Skip to main content
Vanderbilt Background Photo

‘Natural Sciences’

College of Arts and Science Faculty Fight COVID-19 in Latin America

Jun. 17, 2020—Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science has long had connections to Latin America. Through the Center for Latin American Studies, the work of Latin American specialists in departments such as history and anthropology, and numerous student and faculty research trips, the college has forged strong ties to the region, its universities, and its people. So...

Read more


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...

Read more


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...

Read more


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,...

Read more


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...

Read more


Serving Through Health Care: Founder’s Medalist Sumanth Chennareddy BA’20

May. 21, 2020—Sumanth Chennareddy BA’20, a neuroscience major and Spanish minor, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for the College of Arts and Science. The Founder’s Medal is a 143-year-old tradition that recognizes the top graduating student from each of Vanderbilt’s 10 schools and colleges. The recipient of the Martin F. McNamara, Jr. Honor Scholarship, Chennareddy served as...

Read more


Dean of Research David Wright Explains Coronavirus Facts on Alumni Webinar

May. 12, 2020—More than 500 College of Arts and Science alumni registered for an April 22 coronavirus webinar with David Wright, Stevenson Professor of Chemistry, Dean of Graduate Education & Research, and expert on respiratory viruses and diagnostics. The webinar, which was hosted by the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, opened with remarks from John Geer,...

Read more


Brandt Eichman Wins International Biochemistry Award

May. 8, 2020—William R. Kenan, Jr. Chair Brandt Eichman has been named the recipient of the Biochemical Society’s 2021 International Award for outstanding and independent research that demonstrates the importance of the molecular biosciences. The Biochemical Society, the UK’s leading organization of biochemists, gives the award each year to an early- to mid-career scientist who has conducted...

Read more


Biological Sciences Lecturer Converts Lab Course to Teach Students About Coronavirus

Apr. 21, 2020—When Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences Thomas Clements first came to Vanderbilt, he realized right away that he would have to be intentional about connecting with his students. His fall teaching load typically includes BiSci 1510, an intro-level lecture that sometimes draws hundreds of students, and he wanted them to feel like more than just...

Read more


Biological Sciences, Psychology Faculty Named Among Top Researchers in U.S. and Canada

Apr. 8, 2020—Two College of Arts and Science faculty members have been named Alfred P. Sloan Foundation 2020 Research Fellows. Assistant Professor of Psychology Antonia Kaczkurkin and Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Ann Tate will each receive a $75,000 award, which can be used over a two-year term to support their research. They were among a small...

Read more