AAAS honors two Baylor University researchers as lifetime fellows

Contact: Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, 254-327-8012 
Follow us: @BaylorUMedia on X and LinkedIn 

WACO, Texas (March 26, 2026) – Baylor University’s Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D., The Cornelia Marschall Smith Endowed Professor of Biology, and Samuel S. Urlacher, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology, have been elected to the rank of 2025 AAAS Fellow, a lifetime honor announced today by the Council of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals.

Simmons and Urlacher are among the nearly 500 scientists, engineers and innovators recognized by AAAS as 2025 Fellows for their distinguished scientific and socially notable achievements spanning their careers – Simmons for his contributions to the field of auditory neuroscience and dedication to the research training of undergraduate students, and Urlacher for his contributions to the understanding of life history tradeoffs in human physiology, especially in immune function and growth.

Dwayne D. Simmons, Ph.D.

Simmons, a cell biologist who leads the Simmons Auditory Research Lab in the Department of Biology, focuses his research on the cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging and development in the sensory systems of the inner ear and in the brain that lead to hearing loss or vestibular dysfunction in sensory cells, neurons and immune cells.

“First, the election as AAAS Fellow was a total surprise and something I never thought about receiving,” Simmons said. “Second, biomedical research is such a team effort. Everything I have done or accomplished is because of the direct contributions of the people around me. My laboratory manager, students (undergraduate and graduate) and postdocs make my research possible. My wife and children have had to tolerate the long hours, super focus and dedication it takes, as well as the sacrifices. And thirdly, I have been blessed to work at great universities and, most importantly, with the privilege to study a small microcosm of God’s glorious and great creation.”

Simmons has long prioritized undergraduate education, including at UCLA where he directed several National Institutes of Health-funded undergraduate research programs for students from diverse backgrounds. As senior director of STEM initiatives in Baylor’s Office of Engaged Learning, he has expanded his commitment through Baylor CityLab, which offers Waco-area high school students a day-long campus STEM experience while providing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to teach, mentor and practice effective, engaging instructional methods in a laboratory setting. Simmons also directs the B-TRUE (Baylor Transdisciplinary Research Undergraduate Experience) program, an intensive 10-week summer research-training program for undergraduate students interested in pursuing research-related careers.

In addition to being elected AAAS Fellow, Simmons received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award to the UK in 2015 and Baylor’s Undergraduate Research and Scholarly Achievement (URSA) Excellence in Research Leadership Award in 2020.

Samuel S. Urlacher, Ph.D.

Urlacher, a biological anthropologist, human evolutionary biologist and graduate program director in the Department of Anthropology, conducts multi-national research with projects currently underway on four continents. Through his Human Evolutionary Biology and Health Lab, Urlacher’s research focuses on the evolved bio‑energetic pathways that shape variation in human development, metabolism and health. In particular, he and his research team study how children worldwide allocate limited calories to competing physiological needs – such as growth, immune function and brain development – and how early adversity influences lifelong metabolic disease risk.

“I am tremendously humbled and honored to be recognized by the AAAS,” Urlacher said. “It is a testament to the amazing team of collaborators that I am able to work with, including my colleagues, students, research assistants and local community members. I look forward to what will hopefully be many more years of supporting the AAAS and contributing to scientific discovery and impact.”

With funding from National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and others, many of Urlacher’s current projects are focused on the role of gut dysfunction in driving childhood growth faltering and lifetime metabolic health risk in low-resource communities. His work has advanced understanding of how low‑level immune activity can restrict growth, how children’s energy expenditure and caloric requirements differ globally and how modern diets contribute to the childhood obesity crisis.

In addition to being named AAAS Fellow, Urlacher also received the 2024 Michael A. Little Early Career Award from the Human Biology Association – the organization’s premier early career award in the field –   and was honored as an Azrieli Global Scholar by CIFAR, a global research organization based in Canada that also supports early-career researchers.

Global recognition

Simmons and Urlacher are Baylor’s third and fourth faculty members to receive the distinct honor since 2023, joining Maya archaeologist Julie A. Hoggarth, Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology elected AAAS Fellow in 2024, and international water researcher Bryan W. Brooks, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Environmental Science and Public Health elected AAAS Fellow in 2023.

“We are thrilled that Dr. Dwayne Simmons and Dr. Samuel Urlacher have been elected to the rank of AAAS Fellow, which reflects the high regard in which they are held by their peers across the country, and indeed, the world,” Provost Nancy Brickhouse, Ph.D., said. “As leading researchers and innovators in their disciplines, Dr. Simmons and Dr. Urlacher are actively engaged in research and teaching, providing our students with unique opportunities to learn directly from faculty scholars making significant contributions to the advancement of science and human flourishing around the world.”

A tradition dating back to 1874, election as AAAS Fellow is a lifetime honor, and all Fellows are expected to meet the commonly held standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity. Distinguished past honorees include Ellen Ochoa, Steven Chu, Grace Hopper, Alan Alda, Mae Jemison and Ayanna Howard.

“This year’s AAAS Fellows have demonstrated research excellence, made notable contributions to advance science, and delivered important services to their communities,” said Sudip S. Parikh, Ph.D., AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. “These Fellows and their accomplishments validate the importance of investing in science and technology for the benefit of all.”

The new Fellows will receive a certificate and a gold and blue rosette pin (representing science and engineering, respectively) and be invited to the annual Fellows Forum held in May in Washington, D.C. The 2025 Fellows class also will be featured in the AAAS News & Notes section of Science magazine. 

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. Learn more about Baylor University at www.baylor.edu.