Author
Political Science Faculty Join Academic Delegation to Observe Watershed Taiwanese Election
Feb. 25, 2020—Faculty from the Department of Political Science traveled to Taiwan in January to witness one of the country’s most significant presidential elections to date. Professor Josh Clinton, Associate Professor Brett Benson, and Assistant Professor Brad Smith were part of a larger academic delegation invited by Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry’s goal was to...
Poetry Exhibit, Town Hall Promote Interdisciplinary Collaboration Between Sciences and Humanities
Feb. 24, 2020—On February 3, an unusual sight greeted visitors to Buttrick Hall. Tall, brightly colored banners lined the Buttrick lobby. Each banner bore a large graphic and a poem. As students, faculty, and staff made their way past the banners, they noticed something unusual: every poem in the collection was about science. The banners were part...
Department of Religious Studies Celebrates 50th Anniversary
Feb. 10, 2020—Fifty years ago, the College of Arts and Science established its own department to study religion, independent of the Divinity School. Under the theme “The First 50 Years, the Next 50 Years,” Religious Studies is marking the milestone anniversary with activities such as an online exhibition of student work, a guest speaker series, and special...
Executive Directors of Nation’s Largest Humanities Associations Visit College of Arts and Science
Feb. 6, 2020—In a corner room of the Jean and Alexander Heard Library, with centuries of history and literature filling the floors above and below them, a packed room of students and faculty sat listening as the executive directors of the nation’s two largest humanities organizations shared their perspectives on “Humanities for the Next Generation.” Paula Krebs...
Alfredo Gurrola Wins NSF CAREER Grant to Search for Source of Dark Matter
Jan. 27, 2020—Assistant Professor of Physics Alfredo Gurrola has won a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to further his search for the particles that make up dark matter and are responsible for dark matter interactions. The grant is part of the NSF’s prestigious CAREER program, which supports early-career faculty who have the potential to lead their fields...
African American and Diaspora Studies Marks 50 Years at Vanderbilt
Dec. 13, 2019—In 1969, according to librarian Jason Schultz, African American studies was a field “on the margins” at Vanderbilt. Just nine years before, the university had expelled divinity student James Lawson for helping to organize lunch counter sit-ins in downtown Nashville. But landmark events, such as the 1961 Freedom Rides and 1965 Selma march, brought the...
Arts and Science Faculty and Graduate Students Recognized for Excellence in Teaching
Dec. 10, 2019—On December 3, the College of Arts and Science recognized 13 outstanding faculty members and graduate students for excellence in teaching, advising, and mentoring. These awards are an important part of the Arts and Science tradition, and past recipients include some of the most distinguished and beloved professors, instructors, and mentors in the history of...
LAPOP Receives $10 Million USAID Grant to Support AmericasBarometer Survey
Dec. 4, 2019—Vanderbilt’s LAPOP lab for international survey research has received a $10 million, five-year U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) grant to support its influential AmericasBarometer survey and related activities. The grant is the third received from USAID, which has a long-standing collaborative relationship with LAPOP. LAPOP Director and Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Political Science Elizabeth...
Nobel Winner Esther Duflo Challenges Economic Myths at Steine Lecture
Nov. 25, 2019—A standing-room-only crowd packed the Flynn Auditorium on November 14 to hear Nobel Laureate Esther Duflo deliver the David Steine Lecture in Economics, sponsored by the College of Arts and Science Department of Economics. Duflo, who is the Abdul Latif Jameel Professor of Poverty Alleviation and Development Economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, shared...
Arts and Science Students Share Humanitarian Experiences with Donors, Fellow Students
Nov. 12, 2019—At an October 29 reception, College of Arts and Science students spoke about projects supported by the Nichols Humanitarian Fund and expressed their gratitude to donors Edward and Janice Nichols. Established in 2006, the fund supports undergraduate and graduate students in completing humanitarian endeavors in the U.S. and overseas. Twenty of the 27 award recipients...