Arts And Science

Watch video of a faculty seminar during Commencement 2014. Throughout the late 19th century, the large hats that women wore to the theatre blocked the view of spectators sitting behind them prompting outraged newspaper editorials, debate in state legislatures, and on at least one occasion, a physical fight. This talk… Read More

Vanderbilt astronomers have developed a model that predicts the effect that ingesting earth-like planets has on the chemical composition of stars like the Sun -- a capability that can aid in efforts to find Earth-like exoplanets. Read More

In the latest VUCast: Watch a senior erase stereotypes among young students in the Middle East; see how a senior is telling stories to change perceptions about disabilities; and learn how you can click your way to Commencement. All this and more in the latest VUCast, Vanderbilt's online newscast. Watch now. Read More

Meet Vanderbilt Arts and Science major Harvey Burrell. Harvey’s creative story-telling and desire to elevate the image of people with physical disabilities turned his college experience into an epic cross-country adventure and an inspirational documentary called “Endless Abilities.” [vucastblurb]… Read More

A Vanderbilt graduate student has used a focused beam of electrons to create some of the smallest nanowires ever made, which could bring us closer to flexible, paper-thin tablets and television displays. Read More

When Congress gets too many hands on an issue, its influence actually decreases, researchers from the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions at Vanderbilt University found. Read More

Cougars may have survived a mass extinction that took place about 12,000 years ago because they were not particular about what they ate. Read More

See the ancient discoveries these kids are digging up; learn about major progress in Parkinson’s research; and a throwback video! See Johnny Cash’s connection to Vanderbilt. All this and more in the latest VUCast, Vanderbilt’s online newscast. Watch now. Read More

When a mass shooting occurs there are often two camps of thought: those who feel the country needs stronger gun laws and those who blame the horrific act on mental illness. Read More

In the latest VUCast: See how an international student is showcasing the United States in a beautiful way; discover how a "thinking cap" could help you learn; and watch a unique forest grow in just one weekend. All this and more in the latest VUCast, Vanderbilt's online newscast. Watch now. Read More

Lenn Goodman (Steve Green, Vanderbilt) Lenn Goodman, professor of philosophy and the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, has a new book, Religious Pluralism and Values in the Public Sphere (Cambridge University, 2014), in which he argues that our commitments to our own ideals and norms need not mean… Read More

Vanderbilt physicist John Wikswo reported significant progress toward creating “homo minutus” – a human-on-a-chip that can be used to test drugs and toxins – on Mar. 26 at the Society of Toxicology meeting in Phoenix. Read More

By shifting evolution into reverse to produce an expensive HIV drug out of a simple sugar, Vanderbilt chemist Brian Bachmann has shown that it may be possible to manufacture exotic and expensive synthetic drugs as easily as brewing beer. Read More

Vanderbilt psychologists show it is possible to selectively manipulate our ability to learn through the application of a mild electrical current to the brain, and that this effect can be enhanced or depressed depending on the direction of the current. Read More

Researchers analyzed data from the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) used by the George W. Bush administration to grade the effectiveness of federal programs. Read More

A brain-mapping study of patients with schizophrenia has found that areas associated with the ability to imitate are impaired, providing new support for the theory that deficits in this basic cognitive skill may underlie the profound difficulty with social interactions that characterize the disorder. Read More

An ultra-fast and ultra-small optical switch has been invented that could advance the day when photons replace electrons in the innards of consumer products ranging from cell phones to automobiles. Read More

Tiffany Patton, BA’03, is the executive director of Girls on the Run Nashville, an after-school program that runs for 12-weeks each spring and fall, teaching girls how to form positive relationships and live active lives. Read More

See how a discovery about mosquito sperm could fight deadly disease; learn where to click for the coolest original music created by Vanderbilt students; and tour the newest evolution of College Halls. All this and more in the latest VUCast, Vanderbilt’s online newscast. Watch now. Read More

Matt Rubinger, at age 25, is director of luxury accessories for Heritage Auctions, an international auction house. Three years after graduting from  Vanderbilt University in 2010, Rubinger made $9 million for his company, according to Forbes. Rubinger made his career in sales after spending his high school and college years… Read More