News Story Category
Seizing the Opportunity to Accomplish Lifelong Goals: Alfred Prah, BA’19
Sep. 4, 2020—As a student in Ghana, Alfred Prah, BA’19, didn’t have access to a laptop or personal cell phone at the boarding school he attended. Despite that, he was captivated by the potential of technology to enrich his education and had dreams of using AI to make technology more useful and accessible to everyone. He knew...
History of Art and Architecture launches new major in architecture and the built environment
Sep. 3, 2020—For a number of years, the College of Arts and Science has offered courses in architecture, along with a pre-architecture advising program for students planning to pursue graduate study in the field. But the college didn’t have an actual degree in the subject—until now. Beginning with the 2020 fall semester, the History of Art and...
Economics Faculty Research Yields Valuable Insights on Student Loans and Personal Finance
Aug. 14, 2020—Are student loans a smart way to pay for college? Is pawning jewelry ever a good way to acquire extra cash? And why do humans have so much trouble making smart financial decisions? Economics faculty Paige Marta Skiba and Lesley Turner are researching the answers to these questions and providing key insights to help address...
New Political Science Research Debunks Myths About White Working-Class Support for Trump
Jul. 29, 2020—New research from Associate Professor of Political Science Noam Lupu challenges several common assumptions about white working-class support for President Donald Trump. Lupu conducted the research, outlined in the article “The White Working Class and the 2016 Election,” with Duke University’s Nicholas Carnes. The two first met in graduate school and have since collaborated many...
Faculty Use Universal Language of Math to Tackle Some of COVID-19’s Biggest Challenges
Jul. 23, 2020—As public health officials tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, they face an overwhelming number of factors that affect the virus’s spread. Population density, economic challenges, adherence to social distancing measures—they all play a part in determining the rise or fall of infection rates. And the results of efforts to “flatten the curve” can vary from place...
The Power of Mentoring: Susan Gessner Stewart, BS’90
Jul. 20, 2020—When Susan Gessner Stewart, BS’90, first came to the College of Arts and Science, her mind was firmly grounded on this planet—in the world of architecture, to be precise. Then a string of unexpected circumstances led her to the Department of Physics and Astronomy, where one professor’s mentoring changed the path of her life. Now...
Biological Sciences Ph.D. Student Finds Creative Outlet in Science-Themed Art
Jun. 30, 2020—It’s no surprise that Jacob Steenwyk became interested in art at a young age. Both his parents are artists: his father served as art director for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and his mother was a recognized art critic who has published in major magazines in the Philippines. Steenwyk loved making art as a child and...
Resources for Engaging With the Spirit of Juneteenth
Jun. 19, 2020—On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger declared to the state of Texas—the Confederacy’s western frontier—that “all slaves are free.” June 19, shortened to “Juneteenth,” quickly became an annual day of celebration for Texas’s black community. By the 1920s, it had spread around the country, and in 1979, the tradition came full-circle as...
College of Arts and Science Faculty Fight COVID-19 in Latin America
Jun. 17, 2020—Vanderbilt’s College of Arts and Science has long had connections to Latin America. Through the Center for Latin American Studies, the work of Latin American specialists in departments such as history and anthropology, and numerous student and faculty research trips, the college has forged strong ties to the region, its universities, and its people. So...
Vanderbilt releases Return to Campus plan for fall 2020 semester
Jun. 16, 2020—After much planning and consideration, Vanderbilt has released a plan for how it will approach the fall 2020 semester. College of Arts and Science Dean John Geer also sent specific messages to A&S staff, undergraduate students, and graduate students.