The Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology recently hosted its latest workshop in the Genomics for Faith series. Supported by the Wayfarer Foundation, Genomics for Faith fosters an open dialogue between scientists and local faith leaders. Since it was started in 2023, the workshops have cultivated conversations based on mutual respect to discuss scientific knowledge and its role and limitations in our society. Previous installments focused on life and death, gene editing, and stem cell research.

On December 4, 2024, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign scientists and community faith leaders met at the I Hotel and Illinois Conference Center to discuss the topic of gender. Conversations focused on understanding biological and cultural definitions of gender, and the origins and roles of these definitions in our society.

Genomics for Faith is a part of IGB’s overarching Genomics for^TM program, aiming to bring trustworthy scientific information to different demographic and professional groups. Thus far, IGB has also facilitated conversations with judges, prosecutors, journalists, and teachers to discuss topics relevant to their professions. But as the IGB continues to facilitate these dialogues, there is no clear blueprint for how to build trust and foster open discussion.

This led the IGB outreach team to rely on close community collaboration to ensure each session meets the group’s needs. Prior to the recent Genomics for Faith workshop, the organizers held a pre-meeting with Christina Laukaitis (EIRH/RBTE), a clinical associate professor of medical genetics, and Justin Rhodes (GNDP), a professor of psychology, and Reverends Sally Fritsche and Leah Robberts-Mosser to shape the scope and structure of the workshop.

The recent discussion on gender kicked off with a brief introduction to the topic by IGB’s Regional Outreach Program Manager Dan Urban. He communicated the complexity and nuances of defining gender from a scientific perspective and the natural biological variation that exists in the world around us. Urban ended his presentation with a set of guiding questions that led into small group conversations over lunch. The room then joined together for a larger group discussion facilitated by the faith leaders and guest scientists in attendance.

“We know that this is a more personal and sensitive topic even compared with those we have explored in previous workshops,” said IGB’s Assistant Director of Outreach Claudia Lutz. “It was really educational for me to see how attendees approached the topic, with curiosity and thoughtfulness about the ideas and perspectives discussed. It was also inspiring to hear how many people appreciated the chance to openly discuss this topic from both a scientific and societal perspective.”

The next Genomics for Faith workshop will take place in spring 2025, and members of all faith communities are welcome to attend the free sessions. If anyone has feedback regarding previous sessions or suggestions for future workshop topics, please contact Lutz.