Dr. Kim Shorter is a Full Professor of Biology at University of South Carolina Upstate. Her research focuses on epigenetics and neuroscience, and she recently received a National Institutes of Health grant of $517,000 supporting her work. She shares about her battle with depression and anxiety during a difficult postdoctoral appointment and answers college student Ashley Davis’ question, ‘How do you show grace in the classroom when discussing science and faith?’

Some of Shane’s highlights:

• Growing up in church but not truly knowing Christ
• The sermon on Jesus’ crucifixion that changed everything
• Head knowledge vs. heart knowledge of God
• What Kim most appreciates about Jesus today
• Romans 8:28 and seeing God's hand in difficult seasons
• Science, epigenetics, and viewing research through a biblical lens
• Encouragement for Christian professors to be bold
• Advice for students: ask questions and don't fear failure

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV
• EveryStudent.com – https://www.everystudent.com/

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

Support Shane Hartley's ministry with Meet The Prof through Cru online: ⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠

Dr. Robert Kaita is Senior Physicist Emeritus at the Plasma Physics Laboratory at Princeton University, where he conducted nuclear fusion energy research for nearly four decades. In this episode, he discusses mentoring graduate students, integrating Christian faith naturally within academia, helping introverted professors engage spiritually with students, and approaching retirement as a new calling from God.

Read more about Robert Kaita online:
Meet The Prof Profile for Robert Kaita

Main Takeaways

• The university should teach students how to think critically, not simply memorize information.
• Mentoring relationships often create the best opportunities for spiritual conversations.
• Many professors are introverts and need relational encouragement to engage spiritually with students.
• Faith integration works best when it flows naturally from the discipline itself.
• Students are often impacted as much by humility and character as by arguments.
• Christian faculty can partner with campus ministries to become more accessible to students.
• Witnessing is more about faithfulness than winning debates.
• Retirement can become a new season of calling rather than a loss of identity.
• Great mentoring often means helping students eventually surpass you.

CHAPTERS

00:13 — Introduction to Meet The Prof and Dr. Robert Kaita
01:06 — The true purpose of the university and critical thinking
02:23 — How mentoring relationships create opportunities for faith conversations
04:15 — Why many professors are introverts and struggle relationally
06:04 — How Christian professors can share faith naturally instead of forcing boldness
07:39 — Integrating faith into teaching without making it feel artificial
09:57 — Finding identity in Christ instead of feeling obligated to perform spiritually
11:29 — A colleague searching for meaning and a student praising God in his thesis
13:02 — Why traditional evangelism approaches feel unnatural for some introverted faculty
14:03 — Finding creative bridges between shared interests and faith conversations
15:16 — Why Bob says he “needs science to be a Christian”
17:12 — Practical ways professors can make themselves spiritually accessible to students
19:48 — The importance of professors speaking at campus ministry gatherings
20:12 — A hostile student interaction that eventually led another student to Christ
22:01 — Why witnessing matters more than winning debates
23:50 — Retirement as a calling and rediscovering your first love
25:12 — The joy of seeing former students surpass you
26:01 — Identity beyond titles awards and accomplishments
26:48 — Concerns about higher education producing “excellent sheep” instead of critical thinkers
27:40 — Final encouragements about mentoring students well

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV
• EveryStudent.com – https://www.everystudent.com/

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

Support Shane Hartley's ministry with Meet The Prof through Cru online: ⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠

Dr. Gbola Adesogan is a professor of Ruminant Nutrition at the University of Florida and serves as Associate Vice President and Director of the Global Food Systems Institute. In this interview, he shares his powerful testimony of transformation, his journey of surrender to Christ, and how a deep dependence on the Holy Spirit has shaped his life, work, and relationships with students. He also describes practical ways he engages students in Christ-centered conversations and encourages faculty to see their role as a single calling—to be ambassadors for Christ.

Read more about Gbola Adesogan online:
https://meettheprof.com/view/professors/entry/gbola-adesogan/

Main Takeaways

• Surrender is not a one-time event but a daily and ongoing process of dying to self.
• Professors do not have two callings; their academic role is a platform for their one calling as Christ’s ambassador.
• Time with the Holy Spirit is essential and should be prioritized above all else each day.
• Academic success can easily become an idol if not surrendered to God.
• God often works through relationships more than achievements.
• Inviting students into your home creates natural opportunities for meaningful faith conversations.
• International students represent a significant opportunity for gospel engagement.
• Prayer is foundational to revival and spiritual impact on campus.
• Faculty should be both excellent in their work and deeply dependent on God.
• Campus ministers should boldly and gently challenge professors to live missionally.

Mentioned in interview:

JAMES TOUR
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Tour

Why Revival Tarries
Book by Leonard Ravenhill

Resources from Faculty Commons, a Cru ministry:

• Find 500+ Christian professors at https://meettheprof.com/
• Faculty Commons – https://www.facultycommons.org/
• A Grander Story – https://a.co/d/8VoYXSV
• EveryStudent.com – https://www.everystudent.com/

Watch MTP on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@MeetTheProfOfficial/videos

Support Shane Hartley's ministry with Meet The Prof through Cru online: ⁠⁠https://give.cru.org/0424344⁠⁠