Browsing: Research

Though many major cities in the U.S. have pledged to transition to fully renewable energy sources by 2050, a new study by a pair of Baylor researchers found the complete eradication of nonrenewable energy sources is unlikely. The study, which was published in January, outlined three main barriers to renewable energy: economics, leadership and literacy.

Seniors, this survey is for you! The university’s Faith and Character Study has been measuring the value and impact of a Baylor education for the last couple of years, tracking students’ progress when they arrive at Baylor, when they graduate from Baylor and a decade later. This year, there is a new incentive for seniors to participate as well.

“Their faith and friendship is just as compelling and real and attractive as anyone else’s,” Dr. Erik Carter said. “The way we gather in communities separates people — because of fear, because of attitudes, because of whatever. So that is now the running theme through all of the research I do: It’s how do you get people to be in community with one another in our schools, in our workplaces, in our churches, on our college campuses?”

In the college environment, mentorship is often thought of in the context of a student learning from a professor, whether that’s through research or academics. However, Baylor’s Office of the Provost offers mentorship among faculty, allowing them to grow together to promote a strengthened foundation for the Baylor community.

Dr. Barbara Castanheira Endl, an assistant professor of physics, is preparing to publish the results of her research on white dwarf stars. Her focus was to understand the structure and components of the stars. Due to their very small and faint appearance and being at the final stage of star evolution, studying them is often on the fringes of telescopic capabilities.

Dr. Michael Trakselis, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and head of the Trakselis Laboratory, was recently able to unravel the structure of the MCM8/9 enzyme — a protein whose mutations generally give rise to premature ovarian failure or insufficiency, infertility and various types of cancer.

Baylor’s new Compliance and Research Administration will streamline university research processes, including grant proposals and conflict of interest disclosures. The electronic system is set to launch in mid-September. Dr. Kevin Chambliss, vice provost for research, said previously that everything related to research, outside of funding, was done manually.

The symposium will include presentations, talks and posters on completed research, in-progress research and research ideas. According to the digital flyer for the symposium, any undergraduate currently conducting research and any graduate student with a poster or presentation, are encouraged to apply to the sessions by submitting an abstract using the QR code before the submission deadline of April 12.