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Simons Foundation awards $8 million grant to uncover secrets of black holes and strong gravity
Aug. 12, 2025—Article adapted from a press release written by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Over the next four years, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Alex Lupsasca will lead a Vanderbilt team in a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional collaboration funded by an $8 million grant from the Simons Foundation with a focus on black holes and strong gravity....
College of Arts and Science launches significant changes to undergraduate education in fall 2025
Aug. 8, 2025—This fall, the College of Arts and Science is introducing strategic structural and pedagogical changes to undergraduate education that will better serve students and faculty and help to deliver an unparalleled undergraduate academic experience. These new changes include: The Office of Academic Services (OAS) has changed its name from the Office of Undergraduate Education to...
The A&S College Core: redefining undergraduate education
Aug. 1, 2025—Over the past 20 years, higher education has faced the challenges of educating students for a rapidly changing world. We are tasked with preparing our students to face a host of complex and swiftly evolving issues, from emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, to global crises such as climate change, to the threats posed by...
Metal and semiconductor particles could transform health and safety technologies
Jul. 24, 2025—A new breakthrough in the field of physics led by doctoral student Yueming Yan could allow for the creation of small, thin, low-power optical devices to be used in both medical imaging and environmental sensing. In a study published in ScienceAdvances, Yan and his colleagues, including Associate Professor of Chemistry Janet Macdonald and Stevenson Professor...
College of Arts and Science’s 2025 summer reading guide
Jul. 14, 2025—13 books to get you through the hot summer months With temperatures climbing outside, the urge to get comfortable on a couch or chair in air conditioning becomes stronger. We’ve talked with a few of our faculty to get their recommendations on your next summer read. Find out their favorite books they found while traveling,...
Good chemistry: how chemistry students expand their skill set through hands-on, experiential learning
Jul. 9, 2025—Whether you talk to a graduate or undergraduate student in the Department of Chemistry about why they study the field, their responses all evoke the same sentiment: a curiosity for the world and a desire to discover the unknown. All students can fulfill this desire by attending classes and learning from knowledgeable faculty members. However,...
The student becomes the teacher: one undergraduate’s journey in environmental protection
Jun. 3, 2025—Growing up, Devan Wiley spent a lot of time in nature. As part of an active family that encouraged outdoor adventures, Wiley developed a love for the natural world. But it wasn’t until college, when Wiley began to realize the full extent of the climate crisis, that they found themself drawn toward environmental protection. While...
Faculty Accolades 2024-25
May. 23, 2025—Throughout the past academic year, faculty in the College of Arts and Science have shown tremendous dedication to not only providing unparalleled instruction, but also toward advancing their scholarship and research. From powerful discoveries to creative expression across a wide range of disciplines, our faculty are making impactful contributions to their respective fields and to...
Research roundup: 11 things we learned this year
May. 23, 2025—Illustrations by Liz Chagnon Faculty in the College of Arts and Science are pursuing groundbreaking research and discovery across a wide range of fields. They advance scientific progress, artistic expression, and a deeper understanding of the world around us—its past, present, and future. Here are a few things we’ve learned from our faculty this academic...
College of Arts and Science graduate students receive teaching awards
May. 23, 2025—The College of Arts and Science recently recognized four graduate students for exceptional teaching in the 2024-2025 academic year: Savannah Bastian and Lucia Edafioka received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Assistant award, Pragun Tuladhar received the Outstanding Graduate Student Laboratory Instructor award, and Sarah Hagaman received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teacher award. “Of the nearly...