Faculty Research News

Fantasy Lozada, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, received an NSF CAREER award to investigate how African American youth develop emotion regulatory flexibility, which can protect against racism. (Kevin Morley, University Marketing)

VCU professor to explore ‘emotional code switching’ among African American youth

May 5, 2021

Psychology professor Fantasy Lozada received an NSF CAREER award to study emotion regulatory flexibility among African American youth, which helps them to protect against racism.

A new study led by VCU researchers finds that students who have been exposed to interpersonal trauma prior to college consume more alcohol than those without interpersonal trauma exposure. But romantic relationships mitigate these effects of trauma on a student’s drinking behavior. (Getty Images)

Romantic relationships mitigate effects of trauma on alcohol use among college students

April 22, 2021

A new study led by VCU researchers shows students exposed to interpersonal trauma prior to college are more likely to engage in risky alcohol use — but effects can be mitigated through romantic relationships.

A drone image of icebergs broken off from a glacier at Vatnajökull, Iceland. (Getty Images)

President Biden’s climate change pledge sets a global example, VCU expert says

April 22, 2021

Biology professor Chris Gough says Biden’s pledge to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half is a move in the right direction, but solving climate change will take a global effort.

Left: Plan of the City of New York from William Duncan’s 1793 city directory. (Digital Collections, New York Public Library) Right: Portrait of Alexander Anderson, c. 1815, by John Wesley Jarvis (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York)

Here’s how New York City survived a deadly outbreak — in the 1790s

April 21, 2021

Through the eyes of front-line medical worker Alexander Anderson, a forthcoming book by VCU history professor Carolyn Eastman will explore how New York grappled with yellow fever epidemics.

E-cigarettes with a cigarette-like level of nicotine are effective in reducing smoking, according to a new study led by researchers at VCU and Penn State College of Medicine. (Getty Images)

E-cigarettes with a cigarette-like level of nicotine are effective in reducing smoking and exposure to carcinogen, study finds

April 12, 2021

The study provides important information for smokers who may be trying to use e-cigarettes as a means to cut down on their smoking habit.

A new study by VCU researchers investigates a key question: Will the U.S. population support donating part of its COVID-19 vaccine stockpile to less prosperous countries? (Getty Images)

Will the U.S. public support donating COVID-19 vaccines to low- and middle-income countries?

March 31, 2021

A new study led by VCU researchers surveyed 788 people. Among its findings: Older people were less likely to support donating vaccines, as were Republicans.

Conspiracy theories have always been a part of American discourse. The present challenge is their pervasiveness. (Getty Images)

Conspiracy theories are dividing us. How do we talk about them?

March 26, 2021

Social media groups are allowing people to form strong communities around shared beliefs — even if they aren’t true. To discuss this with loved ones requires a careful approach.

VCU students walk through the Monroe Park Campus on the first day of classes in August 2018. A new study by researchers identifies factors that drive student drop-out rates. Among them: Involvement in student organizations, living on campus and greater social support are associated with a lower likelihood of dropping out of college. (Allen Jones, University Marketing)

Involvement in student organizations, living on campus early in college reduce odds of dropping out

March 24, 2021

A new study by VCU researchers also finds that depressive symptoms, antisocial behaviors, exposure to stressful events and substance use increase the risk.

A vial of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. (Kevin Morley, University Relations)

How to fight misconceptions about COVID-19 vaccines

March 3, 2021

A VCU expert in media and health explains how to talk with friends and family members who are hesitant about getting vaccinated.

Carolyn Eastman's "The Strange Genius of Mr. O" tells the story of the rise and fall of James Ogilvie, whose oratory performances made him a household name in America’s founding era. (Eastman photo by Allison Bell)

‘The Strange Genius of Mr. O’ reveals the story of America’s first forgotten celebrity

Feb. 9, 2021

The book by VCU history professor Carolyn Eastman dives into performances, eccentricities, scandals and narcissism — and the nature of fame in America’s founding era.