University leaders should refrain from commenting on political matters to protect free speech and their institutions’ missions, Daniel Diermeier writes. (Inside Higher Ed - May 5, 2022)

Two Vanderbilt professors were awarded Pathfinder seed funding for a project that could benefit soldiers by optimizing their neurological performance through suggested behavior protocol and by improving aircraft design and equipment to reduce the effects of in-flight vibration and percussion. The U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory and the Civil-Military Innovation Institute Inc. awarded funding to Tonia Rex, professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine . . . . Doug Adams, Daniel F. Flowers Professor and Distinguished Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is collaborating with Rex on the project. Rex and Adams are collaborating with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, to assess how the environment of a specialized aircraft affects soldiers’ performance and health. After assessing the crew’s exposure to the aircraft environment, Rex and Adams plan to collaborate with the 160th to identify and evaluate interventions, including modifications to the aircraft and soldier gear to optimize soldiers’ neurological performance. MORE

The National Science Foundation has selected a record 40 Vanderbilt students and alumni for its 2022 Graduate Research Fellowship Program. The NSF GRFP supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited U.S. institutions in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, STEM education and in NSF-backed social science disciplines. Established in 1952, the NSF GRFP offers financial support to graduate students in the form of a $34,000 annual stipend and a $12,000 cost-of-education allowance, as well as professional development and international research opportunities. An additional 22 Vanderbilt students and alumni received honorable mention designation for the program. MORE

Vanderbilt freshman Evelyn Marx has been selected as a SMART Scholar by the U.S. Department of Defense. The Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation Award is designed to enhance the DoD workforce with “talented, innovative and brilliant scientists, engineers and researchers” by supporting students like Marx, an electrical engineering and physics major from Columbus, Ohio. The award provides students with mentorship, summer internships, a stipend, and full-time employment with the DOD after graduation. When Marx graduates in 2025 she will work at the Missile Defense Agency in Huntsville, Alabama. The opportunity offers students hands-on experience at one of over 200 innovative laboratories across the Army, Navy, Air Force, and larger Department of Defense. Marx . . . is a research assistant in Vanderbilt’s Institute for Space and Defense Electronics’ radiation effects technology component of a multimillion-dollar consortium—SCalable Asymmetric Lifecycle Engagement—funded by the Office of Under Secretary of Defense. MORE

Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Professor Sheila Ridner, PhD, FAAN, recently completed a large randomized trial to assess early detection methods coupled with a prevention intervention for a common side effect of breast-cancer treatments—lymphedema. The study Ridner designed and led compared the effectiveness of using bioimpedance spectroscopy (BIS) measuring technology with traditional tape measurements in early identification of lymphedema swelling and immediate short-term hand and arm compression therapy. Patients were assigned to a BIS or tape measurement group at 10 sites around the world. The trial found that patients with early detection who used L-Dex with additional intervention were less likely to progress to chronic lymphedema than patients monitored with a tape measure receiving the same intervention.  MORE

Jacob Steenwyk, a graduate student in biological sciences, and collaborators at Vanderbilt, Tel Aviv University and University of Wisconsin-Madison measured the coevolution of pairs of genes shared across budding yeasts to identify the genes that participate in the same cellular or molecular functions. The results of this work could fundamentally change how we identify genes with similar functions. This project shows that genes’ evolutionary histories yield insights similar to those of genetic studies on model organisms. This is a hugely important insight because evolutionary analyses are often far less challenging and require fewer resources than genetic studies. [The Rokas lab is also supported by funds from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health.] MORE

To ensure that researchers who need advanced computing have the required support in place, Vanderbilt will invest nearly $1 million in a new high-performance storage system, Vice Provost for Research Padma Raghavan announced today. Vanderbilt’s Advanced Computing Center for Research and Education, or ACCRE, expects to have the upgrades in place by the start of the fall 2022 semester, bringing enhanced resilience and efficiency to Vanderbilt’s research data and resulting in more usable storage space and reduced downtime for researchers. Having this new system in place allows Vanderbilt faculty to confidently apply for more ambitious, competitive grants and pursue research that necessitates advanced data analysis and computing, including artificial intelligence, as well as massive complex data sets such as those produced by next-generation imaging. MORE

They say motherhood is the toughest job you’ll ever love. That’s true for this group of Vanderbilt researchers, who’ve built successful careers around researching various aspects of parenthood while raising their own children. Here’s a snapshot of VU researchers who happen to be moms who research moms. [They include: Audrey Bowden, associate professor of biomedical engineering and Dorothy J. Wingfield Phillips Chancellor Faculty Fellow, aims to improve the success rate of assisted reproductive techniques, including in vitro fertilization. Kathryn L. Humphreys, assistant professor of psychology and human development whose research focuses on infant and early childhood mental health; perinatal mental health; stress and adversity; and child development. Jennifer Shinall, professor of law whose research examines the empirical effects of gender and health on workplace outcomes and has done a great deal of research on pregnancy in the workplace, accommodation policies for pregnant women and mothers, and parental leave policies.] MORE

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood will discuss leadership, nursing and health equity during a virtual conversation with Vanderbilt University School of Nursing leaders on Tuesday, May 17, noon-1 p.m. CST. The event is free and will be available via Zoom. Underwood, a registered nurse who represents Illinois’ 14th Congressional District, is a leader in Congress regarding health issues and disparities. She will speak with VUSN Dean Pamela R. Jeffries and Associate Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Rolanda Johnson, who will pose questions about the role of nurses in achieving health equity, influencing policy and serving as patient advocates. “A Conversation with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood” is a special presentation combining VUSN’s two signature lectures series, the VUSN’s Dean’s Diversity Lecture Series and the Leadership Lecture Series. MORE

Reid Hoffman, an accomplished entrepreneur, executive, investor and philanthropist who has played an integral role in building many of today’s leading consumer technology businesses, is delivering the Graduates Day address to the Class of 2022 [on Thursday, May 12] at 11 a.m. in Memorial Gym. This event is open to the public with doors opening at 9 a.m.; it also will be livestreamed. Hoffman will receive Vanderbilt University’s prestigious Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal, one of the highest honors at the university. The award is given to individuals who define the 21st century and exemplify the best qualities of the human spirit. MORE