She is currently a National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow, School of Social Science, at the Institute for Advance Study in Princeton. She has published several books including The Challenger Launch Decision: Risky Technology, Culture, and Deviance at NASA. She teaches and researches in the sociology of organizations, culture, deviance and social control, and science, knowledge, and technology. Dr. Vaughan earned her Ph.D. and Masters of Art in Sociology and a Bachelors of Art all from Ohio State University.