Baylor in the News – July 7-13, 2024

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

Featured News

Forbes: Americans Unite! Watch The Olympics. Be Happy. Forget Politics.

In his SportsMoney column, Kirk Wakefield, Ph.D., executive director of the Curb Center for Sales Strategy in Sports and Entertainment (S3E) program and The Edwin W. Streetman Professor of Retail Marketing at Baylor, writes about how the Olympics unite people across differences.

National/International

National Humanities Center: National Humanities Center 2024-25 Teacher Advisory Council

Daniel Barish, Ph.D., associate professor of history at Baylor, is one of 20 U.S. educators selected to serve on the Teachers Advisory Council for the National Humanities Center. The council will work with the NHC to pilot, evaluate and promote classroom resources and professional development programs for collegiate and pre-collegiate educators.

Natural Science News: First Observations of Mating Behavior and Sounds in Wild Leopard Seals

A groundbreaking study from Baylor researchers, led by biologist Sarah Kienle, Ph.D., details the first observations of courtship among male and female leopard seals in Chile, South America. This discovery fills important gaps in understanding of these apex predators. 

New York Times: Wind, Hills and Range Anxiety: A 50-Mile Handcycling Adventure

This firsthand account of a handcyclist’s 50-mile Half-Century ride from Santa Fe, N.M., references research from Baylor exercise physiologist Paul Gordon, Ph.D., that building arm strength is different from leg strength due to muscle mass. 

Baptist World Alliance: BWA Welcomes 13 New Member Partners

The Baptist World Alliance General Council unanimously approved 13 new members, including Baylor University. Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., said  the relationship will help the University “continue to fulfill our mission to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service.” The Baptist Standard also covered Baylor’s induction to the BWA. 

EurekAlert: How lasers and 2D materials could solve the world's plastic problem

A global research team, including Jonathan M. Larson, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Baylor, has developed a way to break down plastics into reusable and more sustainable materials, a discovery with significant implications for addressing environmental issues and advancing the field of green chemistry. 

Current: Ideas in Progress: Zachary Sheldon on Christian media, Ellul, and the journey to his dissertation and first book

Zachary Sheldon, Ph.D., lecturer in film & digital media at Baylor, is interviewed about his creative and academic journey to Christian filmmaking. 

State/Local

Texas Monthly: The Architect Behind Texas’s Painted Churches Was So Good, His Peers Had “Steeple Envy”

Kenneth Hafertepe, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Museum Studies at Baylor and a Waco architectural historian, is quoted in this article about the architect, Leo M. J. Dielmann of San Antonio (1881-1969), who designed “painted churches” and religious buildings around Texas during the 20th century. 

Baylor Connections: Nathan Shelburne and Kaleigh Wiffler

AUDIO: For incoming students and families, Orientation and Line Camp are core moments in the final weeks before they officially become Baylor students. In this Baylor Connections, experience these events through the eyes of their participants. Nathan Shelburne, director of New Student Programs, and Kaleigh Wiffler, a rising senior and team captain on the Student Leadership Team, share favorite activities, key experiences and more.

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.