Baylor Connections

Brad Livingstone

Get to know Baylor University’s First Gentleman. Brad Livingstone is an educator, basketball player, World War II expert, and Baylor’s inaugural “First Gent.” As a high school history teacher, Livingstone has brought hundreds of veterans into his classroom to share their stories with students, and the impact of those moments have become a hallmark of his classes. In this Baylor Connections, he shares how those experiences have been so meaningful, reminisces about meeting President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D., in college, and offers insights into his role as First Gent.

Ashley Otto

Like many people, Dr. Ashley Otto doesn’t enjoy making decisions; however, she’s become an expert on the topic. Dr. Otto, Assistant Professor of Marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, focuses her highly-regarded research on how people make decisions. In this Baylor Connections, she defines terms like “decision-averse” and “decision sidestepping” and explains how such individuals strategically approach the choices they face at home, work and more.

John Morris

John Morris capped off his 25th season as “The Voice of the Bears” with a meaningful honor, being selected as the 2019 Texas Co-Sportscaster of the Year. In this Baylor Connections, he reflects on great Baylor moments and working with longtime Baylor announcer Frank Fallon, shares how he prepares for games and spent a spring without sports, and talks about the meaning of the Sportscaster of the Year honor.

Patricia Shih

Patricia Shih is an internationally-renowned violinist who has performed as a recitalist and soloist with top global musicians in some of the world’s most prestigious venues. Last year, she joined the Baylor faculty as Associate Professor of Violin in the Baylor University School of Music, and still maintains an active performing schedule. In this Baylor Connections, she shares her appreciation for her instrument, love of music, and why she felt the call to teach.

Peter Hotez

Vaccine development and public health approaches to contagious diseases have captured public attention in recent months. Dr. Peter Hotez is an international leader in tropical medicine and vaccine development. He serves as the Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Co-Director of Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and University Professor of Biology at Baylor University, and leads a unique partnership with Baylor to provide a summer tropical medicine institute experience for Baylor undergraduate students. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Lee Nordt, Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Baylor, engages Dr. Hotez on a variety of subjects such as COVID-19, vaccines, undergraduate research and more.

Ramon Lavado

Chemical compounds found in many household products can be major contributors to obesity and other lipid diseases, a Baylor study has found. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Ramon Lavado, Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, shares important information from his research. Learn more about where such compounds are found, the impact of early exposure to those chemicals, and the ways the study expands our understanding of weight gain and disease.

Matt Burchett

How do you help students maintain social connections and meaningful traditions amidst a time of social distancing? In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Matt Burchett, Director of Student Activities, shares ways Baylor helped students stay connected to campus during the semester and honored the Class of 2020 during a different kind of Senior Week. Learn more about what Burchett and student life professionals have learned about interpersonal connections, the power of social media and other online tools, and ways these unplanned adjustments can shape future interactions.

Daniel Romo

Dr. Daniel Romo, The Schotts Professor of Chemistry at Baylor, describes his lab’s role as “construction engineering at the molecular level,” spurring potential drug leads for cancer, neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, and more. In this Baylor Connections, Dr. Romo shares how he and his lab students go about that process through the synthesis of natural compounds, the innovation of new synthesis strategies and more.