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 research
Foundational exploration at the center of a world-class research university
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.
More than 100 interdisciplinary research organizations, 18 Cornell research centers and 2 national research centers
Of A&S students work closely with faculty in research & independent study.
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.
Research and scholarly excellence
Research and scholarly excellence
Our faculty members, research scientists, postdocs and students are leading their chosen fields of exploration, receiving high honors, awards, fellowships and grants. Here are a few recent accolades.
Short films from PMA course selected for festivals
Film students
Faculty research
Faculty research
A thriving research community
Arts & Sciences is a thriving environment for researchers to build on questions large and small, old and new. Faculty and postdocs in A&S are given the opportunity to ask big questions and the resources to follow through and make lasting impacts.
Farred analyzes his apartheid education in ‘philosophical memoir’
Africana Studies
Entrepreneurship in the College
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.
Undergraduate research
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.
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.
Student creates AR glasses with transcriptions for people with hearing loss
Computing and Information Science
Art + tech exhibit looking for student work
Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity
Short films from PMA course selected for festivals
Film students
Empowering research and building community: A Rawlings Scholar’s journey
Student research