Why are Christians underrepresented in science, and why does it matter?

As part of the international Religion and Science Weekend movement, Clarke is proud to welcome Dr. Kimberly Rios to campus. Rios will present her research on religious identity and the importance of encouraging religious diversity in science on Thursday, April 24 at 7:30 p.m. in Terence Donaghoe Hall. This event is free and open to the public.  

According to Rios, although approximately 90 percent of Americans report believing in God, only 25 percent of university science professors self-identify as religious. In her work, Rios examines the perceived incompatibility of science and religion and how this perception impacts Christians’ trust, performance, and representation in science.

Promoting a deeper understanding of the relationship between religion and science has long been the goal of the lecture series, according to Assistant Professor of Psychology Richard Grove.  

“At Clarke University, we invite students to learn about religion, faith, and spirituality. Many of our students are also studying in STEM fields. The Religion and Science lectures give us the opportunity to provide our community with different theological, philosophical, and scientific perspectives on the relationship between religion and science,” Dr. Grove said. “Dr. Rios will provide a unique perspective on this topic. She is a social psychologist who specializes in researching religious and scientific identities. Her research can provide insight into how perceptions of conflict between science and religion can shape our identities and impact issues of religious diversity within science.” 

Rios is Professor of Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, with research focused on intergroup relations and identity, including religious identity. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of Self and Identity, and Associate Editor of the International Journal for the Psychology of Religion and Group Processes and Intergroup Relations. In acknowledgement of her efforts, Rios was named the 2019 International Society for Self and Identity Early Career Award and the 2024 Society for Experimental Social Psychology Diversity Science Award. She is also President-Elect of the Midwestern Psychological Association for the 2026-2027 term.  

The presentation is funded in part by the Mackin-Mailander Lecture Series, which was established in 1997 after Clarke received gifts from two alumnae, Mary Mackin ’34 and Verna Slattery-Mailander ’20.