News
Several people lined up, the two in the center holding large certificates
Serge Petchenyi/Cornell University From left, Xi Yang, PhD '10, senior lecturer of finance in the SC Johnson College of Business; Christine Ye; Christine Ye Award recipient Margaret E. Foster, doctoral candidate in communication; Cornelia Ye Award recipient Naman Agrawal, doctoral candidate in neurobiology and behavior; Cornelia Ye; and Derina Samuel, associate director of graduate student development at the Center for Teaching Innovation.
Neurobiology and behavior

CTI announces 2026 winners of Ye Awards for graduate achievements in teaching

Cornell Chronicle

This year’s Cornelia Ye Award recipient is Naman Agrawal, a doctoral candidate in neurobiology and behavior in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences. The award recognizes an outstanding international graduate teaching assistant.

Two people lying on a blue and white blanket spread over grass with a long view from Cornell's Libe Slope extending into the distance
Provided Koh sunning on the Slope with a friend
Alumni

One thing I never expected to feel as a new grad: Loneliness

Cornellians

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences graduate Serin Koh '26, BA '25 says alumni connections can ease post-graduation loneliness and sustain a sense of belonging. In a Cornellians essay, she reflects on finding community through Cornell’s global alumni network after moving to New York City.

Illustration featuring data center equipment, building columns, a statue of Lady Justice, and a protester.
Research on Democracy

‘If you can keep it’: Cornell scholars tackle democracy’s modern threats

A&S Communications

From the early days of Cornell’s founding to the present, scholars have studied the idea and the practice of democracy.

Illustration of two objects in space: a reddish planet and a faintly glowing star
NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI) Artist concept of the gas giant planet WD 1856 b orbiting a white dwarf star. The planet is 7 times larger than the Earth-sized white dwarf it orbits. WD 1856 b has methane and hazes in its atmosphere, which would give it a similar color to Saturn's moon Titan. The white dwarf formed from a star that died 5 billion years ago, and has been cooling ever since, giving it an orange colour similar to the Sun.
Astronomy

International team sheds light on how planet survived its star’s death

A&S Communications

A planet survived its star’s death, James Webb Space Telescope observations reveal, offering clues to Jupiter’s fate after the Sun’s demise. Astronomers from Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences show that WD 1856 b migrated later and has methane-rich atmosphere.

Two people in light colored "clean" suits and gloves, smile while looking into a portal on a machine
Sreang Hok/Cornell University Dressed in clean-room suits, the Warrior-Scholar Project’s STEM boot camp cohort toured the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility.
Military veterans

Academic ‘boot camp’ helps veterans build college confidence

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences faculty taught astronomy, writing, civics and other subjects to 18 active-duty and veteran service members visiting Cornell through the non-profit Warrior-Scholar project June 20-27.

Glass-sided building to the side as people walk on a sidewalk
Alexandra Bayer/Cornell University Cornell Tech campus
Research

Digital research repository arXiv to start new chapter as nonprofit

Cornell Chronicle

arXiv will leave Cornell July 1 to become an independent nonprofit . The platform, which came to Cornell in 2001 with founder Paul Ginsparg, physics professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, now exceeds 3 million research submissions.

Collage of photographs showing people engaging in democracy: Holding up signs, having discussions, reading a news paper, speaking into a bull horn
Laila Malevski/Cornell University
Teaching Democracy

How Cornell is educating the next generation of citizens about democracy

Cornell Chronicle

As the U.S. celebrates its 250th anniversary, courses across Cornell educate students about democracy. Cornell's College of Arts & Sciences programs teach civil discourse, data-driven policymaking, and First Amendment advocacy to prepare students to defend democracy.

Book cover: The Predatory Sea
History

‘The Predatory Sea’ honored for maritime history

A&S Communications

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professor Casey Schmitt won a book award from the North American Society for Oceanic History for ‘The Predatory Sea.’ The study examines early Caribbean human trafficking and captivity that shaped racialized slavery.

people at a table cheering
Simon Wheeler Participants at the 2024 SCT banquet.
Interdisciplinary conversations

School of Criticism and Theory marks 50 years of intellectual exchange

A&S Communications

The School of Criticism and Theory at Cornell University, a six-week summer program that serves as a hub for interdisciplinary inquiry in the humanities and social sciences, celebrated its 50th anniversary with events June 16-17.

People getting out of a truck
Sam Mann/Unsplash
Africana studies

Violence against African migrants tests South Africa’s ‘Ubuntu’ ideal

A&S Communications

Thousands of African migrants in South Africa are fleeing xenophobic violence before a June 30 deadline. The attacks expose the hypocrisy of Ubuntu ideals of communal humanity, says Olúfémi Táíwò, professor in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences.

A few dozen people in an office atrium, looking up at the camera
Provided Anunya Kasliwal ’27 and the Samara team in the company’s showroom.
Undergraduate experience

Jiang Fellows gain hands-on startup experience

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences undergraduates are among the 2026 Jiang Fellows completing global startup internships. This Cornell Duffield College of Engineering program is open to all juniors at Cornell interested in entrepreneurship.

Schematic illustration of the magnon–exciton interaction
Yu SciVis & Art LLC Schematic illustration of the magnon–exciton interaction
Chemistry & Chemical Biology

How to train a magnet: Excitons as a new knob for magnetic control

A&S Communications

Cornell University chemist Youn Jue Bae found light-generated excitons exert nonlinear spin torque in magnetic semiconductor CrSBr. The Nature Materials study shows excitons actively control magnetic motion, enabling optospintronic and spintronic devices.

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.
Alumni and faculty authors

Your June 2026 Reads

Cornellians

Cornell University alumni highlight June 2026 book releases, including a College of Arts & Sciences professor's punk-rock history and alumni works on academia, civil rights, and poetry.

Spencer Kopko, with short hair and jeans, with his arm around Kristen Ferguson Kopko, with long blonde hair, sitting on a bench in Triphammer Mall's hallway.
Provided Kristen Ferguson Kopko ’20 and Spencer Kopko ’18 at Triphammer Mall.
Alumni News

Remember Going to Triphammer Marketplace? Two Alums Bought It

Cornellians

Cornell University alumni Spencer Kopko '18 and Kristen Ferguson Kopko '20 purchased Ithaca's Triphammer Marketplace in September 2025 and now plan modernization upgrades while preserving the shopping center's community charm.

A red person and a blue person with talk bubbles above their heads, intersecting in a Venn diagram and turning pink at the intersection
Laila Milevski/Cornell University
Behavioral Economics

Listening to political opponents who share common values can ease polarization

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University research finds listening to political opponents with shared values reduces polarization by moderating extreme views. Behavioral economist Michèle Belot in the College of Arts and Sciences led the study, published in The Economic Journal with Guglielmo Briscese.

History

Historian Curates the Cosmos—Both Fact and (Science) Fiction

Cornellians

Cornell University alum and Smithsonian space history chair Margaret Weitekamp, PhD ’01 in the College of Arts & Sciences, explains how science fiction and real spaceflight shape each other while curating cultural artifacts at the National Air and Space Museum.

Album cover. Text: Lisette. A Song's Journey From Haiti & Back
Provided Cover of “Lisette: A Song’s Journey From Haiti & Back”
Music

‘Lisette’ first step in making Cornell a center for Haitian classical music

A&S Communications

Cornell University baritone Jean Bernard Cerin released album tracing evolution of Haitian Creole song Lisette across global history. The Lisette Project, in the College of Arts & Sciences, expands Haitian classical music research and performance.

showing hands of several people in a line, each holding a phone
Camilo Jimenez/Unsplash
Faculty honors

Rand, Pennycook awarded for broad study of misinformation

A&S Communications

A study led by Cornell College of Arts and Sciences psychology researchers David Rand and Gordon Pennycook won the 2026 Behavioral Science & Policy Association publication award. The study across 16 countries found analytic thinking and accuracy prompts improve truth discernment and reduce sharing of false information.

Three musicians play on a stage with a wood piano
Simon Wheeler for Cornell University CMC faculty concert
Music

Historical keyboard academy offers public events June 23-27

A&S Communications

The Cornell Center for Historical Keyboards announces historical keyboard festival and public concerts June 23–27. The Chamber Music Collective and Fortepiano Tech Academy highlight collaborative performance, rare repertoire, and hands-on training with eighteenth- and nineteenth-century instruments.

View of Rome's Colosseum and surrounding buildings
Kristian Hjuler/Unsplash Rome Colosseum
Classics

Cornell classicist: White House UFC event mirrors Imperial Rome’s spectacles

A&S Communications

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professor Mike Fontaine compares the plannedWhite House UFC event to Roman spectacles, warning that it reflects long-standing debates over state-sponsored violence and public entertainment.

Person standing in front of a theater, under a brightly-lit awning
Provided Weisberger outside the Chicago theater showing The Devil Wears Prada musical
Alumni

How Lauren Weisberger ’99 wrote a novel – and sparked a phenomenon

Cornellians

Lauren Weisberger’s novel The Devil Wears Prada is resurging with a 2026 film sequel, reflecting lasting cultural impact. The Cornell College of Arts and Sciences alum’s debut novel became a bestseller, film, and musical inspired by her Vogue experience.

People looking at posters along a corridor
Credit: Savan DeSouza/Cornell University
Molecular biology and genetics

From Spoonies to sperm cells, genomics connects Cornell research

Cornell Chronicle

The 2026 joint symposium hosted by the Cornell Center for Vertebrate Genomics and the Cornell Center for Immunology in May brought together researchers in genetics, immunology, developmental biology and computational biology, including some from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences.

Sandeep Parmar
Creative writing

Cornell professor co-hosts London Review of Books poetry podcast

A&S Communications

Poet and Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professor Sandeep Parmar co-hosts, with poet Sarah Howe, a London Review of Books podcast exploring poetry’s connections to life issues: work, sex, money and more. The podcast launches June 7.

Dark city street with one lit shop
Peijia Li/Unsplash Chongqing, China
Government

Xi plays global power broker as pressure mounts at home

A&S Communications

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will visit North Korea soon after hosting American and Russian presidents, signaling push for global influence, says Cornell College of Arts & Sciences professor Allen Carlson, who ties the outreach to domestic economic strain in China.

Design of glowing green vertical streaks made up of tiny numbers and signs representing currencies: Euro, yen, dollar, and others
Unsplash
Economics

Econometrics + AI conference to be held June 16-17

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University will host a major econometrics and AI conference June 16-17, 2026, convening leading researchers for nearly 200 presentations. The Econometric Society event explores AI-driven economics, data decision-making and industry applications.

Illustration of mountains, pine forest and a path through them.
Illustration by Shea Oleksa
Psychology

Big Red psychologist offers five tips to optimize summer adventures

Cornellians

Tom Gilovich, a psychologist in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, ffers five evidence-based travel tips prioritizing experiences over material purchases. He highlights journaling, exciting moments, physical preparation, thoughtful gift-giving, and strong trip endings to boost happiness and lasting memories.

two people talking
Charissa King-O'Brien Postdoctoral associates Ara Adaramola, left, and Maggie Webb, right.
Educational innovation

Conference aims to bridge divides in undergraduate education

A&S Communications

The group of 50 scholars will talk about how to build an undergraduate educational experience that crosses both disciplinary boundaries and institutional lines.

Four people stand on stone steps withe the dome of the U.S. Capitol building in the background
Provided 2026 AAAS CASE participants
Graduate student excellence

Doctoral students engage in advocacy

Cornell University Graduate School

Cornell doctoral students, including some based in the College of Arts and Sciences, engaged in legislative opportunities in Washington, D.C. this spring. Some students attended an American Association for the Advancement of Science workshop, others a Cornell-organized Advocacy Day.

two people on a game show set
Sony Pictures Television Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings, left, and Laurel Gilmer, right.

Buzzing in: Gilmer turns trivia love into a Jeopardy! moment

A&S Communications

Laurel Gilmer of Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences competed on Jeopardy! May 12, showcasing trivia expertise after a rigorous audition process. The music department events director highlighted preparation strategies and contestant experience on the iconic quiz show.

four musicians playing or singing
Yuko Jinu
Student musicians

Jazz septet earns national DownBeat Magazine award

Department of Music

The Herbert Gussman Jazz Septet at Cornell has been recognized with a DownBeat 2026 Student Music Award in the category of Small Jazz Ensemble/Combo - College/Undergraduate Outstanding Performance.

Four people goofing off in a brick-walled room. One wears a cardboard clock tower costume
Jason Koski/Cornell University Jane Lynch in McGraw Tower with Chimesmasters
Alumni

TV star Jane Lynch, MFA ’84, urges seniors to ‘Lighten Up and Dig Deep’

Cornellians

Comic actor Jane Lynch, MFA '84, Emmy winner and College of Arts and Sciences alum, gave the 2026 Convocation address. Her visit also included a clocktower climb and a yearbook viewing of herself on the Cornell stage.

Two hands with green gloves on handle a set of white tubes at the mouth of a cryogenic tank with vapor
AI-generated image
Physics

Improved embryo freezing technique could preserve endangered species

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell researchers including physics professor Robert Thorne announce a new method for freezing embryos 30 times father than current protocols. The method could be used to improve assisted reproduction in animals and humans, including IVF, or to conserve biodiversity.

Image of the flag of Argentina (light blue bands on top and bottom with a white band in the middle and a stylized sun with a face) overlaid by cracks
created with AI
Government

Surprising lessons for democracy from the Latin American left

Cornell Chronicle

“Polarization and Democracy in Latin America: Legacies of the Left Turn," co-authored by Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professor Kenneth Roberts, examines how inequality, elite strategy and democratic failures have fueled political polarization and challenged democracy across Latin America.

Isabel Perera
Faculty honors

Isabel Perera’s ‘The Welfare Workforce’ honored with two book prizes

A&S Communications

Cornell College of Arts and Sciences professor Isabel M. Perera won the Charles H. Levine Memorial Book Prize and the 2026 European Studies Book Award for “The Welfare Workforce.” Her book examines disparities in mental health care policy.

McGraw Tower against a blue sky
McGraw Tower
Board of Trustees

Five alumni set to join Cornell Board of Trustees in July

Cornell Chronicle

Several College of Arts & Sciences alumni are among those newly elected and re-elected to the Cornell University Board of Trustees. Tara Holm, professor and chair of the Department of Mathematics will serve as faculty-elected trustee.

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

From theory to experiment: CLASSE contributions recognized in 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics

Cornell Research

Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences researchers helped win the 2026 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for muon g-2 research. CLASSE scientists contributed detectors, electronics and analysis enabling ultra-precise measurements that test the Standard Model and inspire next-generation experiments.

About 20 people stand together on an outdoor staircase
Serge Petchenyi/Cornell University Each academic year, the Center for Teaching Innovation's Graduate Teaching Fellows supports graduate teaching at Cornell. The program celebrated its 15th anniversary with its 2025-2026 cohort.
Student honors

CTI Graduate Teaching Fellows program marks its fifteenth year

Cornell Chronicle

Graduate students and alumni of Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences have benefited from Cornell University’s Graduate Teaching Fellows program, which trains future faculty through workshops, institutes and mentorship. The program marks 15 years this spring.

Pope Leo, in all white-clothes and wearing a big cross
Edgar Beltrán, The Pillar, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Pope Leo XIV
Artificial Intelligence

Cornell Holocaust scholar echoes Pope Leo’s concerns about AI and human dignity

A&S Communications

Cornell Holocaust scholar Jan Burzlaff warns that AI flattens the irreplaceable details of human experience, echoing Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on protecting human dignity in the age of artificial intelligence. Burzlaff, a Jewish Studies postdoctoral associate at Cornell University, is available for expert comment.

Five people lined up for a photo: in the center a college student award recipient holds a plaque
Sreang Hok/Cornell University At center, holding her award, is Abra Geiger ’26, recipient of the 2026 University Relations Campus-Community Leadership Award. Left to right, with her are Erik Herman, creative director of the Free Science Workshop/Ithaca Physics Bus; Kyle Kimball, vice president for university relations; Cassaundra Guzman, McNair Program advisor/coordinator; and Marla Love, Robert W. and Elizabeth C. Staley Dean of Students.
Student honors

Advocate for physics, literacy wins Campus-Community Leadership Award

Cornell Chronicle

For her volunteer outreach encouraging local children to learn about physics and reading, Abra Geiger ’26 has won the 2026 University Relations Campus-Community Leadership Award.

Person sitting on the branch of a tree, reading a book
Jason Koski/Cornell University Reading on Cornell's Arts Quad
Alumni authors

Your May 2026 reads

Cornellians

Books featured by the alumni website Cornellians for May 2026 include, y Cornell College of Arts and Sciences alumni and faculty, a ‘poetic memoir,’ a study of the Gospel of John, and the final mystery from a genre luminary.

Black and white photo of many people walking together down a street, holding a large banner that reads "We Want Democracy"
Unsplash
Center on Democray

New Cornell Center on Democracy will support democratic principles at home and abroad

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University launched the Cornell Center on Democracy to strengthen democratic institutions through research, education and public engagement. The initiative convenes scholars to address disinformation, polarization, governance and civic engagement challenges globally.

Person speaks into a microphone, directing attention to one other person in a hall full of people sitting at tables
Ben Badua/Cornell University Carolina Aguilera-Garza ’26 honors her high school debate teacher, Paul Gaba, at the 38th annual Merrill Presidential Scholars reception at Willard Straight Hall on May 19.
Student honors

Merrill Scholars honor mentors who inspired them

Cornell Chronicle

Cornell University honored 31 Merrill Presidential Scholars May 19, recognizing academic excellence and mentorship. College of Arts and Sciences senior Carolina Aguilera-Garza and peers celebrated influential teachers and Cornell mentors shaping leadership, scholarship, and public impact.

People in winter clothing collect things from rocky ground
Provided Fulbrighter Audrey Su '24 spent last year in Norway studying the effect of toxicants in large marine mammals.
Student honors

Cornellians accept Fulbright awards

Cornell Chronicle

Students and young alumni from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences have accepted Fulbright U.S. Student Program awards. The 2026–27 Fulbrighters from Cornell, a Fulbright Top Producing Institution, will conduct research, study and teach English in countries around the globe.

Illustration of blood cells flowing through an artery
Canva
Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Immunology center announces 2026 multidisciplinary seed grant recipients

Cornell Chronicle

Researchers from Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences – Jeremy Baskin, Brian Crane and Andrew Grimson – are involved in various collaborative projects receiving 2026 multidisciplinary seed grants from the Cornell Center for Immunology to advance immune research.

Glass sculptures arranged on a tabletop, about to be given as awards
Provided 2026 Graduate Excellence and Impact Awards
Graduate student excellence

Twenty-three receive awards recognizing excellence and impact

Cornell University Graduate School

Several Cornell College of Arts and Sciences graduate students and one faculty member from the college were honored with 2026 Graduate Excellence and Impact Awards. Presented May 13, the awards honor leadership, service and mentorship.

Three people on the steps of a building so white it glows
James Kegley/Provided CIW students at the Supreme Court in fall 2019
Cornell in Washington

These students are learning on ‘The Hill’ – But not in Ithaca

Cornellians

Since the Cornell in Washington program launched in 1980, about 4,400 Cornellians have taken part in immersive lessons in the nation’s capital. Alumni have become U.S. representatives, federal judges, agency leaders and political journalists.

Dark phone screen shows a white OpenAI logo
Zac Wolf/ Unsplash
Government and technology

Musk-Altman trial highlights broader disconnect between tech sector, public

A&S Communications

A federal jury has sided with OpenAI in a court battle with Elon Musk, and the trial outcome leaves questions and debates unresolved, says Cornell College of Arts and Sciences government scholar Sarah Kreps.

layers of brick and glass buildings in a city
Diane Picchiottino/Unsplash
Politics of cities

Housing bill for artists revives bigger question: who gets to ‘make it’ in New York?

A&S Communications

A New York Senate bill seeks to make affordable housing available for artists, but Cornell University researcher Jacob Anbinder, postdoctoral fellow in history in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, warns against 'petty squabbles' about who deserves most to live in the city. He says expanding overall housing supply is key to curbing housing inequality.

person smiling
Olivia Kim: Economics and History of Art & Visual Studies

'The A&S requirements were permission to keep learning'

A&S Communications

Olivia Kim is majoring in economics and history of art & visual studies

Justin Lee
Justin Lee: Performing and Media Arts

'Fulfillment for me comes from my art'

A&S Communications

Justin Lee is majoring in performing and media arts.

Julian Kanu
Julian Kanu: Philosophy and Mathematics

'I've published two research papers'

A&S Communications

Julian Kanu is majoring in philosophy and mathematics.

Peson smiling
Annina Bradley: Government and French

'Humans are more similar and different than I ever expected'

A&S Communications

Annina Bradley majored in government and French.

person smiling
Sadaqat Omar: History and Near Eastern Studies

'My year abroad was transformative'

A&S Communications

Sadaqat Omar is majoring in history and Near Eastern studies.

person smiling
Josephine Wilson: Biological Sciences

'You are exactly where you need to be'

A&S Communications

Josephine Wilson is a biological sciences major.

person smiling
Keaten Wright: Government, Philosophy and Feminist, Gender, & Sexuality Studies

'The class ignited my interest in political theory'

A&S Communications

Keaten Wright is majoring in government, philosophy and feminist, gender & sexuality studies

person smiling
Jerónimo Martín Duque: Computer Science, Economics and Mathematics

'I participated in research spanning multiple disciplines'

A&S Communications

Jerónimo Martín Duque is majoring in computer science, economics and mathematics.

Emma Dalla Costa
Emma Dalla Costa: Anthropology and Government

'Faculty took my work seriously'

A&S Communications

Emma Dalla Costa is an anthropology and government major.

Leo Glasgow
Leo Glasgow: Government and China & Asia-Pacific Studies

'A difference in perspectives need not mean something negative'

A&S Communications

Leo Glasgow is majoring in government and China & Asia-Pacific Studies.

Takunda Chikuvire
Takunda Chikuvire: Biological Sciences

'Cornell offered me a degree and a world'

A&S Communications

Takunda Chikuvire is a biological sciences major.

Doryn Smith
Doryn Smith: American Studies

'I learned to appreciate different fields'

A&S Communications

Doryn Smith is an American studies major.

person smiling
Luis Hernandez Rocha: Computer Science and Mathematics

'What matters most is a genuine openness to understanding'

A&S Communications

Luis Hernandez Rocha is majoring in computer science and mathematics.

person smiling
Louisa Howe: Sociology and English

'My research shed light on important stories and perspectives'

A&S Communications

Louisa Howe is majoring in sociology and English.

Thej Khanna
Thej Khanna: English

'I learned to approach questions from multiple angles'

A&S Communications

Thej Khanna is an English major.

person smiling
Abra Geiger: Physics and Mathematics

'I have learned my limits and greatest interests'

A&S Communications

Abra Geiger is majoring in physics and mathematics.

person smiling
Zelazzie Zepeda: Linguistics

'I am deeply proud of where I came from'

A&S Communications

Zelazzie Zepeda is a linguistics major.

Marina Blackman
Marina Blackman: Biological Sciences

'I've grown so much as an aspiring marine biologist'

A&S Communications

Marina Blackman is a biological sciences major.

Sami Wolf
Sami Wolf: Computer Science and Mathematics

'The moral position of a technologist is not neutral'

A&S Communications

Sami Wolf is a computer science and mathematics major.

Arushi Kende
Arushi Kende: Asian Studies

'Let your time here inspire you'

A&S Communications

Arushi Kende is an Asian studies major.

person smiling
Joice Chen: Sociology, Information Science and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar

'Engaging with distinct perspectives has been very inspiring'

A&S Communications

Joice Chen is majoring in sociology, information science and is a Robert S. Harrison College Scholar.

person smiling
Emily Vo: Computer Science and Asian American Studies

'Critical thinking is as fundamental to CS as programming'

A&S Communications

Emily Vo is majoring in computer science and Asian American studies.

Gabriel Munoz
Gabriel Munoz: French and Government

'I have become more fearless'

A&S Communications

Gabriel Munoz is majoring in French and governent.

person smiling
Gabriella Best: Computer Science

'I gained the ability to try, fail, and try over and over again'

A&S Communications

Gabriella Best is majoring in computer science.

an abstract sculpture in the foreground with a grassy college quadrangle in the distance, bordered by low buildings
Noël Heaney/Cornell University College of Arts and Sciences
Teaching awards

Faculty excellence in teaching and advising honored with 2026 awards

A&S Communications

Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences honors the winners of its 2026 teaching and advising awards. Faculty members Nicole Giannella, Karola Mészáros and Landon Schnabel stand out this year, earning major awards for excellence; many instructors and teaching assistants received recognition, as well.

person smiling
Yubin Lee: Cognitive Science

'Now is the best time to put yourself out there'

A&S Communications

Yubin Lee is majoring in cognitive science.

person smiling
Isaac Dorio: Music and Anthropology

'A&S teaches you how to be curious'

A&S Communications

Isaac Dorio is majoring in music and anthropology

person smiling
Hannah Quigley: American Studies and Spanish

'I made a commitment to exploring my heritage'

A&S Communications

Hannah Quigley is an American studies and Spanish major.

person smiling
Arina Danilina: Psychology and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar

'Language and culture can serve as a bridge, not a barrier'

A&S Communications

Arina Danilina is majoring in psychology and is a Robert S. Harrison College Scholar

person smiling
Elina Soskina: Mathematics

'My brother showed me such a journey was possible'

A&S Communications

Elina Soskina is majoring in mathematics.

person smiling
Alexander Won: Physics and Mathematics

'I learned how to pose a question and then answer it'

A&S Communications

Alexander Won is majoring in physics and mathematics.

person smiling
Esther Grace Brenner: Classics

'I have a broader sense of awe'

A&S Communications

Esther Grace Brenner is a classics major.

person smiling
Caroline Smiltneks: Economics and Statistics

'I have the skills to begin thinking about the world like an economist'

A&S Communications

Caroline Smiltneks is majoring in economics and statistics.

person smiling
Salimata Cisse: American Studies and Africana Studies

'There is a space for you here'

A&S Communications

Salimata Cisse is majoring in American studies and Africana studies.

person smiling
Elsie Ishami Muhirwa: Government and American Studies

'I’ve learned to speak up in rooms that feel big'

A&S Communications

Elsie Ishami Muhirwa is majoring in government and American studies.

person outside smiling
Niamh Gunning: German Studies

'Ithaca‘s beautiful gorges and trees have been there for me'

A&S Communications

Niamh Gunning is a German studies major.

person outside
Bilal Afzal Shafi: Computer Science, Mathematics and Philosophy

'Form your own perspective'

A&S Communications

Bilal Afzal Shafi is majoring in computer science, mathematics and philosophy.

person smiling
Shubham Mohole: Computer Science

'I want to make trustworthy AI something people benefit from'

A&S Communications

Shubham Mohole is a computer science major.

person smiling
Ellie Butkovich: Environment & Sustainability

'I leave with a broadened perspective'

A&S Communications

Ellie Butkovich is an environment & sustainability major.

person smiling
Rachel Makinde: Biology and Society

'Learning goes far beyond the classroom'

A&S Communications

Rachel Makinde is a biology and society major.

Person smiling
Gaby Markle: Chemisty

'Changing directions is a natural part of intellectual growth'

A&S Communications

Gaby Markle is a chemisty major.

person smiling
Samara Schiffman: Jewish Studies, Government and American Studies

'My thesis was a highlight of my senior year'

A&S Communications

Samara Schiffman is majoring in Jewish studies, government and American studies.

person smiling
Jeffrey Ho: Biological Sciences

'Cornell pushed me to explore more'

A&S Communications

Jeffrey Ho is a biological sciences major.

person smiling
Emmy Kanarowski: Science and Technology Studies and Information Science

'I trust my ability to sit with ambiguity'

A&S Communications

Emmy Kanarowski is majoring in science and technology studies and information science.

person smiling
Kevin Chang: Information Science

'I learned what real empathy looks like embedded in system design'

A&S Communications

Kevin Chang is an information science major.

person smiling
America Casanova: English, American Studies, Government and History

'Cornell taught me to never take no for an answer'

A&S Communications

America Casanova is majoring in English, American Studies, Government and History

person smiling
Max Nam: English

'My research reflects my exploration and discovery'

A&S Communications

Max Nam is an English major.

person smiling
Anees Mitri: Government and Near Eastern Studies

'I was able to deepen ties with my own culture'

A&S Communications

Anees Mitri is majoring in government and Near Eastern studies.

person outside smiling
Kira Pawletko: Biological Sciences, Cognitive Science, Psychology and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar

'Take a chance on yourself'

A&S Communications

Kira Pawletko is majoring in biological sciences, cognitive science and psychology and is a Robert S. Harrison College Scholar.

person smiling
Elizabeth Musso: Biological Sciences and Italian

'Academic diversity is encouraged and celebrated'

A&S Communications

Elizabeth Musso is a biological sciences and Italian major.

Person smiling
Bella Swope: History and Environment & Sustainability

'The challenge is always worth it'

A&S Communications

Bella Swope is majoring in history and environment & sustainability.

person smiling
Christina MacCorkle: Government, History and Robert S. Harrison College Scholar

'I sought to untangle the question of what it means to lay claim to American identity. '

A&S Communications

Christina MacCorkle is majoring in government and history and is a Robert S. Harrison College Scholar.