Findings from the Field
Exciting new field evidence from the University of South Bohemia and Baylor University demonstrates that neuroactive pharmaceuticals are accumulating in developing freshwater fish beyond internationally recognized safety thresholds.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization has noted increased global consumption of neuroactive pharmaceuticals. These findings prompted Baylor researchers to examine the effectiveness of wastewater treatment, as when we take or dispose of medications in wastewater treatment, their presence in the water increases.
“This research helps us consider ways to protect our fisheries and their environments, with implications for recreation, water quality, and the sustainability of health care,” said Bryan W. Brooks, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science and Public Health at Baylor University, in a Baylor press release. The researchers’ findings raise questions about how such chemicals might influence the fish’s development and behavior.
Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher
Every year, the Society of Toxicology (SOT) recognizes outstanding undergraduate researchers with a prestigious award that supports their participation at the annual SOT meeting. This year, Baylor senior and Goldwater Scholar Ava Frescura was one of 19 undergraduate students to earn this prestigious award and the only student in Texas to be recognized.
Frescura’s research focused on chemical additives that are used in plastic manufacturing to increase flexibility, called plasticizers. “Historically, many plasticizers have been phthalate-based,” Frescura said in a Baylor press release. “Phthalates are now known to be endocrine-disrupting compounds, meaning they interfere with normal hormone function and can cause a wide range of adverse health effects.”
Frescura is mentored by Maria Teresa Fernandez-Luna, Ph.D., senior lecturer in the Department of Biology, and Ramon Lavado, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Environmental Science.
“Being recognized for my research at the Society of Toxicology annual meeting is a huge achievement,” Frescura said. “It’s a major confidence boost that validates my hard work and my research interests.”
Hudson Westbrook and Tyce Delk at Foster Pavilion
Tyce Delk, a rising country music artist, is opening for Hudson Westbrook at Foster Pavilion.
Hudson Westbrook, 21-year-old chart-topping country artist, is the eighth-youngest solo artist to reach No. 1 in the 52-year history of the R&R/MB/CA chart, and the second-youngest this decade.
Tyce Delk, who recently performed at The Backyard in Waco, is returning to the city to open for Westbrook. A fourth-generation farmer, rancher, and musician, Delk’s songs are deeply tied to his heritage.
Westbrook and Delk join a long list of entertainers who have appeared at Foster Pavilion and will perform on April 24th.
Accounting Assistance
The Hankerman School of Business is giving back to the community through a partnership with students at University High School and La Vega High School to provide free tax preparation through the student-led Waco Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program.
This program offers coast-free tax preparation assistance to local families, and Baylor students have been participating since 2008. The volunteer opportunity gives students not only the opportunity to give back but also to gain practical, hands-on experience.
“Students sharpen their technical skills preparing tax returns,” said Jason MacGregor, Ph.D., associate professor, The Roderick Homes Chair of Accountancy, and co-director of the Waco VITA program, in a Baylor press release. “But the deeper education happens when students listen to the stories of Waco neighbors.”
Funding Faithful Flourishing
The Lilly Endowment has awarded Baylor a $5 million grant to fund “The Whole Body Project: Flourishing Together in Faith and Life,” which highlights powerful stories of faith and flourishing that happen when people with and without disabilities move from exclusion to belonging.
The project is housed in the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing. Its purpose is to highlight the invaluable gifts that individuals with disabilities bring to their church communities and cultivate a culture in which they experience true inclusion and belonging in faith communities.
“Through a first-of-its-kind national campaign – rooted in research, supported by deep partnerships and sustained through practical resource pathways – we will inspire and equip tens of thousands of church leaders, members, and families to reimagine and pursue faithful life together,” said Erik W. Carter, Ph.D. The Luther Sweet Endowed Chair in Disabilities, executive director of the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing, in a Baylor press release. “We are grateful for the support from Lilly Endowment as we embark on this important work to proclaim the power and beauty of the Whole Body of Christ.”
Big 12 Faculty of the Year
Each year, the Big 12 presents its Faculty of the Year Awards, which celebrate one top faculty member from each member school for excellence in innovation and research on their campus. This year, Heidi J. Hornik, Ph.D., professor of art history and chair of the Department of Art and Art History, was honored.
Hornik is an art historian and author on religion and the arts. She has received university-wide recognition for her outstanding mentoring and teaching and is considered a renowned scholar in her field.
“The recognition of being a Big 12 Conference Faculty of the Year award recipient is extremely special to me, not only as a member of the Baylor R1 research community but also as a former NCAA athlete in swimming at Cornell University,” Hornik said in a Baylor press release. “It is my belief that athletics instills a sense of discipline, organization, and teamwork that I have tried to apply to my teaching, research, and now administration as a department chair here at Baylor.”
The Fan-First Era
In a letter shared on Baylor’s official athletics website, Doug McNamee, Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Baylor, announces the dawning of a new era in Baylor sports – the fan-first era.
“In this era of college athletics, it seems every constituency is considered a priority except the fans, and that is a mistake. Without your passion, support, and the sacrifice you make to buy tickets and get to games, everything that’s special about college athletics stops,” said McNamee.
“As we count down to the launch of 2026 football season tickets over the coming days, you will begin to hear about several changes coming as a direct result of the feedback we’ve received from you.”
The first change announced is fan-first concession pricing. Baylor is launching a 254 Classics Menu with six items at a consistently discounted price. These prices are the lowest in the Big 12.
