Faculty Facetime
The expertise of Baylor faculty and representatives who are actively shaping and advancing their disciplines is sought after by their peers and media as well as by University students in academic settings.
In this ongoing series, here are four of the many University representatives called on for insight and understanding on today’s topics by any number of media outlets — from The New York Times and The Washington Post to Christianity Today, CNN and NPR.
Health Disparities
MATT ASARE, a Baylor Rising Star for 2018-19, is recognized for his work regarding health disparities relating to cancer control and prevention, patient-provider relationship, cultural humility and responsiveness, and sexual education. His scholarship is grounded in theories to facilitate pro-health behavior changes at the individual and community levels, especially among racial and ethnic minorities and underserved populations. Title: Assistant Professor, Public Health, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. Areas of Expertise: Health Disparities • Underserved Populations • Patient-Provider Relationship • Cultural Humility and Responsiveness. Degrees: BA, University of Ghana; MBA, MIA, Ohio University; MPH, University of Rochester; PhD, University of Cincinnati; Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES).
Church-State Studies
FRANCIS BECKWITH’s books include Taking Rites Seriously: Law, Politics, and the Reasonableness of Faith; Politics for Christians: Statecraft as Soulcraft; and Return to Rome: Confessions of an Evangelical Catholic. Title: Professor, Philosophy and Church-State Studies, College of Arts and Sciences; Co-director, Philosophical Studies of Religion Program, Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion. Areas of Expertise: Faith • Law • Church and State Issues • Philosophical and Theological Ethics • Ethics and Values • Politics • Religion Politics and Culture • Religion. Degrees: BA, University of Nevada Las Vegas; MJS, Washington University School of Law; MA, PhD, Fordham University.
Understanding Memory
MELANIE SEKERES, a Baylor Rising Star for 2016-17, investigates how the passage of time affects the quality and neural representation of episodic memory in humans. Her research uses a combination of human and animal memory models to understand how memories are formed and stored in the brain (memory consolidation). Understanding memory processing in the healthy brain has applications for understanding memory dysfunction associated with normal aging, traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration. Title: Assistant Professor, Psychology and Neuroscience, College of Arts and Sciences. Areas of Expertise: Episodic Memory in Humans • Age and Memory • Memory Consolidation Processes. Degrees: BS, Trent University; PhD, University of Toronto.
Entrepreneurship & Innovation
PETER KLEIN’s research focuses on the links between entrepreneurship, strategy, and organization. He applies that to innovation, diversification, vertical coordination, healthcare and public policy. Klein has received funding for his work from the National Science Foundation, the Kauffman Foundation, the Mises Institute, and the Illinois-Missouri Biotechnology Alliance, along with other organizations. Title: W.W. Caruth Chair and Professor of Entrepreneurship, Entrepreneurship, Hankamer School of Business. Areas of Expertise: Entrepreneurship • Innovation • Diversification • Vertical Coordination • Public Policy • Healthcare • Strategy and Organization • Angel Investors. Degrees: BA, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; PhD, University of California Berkeley.