At Vanderbilt, scholars of exceptional national and international stature may be honored with distinguished professorships. The title signifies that these professors are leaders in scholarship, distinction, discovery and teaching in their disciplines. The College of Arts and Science is pleased to announce that three professors were named to distinguished professorships in 2009-2010. Lynn E. Enterline [...]

Two academic departments started the 2010-2011 year with new leaders, while several others welcomed new faculty and celebrated promotions of other faculty. Mark Schoenfield, professor of English, is the new chair of the English department and John Geer, Distinguished Professor of Political Science, will chair political science. Schoenfield, an expert in romanticism and literature and [...]

Traditionally those who mark 25-year anniversaries at Vanderbilt receive a school chair as a token of appreciation. In the coming year, the following faculty will celebrate their silver anniversaries in the College of Arts and Science: Karen E. Campbell, associate professor of sociology; Vivien Green Fryd, professor of history of art; Jon W. Hallquist, associate [...]

For the second year in a row, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) recognized Arts and Science, the alumni magazine of the College of Arts and Science, in its annual District III competition. The magazine won an award of excellence in the alumni magazines division for schools of less than 5,000 students. CASE is the [...]

Promoted to Professor Katherine Crawford, history William Franke, comparative literature and Italian Jane Landers, history Anna Roe, psychology Mark Schoenfield, English Virginia Scott, French Robert Talisse, philosophy Newly Named Associate Professors with Tenure Brandt Eichman, biological sciences Shane Hutson, physics Richard Lloyd, sociology Richard McGregor, religious studies Nancy Reisman, English Elizabeth Zechmeister, political science New [...]

Three Nashville men have been found guilty in the deaths of anthropology professor Pierre Colas and his sister, Marie. The Colases were shot at Pierre’s home in East Nashville in a home invasion/robbery in August 2008. The assailants have been sentenced to life terms; additional suspects are in jail awaiting trial. The Department of Anthropology [...]

Lorraine M. López, associate professor of English, was named a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction for her book, Homicide Survivors Picnic and Other Stories. López’s story collection was chosen as one of five honorees from nearly 350 books nominated by their publishers. “The PEN/Faulkner Prize is one of the most prestigious awards for [...]

The National Academy of Science has announced that Associate Professor of Psychology Frank Tong is one of the winners of this year’s Troland Research Award. Two $50,000 Troland awards are given annually to scientists under the age of 40 for groundbreaking contributions to psychology and/or neuroscience. The NAS singled Tong out for his pioneering use [...]

Richard A. “Pete” Peterson, professor of sociology, emeritus, died this spring in Nashville. Peterson, 77, was one of the first professors to research country music from a sociological perspective and was also the founding chair of the American Sociological Association’s culture section. His impact on undergraduate and graduate students alike is still felt in the [...]

The Vanderbilt University Board of Trust honored three longstanding members of the Arts and Science faculty with emeritus status at Commencement in May. David A. Lowe, associate professor of Slavic languages and literatures, was named professor of Slavic languages and literatures, emeritus. Lowe is an expert on 19th-century Russian literature with a strong interest in [...]