Diermeier advocates for university priorities at meetings, congressional reception in Washington, D.C. Vanderbilt University Chancellor Daniel Diermeier met with members of Congress during a recent visit to Washington, D.C., to advocate for federal investments in research and higher education. Facilitated by the Office of Federal Relations, Diermeier met with several Republican members of the Tennessee congressional delegation, including Sen. Marsha Blackburn, Sen. Bill Hagerty, BA’81, JD’84, Rep. Chuck Fleischmann and Rep. David Kustoff. Diermeier urged Congress to robustly fund federal research and student aid programs . . . . After the meetings, Diermeier hosted a congressional reception in the U.S. Capitol honoring members of the Tennessee congressional delegation. A signature event on Capitol Hill, Vanderbilt’s congressional reception brings together the university’s senior leadership with members and staff from the Tennessee congressional delegation, Vanderbilt alumni working on Capitol Hill, and other strategic partners for the university’s government relations work in Washington. MORE
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National Aeronautics and Space Administration—International collaboration including Vanderbilt astrophysicists discover ‘forbidden planet’Aging stars go through an incredible transformation—they expand to become hundreds of times larger than their original size and are believed to thus destroy any planets in their inner systems. The recent study, “A close-in giant planet escapes engulfment by its star” co-authored by Keivan Stassun, Stevenson Professor of Physics and Astronomy, and Vanderbilt alumni Jack Lubin, BS’16, challenges this notion by revealing the existence of a “forbidden planet”—one that should not exist according to the traditional understanding of stellar evolution. “This discovery raises intriguing questions about how this planet survived and whether our stellar evolution models need revisiting,” Stassun said. The very existence of this planet could lead to the reevaluation of models and theories and open the door to finding more planets that have defied their expected fate. [This research was funded in part by NASA.] MORE
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National Institutes of Health—Holowatyj receives National Cancer Institute MERIT AwardAndreana Holowatyj, PhD, MSCI, assistant professor of Medicine, has received the National Cancer Institute’s Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award to support her ongoing investigation into how early-onset colorectal cancer and its treatments impact reproductive health. MERIT Awards go to early-stage investigators and provide longer-term funding than is typical for most grants . . . . The funding will support her project to delve into the “physiological and psychosocial aspects of reproductive health after early-onset colorectal cancer.” Her goal is to provide data and guidance so clinicians and care teams can better meet the unmet needs of individuals ages 18 to 49 years when diagnosed with a colon cancer or rectal cancer. MORE
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United States Agency for International Development—Vanderbilt’s LAPOP hosts inaugural summer school to train social scientists in international survey methods LAPOP, a survey research and public opinion lab at Vanderbilt University, completed its inaugural Summer School in International Survey Methods. The nine-day intensive training program focused on applications outside the U.S. drew 23 participants who are conducting ongoing research in Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa and Central Asia. The summer school took place on Vanderbilt’s campus June 19 through June 29 and featured a variety of instructors who are working at the cutting edge of survey research around the world. [T]he overarching goals for the summer school were twofold: for students to complete the program with greater capabilities to conduct their work with tools that are specific to the contexts of their work, and that all participants leave as an embedded part of a community of scholars conducting this type of research. In the long term, this network can remain active as a resource to overcome challenges that arise in this type of research . . . . [LAPOP is funded in part by USAID.] MORE
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Humphreys receives early career impact award for contributions to brain and behavioral sciences
Kathryn Humphreys, associate professor of psychology and human development at Vanderbilt Peabody College of education and human development, has won a 2023 Early Career Impact Award from the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences. According to the federation, the award “recognizes scientists from FABBS member societies who have made major contributions to the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior.” Humphreys studies how early life experiences, especially with caregivers, function in contexts of risk and resilience across development, emphasizing brain development and testing potential treatments intended to improve caregiving environments. Her research team discovered that infants whose caregivers initiated more conversation exhibited more advanced receptive and expressive language in toddlerhood. MORE
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Vanderbilt Unity Poll reveals significant approval of legislative compromise despite continued pessimism about national unityAmericans uniformly support solution-oriented government . . . but they don’t expect the country to be able to come together to solve urgent problems, according to the Vanderbilt Unity Poll released today. A majority of poll respondents (62 percent) believe Americans are incapable of uniting to solve important problems, yet 79 percent wanted their elected officials to work with members of the opposing party—even if that meant compromising on some partisan values. “Presented with both abstract questions and tangible examples of political compromise, respondents of all political stripes voiced their approval,” said Vanderbilt political scientist John Geer, who oversees the Vanderbilt Project on Unity & American Democracy. “These results provide evidence that the loudest voices on cable news or social media do not represent the attitude of most Americans,” Geer said. “To the contrary, this data shows that most citizens want the government to work and understand that compromise is necessary in a functioning democracy.” MORE
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Staying Home: Lea ExtendedEntering his third season at the helm of his alma mater, Vanderbilt football coach Clark Lea has signed a contract extension to remain in his native Nashville. Athletics director Candice Storey Lee announced the extension on Monday. Lea expressed his gratitude for the shared vision with Lee and Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier. “Vanderbilt is home, it is such an honor for me to lead our football program,” Lea said. “The only way that we accomplish the mission we have set forth for Vanderbilt Football is with the vision and support from Chancellor Diermeier and Candice Lee. To have them acknowledge the progress we’ve made to this point, and to commit to seeing us push further on our journey means everything to me.” Lea was hired as the 29th Vanderbilt football head coach in December of 2020 and quickly embarked on rebuilding the culture of his alma mater while setting forth a clear vision to become the best college football program in the country. MORE
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