Special IAP Talk: Dan Burns: Stirred into flame: finding joy and meaning by integrating our technical and spiritual lives

Jan 25, 2017 - 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM EST

Speaker: 

Dr. Dan Burns

Dr. Dan Burns, Research Scientist in MIT EAPS/Earth Resources Laboratory, presents "Stirred into flame: finding joy and meaning by integrating our technical and spiritual lives".

"The scientific enterprise is rooted in wonder and amazement, and that is what captured our imaginations and brought us to MIT.  But the daily grind and pressures of life, along with the incremental nature of progress on difficult scientific and engineering problems, can sometimes drain us of energy.  Our culture also encourages us to compartmentalize our intellectual, emotional, and spiritual selves into different boxes, imposing barriers that constrain us and keep us fragmented.   Many of the most exciting areas in science and engineering in recent years are at the interface of different fields, often involving the breaking down of false barriers between fields.  The same is true in our own lives – we need to breakdown barriers and false compartments in order to live as whole human beings in mind and spirit. This is how we find the most happiness and fulfillment in life, the most meaning and balance.

This seminar will be a follow on to a talk presented in 2015 entitled “wonder, beauty, meaning: living at the interface of science and spirituality.”  It will begin with a summary of that initial talk by looking at some points of commonality between spirituality and science (wonder, beauty, awareness, creativity) that arose from a freshman seminar offered at MIT over a 12 year period to more than 100 undergrads of various faith backgrounds.  We will then move deeper in seeking ways to view our work in science and technology as a spiritual practice in order to rekindle the deep wonder and excitement that led us to this type of work in the first place.  We will draw on wisdom from various faith traditions, poets, and scientists to illuminate our own experiences and longings and provide some framework and direction to our quest to become more fully alive, joyful, and free."

Dan Burns is a Research Scientist at the MIT Earth Resources Lab working in applied geophysics.   He has been at MIT since 1994 serving as the Academic Officer for the Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences for 3 years and Executive Director of the Earth Resources Lab for 10 years prior to returning to research.  He taught a freshman seminar in science and spirituality at MIT for more than 12 years and was named Freshman Advisor of the Year in 2002.  He is also an ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church and held the position of Director of Formation for Deacons in the Archdiocese of Boston for seven years.  He is a spiritual director and has led retreats.  He holds a PhD from MIT in Geophysics.