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FEDERALLY FUNDED RESEARCH
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Vanderbilt engineering school, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ R&D Center enter educational partnership to enhance collaborations
The Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center have entered an educational partnership agreement that will link top-tier experts from Vanderbilt and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The purpose of the ERDC’s Educational Partnership Agreement (EPA) is to encourage education in science, mathematics, engineering, and professional areas of interest to the mutual benefit of ERDC and the School of Engineering. The EPA provides a framework for cooperative educational collaborations. Of particular interest are graduate degree programs including computer science, environmental engineering, risk, reliability, and resilience as well as non-degree workforce training programs. MORE
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Vanderbilt civil engineer to design tech-driven decision-making and disaster response tools for Houston-area food banks
Hiba Baroud, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, is a co-principal investigator on a project that will develop and deploy tools to intelligently aid in disaster preparation, response and recovery. The project is centered in Harris County, Texas—a region that suffered through this year’s winter storms and associated public health emergencies—and includes the Houston Food Bank as a key community partner. The project, Equitable Food-Security: Disaster-resilient supply chains for pandemics and extreme weather events, was selected as a stage 1 awardee of the Civic Innovation Challenge, a national research and action competition in the smart and connected communities domain. The challenge is funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. MORE
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Vanderbilt research shows how polar bears maintained highly specialized diets during periods of Arctic warming—until now
Polar bears are often considered the poster-child species for climate change impacts. With global warming and sea-ice declines, it becomes harder for polar bears to hunt their preferred prey—seals. Increased global temperatures are having the greatest impact on Arctic and Antarctic environments, with arctic polar bears projected to decline by 30 percent by 2050. Larisa DeSantis, paleontologist and associate professor of biological sciences, with former undergraduate student Ansley Petherick, set out to assess if and how the diet of polar bears differed during periods of rapid warming. This research was made possible [in part] by the National Science Foundation. MORE
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Research Snapshot: Vanderbilt psychology research shows people more willing to take COVID-19 vaccine to benefit society
In an effort to understand Americans’ thought processes around whether to be vaccinated against COVID-19, Jennifer Trueblood, associate professor of psychology, and University of Chicago Booth School of Business researchers conducted studies to explore the relationship between risk preferences and effective messaging. An experiment and a nationally representative survey showed that risk-averse people, who are less likely to get the vaccine, become more willing and likely to get a vaccine when messages highlight benefits to the community, like herd immunity. By contrast, when messages focus on the effectiveness of the vaccine, individuals’ risk preferences are more likely to influence their choice. These findings can help policymakers decide how they communicate with the public about COVID-19 vaccines. [This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation.] MORE
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Learning by doing: How large firms transfer knowledge
How do large, multi-unit firms effectively transfer knowledge about best practices to divisions around the globe? For large companies, a top-down “template” approach—where employees observe working examples of new practices—may be good, but it works in tandem with learning the process locally, says Megan Lawrence, assistant professor of strategic management at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management. Examining the implementation of a new restocking process from a Fortune 100 chain retailer, Lawrence found that managers balance learning from a centralized template with what they draw from their own localized experiences. Thus, superior performance of the template is paramount. When a template offers superior store performance, managers and employees are less likely to draw from their own local practices. MORE
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Vanderbilt School of Medicine, Law School climb in 2022 ‘U.S. News’ rankings
Vanderbilt University’s graduate programs showed continued strength in the 2022 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, which were released today. Vanderbilt School of Medicine advanced five spots to 13th in the nation among research institutions, while Vanderbilt Law School climbed to No. 16. Vanderbilt University School of Nursing’s master of science in nursing program rose to eighth in the nation and its psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner program maintained its No. 1 ranking. Peabody College of education and human development ranked fifth while its concentration in special education again placed first. Altogether, five of Vanderbilt’s graduate and professional schools fall within the top 25 of the U.S. News rankings. MORE
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Vanderbilt launches historic $300 million investment campaign for athletics
Vanderbilt University today publicly launched the Vandy United Fund, an ambitious fundraising vehicle that will invest $300 million in Vanderbilt’s student-athletes and athletics programs through major facilities and operational enhancements. Since the initial quiet phase of the campaign began in the fall, Vanderbilt has already identified $200 million toward the $300 million goal, with a $100 million commitment from the university, $90 million from anonymous donors and a $10 million lead gift from John R. Ingram, a Board of Trust member and longtime supporter of Vanderbilt Athletics. The Vandy United Fund will address both student-athlete and fan needs by transforming key facilities, offering improved fan amenities, broadening opportunities for community engagement, and making Vanderbilt home to the best student-athlete experience in college sports. MORE
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Award-winning actors Aubrey Plaza and Laverne Cox and Bill Nye, ‘The Science Guy,’ to headline 2021 Impact Symposium
Actor, comedian and producer Aubrey Plaza; actor, producer and human rights advocate Laverne Cox; and engineer, comedian, author and inventor Bill Nye will be the featured speakers at Vanderbilt University’s 2021 Impact Symposium. This year’s event, which will be entirely virtual, is scheduled for consecutive Tuesdays beginning March 30. Each talk in the series is free for Vanderbilt students, faculty and staff, but registration is limited and required in advance. The Impact Symposium is sponsored by the Vanderbilt Programming Board Speakers Committee, an organization of undergraduate students dedicated to enhancing the quality of student life and the Vanderbilt educational experience through attracting and presenting distinguished speakers to the university. MORE
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The Rev. James Lawson receives NAACP Chairman’s Award for integral contributions to racial justice
The Rev. James Lawson, civil rights icon and Vanderbilt University Distinguished Professor, emeritus, has received the prestigious NAACP Chairman’s Award, which recognizes individuals who demonstrate exemplary public service and use their distinct platforms to create agents of change. Past recipients of the award include then-Sen. Barack Obama; Reps. John Lewis and Maxine Waters; former Surgeon General Regina Benjamin; actors Tyler Perry, Ruby Dee and Danny Glover; and musicians The Neville Brothers and Bono. The NAACP recognized Lawson during its 2021 Image Awards, which aired on BET on Saturday, March 27. Lawson was honored for his work as a social change advocate and his critical contributions to the civil rights movement, specifically his integral role in the nonviolent protests in the U.S. South in the 1960s. MORE
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Learning Disabilities Association honors Douglas Fuchs
Douglas Fuchs, who holds the Nicholas Hobbs Chair of Special Education and Human Development, has received the 2021 Award for Contributions to Research, Practice, and Advocacy from the Learning Disabilities Association of America. It is the highest honor bestowed by the nonprofit organization, which is devoted to supporting, educating and advocating for individuals affected by learning disabilities. The award is given in recognition and appreciation of outstanding leadership, support and dedication in the field of learning disabilities. LDA seeks nominations not only from its membership but from throughout the field of learning disabilities. Fuchs received the award in February during the association’s annual conference, where he also served as a keynote speaker. MORE
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VUbrief summarizes Vanderbilt news items to inform our Congressional community of developments at the university. Visit our website for past issues of VUbrief. Vanderbilt University Office of Federal Relations (202) 216-4361
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