What is the role of gaming in higher education? Matthew Fendt, Baylor lecturer of computer science, is an expert on artificial intelligence, the gaming industry, and the role of gaming and interactive digital environments in education. In addition to teaching classes like Baylor’s gaming capstone, in which students create their own video games, Fendt has partnered with professors across campus to create tools for data collection. He recently partnered with Baylor Public Health and the Family Health Center in Waco to create a decision support tool for primary-care physicians. He shares how these various threads tie together in this Baylor Connections.

The $1.5 million Mearse Endowed Chair in Biological and Biomedical Engineering, established by Bill and Tanya Mearse of Houston, Texas, will provide senior leadership for the emerging program within Baylor ECS.

In this Baylor Connection, Dr. von Jouanne examines renewable energy in various forms, particularly as it relates to transportation. Dr. von Jouanne worked on the first hybrid sport utility vehicle and partners with the U.S. Navy on electric ship development, and shares her insight on the present and future of electric vehicles.

At its regular fall meeting, the Baylor University Board of Regents approved phase 1 design and fees for the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center and the Baylor Basketball Pavilion and approved design and construction fees to fit-up shared research lab space for mechanical engineering in the Baylor Research and Innovation Collaborative (BRIC).