News

In Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, faculty are pursuing innovative research aimed at making a positive impact across the cancer journey—from prevention to treatment to survivorship. Driven by a calling to make a difference through their skills and expertise, these researchers are transforming lives, one study at a time. 

In the heart of Dallas, Texas, Master of Public Health in Epidemiology alumna Natalie Noreen, MPH, works directly with individuals who are currently living at the edges of America’s healthcare system. She says Baylor professors helped to shape how she sees people—not as diagnoses or datasets, but as whole human beings.

When it was time to choose her practicum experience for the Master of Public Health (MPH) program, Serena Enriquez was connected to The Neighborhood & Health Study that examines public health outcomes in agriculturally focused neighborhoods, or “agrihoods.” Through this opportunity, Enriquez gained experience in the intersection of agriculture and health.

In 2025, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences researchers published more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals and publications. View examples from across the College, as well as a selection of grant-funded projects. 

Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences celebrates its 2025 Gold Standard recipients and Pure Gold award winners. These honors recognize faculty and staff for their exceptional contributions to the College through research achievement, teaching excellence, effective service, and/or contributions to building a positive culture.

Congratulations to Renée Umstattd Meyer, PhD, FAAHB, Senior Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Education and Professor of Public Health in Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, on her election to Fellowship in the Society of Behavioral Medicine (SBM).

Baylor University alumnus Chris Amezcua, who earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health and his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree in Community Health Science, is now pursuing his healthcare journey at an accelerated nursing program in Houston, Texas. Today, catch up with him as he reflects on how the program shaped his academic path, professional goals, and personal growth. 

In Robbins College, faculty members and Baylor alumni Gabriel Benavidez, PhD, Kacie Dolezel, CCC-SLP, and Kimberly Smith, EdD, are enriching the Baylor experiences of the students they teach by drawing on their own impactful years as students of the University.

During American Heart Month, Rebecca Jones-Antwi, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Public Health, reminds us that heart health isn’t just a concern for older adults. With cardiovascular disease rising, she highlights three simple, science-backed habits—moving more, sleeping better, and eating smarter—that can make a meaningful difference starting today.

From groundbreaking academic launches to transformational research and outstanding student successes, 2025 was a remarkable year for Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. With its mission to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing, Robbins College made significant strides across education, research, outreach, and mission. Enjoy these 10 highlights from an exciting year.

Hear from researchers in Baylor's Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences about the calling they have found at the intersection of faith and research. 

Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to announce the appointments of new faculty across its departments, effective August 2025. 

Baylor University’s August 2025 Commencement marks a major milestone for the Department of Public Health as its first PhD students—Anjelica Elizondo and Erin Young—graduate after defending their dissertations. Hear from Elizondo and Young, who were both inspired by personal experiences and chose to focus their doctoral research on women’s health. 

In an effort to better equip faculty with the skills necessary to foster mentor-mentee relationships, Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences has partnered with the Baylor Graduate School to design and facilitate a pilot mentor training workshop. 

Elizabeth Kwon, PhD, Assistant Professor for Baylor University’s Department of Public Health, was recently awarded a five-year $952,264 NIH K01 Career Development Award to dive deeper into the relationship among stress system functioning, pubertal development, and vulnerability to addiction. In particular, she is interested in how environmental factors during puberty are associated with stress system functioning, which in turn affects addiction vulnerability. 

On a mission trip after her undergraduate experience, Meagan Schlinkert, PhD, MPH, traveled to Vanuatu, a remote country designed of more than 80 islands, located about 1,100 miles east of Australia. There, she met a lady who would inspire her continued education in public health. 

Aly Elliott, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health (BSPH) from Baylor University in May 2025, has used her passion for disease prevention and education to benefit the Waco community and beyond. Her strong foundation in health education and global health stems from her interest in epidemiology, which jump-started her love for the field of public health.

Following the launch of Baylor University’s Strategic Plan, Baylor in Deeds, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences promptly began work on its own unit-level plan. Using its strategic Signature Research Initiatives as a foundation—along with input from College-wide surveys, departmental conversations, stakeholder discussions, and leadership deliberations— the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences 2024-2030 Strategic Plan was born.

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. 

The Do No Harm event, an interprofessional educational initiative hosted by Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences’ Interprofessional Education Committee, was designed to prepare healthcare students for real-world challenges. Held in March 2025, the virtual event engaged students and professionals from across healthcare disciplines, allowing them a unique opportunity to learn how to navigate complex medical scenarios involving patient safety, compassion, and collaboration across fields. 

Kelly Ylitalo, PhD, Associate Professor, and Director of the PhD Program for the Department of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, is committed to using public health research to make a difference. Particularly, her research examines aging, with a focus on physical functioning, chronic disease, healthy aging, and the behaviors and opportunities that shape long-term health outcomes.

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.

Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of Jacques Baillargeon, PhD, as Chair of the Department of Public Health. Effective August 1, 2025, Baillargeon will succeed Leigh Greathouse, PhD, Associate Professor of Nutrition Sciences, who has served as Interim Chair of the Department of Public Health since June 1, 2024.

As the Christmas season inspires a spirit of generosity, Kathryn Janda-Thomte, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health, shares information about food insecurity mitigation and advice for those interested in improving healthy food access to promote health equity in underserved communities. 

With the New Year in sight, it is time to reflect back on the significant developments and exciting happenings from the past year for Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. In no particular order, check out these 10 highlights from Robbins College’s 2024 year in review.

Meet this year’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award honorees for excellence in research, teaching and dissertation.

Master of Public Health student Serena Enriquez shares about her journey to becoming an MPH student at Baylor University and how her hometown, background, and educational experiences are driving and preparing her for a future medical career—focused on serving the underserved.

With summer coming to an end, most Baylor University students returned to campus after spending their vacation at home or with family. Others, however, took a different route and spent their summer exploring the world through Baylor’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences study abroad programs. Join us now, as we look back at a recap of the summer’s study abroad trips! 

Matt Asare, PhD, MPH, MBA, CHES, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health, has received a five-year, $2.5 million National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Cancer Institute (NCI) Cooperative Agreement Award (U01) award in partnership with Dorcas Obiri-Yeboah, PhD, Professor of Clinical Microbiology at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana, and Nadia Sam-Agudu, MD, Professor in the Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

Pro Ecclesia, Pro Texana, Pro Mundo. The addition of those last two words to Baylor’s longstanding motto mirrors the university’s mission statement (“for worldwide leadership and service”), and highlights Baylor’s global impact as a Christian research university.

Baylor faculty have long conducted groundbreaking research with a worldwide bent, and that continues today. For a few examples, let’s take a trip across campus and around the globe:

As Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences celebrates its 10-year anniversary, take a look back at its programs' histories, learn more about modern growth, and hear about the future of one of Baylor University’s fastest growing academic unit.

Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences established a set of high-level research initiatives to inform the prioritization of resources, including faculty hiring, infrastructure enhancements, and fundraising efforts. Here, we introduce the Robbins College Signature Research Initiatives to you by showcasing a current research project within each initiative. 

Anjelica Elizondo, who is on track to becoming a Baylor University graduate three times over, looks back on her life and her time at Baylor, reflecting on what swayed her choice to remain a Baylor Bear over the past eight years. She believes the answer lies with the people she has met along the way, both professors and peers within Baylor's Department of Public Health.  

Alumni of Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences are striving to improve health access and quality of life within their communities. While their professions differ, they all lead with a desire to “love thy neighbor” and to make an impact for those in need.

In 2023, Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences researchers published more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed journals and publications. Here we share examples of publications from across the College, as well as a selection of grant-funded projects from the last year—all supporting and strengthening the Robbins College Signature Research Initiatives. 

In his Fall 2022 semester kickoff address to College faculty and staff, Jason R. Carter, PhD, Dean of Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, described his vision for developing a culture within the College that emphasizes valuing employees and encouraging collaboration. One of the ways these priorities took shape was through the launch of the Robbins College Pure Gold initiative.

The J. Harry and Anna Jeanes Academic Honors Week is hosted each spring semester by the Baylor University Honors College and includes a special Academic Honors Convocation ceremony. During Convocation, outstanding students from departments across the University are recognized, including undergraduate students from Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences.

Matt Asare, PhD, MPH, MBA, CHES, Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, has received a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health (R21) award through the Fogarty International Center for his proposal, “Development of Implementation Toolkits to Promote HPV Self-sampling Behavior among Women Living with HIV in Ghana.”

Rebecca Jones-Antwi, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, has received a three-year Career Development Award from the American Heart Association for her project, “Stuck in the Middle: The Intersectionality of Multiracial Adults and Cardiovascular Health.” 

Play Streets, which are temporary closures of streets or publicly accessible places for play, were originally implemented in urban areas to create a safe place for youth to be active near their homes. Researcher Renée Umstattd Meyer, PhD, MCHES, FAAHB, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, is writing the playbook for how to transform these place-based interventions to also serve underserved rural communities.

Jason R. Carter, PhD, Dean of Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences, has announced two key leadership appointments related to transitions within the College. Effective June 1, 2024, Nadine Welch has been appointed Associate Dean for Undergraduate and International Studies and Leigh Greathouse, PhD, has been appointed Interim Chair of the Department of Public Health.

With the New Year in sight, it is time to reflect back on the significant developments and exciting happenings from the past year for Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. Read more about 10 highlights from Robbins College’s 2023 year in review.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, Baylor's Robbins College is highlighting a few of our outstanding Hispanic and Latino Americans Bears. Lara Arce is a joint-degree Public Health student whose unique perspective and cultural emphasis on community and family is making an impact at Baylor and beyond.

The Department of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is currently accepting applications for the position of Department Chair, with an expected Fall 2024 start date.

On August 8, 2023, Jason R. Carter, PhD, celebrates his one-year anniversary as Dean of the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University. In this Q&A, Dean Carter shares his reflections on this past year along with his hopes and vision for the future.

Eva Doyle, PhD, Chair of the Department of Public Health, reflects on developing a study abroad program, Baylor in Brazil, with her husband. Started in 2006, the program will return to Brazil in 2023 for the first time since COVID-19-related restrictions.

Erin Cleary is a current student at Baylor University, finishing her Master of Public Health (MPH) in Epidemiology, and she plans to begin a prestigious fellowship with the California Epidemiologic Investigation Service (EIS) after graduation. Erin lets us in on the Baylor Public Health program, her journey to epidemiology, and her unique interests in the field.  

Beth Lanning, PhD, MCHES, is a Professor, Associate Chair, and the MPH - Community Health Science Director in the Department of Public Health. In this Q&A, Dr. Lanning shares about her journey to Baylor’s Department of Public Health and her research and teaching interests.

Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to announce the appointment of two new faculty members in the Department of Public Health. On August 1, Rebecca Jones-Antwi, PhD, and Gabriel Benavidez, PhD (expected May 2023) will both join the faculty as Assistant Professors of Public Health with specializations in epidemiology.

In the fall of 2021, Baylor Multicultural Affairs announced its first Trailblazer Scholars, students chosen for their commitment to advancing diversity and racial equality. The inaugural Cohort has three Robbins College students as members: Erin Babatunde, Israel Beverly, and Connie Mendoza.

As 2022 comes to a close, we are grateful to be celebrating a year full of noteworthy and impactful developments for Baylor University's Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. In no particular order, here are 10 highlights from Robbins College’s 2022 year in review.

Chris Amezcua is a Master’s in Public Health student in the Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences. As a graduate of Baylor University’s Public Health, he provides perspective on his experiences as an undergrad, his transition into graduate school, and his passions in the field of Public Health.

The Department of Public Health in Baylor University’s Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences is pleased to share that Liang Wang, MD, DrPH, MPH, FACE, FTOS, Director of Epidemiology and tenured Associate Professor of Public Health, has been elected as President of the China Health Policy and Management Society (CHPAMS).