
e-mail: dschuurman (at) calvin.edu twitter: @DerekSchuurman
Derek Schuurman's personal story includes working in industry for several years before returning to academia. His interest in computers began in his early teens with his first computer, a Timex-Sinclair ZX-81. He is also interested in the bigger picture (metaphorically, not in the number-of-pixels sense) and the various issues related to faith and technology. He has taught previously at Redeemer University and as a visiting professor at Dordt Unviversity and is currently a professor of computer science at Calvin. He has participated in various computing service projects in majority world countries with his students. He is author of the book Shaping a Digital World and co-author of A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers and is available to speak to groups as time allows.
Prof. Schuurman is a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, part of the leadership team for the West Michigan ASA chapter, an associate fellow of the The Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology in Cambridge, and was made a senior member of the IEEE. He is member of the ACM, CES, ACMS, a book review editor for Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, a regular contributor to the Christian Scholars Review blog, and a regular columnist for Christian Courier.
Research interests include robotics and computer vision, embedded systems and IoT, as well as faith and technology issues.
- B.A.Sc. (Electrical Engineering), University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario
- M.A.Sc. (Electrical Engineering), University of Waterloo, Waterloo,
Ontario
Thesis topic: Dynamic modelling of an EV traction application using different DC motors - Ph.D., McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
Thesis topic: Direct visual servoing using network-synchronized cameras
Here is a selection of links to talks and interviews which have been posted online.
Some publications are listed below, but a more extensive list of publications and presentations are also available.
Books
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Ethan J. Brue, Derek C. Schuurman, Steven H. VanderLeest, A Christian Field Guide to Technology for Engineers and Designers, IVP Academic, April 2022. (companion website and video of book launch event)
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Derek C. Schuurman, Shaping a Digital World: Faith, Culture and Computer Technology, InterVarsity Academic Press, June 2013. (companion website).
Portuguese translation available from Monergismo publishers titled Moldando Um Mundo Digital: Fé, Cultura E Tecnologia Computacional. -
R.S. Ramshaw and D.C. Schuurman, PSpice Simulation of Power-Electronics Circuits, Springer, 1997. (companion website)
Chapters in Books
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Derek C. Schuurman, "Seeking Wisdom in Engineering and Computer Science" in Where Wisdom May be Found: The Eternal Purpose of Christian Higher Education, edited by Edward P. Meadors, Pickwick Publications, 2019, pp. 214-226.
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Derek C. Schuurman, "Responsible Automation: Faith and Work in an Age of Intelligent Machines" in The Wonder and Fear of Technology: Commissioned Essays on Faith and Technology, edited by David H. Kim, Center for Faith & Work, 2016, pp. 42-56.
Selected Articles
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Technology and the Biblical Story", Pro Rege, Vol. 46, No. 1, September, 2017, pp. 4-11 (available also in Portuguese as Tecnologia e a história bíblica).
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Approaches to Christian Education: From Elusive Towards a Larger and Deeper Approach", Pro Rege, Vol. 44, No. 3, March, 2016, pp. 14-20.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Artificial Intelligence: Discerning a Christian Response", Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 71, Number 2, June 2019, pp. 75-82.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Kuyper and Technology, or How a Voice From the Past Can Speak to our Digital Age", Christian Scholar's Review, Volume XLIX, Number 2, Winter 2020, pp. 161-174.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "The Challenge of Transhumanism", Proceedings of the 2019 Christian Engineering Conference (CEC), Dordt University, July 2019, pp. 112-118.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Introducing Open Source and the Raspberry Pi to Schools in Developing Nations", Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Volume 67, Number 1, March 2015, pp. 50-53.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Step-by-step design and simulation of a simple CPU architecture", SIGCSE '13 Proceeding of the 44th ACM technical symposium on Computer science education, 2013.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Faith and Weapons of Math Destruction", Christian Scholar's Review blog, January 22, 2021.
- Derek C. Schuurman, A Letter to a Young Professor, Christian Scholar's Review blog, November 20, 2020.
- Bryan W. House, David W. Capson, Derek C. Schuurman, "Towards Real-Time Sorting of Recyclable Goods Using Support Vector Machines", Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology (ISSST), May 2011.
- D.C. Schuurman and D.W. Capson, "Robust Direct Visual Servoing Using Network-Synchronized Cameras", IEEE Transactions on Robotics and Automation, April 2004, Volume 20, Issue 2, pp. 319- 334.
Patents
- US 5874818: Method and Apparatus For Sensing Load Current in a Motor Controller
- US 6215681: Bus Bar Heat Sink. See also: CA 2325148 (Canada), EP 1100294 (Europe), JP 2001267479 (Japan)
Open source software projects
- ARCHIE Pi: Another Remote Community Hotspot for Instruction and Education for the Raspberry Pi.
- JTmap: a program to display a map for digital ham radio contacts
- pi-lights: home lighting automation for use with the Zigbee Light Link wireless protocol.
- home-sense: provides home sensor monitoring and alerts using a Raspberry Pi.
- index-o-matic: helps to create an index for a PDF manuscript.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "The Social Dilemma", Christian Courier December 2020.
- Derek C. Schuurman, Connecting Bytes and Christian Beliefs, CSR Blog, October 7, 2020.
- Derek C. Schuurman, "Modern Devices and Ancient Disciplines", Faith Today, November/December 2017, pp. 39-41.
- Interview on the Relationship Between the Christian Faith and Technology (translated into Portuguese), June 22, 2016.
- Technology and the Church, God and Nature Magazine, Fall 2015.
- The Meaning of Technology, InterVarsity's Emerging Scholars Blog, July 24, 2015.
- Psalm 8 includes computers, Christian Scholars Review blog, May 2021.
- Tutorials and manuals related to teaching computer science
- Articles published in Dordt's "In All Things"
- Monthly columns published in Christian Courier
- Monthly blogs published by Christian Scholars Review
- I am an enthusiastic user of the Raspberry Pi
- Biking
- Ham Radio and Electronics
- Some of my digital photography of the great outdoors
- Crossing Signs my family and I have collected on our travels