Behavioral and Human Sciences
Examining and modifying the environmental, psychological, and social determinants that influence behavior and health.
Each academic semester, the Public Health Fair takes place underneath the Interstate 35 overpass near Baylor’s campus—utilizing the same unassuming concrete where Church Under the Bridge holds outdoor worship services on Sundays. The fair’s outreach serves as an opportunity for Waco’s underserved residents to gain vital information about their own health, and it provides real-world immersive learning through a blend of academics and service for Public Health students.
Just a short drive from Newport Beach sits an old barn flanked by peaceful indoor and outdoor spaces, bamboo forests, and friendly dogs—aptly named, Barn Life Recovery has resided as a holistic rehabilitation center since 2018—providing community-based treatment for individuals living with mood disorders. Among the center’s practitioners is Baylor University alumna Polly Sweitzer, OTD, OTR/L, who serves as the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) in mental health.
Long gone are the days of fluorescent lighting, rows of metal desks, and stark white paint on every wall in schools. Today, with the guidance of Baylor University alumna Jillian Diffee, RID, IIDA, school campuses are being designed for both students and educators—with their mental and physical wellbeing top of mind—offering bold environments that are inclusive, energy-efficient, and inspirational.
Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences internal seed funding award recipients! In addition to the Robbins College Research Program, this year saw the introduction of two new internal funding programs: the Pedagogical Scholarship Award Program and the Dr. Mike and Mrs. Micki Maris Endowed Seed Fund for Student Research.
In today’s world—when toddlers can use a smartphone before they can tie their shoes—understanding how mobile media impacts child development has become increasingly vital. Mickey Langlais, PhD, CFLE, Assistant Professor of Child and Family Studies (CFS) in Baylor University’s Department of Human Sciences and Design, is leading research to discover the effects of technology use on young children’s cognitive abilities.
Cory Smith, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Health, Human Performance, and Recreation in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Services, has received a $149,683 award from Horses and Humans Research Foundation for his proposal, “Measurement of brain activation responses to equine interactions in youth with autism during a 10-week manual based therapeutic horseback riding intervention.”
Health Science Studies senior Thomas Statz is pursuing his calling at the intersection of the military and medicine by serving as an undergraduate researcher in the Human & Environmental Physiology Laboratory with Assistant Professor Cory Smith, PhD.
While a general link between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease is well known, Baylor University researchers are digging into the “why” behind this detrimental association – especially after a night of binge drinking – in a study published in the American Heart Association’s Hypertension journal.