Physics professor Massimo Bertino holds up a small piece of glass in a room with computers and scientific equipment

Faculty Research

Our faculty conduct research on an extraordinarily diverse set of topics.

Their work ranges from the understanding of the histories of Native American people, to addressing inequality and disparities in education, to climate change and the development of alternative and efficient energy sources.

CHS faculty regularly win a variety of prestigious awards, fellowships and scholarships, including Woodrow Wilson fellowships and Fulbright scholarships. They also hold some of the largest grants at VCU, including center grants from the Centers for Disease Control to prevent youth violence and from the Federal Drug Administration and National Institutes of Health to understand the health consequences of e-cigarettes and the impact of policies put in place to regulate them.

Faculty Research in the News

The VCU Convergence Team Planning Grant Program is reserved for projects of three or more full-time faculty from at least two different schools or colleges that focus on problems that defy single-discipline solutions. (Adobe Stock)

Aug. 26, 2026

VCU Convergence awards nearly 70 faculty members $150,000 in seed grants

The projects supported through the grants bring different perspectives together to tackle complex, ‘wicked problems’ that no single discipline can solve.

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Aug. 20, 2026

Nearly 50 VCU faculty honored for their research and teaching

The 2026 NIRA and PEIA awardees elevate VCU’s reputation and the student learning experience.

Aug. 6, 2026

Here’s how one VCU lab keeps watch over the James River

For almost two decades – and with a new $1M grant to cover at least five more years – this research duo has braved the elements year-round to track the river’s health.

Faculty Research Videos