Summer 2010

Morton-Young Nashville activist, scholar and author Tommie Morton-Young received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Peabody College of education and human development during Commencement ceremonies May 14. Morton-Young earned her master of arts degree in library science in 1955, becoming the first African American to graduate from George Peabody College for Teachers,… Read More

Researching the link between diabetes and schizophrenia are (from left) Aurelio Galli, Sabrina Robertson, Kevin Niswender and Michael Siuta. Defects in insulin action that occur in diabetes and obesity could directly contribute to psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia. Vanderbilt researchers have discovered a molecular link between impaired insulin signaling in the brain… Read More

An international consortium of autism researchers, including two from Vanderbilt, has reported a significant advance in unraveling the genetics of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Reporting in the June 9 issue of the journal Nature, the researchers compared the DNA obtained from nearly 1,000 people with ASD to nearly 1,300 matched… Read More

Discovery of a new super-heavy element sheds light on the basic organization of matter and strengthens the likelihood that still more massive elements may form an “island of stability”— a cluster of stable super-heavy elements that could form novel materials with exotic and as-yet-unimagined scientific and practical applications. Vanderbilt physicist Joe Hamilton… Read More

  Reading and writing have become essential skills for almost every job, yet the majority of students do not read or write well enough to meet grade-level demands. A report co-authored by Vanderbilt researchers Steve Graham and Michael Hebert finds that while the two skills are closely connected, writing is… Read More

Early press materials for the Oct. 31 concert by the Blair Percussion VORTEX are issued with a tongue-in-cheek warning: “Don’t ENTER THE VORTEX if you’re afraid of the dark.” Members of Blair Percussion VORTEX, shown during their spring concert, must think like actors and move like dancers while playing various percussion… Read More

The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-shek and the Struggle for Modern China (2009, Belknap Press of Harvard University Press) by Jay Taylor, BA’52 Chiang Kai-shek set the stage for Taiwan’s evolution of a Chinese model of democratic modernization. Drawing on Chinese sources including Chiang’s diaries, Taylor provides penetrating insight into the dynamics of… Read More

Eva Harth’s method for targeted drug delivery relies on relatively simple chemistry, making commercial production more viable. Imagine treating cancerous tumors by filling tiny sponges with drugs, attaching special chemical “linkers” that bond to the surface of tumor cells, and then injecting these sponges into the body. That’s the idea behind a nanosponge… Read More

A national literary journal, Nashville Review, was launched by graduate creative writing students at Vanderbilt in April. Nashville Review will be issued three times a year, in the spring, fall and summer. It will operate under a broad definition of literature, including fiction, poetry, comics, songs and films. Interviews with… Read More

Feliks Topolski’s gestural drawing “Neville Chamberlain” was featured in two summer exhibits at the Vanderbilt Fine Arts Gallery. Drawing employs the most intimate of media: a pencil, a pen, a piece of chalk, a sheet of paper. These materials, so easily accessible and normally used for writing, become in the… Read More

The papers of Julian Goodman, an NBC broadcast pioneer who helped bring to life the network news programs we watch today, have been placed in Special Collections at the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Goodman began at NBC as a correspondent in 1945 during the formative years of… Read More

The Vanderbilt University Alumni Association announces seven new members on its board of directors: Baptist Erik Baptist, BA’01, of Arlington, Va., is an attorney-adviser for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Enforcement, Division of Investigations. He majored in American studies and sociology at Vanderbilt before earning… Read More

Explore the world your way with other Vanderbilt alumni on an unforgettable journey presented by the Vanderbilt Travel Program. Whether you’re a seasoned Vanderbilt alumni traveler or have never taken a Vanderbilt trip before, the expanded slate of trips for 2011 offers something for everyone. Seventeen exciting itineraries… Read More

Minton Sparks (aka Jill Webb-Hill) Bare-legged in a housedress covered with red and orange flowers, spoken-word artist Minton Sparks walks to the microphone in bone-colored loafers, a purse of the same color hanging from her arm. As a guitar strums in the background, she begins… Read More

I’ve been fortunate to know and experience this great institution from many perspectives: as a student, member of staff, parent, faculty member, alumni volunteer—even as a patient. In each of these roles, I’ve come to understand more deeply the needs, concerns, hopes and contributions that bind the Vanderbilt community—on and… Read More

Let’s face it. We feel most connected to Vanderbilt when we associate with alumni who share our interests—whether it’s a former student activity, current career or professional interest, religious or lifestyle affiliation, or cultural passion. Common Connections, a new Vanderbilt Alumni Association program, celebrates this collective… Read More

Head Football Coach Bobby Johnson announces his retirement in a July 14 press conference. Bobby Johnson retired as head coach of Vanderbilt football July 14, a decision that took the Vanderbilt community by surprise. “This is Bobby’s decision,” said Vice Chancellor David Williams of the announcement. “When he informed me,… Read More

Sophomore Marina Alex won the SEC individual women’s golf championship and her first individual title as a collegian at the NorthRiver Yacht Club in Tuscaloosa, Ala, in April. She also was named a first-team selection to the National Golf Coaches Association’s All-American squad following her consistently high finishes throughout the… Read More

Vanderbilt’s men’s and women’s basketball teams advanced to postseason play in the NCAA Tournament. The women finished the year with a 23–11 overall record, 9–7 in regular-season SEC play. They advanced to the semifinal round of the SEC Tournament in Duluth, Ga., and the second round of the NCAA Tournament… Read More