Climate News

This fall, the College of Arts and Science is enhancing its degree offerings with three new majors and one new minor. The college is also restructuring some academic units to leverage teaching and scholarly strengths and provide more opportunities for students and faculty. New degree programs Major… Read More

  This fall, 35 new scholars will join the College of Arts and Science faculty, further advancing the impact of our research, discovery, and artistic expression. These renowned researchers, teachers, scholars, and artists span 19 departments and programs and join nearly 800 faculty colleagues in the college. We are… Read More

By Ann Marie Deer Owens The Program in Climate and Environmental Studies has launched several key initiatives this fall, including a new curriculum infused with interdisciplinary and experiential learning, to better equip students for the ongoing work to reverse climate change and environmental degradation. The program’s priorities include increased opportunities… Read More

Cautionary Tales of the Prehistoric Past: Bridging Deep Time and a Changing Planet For Dr. Larisa DeSantis, the prehistoric past is as important as the study of our historic past—the fossil record holds an archive of cautionary lessons that our planet desperately needs us to read. Reading the record, is… Read More

  Congratulations to the following students who represented Vanderbilt University at a Capitol Hill Environmental Advocacy Day organized by the The Rachel Carson Council (RCC)! Chloe Whalen, Adna Mutic, Alvin Liu, Ziheng Yan, and Grace Park spent this past week lobbying at Tennesse senate and house representative offices for three environmental bills covering:   Wood Pellets: The bill opposes the wood pellet… Read More

On this 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the team (Rhett Adam, Sarah Alfonso, Brandon Buchalter, Truman Hill, Cortneia Jasper, Chelsea Liebenthal, Sophie Mykhaisouk, Sabrina Wang, Mia Wen, and Tony Yoo) began this learning experience at the Whitney Plantation, immersing themselves in the history of the region… Read More

See this year's winner of the Chancellor's Cup! Read More

Maya Maciel-Seidman Major(s): Earth and Environmental Sciences Minor(s): Environmental and Sustainability Studies, Data Science Future Steps: Maya Maciel-Seidman majored in Earth and Environmental Sciences and minored in Environmental and Sustainability Studies and Data Science. During her time at Vanderbilt, she conducted research in the Climate, Health, and… Read More

Shaun Karakkattu Major(s): Economics and History Minor(s): Environmental and Sustainability Studies Future Steps: Shaun Karakkattu majored in Economics and History, with a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. One of his best memories in the department was presenting at COP28 in Dubai, where he represented Vanderbilt and… Read More

Ellie Allain Major(s): Climate Studies Minor(s): Environmental and Sustainability Studies Future Steps: Ellie Allain majored in Climate Studies with a minor in Environmental and Sustainability Studies. She has demonstrated a deep commitment to sustainability and climate resilience through her academic studies, research, and hands-on fieldwork. Ellie’s passion for marine… Read More

Read about some of our recent graduates and their plans for the future. Lucie Scura Lucie Scura majored in Climate Studies and Earth and Environmental Sciences with a minor in Philosophy. One of her best memories of her time in the department was the Climate Studies Advising Event, where… Read More

In the spring of 2024, Vanderbilt University is pleased to announce that the PhenoCam is live on the Peabody campus. This phenology camera monitors changes in tree canopy greenness at thirty-minute intervals, providing us with permanent continuous data on vegetation dynamics on campus under climate change. Our Vanderbilt site is… Read More

As of fall 2023, a year after its launch, Vanderbilt’s climate studies program has 31 officially declared majors, including 26 who are double majors, according to Zdravka Tzankova, an associate professor of the practice of climate studies and the director of undergraduate climate studies. Among the double majors, half are… Read More

CAROLINE SAUNDERS ’16 Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies and English Caroline Saunders majored in Environmental Studies (Interdisciplinary) and English, using the combination of her fields to look at food and climate change from a variety of angles. A Cornelius Vanderbilt Scholar, Caroline took classes in philosophy, poetry, economics, journalism, geosciences, and… Read More