Mary-Lou Watkinson

Keith N. Clayton, professor of psychology, emeritus, died on December 18, 2024, in Nashville at the age of 90. Born in 1934 in Coffeyville, Kansas, Clayton was the first of his immediate family to earn a college degree. He received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1956 and master’s degree… Read More

For many, summer is a time to soak up the sunshine, venture outside, and maybe even tackle the books on that lengthy “to be read” list. For students in the College of Arts and Science, summer presents a different opportunity: a chance to apply their skills and academic knowledge to… Read More

Photo by Liz Chagnon How does a mathematician cut a bagel? What is the geometry of bubbles? These are some of the questions Vanderbilt faculty members ask students as part of the Nashville Math Circle. The Math Circle provides Nashville-area students in grades 7-12 the opportunity to learn creative math… Read More

Leaders in innovation and discovery, Vanderbilt College of Arts and Science faculty are equally passionate about mentoring and teaching students as they are about conducting groundbreaking research that changes the way we understand our world. The college is honored to welcome 19 new faculty members this fall, adding to our… Read More

This fall, the College of Arts and Science is introducing strategic structural and pedagogical changes to undergraduate education that will better serve students and faculty and help to deliver an unparalleled undergraduate academic experience. These new changes include: The Office of Academic Services (OAS) has changed its name from the… Read More

Over the past 20 years, higher education has faced the challenges of educating students for a rapidly changing world. We are tasked with preparing our students to face a host of complex and swiftly evolving issues, from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, to global crises such as climate change,… Read More

Yueming Yan A new breakthrough in the field of physics led by doctoral student Yueming Yan could allow for the creation of small, thin, low-power optical devices to be used in both medical imaging and environmental sensing. In a study published in ScienceAdvances, Yan and his colleagues,… Read More

13 books to get you through the hot summer months With temperatures climbing outside, the urge to get comfortable on a couch or chair in air conditioning becomes stronger. We’ve talked with a few of our faculty to get their recommendations on your next summer read. Find out their… Read More

Whether you talk to a graduate or undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry about why they study the field, their responses all evoke the same sentiment: a curiosity for the world and a desire to discover the unknown. All students can fulfill this desire by attending classes and learning… Read More

Bob Corney, co-founder and chief operating officer of Clearloop, and Karina Rovey, senior community partnerships associate, speak with students in the SOC3316 class. Growing up, Devan Wiley spent a lot of time in nature. As part of an active family that encouraged outdoor adventures, Wiley developed a love for the… Read More

Throughout the past academic year, faculty in the College of Arts and Science have shown tremendous dedication to not only providing unparalleled instruction, but also toward advancing their scholarship and research. From powerful discoveries to creative expression across a wide range of disciplines, our faculty are making impactful contributions to… Read More

Illustrations by Liz Chagnon Faculty in the College of Arts and Science are pursuing groundbreaking research and discovery across a wide range of fields. They advance scientific progress, artistic expression, and a deeper understanding of the world around us—its past, present, and future.  Here are a few… Read More

From left: John McLean, Pragun Tuladhar, Savannah Bastian, and Sarah Hagaman. Not pictured: Lucia Edafioka. Photo by Liz Chagnon The College of Arts and Science recently recognized four graduate students for exceptional teaching in the 2024-2025 academic year: Savannah Bastian and Lucia Edafioka received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Assistant… Read More

In the world of black holes, there are generally three size categories: stellar-mass black holes (about five to 50 times the mass of the sun), supermassive black holes (millions to billions of times the mass of the sun), and intermediate-mass black holes with masses somewhere in between. Assistant Professor of… Read More

In many ways, the Vanderbilt undergraduate experience is a unique one. One example is in the unparalleled, hands-on research opportunities that students have from the moment they step onto campus. Assistant Professor of Physics Raghav (Rithya) Kunnawalkam Elayavalli Undergraduate research is a defining experience at Vanderbilt, providing students the opportunity… Read More

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Lin Meng While taking a flight one evening, Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Lin Meng observed that the landscape outside of her window was lit up entirely by artificial light. In that moment, a thought crossed her mind:… Read More

Shanay Desai, a senior double majoring in neuroscience and drug discovery and biotechnology, worked at Eli Lilly and Company last summer as a biotherapeutic scientist. It all started during his senior year of high school, when Shanay Desai watched the world go digital due to the pandemic. During that time,… Read More

If you could write a letter to someone 1,000 years from now, what would you say? And what would they think of the world today when reading it? These are some of the questions posed to visitors walking through the Vanderbilt University Museum of Art’s newest exhibit,… Read More

From left: Mary Anne Hunting, BA’80, and Kevin Murphy, Andrew W. Mellon Chair in the Humanities and professor of history of art and architecture. In the decades preceding World War II, professional architecture schools started enrolling increasing numbers of women. However, career success for these women did not come easily… Read More

Most of us rely heavily on shipping services like FedEx or UPS to ensure we receive the correct packages. If that system was disrupted, parcels would end up lost or in the wrong place. Similarly, all human cells require large protein coat complexes, working at transport hubs called endosomes, to… Read More