brynn wooten

A PowerPoint slide saying "Why Archaeotherium" "They are just creepy" with a photo of an archaeotherium on display at a museum

Vanderbilt Paleontology Graduate Student Brynn Wooten Brings Hell Pigs to the Forefront

Nov. 18, 2025—By Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator Archaeotherium, better known by the irresistibly dramatic nickname “Hell Pigs,” belong to an extinct group of mammals from the Eocene and Oligocene. The animals were neither hellish nor pigs, but their odd mix of features has made them a favorite for researchers. Graduate student Brynn Wooten of the...

A young woman presents a bright pink scientific poster titled "Genomic comparison of Aspergillus..." to a small group of adults in a hallway with gray brick walls and fluorescent lighting. She gestures animatedly while explaining her work. The group listens attentively, their backs partially turned to the camera.

Vanderbilt Trainees Bring Evolution Education to Classrooms Across Tennessee

Jun. 6, 2025—By: Andy Flick, Evolutionary Studies scientific coordinator From rural high schools to elementary classrooms, trainees of the Evolutionary Studies Initiative (ESI) are bringing evolutionary science directly to the next generation. On May 9, a team of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers visited McGavock Elementary School in Nashville to lead a series of hands-on science activities...