Education And Psychology

by Jenna Somers Ellen Goldring Effective principals have been shown to improve teacher and student outcomes as well as the culture and climate of schools. Now a new study provides insights on how school districts can develop principal pipelines to ensure schools are staffed with effective leaders. Led… Read More

By Jenna Somers Autumn Kujawa A recent study published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology demonstrates that measures of brain function related to emotional processing in adolescents with depression could improve predictions of treatment outcomes in response to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Adolescents whose electroencephalogram (EEG) scans… Read More

By Jenna Somers Kaylin Hill, Ph.D. Postdoctoral scholar Kaylin Hill has received a K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Mental Health. The five-year grant exceeding $900,000 will support Hill’s research into the neurobehavioral pathway from depression in mothers and birthing parents to… Read More

The National Science Foundation has selected 28 Vanderbilt students for its 2023 Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Read More

The Ingram Scholars Program extends its gratitude to Brian L. Heuser, associate professor of the practice in the Department of Leadership, Policy and Organizations at Peabody College of education and human development, for his two terms of service as he concludes his faculty directorship in December 2023 and returns to a full-time faculty role at Peabody College. Read More

Representatives from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College of education and human development visited the American University of Iraq—Baghdad in April and May to advance the collaboration between the institutions on improving Iraqi higher education and strengthening the teacher workforce. Read More

The Nashville Partnership for Educational Equity Research has received a three-year, $650,000 grant from the William T. Grant Foundation to study early postsecondary opportunity offerings, access, and success in Metro Nashville Public Schools and to design solutions for addressing disparities. EPSOs—high school academic offerings that expose students to advanced… Read More

Hilda McMackin, director of research administration systems and reporting at Vanderbilt University, has been honored with a 2023 Mentoring Award from the National Organization of Research Development Professionals. The award recognizes McMackin’s exceptional commitment to the development of her peers and her dedication to fostering a supportive, engaging and inclusive environment in the research community. Read More

By Jenna Somers Kelly Slay (Vanderbilt University) Kelly Slay, assistant professor of higher education and public policy, is one of 25 education scholars to receive the National Academy of Education (NAEd)/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship. The $70,000 non-residential fellowship supports one year of leave from teaching for early-career researchers contributing… Read More

By Jenna Somers Kathryn Humphreys New research published in the American Journal of Psychiatry provides the most rigorous and comprehensive evidence to date that children exposed to severe psychosocial deprivation at a young age benefit substantially in cognitive and physical outcomes when they receive enriching family-based care. Senior… Read More

The Class of 2023 is the first graduating class that was required to complete an Immersion Vanderbilt project. Each of these students has engaged in hands-on training and self-discovery, and they’ve brought value to the community in the process. Read More

By Jane Sevier Across the globe, educators hunger for resources to strengthen their teaching. Vanderbilt University’s IRIS Center, housed at Peabody College of education and human development, is meeting that need. From Africa and Asia to Europe and from North America to South, educators and independent learners in 229 countries… Read More

Approximately 4,498 students graduated from Vanderbilt during the 2022–23 academic year, including approximately 2,689 people receiving graduate and professional degrees. Read More

By Jenna Somers A new research collaboration focused on generating and sharing evidence-based Black education solutions has launched under the leadership of Vanderbilt Professor Chezare Warren. According to its mission statement, The Possibilities Project “is an arts-informed knowledge hub committed to improving Black students’ well-being in… Read More

Carolyn Heinrich and Melinda Buntin have been awarded a $3.2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to support their research on how school-based health centers impact children's mental health and education outcomes. Read More

By Jenna Somers Richard Welsh, associate professor of education and public policy Two recent studies indicate that school-level factors play a considerable role in racial disparities in school discipline. The first study, conducted primarily through a series of interviews, reveals disciplinary tensions between district leaders, school administrators, and… Read More

Joel S. Pizzuti (B.S.’94), president and chief executive officer of The Pizzuti Companies in Columbus, Ohio, will be honored by Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development with the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award during Commencement ceremonies on May 12. Headquartered in Columbus with offices in Chicago and Nashville, Pizzuti… Read More

By Jenna Somers Will Doyle, professor of leadership, policy, and organizations In April, Will Doyle, professor of leadership, policy, and organizations, participated in a panel presentation attended by congressional staff in Washington, D.C., to discuss the possibility of federal-state partnerships to fund higher education at low or no… Read More

By Jenna Somers Sarah Brown-Schmidt, professor of psychology and human development In the first four months of Donald Trump’s presidency, leading up to Trump firing FBI director James Comey on May 9, 2017, they met privately nine times. Alarmed by how these meetings broke with traditional boundaries between… Read More

Autumn Kujawa, assistant professor of psychology and human development at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development, has received a five-year, $3.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health for a study to identify objective predictors of future suicidal behavior in high-risk adolescents. The study could improve understanding of the pathways to suicidal behavior in young people, help to identify those at greatest risk for suicide attempts, and lead to personalized interventions to prevent suicidal behavior and suicide deaths. Read More