Vanderbilt University College of Arts and Science

The College of Arts and Science is saddened by the passing of Paul Elledge, professor of English, emeritus, who died April 27, 2026, in Olympia, Washington.

A longtime member of the Vanderbilt community, Elledge devoted more than four decades to teaching, scholarship, and academic leadership. Known for his thoughtful mentorship, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to the humanities, he helped shape generations of students.

A memorial service will be held at Christ Church Cathedral in Nashville on Tuesday, June 23, at 2 p.m. with a reception to follow in the Parish Hall. All are welcome. In lieu of flowers, honoraria may be offered to Christ Church Cathedral, the Nashville Humane Association, or any philanthropic organization of the donor’s choosing.

https://as.vanderbilt.edu/news/2026/06/11/paul-elledge-professor-of-english-emeritus-has-died/

Why do we twitch in our sleep? Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences Alexandre Tiriac will investigate that question as a recipient of the 2026 McKnight Scholar Award.

The award recognizes early-career scientists who have demonstrated a commitment to neuroscience. Tiriac’s research explores how sleep twitches help the developing brain build neural maps of the body and whether similar processes support learning later in life. His work seeks to uncover fundamental mechanisms of brain development and deepen our understanding of the relationship between sleep, movement, and learning.

Read more about Tiriac’s research 👉 vu.edu/6z01z

Great things are happening in the Behringer Lab!

Megan Behringer, assistant professor of biological sciences, recently received a National Science Foundation CAREER Award for her research on bacterial evolution and epigenetics, or changes in gene expression that occur without altering the underlying DNA sequence. The award supports early-career faculty who demonstrate excellence in research and education.

Ph.D. candidate William McLaughlin earned a USDA-NIFA Predoctoral Fellowship for his research on microbial populations. The fellowship supports emerging scholars conducting innovative agricultural and biological research.
These honors reflect the lab’s commitment to advancing the field through innovative research. Congratulations to Megan and William!

A&S students are bringing new perspectives to the work of Charles Baudelaire.

This year, the Fondation Claude Pichois awarded funding to three students pursuing research on the influential 19th-century French poet. A partnership between Vanderbilt’s W.T. Bandy Center for Baudelaire and Modern French Studies and the Fondation de France, students will receive 5,000 euros each to produce original written work that may be accompanied by an exhibit, public talk, performance, or other research output.

Learn more about their projects 👉 vu.edu/v4cc1

Vanderbilt University Libraries

Vanderbilt has named Elizabeth Zechmeister vice provost for graduate education and growth initiatives, dean of the Vanderbilt University Graduate School and the director of the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs, effective July 1.

Zechmeister succeeds C. André Christie-Mizell, whose five-year term as dean concludes June 30 after a period of devoted leadership and service to graduate education at Vanderbilt.

Learn more: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2026/06/03/vanderbilt-names-elizabeth-zechmeister-vice-provost-of-graduate-education-and-growth-initiatives-dean-of-graduate-studies/

The College of Arts and Science’s high-energy nuclear physics group continues to excel with prestigious national fellowships and accolades.

Ph.D. candidate Jordan Dias-Gaylor received a DOE Office of Science Graduate Fellowship for her work in experimental high-energy nuclear physics and will expand upon her research with collaborators at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
Incoming Ph.D. candidates Isa Fite and Olivia Nippe-Jeakins each received NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. Fite plans to study high-energy nuclear theory, while Nippe-Jeakins will pursue experimental high-energy nuclear physics.

Postdoctoral researcher Henry Hirvonen received the Prize of the PhD Mikael Björnberg Memorial Fund from the Finnish Society of Sciences and Letters.

Congratulations to all!

A new study from Julie Ward examines how Florida counties implement the state’s extreme risk firearm law, or “red flag” law.

The law is designed to prevent gun violence by temporarily removing fi****ms from people at risk of harming themselves or others; however, researchers found significant variation in how often it is used across counties. These findings provide new insight that could help researchers and policymakers evaluate the law’s effectiveness as a public health tool and raise important questions about equity and access.

Read more: https://as.vanderbilt.edu/news/2026/05/28/new-study-finds-floridas-extreme-risk-firearm-law-applied-differently-across-counties/

Helen Makhdoumian, a Collaborative Humanities Postdoctoral Scholar, has received the prestigious 2026 American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship, joining 63 scholars selected nationwide across the humanities and social sciences.

The fellowship will support six to 12 months of full-time research and writing. In her project, “Afterwords,” Makhdoumian will examine how contemporary American Indian, First Nations, Armenian, and Palestinian writers use layered storytelling, or nested memory work, to depict the enduring effects of displacement, settler colonialism, and violence across generations.