We’re very pleased to announce and welcome aboard from each side of the Great Lakes two new top academics working in the area of ethics and computer science to our Founding Expert community at AI and Faith.
Cory Andrew Labrecque, PhD, is Associate Professor of Bioethics and Theological Ethics, and the inaugural Chair of Educational Leadership in the Ethics of Life at the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Laval in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, where he also serves as Vice-Dean and Director of Graduate Programs in Theology. Cory’s research lies at the intersection of religion, medicine, biotechnology, environment, and ethics. He is a corresponding member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, where he has been involved with the Vatican’s current active engagement to promote a careful and considered adoption of artificial intelligence technology. In last month’s Newsletter, Prof Labrecque wrote about The Rome Call, in which the Vatican has joined with IBM, Microsoft and others to establish a cooperative program for studying six key issues related to AI. Cory is also Vice-President of the National Committee on Ethics and Ageing (Quebec). Previously, he taught at the Center for Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, and as co-Director of Catholic Studies in the Department of Religion at Emory University in Atlanta. Cory earned his Ph.D. in Religious Ethics at McGill University.
Derek Schuurman, PhD is a professor of computer science at Calvin University in Holland, Michigan. His research interests include robotics and computer vision as well as faith and technology issues. He has written extensively on the interplay of Christian values and technology. His book Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology (IV Press 2013) is an early and great example of grounding the world of technology in a religious belief system. Derek is a member of various secular and Christian professional technology and science associations, is a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, and has volunteered internationally with projects related to technology and education. Derek holds bachelor and master of applied science degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in electrical engineering from McMaster University, and worked in the for profit computer industry before moving into academia.
