Daniel Doria

Chemistry Graduate Student

Chemistry, B.S. '21

If you are serious about science, Biola has what you need to pursue it for a career. If you want to sit in the intersection of science and faith, I beg you to come and learn that science is God's magic trick, in which we are continually discovering and being amazed by how he did it. If you are serious about Jesus Christ or perhaps trying to answer that question, then come and learn about the Nazarene.

How did your program at Biola prepare you for your career?

I am a scientist, and the work I do in computational chemistry I barely touched at Biola, but that does not mean I was unprepared. Before attending Biola, I was not a scientist; I was just good at chemistry and supposed that may as well be what I majored in. So what's the difference? In short, I learned how to learn. It is a wonderfully meta part of life that one doesn't consider until pushed to the edge of one's capabilities. I was forced to discern how to absorb the information I was given and transform it into intuition. Now, as a researcher, I learn everyday. I stare face-to-face with problems that I barely have a clue where to begin to solve, but that's okay. Much of life is like that actually. We just need a starting point. We can learn to get through it from there. To learn to be uncomfortable with uncertainty and to stand at the edge of my ignorance and gaze outward, that is how Biola prepared me to do the work I do now.

What did you appreciate most about your time at Biola?

When I applied to Biola, I wasn't sure about my major, but I was sure I wanted to know more about Jesus. He is here for those who want Him. In a myriad of classes I developed relationships with brothers and sisters in Christ–many standing at the front–whose desire and love for God outstripped my own. From Philosophy and English gen ed classes to my science courses with now beloved professors, the knowledge and presence of the Holy was never far. I squeezed 12 Bible courses into my time at Biola. I wish I could have taken more. What I am attempting to communicate is the atmosphere of this place I called home. Christ is exalted. God is praised, feared, and trembled towards. Be bold in your faith; be bold in your questions! Sit with men and women whose lives are spent sitting with young people like you and talking about our Lord. Thankfully, they are also pretty darn good at their jobs haha! Everywhere I turned I delighted; through joy and sorrow I lived and grew here.

How did Biola equip you to be a more faithful follower of Jesus Christ?

One Bible prof said, "You will be working out what you learn here for the next 30 years." I believe him. Here, my eyes were opened to the beauty of God's pursuit of His people in the Old Testament. Here, my thirst was awakened for the riches of God's Word. Here, the Gospel of John became to me a friend, a weapon against the enemy, and a light to shine to all who will listen. Here, I learned to know the weight of the glory of my LORD. Here, I meditated for a semester on the questions "Who I Am in Christ?" and "Who is God?". Here, I sat with broken, shame-filled sinners and spoke life and peace to them and had life and peace spoken to me. Biola is not some magic pill to get you to "feel close to God". God can use the homeless poor to do that. But it is a place filled with the people and knowledge of God. It has marked me, as silver is marked by the crucible it was forged in. So I present the summation of the lessons — I am a sinner. I am known and loved. Life is hard. God is good.

What advice would you give to students considering your degree program?

If you are serious about science, Biola has what you need to pursue it for a career. If you want to sit in the intersection of science and faith, I beg you to come and learn that science is God's magic trick, in which we are continually discovering and being amazed by how He did it. If you are seriuos about Jesus Christ or perhaps trying to answer that question, then come and learn about the Nazarene. He does not want so much of your time, money, or life; He wants all and will be satisfied by nothing less. It is quite the calling, and I can guarantee two things if you take Him up on it. First, you will indeed die, for when Christ calls someone, He bids him come and die, as Bonhoeffer once said. He will slay you in ways you do not imagine, wounding you in love. Second, you will not regret any of it. "Your love is better than life", the Psalmist says, and He has not changed. You are a sinner. He is the Savior. You need Him, and He has one word for you – "Come" (Matt. 11:28). Be blessed.