Vanderbilt University in Nashville Appoints Three Women to Endowed Professorships

Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, has announced the appointment of eight scholars to endowed chairs. Three of these appointments went to women.

Nancy Carrasco was appointed to the Joe C. Davis Chair in Biomedical Science in the university’s School of Medicine. She is a professor and chair of the department of molecular physiology and biophysics. Dr. Carrasco join the faculty at Vanderbilt earlier this year. Previously, she was the C.N.H. Long Professor of Cellular and Molecular Physiology at Yale University. Dr. Carrasco earned a master’s degree in biochemistry and a medical doctorate at the National Autonomous University of Mexico in her native Mexico City.

Sarah E. Igo was named to the Andrew Jackson Professorship in American History. She is a professor of law, professor of political science, professor of sociology, and director of the American studies program. Her most recent book is The Known Citizen: A History of Privacy in Modern America (Harvard University Press, 2018). Professor Igo is a graduate of Harvard University, where she majored in social studies. She holds a Ph.D. in history from Princeton University in New Jersey.

Sandra F. Simmons was named to the Paul V. Hamilton, M.D. Chair in Geriatrics and Aging Research in the School of Medicine. She is a professor of medicine and a professor of psychology as well as serving as the director of the Vanderbilt Center for Quality Aging. Her research has focused on developing both quality improvement tools and clinical interventions to improve nutritional care quality in nursing homes. Dr. Simmons holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. She earned a Ph.D. in gerentology and clinical psychology at Pennsylvania State University.