Women's leadership; The neuroscience of decision-making (Neuroeconomics); Cultural rituals to honor ancestors
Vita Chalk is a Professor in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences at George Mason University where she has served as an administrative faculty member since 2011. She currently serves as the College’s Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs.
Vita completed her Ph.D. at the University of Texas at Austin (2007), and her undergraduate studies at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (1998). As a researcher, her work centered on the development of the mammalian nervous system.
As a first generation and community college transfer student, Vita has committed her career to ensuring the success of students facing challenges as they work to complete their education. She currently partners with academic units in the College to provide support for students returning to Mason after an absence. Vita has taught college transition courses at Mason and in the Virginia Community College system, and cell/molecular and systems neuroscience at Mason.
Kerstin M. Janisch*, Vita M. Vock*, Michael Fleming, Ayushma Shrestha, Cynthia M. Grimsley-Myers, Bareza A. Rasoul, Sarah A. Neale, Timothy D. Cupp, Jason M. Kinchen, Karel F. Liem, Jr, and Noelle D. Dwyer (2013) The vertebrate-specific Kinesin-6, Kif20B, is required for normal cytokinesis of polarized cortical stem cells and cerebral cortex size. Development, 140(23):4672-82
Vita M. Vock, Olga N. Ponomareva, and Mendell Rimer (2008) Evidence for Muscle-Dependent Neuromuscular Synaptic Site Determination in Mammals. JNeurosci 28:3123-3130.
Ph.D., in Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, TX, December 2007
B.Sc. in Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, August 1998