Interdisciplinary Research
Vanderbilt is a unique community that values collaboration over competition, making it a leader in interdisciplinary research. Faculty form teams that span departments and schools, and students work on varied research projects that contribute to the university culture of teamwork and innovation. Below is a sample of interdisciplinary programs, institutes, and research groups.
Here is a complete list of Vanderbilt University's Centers and Institutes.
Responsible Conduct of Research
As a premier academic and research institution, Vanderbilt University has an obligation to model, teach, and actively promote the responsible conduct of research in scholarship and science. Research integrity is crucial for exceptional research and is seen as a vital part of training, regardless of funding source.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) require that all those engaged in either NIH- or NSF-funded research must also be educated in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR). Vanderbilt has developed programs to meet these requirements and to ensure that its students, faculty, and staff, as appropriate, understand the issues surrounding the RCR, and their obligations as individuals and members of the larger research community.
Vanderbilt's approach to RCR training incorporates online and discussion-based content based on the individual's experience level and discipline. The RCR series covers core norms, principles, regulations, and rules governing the practice of research. All graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in certain departments are expected to complete training in responsible conduct of research (RCR). In addition, depending upon the program in which the student or trainee is enrolled, they may have additional RCR requirements for ongoing training.
Note: The RCR training at Vanderbilt fulfills both the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation requirements.
This page and the information contained within it only apply to Vanderbilt graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. For information that relates to RCR training and requirements for Vanderbilt faculty, individuals should contact the schools in which the faculty member is appointed.
Useful Links:
- View this CITI document for information on registering and taking course modules
- Visit the CITI Program website
Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates
Vanderbilt offers research opportunities to both Vanderbilt and other institution's undergraduate students. These programs, whether campus-wide like the Vanderbilt Summer Research Program (VUSRP) or department-specific like the Physics Department's Research Experience for Undergraduates (PA-REU) have four primary goals:
- To provide a substantive research experience that will allow each student to actively participate in a research project including reading the relevant literature, developing ideas, and communicating findings to colleagues.
- To provide enrichment seminars that will help construct a strong foundation on which to build science, social science, and humanistic careers.
- To create opportunities for student-faculty interaction beyond the classroom and facilitate mentor relationships for students who wish to pursue research and academic careers.
- To provide guidance and preparation for application to graduate schools.
Some Vanderbilt research programs that should be of particular interest to underrepresented students include:
Research Abroad: Freie University of Berlin
The Freie University of Berlin maintains a partnership with Vanderbilt University for a direct exchange. To learn more about the program, review this fact sheet or visit the Freie University of Berlin Direct Exchange page.
You can access the application form for 2024-2025 here.
The deadline to apply is March 15, 2024.