Meet the Experts

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.

Grief and Loss

Helen Harris, associate professor in the Diana R. Garland School of Social Work, has centered her life’s work on challenging subjects that most would prefer to avoid: grief and loss. Harris’ research and field work have made her one of the nation’s most sought-after experts on bereavement, trauma, faith and more. During family centered holidays, numerous publications call on Harris to offer tips to support people dealing with loss. Newsday, The Baptist Standard, Journal of Loss and Trauma and the Journal of Religion, Spirituality & Aging are among the outlets that have shared her work.

Sleep

Michael Scullin, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience, is the director of the Sleep Neuroscience and Cognition Laboratory and a leading expert on sleep. Scullin’s Sleep Lab examines the impact of sleep on cognition, creativity, health, memory and aging. Past projects have uncovered information about the negative impacts of pulling all-nighters and the benefits of a steady sleep schedule. A study which found that journaling helps people fall asleep faster was picked up by outlets including Good Morning, America, The Today Show, USA Today, Science Daily and Shape Magazine. 

Immigration Law

Laura Hernandez, professor in the Baylor Law School, is the co-founder of the Baylor Law Immigration Clinic and a leading scholar on issues new immigrants face when coming to the United States. The clinic helps Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)-eligible youths navigate the documents and processes required to become DACA-eligible. Among the outlets calling upon Hernandez, the daughter of first-generation immigrants from Mexico, are The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. She participated in a long-form conversation on Baylor Connections (baylor.edu/connections) earlier this spring.

Workplace Ethics

Matt Quade, assistant professor of management and a 2017-18 Baylor faculty Rising Star, shapes the national conversation on workplace ethics through his research on the impact of both ethical and unethical professional behavior. His study on the possible negative impacts of some ethical behaviors—such as managers who are strictly compliant to bureaucratic processes or who set unrealistic expectations leading to employee stress or dissatisfaction—was featured on The Ladders job website. Harvard Business Review, Business Wire and Moneyish are among the outlets that have covered Quade’s previous work.