Baylor in the News – Feb. 21-27, 2021

Media Contact: Baylor University Media and Public Relations, 254-710-1961
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WACO, Texas (Feb. 28, 2021) – Baylor University researchers and faculty experts were featured in national and local media stories as they shared their thoughts and expertise on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the church’s role in issues of conflict, social injustice and food insecurity, crises faced by the Black church and the leaders who have helped them overcome, smartphone use during the pandemic, and dust bunnies, plasmas and outer space.

Feb. 21, 2021

HealthcareNOW Radio: PopHealth Week: Meet Benjamin Ryan, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor at Baylor University
AUDIO: Benjamin Ryan, Ph.D., clinical associate professor of environmental science, joins hosts Gregg Masters and Fred Goldstein to discuss some of the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan's area of expertise in environmental health includes responses to natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Exercise vs. Diet

Feb. 22, 2021

The Baptist Standard: Voices: Justice must precede peace, calm and healing
Jeremy K. Everett, executive director of the Baylor University Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty, writes about the church’s role in issues of conflict, social injustice and food insecurity.

Anadolu Agency: Smartphones: Key socialization aid amid pandemic
A study conducted by Baylor researchers on smartphone use during the pandemic shows that while social relations in the U.S. were negatively affected, they were maintained through smartphones.

Feb. 23, 2021

PR Newswire: Compassion International and Baylor University Challenge Innovators to Solve Education Crisis
Compassion International and Baylor University announced today the "Christian Collective for Social Innovation" (CCSI), another exciting initiative in their partnership to bring about global human flourishing for children and families in poverty.

The Conversation: How Philadelphia’s Black churches overcame disease, depression and civil strife
Stephanie Clintonia Boddie, Ph.D., assistant professor with affiliations in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, George W. Truett Theological Seminary and the School of Education, writes about crises the Black church has faced and the leaders who have helped them overcome.

Feb. 24, 2021

Defense Visual Information Distribution Service: Leader receive tools to facilitate holistic Soldier care
Angela Gorrell, Ph.D., assistant professor of practical theology, helped train Army chaplains on supporting soldiers’ spiritual wellness by developing a “personal life operating system.”

Baptist Standard: Around the State
Baylor University and Compassion International announced the Christian Collective for Social Innovation, a new initiative within their partnership to bring about global human flourishing for children and families in poverty.

The New York Times: Exercise vs. Diet? What Children of the Amazon Can Teach Us About Weight Gain
A study by Baylor anthropologist Samuel Urlacher, Ph.D., shows that when children gain excess weight, the culprit is more likely to be eating too much than moving too little.

The Dallas Morning News: Texas Scientists: Power outages show why Texas must prepare for climate
Three Baylor geoscientists were among several experts from Texas universities who contributed to an open letter to The Dallas Morning News. They included Steven L. Forman, Ph.D., and Steven Driese, Ph.D., professors of geosciences, and Daniel Peppe, Ph.D., associate professor of geosciences.

Feb. 25, 2021

Texas Tribune: UT-Austin won't require SAT or ACT scores for 2022 applications due to COVID-19
Baylor is among the Texas universities that have suspended SAT and ACT test score requirement for fall 2022, citing continued limited access to testing opportunities for students due the COVID-19 pandemic. Baylor will remain test optional through fall 2023 and will reevaluate the policy for future years.

Feb. 26, 2021

Baylor Connections: Lorin Matthews, Ph.D.
AUDIO: What do dust bunnies and plasmas have to do with outer space? Dr. Lorin Matthews explains on this Baylor Connections. Matthews, professor of physics and associate director of Baylor’s Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics and Engineering Research (CASPER), is a leading researcher into processes that form planets and continue to shape our galaxy, and she explains the impact of these events while taking listeners inside Baylor space research.

Futurity: Disgust May Protect Us from Pathogens
Baylor researchers teamed up with universities across the country to study whether people who experience greater pathogen disgust are exposed to fewer pathogens in their environment.

Waco Tribune-Herald: Local achievements: Feb. 26, 2021
Baylor University announced that Sue Mayborn, of Temple, is the recipient of the 2021 Founders Medal.The owner, editor and publisher of the Temple Daily Telegram and the Killeen Daily Herald, Mayborn is known for her commitment to journalistic excellence and support of higher education.

Feb. 27, 2021

KWKT-TV: Baylor COVID labs look to expand into community
VIDEO: With more than a month of the spring semester gone, the partnership between Baylor University and MyLabsDirect has processes over 3,000 COVID tests a day with a quick turnaround in an effort to test the entire student population every week. With the tests flowing as planned now, MyLabsDirect is looking to make a bigger impact in the Waco community.

ABOUT BAYLOR MEDIA & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Baylor's Office of Media and Public Relations (M&PR) supports the University's Illuminate strategic plan as a top Christian research university by proactively placing high-profile stories about faculty research and expert opinions, innovative teaching, major awards and recognition, and community involvement. The Baylor M&PR team develops faculty experts to effectively communicate the impact of their research or, as subject-matter experts, speak into national trends and conversations with media outlets, Hot Topics and on the Baylor Connections podcast. Our faculty expert directory is available on the M&PR website at www.baylor.edu/news/experts.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 19,000 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 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.