Elite national fellows advance their fields — and bring that experience into BU classrooms
Among the many draws to Baylor University is the chance to learn from elite faculty members at a Christian research university.
There are plenty of ways to measure this, from having dozens of faculty recognized among the nation’s most cited researchers to the University’s attainment of a top-30 national ranking for both undergraduate teaching and research. Another sign of Baylor’s elite faculty: the many researchers recognized as fellows in their fields.
What, exactly, is a fellow? There’s no singular definition, but a to earn a national fellowship means that a professor is making a difference that his/her colleagues across the country recognize. Phrases like “advanced scientific excellence,” “major research contributions,” and “exceptional contributions” to their discipline are found across the descriptions of fellows in chemistry, math, physics and more. Like an all-America designation in sports, it’s a symbol of the best — and while their fellowship was named in a specific year, it’s a title they retain, and one they earn for many years of excellence.
Here are just a few of the current faculty who have joined their colleagues through the years in earning national fellowships:
- Dr. Bryan Brooks, Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science and Biomedical Studies — American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellow (2022) (pictured above)
- Dr. Julia Chan (BS ’93), the Tim and Sharalynn Fenn Family Endowed Chair in Materials Science — AAAS Fellow (2019), and American Chemical Society (ACS) Fellow (2024)
- Dr. George Cobb, professor and department chair of environmental science — ACS Fellow (2015)
- Dr. Julie Hoggarth, associate professor of anthropology — AAAS Fellow (2024)
- Dr. Lorin Swint Matthews (BA ’94, PhD ’98), chair and professor of physics — American Physical Society Fellow (2023)
- Dr. Dorina Mitrea, professor and department chair of mathematics — American Mathematical Society Fellow (2024)
This is not an exhaustive list, and it’s only one measure of professorial excellence found across campus — but it’s an impressive roster of faculty interacting with Baylor students as they interact with their subjects in nationally recognized ways.
Sic ’em, Baylor Fellows!