Newsroom 2021

E-cigarettes with a cigarette-like level of nicotine are effective in reducing smoking and exposure to carcinogen, study finds
April 14, 2021
E-cigarettes with a cigarette-like level of nicotine are effective in reducing smoking, according to a new study led by researchers at VCU and Penn State College of Medicine.

Read the April '21 alum newsletter
April 13, 2021
Enjoy the latest articles about the research, achievements and successes of our students, faculty and alums. Feel the Ram pride!

Podcast by VCU students on graffiti-covered Confederate monuments named a finalist in NPR national contest
April 7, 2021
A podcast by VCU students, “When Time Slows Down,” is one of 10 finalists in the NPR Student Podcast Challenge: College Edition. Winners will be featured in segments on “Morning Edition” or “All Things Considered.”

Undergraduate students present research to industry partners
April 7, 2021
NASA, Altria and GSK are just a few of the national companies that participate in the annual Chemistry Undergraduate Research Symposium.

Helping the Hispanic community in the midst of the pandemic
April 2, 2021
Students in the VCU service-learning course Hispanic Immigrants in the U.S. are continuing to make a difference.

Ice age mammals, beating cancer, and other topics to check out at TEDxVCU this year
April 2, 2021
The annual event will feature presentations that will inspire you — and one that might send you on a mission to find a mastodon fossil.

Will the U.S. public support donating COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries?
April 1, 2021
A new study led by VCU researchers surveyed 788 people. Among its findings: Older people were less likely to support donating vaccines, as were Republicans.

Class of 2021: Raven Witherspoon is pursuing a career in physics to help improve the world
March 29, 2021
The VCU Honors College student hopes to help reduce the number of nuclear weapons in the world and “transfer those materials into peaceful uses like civil nuclear energy.”

What would Donna Reed do?
March 26, 2021
VCU graduate Annie Newton discusses “The Donna Reed Show” and how Reed, a celebrated actress, shaped feminism in the 1950s and 60s.

Conspiracy theories are dividing us. How do we talk about them?
March 26, 2021
Social media groups are allowing people to form strong communities around shared beliefs — even if they aren’t true. To discuss this with loved ones requires a careful approach.

VCU, COVID-19 and race and health inequities
March 26, 2021
An interview with VCU psychologist Faye Belgrave, Ph.D.

VCU student works in local COVID-19 testing lab
March 24, 2021
Yaa Adarkwa Darko is pursuing a master's degree in bioinformatics at VCU.

Involvement in student organizations, living on campus early in college reduce odds of dropping out
March 24, 2021
A new study by VCU researchers also finds that depressive symptoms, antisocial behaviors, exposure to stressful events and substance use increase the risk.

Class of 2021: Isaiah King’s love of medicine leads to a new passion for research
March 23, 2021
King’s experiences with the student organization Black Men in Medicine gave him the support and freedom to pursue his own path. Up next: A fellowship program at the National Institutes of Health.

Dean Malat featured in VCU Voices webinar series
March 19, 2021
VCU Voices is a biweekly webinar series hosted by Jay Davenport, CFRE, vice president of Development and Alumni Relations.

Susan Bodnar-Deren appointed chair of Department of Sociology
March 18, 2021
Bodnar-Deren has worked at VCU for the past nine years, serving most recently as an associate professor and associate chair in the Department of Sociology.

Mignonne C. Guy appointed chair of Department of African American Studies
March 16, 2021
Guy has worked at VCU for the past seven years, serving most recently as an associate professor in the Department of African American Studies.

VCU Publishing seeking contributions to ‘Imagining Black Futures in Richmond’
March 16, 2021
The online anthology aims to reveal legacies of harm and envision new futures.

Peyton Rowe appointed interim director of the Robertson School
March 12, 2021
Rowe has been interim associate director since January 2021 and director of undergraduate studies since August 2018.

John C. Powers reappointed chair of Department of History
March 11, 2021
This will be his second three-year term.

VCU P.R.I.M.E. empowers underrepresented students interested in health care careers
March 10, 2021
The student- and staff-initiated group identifies traditional barriers and develops strategies to help peers overcome them.

Discovering new voices at the VPM + ICA Community Media Center
March 9, 2021
The center, which helps students and Richmonders create podcasts, is a forum for community storytelling, and a way to “find new voices that we need to hear.”

Historian to discuss how women of color transformed the suffrage movement
March 9, 2021
Cathleen D. Cahill will speak at a VCU virtual event March 12.

Sociology jumps off the page
March 5, 2021
Four faculty members in the Department of Sociology share creative ways their students engage with their course material.

VCU alum receives Fulbright research award
March 4, 2021
Dylan Naltraj David travels to his homeland, Trinidad, to conduct cancer research.

How to fight misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines
March 3, 2021
A VCU expert in media and health explains how to talk with friends and family members who are hesitant about getting vaccinated.

VCU alum publishes research about a famous female aerialist
March 2, 2021
Aíne Norris is a writer and instructor of English and American literature.

13 from VCU named Fulbright semifinalists for 2021-22
March 2, 2021
Recipients of Fulbright grants are selected based on academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

VCU students in the Virginia National Guard reflect on a history-making mission
March 1, 2021
As they return to their studies, the students who were stationed at the U.S. Capitol earlier this winter share details of their experiences in Washington.

Black Lives Matter has ‘dramatically shifted the paradigm’ of how mainstream media covers the news
Feb. 26, 2021
Local journalists reflect on covering the movement and its ongoing impact on newsrooms and the way they operate.

VCU alum establishes the Reuben Farley Award for Teaching Innovation and Excellence
Feb. 25, 2021
This award is given to two faculty members, one tenure track faculty and one term faculty, in the Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics.

Ana Edwards is preserving Black history — and sharing it with others
Feb. 23, 2021
The VCU alumna and chair of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project, will receive the VCU history department’s highest honor for graduate alumni March 18.

VCU’s new STEM building is beginning to take shape
Feb. 22, 2021
Steel beams for the building will be delivered next week. The project at the site of the old Franklin Street Gym will expand lab, classroom and office space for the College of Humanities and Sciences.

Getting students to love psychology
Feb. 22, 2021
Shawn Jones, Ph.D., brings a lighthearted approach paired with pop culture knowledge and an open communication style to his Psych 101 classes.

VCU alum's novel long-listed for the PEN/Faulkner Award
Feb. 17, 2021
Brian Castleberry's debut novel is "Nine Shiny Objects."

At the General Assembly (sort of) with VCU’s capitol semester students
Feb. 11, 2021
Interns at the Virginia State Capitol this legislative session are doing most of their work virtually. It’s still “a very cool experience,” they said.

‘The Strange Genius of Mr. O’ reveals the story of America’s first forgotten celebrity
Feb. 9, 2021
The book by VCU history professor Carolyn Eastman dives into performances, eccentricities, scandals and narcissism — and the nature of fame in America’s founding era.

VCU alum works on COVID-19 response team in Hawai'i
Feb. 9, 2021
Joanna Kettlewell, Ph.D., is a scientist specializing in infectious disease.

Hundreds of students are volunteering and providing shots at vaccination events
Feb. 8, 2021
With some VCU students already trained and others lined up for training, volunteers are ready to address the need for more COVID-19 vaccinators and take on roles that will serve them in their careers.

National thought leader in field of health equity to speak at VCU
Feb. 8, 2021
The event is presented by the College of Humanities and Sciences at VCU and is co-sponsored by the Black Education Association and the College of Humanities and Sciences Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee.

Women are changing the advertising industry, and it’s leading to better, more authentic ads
Feb. 5, 2021
As another Super Bowl comes and goes, a VCU Robertson School panel says improving gender diversity in advertising is leading to better storytelling and more opportunities for underrepresented voices.

Two professors honored for their contributions to the field of chemistry, research
Feb. 5, 2021
Hani El-Kaderi and M. Samy El-Shall are recipients of awards from Virginia Section of the American Chemical Society.

Going virtual: Crime scene reconstruction and lab techniques
Feb. 4, 2021
How do you transform labs meant for in-person instruction into successful virtual experiences? With lots of creativity and a heavy dose of technology.

Art goes virtual at annual Black Lives Matter show
Feb. 4, 2021
The Black Lives Matter RVA Art Show features works from dozens of artists that highlight inclusivity and racial justice.

Students in a VCU math class have published six research papers in top journals. More are on the way.
Feb. 2, 2021
The undergraduate students in “Introduction to Mathematical Biology” are applying math concepts like game theory to better understand and tackle infectious diseases and other real-world problems.

The physics of baseball, food around the world, and other ‘minimester’ classes to check out
Feb. 2, 2021
The special topics courses are being offered at VCU as part of three mini-semesters this spring.

What to know about the new mini-semesters VCU is launching this spring
Feb. 2, 2021
The three “minimesters” will provide students an opportunity for accelerated coursework — and a chance to explore new topics.

Two VCU grads named to list of inspiring Black scientists
Feb. 2, 2021
Tiffany Rolle and Nisan Hubbard have been recognized by the website Cell Mentor. Both honed their research skills through VCU’s Center on Health Disparities.

Krista N. Scott appointed as associate dean for undergraduate programs
Jan. 28, 2021
Scott most recently served as the director of undergraduate recruitment and student engagement for the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University.

GSWS alum takes on public health ethics
Jan. 28, 2021
Ris Rodina is pursuing their master of public health at VCU with a focus on complex trauma related to trans and non-binary identities.

Class notes: January 2021
Jan. 28, 2021
Catch up with all the latest and greatest news from CHS alumni.

Exploring the legacy of William Penn, one of early America’s important figures
Jan. 20, 2021
A VCU professor has edited a new book on Penn’s political writings, offering readers a glimpse into the mind of Pennsylvania’s founder and an early leader in the movement for religious liberty.

Connection and inclusion in the (virtual) classroom
Jan. 19, 2021
Music, coffee hours and a variety of learning activities are a few of Ching-Yu Huang’s strategies for success in the digital space.

A new group virtually connects VCU student volunteers with local organizations
Jan. 19, 2021
Virtual Volunteer at VCU has paired hundreds of students with more than a dozen Richmond partners, creating a sense of community in a time of distance.

VCU alumna's journey to the Virginia capitol
Jan. 19, 2021
Aja Moore '19, a graduate of the Department of Political Science, serves as a policy assistant to Governor Ralph Northam.

Moderates are about to hold an ‘enormous amount of power’ in Washington, VCU expert says
Jan. 8, 2021
Cooperation between Democrats and Republicans will be a necessity, especially in the Senate.

In “Confronting Totalitarian Minds,” timely lessons from the past
Jan. 7, 2021
The forthcoming book by VCU professor Aspen Brinton is inspired by Czech philosopher Jan Patočka and examines the use of dissidence to challenge leaders to be more democratic.

New associate deans appointed in CHS Dean’s Office restructure
Jan. 7, 2021
New associate deans will help the College achieve instructional, research and service mission.