Nicole Creanza
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Heard that Bird: Creanza Lab develops free curriculum to teach birdsong identification
The Creanza Lab, along with alumnus Matt Wilkins, BA’06, created a birdsong identification lesson plan for middle and high school students. The game show lets participants identify which birds they can hear in various pop culture media, such as movies, music, or video games. Read MoreJul 2, 2024
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15 years of the Beckman Scholars Program: Providing unparalleled undergrad research opportunities
The highly selective Beckman Scholars Program is celebrating 15 years of partnership with the College of Arts and Science. Over the years, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation has provided more than $543,000 in support of 23 undergraduate Beckman Scholars at Vanderbilt who engage in unique, hands-on, mentored research. Read MoreApr 3, 2024
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Biological scientists find that external factors impact vaccine belief-behavior predictions
Widespread trust in vaccines often leads to higher vaccination rates, but vaccine shortages can deter even those with confidence in vaccines. Furthermore, while vaccine mandates can create an appearance of universal vaccination, people may remain hesitant, resulting in lower compliance than anticipated. Read MoreOct 5, 2023
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Evolutionary biologists determine that culture shapes genetics within, not just between, populations
Nicole Creanza and Yakov Pichkar explore whether subtle cultural differences within a language mirror genetic structure within a population. The answer: Even small cultural differences like dialect can influence the spread of people and genes. Read MoreJun 29, 2023
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Transmission of vaccine-hesitant beliefs among parents is a key predictor of vaccination coverage and disease risk among children
Vanderbilt biologists Nicole Creanza and Kerri-Ann Anderson have developed a new mathematical model, rooted in cultural evolution, that represents vaccine hesitancy as a belief that can influence, but not perfectly predict, whether parents will decide to vaccinate their children. Read MoreJun 20, 2023
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Vanderbilt Biologist investigates specialization and its impact on cultural evolution
The cultural evolution of a population depends not only on size but also on the degree of specialization within a population, according to a new study published last month by a team of scientists including Nicole Creanza. The study found that populations can increase their cultural repertoire by subdividing knowledge into smaller groups, but the total group must be sufficiently large for specialization to be advantageous. Read MoreApr 20, 2023
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Researchers suggest that complex bird songs might require large populations
Growing up in a small community has its advantages, but if you want to learn from world experts, you may have better luck in a big city. This is the case in the world of birds as well. Large populations of birds might be better able to maintain complex songs than small populations – all because of access to high-quality tutors. Read MoreApr 29, 2022
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16 faculty members honored at Fall Faculty Assembly
Chancellor Daniel Diermeier and Faculty Senate Chair Catherine McTamaney presented faculty awards for both spring and fall 2020 as part of the virtual faculty assembly held Aug. 27. Read MoreAug 28, 2020
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Mental Notes: Music Cognition Lab is dedicated to the scientific study of how music affects the brain and behavior
The past decade in particular has been marked by a dramatic increase in music cognition inquiry, as about 100 laboratory groups around the world, including at Vanderbilt, are working across disciplines to understand music’s relationship to the brain, behavior and health, and to develop effective intervention strategies. Read MoreAug 5, 2020
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Vanderbilt lab develops app for analyzing crowd-sourced songbird recordings
With a new app from a team at Vanderbilt, birdsong researchers can better leverage crowdsourced fieldwork and audio recordings from amateur birders and citizen songbird scientists. Read MoreApr 20, 2020
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Women’s Center announces 2020 award recipients
A pathbreaking veteran, a scientist who urges students to chart their own course, an art historian who advocates for fellow faculty members, and a nurse who has advanced women’s health on campus are among the recipients of the Margaret Cuninggim Women’s Center’s annual awards. Read MoreApr 9, 2020
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How attracting multiple mates affects flirting fads in birds
For many species, extravagant displays are a critical part of attracting a mate. Think of a peacock’s long tail or a songbird’s elaborate melody. When considering these populations, scientists at Vanderbilt University wondered if they could use new methods to test a theory that has been around for almost 150… Read MoreFeb 22, 2019
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Six projects garner Microbiome Venture Fund awards
Six faculty-led teams have received 2018 Microbiome Venture Fund awards to pursue projects related to the broad category of microbiomes—the totality of microbes in or on an environment. Read MoreAug 14, 2018
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VIDL awards funding to enhance teaching
The Vanderbilt Institute for Digital Learning distributed more than $32,000 in grants and awards this spring as part of its Innovation Programs initiative. Read MoreAug 3, 2018
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Building the tiniest recording studios in Music City to understand vocal learning
Humans aren't the only animals who can learn vocal communication from others. By studying the process in zebra finches, we may better understand how it works in humans, too. Read MoreJun 4, 2018
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Interdisciplinary approach yields new insights into human evolution
Vanderbilt biologist Nicole Creanza is the guest editor of a new themed issue of "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B" highlighting interdisciplinary approaches to understanding human evolution. Read MoreFeb 12, 2018