The current academic year has brought expanded opportunities for undergraduates to take part in research experiences with leading faculty members, thanks to the support of Leslie and Angus Littlejohn Jr. and their son Angus III, BA’07. The family has a long history of supporting Vanderbilt’s goals of incorporating research into the undergraduate experience. The Littlejohns believe that great research and teaching work together to inspire and engage young scholars.
The Littlejohn Undergraduate Research Program expands opportunities for students from summer-only experiences to full academic-year endeavors. The program supports research in the humanities, natural sciences and social sciences, and provides more time for project development and immersion into the research environment. Interested faculty must compete for the funds and illustrate commitment to significant and intentional work with their student researchers. Students and faculty will present written project reports at the end of the spring semester.
Vanderbilt’s academic excellence and collegial atmosphere provide the perfect combination for exposing undergraduates to research collaborations with their professors and mentors. The first five Littlejohn faculty fellows—and the outstanding students with which they’ve been paired—showcase the variety of programs represented:
Ted Fischer, professor of anthropology and director of the Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, with junior Rachael Grenfell-Dexter and sophomore Eunice Jun; Sam Girgus, professor of English, with senior Stephanie Hoskins; Jens Meiler, associate professor of chemistry and pharmacology, with sophomore Steven McIntyre; Sohee Park, Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology and professor of medicine, health and society and psychiatry, with junior Ashley Vega; and Mark Schoenfield, professor of English and chair of the department, with senior Alec Jordan.