Britney Schmidt lowering robotic oceanographer — Motivated by curiosity

Research, scholarship and creative works

The body of research, scholarship and creative works emerging from the College of Arts & Sciences is vast, with one common thread -- ALL of our research is curiosity-based. This model of inquiry confers intellectual flexibility, a precursor for innovation, creativity and discovery.

Foundational exploration at the center of a world-class research university

A home for foundational research at Cornell

The College of Arts & Sciences is the home of foundational, theoretical and basic research at Cornell. Our researchers and scholars are all curiosity-driven and often collaborate across disciplines and colleges, partnering with applied scientists and researchers to tackle our greatest challenges. Faculty work side by side with postdocs, graduate and undergraduate students to explore the stars, our rural communities, our classrooms, and how humans and society affect the world in large and minute ways.

Below is a sample of the initiatives and projects that result when we collaborate to ask the big questions.

>100

More than 100 interdisciplinary research organizations, 18 Cornell research centers and 2 national research centers

>30%

Of A&S students work closely with faculty in research & independent study.

Glass building; tree-lined street — Laura Chichisan/College of Arts and Sciences Klarman Hall, College of Arts and Sciences

Premier postdocs

Klarman Fellowships

This premier postdoctoral fellowship program offers opportunities for early-career scholars of outstanding talent, initiative and promise to devote themselves to frontline, innovative research without being tied to specific outcomes.

Learn more about the Klarman Fellowships.

Faculty research in the college

professor and two student write formulas on clear glass — Robert Barker/Cornell University file photo Hector D. Abruna, Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology (CHEM), in the lab with post-doctoral students.

Entrepreneurship

Our faculty are pursuing research, scholarship and creative works that have real impacts for the world around us. From batteries to polymers to data insights, our faculty are sharing their discoveries by creating entrepreneurial ventures and licensing their technology.

Students in the College also share their entrepreneurial spirit, participating in on-campus accelerators, hackathons and business competitions and founding ventures of their own.

Learn more about the impacts of their work.

Undergraduate research

Let your curiosity expand your undergraduate experience

As an undergraduate student in the College you will have unique opportunity to do meaningful research in state of the art physics labs and ancient greek burial grounds. Your opportunities are endless.

two people working behind a computer — Chris Kitchen Students Sneah Singhi ’26, left, and David Behdad ’25 work in the observation room at the B.A.B.Y Lab, which studies infant language acquisition.

Nexus Scholars Program

Applications are now open for the new Nexus Scholars Program, which connects and supports undergraduate students in the College of Arts & Sciences with opportunities to work side by side with Cornell faculty from across the College over the summer on frontline research projects.

Learn more about the Nexus Scholar Program.