Faculty News

Dr. Charles Allen Brau, a distinguished physicist, educator, and researcher, passed away on June 7, 2026, surrounded by family. He devoted his life to family, education, and expanding the frontiers of physics and its application. Brau was born November 4, 1938, in Brooklyn, New York, to Ellen Naekel Brau and… Read More

On a summer day in Nashville, one person escapes the heat in an air-conditioned office while another delivers packages in a metal truck that absorbs heat or labors outdoors for hours under the sun. Both people experience the same weather, but according to new research from Assistant Professor of Cinema… Read More

Adapted from a press release written by Arizona State University The experiences we face early in life may leave lasting marks on our health that echo across decades—even throughout the body. Vanderbilt Postdoctoral Scholar in Biological Sciences Rachel Petersen A new study published in Science (DOI), “Age… Read More

Paul Elledge, professor of English, emeritus, died April 27, 2026, in Olympia, Washington, at the age of 87. A longtime member of the Vanderbilt community, Elledge devoted more than four decades to teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership. Known for his thoughtful mentorship, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to the humanities, he… Read More

Dark energy makes up roughly 70 percent of the universe, but it remains one of the greatest mysteries of physics that scientists have been trying to answer for decades. From left: Oem Trivedi, Alfredo Gurrola, Robert Scherrer Dark energy is speeding up the expansion of the universe and shaping the… Read More

Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Alexandre Tiriac has received a 2026 McKnight Scholar Award to expand his research on brain development. Started in 1977 by the McKnight Foundation, the McKnight Scholar Awards are granted to early-career scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to neuroscience. The highly completive… Read More

Adapted from a press release written by Kate Barnes, University of Michigan According to a new study, a Florida law designed to prevent gun violence by temporarily removing firearms from people at risk of harming themselves or others is used unevenly across the state. These findings could help researchers and… Read More

Radical collaboration blossomed this spring as the Department of Asian Studies partnered with the Vanderbilt Facilities Maintenance and Operations Grounds team to bring locally sourced branches into floral arrangements for the Nashville Cherry Blossom Festival. Collecting from the arboretum’s seasonal prunings, the project connected… Read More

William R. Kenan, Jr. Chair and Professor of Biological Sciences Brandt Eichman is the first Vanderbilt faculty member to be awarded the prestigious Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship. Jointly funded by the Royal Society and the Wolfson Foundation, the fellowship invites outstanding international researchers… Read More

In today’s world, we have more content choices than ever before, and yet the media industry is facing an uncertain future due to declining audiences, failing business models, and threats to free expression. In an age defined by information overload, viral narratives, and deepening political divides, Vanderbilt University’s… Read More

As you walk around Nashville, you have likely come across Little Free Libraries, a book-sharing program where community members take or leave books in standing boxes. Looking at the success of these communal libraries, Professor of Communication Studies Claire Sisco King wondered if there was a way… Read More