The College and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences has announced the awarding of SPARC Grants to 20 faculty members, providing support for research, scholarship, creative activity and innovative projects across a broad range of disciplines.
A grant from the UVA Arts & Sciences Seed and Planning Grants Program helped support a three-week research collaboration in Angola, where UVA doctoral students collaborated with institutions and researchers to mitigate the spread of malaria.
An international study co-led by UVA political scientist David Leblang uncovers new insight into one of today's pressing social challenges. The study found that loneliness is highest in lower-income countries and closely tied to economic conditions and access to supportive relationships. The findings suggest that reducing loneliness and its impact should be tailored to local communities and conditions rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all solution.
By working alongside graduate students, faculty, and research staff, undergraduate student researchers in Arts & Sciences contribute to groundbreaking projects across disciplines. They aren't just learning about discovery, they're helping drive it, while gaining hands-on experience and skills that will help shape their future careers and impact well beyond Grounds.
Thanks to the generosity of donors, A&S was able to deepen its investment in students’ futures through a new initiative to expand experiential learning and career exploration. Learn more from Julia Lapan, the College’s inaugural executive director.
Curated by UVA anthropology students, this showcase of contemporary artwork from Papua New Guinea reflects Arts & Sciences’ commitment to hands‑on learning and global understanding.
Through philanthropic support that has more than doubled the Graduate School’s endowment in just two years, Arts & Sciences has once again increased living stipends for PhD students, further strengthening UVA’s position among elite public universities.
Nyamekye Wilson ‘18 credits UVA with fundamentally transforming her life—providing a foundation that empowered her to launch a global nonprofit, Black Sisters in STEM, now empowering more than 27,000 women across 33 countries to thrive in tech careers.
A faculty and undergraduate trio from UVA Environmental Sciences co‑authored a new study revealing the sources of pollution in Lake Anna. Donor support enables experiential learning and prepares undergraduates in Arts & Sciences for careers beyond college.
Frank Hamlin '90, a former GameStop executive, used his unexpected front row seat to write Skinny Dipping at Low Tide, a satirical, semi‑autobiographical novel inspired by the real‑world GameStop short squeeze. All proceeds from the book will benefit the Causeways Program at UVA.
Astronomers—led by A&S third‑year PhD student Raphael Baer‑Way unlocked an unprecedented, time‑machine‑like view of a dying star’s final decade. Support for Arts & Sciences strengthens graduate research and helps attract outstanding scholars who drive discovery.
Dean Acampora welcomed Cornel West and Robert P. George to speak about embracing intellectual “death” as a path to deeper understanding. Their call to confront ideas openly reflects the heart of the A&S undergraduate experience, which pushes students to think expansively, engage across differences, and cultivate critical, self‑reflective thinking.