The Baylor Research Teaching Team

Ben Holt has a B.S. in biology from East Tennessee State University, where he conducted ecotoxicology research. He is working to complete his Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee. His interests include salamanders and their microbiomes.

Dr. Antonio Herrera has a B.S. in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology from Yale University and a Ph.D. in biology from New York University. He has extensive experience in teaching and overseeing research at Choate, Pace University, and Stony Brook University. Dr. Herrera's interests include developmental genetics, genomics, and evolutionary systems biology.

Dr. Louie Elliott serves as lead scientist in the engineering wing of Baylor Research.  Dr. Elliott earned a B.S. in physics from UTC, an M.S. in physics from N.C. State, and a Ph.D. in Computational Engineering from UTC, and has done extensive R&D work in industry.

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