Baylor University announced today the formation of a postdoctoral researcher hiring program to support and enhance research across the University. The postdoctoral hiring program will dramatically accelerate Baylor’s efforts to deliver top-level research marked by quality, visibility and impact through the planned addition of 65 professional researchers over the next three years.

For the uninitiated, “esports” is a general term that encompasses the world of competitive video gaming. Professional video game players — or teams of them — organize and compete around specific games, attracting big sponsorships from some of the world’s most well-known companies. The dream for many of these players is to compete in large-scale international esports tournaments, winning fame, prestige, and their shot at million-dollar prize pools. This year alone, esports revenues are projected to exceed $1.1 billion.

It stands to reason that if students connect deeply to their new community early in college life, and are then presented with learning environments that consistently inspire and engage, that those students will be best suited to get the most out of the collegiate experience. Those are aspects Baylor intentionally builds into the student experience, and once again, people are taking notice.

When Bryan Shaw’s son, Noah, was diagnosed with pediatric eye cancer at four months old, it sparked in Shaw a mission to help other families avoid the challenges his faced. On this Baylor Connections, Dr. Bryan Shaw, associate professor of chemistry, and Dr. Greg Hamerly, associate professor of computer science, share the moving story behind the White Eye Detector app, an effective screening tool that analyzes photos in the phone to more quickly catch pediatric eye disease. Retinoblastoma claimed Noah’s eye, but today he is a healthy 11-year old who knows his experiences are helping others.