Director Emeritus of Vatican Observatory George Coyne to give Dominican’s Albertus Magnus Lecture

Dominican University’s Siena Center will host astrophysicist, Jesuit priest and director emeritus of the Vatican Observatory George Coyne for its annual Albertus Magnus Lecture on Thursday, November 17 at 7:00 p.m. in the Priory Auditorium at Dominican’s Priory Campus, 7200 Division Street, River Forest.

Coyne’s lecture “Children of a Fertile Universe: Chance, Destiny and a Creator God” will examine the intersection of faith and science as he leads an exploration of the fertility of the universe. According to Coyne, in a universe that is 14 billion years old and which contains roughly 10,000 billion stars, any inquiry into the origins of life must address both the chance and necessity of life occurring. The presentation will review the latest technological and scientific advancements in the field, including photos from deep space.

Coyne served as director of the Vatican Observatory, one of the world’s preeminent astronomical research institutions, from 1978 to 2006. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1965 after completing undergraduate work in mathematics and philosophy at Fordham University and a PhD in astronomy at Georgetown University. In addition to numerous accolades for his research and teaching, Coyne was awarded the George Van Biesbroeck Prize for long-term achievements in astronomy from the American Astronomical Society.

Admission is $10. For more information or tickets, contact the Siena Center at (708) 714-9105.

Dominican University established the Siena Center to engage the critical issues of church and society in the light of faith and scholarship. The center was named for St. Catherine of Siena, a 14th century laywoman who worked for the reform of the church and justice in the world. Her passionate devotion to the central issues of church and society inspires the work of the center in its schedule of lectures, symposia, workshops, retreats, research and seminars.