Department News

Professor Laurie Woods receives the A&S Faculty Advisor Award

Jan. 22, 2026—Prof. Laurie Woods received an A&S Faculty Advisor Award! These awards honor faculty for dedication to undergraduate advising. Congratulations!

Professor Frenette awarded the A&S Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching

Jan. 22, 2026—Professor Alexandre Frenette won the Jeffrey Nordhaus Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for social sciences! The award recognizes Arts and Science faculty who have excelled in teaching undergraduates. Congratulations!

Professor Laurie Woods awarded the A&S Harriet S. Gilliam Award for Excellence in Teaching

Jan. 22, 2026— Professor Laurie Woods was awarded The Harriet S. Gilliam Award for Excellence in Teaching by a lecturer or senior lecturer for social sciences! The award recognizes a continuing-track faculty member on a full-time, multi-year contract who has achieved excellence in teaching undergraduates. Congratulations!

Professor Dan Cornfield quoted in the New York Times on the ambiguous political implications of declining electric vehicle manufacturing in West Tennessee

Jan. 9, 2026— Read the quote in the article here.

Now Hiring: Senior Lecturer

Dec. 4, 2025—Position Description The Department of Sociology at Vanderbilt University seeks highly motivated candidates for an instructional faculty position at the rank of Senior Lecturer. The successful candidate will teach criminology with a focus on race/ethnicity and other core sociology courses using the highest standards of teaching in a student-focused manner. Expertise and interest in teaching...

Celebrating Excellence: Noah Earns Top Interdisciplinary Paper Award at GSA

Nov. 18, 2025—Noah Lian received the Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization Interdisciplinary Paper Award at the annual Gerontological Society of America meeting. The Emerging Scholar and Professional Organization offers an award for the best interdisciplinary research paper on a topic related to aging by a GSA student member. Congratulations Noah!

Prof. Frenette awarded inaugural Vanderbilt-Liverpool Joint Research Seed Grant

Sep. 22, 2025—Prof. Alexandre Frenette was awarded an inaugural Vanderbilt-Liverpool Joint Research Seed Grant. He will collaborate with Prof. Mathew Flynn (University of Liverpool) on a project examining workplace models for incorporating aspirants, using the music industry as their case: Comparing and Contrasting Models of Music Industry Internships in Nashville (USA) and Liverpool (UK).

Department of Sociology