Vanderbilt secures four prestigious NEH grants

Four Vanderbilt projects-ranging from publishing the stories of a Yiddish woman writer murdered by the Nazis in 1945 to honoring an HBCU that once stood where Peabody College now resides-have received grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities totaling $330,696, further advancing the university's leadership in humanities research and preservation.

Three of the projects receiving funding are based in the College of Arts and Science:

• The Rokhl Brokhes Project, led by Allison Schachter, professor of Jewish studies and English, $196,039
  Preparation for print publication of 20 stories by Rokhl Brokhes, a Yiddish woman writer who was murdered by the Nazis in 1945.
• Memory and Memorialization of Roger Williams HBCU at Vanderbilt's Campus, 1866-1929, led by Angela Sutton, research assistant professor of communication of science and technology, $49,989
  Planning and holding a symposium on the history and memorialization of Roger Williams University, an institution of higher education for freed Black persons that was established in Nashville in 1866 and destroyed by arson in 1905.
• Audio Time Capsule, led by Jad Abumrad, distinguished research professor of communication of science and technology, $74,980
  Development of a podcast series that explores the history of early American radio broadcasting.

"I am thrilled that these accomplished faculty have secured these prestigious grants from the NEH," said Timothy P. McNamara , Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science. "The grants underscore the importance of their work in helping us to understand the present and future by creatively exploring the past-from a writer who depicted Jewish life early in the 20th century, to the history of radio, to race in higher education. I look forward to seeing the impact that their work will have on their respective fields and on society more broadly."

The fourth grant is for the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries:

• Comprehensive Preservation Assessment within Vanderbilt's Special Collections and University Archives, led by Zachary Johnson, associate director of digital special collections, $9,688
  A preservation assessment of the university's Special Collections and University Archives physical collections.

"Grants are crucial in helping advance the Heard Libraries' digital preservation efforts," University Librarian Jon Shaw said. "This support from the NEH will enable us to carefully assess our extensive physical collections and determine the right measures for safeguarding them, ensuring that scholars across the globe have access to this rich cultural heritage for generations to come."

The peer-reviewed grants are part of NEH's $37.5 million investment in 240 humanities projects nationwide to support the creation of scholarly hubs for AI research, new nonfiction books, documentaries, podcasts, exhibitions, collaborative and individual humanities research, and enrichment programs for educators.

Vanderbilt received half of the grants awarded in the state, with the remaining four going to Middle Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Memphis.

Vanderbilt's Research Development and Support, within the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Innovation, assisted with all four grants. RDS's tailored approach enhances the success rate of grant applications by assisting researchers throughout all stages of proposal development, including identifying funding opportunities that align with specific research interests.

Working closely with faculty and grants managers, RDS staff members ensure all components of proposals are accurate and speak to the mission and goals of sponsors. They also build relationships among faculty, sponsors and other partners to strengthen Vanderbilt's culture of collaboration and drive transformative impact locally, regionally and around the world.

To learn more about the wide range of services provided by Research Development and Support, please contact [email protected].

NEH was created in 1965 as an independent federal agency that supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at neh.gov.

Get the full list of the 240 projects that received grants (pdf).