Faculty News

The image of a writer often conjures up visions of an author sequestered away crafting the perfect poem or buried under stacks of paper finishing their next novel. However, award-winning poet and Gertrude Conaway Professor of English Major Jackson believes it is a deeply collaborative process that… Read More

Daniel Patte, professor of religious studies, emeritus, died on September 2, 2024, in Nashville. He was 85. Patte was an internationally acclaimed biblical scholar and teacher, with a focus on the ethics of biblical interpretation and an emphasis on the contextual character of any interpretation of the Bible. He received… Read More

When she was in middle school, Cheryl Quartey remembers looking forward to Vanderbilt students teaching science to her class through the Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science (VSVS) program. “When VSVS came to my class, I realized I had a passion for science thanks to the fun lessons… Read More

Carlos Taboada, assistant professor of biological sciences, was among the 2024 Packard Fellows for Science and Engineering announced on Tuesday, Oct. 15. At the Taboada Lab, he and his team investigate the chemical, physiological and physical mechanism... Read More

With 1,100 enrolled students, the number speaks for itself—PSCI 1150: U.S. Elections is a hot commodity on campus. The elective course offered every four years by the College of Arts and Science is a highly anticipated deep dive into how elections work... Read More

The College of Arts and Science’s Center for Global Democracy has been awarded $12.5 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand its research on democratic governance in Latin America and the Caribbean. The funds will be dispersed over the next five years to… Read More

Our brains constantly work to make predictions about what’s going on around us, ensuring that we can attend to and consider the unexpected. However, in a new study led by Assistant Professor of Psychology Andre Bastos, researchers found that animal subjects under general anesthesia were unable to… Read More

Kristy Roschke, a renowned expert in media literacy and misinformation, has been named the inaugural executive director of the McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies at Vanderbilt University beginning Oct. 15. Roschke will also hold a faculty appointment in the… Read More

See how a passion to help underrepresented students ignited astrophysicist Keivan Stassun’s mission, earning him a MacArthur “genius” award. Read More

In today’s world, collaboration is essential in solving problems, bridging the gaps between science, engineering, medicine and the humanities. By prioritizing cross-disciplinary collaborations, Vanderbilt walks the walk—not only across departments—but ... Read More

Stassun, who is also a founding co-director the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program, was among the 2024 MacArthur fellows announced on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The fellowship, which is awarded by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, ... Read More

The College of Arts and Science has launched the Center for Global Democracy, a premier social science institute dedicated to pioneering research and innovation in democratic politics around the world. Noam Lupu, professor of political science, directs the new center. Noam Lupu, professor of… Read More

Meet new Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Mallory Molina and learn about their research on black holes, their teaching style, and why they are excited to join the College of Arts and Science this fall. Q: What is your area of research? A: I’ve always… Read More

Kirsty Clark, assistant professor of medicine, health, and society, studies mental health disparities impacting LGBTQ+ populations through her lab. The Clark Lab then develops evidence-based interventions to disrupt the course of such disparities. Clark recently published research in JAMA Pediatrics that explores the effects… Read More

New faculty share advice to their younger selves we can all learn from! Read More

Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity may soon be disproven by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), and Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Stephen Taylor will be part of a selective team of scientists leading the effort. Taylor is one of only six scientists nationwide appointed… Read More

Meet new Visiting Professor of Mathematics Talia Fernós and learn about her research on group theory, her teaching style, and what excites her most about teaching students. Q: What is your area of research? A: My research is, broadly speaking, in math, and specifically in group theory,… Read More

Meet new Assistant Professor of Cinema and Media Arts Sasha Crawford-Holland and learn about his research on media and the environment, what excites him about teaching, and what he is looking forward to in joining the College of Arts and Science this fall. Q: What is your… Read More

Meet some of our new faculty members and learn about their fascinating research. Read More

Embarking on a new research project often brings unexpected discoveries—some intriguing, some novel, but rarely a find of a lifetime. Such a remarkable discovery occurred when university archivist and associate director Kathy Smith stumbled upon a pile... Read More