The Wond’ry

The Vanderbilt Innovation Catalyst Fund, launched in 2023, bridges the gap between academic research and real-world applications by supporting projects with commercial and societal potential. To date, the fund has completed six award cycles, distributing 39 grants to VU and VUMC awardees across diverse disciplines. Read More

By Jenna Somers After a hard day of work, a parent reading a bedtime story to their child might feel too tired and stressed to think of questions that could spark insightful conversations about the story with their child. But these conversations—which scholars call dialogic reading—are critical to literacy development. Read More

On July 1, the Wond’ry was integrated into the School of Engineering, expanding access to valuable innovation resources. As part of this realignment, entrepreneurship efforts have transitioned to the Owen School, where a dedicated team is set to bring those innovations to market. Read More

When economics and communication of science and technology double major Leilani Rucker, Class of 2026, stepped into the Wond’ry’s Fiber Arts Build Lab, she had the feeling her lifelong love for fashion design was about to gain momentum. In the FAB Lab, Manager Alexandra Sargent Capps provides experiential opportunities to promote sustainable fashion and upcycling. Capps piqued Rucker’s interest when she showed up with a bin of colorful neckties from a clothing drive. Rucker’s imagination was sparked, and she set out to create a small upcycled clothing collection to display during Vanderbilt Fashion Week. Read More

Vanderbilt has announced eleven awardees in the latest round of its Innovation Catalyst Fund, an initiative that supports translational research that has promising commercial potential. Read More

Vanderbilt Divinity School and the Wond’ry’s Fiber Arts Lab will host a collaborative service project with faculty, staff, students and local communities of faith to quilt mementos for families who have lost a loved one while discussing different faith traditions and pathways toward interfaith solidarity. The mementos will be donated to Vanderbilt University Medical Center for distribution. Read More

The third annual Honors Banquet commemorated excellence in academics, leadership and innovation among Graduate School students and faculty. On March 20, the banquet was held to honor and reflect on remarkable achievements in research and creative expression from the more than 50 graduate programs and departments represented in the Graduate School. Read More

By Jenna Somers Climate Champions Fellows touring Vanderbilt’s campus South Asian university students who won Climate Champions Fellowships through the Student Society for Climate Change Awareness’s Climate Tank Accelerator visited Vanderbilt University in February, supported by a U.S. State Department grant. The fellows were from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan,… Read More

Vanderbilt’s Innovation Catalyst Fund has awarded seven new faculty-led projects, advancing translational research and innovation in health care, engineering and AI-driven solutions. Read More

In a new innovative study conducted by the Vanderbilt Climate, Health, and Energy Equity Lab, four undergraduate students and three faculty researchers identified a new approach to reduce the health inequalities of energy cost burdens and greenhouse gas emissions. Read More

Tennessee’s innovation corridor now spans the state with the addition of the University of Memphis to the National Science Foundation’s Mid-South Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Hub led by Vanderbilt University through its innovation center, the Wond’ry. Read More

Participants shared ideas and posed solutions for addressing challenges in the mobility industry, manufacturing and automotive retail. These topics ranged from sustainable operations and embedded sensors to product strategy and talent development. Everything that happened in this year’s session built up on ideas presented at last year’s inaugural accelerator.  Read More

After the launch of the Institute of National Security, graduate students and postdoctoral scholars joined a special panel with Microsoft and institute leaders titled “Interdisciplinary Thought Leadership Across the Security Landscape.” The panel featured two experts from Microsoft—Vishal Amin, general manager of security solutions, and Lili Davoudian, director of technical sales—in conversation with institute Executive Director Douglas Adams Read More

What you need to know Vanderbilt is offering an updated master of education program through the Innovative Design and Technology in Education (IDeaTE) program, formerly Learning and Design. Students will gain knowledge and skills for careers in designing learning environments, leveraging new technology, and using analytics to assess effectiveness. Read More

Vanderbilt has expanded access to clean energy in the Southeast through a collaboration with Clearloop. The university community is invited to learn more at the campus celebrations Oct. 15–16.  Read More

Vanderbilt has won three Stevie awards—the first time the university has been recognized by the world’s premier business awards. More than 3,600 international nominations were submitted in a wide range of categories. 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

Three Vanderbilt engineering undergraduates and the U.S. Army’s Fort Campbell Eaglewerx Applied Tactical Center recently modified the Army’s current grapneler. Read More

Tamara Baynham, BE'93, an active, long-standing alumni leader across the university, including leadership roles as president of the Association of Vanderbilt Black Alumni, member of Vanderbilt Alumni Association Board and of the Engineering Board of Visitors, was inducted into the School of Engineering’s Academy of Distinguished Alumni in April. Read More

The group will build upon existing work to leverage Vanderbilt-driven research and innovation to support local community needs, attract entrepreneurial talent and venture investment, and expand our city and region’s innovation capacity. They also will examine infrastructure needs, including dedicated physical space, programs for collaboration and how to foster a culture of innovation.  Read More