Working to understand ecological systems and patterns that drive evolutionary change
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
In our department we value science and education grounded in the natural history of organisms, and strive to understand the patterns and processes that structure communities and ecosystems, and drive evolutionary change over all geographical and time scales. As new methods provide insight into ecological and evolutionary mechanism and function, we seek to refine fundamental concepts, integrate findings into novel theory, and address environmental challenges. As a department we are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging - values that underlie all we do.
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Research Spotlight
Cornell’s Experimental Ponds Facility is a research and teaching resource operated by our department. For over 50 years, a broad range of field and experimental projects have utilized the Ponds facility. Past and ongoing studies provide valuable insights and solutions into a variety of topics including: conservation of migratory birds; and a broadened understanding of nutrient and chemical pathways in aquatic environments. Research teams from EEB's Holgerson and Vitousek Labs are currently using the Ponds facility for their research programs.
Our Department in the News
"As a clinical psychologist, I’ve learned that moments of anxiety can be golden opportunities to learn to tolerate distress," A&S psychology major Alissa Worly Jerud ’08 writes.
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A new $1.5 million gift from philanthropist K. Lisa Yang ’74 has established the Charles Walcott Graduate Research Fellowship in Conservation Bioacoustics to fund graduate research at the Lab of Ornithology.
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The season will include explorations of timeless classics, as well as concerts highlighting new frontiers in music.
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More than two dozen staff members who earned degrees at Cornell or other institutions this year while also working at the university were celebrated in a ceremony June 10.
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The deaths of Brian Wilson, co-founder of The Beach Boys, and funk and soul pioneer Sly Stone, of Sly and the Family Stone, mark the end of a pivotal era in music, says professor Judith Peraino.
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The panel, during Reunion 2025, was called "Beyond the Apocalypse: New Narratives and Innovations for Climate Action."
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The exhibit on Ithaca’s St. James A.M.E. Zion Church will open on Juneteenth with a community event scheduled for 4 p.m.
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The inaugural Award for the Advancement of Science Communication as a Professional Field from the International Network on Public Communication of Science & Technology recognizes outstanding contributions to the development of science communication as a field.
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