Serving the World Through Impactful Research
Serving others is a principle that lies at the heart of the Christian faith. It is in the pursuit of this service that Baylor University places an emphasis on excellence in teaching and research that addresses the needs of the surrounding world.
The work of our faculty naturally takes many forms. Alison Prahl, Ph.D., who serves as an assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders at Baylor, holds Scripture as a guiding star in her work as a speech-language pathologist and director of Baylor’s Language Impairment and Down Syndrome Lab. “We are called to love our neighbors, especially those who are sometimes excluded from society,” she said. “In my research, I aim to optimize outcomes for children and young adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities, who in the not-long-ago past were often excluded from schools, communities and workplaces. Our research team keeps this as a core value at the center of our work as we walk alongside individuals and families of individuals with disabilities to learn from them and support them the best way we can, as brothers and sisters in Christ.”
Engaging students in impactful research enriches their lives and preparation for their professions while providing another avenue for belonging on campus today and in the communities where they will serve around the world.
Baylor is intentionally recruiting, developing and retaining talented students, staff and faculty who, like Prahl, pursue innovative interdisciplinary research and scholarship in existing and growing areas of strength. That commitment is supported by a plan to provide such individuals with the robust resources, emerging technologies and program development they require so that the University’s research growth will lead to a greater impact on student learning and provide solutions to the challenges facing our world.
“As scientists, we employ experimentation, observation, innovation and creativity to discover novel findings in chemistry and biology,” said Aaron T. Wright, Ph.D., who serves on Baylor’s faculty as the James R. Schofield Endowed Chair in Biomedical Sciences. “At Baylor, I can dwell in an environment that seeks scientific rigor and innovation while resting in the knowledge of God being the source of all life and truth. I love having the freedom to engage in open discourse with students on a variety of topics, speaking on intellectual levels about their studies, research, career goals and related topics and how they intersect with their values and the Christian faith.”
Baylor faculty often cite the ability to blend the pursuit of their research interests, a life of active faith and a calling to mentor the next generation of scientists, business leaders, teachers, lawyers, physicians, nurses and others as a reason for investing their careers at Baylor.
“I was drawn to Baylor because of the uniqueness of its research focus and Christian mission,” said Hanna Stolze, Ph.D., William E. Crenshaw Endowed Chair in Supply Chain Management. “Our students are pushed to not only solve business problems that are presented in the classroom but also to ask questions about why these problems matter and how the solutions impact people. Understanding the equation or the tool needed to solve the problem is the starting point of learning; knowing what to do with the solution is where students at Baylor can be shaped into future leaders with an awareness and love for others!”
As Baylor University advances the frontiers of knowledge as an R1 research university, it holds fast to the Christian vision of its founders while cultivating a faith-based worldview among its students and serving the surrounding world. In that capacity, Baylor joins other Christian higher education institutions in broadening God’s Kingdom and serving His people.