Andrew Flick

By Nick McCoy, Evolutionary Studies communications assistant Paul Koch, a Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will present the Earth Day Lecture at Vanderbilt on April 16th, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Buttrick Hall 102. The lecture is free and… Read More

Hotel Information The link to book in the room block at the Marriott Nashville at Vanderbilt is here. There are several hotels in the area in a range of prices and distances from the Carmichael College. Feel free to use the information below to help make an informed decision… Read More

The Evolutionary Studies Initiative (ESI) Seminars last semester highlighted diverse and interdisciplinary approaches to understanding evolution. The speakers showcased research spanning behavior, genetics, physiology, and ecological systems, presenting evolution’s role in shaping life on Earth. From Anne Yoder’s exploration of speciation and conservation in Madagascar, to Ken Catania’s extraordinary look… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator New research from Ken Catania, Stevenson Professor of Biological Sciences, shows another incredible result. The “Cocoon of the Developing Emerald Jewel Wasp (Ampulex compressa) Resists Cannibalistic Predation of the Zombified Host” was published in Brain, Behavior, and Evolution. Catania’s research program… Read More

By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies Scientific Coordinator Arner, right, with local community members and researchers sharing knowledge in a relaxed setting, discussing findings and gathering insights on local lifestyle practices. A new review co-led by graduate students Layla Brassington and Audrey Arner of the Lea Lab discusses the formulation of… Read More

By: Alexandria Leeper, Evolutionary Studies graduate communications assistant Sylvia Cheever prepares to enter the trace metal clean lab at Arizona State University, where she conducts research on mercury levels in ancient human bones from Peru. Sylvia Cheever, a Ph.D. student in Biological Anthropology at Vanderbilt University, is uncovering the hidden… Read More

By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator A new study, led by alumnus Andrei Olaru in Paleobiology titled, “Functional morphology of the Ediacaran organism Tribrachidium heraldicum” sheds light on the functional morphology one of the earliest known large and complex animals. Using advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD), the research explores… Read More

By Danielle Bowden, Evolutionary Studies administrative specialist Nashville, TN –– Vanderbilt University’s Evolutionary Studies Initiative is thrilled to announce that distinguished evolutionary biologist Kenneth Catania will be delivering the Halloween Spooktacular Lecture as part of the ESI seminar series. Catania is a professor of Biological Sciences at Vanderbilt… Read More

By: Neomi Chen, Evolutionary Studies communications assistant Portrait of Kirkland. Chancellor James Hampton Kirkland was a significant figure in the education landscape of the early 20th century, particularly recognized for his leadership of Vanderbilt University after the 1925 Scopes Trial. His views on evolution and education were instrumental in… Read More

By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Bryan Gitschlag Vanderbilt University researchers, led by alumnus Bryan Gitschlag, have uncovered groundbreaking insights into the evolution of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In their paper in Nature Communications titled “Multiple distinct evolutionary mechanisms govern the dynamics of selfish mitochondrial genomes in Caenorhabditis elegans,”… Read More