News Story Category
Analyzing police shootings, public safety, and policy
Nov. 22, 2024—A series of three recently published studies have provided the first nationally comprehensive analysis of shootings by law enforcement officers that injured or killed people in the U.S. Led by Julie Ward, assistant professor of medicine, health, and society, in a joint effort with the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the team analyzed...
Genes + culture: Exploring how our first language is echoed in our genes
Nov. 21, 2024—A person’s native language is often referred to as their “mother tongue.” But does a first language always come from your mother? In a new study conducted by Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Nicole Creanza, postdoctoral student Yakov Pichkar, and alumna Alexandra Surowiec BA’19, they found that certain cultural factors, such as being born in...
Research Snapshot: Examining AI’s rapid growth and economic impact
Nov. 19, 2024—Adam Blandin, assistant professor of economics, typically analyzes how the amount of time worked affects a person’s earnings; how family structure affects wages, employment, and equality; and the economic implications of remote work. However, recently, Blandin looked at generative AI through an economic lens. Blandin helped create the first nationally representative survey on how workers...
Fisk-Vanderbilt Bridge Program celebrates 20 years of improving representation in STEM
Nov. 18, 2024—In Lauren Campbell’s opinion, getting through graduate school takes a village. It requires financial resources, extraordinary hard work, perseverance, and strong supports. As the executive director of the Fisk-Vanderbilt Master’s-to-Ph.D. Bridge Program, Campbell is dedicated to making sure students receive those supports and are set up for success. But for her, it’s not just a...
Vanderbilt Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice awarded $1 million Mellon Foundation grant
Nov. 18, 2024—María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Art, secured a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to advance the work of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ), which she founded. “I think as an artist, you are successful when what you dream alone engages others,” said Campos-Pons. This belief is at the...
Wiesmeyer, associate professor of molecular biology, emeritus, has died
Nov. 7, 2024—Herbert Wiesmeyer, associate professor of molecular biology, emeritus, died on October 4, 2024, in Nashville. He was 92. Wiesmeyer was a dedicated teacher and mentor with an interest in cloning plants, spending many hours in his own greenhouse with his orchid collection. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Wiesmeyer attended Farragut High School, where he met his...
New study sheds light on seasonality in mood disorders
Oct. 31, 2024—Article adapted from a press release written by PLOS While cooler temperatures and falling leaves may draw some to pumpkin patches and hayrides, for others, it marks the start of shorter days and less sunlight. In a recent study conducted by Sandy Rosenthal, Jack and Pamela Egan Chair in Chemistry, and Oleg Kovtun, research assistant...
Bringing community to a seemingly solitary endeavor
Oct. 30, 2024—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 relies heavily on community. “I think the conception...
Patte, professor of religious studies, emeritus, has died
Oct. 29, 2024—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 a bachelor’s degree in philosophy...
Vanderbilt Student Volunteers for Science celebrates 30 years of STEM outreach
Oct. 28, 2024—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 taught by Vanderbilt students,” said Quartey, current VSVS...