Explore Our Science & Engineering (STEM) Programs

Our Mission

Training students to think like scientists is the mission of Baylor Research. We understand that science is not about content or a body of facts that explain the natural world, but instead is a process that we use to generate and confirm new knowledge. This principle of experiential learning guides Baylor Research and is most evident in our laboratory spaces.

Overview of Program

Introductory courses, Molecular Methods and Engineering Design are the entry points for Baylor Research (See sample course progression here). Once complete, students may advance to Biomedical, Environmental, or Engineering Research. Successful students are considered for Advanced Research and Thesis in their selected field. Each year students highlight their work at the Science & Engineering Symposium. Students and faculty are recognized via their peer-reviewed presentation and publications.

Experienced Research Faculty & State-of-the Art Facilities

Students Mentored by PhD Researchers. Successful in their own fields of study, Dr. Dawn Richards, Dr. Mary Loveless, and Dr. Elizabeth Forrester are leading the way in developing curriculum and programs that will inspire the next generation of research scientists.

Technology’s Best Tools. The Weeks Science Building is supported with a $15 million endowment to ensure the most advanced program possible. Our facilities and research technology rival those found at leading universities.

Students Making an Impact

Baylor Research students attended and presented their research projects in cancer biology at the 14th Annual Undergraduate Student Caucus and Poster Competition as part of the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research. For more research highlights, click here.

Baylor's Campus, The Baylor Lake & Tennessee River

Our river offers more than a beautiful view. A diverse, aquatic environment provides a natural laboratory for student research at all levels.

Student Expectations

• As a student in the Baylor Research program you will:
• Learn about the natural world through a scientific process, not a collection of content or a body of facts.
• Generate and confirm new knowledge.
• Describe and test patterns and generate testable explanations.
• Understand the quantitative nature of science and technology.
• Understand the connection between statistics and confidence and learn to use statistics to quantify uncertainty
• Know and embrace failure. Discovery and development is an iterative process. Failure helps identify next (or alternative) steps toward a goal.
• Have your own research critiqued and evaluated by peers.
• Learn to be critical of your own research and those of your peers using logic to evaluate research.

Sample Course Progression

Year One: Molecular Methods or Engineering Design (first semester), Engineering, Biomedical, Environmental Research (second semester).

Year Two: Advanced Engineering, Biomedical, or Environmental Research.

Year Three: Thesis - Engineering, Biomedical, or Environmental

Student & Faculty Research Highlights

Below are examples of student and faculty presentations and published work.

Molecular Biology Research Lab

In our Molecular Biology Research Lab, students begin with instruction on model systems ranging in complexity from bacteria to mammalian cells. The laboratory space provides students with an incredible wealth of resources, including a mammalian cell culture area complete with fluorescence microscopy and a multitude of molecular biology equipment and reagents widely used in professional spaces.

Engineering Research Lab

In the Engineering Research Lab, students become well-versed in various engineering-related topics such as electronics, mechanical systems, and modeling/computational studies. In addition to a variety of microcontrollers, sensors, actuators, equipment includes:

• BK Precision 9129B DC Power Supply
• BK Precision 4003A 4MHz Function Generator
• Tektronix TBS1064 60 MHz Four Channel Digital Storage Oscilliscope
• Saleae Logic Analyzers
• TM 1000 Scanning Electron
• 3D Printers (Makerbot, Ultimaker, and Form 2),
• Shapeoko 3 CNC Router
• Epilog Helix 40W Laser Cutter
• Two ASUS Core i7 Performance Gaming Desktop with GeForce GTX 1080 (Virtual Reality Development) Workstations

Weeks Science Building & Baylor's Campus

The Weeks Science Building is supported with a $15 million endowment to ensure the most advanced program possible. In the words of one teacher, “It allows us to have all the best tools” for bringing scientific theories to life.

Our river offers more than a beautiful view. A diverse, aquatic environment provides a natural laboratory for student research at all levels.

Data shows that teaching science through research immersion not only increases learning compared to conventional methods, but is a transformative experience that can actually jump-start scientific careers.

Here's What Parents & Professionals are Saying

“Unlike most high school science lab work, you are given a real research problem, you develop your own proposal, and you conduct research over multiple years not knowing what the outcome will be. Students have the ability to make new discoveries and publish their findings. The research conducted seems to be more similar to graduate level research at a university but with more guidance and mentorship.”

“The Baylor Research program exposes students to real science research topics, processes and procedures, and equipment. This will help students learn if a career in the science is really what they want and if so, it will help them further develop their passion and understanding of scientific research. They will also be well positioned to request and conduct research in their undergraduate program in college.”

“Most high school students will not gain a true understanding of what science research is based on the "labs" that are given in a typical high school environment. Baylor provides real research opportunities with an ability to make new discoveries and publish their findings. Baylor also provides professional research equipment so that students can rely on their results.”

The Baylor Research Teaching Team

Dr. Dawn Richards has an M.S. in Oceanography: Biogeochemical cycling and a Ph.D. in Microbial Ecology. Her interests include microbial community composition in soil, water, and biological systems and antibiotic resistance in the environment.

Dr. Mary Loveless has a B.S. in Computer Science: Computer Engineering and M.S./Ph.D. degrees in Biomedical Engineering. Her interests include embedded systems, mathematical modeling, and imaging.

Dr. Elizabeth Forrester has a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Vanderbilt University. Her interests include mammary tumorigenesis and metastasis, molecular genetics and epigenetics.