Arts And Science

Jon Meacham, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer and the Carolyn T. and Robert M. Rogers Professor of American Presidency at Vanderbilt University, was formally installed as Canon Historian of the Washington National Cathedral on Nov. 7. Read More

Vanderbilt University, which already has taken significant steps in its commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, has joined the Race to Zero—Universities and Colleges coalition. At the same time, Assistant Professor Leah Dundon and 14 students are participating in international climate change negotiations. Read More

Eating a larger, protein-filled breakfast is one of the best ways to maintain a healthy weight. A smaller but still significant change would be to avoid late-night snacking. Est. reading time: 3.5 mins. Read More

The Vanderbilt Microbiome Initiative has been renamed the Vanderbilt Microbiome Innovation Center. It will offer a hub of resources for education, outreach and research around the microbiome—the community of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses that are crucial to sustaining life ecosystems. Read More

Carl Johnson, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Biological Sciences and expert in biological clocks, identifies temporal component to COVID-19 viral shedding. Est. reading time: 2.5 mins. Read More

Karan Jani, research assistant professor of physics and astronomy, convened experts from around the world at the European Gravitational Observatory in Italy to further explore the possibility of detecting gravitational waves on the moon. Read More

Students and professors from Middle Tennessee State and Vanderbilt universities are working together to uncover new archaeological details about a largely forgotten African American neighborhood that was an important part of Nashville’s post-Civil War history. Read More

A team of Vanderbilt and Vanderbilt University Medical Center faculty are working together to produce a series of children’s science books aimed at fourth grade–level readers. Read More

Renã A.S. Robinson, associate professor of chemistry and Dorothy J. Wingfield Phillips Chancellor Faculty Fellow, has been named president of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers. Read More

Eight-week mindfulness programs improve brain health in people over 60. Read More

The National Endowment for the Humanities has selected Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science for a significant grant to strengthen interdisciplinary humanities scholarship while enhancing career skills for recent Vanderbilt graduates who have doctorates in the humanities. Read More

Steven Townsend, associate professor of chemistry, and Fang Yan, research professor of pediatrics and cell and development biology, have discovered how a sugar in human breast milk mitigates damage to the small intestines caused by chemotherapy-induced mucositis. Read More

The Heard Libraries have acquired the papers of Rissi Palmer, an influential singer-songwriter and Apple Music host who is breaking barriers for country music artists of color. The library’s acquisition is helping Vanderbilt build a world-class archive of African American music in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music. Read More

Vanderbilt University Theatre will premiere two commissioned plays with themes inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic Oct. 1–3 at Neely Auditorium. Read More

Vanderbilt faculty Jonathan Gilligan and Janey Camp will work with researchers from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and involved entities to propose a large-scale research network with the goal of improving interrelated electric, transportation and communications services in areas with infrastructure served by the Tennessee Valley Authority. Read More

Jason De León, creator of the "Hostile Terrain 94" exhibit and founder of the Undocumented Migration Project, will give a free lecture on Wednesday, Sept. 29, at 6 p.m. in Sarratt Cinema. A public reception will precede his talk beginning at 5:15 p.m. in Sarratt Gallery. Read More

The College of Arts and Science will host a virtual town hall on Wednesday, Sept. 15, to share A&S’ plans to improve the infrastructure of the Historic Core and Stevenson Center complex buildings. Read More

Vanderbilt University’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latinx Studies will host a participatory art installation that aims to raise community awareness about the human side of undocumented migration at the U.S.-Mexico border. Read More

In remembrance of the 20th anniversary of the events of Sept. 11, 2001, Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American Democracy will host a virtual discussion, “9/11: Two Decades Later,” on Friday, Sept. 10, at noon CT. The event will feature faculty historians and legal scholars Jon Meacham, Samar Ali and Ganesh Sitaraman. Read More

Associate Professor of Sociology Lijun Song explored whether social network connections harmed or hurt one’s well-being in published research that won the American Sociological Association’s 2021 Best Publication Award in the Sociology of Mental Health Section.   Read More