Society And Culture

Directly north of The Hermitage, on a slight rise at the edge of the wooded bottomland near a creek, investigators confirmed what they had seen on a historic map: a cemetery where an estimated 28 bodies of enslaved individuals who lived on the property during the Jacksonian era are interred. Part of the research came from efforts by the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research, directed by Steve Wernke, professor and chair of the Department of Anthropology at Vanderbilt. Read More

A series of three recently published studies have provided the first nationally comprehensive analysis of shootings by law enforcement officers that injured or killed people in the U.S. Led by Julie Ward, assistant professor of medicine, health, and so... Read More

A person’s native language is often referred to as their “mother tongue.” But does a first language always come from your mother? In a new study conducted by Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Nicole Creanza, postdoctoral student Yakov Pichkar,... Read More

María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Art, secured a $1 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to advance the work of the Engine for Art, Democracy & Justice (EADJ), which she founded. Read More

Adam Blandin, assistant professor of economics, typically analyzes how the amount of time worked affects a person’s earnings; how family structure affects wages, employment, and equality; and the economic implications of remote work. However, recently, Blandin looked at generative AI through an economic lens and helped create the first nationally representative survey on how workers are using generative AI. Read More

WATCH: Hear from Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Coffin about his passion for music and teaching and how his relationships led him to where he is today. Read More

Kirsty Clark, assistant professor of medicine, health, and society, studies mental health disparities impacting LGBTQ+ populations through her lab. Clark recently published research that explores the effects of negative news and media coverage on the intensity of suicidal thoughts in LGBTQ+ young adults. Read More

The College of Arts and Science has launched the Center for Global Democracy, a premier social science institute dedicated to pioneering research and innovation in democratic politics around the world. Noam Lupu, professor of political science, directs the new center. Read More

Since 2020, Vanderbilt archaeologist Michelle Young has directed the Cinnabar Roads Project, which explores ancient exchange routes used to transport cinnabar, a powdery mineral made of mercury and sulfur that was extracted and processed for pigment. Young’s two major research initiatives approach mapping ancient networks of interaction and mobility between the highland region and the coast, employing a variety of methods at different scales. Under her leadership, the Cinnabar Roads Project has registered more than 100 archaeological sites in the Huancavelica region. Read More

A panel of jurists selected Niu’s I Would Define the Sun, a collection of poems about resisting scarcity through language. The inaugural prize drew more than 300 submissions and honors Vanderbilt University’s strong connection to the arts. Read More

A new Vanderbilt Global Engagement Research Seed Grant program fosters a Blair musicology professor’s creative research in Austria. Read More

“Woven Wind,” led by Vanderbilt art professor Vesna Pavlović, is a collaborative project that honors untold stories of enslaved people through art, archival research and community engagement. Funded by significant grants including a $40,000 NEA grant announced May 15, the project symbolizes resilience and remembrance with unique clay vessels created during reparative justice workshops. Read More

Vanderbilt University is proud to announce the launch of the Institute of National Security. The founding director and leader of the institute will be retired General Paul M. Nakasone, who has served as commander of U.S. Cyber Command, director of the National Security Agency, and chief of the Central Security Service. Read More

WATCH: See how members of the Class of 2024 are collaborating in powerful and unique ways. Read More

Jefferson Cowie, James G. Stahlman Professor of History at Vanderbilt University, was recently honored with a 2024 Guggenheim Fellowship—in part, in anticipation of his upcoming project, tentatively titled Crosswinds of a Common History, which will take a visionary approach to historical nonfiction. Read More

With a prestigious new grant, archaeologist Ari Caramanica will explore what ancient people can teach us about dealing with the most pressing environmental issue of our time. Read More

Adm. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, addressed transgender health and policy during a visit to Vanderbilt in April 2024. (Vanderbilt) Adm. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary of health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, addressed transgender health… Read More

For more than 75 years, Vanderbilt has been a pioneer in the study of the Americas, forging new paths to innovate, shape, and advance the field. Now, the Center for Latin American, Caribbean, and Latinx Studies once again finds itself at the forefront, driving important changes in education, research and programming, both at the university and across the country. Read More

With a goal of establishing international research collaborations among women in higher education, the U.S.-based Chair at the Table Network (CHAT) and U.K.-based Women’s Higher Education Network (WHEN) explored themes related to advancing careers and building partnerships at the hybrid event. Read More

Vanderbilt graduate student Shaniya Jarrett created a community outreach project that introduces Black girls to astronomy by incorporating music. AstroBeats: Sounds of the Cosmos brings together local middle-school Black girls to translate NASA data into unique musical compositions, teaching the importance of thinking creatively about how to interpret scientific data. Read More