Faculty Research & Scholarship

The Kielstra Center provides support for faculty through internal competitive grants and assistance in applying for external funding. Over the past year, external project proposals have included small requests to regional foundations and large requests to federal funders. Each proposal, whether large or small, reflects an area of study or exploration that the faculty member loves and describes how the project will strengthen Dordt’s community.

When a project is funded, the Kielstra Center also provides support to ensure that resources are directed appropriately based on what was proposed, that project reports are submitted (hopefully on time), and that our policies and procedures meet the program requirements. For example, any project that includes research with human participants must be approved by our Institutional Review Board. We are also responsible for ensuring that policies ensure that researchers do not have any financial conflicts of interest and that research is conducted ethically.

Dr. Manuela Ayee-Leong on Statewide EPSCoR Chemurgy 2.0 Research Initiative

Dordt University participated in Iowa EPSCoR Chemurgy 2.0, a statewide initiative funded by a five-year, $20 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).

The project brought together researchers from colleges and universities across Iowa to expand the state’s capacity for innovation in advanced biomanufacturing.

The Chemurgy 2.0 project revisited and modernized the concept of “chemurgy,” a term coined by agricultural scientist and inventor George Washington Carver to describe the use of applied chemistry to create industrial materials from agricultural products. Through this collaborative effort, Iowa institutions worked to build the knowledge, infrastructure, and partnerships needed to strengthen the state’s leadership in sustainable manufacturing and biotechnology.

At Dordt, Dr. Manuela A.A. Ayee-Leong, associate professor of chemical engineering, contributed to the project by engaging undergraduate students in research that supported the broader EPSCoR mission. “Dordt University’s history of developing high-quality, mentored summer experiences for undergraduate research students provides a strong connection between the EPSCoR research projects and primarily undergraduate institutions in Iowa,” Ayee-Leong said.

Dordt’s involvement in Chemurgy 2.0 reflected the university’s commitment to providing students with meaningful, hands-on research opportunities while advancing scientific discovery that serves both people and creation.

Dr. Dave Mulder Explores Faith and Technology in Teach Like a Human

Dr. Dave Mulder, professor and chair of the Education Department at Dordt University, authored Teach Like a Human: Playful Practice and Serious Faith in the Age of AI, a book that invites educators to reflect on what it means to teach—and to be human—in an era shaped by artificial intelligence.

As AI continues to influence classrooms and workplaces, Mulder blended thoughtful theology, practical wisdom, and a deep love of teaching to help educators approach emerging technologies with discernment. “I think the title really captures the heart of what I tried to do in the book: encourage teachers to do the good, God-delighting, sometimes-daunting, always-important, human work of teaching,” Mulder said. He hoped the book would help readers engage AI thoughtfully and develop a “theology of educational technology” that guides decisions about when and how to use—or avoid—particular tools.

Mulder’s years of teaching at Dordt and connecting with educators across North America informed his research and writing. In addition to speaking on education and technology, he has taught courses such as Technology, Identity, and Community and education technology courses in Dordt’s Master of Education program. “I’m grateful to my insightful graduate students who ask great questions,” he said. “They’ve challenged me to keep learning about how AI works, how we can benefit from using it for teaching and learning, and ways we should be cautious about implementing it as well.”

For Mulder, the project reflected his ongoing interest in how Christian educators can engage technology faithfully and creatively. “My deep hope for this book is that it will encourage productive conversations among teachers, school leaders, and school communities about AI in education,” he said. “It’s a brave new world out there, but we can move forward into it with confidence, knowing that Christ is sovereign over all things.”

Dr. Tom Clark Leads Dordt’s Actuarial Science Program

When Dr. Tom Clark, professor of mathematics at Dordt University, stepped into leadership of the actuarial science program, he approached it with characteristic curiosity and care. With a Ph.D. in mathematics and a passion for lifelong learning, Clark immersed himself in understanding what it means to be an actuary—so he could better prepare Dordt students for the field.

“Actuarial science is interdisciplinary in its skill set,” Clark explains. “You’re taking statistics, mathematics, business, economics, and programming classes. You’re gaining a broad range of skills that, when put together, help to model and project risk.”

Clark’s hands-on approach to teaching quickly reshaped the program. When he first taught financial mathematics—a course that introduces concepts such as the time value of money and pricing insurance or annuities—he realized that helping students pass the profession’s rigorous exams required more than theoretical understanding. To bridge that gap, he began hosting weekly workshops to practice solving complex problems efficiently under timed conditions.

Then, in true Dordt fashion, Clark decided to experience what his students faced firsthand. During a family trip to Yellowstone, he stopped in Rapid City to take the financial mathematics exam himself—and passed with a near-perfect score. “It was important to me not just to pass the exam, but to understand the content thoroughly so I could best teach it,” he says. “Now I know which concepts matter most and how to guide students toward success.”

Beyond technical preparation, Clark’s goal is to help students integrate faith and learning in a field that demands both analytical precision and ethical discernment. “It’s how you take strong technical skills and a biblical perspective to shape you into the kind of person who follows Christ in a technical field,” he reflects. “We talk about what it means to act ethically in financial decisions and how our faith informs those choices.”

Under Clark’s guidance, Dordt’s actuarial science program continues to grow as a close-knit community where students receive personalized attention and rigorous preparation—grounded in the conviction that even the most quantitative careers are opportunities for service in God’s world.