Faculty Research News

Jeanine Guidry, assistant professor and director of the Media+Health Lab in the VCU's Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture. (Tom Kojcsich, University Marketing)

Variants, misinformation, vaccine hesitancy: Jeanine Guidry’s work is more crucial than ever

Sept. 20, 2021

Guidry, a VCU professor and researcher, has been studying public health communication for years. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become a topic of international importance.

Tal Simmons with animal bones donated to VCU from the Search and Rescue Tracking Institute. (Kevin Morley, University Marketing)

Search and rescue group gets training in bone identification with VCU professor

Sept. 13, 2021

Members are trained to look for clothing on bushes or broken tree limbs but don’t have as much experience identifying and documenting human remains.

In “The Child Code,” VCU professor Danielle Dick explains how each child is uniquely coded with predispositions that affect their fearfulness, impulsivity, happiness, propensity for throwing tantrums and all other aspects of their personality.

How understanding your child’s unique nature can make you a more effective parent

Sept. 9, 2021

VCU professor Danielle Dick’s new book, ‘The Child Code,’ helps parents adapt their parenting strategies to fit how their child is wired.

In "Finding Her Voice," authors Faye Belgrave, Angela Ivy Belgrave and Angela Patton aim to help Black girls find the strength and confidence to speak up, be heard and assert themselves. (Getty Images)

New book aims to help Black girls navigate predominantly white spaces, microaggressions

Sept. 2, 2021

The book, “Finding Her Voice: How Black Girls in White Spaces Can Speak Up and Live Their Truth,” is co-authored by VCU professor Faye Belgrave.

African Americans have the highest rates of tobacco-related cancer of any racial or ethnic group in the country. (Getty Images)

Massey researchers awarded $1.3M to examine impacts of e-cigarette flavor regulations on African American menthol smokers

Aug. 31, 2021

The research aims to find out whether having e-cigarette flavors available — particularly menthol — increases uptake of e-cigarettes and reduces menthol cigarette use.

Human genome. Concept art. (Getty Images)

Study identifies 579 genetic locations linked to anti-social behavior, alcohol use, opioid addiction and more

Aug. 26, 2021

The study, published today in the journal Nature Neuroscience, is one of the largest genome-wide association studies ever conducted.

VCU professor is named recipient of Virginia Museum of History & Culture’s William M.E. Rachal Award

Aug. 19, 2021

The award to Brian Daugherity is in recognition of an article documenting African American activism in Goochland County in the Jim Crow era.

Biology professor Chris Gough, Ph.D., stands in Monroe Park while holding a piece of art produced by one of his students. (Tom Kojcsich, University Marketing)

Forest ecology, illustrations and jam sessions: How arts and science mix in Chris Gough’s lab

Aug. 17, 2021

Gough, a biology professor — and a trained singer and musician — hosts art students in his lab to better ensure important data is conveyed through imagery.

The chemistry of zinc can be fundamentally changed, making it trivalent — or a valence of three — with the proper reagent, according to a new paper by VCU researcher Puru Jena, Ph.D.

Study shows zinc’s oxidation state can be made +3, fundamentally changing the element’s chemistry

Aug. 16, 2021

A new paper by VCU researcher Puru Jena “shows that fundamental chemical properties of an atom can be changed” and could lead to the synthesis of new materials with applications to many industries.

In a new study to be published in the journal Motivation Science, 1,500 participants across six experiments were given the opportunity to repeatedly choose between a small amount of immediate retaliatory aggression or a larger amount of delayed revenge. Across the experiments, the researchers found a clear and consistent preference for immediate revenge. (Getty Images)

Is revenge a dish best served cold? For most, ‘hot and ready’ is preferable, VCU study finds

Aug. 5, 2021

Across six experiments involving 1,500 participants, researchers found a clear and consistent preference for immediate revenge.