Arts & Sciences

Neuroscientist Steven Mennerick, the John P. Feighner Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology at the School of Medicine, has been named director and associate dean of the Roy and Diana Vagelos Division of Biology & Biomedical Sciences.

A new study from political scientist Matthew Hayes in Arts & Sciences finds legislators who use symbolism in speeches about race and civil rights reap electoral rewards, including more favorable evaluations and higher voter turnout.

Erik Henriksen, an associate professor of physics in Arts & Sciences, is part of a team that was awarded funding from the National Science Foundation’s Quantum Sensing Challenges for Transformational Advances in Quantum Systems program.

New sociology research from Elizabeth Korver-Glenn in Arts & Sciences finds Black and Latino subsidized renters live in homes with more unsafe conditions while simultaneously paying more, both total cost and relative to their income.

Lauren Wiseman-Jones, a graduate student of biological anthropology in Arts & Sciences, is studying how wild mountain gorillas respond to social and human-caused stressors. She won a Leakey Foundation grant for the work.

Chenfeng Ke, an incoming associate professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, developed a unique design for tough but stretchable hydrogels, reported Aug. 23 in the journal Chem. The new material is both flexible and durable.

Volcanic eruptions can cause the Pacific Walker Circulation to temporarily weaken, inducing El Niño-like conditions. Human activity is affecting this system, too.

Raven Maragh-Lloyd, an assistant professor of African and African American studies in Arts & Sciences, will serve as co-principal investigator for a $1.7 million grant investigating online influence campaigns.

In this highly polarized, post-lockdown world, the college transition can seem especially difficult. WashU happiness expert Tim Bono explains how students can set themselves up for success.

A study from biologist Elizabeth Mallott in Arts & Sciences highlights a critical development window during which racial differences in the gut microbiome emerge. Early social and environmental exposures can have large and lasting effects on child development and adult health.