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Baylor BU Department of Biology About Us Who We Are
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Mission and Core Values

Understanding Our World · Healing Our World

Our Vision

In the Department of Biology, the science we teach and the science we research are all about understanding our world. I think you might even say that we have a Biblical mandate to understand God’s world. We are supposed to be stewards and care takers of the world that we inherited. We don’t own it and so we must understand it in order to preserve it and care for it. This goes for all of humanity as well as for the planet.

In addition to understanding our world, the Department of Biology at Baylor believes it must do research that also is committed to healing our world. We all know that the world is broken (we broke it) and in need of healing. The Biology program at Baylor has an incredible reputation for training future physicians and health care workers. We also want to be training the next generation of scientists and researchers who will be developing the cures that heal the sick and that includes humans, animals and the entire ecosystem of our planet. In addition to research and training with graduate students we are committed to transformational experiences for our undergraduate students.

At Baylor University we prepare students for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence within a Christian, nurturing framework. In line with that mission, we aspire to a vision of inclusive excellence in the biological sciences where all students have equal opportunity for success. We are committed to a vision of understanding our world and healing our world.

Dwayne D Simmons, Ph.D.
Cornelia Marschall Smith Endowed Professor, Department of Biology
Professor, Department of Psychology and Neuroscience Baylor University

Our Mission

The Department of Biology is committed to deepening a culture of discovery from a modern life sciences perspective through teaching and research that emerge from interdisciplinary and problem-solving collaboratives. As a community of learners composed of students, faculty and staff, our objectives are to study biological phenomena with broad societal ramifications, understand foundational mechanisms from the scale of gene expression to macroevolution, and develop and teach knowledge that can be applied to pressing and complex issues. We are dedicated to the overarching purpose of improving lives through teaching and research that address worldwide challenges in human health and environmental stewardship.

Statement of Evolution

Evolution, a foundational principle of modern biology, is supported by overwhelming scientific evidence and is accepted by the vast majority of scientists. Because it is fundamental to the understanding of modern biology, the faculty in the Biology Department at Baylor University (Waco, TX) teach evolution throughout the biology curriculum. We are in accordance with the American Association for Advancement of Science’s statement on evolution. We are a science department, so we do not teach alternative hypotheses or philosophically deduced theories that cannot be tested rigorously.

Department of Biology

College of Arts & Sciences

B.207 Baylor Science Building 

One Bear Place #97388
Waco, TX 76798-7388

BU_Biology@baylor.edu
(254) 710-2911
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Baylor BU Department of Biology About Us Who We Are
  • About Us
    Back
    • Who We Are
      Back
      • COVID-19 Statement
    • Administrative Faculty
    • Baylor's Caring Community
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      Back
      • Contact Us Form
    • News
    • Quick Facts
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  • Events
  • Biology Seminars
    Back
    • Spring 2025 Seminars
    • Fall 2024 Seminars
    • Spring 2024 Seminars
  • Faculty & Staff
    Back
    • Research Faculty
    • Research Faculty Secondary Appointments
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    • Research Staff
    • Teaching Staff
    • Departmental Staff
    • Financial Services
    • Faculty Emeriti
    • Employment
  • Research
    Back
    • Faculty Research
      Back
      • CMHD
      • EEO
    • Graduate Research
    • Undergraduate Research
      Back
      • CURES in BIO
      • BIO V9R: Research
      • B-TRUE
    • Undergraduate Student Research Grants
      Back
      • 2024-25 Folmar Research Awards
    • Facilities
      Back
      • C.E.N.T.R.
      • Center for Microscopy and Imaging
      • Center for NMR Spectroscopy
      • Mass Spectrometry Center
      • Molecular Biosciences Center
      • Vivarium
      • Shared Equipment
    • Publications
      Back
      • 2023 Publications
      • 2022 Publications
      • 2021 Publications
      • 2020 Publications
      • 2019 Publications
  • Graduate
    Back
    • Programs and Degrees
      Back
      • PhD in Biology
      • MS in Biology
      • MA Health Professions
    • FAQs
    • Graduate Student Handbook
      Back
      • Archived Handbooks
    • Graduate Catalog
    • Student Organizations
      Back
      • CEGSS
      • PYPhD
      • Ramm Scholars
      • WISE
    • Travel Procedures and Funds
    • Registration
      Back
      • PhD Registration
      • MS Registration
      • MA Registration
  • Undergraduate
    Back
    • Undergraduate Programs and Degrees
    • Financial Aid and Scholarships
    • Biology Student Ambassadors
      Back
      • Biology Student Ambassadors Profiles
      • Contact Information
    • Learning Assistant (LA) Program
    • Undergraduate Student Organizations
      Back
      • Beta Beta Beta
        Back
        • Contact Us
    • Biology Careers
    • Undergraduate Catalog
  • Student Resources
    Back
    • Academic Success
      Back
      • Faculty Mentors
      • Graduate Writing Center
      • International Student Academic Support
      • Learning Lab
      • Office of Access and Learning Accommodation
      • Paul L. Foster Success Center
      • Study Strategies
      • Tutoring
      • Academic Planner and GPA Calculator
      • Graduate Mentoring
    • Health and Wellbeing
      Back
      • Campus Recreation
      • Care Team
      • Counseling Center
      • Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX
      • Food Security
      • Graduate Student Resources
      • Graduate Student Short-Term Leave
      • Health Services
      • Massage Therapy
      • McLane Student Life Center
      • Spiritual Life
      • Student Emergency Fund
      • The Store
    • Professional Development
      Back
      • BCU Scholars
      • Baylor University Career Center
      • Doctoral Admin Fellow
      • GPS Workshops
      • Handshake
      • Mock Interviews
      • Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship Program
      • Present Your PhD
    • Research Funding
      Back
      • Fulbright Scholars Program
      • NIH Grant Funding
      • NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
      • NSF Grant Funding
    • Teaching Resources
      Back
      • Academy for Teaching and Learning
      • GPS "Practical Pedagogy" Workshop Videos
      • Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award
      • Postdoctoral Teaching Fellowship Program
      • Seminars for Excellence in Teaching
      • TeaCHE Capstone in Higher Education
      • Teacher of Record Training
      • Teaching in English
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