Life, Earth And Space
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Vanderbilt University’s Ralf Bennartz to lead NASA mission to study ice clouds
Vanderbilt University, led by Professor Ralf Bennartz, will lead a NASA satellite mission investigating Earth's high-altitude ice clouds, backed by a robust grant of $37 million. This endeavor, leveraging the university's climate research expertise, will provide opportunities for student involvement and bolsters Vanderbilt's position in global climate research. Read MoreMay 25, 2023
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Diermeier encourages Class of 2023 to live life the Vanderbilt Way, ‘dare to grow’
Approximately 4,498 students graduated from Vanderbilt during the 2022–23 academic year, including approximately 2,689 people receiving graduate and professional degrees. Read MoreMay 12, 2023
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Four from Vanderbilt and VUMC elected as 2023 members of American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Four Vanderbilt and VUMC faculty—María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Kimryn Rathmell, Keivan Stassun and Major Jackson—have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a record number of elections from Vanderbilt in a single year. Read MoreApr 27, 2023
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Vanderbilt Biologist investigates specialization and its impact on cultural evolution
The cultural evolution of a population depends not only on size but also on the degree of specialization within a population, according to a new study published last month by a team of scientists including Nicole Creanza. The study found that populations can increase their cultural repertoire by subdividing knowledge into smaller groups, but the total group must be sufficiently large for specialization to be advantageous. Read MoreApr 20, 2023
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Vanderbilt Researchers find Evidence for Evolutionary Constraints on Immunity
A new study led by members of Ann Tate’s lab found evidence that pleiotropy may slow down evolution of genes involved in immunity. Read MoreApr 20, 2023
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Vanderbilt Team finds Evolutionary Support for Induced Defenses
Graduate student Reese Martin and his doctoral advisor, Ann Tate, assistant professor of biological sciences, used theoretical modeling to identify a potential relationship between genetic pleiotropy and the evolution of immune responses. Read MoreApr 13, 2023
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Trio of Vanderbilt Researchers Identify Variable Outcomes in Experimental Evolution
Sarah Worthan, along with Robert McCarthy and Megan Behringer, led a new effort to understand the effects of the environment on the outcome of experimental evolution studies. Read MoreApr 11, 2023
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Vanderbilt researcher finds evidence for ant caste systems driven by chemo-sensing responses
Stephen Ferguson, first-author of a new paper with his postdoctoral advisor, Laurence Zwiebel, along with two undergraduates associated with the lab, Isaac Bakis and Nicholas Edwards, confirmed the existence of a specialized soldier caste within an ant species. Read MoreApr 3, 2023
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Scott Edwards, expert on the evolution of biodiversity, to deliver J. T. Scopes Lecture
Scott V. Edwards, a leading expert on the evolution of biodiversity, will deliver this year’s J. T. Scopes Lecture on Wednesday, March 29. The title of his talk is “Exploring Bird Diversity Through Genomics, Museums and a Two-wheeled Cross-country Adventure.” Read MoreMar 20, 2023
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Vanderbilt Researcher Identifies Modes of Natural Selection in Understudied Human Populations
Vanderbilt researcher Amanda Lea, along with a global team of experts, has discovered new pathways of natural selection in humans. Read MoreFeb 16, 2023
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Joan Strassmann, expert on the evolution of cooperation, to deliver Evolutionary Studies seminar Feb. 24
Joan Strassmann, a world leading expert on the evolution of cooperation and fellow of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, will be giving a talk on experimental evolution of microbes on Friday Feb. 24th. Read MoreFeb 14, 2023
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David Weintraub elected 2023 American Astronomical Society Fellow
David Weintraub, professor of astronomy, was named an American Astronomical Society fellow for his groundbreaking research and his work in communicating astronomy to the public. Read MoreFeb 8, 2023
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Richard Lenski, founder of long-term evolution experiment, to deliver 2023 Darwin Day Lecture
Richard Lenski, a world-renowned evolutionary biologist whose long-term experiment of the microorganism Escherichia coli has been running for more than three decades, will deliver the 2023 Darwin Day Lecture at Vanderbilt University on Wednesday, Feb. 8. Read MoreFeb 3, 2023
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Vanderbilt shows largest presence yet at top global climate change conference
A dynamic group of Vanderbilt scholars—all women—with expertise in engineering, earth sciences, sociology and storytelling took to a global stage at the 27th annual United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, better known as COP27. Read MoreFeb 1, 2023
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Five Vanderbilt faculty elected as 2022 American Association for the Advancement of Science fellows
Five Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty members were elected 2022 fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Read MoreJan 31, 2023
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Keivan Stassun appointed to National Science Board by President Joe Biden
Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy and director of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University, has been appointed to the National Science Board by President Joe Biden. Read MoreJan 26, 2023
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New technique unlocks ancient history of climate and wildfires recorded in California cave rocks
With a newly developed technique, Vanderbilt professor Jessica Oster is revealing how prehistoric climate change shaped fire activity in California. Read MoreJan 23, 2023
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Research Snapshot: Tonga volcanic eruption creates foundational knowledge, portends short-term climate effects
A submarine volcanic eruption in the Kingdom of Tonga sheds light on volcanic behavior and new ways to understand the impact of volcanoes on climate. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read MoreJan 23, 2023
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Career Conversations: Q&A with Structural Biologist Lauren Parker Jackson
“A confusing experimental result almost always means you’ve stumbled upon something interesting and maybe even exciting. I think that’s what makes science fun,” says Lauren Parker Jackson, assistant professor of biological sciences. Read MoreJan 12, 2023
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Local high schoolers find fossils on ESI-sponsored field trip
Local students from Stratford and Overton high schools got to excavate 70 million-year-old oysters, clams and shrimp at the Evolutionary Studies Initiative fossil search. The event aimed to teach students about food webs and to connect students with ESI grad students, postdocs and faculty to talk about college, science and evolution. Read MoreDec 13, 2022