Baylor in the News - July 28-Aug. 10, 2024

Note: The opinions expressed in these articles do not necessarily reflect those of the University. 

Featured News 

Wacoan: BRIC by Brick 

This magazine article highlights the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative – known as the BRIC – where innovators in Baylor’s School of Engineering and Computer Science are conducting research, creating prototypes and expanding opportunities, as the city of Waco develops into a hub of science and technology. 

National/International 

World Economic Forum: Here's how we make the $9 trillion global food supply chain sustainable

Adegboyega Oyedijo, Ph.D., assistant professor of supply chain management at Baylor, is a coauthor on this article about improving ways to implement sustainability in the food supply chain without compromising supply or value generation.

Chemical & Engineering News: ACS names 2024 fellows 

Julia Chan, Ph.D., The Tim and Sharalynn Fenn Family Endowed Chair in Materials Science, deputy editor of Science Advances and professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Baylor, was named by the American Chemical Society as a 2024 ACS Fellow. Around 1% of ACS members are recognized as fellows.  

The Dallas Morning News: Dallas’ older adults disproportionately impacted by food insecurity 

Baylor economics professor Craig Gundersen, Ph.D., The Snee Family Endowed Chair at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty whose research focuses on food assistance programs, is quoted in this article about older adults being impacted by food insecurity. He said there is a declining age gradient and more 50-59 year olds are facing hunger regularly.  

CBC Listen: The Early Edition with Stephen Quinn 

AUDIO: Ann Ward, Ph.D., professor of political science at Baylor, speaks with Stephen Quinn about U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris’ decision to choose Tim Walz as her running mate.  

KERA News (Dallas/NPR): ‘We are healing.’ Heartache and rebuilding two years after Methodists’ ideological split   

Beth Allison Barr, Ph.D., The James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History at Baylor and author of The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth, was interviewed for this article about the Southern Baptist Convention and a failed amendment to reject churches that employ female pastors.  

DVIDS: Battle Blimps: ONR-Sponsored STEM Contest Shows Creativity of Student Engineers  

Scott Koziol, Ph.D., associate professor and associate chair of electrical and computer engineering at Baylor, is quoted in this article about the success of the Baylor University Blimps, which won the Office of Naval Research (ONR)-sponsored Defend the Republic competition. The university competition using lighter-than-air (LTA) vehicles to move balls through hoops provided a valuable learning experience for naval scenarios, including disaster recovery, reconnaissance and surveillance, and delivering supplies and humanitarian aid. 

Religion Unplugged: On Religion: Why Battles Over Parental Rights Are Not Going Away  

Francis Beckwith, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and church-state studies at Baylor, is quoted in the article about the recent legal battles regarding parental rights.  

Forbes: Major League Soccer All-Star Sponsors Turn Minutes Into Moments

Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., The Edwin W. Streetman Professorship in Retail Marketing and executive director of Baylor’s Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment, writes about how All-Star weeks, like the recent Major League Soccer All-Star events in Columbus, Ohio, can provide brands with a series of tentpole events, providing “thick slices” across key markets to build brand-customer relationships lasting beyond the event itself.

Baptist Standard: BWA launches humanitarian aid courses in Lagos, Nigeria  

The Baptist World Alliance has partnered with Baylor University and Truett Seminary to provide practical training for Baptists ministering on the frontlines of disaster and development through Baptist World Aid, BWA’s relief and development ministry. Truett Seminary awarded students a certificate in humanitarian action and three continuing education units that may be used for a ministry certificate from Truett. 

 WIA Report: Three Women Professors Named Inaugural Endowed Chairs at Universities  

Karen J. Foli, Ph.D., RN, ANEF, FAAN, tenured professor in Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing, is recognized for her appointment as the inaugural Louise Herrington Endowed Chair in Mental Health Nursing. 

Good Faith Media: Emerging Voices | Narrowing the Generational Gap in Churches 

Kennedy Garland, a master of social work student at Baylor’s Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, writes about the importance of fostering meaningful connections across generations within churches to build a supportive and passionate community.  

State/Local 

KWTX-TV (CBS/Waco): Baylor professors and three-time Olympian reflects on time at Olympics 

VIDEO: Three-time Olympic swimmer Alex Yokochi, Ph.D., associate dean of research and graduate programs and professor of mechanical engineering at Baylor, shares the life lessons learned from his Olympics experience. 

Baylor Connections: Leslie Hahner and Kevin Villegas 

AUDIO: A contentious election season highlights the need for citizens who can engage with respect and understanding amidst disagreement. As a Christian university, Baylor seeks to both model civil discourse and train students to do the same. Leslie Hahner, Ph.D., professor of communication, and Kevin Villegas, Ed.D., dean of intercultural engagement, work with students as they navigate these complexities. In this Baylor Connections, they share those experiences, along with practical insights to encourage discourse commensurate to the call to love our neighbor. 

ABOUT BAYLOR MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS  

Baylor's Office of Media and Public Relations (M&PR) supports the University's Illuminate strategic plan as a premier Christian Research 1 university by focusing on faculty research and expert opinions, innovative teaching, major awards and recognition, and community involvement. Through its media training workshops, the Baylor M&PR team develops faculty experts to effectively communicate the impact of their research or speak as subject-matter experts into national trends and conversations with media outlets, through Hot Topics and on the Baylor Connections podcast. Our faculty expert directory is available on the M&PR website. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.