By Kate Stuart
Barbara Fingleton, associate professor of pharmacology, will complete her term as director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program this summer.
Fingleton has served at the helm of the IGP since 2021, weathering post-COVID-19 recruitment trends, the first-ever IGP curriculum redesign, and the current federal funding uncertainties.
“The best part about being involved with IGP is of course the people–the amazing and dedicated Biomedical Research Education and Training team, the thoughtful and hard-working IGP admissions committee, and of course the students themselves,” Fingleton said. “I’ve been privileged to have had many opportunities to work with each of the IGP classes, and I really can’t say enough about what great people they are. I am looking forward to seeing how our trainees change the world in the future!”
“Barbara’s departure will be a tough loss for BRET,” said Walter Chazin said senior associate dean of BRET at the School of Medicine Basic Sciences. “She has been incredibly dedicated to the success of the IGP and to her students, giving of herself in so many ways.”
Vanderbilt’s IGP—an umbrella-type program in biomedical sciences—enables an integrated recruitment across all SOMBS Ph.D. programs and exposes students to a shared curriculum during their first year. The integration is made possible by the financial commitment of the School of Medicine to cover students through their first two semesters of graduate school while they do coursework and select their laboratories.
“Barbara was a collaborative leader who was deeply committed to supporting students before, during, and after their time in the IGP. She was very accessible and responsive to the IGP students, ensuring that all 50–80 students in each cohort received individualized support as they transitioned into graduate school and went through the process of identifying their thesis labs,” said Madhvi Venkatesh, assistant professor of biochemistry and the curriculum director of the IGP. “As IGP director, she has provided a calm, balanced, and diplomatic perspective while navigating challenges and unexpected situations. She has also worked tirelessly to improve the program by leveraging the collective experience, ideas, and feedback of those involved with the program, including students, staff, and faculty.”
Fingleton became IGP director in June 2021 with the immediate task of implementing a new IGP curriculum. She and Venkatesh worked closely to put a new framework in place that emphasized small-group work and development of lifelong learner skills. Many faculty from the School of Medicine have participated in various teaching or facilitator roles and have collectively helped to develop our accomplished IGP students.
“Barbara has been an amazing leader for the IGP students and for the IGP team. Her thoughtful approach to admissions has resulted in exceptionally strong IGP students who are passionate about research, and who come to Vanderbilt with a rich variety of backgrounds and experiences,” said Stephanie Richards, assistant director of recruiting in BRET “As the leader of the IGP team, she fostered independence and collaboration while also providing guidance to allow each of us to thrive and grow. She has done an exceptional job and will be greatly missed.”
“There have many wonderful moments over the past few years, but I especially enjoy the ‘Simple Beginnings’ ceremony, which welcomes our new students every year, and the end-of-year picnic when the class gets to celebrate being finished with IGP classwork and rotations,” Fingleton said. “Admittedly, I’m looking forward to spending a little more time back in my lab, but I have been so fortunate to have had these amazing few years. I hope I can continue to check in with both the BRET team and all those who have come through IGP, as they keep me inspired and hopeful for the future of science.”
About the Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
Since its inception in 1992, the Vanderbilt Interdisciplinary Graduate Program has provided comprehensive training for graduate students, bridging traditional biomedical fields. Students learn how to be creative and analytical thinkers who can tackle the quickly evolving world of research and technology.
The IGP has been the first year of graduate school for well over 2,000 Ph.D. students from all over the United States and the world. This year’s incoming class reflects that broad reach with students arriving from Bangladesh, Ghana, Brazil, China, Ukraine, and South Korea, not to mention from across the U.S., representing Massachusetts, California, New York, Michigan, Louisiana, Tennessee, and more.