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CORVALLIS, Ore. - The Socratic Club at Oregon State University will host a debate on the topic, "Have Science and Technology Made God Irrelevant?" on Monday, April 9, in Gilfillan Auditorium.

The event, which is free and open to the public, begins at 7 p.m.

Two OSU faculty members will debate the topic, taking opposing viewpoints. Kenneth Funk, an associate professor of engineering, will advocate a Christian perspective that God is still relevant despite advances in technology that may appear to give humans more control of their destiny. Mark Walsh, a visiting assistant professor of mathematics, will argue from the point of view that science and technology provide the insight we need to understand and thrive in the world.

Both speakers will explore what science and technology offer and whether that is enough, as people struggle daily with their personal health, social and political issues, relationships, work and, ultimately, their own mortality.

Funk, whose appointment is in the School of Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering, specializes in the human factors of engineering, especially in aviation, health care and systems engineering.

Walsh is a native of Ireland and a visiting faculty member in the Department of Mathematics. His research focuses on geometry and topology, with an emphasis on shapes of high dimension and understanding the shape of the universe.

The OSU Socratic Club is in its 10th year as a student organization at the university. It sponsors 5-6 debates a year on subjects at the intersection of Christian faith and contemporary culture.