Arts And Science

Looking for new ways to embrace uncertainty and jump into new chapters in your life? Listen to this special summer remix of the Quantum Potential podcast as acclaimed poet Major Jackson explains how poetry can help! Read More

Dilemma, by Jane Huffman, has been selected as the 2026 winner of the Vanderbilt University Literary Prize. The prize, which is awarded to the sole author of a full-length poetry collection, reflects the university’s ongoing commitment to discovering new voices and supporting the arts as transformative and essential to society. The recognition includes the publication of the winning manuscript in print, electronic and audio formats by Vanderbilt University Press, a $10,000 honorarium, an invitation to read in the esteemed Gertrude C. and Harold S. Vanderbilt Reading Series at Vanderbilt University and a one-week residency on campus to engage students and local writers in the Nashville community. Read More

Dr. Charles Allen Brau, a distinguished physicist, educator, and researcher, passed away on June 7, 2026, surrounded by family. He devoted his life to family, education, and expanding the frontiers of physics and its application. Read More

Do you have a work sweater? That chilly office temperature setting may have its roots in male-dominated society. In his new paper “Heat Is a Power Relation,” published in Feminist Media Histories, Assistant Professor Sasha Crawford-Holland talks about temperature being more than a number on a thermostat or a personal experience. Social structures, technologies and institutions shape who stays comfortable—and whose comfort is taken seriously, he posits—and that information should be taken into account when policymakers think about climate and safety for all populations. Read More

See how mostly engineering students used design thinking to create a garment for a world-renowned artist in a premier global art show. Read More

Adugna Olani, senior lecturer in economics (Vanderbilt University) The Vanderbilt community is mourning the death of Adugna Olani, senior lecturer in economics, who died June 15, 2026, at the age of 45. Olani was a revered professor and mentor who had been teaching at Vanderbilt since 2018. Olani was… Read More

Anonymous donors have committed $25 million to build a bold new hub of innovation and discovery at Vanderbilt University—a multipurpose science facility that will shape the future of research and education on campus and beyond. Read More

We all love to talk. But is language just a tool we use to communicate—or is it something more powerful? How does it impact democracy, identity and access? In this episode of the Quantum Potential podcast, Akshya Saxena, associate professor of English at Vanderbilt, and Provost C. Cybele Raver dig into the fascinating and layered history—and future—of language. Read More

The inaugural program invites students to develop real companies designed to solve real-world business challenges from Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, NASA, IBM, Xtremis and EPB.  Read More

In an age defined by information overload, viral narratives, and deepening political divides, Vanderbilt University’s McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies is positioning itself at the forefront of media literacy education. Read More

William R. Kenan, Jr. Chair and Professor of Biological Sciences Brandt Eichman is the first Vanderbilt faculty member to be awarded the prestigious Royal Society Wolfson Visiting Fellowship. Jointly funded by the Royal Society and the Wolfson Foundation, the fellowship invites outstanding international researchers to a U.K. university or research institution to foster collaborative connections and enrich global scientific research. 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

Are you happy? What defines happiness and how does that impact your pursuit of achievement and purpose? In this special Quantum Potential podcast, hear from bestselling author, scholar and happiness researcher Arthur Brooks. Read More

What are your favorite college memories? In this special series, watch members of the Class of 2026 and Commodores student-athletes show us their favorite Vanderbilt moments. Read More

Three Vanderbilt University students have been recognized with funding to support their original research related to 19th-century French poet Charles Baudelaire. The grants, awarded annually by the Fondation Claude Pichois, are hosted and administered by the Fondation de France in partnership with Vanderbilt’s W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies. Read More

This spring, the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center named six people in the Vanderbilt community as recipients of its annual awards. Read More

On the heels of his selection as Vanderbilt’s 2026 Graduates Day speaker, Arthur C. Brooks—internationally acclaimed scholar, bestselling author and happiness researcher—will join the Vanderbilt faculty. A widely respected voice at the intersection of science, ancient wisdom and public life, he will serve as an endowed Professor of Medicine, Health and Society in the College of Arts and Science beginning July 1. Read More

Thinking of getting an advanced degree? Graduate, professional students give their best advice. Read More

Faculty artists Maria Magdalena Campos-Pons and Kamaal Malak have been invited to join one of the most culturally defining contemporary art exhibitions in the world. Vanderbilt will also host a public program series in Venice to showcase the university’s talent—and to contribute to the global dialogue about the future of art. Read More

During the Spring Faculty Assembly on April 9, nine faculty members received awards for their significant impact through scholarship, research, creative expression, service, teaching or mentoring. The chancellor also spoke about Vanderbilt’s strength even during uncertain times.  Read More