Stories

Aug. 14, 2018

It’s natural for parents to want to protect their children from harm, but is there some danger in protecting them too much? Prof. of Psychological Science Abigail Baird ’91 says her research on the workings of the adolescent brain suggests that the answer is yes.

Aug. 9, 2018

Vassar students who enroll in courses taught by History Prof. Ismail Rashid can be confident his observations about youth, conflict, peacebuilding and other issues in Africa are fresh and insightful. Every spring break and summer, he returns to meet with researchers, political leaders and journalists there, and he mentors young scholars who are studying those issues.

Jun. 20, 2018

Vassar is one of 57 colleges and universities to receive an Inclusive Excellence grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

May. 21, 2018

Education Prof. Christopher Bjork and three of his students collaborated on a project examining the issues facing Vassar’s international students as the campus prepares to go more global.

Apr. 26, 2018

Professor of Art Susan Kuretsky ’63 has introduced the world of art to thousands of Vassar students, some of whom have gone on to become noted professionals and scholars in the art world. In a recent conversation, Kuretsky talked about the joys of teaching.

Apr. 19, 2018

Elizabeth Aeschlimann, Vassar’s Rachlin Director for Jewish Student Life, led 11 students through a half-semester, non-credit course on the use of Jewish ethical writing and practice to help them “align our actions with our values.”

Feb. 16, 2018

After four years of testing extra virgin olive oil from groves in Italy and California, Chemistry Prof. Miriam Rossi and an interdisciplinary team of Vassar researchers and Italian scientists have shown that this staple of Mediterranean cuisine has some remarkable health benefits.

Jan. 12, 2018

Debra Elmegreen, Maria Mitchell Professor of Astronomy at Vassar, and her husband Bruce Elmegreen, IBM astronomer, recently announced the discovery of “Little Blue Dots,” a kind of galaxy never seen before, in the Hubble Frontier Fields.

Nov. 16, 2017

History Prof. Rebecca Edwards is an expert on American political history, but she had never run for office before this year’s election. She and her and her team canvassed neighborhoods and ran an upbeat campaign on social media—and won a seat in the Dutchess County Legislature with 53 percent of the vote.

Sep. 11, 2017

Amitava Kumar, professor of English at Vassar College, shares his thoughts on four photographs from “Here is New York—A Democracy of Photographs,” an exhibition of photographs taken by amateurs and pros in the wake of 9/11.

Aug. 11, 2017

On August 21, 2017, North America was the site of an eclipse of the Sun, the first in our hemisphere since 1979. Assistant Professor of Astronomy Colette Salyk answered a few questions about the eclipse and how to prepare for it.

Aug. 10, 2017

Under the auspices of the Ford Scholars Program, Karly Andreassen ’20 assisted Associate Prof. of Art Andrew Tallon in updating and enhancing his 360° images of cathedrals in Europe and exploring the use of 360° video to document the decay at the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

Mar. 1, 2017

Part of a series edited by historian Carol Berkin called “The Lives of  American Women,” history professor Miriam Cohen’s new biography Julia Lathrop: Social Service and Progressive Government focuses on the aspects of Lathrop’s life that make her a pivotal figure in the Progressive Era.  

Feb. 3, 2017

In his podcast series Hi-Phi Nation, Vassar Associate Professor of Philosophy Barry Lam uses storytelling and contemporary ethical dilemmas to bring philosophy to a wide audience.

Jan. 20, 2017

Film major Bryce Daniel, Vassar class of 2017, chose artist and sculptor Harry Roseman as the subject for his final project for his documentary filmmaking class. Professor of art and sculpture at Vassar, Roseman takes us on a brief tour of his home studio and offers us a glimpse into his process of making art.

Sep. 29, 2016

David Means’s Hystopia is a dark, disturbing, and sometimes surprisingly funny tale of a Vietnam vet who chronicles the mental and emotional toll of the war. The novel was nominated for one of modern fiction’s most prestigious awards, the Man Booker Prize.