Student Profile: Chris Pino

1. Tell us about your life. Are you married? Where did you grow up?

I was born in 1980 in Buffalo, NY. My father was the head of the
mental health division of Catholic Charities in the Buffalo area, and
a professor in Psychology at D'Youville, SUNY Buffalo and St
Bonaventure at various points. Now he has retired to part time
private practice. My mother is a nursery school teacher.
As a child I loved to play sports, and I spent almost all my time
outdoors. I used bike everywhere, and I especially liked to
fish. Anytime I was inside I was either playing Nintendo, sleeping
or eating. I have an older sister who is married, and has a child,
my nephew Sean. My younger sister, who is two years younger than me,
lives in Miami Beach, Fl. I have a much younger brother, Nick, who
is now only 16. I am especially close to him because I helped to raise him.
On August 16th 2003, I was married to Tricia Joy Eddy. We have been
married for three and a half years. She is a music teacher at Currey
Ingram Academy in Brentwood, TN.

2. Tell us about your education. Where, when, and in what have you
done coursework?

In 1998, I started my undergraduate education at SUNY Buffalo in
Chemical Engineering. In the middle of my sophomore year I
transferred to Cornell University, where I completed my B.S. in
Engineering as a Bioengineer.

I started graduate work at Vanderbilt University in
2002, and finished my Ph.D. in Biomedical engineering in December of 2006.


3. Tell us about your faith journey. How did you come to faith in
Christ, and how has your faith been strengthened/challenged by your
academic calling?

I grew up in the Catholic Church, and have believed that Christ was
my personal savior since I was a child. However, in the past few
years, I have learned to see faith in different ways with the help of
my wife Trish. I now see works as fruit of Christ's life in us,
rather than personal sacrifices, and I see everyday and mundane
activities as opportunities for worship.

Academia is a harsh and competitive atmosphere, which requires me to
lean heavily on faith. I am bombarded by atheist messages each day
working in the sciences. I know that I am being called to persevere
in this environment, to show non-Christians love, and to serve as a
voice for Christian morals in bioethics.


4. Tell us about your involvement with GCF. How has GCF encouraged
you in both your faith and your academic calling?

I have been involved with the Vanderbilt Graduate Christian
Fellowship since fall of 2002. When I first arrived at Vanderbilt in
2001, I was unaware that the group existed, until Mark Bray recruited
me. Since then, I became part of the leadership team, and have been
the communications coordinator, Webmaster, and small group leader for GCF.
GCF has had an incredible impact on me. The community of believers
around me has been a great support during a difficult time in my
graduate career. I have been enriched by serving the group, and have
grown in faith because of the relationships God has blessed me
with. Both my wife and I have enjoyed the many opportunities for fun
and fellowship over these years!

5. If, based on your journey in faith and academia, you could tell
the Church one thing, what would it be?

I would encourage the church to lead the world to faith
by showing Christ's love through serving orphans, widows and the
poor. Those without faith are unlikely to be convinced to believe
through arguments, but, if you involve them in service, and they get
a glimpse of what Christ's love looks like, they will listen with an
open heart.