Dr. Elon Terrell

Faculty Steward since Fall 2026

Dr. Elon Terrell is a Senior Lecturer in the Mechanical Engineering department in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. Dr. Terrell’s expertise and research focus on fluid mechanics, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), thermodynamics, heat transfer, energy systems, and tribology (friction, lubrication, and wear between contacting/sliding surfaces). He earned his Ph.D. In Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, and M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas, Austin.  Dr. Terrell has been at Baylor for eight years and has been recognized for his outstanding teaching several times, including the 2020-21 Outstanding Faculty Award and a 2022-23 Provost’s Baylor Fellow. Several Baylor Lariat and Baylor Proud articles also highlight Dr. Terrell’s impact on students, as seen here and here. He also serves as an advisor for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) clubs here at Baylor. He is also actively involved in the Waco community through a variety of STEM outreach and summer camps, as well as his role as a licensed barber at the Jockey Club Barbershop, one of the city's oldest barbershops.

Prior to his time at Baylor, Dr. Terrell served as a Mechanical Engineering faculty member at Columbia University in New York, NY, and then worked as a Computational Engineer with Sentient Science Corporation in Buffalo, NY.  He performed research work in the area of tribology (the study of friction, lubrication, and wear between contacting and sliding surfaces such as gears and bearings). He has continued his involvement in tribology via his role as an Associate Editor of the ASME Journal of Tribology. At Baylor, he teaches a variety of engineering courses, including Introduction to Engineering, Thermodynamics, Thermal-Fluids Laboratory, and Heat Transfer.

Dr. Terrell has supported Teal Residential College activities in the past and is very excited to become fully integrated into the community's life and purpose. “I believe that serving as a Faculty Steward would provide a wonderful platform from which I can help current and future students realize their God-given purpose and take steps towards walking in it.” He is excited by the possibilities that serving as Faculty Steward will create. “I started following Jesus in college and was surrounded by a wonderful community of believers who helped me to grow in my faith. Because I received such excellent discipleship as an undergraduate, I understand the importance of positive, Godly mentorship for young people at the early undergraduate stage of their lives. I hope that I can serve as a similar positive force for undergraduates in and around Teal.”

Joining Dr. Terrell in Teal Residential College will be his wife, Laura, and their four children, Olivia,Camille, Jonathan, and William. “Our family is excited to be a part of the Baylor family in a brand-new way,” says Dr. Terrell and his wife, Laura. “We enjoy this new chapter of our family life, creating memories, and building a lasting impact with the students and staff at Teal.”