News
Book cover: Exploring Vladimir Nabokov's Creative Universe
Comparative literature

Nabokov’s Judeo-Christian values informed his creative universe

A&S Communications

In the book “Exploring Vladimir Nabokov’s Creative Universe: Themes and Devices,” Gavriel Shapiro, literature scholar in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, argues that Christian faith influenced Nabokov’s imagination and shaped his fiction.

Green circle Spotify logo with black sound waves against a dark backgroun
Haithem Ferdi/Unsplash
Psychology

AI labels for Spotify: Cornell expert

A&S Communications

A Spotify update rolls out voluntary AI labels in a beta test. Gordon Pennycook, associate professor of psychology in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, says it has to be possible to detect people who use AI but fail to disclose it.

Zilala Mamat ’26
Provided Zilala Mamat ’26
Community engagement

Robinson-Appel awards honor student-led community work_image

Cornell Chronicle

Zilala Mamat ’26, government major in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, is among three recipients of 2026 Robinson-Appel Humanitarian Awards from the Einhorn Center for Community Engagement. Mamat advocates for Uyghurs and will develop a digital archive.

a group of people walking outside
Milstein Program

Ask an ambassador: Memories of the Milstein Program summer in NYC

A&S Student Ambassador

A Cornell University student writes about her experiences with the Milstein Program, which equips students to connect technology with policy, ethics, and global dynamics. The program includes an eight-week summer session at Cornell Tech in New York City.

Two glowing red balls situated on blue waves
Physics

Soundwaves settle debate about elusive quantum particle

Cornell Chronicle

Brad Ramshaw, associate professor of physics in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, led a team measuring the movement of soundwaves rather than the flow of heat in Majorana fermions. The team discovered the thermal Hall effect in these particles was caused by chiral phonons.

Album cover: (un)common thread
Provided
Music

Listening party to celebrate music professor’s improvisational album drop

A&S Communications

Violinist Ariana Kim, faculty member in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences explores improvisation in pieces from classical to folk traditions in her new album, “(un)common thread,” which will drop from Saffron Soul Records May 26. A May 3 listening party will celebrate the release.

Logo with "1780" in the center
Provided
Faculty honors

Kotlikoff among four faculty elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professors Cathy Caruth and Francesca Molinari are among four Cornell faculty, including Cornell President Michael Kotlikoff, elected in 2026 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for their excellence and leadership. The academy announced 252 new members April 22.

Armed soldiers walk up an incline alongside five children in colorful clothing. It's peaceful
Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Afghanistan Force Protection Bravo Team members, U.S. Army, on a dismounted patrol in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2012.
History

Sending Afghan allies to Congo sets ‘terrible precedent," says Cornell expert

A&S Communications

Sending Afghan allies who helped U.S. forces to the Congo would betray the debt owed them and set a terrible precedent, says David Silbey, professor in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences. He says dealing with local allies after war presents an ethical test.

Close up of two very large tubes, the one on the left with a yellow stripe, the one on the right with a blue stripe
Kevin Coughlin, Brookhaven National Lab/CC license 2.0 The Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), one of two particle accelerators at Brookhaven National Laboratory that AI systems will be trained to operate using computer models
Physics

Teaching AI to operate particle accelerators with DOE grant

A&S Communications

Georg Hoffstaetter de Torquat, professor of physics in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, is leading a $2.9 million Department of Energy grant to teach AI to operate particle accelerators. Based at Brookhaven National Laboratory, the collaboration will train AI systems on computer models of two hitherto human-run accelerators.

Very large, while ring – a physics experiment setup – dwarfs equipment in its center and people working in it
Provided The muon g-2 ring sits in its detector hall amidst electronics racks, the muon beamline and other equipment at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.
Physics

Cornell physicist shares in 2026 Breakthrough Prize

Cornell Chronicle

Lawrence Gibbons, professor of physics in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, is among muon g-2 researchers awarded the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. Working with Fermilab, Gibbons led measurements of a particle called the muon with implications for understanding the subatomic world.

person smiling
Student experiences

Ask an ambassador: How my first-year writing seminar enriched my four years

A&S Student Ambassador

Cornell student and Arts & Sciences Ambassador Leah Condon talks about choosing to double-major in psychology as a result of taking a first-year writing seminar on female pain.

Maria Cristina Garcia
Faculty honors

María Cristina García receives a Lifetime Achievement Award

A&S Communications

María Cristina García, professor of history and American studies in Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences, has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Immigration and Ethnic History Society. The award recognizes “her service to the Society and her outstanding scholarly contributions to the fields of immigration and ethnic history.”

Grassy glade with daffodils, a stream and a person wearing a striped shirt reading a book
Cornell University file photo
Alumni

Your April 2026 reads

Cornellians

In its April 2026 round-up of new books, the Cornellians website features titles by College of Arts and Sciences alumni, including a mystery novel, a book for kids about loss and a peek into the hidden lives of lab animals.

person smiling
Economics

Harvard economist to deliver Knight Lecture

A&S Communications

Harvard economist Edward L. Glaeser will deliver the Frank Knight Lecture in the Department of Economics at Cornell University May 4. The College of Arts & Sciences event examines cities, housing, and infrastructure.

Circular logo that says John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation around the outside and 1925 on the inside
Guggenheim fellowships

Philosophy and art faculty win Guggenheim fellowships

Cornell Chronicle

Kate A. Manne, professor of philosophy in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, is one of two Cornell faculty members named 2026 fellows by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation. Manne's research focuses on moral, feminist and social philosophy.

Photo illustration showing nine bees superimposed over photos of a cemetery and trees, cast in red on the left and yellow on the right
Laila Milevski/Cornell University
Biology

5.5M ground nesting bees make home in Ithaca cemetery

Cornell Chronicle

Research by Steve Hoge '24, an alumnus of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, reveals that a cemetery in Ithaca, New York is home to one of the largest and oldest recorded aggregations of ground nesting bees in the world with an estimated 5.5 million individual bees. The published April 13 in the journal Apidologie.

people eating in a cafe
University Photo Temple of Zeus in Klarman Hall
Student viewpoints

Ask an ambassador: What are the best cafes on campus?

A&S Student Ambassador

A Cornell University student rates the university's cafes and coffee shops.

person smiling
Fu
Levinson Program in China & Asia-Pacific Studies

April 24 event celebrates 20 years of China and Asia-Pacific studies

A&S Communications

The College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University will celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the Cornell Levinson Program in China and Asia-Pacific Studies – and a new faculty director for the program — at an April 24 symposium on the Ithaca campus.

Annetta Alexandridis
Cornell University file photo Annetta Alexandridis
History of Art and Visual Studies

Classical art historian Annetta Alexandridis dies at 58

Cornell Chronicle

Annetta Alexandridis, classical archaeologist and art historian in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, died April 13. Known for her hands-on approach, she was associate director of the Harvard-Cornell Exploration of Ancient Sardis, Türkiye and co-curated the Cornell Plaster Cast Collection.

Nia Whitmal
Provided Nia Whitmal
Graduate student research

Student spotlight: Nia Whitmal

Cornell University Graduate School

Nia Whitmal, a doctoral candidate in anthropology in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, studies wealth accumulation strategies of Harlem’s Black property-owners and real estate agents. In an interview, Whitmal says a Zhu Family Graduate Fellowship benefits her work.

White hall
Government

Israel–Lebanon talks reflect wider U.S. strategy to manage Iran fallout

A&S Communications

As ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel prepare to join U.S.- brokered negotiations in Washington, D.C., Averell Schmidt, professor of government in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, says a key is that talks are even happening. The U.S. has a strong interest in brokering a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, she says.

Illustration showing two cartoon hands clasped in front of an Earth
Laila Milevski/Cornell University
Building trust in AI

‘Moonshot’ project aims to restore trust in the digital public sphere

Cornell Chronicle

College of Arts and Sciences researchers are on a Cornell team receiving a $250,000 seed grant for AI moonshot restoring trust online. Backed by the Laude Institute, the Cornell team could secure $10 million to build transparent, verifiable AI auditing tools for public discourse.

person standing outside with spectrograph
Provided E.C. Slipher, an astronomer from the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Ariz., visited Ithaca in 1925 to see the solar eclipse.

New astronomy exhibit showcases early glass slides

A&S Communications

A new exhibit at Fuertes Observatory at Cornell University allows visitors to view 800 glass lantern slides uncovered and catalogued by the Cornell Astronomical Society.

person smiling
Student experiences

Ask an ambassador: Navigating a major change

A&S Student Ambassador

A Cornell University student writes about changing her major and the support she received from advisors and faculty as she went through the process.

College campus overlooking a lake under a cloudy sky
Religion

Cornell experts on Trump Christ image, Catholic–evangelical tensions

A&S Communications

Faculty experts from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences analyze how Donald Trump’s AI-generated Christ image and attacks on Pope Leo have escalated Vatican tensions and drawn criticism from Catholics and evangelicals. The controversy reveals fractures linking faith, politics, and conservative Christian identity.

an overhead look at people playing in a band
Music

Gamelan concert highlights Thai royal anthem

A&S Communications

At Cornell University, Christopher J. Miller and Parkorn Wangpaiboonkit present Thai-inspired gamelan music in Klarman Hall’s Groos Family Atrium on April 26, marking Wangpaiboonkit’s arrival as assistant professor.

The telescope, a large white structure with the logo on the front, with construction boxes around it and mountain tops and a plateau in the distance.
Alexandra Bayer, Cornell University The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope on the summit of Cerro Chajnantor, Chile.
Astronomy

Major new telescope on Chilean summit opens window on universe

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University celebrates April 9 inauguration of Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope in Chile. President Michael Kotlikoff marked milestone enabling wide-field submillimeter surveys to study dark energy, early universe conditions, and galaxy evolution.

person playing violin
Student experiences

Ask an ambassador: The first-year music experience

A&S Student Ambassador

Student Ambassador Alexandra Hui, Class of 2029, describes finding mentorship and belonging in Cornell Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra.

City skyline with a waterway in the foreground, filled with boats
Johnson Hung/Unsplash View of Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Government

Taiwan’s opposition leader visits Nanjing, but US and China call the shots

A&S Communications

As Taiwan opposition leader Cheng Li-wun visits China urging reconciliation, the U.S. and China dominate real cross-strait decisions, says Cornell University government scholar Allen Carlson. He calls the Kuomintang trip “political theater,” with Washington and Beijing holding Taiwan’s future.

City street with pedestrians and a busy sidewalk cafe
Ljubomir Žarković/Unsplash Budapest, Hungary
Government

Hungary’s EU rift driven more by Orbán than voters

A&S Communications

Hungary’s growing rift with the EU, at issue in April 12 parliamentary elections, reflects Viktor Orbán’s strategy more than voter sentiment, says Cornell University government professor Bryn Rosenfeld. She says Hungarian Euroskepticism followed Orbán’s attacks on Brussels.

A few dozen people in summer fashions cluster together with a Cornell University banner
Provided CBAA members at a Black Ivy event on Martha’s Vineyard in 2025.
Alumni

‘Built by alumni, sustained by community, driven by purpose’

Cornellians

An anniversary gala will mark the Cornell Black Alumni Association’s 50th anniversary April 24-26 in Washington, D.C. Hosted by alumni of Cornell University, the event honors leading alumni and launches a $1.5 million legacy fund.

Fred Rubinstein ’52, LLB ’55
Provided Fred Rubinstein ’52, LLB ’55
Government

Alumnus hopes historical lessons boost civic engagement

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University alumnus Fred Rubinstein ’52, LLB ’55 endowed a government professorship to strengthen civic engagement. The Susan August Rubinstein Professorship honors his late wife while supporting teaching and public participation in the College of Arts & Sciences.

Steven Yearley
Provided Steven Yearley
Science and Technology Studies

Earth Day talk to inaugurate Trevor Pinch Memorial Lecture series

A&S Communications

An Earth Day lecture featuring sociologist Steven Yearley on climate policy will launch the Trevor Pinch Memorial Lecture Series on April 22. Hosted by Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences, the talk will examine carbon sinks and climate politics..

Keri Blakinger
Provided Keri Blakinger
Distinguished Visiting Journalist Program

April 23 event explores death penalty in America

A&S Communications

Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences hosts a screening of the Oscar-nominated documentary “I Am Ready, Warden” on April 23, 5 p.m. The film’s co-producer, journalist Keri Blakinger ’14, and faculty experts will discuss death penalty impacts.

person on sand dune
Student experiences

Ask an ambassador: A senior looks back on study abroad

A&S Student Ambassador

A Cornell University student reflects on a transformative Oxford semester abroad. Student Ambassador Sarah Mittleman, an English and psychology major in the College of Arts & Sciences, recounts Oxford tutorials, travel across 11 countries and advocates studying abroad.

Elexis Trinity Williams
Provided Elexis Trinity Williams
Graduate student research

Student Spotlight: Elexis Trinity Williams

Cornell University Graduate School

Cornell University doctoral candidate Elexis Trinity Williams studies scuba diving’s impact on ocean knowledge and human futures. Backed by a Zhu Family Graduate Fellowship, their interdisciplinary dissertation in science and technology studies examines marine science and governance.

trees with pink blossoms in front of a clock tower and a library building
Cornell University

2029 reaccreditation process begins with self-study

Cornell Chronicle

The first phase of Cornell University’s upcoming reaccreditation process with Middle States Commission on Higher Education is underway, with the naming of a steering committee that includes several College of Arts and Sciences faculty members and an invitation to the community to provide input.

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) transits the Strait of Hormuz,
Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin/U.S. Marine Corps photo Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) with embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) transit the Strait of Hormuz in 2021
History

Trump’s Iran threats could harm civilians and backfire strategically

A&S Communications

Trump's threats against Iranian infrastructure could backfire legally and strategically, experts warn. Cornell University historian David Silbey says attacking bridges and power plants would harm civilians and undermine U.S. objectives.

Five people on a stage with a screen behind them
Provided As part of the Assessing and Imagining the Impact of Generative AI on Science Symposium, Yian Yin, Peter Loewen, danah boyd, Morgan Frank and Sukwoong Choi (r-l) field questions on AI innovation and policy during a March 5 panel discussion.
Government

'Wild west' era of GenAI poses opportunities and challenges for science

Cornell Chronicle

A Cornell symposium examined generative AI’s impact on science, bringing experts together to debate productivity, governance, equity and public trust at Cornell University. The College of Arts & Sciences co-sponsored the event and college dean Peter Loewen participated.

A smiling woman and man in caps and "DARE2TRI" T-shirt stand on either side of a young woman athlete wearing the number "266" on her shirt
Provided Big Red grads (from left) Christine Palmquist, Manahil Jafri, and Adam Wolford.
Big Red Spirit

How One Volunteer Gig Reminded Me What Sport Is Really For

Cornellians

Cornell University alumni Adam Wolford '14, Christine Shaw Palmquist '87, and Manahil Jafri '25 crossed paths at a Dare2Tri adaptive triathlon camp in Tampa, Florida, where Wolford volunteered alongside athletes with physical disabilities. The personal essay, published April 2026 in Cornellians, reflects on the deeper purpose of sport after witnessing disabled athletes rediscover speed and competition through the nonprofit's swim, bike, and run programming.

Kevin Corinth
Provided Kevin Corinth
Freedom and Free Societies

Economist: Are living standards falling for young Americans?

A&S Communications

Economist Kevin Corinth will give a talk, “Living Standards Across Generations: Are Younger Americans Falling Behind?” April 20 at 5:30 p.m. in 198 Statler Hall. Sponsored by Cornell University's Program on Freedom and Free Societies, Corinth will argue that the truth about living standards is nuanced.

two people holding newspaper at a hockey game
Student experiences

Ask an ambassador: 10 pieces of advice for new students

A&S Student Ambassador

Cornell University Arts & Sciences ambassador shares advice for freshmen adjusting to college life. The College of Arts & Sciences column emphasizes campus libraries, exploring majors, professor mentorship, community and balanced self-care.

Collage showing a photo of a bay with homes and an awningl with chickens grazing under it
Laila Milevski/Cornell University Finca de Hamberto, Edgar Oscar Ruiz's farm and resilience center on the island Vieques
Chemistry and Chemical Biology

On storm-ravaged Vieques, a microgrid builds resilience

Cornell Chronicle

A collaboration with Cornell is bringing relief to Vieques, a Puerto Rican island that still has unreliable power nine years after Hurricane Maria. A solar-powered battery that operates independently of the main island’s grid is the first installment of a project led by Héctor Abruña, chemistry professor in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences – still to come is a green-hydrogen fuel cell system.

A display case filled with colorful Easter eggs and interpretive posters
Kathy Hovis/College of Arts and Sciences An exhibit of Ukrainian Easter eggs on display in Goldwin Smith Hall
Comparative literature

Easter egg exhibit showcases Ukrainian program, culture at Cornell

Cornell Chronicle

Ukrainian Easter eggs, or pysanky, are on display in Goldwin Smith Hall in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences through the end of the spring 2026 semester. The exhibit, displaying work by staff member Lori Radcliff-Woods, is one of several new initiatives Cornell’s Ukrainian Program is undertaking to bring the culture, language and history of Ukraine to the Cornell community.

group of students with lake in background
Student ambassadors

Ask an Ambassador: Finding my community at Cornell

A&S Student Ambassador

A Cornell University student reflects on finding community and belonging across campus networks, including the College of Arts & Sciences. The personal column highlights how overlapping student organizations, friendships, and shared experiences make a large university feel connected and welcoming.

Illustration of a hand, shown in blue, holding a phone screen showing a red comedy mask and a blue tragedy mask
Shea Oleksa/Cornell University
Government

Why we’re skeptical of the emotions we see on our screens

Cornell Chronicle

Emotional posts rarely persuade online audiences, Cornell University research finds. Experiments by College of Arts & Sciences scholar Talbot Andrews and collaborators revealed that news and social media audiences view emotional climate change messages as inauthentic, even among allies.

People on a stage, dancing dramatically in yellow and orange costumes
Sari Makki Photo Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana
Music

Flamenco artists featured on Concert Series April 11

A&S Communications

… and student memberships are available through the DMCCS website, cornellconcertseries.com.   Free evening parking is …

Person wearing large headphones, speaking into a microphone
Provided Maya K'iche' broadcaster Beatriz Guarchaj Guarchaj
Klarman Fellows

Panel explores Indigenous voices in Abiayala/Latin America

A&S Communications

Cornell University will host “Indigenous Voices in Abiayala/Latin America,” on April 9 at 4:45 p.m., exploring Indigenous media self-representation in Latin America – known as Abiayala in the Guna language. Held in the in the A.D. White House and organized by Polly Lauer, a Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow in Romance studies in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, the panel will feature scholars discussing Mapuche and Maya K’ishe’ cultural production, Indigenous languages and broadcasters’ fight to sustain native-language media such as Guatemala’s oldest Maya radio station.

Person wearing a business suit stands in a law library with rows of book stacks behind him
Cornell Law School Jonathan Zhu, J.D. ’92
Graduate student research

Donor’s fund enables dedicated humanities research

Cornell University Graduate School

Jonathan Zhu, J.D. ’92, whose A.D. White Fellowship allowed him to attend Cornell, has established the Zhu Family Graduate Fellowships supporting humanities doctoral students at Cornell University. Each of the three 2025 fellows – who are pursuing art history, anthropology, and science and technology studies, appreciates that the fellowship’s financial support paired with release from teaching responsibilities allows them the flexibility to pursue research questions as they arise.

person smiling
Physics

Nobel Laureate in physics to speak at Cornell April 8

A&S Communications

Nobel Laureate physicist John M. Martinis will headline a quantum mechanics lecture April 8 at Cornell University. The talk launches the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board’s Frontiers of Discovery Lecture Series.

Voting stickers on a roll
Government

‘Naked power grab’: The politics behind attacking mail-in voting

A&S Communications

Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting, even after using it himself, highlight intensifying partisan conflicts over voter access. Cornell University professor David Bateman says the effort signals a Republican push to restrict Democratic-leaning voters.

people standing in front of Library of Congress
Student advocacy

Humanities students take D.C. trip to advocate for funding

A&S Communications

Cornell University Humanities Scholars traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for increased National Endowment for the Humanities and National Archives funding, meeting with congressional offices to highlight the impact of humanities programs on education. Their two‑day trip underscored how federal support strengthens community partnerships, language programs, and public humanities initiatives benefiting campuses and local organizations nationwide.

three people standing with signs
Career outcomes

Bright futures: A&S 2025 grads thrive despite economic uncertainty

A&S Communications

College of Arts & Sciences graduates show strong career outcomes despite economic uncertainty, with only 1.3% of last year’s class seeking employment, according to Cornell University data. Most graduates secured jobs or graduate school placements, supported by expanded A&S Career Development programs and employer engagement.

people sitting in a circle on the grass
Student experience

Admitted Class of 2030 seeks real-world impact

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell admits the Class of 2030 emphasizing real-world impact, enrolling 5,776 students from 102 countries.
At Cornell University, the diverse cohort reflects the land-grant mission and applied learning goals across multiple colleges.

a person swabbing their cheek
Ryan Young / Cornell University Students swab their cheeks in Willard Straight Hall.
Alumni initiatives

Alum’s search for a stem cell donor for his son inspires campus drive

Cornellians

A viral plea by Cornell University alumnus Juan Uribe ’96 sparked “Big Red, Big Impact,” a mid‑March campuswide stem‑cell registry drive that added 1,350 new potential donors for his son Max and others in need. The weeklong effort, held across the Ithaca campus in partnership with the National Marrow Donor Program, aimed to expand lifesaving donor matches by engaging younger and more diverse participants.

A person walking down a runway wearing a white dress
Student work

Memory becomes muse in annual runway show

College of Human Ecology

Cornell University’s 42nd annual Cornell Fashion Collective Spring Runway Show on March 21 in Barton Hall highlighted student‑designed collections inspired by childhood memories, global heritage and nostalgic storytelling. The event showcased 42 designers from across campus who explored themes through inventive textiles, cultural motifs and narrative‑driven fashion.

Decorative illustration featuring parts of planet Earth, a round red circle, and Saturn, on the black and white textured background
Astronomy

Cornell scientists drive breakthrough astronomy

A&S Communications

Since the early days of modern cosmic exploration, Cornell scientists have led the way, from guiding rovers through the red dust of Mars to searching for other life in the universe; and from modeling exotic stars to detecting the faint ripples of gravitational waves.

Columns and arches form the walls, with a red carpet leading up to the alter in this image of the interior of the cathedral
Christine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Interior of Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury
Sociology

Historic and swift: Mullally’s rise to Archbishop of Canterbury

A&S Communications

Sarah Mullally’s historic installation as the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury highlights rapid institutional change within Anglicanism. Cornell University sociologist Landon Schnabel emphasizes how incremental reforms built support for her swift rise.

Aeriel view of a building complex; the center structure is pentagonal
Touch Of Light/Creative Commons license 4.0 The Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense
Government

Anthropic v. Pentagon early test of much larger challenge

A&S Communications

Anthropic challenges Pentagon designation as supply chain risk, sparking broader AI governance debate. Sarah Kreps of Cornell University highlights how the dispute exposes uncertainties in government–AI partnerships and future national security collaborations.

person taking out an electric car battery
Photo by Kumpan Electric on Unsplash
Chemistry & Chemical Biology

Nickel catalyst enables high-performance fuel cell free of precious metals

A&S Communications

Cornell University researchers Héctor D. Abruña and David Muller developed a nickel‑carbon catalyst that delivers high hydrogen oxidation performance in alkaline fuel cells, surpassing U.S. DOE power density targets. Published in PNAS, this breakthrough demonstrates a durable, low‑cost, precious‑metal‑free path to scalable clean‑energy fuel cell technology.

person smiling
Active learning

Education researcher Dr. Susan Singer to speak on active learning, DBER field

A&S Communications

Education researcher Dr. Susan Singer will discuss the future of active learning and discipline-based education research on April 7 at Cornell University’s Fiske Room, Uris Library. Hosted by the Center for Teaching Innovation, the event highlights her national leadership in STEM education reform and evidence-based undergraduate teaching innovations.

person smiling
Danny Ventrella / NBC One of Arora’s promo shots from the show.
Student talent

Belting a Bruno Mars tune, senior wows judges on NBC’s ‘The Voice’

Cornellians

Adi Arora ’26 of Cornell University impressed national audiences with his standout performance on NBC’s The Voice, earning praise from celebrity judges for his vocal skill and stage presence. The computer science major and a cappella singer continues to build momentum in his musical journey while representing the university on a prominent national platform.

Serin Koh ’26, BA ’25
Provided Serin Koh ’26, BA ’25
Alumni

I studied English, am pursuing an MD – and cherish the humanities

Cornellians

Serin Koh ’26, BA ’25 is pursuing a career in medicine after majoring in literatures in English in Cornell's College of Arts and sciences. She writes that she values interdisciplinarity, which universities often hail as the future of higher education.

Cornell&#039;s central campus with lake beyond
Government

Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures names 2026 faculty fellows

Cornell Chronicle

The Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures at Cornell University has named 5 faculty fellows to its inaugural cohort, including Alexander Livingston and Isabel M. Perera – faculty members in government in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences. They will receive support and funding from the Center to pursue innovative projects.

Two ships on blue water
Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael H. Lehman/U.S. Navy photo The guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) escorts the merchant vessel Tomahawk through the Strait of Hormuz.
History

Escalation playbook: Why limited strikes rarely stay limited

A&S Communications

With the the Pentagon seeking $200 billion for the escalating Iran conflict, David Silbey, historian in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, sees a typical escalatory pattern. He analyzes Strait of Hormuz closures, risks, and deployment options shaping U.S. defense policy.

A striped caterpiller on a green leaf
Provided Cornell researchers have uncovered a new strategy milkweed uses to fight monarchs: upgrading the structure of its toxins.
Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Milkweed evolves ‘mind-blowing’ tactic to fight monarchs

Cornell Chronicle

Milkweed evolves upgraded toxins to defeat monarch resistance, a Cornell University study finds, by adding a small structural element containing nitrogen and sulfur. Chemistry researchers from the College of Arts and Sciences helped model how the upgraded toxins bind to enzymes in the monarch’s cells.

Emily Bernhardt
Provided Emily Bernhardt
Ecology and evolutionary biology

Ecologist, biogeochemist Emily Bernhardt to lead Cornell Atkinson

Cornell Chronicle

Emily Bernhardt, Ph.D. ‘01, the James B. Duke Professor of Biogeochemistry at Duke University, will join Cornell as the Francis J. DiSalvo Director of the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability on Sept. 1. Bernhardt earned a Ph.D. in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

Black and white photo of a person hollering into a microphone with an intense look on his face
Provided Orlando Xavier performs with the Berkeley hardcore band Special Forces.
Music

Misfits find a home – and a history – in the ongoing story of punk

Cornell Chronicle

A new book by Judith Peraino, professor of music in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, explores the outsider spirit of punk music and culture. "We're Having Much More Fun: Punk Archives for the Present from CBGB to Gilman and Beyond" draws upon Cornell University Library’s archive of punk-related material.

Artist&#039;s rendition of all the planets in the solar system next to each other
Astronomy

Where to find other Earths? New list narrows down the targets

Cornell Chronicle

New Cornell research identifies 45 potentially habitable rocky exoplanets using Gaia data and NASA archives, creating a catalog to guide life-search efforts. Authors are an undergraduate, two recent alumni and Lisa Kaltenegger, professor of astronomy and director of the Carl Sagan Institute in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) transits the Strait of Hormuz,
Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin/U.S. Marine Corps photo Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) with embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) transit the Strait of Hormuz in 2021
Government

U.S.-China rift widens as Beijing rejects role in Hormuz crisis

A&S Communications

The U.S.-China rift is widening as Beijing rejects Trump’s requests to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Cornell University expert Allen Carlson, professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences, says China sees the crisis as U.S.-made and has little reason to help.

Illustration of colorful planets
Astronomy

Cornell exoplanet expert discusses where we should look for life

A&S Communications

As the film "Project Hail Mary" hits theaters, Cornell College of Arts and Sciences astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute, explains how real exoplanet research, habitable zones, and nearby star systems inform the film’s search for extraterrestrial life.

Film poster: Hunting Yellow Pigs
Provided Film poster: Hunting Yellow Pigs
Mathematics

'Hunting Yellow Pigs' film shows a singular approach to math education

A&S Communications

Cornell math professor Steven Strogatz appears in a new film, “Hunting Yellow Pigs,” that celebrates the Hampshire College Summer Studies in Mathematics (HCSSiM) and its unconventional approach to math education. The Cornell Department of Mathematics in the College of Arts and Sciences will host a screening with filmmaker Ming-I Huang on March 24 at 4 p.m. in Schwarz Auditorium, room 201 in Rockefeller Hall.

Photograph illustartion of hands, arms, and flowing cloth, representing a dance
Jini Li Poster image for 'Penumbra,' PMA's March 20-21 spring dance presentation
Performing and Media Arts

Spring dance presentation explores ‘the shadow self’

A&S Communications

Cornell dance students will present “Penumbra: 2026 Annual Spring Dance Presenting Series,” a performance of original dance work hosted by the Department of Performing and Media Arts in the College of Arts & Sciences, March 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Class of ’56 Flexible Theatre, Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts. The show features work by visiting choreographer Babatunji Johnson and Cornell professor of the practice Danielle Russo.

Person in suit holding microphone, in front of a bank of red seats, some occupied
Jason Koski/Cornell University Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences, leads his government class, Disagreement.
Government

Course introduces students to constructive disagreement

Cornell Chronicle

The new class, dean Peter John Loewen said, for students to be able to confront and move through disagreements at work, at home, in their communities and in society.

Person reading a book while sitting on a large rock outdoors
Cornell University file photo
Alumni

Your March 2026 reads

Cornellians

This month’s featured titles by A&S alumni and faculty include an evolutionary look at dating, a Christian work on inner peace and a queer love story.

Sir Stephen Hough
Sim Canetty-Clarke Sir Stephen Hough
Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Renowned pianist Sir Stephen Hough plays Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

A&S Communications

In the concert, Hough will play an imaginative program that includes works by Schubert, Brahms, Schoenberg, Beethoven and a suite from "Mary Poppins."

Illustration featuring boxes will figures doing various activities: dancing, walking a dog, reading a book in a chair
Illustration by Ashley Osburn/Cornell University
Alumni

'There's a misconception that you lose your independence'

Cornellians

Consultant Meredith Oppenheim ’95 on the benefits of senior housing – and why the industry isn’t ready for the Baby Boomers.

A family of four in a posed picture
Provided The Uribe family is searching for a stem-cell donor for 15-year-old Max (second from right).
Alumni

Stem-cell registry drive will mobilize campus to save lives

Cornell Chronicle

To help the son of an Arts & Science alum and thousands of people in need of life-saving intervention, Cornell is hosting a stem-cell cheek swabbing campaign March 13-20 across the Ithaca campus.

Two people seated in large chairs, conversing in front of an audience
Alexandra Bayer/Cornell University Seth Klarman ’79 (left) and Bret Stephens discuss the state of journalism and debate in the U.S. March 6 in Klarman Hall.
Distinguished Visiting Journalists

NY Times writer and Klarman '79: Civil debate can change minds

Cornell Chronicle

A live and online audience of nearly 1,000 tapped into a conversation between Bret Stephens and Seth Klarman.

Person holding a microphone near a large screen projecting a slide about "Joint disease across the species"
Simon Wheeler for Cornell University Sydney Womack presents her winning Three Minute Thesis during the 2025 3MT competition.
Graduate student research

Nine students advance to 2026 3MT finals

Cornell University Graduate School

Neti Bhatt, physics is one of nine Cornell research degree students who will advance to the final round of the 2026 Three Minute Thesis competition (3MT).

semi-realistic image of a human hand reaching toward a robot hand through a screen
created with AI
Physics

Testing large language models on scientific literature

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell physicists and Google researchers wondered whether LLMs could understand scientific literature at the level of a specialist.

City street with people on a walkway and bright signs in Chinese lettering
Margo Evardson/ Unsplash on a Shanghai street
International politics

Ethnic unity law contradicts China’s constitution, puts premium on assimilation

A&S Communications

“The law is consistent with a dramatic recent policy shift, to suppress the ethnic diversity formally recognized since 1949," says one Cornell expert. "The next step may be the formal abolishment of ‘ethnic minorities.’"

Sunset with a pump mining crude oil
Zbynek Burival/Unsplash
International politics

Cornell expert warns of strategic backfire, as oil shock looms

A&S Communications

“In economic terms, this is already the largest oil supply shock ever," says historian Nicholas Mulder.

Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Provided Zolan Kanno-Youngs
Distinguished Visiting Journalist

NY Times journalist to offer insights on White House reporting

A&S Communications

New York Times White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs will share insights about his work covering immigration, homeland security, criminal justice and inequality in an event March 17 with Dean Peter John Loewen.

Two people dressed very well stand together in front of a large building
Provided Victor Schwartz and his daughter, Chloë, with whom he runs VOS Selections, at the Supreme Court.
Alumni

Alum took his case all the way to the Supreme Court – and won

Cornellians

Wine importer Victor Owen Schwartz ’80 has made global headlines with his company’s successful battle against tariffs; an update

two people with microphone standing outside
Media studies

World According to Sound offers immersive audio experience March 23

A&S Communications

A sonic experience where the audience sits blindfolded is returning to Cornell March 23 for a 6 p.m. performance in Sage Chapel.

Several people clustered around a large table, on which shoes, handbags, boxes and collars are displayed
Ryan Young/Cornell University Denise Green shows students around the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection and highlights artifacts on loan from the family of Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54.

RBG’s influences featured in ‘Fashioning Justice’ exhibit

Cornell Chronicle

Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 was a champion for women’s equality. Her style, and the substance behind it, will be on display in an exhibit, “Fashioning Justice: Ruth Bader Ginsburg ’54 and the Power of Presence.”

Person standing in front of a body of water, balancing a hockey stick across her back and wearing a gold medal on a red ribbon
Jordan Leigh/Provided With her Olympic medal—and rings tattoo—at West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay.
Alumni

Olympic champion is a trailblazer in women’s pro ice hockey

Cornellians

A three-time captain for the Big Red, Micah Zandee-Hart ’19, BA ’20, now leads the New York Sirens of the PWHL

U.S. marines and sailors loading into an aircraft
Joel Rivera-Camacho/Unsplash U.S. marines and sailors
Religion

End-times rhetoric in US military ‘didn’t infiltrate, was invited in’

A&S Communications

Use of Christian apocalyptic language by commanders reflects a climate shaped from the top down, says one Cornell expert. Another adds: the belief that Christians should actively bring about the end times rests on a misreading of the Book of Revelation.

High school students smiling and looking at an old photo negative.
Jason Koski/Cornell University Students examine old strips of film.
Astronomy

Spacecraft image center brings the universe to NYS

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell’s Spacecraft Planetary Image Facility (SPIF), which manages print and online images taken by NASA missions, supports astronomy research and conducts dozens of outreach events every year.

Light bulb growing out of a circuitboard with "AI" glowing in its center
AI-generated image
AI in science

Experts to examine the use of generative AI in science

Cornell Chronicle

The Assessing and Imagining the Impact of Generative AI on Science Symposium, March 3-5, will feature experts from across academia and industry engaging in discussions on the use and implications of generative AI.

Spring flowers bloom near Ho Plaza
Jason Koski/Cornell University Spring flowers bloom near Ho Plaza
Social sciences

Cornell Center for Social Sciences names 2026-27 Faculty Fellows

Cornell Chronicle

The Cornell Center for Social Sciences has selected 10 faculty members, including several from A&S, as 2026–27 Faculty Fellows, providing course release and funding to support interdisciplinary social science research with real-world impact.

people sitting around a table
Provided Prof. Alexander Livingston talks with Upward Bound students over winter break during a pilot of the new summer program for high school students.
Government

Cornell faculty and staff honored for community-engaged innovation

Cornell Chronicle

Fourteen members of Cornell’s faculty and staff are being recognized this year with Community-Engaged Practice and Innovation Awards from the David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement; from A&S it's government professor Alexandre Livingston.

Amorette Lyngwa
Provided
History

Student spotlight: Amorette Lyngwa

Cornell University Graduate School

Amorette Lyngwa, a doctoral student in history with a focus on modern South Asia from Shillong, India, studies the urban and social history of Shillong through a community-focused perspective.

Missile heading up into the sky
Photo by Maciej Ruminkiewicz on Unsplash
History

SM-6 missile strain raises strategic risks in wider conflict

A&S Communications

Iran’s retaliation to the intensifying war may be swift, but the longer-term risks lie in how prolonged fighting could strain U.S. defenses and tempt rivals like China.

Person standing befor others, a computer open, looking confident
Chase Chappell/Unsplash
Government

Workers who love ‘synergizing paradigms’ might be bad at their jobs

Cornell Chronicle

Employees who are impressed by vague corporate-speak like “synergistic leadership,” or “growth-hacking paradigms” may struggle with practical decision-making, a new Cornell study into “corporate BS” reveals.

Capitol building
Government

‘Little reason to expect any meaningful check’ on president despite some vocal opposition to strikes on Iran

A&S Communications

Presidents typically seek approval from Congress for prolonged military actions as an opportunity to convince the American public and cultivate buy-in from members, says professor David Bateman, but this administration couldn’t care less.

Field of semiconductors
Physics

Holding chaos at bay in the quantum world

Cornell Chronicle

Researchers have found that quantum systems in a frozen state can be stabilized long enough to be a useful strategy for preserving information before it disappears.

Robert Sullivan, with short gray hair and a closed-mouth smile, leaning against a ship's rail with the sea and clouds behind him.
Provided Robert Sullivan on a Mediterranean cruise near Naples, Italy, in January 2024.
In memoriam

Planetary scientist Robert Sullivan dies at 63

Cornell Chronicle

Robert John Sullivan, Jr., one of the world’s foremost authorities on aeolian processes -- how wind can carve and change a landscape -- died Feb. 15 in Ithaca.

Daniel Gold
Cornell University file photo Daniel Gold
Asian studies

Daniel Gold, professor of Asian studies emeritus, dies at 78

Cornell Chronicle

Daniel Gold, a professor of Asian studies emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences, died on Feb. 16 in Ithaca. He was 78.