Research

By Jennifer Kiilerich Tatiana Peredo Tatiana Peredo, research assistant professor of special education at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development, has been selected for a Fulbright U.S. Scholar award to Chile for the 2026–27 academic year. It is Peredo’s second time receiving the renowned federal award,… Read More

Two research groups connected with the Vanderbilt School of Engineering have been awarded multimillion-dollar grants from the U.S. Department of Energy and NASA to work on solving some of the toughest problems in space exploration: protecting electronics from radiation and stabilizing energy generation and delivery systems. These issues are mission-critical as NASA plans missions to the moon and Mars. Read More

Conventional wisdom has long held that people who live in violent neighborhoods suffer consequences whether they’re direct victims of crime or not. A new study from Assistant Professor Panka Bencsik has begun to scientifically test that hypothesis—which is an important part of quantifying violent crime’s overall costs and negative impacts. “This paper shows how [people] still suffer from crimes occurring close to home,” Bencsik said, information that could be useful to policymakers who want to promote mental health. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich Nicole Joseph The prestigious Mathematical Association of America’s Mary P. Dolciani Award celebrates outstanding contributions in mathematics education and typically goes to mathematicians. But this year, Vanderbilt Peabody College scholar Nicole Joseph shifted the norm. An associate professor of teaching and learning, she will… Read More

Scientific expertise is increasingly part of conversations shaping federal policy, but most researchers are never trained to engage in that process. This spring, Vanderbilt University graduate students gained firsthand experience navigating the intersection of science and policymaking in Washington, D.C. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich In an outpatient waiting room at the Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, occupational therapist Kevin Durney noticed a problem: the space where children and families spent time before appointments felt sterile, with nothing to do that reflected the kids who sat there. He wanted to… Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich Molly Anne Thompson Murfreesboro, Tennessee residents Dr. Roy and Margrey Thompson are skilled at finding laughter amidst difficulties. Each of their three children faced unique learning differences, and the couple often had to fight to get them the support they needed in school. Now, years after launching… Read More

The Tennessee Education Research Alliance’s assessment of Governor’s Early Literacy Foundation’s K-3 Home Library program and Raising Readers Nashville’s after-school reading program will help partner organizations strengthen early literacy. By Jenna Somers The Tennessee Education Research Alliance has begun evaluation studies of early grade literacy programs serving Tennessee’s public-school… Read More

Vanderbilt University’s Asness Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats examined how advances in technology—particularly artificial intelligence, drones and cyber capabilities—are reshaping conflict and allowing smaller actors to challenge more powerful nations. This year’s theme was “The Shadow of War, The Illusion of Peace: National Security in the Age of Asymmetry,” and explored the shifting balance of power, technology and diplomacy in our complex era. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich In Germany, a Festschrift—literally “festival writing”—is an academic tribute that honors a scholar through collected works and new research from peers. On April 16–17, Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development hosted a unique event based around this tradition. Lynn Fuchs The gathering honored the… Read More

At Vanderbilt, federally supported research takes many forms, from humanities scholarship to national security partnerships and early-stage innovation. That work came into focus during recent visits from members of Tennessee’s congressional delegation. Read More

Breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, medical therapeutics, software and advanced materials often begin in university labs, but turning those discoveries into real-world solutions requires investment. At this year’s Southeast Venture Showcase, hosted by Vanderbilt University, 44 startups worked to secure the funding needed to move their ideas forward.   Read More

Vanderbilt University hosted the Vanderbilt Quantum Forum, bringing together nationally recognized leaders to explore how quantum technologies are beginning to shape sectors ranging from energy and security to health care and economic competitiveness—and what it will take to ensure workforce readiness as the field grows.  Read More

Vanderbilt faculty like Associate Dean for Research Abhishek Dubey are on the leading edge of investigation and development of AI. Dubey, also director of the SCOPE lab, develops advanced AI-driven frameworks and decision-making methods to improve public safety, transportation and infrastructure. Read more about Dubey, his research and his commitment to connecting academia and industry for the advancement of society. Read More

The National Science Foundation has granted Assistant Professor Mona Ebrish a CAREER Award, the foundation’s most prestigious honor for early-career faculty. Ebrish’s work centers on strategic modification of semiconductors to tailor their electrical behavior—aiming to push past long-standing limitations in device fabrication. She wants to achieve “new freedom in how we design, fabricate and ultimately integrate these materials into future electronic platforms.” Read More

It’s difficult to monitor lung disease patients’ airways remotely and noninvasively, so symptoms of their conditions—tissue stiffness, pressure, mucus accumulation or temperatures—can worsen undetected. Assistant Professor Xiaoguang Dong and a team of researchers have developed a device with multiple sensors and a magnetic switch that can give health care personnel consistent and long-term data to improve patient treatment. Their research was published in Science Advances on April 15. Read More

Postdocs Andrew Rice and Yanqing Xue, in the biochemistry lab of Professor Doug Mitchell, discovered which enzyme is responsible for a rare chemical modification that doesn’t exist in human cells. That could be crucial for developing antibiotics that can target bacteria while leaving human hosts’ cells completely alone. Read More

By Jenna Somers At some highly selective colleges and universities, cohorts of mostly white, wealthy applicants have three to eight times greater odds of admission than other similarly qualified applicants. These beneficiaries are legacy applicants, those who receive an admissions bonus for having alumni relatives. Legacy preferences have long… Read More

When will you feel like you have enough? From panic-buying to FOMO to the relentless drive for “more,” why does the fear of “running out” sharpen our focus while also dictating some of our most irrational behaviors? Listen to this Quantum Potential podcast for a fascinating conversation with scarcity expert and professor of marketing Kelly Goldsmith. Read More

By Jennifer Kiilerich As part of Jordan’s nationwide education reform initiative, scholars at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development are partnering with four Jordanian universities through the Early Grade Education Activity (ASAS) to co-create curricula and support professional development centered on evidence-based, student-engaged learning for young… Read More