National Science Foundation

What does it take to listen to the universe and ensure the U.S. stays at the forefront of that discovery? For Vanderbilt University researchers, part of the answer lies in continued federal support for science, particularly through agencies like NASA and the National Science Foundation. Read More

The Mid-South I-Corps Hub, one of the U.S. National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps Hubs led by Vanderbilt, is proud to welcome the University of Arkansas as its newest participating institution, marking the next stage in a regional partnership built on innovation and shared vision.  Read More

David Hyde, assistant professor of computer science at Vanderbilt University’s College of Connected Computing, has received a $1.6 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a new, open-source software platform for “physical intelligence,” which is the combination of traditional physics simulation algorithms with artificial intelligence for addressing complex real-world applications. Read More

Xiaoguang Dong, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, has been awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award that will support research on magnetic miniature soft robots for precision medicine that could facilitate early disease detection and treatment. Read More

Vanderbilt researchers have received a $1.2 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a smart microscope system that uses artificial intelligence to help scientists better understand how cells behave, particularly in diseases like cancer. Read More

While we know that intermediate-mass black holes should exist, little is known about their origins or characteristics—they are considered the rare “missing links” in black hole evolution. However, four new studies have shed new light on the mystery. The research was led by a team in the lab of Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Karan Jani, who also serves as the founding director of the Vanderbilt Lunar Labs Initiative. Read More

In the ongoing battle against triple negative breast cancer, Vanderbilt researchers have uncovered a promising non-invasive method to track how tumors respond to radiation and immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. Read More

Cybele Raver’s ‘Quantum Potential’ podcast explores solutions for humanity’s greatest challenges. Read More

Meiyi Ma, assistant professor of computer science at Vanderbilt, is leading research to develop what’s considered the world’s first Generative Artificial Intelligence training system for 911 call takers and dispatchers. Read More

Professor Steven Wernke's groundbreaking archaeological mapping project has secured its most substantial funding yet: a $625,000 grant from the National Science Foundation. Using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence, Wernke and his team are mapping archaeological sites across the Andes Mountain Range to build a detailed inventory that will improve our understanding of Andean settlement systems and human-modified landscapes. Read More

Vanderbilt recently hosted the final M-TRAIN workshop at the Wond’ry. Funded by a $100,000 NSF grant, the workshop series engaged 70 people and 20 institutions, focusing on research administration, compliance and public-private partnerships, and held out a vision for sustained regional collaboration. Read More

Professor of Mechanical Engineering Deyu Li has been awarded an inaugural National Science Foundation TRAILBLAZER Engineering Impact Award to extend Max Planck’s theory of thermal radiation from equilibrium thermal sources to a regime where non-equilibrium energy carriers can lead to significantly enhanced radiative heat dissipation. Read More

Vanderbilt's Spring 2024 Scaling Success Grant awards support four innovative research projects, empowering faculty to secure expanded external funding. The grant program, initiated in 2022, has already helped its inaugural awardees obtain prestigious grants. Read More

The prestigious fellowship program assists exceptional graduate students pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees across various fields, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics, STEM education and social sciences supported by NSF. Read More

The U.S. National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy recently announced that a team comprised of Vanderbilt’s newly created ADVANCE center and VALIANT lab is among the first round of 35 projects that will be supported with computational time through the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource Pilot. Read More

Manuel Ascano, associate professor of biochemistry and pathology, microbiology and immunology, and Dr. Alissa Weaver, Cornelius Vanderbilt Chair and director of the Vanderbilt Center for Extracellular Vesicle Research, are one of nine U.S. research teams awarded funding from the National Science Foundation to more fully understand the potential biotechnological uses of RNA, ranging from crop disease protection to treatments that combat cancer. Read More

Kyle David, an NSF postdoctoral fellow in the Rokas lab, and co-authors published a new paper, 'Saccharomycotina yeasts defy longstanding macroecological patterns' in the high-impact journal PNAS. This paper, which looks at the ecology of 186 species of yeast, provides evidence that not all life-forms follow the rules. Read More

James Weimer, assistant professor of computer science and noted medical-device entrepreneur, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to improve the safety and efficacy of systems that use advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques. Read More

Soheil Kolouri, assistant professor of computer science at Vanderbilt University, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to explore ways to make machine learning more efficient and possibly impact the next generation of such methods. Read More

Soheil Kolouri, assistant professor of computer science at Vanderbilt University, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to explore ways to make machine learning more efficient and possibly impact the next generation of such methods. Despite the success of machine learning, scientists say many foundational questions and theoretical aspects remain poorly understood, posing unwanted... Read More