Baylor Connections

Kenny Befus

What can volcanoes, gemstones and minerals reveal about the geological forces that physically shape our world? Dr. Kenny Befus, assistant professor of geosciences, is a volcanologist who studies clues found in magma flows, gemstones and more that shed light on past and future events. In this Baylor Connections, he shares how these forces interplay, and unpacks an award-winning research project aimed at advancing the study of imperfections in gemstones to uncover geological data.

Kelly Ylitalo

Kelly Ylitalo combines high-level, data-driven research with practical community partnerships that address upstream health issues. Dr. Ylitalo, assistant professor of epidemiology in Baylor’s Department of Public Health, focuses her research on physical functioning, obesity and the impact of healthy behaviors on aging trajectories. In this Baylor Connections, she takes listeners inside her partnerships with Waco’s Family Health Center and World Hunger Relief to study the effectiveness of innovative health approaches.

Shanna Hagan-Burke

Get to know Dr. Shanna Hagan-Burke, the new Dean of Baylor’s School of Education. She came to Baylor this summer after serving at Texas A&M University, the University of Oregon and University of Georgia, and taught children with behavioral challenges for many years prior in her native Florida. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Hagan-Burke tells about a unique parental introduction to Baylor that helped draw her to the University, shares experiences that shape her approach to higher education leadership, examines the School of Education’s contributions to Tier 1 research and more.

Frank Newport and Byron Johnson

In over three decades at the Gallup organization, Frank Newport has spent his career studying objective data about American attitudes on religion, politics, social issues and more. Newport, a Baylor graduate, is co-host of the podcast Objective Religion, launched earlier this year by Baylor’s Institute for the Studies of Religion. In this Baylor Connections, Newport, senior scientist at Gallup after a long tenure as editor-in-chief, and Byron Johnson, Distinguished Professor of Social Sciences and Baylor ISR founding director, discuss religion’s impact on America today and analyze topics at the intersection of faith and data-driven social science.

Mark Rountree

As Chair of the Board of Regents, Mark Rountree works closely with President Livingstone and Baylor leadership. This year, he assumed the role of Chair as the University navigated a global pandemic and addressed important social issues. In this Baylor Connections, Rountree examines leadership amidst rapidly-changing conditions, sharing how the university worked towards an in-person semester and pursues racial healing and justice as an expression of Christian faith.

Nancy Brickhouse

For Baylor faculty members, the monumental efforts to deliver interactive, engaging classes amidst the COVID-19 public health crisis necessitate learning new technologies and methods of class content delivery. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Nancy Brickhouse, Baylor University Provost, breaks down resources to enhance class instruction both virtually and in-person and shares how the University is continuing to advance meaningful research goals to address critical challenges.

Gary Carini

Terms like face-to-face, virtual learning and hybrid classes have rapidly become commonplace throughout higher education. Baylor has invested time and resources to equip professors to engage students at the highest levels in both traditional and non-traditional classrooms. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Gary Carini, vice provost for institutional research and professional education and professor of entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, shares how Baylor is proactively supporting professors in this environment and casts a vision for Baylor as a recognized leader in these new models.

Michelle Cohenour

Student Success Initiatives at Baylor University walks alongside students to help them successfully navigate the incumbent challenges of the collegiate journey. In this Baylor Connections, Michelle Cohenour, Student Success Initiatives director, shares how SSI helps students from a variety of backgrounds be their best self, in and out of class, so they can find holistic success and make the most of their time at Baylor.