelia , a Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine associate professor of medicine, who shared a forthcoming AI-infused project that aims to report disease outbreaks to help detect, prevent, and respond to potential global pandemics.

The first speaker was Pamela Templer , a College of Arts & Sciences Distinguished Professor and chair of biology. An expert on environmental change, whose research has focused on how climate change and urbanization have impacted forests’ carbon cycles, Templer talked about how her work converged across multiple BU research pillars , including computing and data sciences, livable and resilient cities, social inequity, and global sustainability.

“I really believe it’s the collaborative nature of our environment at BU that allows us to do convergent work, whether it’s answering fundamental questions or society development questions,” said Templer, who directs the BU Graduate Program in Urban Biogeoscience and Environmental Health (BU URBAN) . “To me, what’s most exciting is we get to prepare our students for the workforce and to be leaders on their own.”

Other speakers also showed how their research and advocacy were contributing to the fight against climate change, as well as pulling in experts from different disciplines: Chris Wells , a College of Communication associate professor of emerging media studies, talked about communicating climate research and fighting misinformation; Lucy Hutyra , a CAS Distinguished Professor and chair of Earth and environment, talked about the structure of cities and urban heat exposure; and Kevin Gallagher , a Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies professor of global development policy, talked about the economic and policy implications of climate change.

Deborah Carr , a CAS Distinguished Professor of sociology and expert on aging, lightheartedly admitted climate research hadn’t even been on her radar until she met Ian Sue Wing , a CAS professor of Earth and environment.

“Some of you might not put population aging and climate change together,” Carr said. “In fact, I wouldn’t have done that two years ago as a sociologist of aging, but through the [BU] Center for Innovation in Social Science, I met Ian Sue Wing…and we put our heads together to think about, is there a project here?” There was, and together they produced a study on the intersection of rising temperatures and an aging population .

Finding Connections

As the presenters quickly took attendees—including Gilliam—through their work, other areas of convergence and connection sprang up: Mark Grinstaff , a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor with appointments in biomedical engineering, chemistry, and medicine, spotlighted a collaboration with the BU National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories (NEIDL). In his talk, he lauded a recent project that used modified self-amplifying RNA to improve the potency of vaccines .

Engineering better healthcare and therapies is a particular strength of BU—and other presenters also revealed how they were improving techniques for studying human health or pursuing creative new treatment approaches. 

Ahmad “Mo” Khalil , an ENG professor of biomedical engineering, talked about BU’s history in synthetic biology and how his team was applying modern techniques “across the tree of life,” from programming bacteria to develop new therapies to modifying human cells to fight challenging cancers. Christopher Chen , a William Fairfield Warren Distinguished Professor and an ENG professor of materials science and engineering and of biomedical engineering, gave a glimpse into his work to engineer human tissue, focusing on the array of experts contributing to a project to build small patches of cardiac tissue that could one day help cure heart attacks .

From something happening just in his lab, it “became a project that involved about 20 or so investigators across multiple institutions and disciplines, ranging from engineering biology to medicine,” said Chen. With National Science Foundation funding, his team “expanded our goal from just an engineering research project to one that also tries to build a community, where we’re including people, like kids and teachers, building exhibits at the museum, involving industry partners.”

Yannis Paschalidis , an ENG Distinguished Professor of engineering, also talked about projects that pulled in specialists from across disciplines. One focus of his presentation was his work in artificial intelligence (AI), notably his partnerships with researchers and clinicians on BU’s Medical Campus. With his team at the Rafik B. Hariri Institute for Computing and Computational Science & Engineering, Paschalidis has helped drive studies testing the ability of AI to predict pregnancy outcomes, anticipate dementia , improve hypertension treatment , and detect stroke.

AI is also helping inform the research of Naomi Caselli , a Wheelock College of Education & Human Development associate professor of deaf education and director of the BU AI and Education Initiative. She spoke about how sign language has traditionally been excluded from language research and how her team is studying ways of using technology and data science to improve understanding of sign language.

“We’re taking a convergent approach and working across campus with all these different departments to try and elevate sign languages to their rightful place in the landscape of language research,” said Caselli.

After the 12 quick-fire presentations—which all hit their timing mark, with one presenter even joking they won the prize for finishing ahead of the bell—Waters wrapped up the event, saying it’s “a really nice sense of the amazing work that is happening here, as well as the breadth of work that our faculty are working on and just the collaborations that are happening all across the University.”

Future Research on Tap events, which are open to faculty, staff, postdocs, and graduate students, include Health Inequity Meets Health Economics on October 29 and Women’s Health and Cultivating a Research Community at BU on November 6. 

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World Religions Research Project

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Description.

This World Religions resource contains everything you need for your students to complete amazing research project presentations!

The directions are worded so that the final presentations can be completed as PowerPoints or posters depending on student preference or your computer access. The download also includes all of the following:

• A 4 page directions sheet with simple instructions on the requirements, steps to complete the project, suggested internet sources, a rubric, checklist, and example.
• A PowerPoint template that students can use to base their presentations on with titles, formatting, and suggested text already included!
• Two student samples on Hinduism and Islam that can help students visualize what their presentations should look like.
• Several review sheets on the 5 major religions that students can complete after viewing each presentation.
• An editable Google Docs version of the project instructions.

This is really a great project for students that provides just enough support to guide them in the right direction but allowing them to take ownership of the project and invest in their learning!

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The New Psychedelic Counterculture  is a multisite ethnography of emerging religious communities that center psychedelic substances in their beliefs and practices. Psychedelics have been used in religious contexts for thousands of years, but just as the first wave of psychedelic research did in the 1950s and 1960s, the present-day psychedelic renaissance is spurring the formation of new psychedelic religions. Often operating underground, these communities constitute an important new body of inquiry for the study of psychedelics and for the study of religion more broadly.

This research seeks to understand the ways in which psychedelic use is both informing, and reforming, religion in North America. The project engages diverse psychedelic communities through fieldwork, in-depth interviews, and digital ethnography. The questions that animate this work include: What are the ritual practices of novel psychedelic churches? What beliefs and theologies undergird these spiritualities, and how do psychedelic substances shape these beliefs? How are psychedelic churches forming communities, and how are these spiritual communities informing members’ daily lives? What safety and community care practices are these groups using? In what ways are these emerging traditions connected to, and divergent from, historical religious traditions and alternative spiritualities?

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The power of pollination: University of York researcher brings the world of bees to life

Posted on 26 September 2024

A University of York researcher is helping to bring the world of bees to life in a landmark show at the World Museum in Liverpool.

Digital meadows

Visitors embark on a journey through the exhibition, following a path through spaces inspired and shaped by the architecture of the beehive. Audiences can engage with bees through a live stream directly into the heart of a living colony. Using sounds and scents, visitors follow a trail from trees to digital wildflower meadows, highlighting the critical importance of bees as pollinators in the natural world.

Bees: A Story of Survival brings to life what it is like to see and hear like a bee. The exhibition imagines and dramatically highlights the devastating impact of a world without these fascinating and essential creatures.

Earth's sentinels

Artist Wolfgang Buttress explained: “Bees can be seen as sentinels of the earth. They have been around for over 120 million years and are exquisitely tuned to the environment. Their health and wellbeing mirror the health of the Earth and they are dying in unprecedented numbers.  Their existential challenges reflect our own – they die and suffer, we die and suffer.

“This exhibition was imagined to be like no other. The intention was to create an emotionally engaging and sensory stimulating experience to express the wonder and diversity of bees. I want the audience to feel empathy as well as an understanding and appreciation of these incredible creatures. If we love and respect bees a little bit more after seeing this exhibition, then we may well make the Earth a better place for them and us to live in.”

Multi-sensory experiences

The technology in the exhibition pushes boundaries. Wolfgang Buttress added: “I was keen to make sure that the technology that we have used is non-intrusive, quiet and robust. There is a plethora of cutting-edge equipment involved in this exhibition, including LCD and laser projectors, LED programmable lighting, bone conductors, vibrating plates and scent diffusers, all with the aim of creating a multi-sensory experience for visitors.”

An exhibition highlight is Symphony, a space where visitors can be part of a responsive artwork and soundscape. Featuring sounds from over 40,000 bees, movement is captured live in the space and expressed as ‘light’ shadows resembling stardust or pollen.

Interpreting research

World Museum’s extensive entomology collection and specialist curators have played a key role in the development of Bees: A Story of Survival. 

With over 30,000 specimens of bees – including the UK’s rarest bee,   Osmia xanthomelana , found only on a single site in North Wales – the museum’s natural history collections are used to support national and international research on the impact of environmental change on plant and animal populations.

Understanding science

Anne Fahy, head of World Museum, said: “An artwork and a science exhibition, Bees: A Story of Survival will push the boundaries of museum interpretation, educating and fascinating through a unique experience, and helping visitors to understand what we all can do to protect these intricate and resilient creatures. We were so happy to include Dr Wilson’s 3D models in this, they are a key way for us to help new audiences understand the science behind the power of pollination. Bringing art and science together can be an amazing way  to highlight the impact of human behaviour on the Earth and create lasting positive change.”

The 3D Pollen Project   is spearheaded by Dr Wilson at the University of York. The project aims to scan and print the world's pollen in 3D, and then share the outputs for outreach, education & research. It is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. 

Further information:

Bees: A Story of Survival   runs at World Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool, until Saturday 5 May 2025.  

The 3D Pollen Project   is led by Dr Oliver Wilson at the University of York. The project aims to scan and print the world's pollen in 3D, and then share the outputs for outreach, education & research. It is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. 

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