News

A new study by Baylor University environmental researchers will look at asthma rates, regional air contaminants, pollution source and contaminant particle size in a Tarrant county school district near Fort Worth.

Reality TV mom Kate Gosselin's show has been canceled, but the single mother of eight is masterful at re-inventing herself and will weather the setback -- in large part because of her savvy with social media, predicts a Baylor University expert on image repair.

With approximately one-fourth of the homes in the United States utilizing a septic tank system for on-site wastewater treatment, finding better ways to protect the surrounding environment and, ultimately, residents' drinking water are essential. Now, Baylor University researchers have created and tested several new treatment systems to see if they could be part of the next generation of residential treatment systems.

Dr. Jeff Levin has accepted a distinguished chair at Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion, where he will serve as University Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health as well as Director of ISR's Program on Religion and Population Health. Levin will also serve as Professor of Medical Humanities at Baylor. He is currently Adjunct Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University Medical Center.

WACO, Texas -- A century ago, nurses wore blue-and-white striped dresses and starched aprons and gave up nursing if they married. These days, they wear scrubs, train on simulators and have careers that may include military duty. Through changing times, Baylor University Louise Herrington School of Nursing has helped prepare students to serve. That history is captured in a new exhibit at Baylor's Mayborn Museum Complex.

Dr. Barry Hankins, Baylor University history professor and director of graduate studies, has received the 2009 John Pollock Award for Christian Biography from Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.

The play, Eleemosynary, explores the lives of three generations of women through their struggles and triumphs will be presented by Baylor University Theatre at 7:30 pm from Thursday, July 9 through July 11, 2009 in Theatre 11 at the Hooper- Schaefer Fine Arts Center.

A Baylor University annual summer literacy program will receive a generous donation from Waco's Scottish Rite.

While climate change has been an emerging topic of interest to the world community, little scientific data exists on the vulnerability and resilience of households to climate-related "shocks" and events like more intense hurricanes and prolonged drought. But now, a Baylor University researcher has explored various means by which individuals and communities are responding to weather and climate change.

Baylor University's Glenn R. Capp Debate Forum finished 10th in the final national debate rankings following the 2009 National Debate Tournament. Finishing ahead of many traditional debate powers, such as Harvard, Dartmouth, USC, Georgia and Texas, Baylor was again the top-ranked college debate program in the state.

Two Baylor University physicists believe they have an idea that can turn traveling at the speed of light from science fiction to science, and their idea does not break any laws of physics.

Dr. William D. Hillis, who serves as The Cornelia Marschall Smith Distinguished Professor of Biology at Baylor University, has been honored with another distinction named for the revered professor: the Cornelia Marschall Smith Professor of the Year Award, presented during the annual Honors Convocation at Baylor.

Baylor University's department of communications studies will feature student multimedia projects during the 7th annual Black Glasses Film Festival at 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, in room 101 of the Castellaw Communications Building on the Baylor campus.

Baylor's new Environmental Health Science Program and department of Environmental Science will host its inaugural Environmental Health Science Seminar featuring Dr. Alistair Boxall from the University of York. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, May 1, in the Baylor Sciences Building in room B110.

Baylor University senior Ashley Killough is one of five Baylor students, who have been selected to receive the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. An international studies/journalism major from Plano and a member of the Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC), Killough will spend the 2009-2010 academic year in Armenia, where she will take master's level journalism courses and conduct research at the Caucasus Media Institute in the capital city of Yerevan.

Baylor University post-baccalaureate student Charlie Manzanares

Baylor University senior Alex Nix is one of five Baylor students, who have been selected to receive the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. A Spanish major from Riesel, formerly of Waco, Nix will spend the 2010 academic year in Brazil, where she will assist with teaching English, while developing the study of American poetry as a way of encountering and understanding American culture.

Baylor University senior Aaron M. Reynolds is one of five Baylor students, who have been selected to receive the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. A senior French major from Grapevine and a member of Baylor's Honors Program, Reynolds will spend the 2009-2010 academic year in France, where he will serve as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA).

Baylor University senior Megan Rizos is one of five Baylor students, who have been selected to receive the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship. A senior University Scholar from Lucas and a member of Baylor's Honors Program, Rizos will spend the 2009-2010 academic year in Spain, who will serve as an English Teaching Assistant (ETA).

Dr. Garrett Cook, professor of anthropology at Baylor University, will present a film screening of "The Dance of the Monkeys," from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, April 30, in room 100 of the Marrs McLean Science Building on the Baylor campus.

Being "the first" has become a pattern for Krystal Pree, a Baylor University graduate student. Not only is Pree the first member of her family to graduate with a college degree, she is the first Baylor student to be awarded acceptance into the United States Geological Survey's Student Career Employment Program.

Dr. David W. Eldridge, professor of biology and director of clinical laboratory science at Baylor University, has been selected by this year's senior class as the 2009 Collins Outstanding Professor, an annual award provided by the Carr P. Collins Foundation that recognizes and honors extraordinary teachers at Baylor.

Dr. Todd Buras, assistant professor of philosophy at Baylor University has been named the 2009 recipient of the Robert L. Reid Teaching Excellence Award in Humanities. Buras will be honored at 3 p.m. Monday, April 27, during a ceremony in 219 Commons in Morrison Hall on the Baylor campus.

With a state-wide economic impact of $5.2 billion, cotton ranks as the leading cash crop in Texas, making Texas first in U.S. cotton production. The increase in cotton production from overseas, particularly from China, places the rural cotton communities of west Texas on a global stage. One Baylor University researcher is leading the charge to promote cotton as a sustainable fiber and its value in the textiles industry.

Baylor University scientists are playing a role in an on-going nationwide effort to image Earth beneath North America and map the country's seismic activity.

Dr. John M. Davis, associate professor of mathematics at Baylor University, has been awarded the Distinguished Teaching Award from the Texas Section of the Mathematical Association of America. He will be honored at the association's annual meeting April 16-18 at the University of North Texas.

Dr. Hanna Massad, pastor of Gaza Baptist Evangelical Church located in the Gaza Strip, will present a lecture on "Being a Christian in Gaza," at 4 p.m. Monday, April 6, in Kayser Auditorium in the Hankamer School of Business on the Baylor University campus.

Baylor University researchers, working with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, have detected low-level residues of several human medications and personal care products in fish collected from effluent-dominated rivers.

You may not know it, but there is a science to goal-setting and making your dreams come true. In these times of recession and possible job losses, a Baylor University researcher and positive psychology expert says above all else, never lose hope and view change as an opportunity.

Dr. Owen Lind, professor of biology at Baylor University, has been awarded the 2009 Distinguished Scientist Award from the Texas Academy of Science.

A spark of curiosity and the encouragement from a professor has led a Baylor University student to transform the mathematical world by coming up with a new mathematical concept benefiting the study of finance.

Baylor University is mourning the death of Horton Foote, one of America's leading playwrights and screenwriters and Baylor's Visiting Distinguished Dramatist, who died Wednesday in Hartford, Conn., at the age of 92.

The Circus is coming to town! The 2009 CASPER Physics Circus will be open to the public Monday, March 9, through Friday, March 13, at the Mayborn Museum Complex on the Baylor University Campus. There will be a free Spanish performance on Feb. 26 and March 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. The theme for the annual event is "Who Wants to Be a Scientist."

Dr. Marty Harvill, senior lecturer of biology at Baylor University, is one of 15 finalists for the Inspire Integrity Awards, a national award that recognizes faculty members who have had a significant impact on their students' lives and instilled a high degree of personal and academic integrity.

Four Baylor University psychology professors have started the Baylor Addictions Research Consortium, a new community substance abuse and dependence education program that brings to the Waco area the first structured educational program taught by research experts in substance abuse and dependence.

The Baylor University and Waco communities will be sure to get into the holiday spirit as the Waco Symphony Orchestra presents the St. Petersburg Classic Ballet Theater of Marina Medvetskaya in a performance of the classic tale The Nutcracker at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, in Waco Hall on the Baylor campus.

Dr. A.J. Levine, an internationally known author and scholar, will lecture on "Jesus and Judaism: the Connection Matters" from 3 to 5:30 p.m. in the Miller Chapel of the Tidwell Bible Building, Thursday, Dec. 4. This lecture, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Daniel B. McGee Endowed Lecture Series in Religious Studies.

A Baylor University study has found that exposure during adolescence to moderate doses of alcohol in a binge-like fashion does in fact produce tolerance to high doses of alcohol later in life.

Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) recently partnered with scholars from Peking University, Purdue University, Renmin University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences to organize and sponsor the Beijing Summit on "Chinese Spirituality and Society: A Symposium on the Social Scientific Study of Religion." The international conference was held Oct. 8-10, on the campus of Peking University, and was funded with support from the John M. Templeton Foundation.

Dr. Loveday C. Alexander, former professor cannon in New Testament studies at the University of Sheffield, will present the keynote lecture at the Minette and Huber Lelland Drumwright Jr. Endowed Colloquium in New Testament Studies at Baylor University.

Baylor University's Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) recently hosted a national conference on "Faith and Works: A Call for Evidence of Action" to explore the connection between faith-based efforts and rigorous research. The two-day conference in San Antonio brought together some of the country's leading scholars, intermediary organizations and faith-based groups in an effort to begin an important dialogue about how these groups might more intentionally work together to produce more effective outcomes.

Jane Hammond, internationally renowned exhibit artist, will give a presentation on "Language, Links and Looking" as part of the annual M.D. Anderson Art Lecture from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 13, in room 149 of the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center on the Baylor University Campus. This lecture, sponsored by the Baylor art department, is free and open to the public.

The Baylor Theatre will present Eurydice by Pulitzer Prize nominee Sarah Ruhl in the Mabee Theatre November 11-16. Eurydice is a visually stunning adaptation of the ancient myth of Orpheus, told from the perspective of his wife Eurydice. This timeless tale shows how love transcends the grave, and how the greatest loss is the loss of our most precious memories.

Adding another achievement to its long history as one of the nation's oldest Air Force ROTC units, Baylor University's Air Force Reserve Office Training Corps (ROTC) Detachment 810 has been named the No. 1 large detachment in the nation, beating out 144 detachments nationwide for the top spot.

Dr. Christopher Marsh, associate professor of political science and church-state studies, director of the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies and director of the Keston Center for Religion, Politics and Society at Baylor University will present a lecture on "The Desecularization of Russia and China" at 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 6 in Draper 116 on the Baylor Campus. The lecture, which is free and open to the public, is part of the Global Issues Lecture Series and presented by the Center for International Education.

Baylor University will host scholars from across the United States and Russia for the Society of Christian Philosophers' fifth international conference, which focuses on "Science and Human Nature: Russian and Western Perspectives." The conference will be held Thursday, Nov. 6, through Saturday, Nov. 8, at Armstrong Browning Library. Several Baylor offices including the department of philosophy, the Institute for Faith and Learning, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Office of the Provost are co-sponsoring the event.

Celebrate the 2008 Election Week with Baylor University by attending the events for the inaugural Colloquium on Ancient and Modern Political Inquiry (CAMPI) on Thursday, Nov. 6 through Thursday, Nov. 13, featuring Josiah Ober, Danielle Allen, Stephen Salkever and Dana Gioia.

A new Baylor University study has documented the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, on a college campus.

On Nov. 4, American voters will cast their ballot in a presidential race that includes an African-American nominee for the first time. Undoubtedly, it is a watershed moment for racial and ethnic minority groups in the United States. But will whites support a non-white presidential candidate? Findings from 1,325 non-Hispanic whites sampled as a part of the latest Baylor Religion Survey reveal interesting patterns relevant to the historic presidential election.

Dr. Lonnie Thompson, senior research scientist at the Byrd Polar Research Center at the University of Ohio, will present a lecture on the danger posed by climate change and the human response to it at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, in room D110 of the Baylor Sciences Building on the Baylor University campus.

Dr. David Ngong, a lecturer in African studies, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core and Religion at Baylor University, will present a lecture on "The Global Impact of Africa's New Christianity" as part of the Global Issues Lecture Series at 4 p.m., Oct. 23, in Draper 116 on the Baylor Campus. This lecture, presented by the Center for International Education, is free and open to the public.

With research consistently showing that clergy - not psychologists or other mental health experts - are the most common source of help sought in times of psychological distress, a new Baylor University study has found clergy often times deny or dismiss the existence of the mental illness.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Sept. 18, 2008)- American religion is remarkably stable and quite surprising in its diverse beliefs, practices and realities, according to the latest findings from the Baylor Religion Survey, one of the most extensive surveys ever conducted on American religious attitudes.

Editorial cartoons have played a key role in many historical events in America. For decades, they have brought the political concerns of the public to life in the black-and-white print of the newspaper.

Mike Blackman, a Baylor University journalism graduate and veteran reporter and editor, has joined his alma mater as the Fred Hartman Distinguished Professor of Journalism. As the newest addition to the journalism department, Blackman will bring in several prestigious speakers throughout the year.

The U.S. Bureau of the Census today released estimates of income, earnings and poverty for 2007. Sociologists and demographic specialists at Baylor University's Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD), who have analyzed the data, found that Waco and McLennan County have poverty levels well above the national norms.

Baylor University student Sarah Rafique, a junior journalism major from Georgetown, has been awarded the prestigious Gilman Scholarship, which will allow her to study in Egypt for the fall semester.

Two Baylor University scientists have come up with a new method to cause a spaceship to effectively travel faster than the speed of light, without breaking the laws of physics.

The Hispanic population in McLennan County has grown by more than 10,000 persons - or 27 percent - since the 2000 Census, according to an analysis by sociologists and community specialists at Baylor University's Center for Community Research and Development (CCRD). This far exceeds the modest 2 percent growth of the non-Hispanic population locally over the same period, the researchers found.