Evolutionary Studies at Vanderbilt

@evolutionvu.bsky.social

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Building a world-class center for evolution in the heart of Tennessee. Wish us luck. Opinions belong to Andy and not VU.

Portrait of evolutionary biologist Joel McGlothlin smiling at the camera against a background of pink Silene alba (white campion) flowers. The graphic includes his name in the upper left. The flowers reference McGlothlin's undergraduate honors research at Vanderbilt, where he studied gene flow in Silene alba before going on to a career in evolutionary genetics.

Community spotlight graphic featuring Brandt Gibson, an Evolutionary Studies Initiative alumnus and upcoming retreat speaker. He is seated in a laboratory or office, smiling at the camera while holding a fossil specimen in both hands. The background is softly blurred, showing a computer workstation and fossil casts on shelves. Curved banners at the top and bottom read "ESI ALUM!" and "RETREAT SPEAKER!" respectively, highlighting his return to speak at the Evolutionary Studies Retreat.

Promotional graphic highlighting CRISPR and genome editing research. The top half features the word "CRISPR" in large white letters against a blue background filled with interconnected network patterns and stylized DNA illustrations. The bottom half shows a portrait of Vanderbilt researcher Chance Meers alongside a DNA double helix being cut and modified by metallic molecular tools, representing gene editing. The image combines themes of genetics, molecular evolution, and biotechnology to illustrate research on the evolutionary origins of CRISPR systems.

Illustration of a fish swimming in front of a globe, representing fish species from opposite polar regions. Two containers labeled "Antifreeze Proteins," one blue and one green, float on either side of the fish. The different colored containers symbolize antifreeze proteins that evolved independently in separate fish lineages living in Arctic and Antarctic waters. The image illustrates convergent evolution, where different organisms develop similar adaptations to survive similar environmental challenges.

Collage of photos from a scientific conference exhibit hall featuring the Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative booth. Multiple images show students, researchers, and attendees discussing evolution-related research and outreach materials. Visitors browse books, posters, stickers, hats, and educational displays at the booth, while other photos show conference networking and scientific presentations. The collage includes images of attendees interacting with Vanderbilt representatives, a crowded conference reception area, and displays of evolution-themed books and materials. The scrapbook-style design uses torn paper textures and layered photographs to highlight community engagement and science outreach.

Display case from Vanderbilt's 150 Years of Evolution at Vanderbilt exhibit. The exhibit includes photographs and artifacts related to the university's historic Natural History Museum, including an image of the museum interior and a photograph of visitors standing beside a 23-foot plesiosaur cast that once hung on display. Historical documents, scientific publications, and interpretive materials highlight the role of museum collections and faculty in teaching evolution and natural history at Vanderbilt.

After approximately 10 weeks of posting, engagement data were analyzed to determine which types of content perform best on each social media platform. Going forward, Facebook will feature Fun Fact Mondays and Throwback Thursdays. Instagram will feature ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays and Research Tuesdays. BlueSky will feature ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays. Twitter/X will feature Fun Fact Mondays. LinkedIn will feature Fun Fact Mondays, Research Tuesdays, and ESI Life at Vanderbilt Fridays. New Research posts will continue to be shared across all platforms, usually on Wednesdays. The graphic emphasizes that different platforms have different audiences, so content is being tailored to each platform based on engagement data.

Two researchers stand behind a display table filled with fossils, replica bones, skulls, and Ice Age animal models. One person holds a large saber-toothed cat skull with prominent canine teeth, while the other holds a fossil specimen. The table includes a woolly mammoth plush toy, skeletal casts, and educational materials related to extinct mammals. In the foreground, a cartoon giant ground sloth illustration has been added to the image, connecting the display to research on extinct Ice Age megafauna. The scene appears to be part of a science outreach or educational event focused on paleontology and evolutionary history.

Humorous illustration showing cartoon purple bacteria inside a clothing store. Several oversized nylon stockings and tights hang from a display rack, while a large cartoon bacterium appears to be chewing on one of the stockings. Two smaller bacteria float nearby with surprised expressions. The image playfully represents nylon-eating bacteria, microbes that evolved the ability to break down nylon manufacturing byproducts after the invention of synthetic nylon in the twentieth century.

Black-and-white historical composite portrait of James Merrill Safford, an early Vanderbilt geologist and natural historian. Safford is shown from the chest up in formal nineteenth-century attire with a neatly trimmed beard and bow tie. Behind him is a historic Vanderbilt campus building partially obscured by leafless trees. Along the left side of the image stands the spine of a book titled Geology of Tennessee by Safford, emphasizing his contributions to the study of Tennessee's geology. The overall design evokes Vanderbilt's scientific history and Safford's role in establishing natural history and geological research at the university.

A humorous composite image showing a brown horse in a green field with its mouth wide open as if laughing, head thrown back dramatically. A researcher — Dr. Gianni Castiglione, wearing a light gray button-down shirt and glasses — is composited onto the horse's back as if riding it. In the lower left corner, a red stop sign is partially visible, referencing the study's finding that horses evolved to ignore a genetic "stop" signal. Mountains and trees are visible in the background.

A composite image illustrating endosymbiosis and cellular biology. The background shows a dramatic 3D rendering of large purple cells engulfing smaller green and pink microorganisms, representing a cell consuming bacteria. In the upper left, a flat cartoon diagram of a eukaryotic cell shows its internal organelles including the nucleus, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and other structures against a blue background. In the lower right, a close-up cartoon illustration of a single mitochondrion shows its characteristic folded inner membrane structure in teal and yellow. Together the images visually connect the ancient engulfment event to the modern cell organelle it produced.

A stand up virtual banner showing exhibitors at SMBE including Evolutionary Studies

A smiling man in a dark blazer and light blue shirt stands confidently with his hands behind his back. He is composited against a collage of historical newspaper headlines referencing the 1925 Scopes Trial and debates over teaching evolution, including headlines reading "Scopes: Society doomed when education fails," "House Votes to Prohibit Teaching Evolution in States," "Evolution Law Justified Says Vanderbilt Prof," "Is Bible True?," "Dr. Reinke Speaks on Factors of Evolution," and "Science Academy's Brief Quotes Two Vandy Professors." The image contrasts a contemporary scientist with the century-old controversy his lecture series commemorates.

A composite promotional image for the E. E. Reinke Library at the Highlands Biological Station. The background shows a dark, blurred close-up of book spines on library shelves. In the upper left, the logos of Western Carolina University and the Highlands Biological Station are displayed. In the upper right, a stylized illustration of layered blue-purple mountain ridges with silhouetted pine trees serves as a backdrop for a historical photograph of Edwin Eustace Reinke, a formally dressed older man in a three-piece suit holding a hat at his side. Text at the bottom reads "Highlands Biological Station" and "E. E. Reinke Library" in large white letters.

A large African elephant with ears spread wide stands in tall green savanna grass, facing the camera directly. In the lower right foreground, a small gray mouse sits at the elephant's feet, dramatically illustrating the size difference between two mammals with vastly different gestation lengths.

Illustration showing the effects of ozone pollution on leaves. Several ozone (O₃) molecules and arrows point toward a healthy green leaf on the left. An arrow then points from the green leaf to a brown, senescing leaf on the right, representing accelerated aging and decline caused by ozone exposure. The background is blue.

Diagram showing the evolutionary transition of a fish entering a cave environment. A sighted surface fish (top) with visible eyes and reddish-brown coloring is shown entering a cave (middle), represented by a dark band with stalactites and stalagmites. The cave-adapted fish in the center is pale and eyeless. A second arrow leads downward to a bottom fish that appears to have partially regained eye structure, illustrating the potential for eye re-evolution when blind cave populations are crossed. Gold arrows indicate the directional flow of evolutionary change.

An illustrated HMS Beagle sailing ship floats on a bright blue ocean against a clear sky. The ship's sails each feature a different illustration: a zebra finch, a monkey, a zebra finch on the left mast, and a green iguana on a smaller sail to the right. One central sail features a cartoon of elderly Charles Darwin holding a candle with thought bubbles showing a bird, a rat, and a tortoise. A portrait photo of Dr. Jenny Tung, smiling and wearing a rust-colored top, is composited into one of the central sails. Two small bird heads peek out from the tops of the masts. The name "HMS Beagle" is written in gold lettering on the hull of the ship.

A vintage sepia-toned photograph of Ilda McVeigh working at a laboratory bench has been composited into a modern laboratory setting. McVeigh, an older woman with white curly hair and glasses, wears a lab coat and holds a small vial while looking toward the camera with a slight smile. A cartoon illustrated potted plant with round leaves sits on the bench beside her, representing her botanical training. A small illustrated purple spiky microbe sits on the bench in the foreground, representing her pivot to microbiology. Illustrated green vines and a small potted plant are visible along the top edges of the image.

Two women stand smiling in a sunny wildflower meadow with a lush green tree line in the background. The woman on the left has dark curly hair and is wearing a black zip-up cardigan, with a laptop visible in front of her. The woman on the right has light brown hair and is wearing a black button-up shirt. Surrounding them are four illustrated singing birds with musical notes: a red cardinal in the upper left, a blue jay in the upper right, a Baltimore oriole on the right, and a brown sparrow or lark in the lower left. A treble clef and flowing musical staff with notes floats above them against the blue sky.

A cute cartoon platypus with rosy cheeks and wide eyes stands in a confident pose against a background of large 3D-rendered blue chromosomes filling the frame. The chromosomes are shown in their characteristic X-shaped form, rendered in deep blue against a teal underwater-toned background. The cartoon platypus has a brown beaver-like tail, a duck bill, and small clawed front paws held close to its body.

Three black tailed deer on a paved trail in a sandy dune outside a cabin

A composite image featuring close-up photograph of wild carrot (Daucus carota) flower heads — the characteristic flat-topped clusters of small white flowers — set against a lush green meadow background. A small reddish-brown beetle is visible resting on the center of the lower flower head. Inset in the upper right corner is a black and white photograph of Dave McCauley working at a laboratory bench, holding a pipette and surrounded by scientific equipment and supplies, wearing a plaid shirt and glasses.

A dramatic collage on a black background featuring the word "CHAOS" in large heavy metal-style white lettering in the upper left corner. Large 3D-rendered teal bacteria cells dominate the center of the image. Three researchers are composited into the scene: Megan Behringer stands on the left in a rust-colored blouse and white pants; William McLaughlin stands in the center foreground smiling, wearing a brown sweater and glasses; and Owen Hale sits in the lower right at a table covered with scientific models and educational materials, wearing a dark cap and navy shirt. A real photograph of a red bacterial culture plate is visible in the upper right corner.

A cartoon illustration of a tardigrade (water bear) wearing a black gas mask with glowing green lenses and a green radiation symbol on the filter canister. The tardigrade's characteristic segmented, chubby gray body and small clawed legs are visible. The background is a deep space scene with swirling purple, pink, and blue nebula clouds and stars.

A decorative collage-style graphic with "COEVOD" in large bold letters across the top against a tan background with torn paper edges and pink floral accents. Three portrait photos of the 2026-2027 CoEvoD Fellows are arranged across the image. Claire Cheng, wearing a red top, appears as the largest photo on the right. Maria Elbon appears in a smaller framed photo in the upper left. Joshua Eis, wearing glasses and a dark shirt, appears in a smaller framed photo in the lower left. Gold squiggle decorative elements and scattered pink flowers frame the composition.

A four-panel composite image. Top left: a museum specimen photograph of a yucca moth, Tegeticula corruptrix, displayed with wings spread, labeled in italic text below. Top right: a partial phylogenetic tree diagram labeled "Late cheaters" showing evolutionary relationships among yucca moth species across multiple U.S. states. Bottom left: a larger phylogenetic tree showing the full evolutionary history of yucca moths, with a cutout portrait of Olle Pellmyr — a bearded man wearing glasses — overlaid in the lower left corner. Bottom right: a photograph of a flowering Yucca filamentosa plant in full bloom against a gray building, labeled in italic text below.

A large brown and white spotted octopus is shown in a vibrant underwater coral reef scene with numerous blue and yellow tropical fish swimming in the background. The octopus is wearing nine black graduation caps with gold tassels — one on its head and one on each of its eight arms — representing the central brain and the eight arm ganglia described in the post.

A 3D microscopy-style rendering of large blue rod-shaped bacteria fills the background against a deep blue field. Two illustrated bacteriophage viruses — with green icosahedral heads, cylindrical bodies, and spider-like legs — are shown attached to the surface of the bacteria. In the lower right corner, a colorized vintage portrait of Max Delbruck shows a young man in a tan suit jacket smiling slightly.

Six members of the Zhu Lab pose together in their research laboratory at Vanderbilt University. The group stands in front of shelving units stocked with laboratory supplies, equipment, and cardboard boxes. From left to right: a man wearing glasses and a gray vest, a woman with long blonde hair in a brown cardigan, a woman with dark curly hair in a beige sweater, a tall man with a beard in a tan and white color-block shirt, a woman with long blonde hair in a black top, and a man wearing glasses and a baseball cap with a graphic t-shirt. Laboratory benches with colorful sample tubes, pipettes, and equipment are visible on the right side of the image.

A pale, elongated Antarctic icefish swims through a muted blue underwater scene with rocky coral substrate visible in the background. Cartoon ice cubes are scattered around the edges of the image. A small illustrated protein structure diagram showing alpha helices and beta sheets is overlaid on the body of the fish, representing the rhodopsin visual protein central to the research.

A large great white shark is shown swimming underwater in clear blue ocean water, with a school of smaller fish visible in the background. Four different species of trees — two conifers and two broadleaf trees — are composited along the top edge of the image as if sitting at the water's surface. The shark has a cartoon white goatee beard drawn on its chin, implying age and wisdom.

Promotional graphic for Biodiversity Day and Doctors by Nature event on November 5th, 4:00-6:00pm at the Adventure Science Center, featuring four cute cartoon animals — a frog, a pig, a dog, and a cat — wearing lab coats and stethoscopes, set against a lush green forest background, with the ESI and Vanderbilt University logos in the upper left corner.

Colorized portrait of mathematician Nils Aall Baricelli composited into a modern data center setting surrounded by server racks, with his name displayed in white text at the top.

Three Turkana people silhouetted against a vivid orange and purple sunset sky, walking across a cracked, sandy desert landscape in northern Kenya, each balancing water containers on their heads.

A medical illustration of the human digestive system shown through a transparent body outline, with a magnifying glass highlighting a colorful array of diverse microorganisms including bacteria of various shapes and sizes, with the ESI and Vanderbilt University logos in the upper left corner.

Collage combining historical and modern images related to the Scopes Trial, including a black and white photo of the 1925 Dayton Tennessee courthouse crowd, Bryan and Darrow in conversation, the packed courtroom before the verdict, the cover of A Civic Biology textbook, alongside modern photos of ESI events including a mock trial, a student in judge's robes, a Scopes Trial display board, a heart-shaped Scopes Trial embroidered patch, and a panel discussion.

A white-lipped peccary wearing sunglasses sheltering under a red and white striped beach umbrella, composited onto a sweeping orange desert sand dune landscape at sunset.

A close-up photograph of small dark mushrooms growing among vivid green moss, with misty mountains softly visible in the background, a small cartoon mushroom pizza slice in the bottom right corner, and the ESI and Vanderbilt University logos in the upper left corner.

Two Evolutionary Studies Initiative trainees, Ximena in a blue top and Sarah in a yellow top, standing behind an ESI booth with swag and merchandise, composited in front of the iconic Cleveland sign with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and city skyline visible across the water, with the ESI and Vanderbilt University logos in the upper left corner.

Graduation-themed graphic: three hands raise black mortarboard caps with gold tassels against a blurred green outdoor background. Large white script reads “Happy Graduation!” with smaller text below, “Keep Evolving Class of ’26.” Decorative elements include a stylized DNA helix in gold at the top right, a branching network icon at the top left, and white butterfly illustrations framing the bottom corners.

Black and white portrait of geologist Charlie Wilson, colorized, smiling in a park setting surrounded by floating rock and mineral specimens including a green malachite slab, a rough nodule, and a large chunk of grey rock.

A rhesus macaque perches on a large tree branch in a lush green setting, looking directly at the camera. To its right is a projected presentation slide reading "Early-life effects across biological scales: molecular mechanisms to evolutionary fitness" by Rachel M. Petersen, Evolutionary Studies Initiative, February 2026. The background of the slide shows macaques on a rocky, coastal landscape. A small composite figure of a person in a striped shirt and black pants stands next to the macaque on the branch, illustrating the relative size of a human compared to the monkey.

Black and white portrait of botanist Elsie Quarterman, colorized, showing a smiling woman in a dark blazer with a patterned blouse, surrounded by blooming Tennessee coneflowers with pink petals and dark orange centers.

A young woman with long red hair wearing a maroon Evolutionary Studies t-shirt stands behind an outdoor event table, holding a large fossil or cast specimen up to her face while speaking to a visitor in a red shirt. The table displays a sign reading "The DeSantis DREAM Lab — Dietary Reconstructions and Assessments of Mammals — Vanderbilt University," along with educational materials and a tablet. A man nearby holds a large fish head model. The white canopy above the booth is decorated with repeating black line drawings of Archaeotherium — the Hell Pig. A busy outdoor event with many attendees is visible in the background, along with a box of Dunkin' Munchkins on the table.

A collage of photos from Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies Initiative's Earth Day outreach booth held outdoors under white canopy tents. Researchers and students engage visitors of all ages at tables displaying fossils, 3D printed specimens, educational posters, and hands-on activities. Scenes include a researcher crouching to show a young child orange 3D printed objects, a student holding a fossil cast while speaking with attendees, children and adults examining specimens up close, and community members interacting with the DeSantis Lab display on the reconstructions and diets of mammals. A kawaii-style illustrated Earth graphic and a "Capture Memories" sticker overlay appear in the collage.

Collage of photos from Nashville Predators Family Day showing a busy outreach table with fossil skulls and specimens. Staff and volunteers interact with kids and families under a canopy while crowds in Predators jerseys gather around. Close-ups show people examining fossils, a child holding a specimen, and presenters explaining displays. Arena signage and team colors are visible in the background.

Collage of photos from a group curling outing. A group of trainees pose together on a curling rink holding brooms, standing around the target area. Other images show people playing curling, sweeping the ice, and sitting together at a restaurant table with food and drinks. The setting includes an indoor curling facility and a casual dining space.

Illustrated Earth Day event poster featuring a cartoon Earth character watering a small plant in a pot. Text reads “ESI Earth Day,” with event details: April 15, 2026, 2:30–3:30 PM, MRBIII 1220.

Graphic poster for Nashville Earth Day featuring a cartoon Earth character wearing a hat and watering a small potted plant. Text reads: ‘Nashville Earth Day. April 18, 2026. Centennial Park. 11am–5pm.

Promotional collage for ‘Evolution in the Community.’ Top image shows a museum-style outreach table indoors with a fossil skeleton display, a smiling presenter behind a Nashville Predators-branded table, and a sign reading ‘Fossil Display.’ Text lists upcoming events: April 11 – Nashville Predators Family Night; April 26 – Nashville Earth Day; November 5 – Biodiversity Day at Adventure Science Center. Bottom image shows two people standing at an outdoor booth under a canopy beside a Vanderbilt Evolutionary Studies banner, engaging with a crowd at a community event.

A collage of Evolutionary Studies Initiative community members posed against a wintry Nashville skyline. Photos include lab researchers, faculty, graduate students, and a person posing with the Nashville Predators mascot. Scenes range from professional headshots to fieldwork and lab settings, with ice-covered trees visible in the background.

Colorized portrait of Elsie Quarterman, a smiling young woman with dark hair, wearing a navy blazer and floral scarf, overlaid on a decorative Women's History Month graphic with gold and black design elements.

Greyscale image of an outreach event featuring a color-cutout of Kyle David pointing to a dry erase board. Text describes his postdoc of the year award

Black and white portrait of Ilda McVeigh, a middle-aged woman with dark hair, overlaid on a decorative Women's History Month graphic with gold and black design elements.