Research
Political science course helps undergraduates connect to Vanderbilt’s long military history
Nov. 11, 2020—A little more than one hundred years ago, rows of young men stood at attention for a portrait in front of Kirkland Hall. Their wide-brimmed campaign hats and their crisp brown uniforms signaled their impending journey. After this historic photo was taken, the very first cadet corps from Vanderbilt University left to serve in World...
Persistence in a pandemic: College of Arts and Science students complete enriching summer experiences in science-based art, research
Oct. 16, 2020—Though the COVID-19 pandemic scuttled many students’ original summer plans, College of Arts and Science students adapted quickly. Through technology, creativity, and determination, they found ways to expand their horizons and continue preparing for life after Vanderbilt. Juniors Navya Thakkar, Skylar Cuevas, and Natalie Elliott all used their summers to complete hands-on research and art...
Economics Faculty Research Yields Valuable Insights on Student Loans and Personal Finance
Aug. 14, 2020—Are student loans a smart way to pay for college? Is pawning jewelry ever a good way to acquire extra cash? And why do humans have so much trouble making smart financial decisions? Economics faculty Paige Marta Skiba and Lesley Turner are researching the answers to these questions and providing key insights to help address...
New Political Science Research Debunks Myths About White Working-Class Support for Trump
Jul. 29, 2020—New research from Associate Professor of Political Science Noam Lupu challenges several common assumptions about white working-class support for President Donald Trump. Lupu conducted the research, outlined in the article “The White Working Class and the 2016 Election,” with Duke University’s Nicholas Carnes. The two first met in graduate school and have since collaborated many...
Faculty Use Universal Language of Math to Tackle Some of COVID-19’s Biggest Challenges
Jul. 23, 2020—As public health officials tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, they face an overwhelming number of factors that affect the virus’s spread. Population density, economic challenges, adherence to social distancing measures—they all play a part in determining the rise or fall of infection rates. And the results of efforts to “flatten the curve” can vary from place...
Physics Students Win U.S. Department of Energy Research Fellowships
Jun. 11, 2020—Two graduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy have been awarded coveted U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) fellowships to advance their research. David Curie, a third-year physics Ph.D. student, received an Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Fellowship to conduct part of his dissertation research in a DOE laboratory. Laura Nichols, a...
Faculty Research Uncovers Community Insights to Help Fight COVID-19
Jun. 4, 2020—Amidst all the uncertainty caused by COVID-19, one constant has held: researchers across the College of Arts and Science have dedicated their efforts to understanding the virus, how to control it, and how it impacts our communities. Jennifer Trueblood, associate professor of psychology, and Tara McKay, assistant professor of medicine, health, and society, are part...
College of Arts and Science Faculty Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Jun. 2, 2020—Two members of the College of Arts and Science faculty—Distinguished University Professor Houston A. Baker and University Distinguished Professor George Hornberger—have been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (AAAS). Founded in 1780 by John Adams and John Hancock, among others, the AAAS has previously elected luminaries and leaders such as Benjamin Franklin,...
Dr. Jonathan Metzl Wins Award for Career Contributions to Psychiatry
May. 28, 2020— Dr. Jonathan Metzl, the Frederick B. Rentschler II Professor of Sociology and director of the Department of Medicine, Health, and Society (MHS), has been named the recipient of the 2020 American Psychiatric Association’s Benjamin Rush Award. The award recognizes an individual who has made significant contributions to the literature on the history of psychiatry....
Chemistry Professor Steve Townsend Wins Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award
May. 22, 2020—Assistant Professor of Chemistry Steve Townsend has been named to this year’s class of Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Awardees. Every year, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation supports the careers of a select number of faculty in the chemical sciences who are in the first five years of their academic career, exhibit a strong body of...