“Something Unique to Baylor:” The Integration of Teaching and Research in the Classroom
At Baylor, research and teaching are not separate lanes, but interconnected pathways to build knowledge, address global challenges and prepare students for future problem solving and leadership. The University has been recognized by U.S. News in the top-40 nationally for both undergraduate research and teaching: one of just 19 schools in the nation so recognized that high in both categories, alongside institutions like Harvard, Stanford, Duke and Michigan.
The researchers whose scholarship elevates Baylor to R1 status—the top ranking for research universities nationally—work closely with students, and many continue to teach undergraduate courses, integrating the cutting-edge work they do into the courses. This provides undergrad students with concepts and ideas that are actively impacting their disciplines. Why is this a big part of who Baylor is? Meet three professors who explain why teaching and research is important to them.
Thad Scott serves as Professor of Biology and Director of Baylor’s nationally recognized Center for Reservoir and Aquatic Systems Research. Scott, whose water quality research has shaped government policy and earned numerous major grants, also teaches undergraduate biology and ecology courses.
“As a first-generation college student, I have a unique perspective on how R1 research institutions can engage with undergraduates to help them form a clearer picture of the diverse array of research-based careers that are available.
Engaging undergraduate students in research keeps our work honest and relevant. Baylor students want to know how research is impacting people and society. It is a pleasure to continuously test our commitment to that endeavor by having undergraduates keep us honest. Combining the rigorous research required for success at an R1 institution with a novel and serious focus on undergraduate engagement is something unique to Baylor and its part of the reason I wanted to build a career at this university.”
Lulin Jiang serves as associate professor of mechanical engineering. Jiang leads groundbreaking research in fuel-flexible combustion technology, potentially enabling communities to turn waste products into a source of energy, while teaching undergraduate thermodynamics courses at Baylor.
“As reflected in both my faith and my research, the desire to ‘fan into flame the gifts of God’ (2 Timothy 1:6) in students remains a fire in my heart. As a former student who was inspired and mentored by many wonderful yet humble professors, I hope to carry on that spirit by passing along the new and exciting things I learn through research to motivate the next generation. While mentoring students in a laboratory setting is precious and impactful, teaching in the classroom allows that impact to be multiplied and extended to many more students.
Furthermore, integrating research into my teaching exposes students to emerging technologies and current engineering challenges, helping them see how classroom fundamentals are applied in practice. It has also helped me recruit high-caliber students who may not otherwise be aware of undergraduate research opportunities.”
Kelly Ylitalo serves as associate professor of public health and director of the public health program’s Ph.D. program. Her research, which has earned significant honors from the National Institutes of Health, examines the individual and community-level impact of diet and health, physical activity and more as people age. She teaches a stress management and mental health class to undergraduates.
“Students are the reason I work at Baylor. I am a lifelong learner, and anytime I am in the classroom, I get the opportunity to learn alongside my students.
As an epidemiologist, I am constantly thinking about population health and research methods, and I try to bring that perspective into the classroom whenever I can. For example, this past semester, one of our topics was nature and stress. We used a population health perspective to critically evaluate a large study of college students that demonstrated an improvement in stress physiology biomarkers after only 10 minutes spent outdoors in nature. My hope is that bringing epidemiologic methods and research like this into the classroom bridges the gap between theory and practice and allows students to have a tangible piece of evidence they can apply to their own lives.”
This culture of teaching and research makes a difference for students in the classroom and beyond. Learn more about the University’s purposeful commitment through the Baylor Undergraduate Research website.