Holding chaos at bay in the quantum world
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.
Civic leadership class asks students to consider their purpose
On a Saturday morning in February – the coldest day yet of a cold winter – more than 350 students trekked to Statler Hall for an innovative new course on civics.
Anthropic v. Pentagon reveals enduring rift between tech, national security
“It’s striking that Anthropic appears caught off guard by how its model is being used," says government professor Sarah Kreps, director of Cornell’s Tech Policy Institute.
Literary critic Biodun Jeyifo dies at 80
Biodun “BJ” Jeyifo, a leading literary critic and cultural theorist known for his analysis of modernity and its attendant social and cultural crises, died Feb. 11 in Lagos, Nigeria. He was 80.
Daniel Gold, professor of Asian studies emeritus, dies at 78
Daniel Gold, a professor of Asian studies emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences, died on Feb. 16 in Ithaca. He was 78.
Back to in-person work? Classics professor offers tips on office humor
In early February, classics professor Mike Fontaine tapped the expertise he gleaned from writing How to Tell a Joke to address a very modern phenomenon: the current push by many companies for a return to the office.
Online module helps students recognize, develop critical thinking
Cornell researchers have developed an online module, running just over an hour in length, that can be offered as a way to instill concepts of critical thinking early in a student’s academic journey.
Little changing as Ukraine-Russia war drags toward Fifth year
On the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, what’s notable is the lack of change in the last year, says David Silbey, a professor at Cornell University who specializes in military history and defense policy.
Researchers observe dynamic “gate” that tames powerful signaling molecule
Cornell researchers have uncovered a built-in molecular “gate” that controls the production of the molecule nitric oxide, a crucial signaling molecule throughout biology that in humans helps regulate blood pressure, brain signaling, and immune defenses. But when levels go unchecked, it can damage cells and disrupt normal signaling.
Proteins organize for extracellular electron transfer
Researchers discovered electron transfer in electroactive bacteria is mediated by CymA proteins’ ability to synchronize and form a biomolecular condensate in the cell’s inner membrane.
Global Hubs researchers probe war, how to keep peace
Two Cornell researchers collaborated with colleagues in the United Kingdom in an effort to understand the organized violence of modern war.
Historical marker commemorates Toni Morrison’s time in Ithaca
Cornell faculty, staff, students and community members celebrated the 95th birthday of Toni Morrison, M.A. ’55, by unveiling a new historical marker in front of 513 N. Albany St., where she lived while in graduate school.
Cornell alumnae leave Milan with one gold, two silvers in Olympic hockey
Rory Guilday ’25 won a gold medal and Brianne Jenner ’15 and Kristin O'Neill ’20 took silver in women’s Olympic hockey.
Abruña honored for chemistry in the public interest
The Gustavus John Esseln Award for Chemistry in the Public Interest from the Northeastern Section of the American Chemical Society honors outstanding achievement in scientific and technical work that contributes to public well-being.
Your February 2026 reads
This month’s featured titles by A&S alumni and faculty include a look at the urban-rural divide, a biography of an anti-poverty activist, and a business guide for "winning dream jobs, awards, and elite opportunities.”
Student spotlight: Bayu Ahmad
Bayu Ahmad, a doctoral candidate in chemistry and chemical biology, studies the use of organic chemistry for sustainable applications under the guidance of Phillip Milner at Cornell.
2024-25 Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism winners announced
Masi Asare of Northwestern University and arts journalist Billy McEntee have been named winners of the 2024-25 George Jean Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism.
Five A.D. White Professors-at-Large on campus this spring
Named for Cornell’s first president, the program sponsors scholars and public intellectuals in the life sciences, physical sciences, humanities, social sciences and the arts and this semester features several connections with the College of Arts and Sciences.
LaFeber-Silbey Lecture considers “A World Without Law?”
Scholar of law Philippe Sands will give the LaFeber-Silbey Lecture in History on March 5, considering "Lessons from History and Literature, from Nuremberg to Pinochet and Beyond.”
Five from Cornell named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows
Five Cornell faculty members are among 126 early-career researchers across North America who have won 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
John: The life and times of the ‘maverick’ Gospel
The fourth Gospel of the New Testament holds many of the Bible’s most well-known passages, but also some of its controversies.
Bret Stephens and Seth Klarman in conversation, March 6
The pair will offer a wide-ranging conversation, “On Democracy, Conservatism and Journalism."
Events honor the legacy of composer Steven Stucky
The Department of Music is honoring the late Steven Stucky, Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and beloved Cornell professor, with a series of concerts.
Computational biologist receives NIH NDRI Pilot Award
Ayshwarya Subramanian researches diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, affecting 30% to 50% of people with diabetes.
New summer course to spark civic engagement in high schoolers
A Teagle Foundation grant will help fund the course and open pathways to higher education.
Helping urban youth use AI to navigate the future
Christian Gant-Madison's '25 platform will use AI to connect youth to jobs, skill development opportunities, civic education information and social resources.
How WWII changed ideas of racial purity in Japan
The new book explores what happened to “mixed blood” children born to Japanese women and foreign soldiers.
Psychology expert on losing a gold medal
Bronze medalists often appear happier than their competitors who win silver, says Cornell psychology researcher Thomas Gilovich.
Astronomer Anna Ho named Cottrell Scholar
Ho is one of 24 early career scholars to receive $120,000 for proposals incorporating research and science education.
China’s pushback on UK shows pivoting from Washington isn’t so easy
China's criticism of the United Kingdom’s move to expand its British National (Overseas) visa pathway for Hong Kong residents illustrates how governments courting Beijing, amid frustration with Washington’s volatility, can find engagement with China difficult to manage.
Online dating seem awful? The reason may lie in evolution
In a new book –released in time for Valentine’s Day – a psychologist alum offers hopeful insights for those looking for love
Museum installation focuses on small figures in large landscapes
A new student-led installation at the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art explores the role of “staffage" figures.
Newly identified protein interaction helps keep cells’ recycling system in balance
Cornell researchers have discovered a new way cells regulate how they respond to stress.
Cornell researchers win prize for insight into conspiracy belief
Gordon Pennycook and David Rand won the 2026 Newcomb Cleveland Prize from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Pianist, composer Tigran Hamasyan plays Dallas Morse Concert Series
Released on Feb. 6 via Naïve Records, Hamasyan's album "Manifeste" marks a new chapter for one of the most visionary artists working at the intersection of jazz, progressive rock, and global music.
A&S student chosen for civic engagement scholarship
Katrina Greene '27 will be headed to Washington, D.C. as a John Robert Lewis Scholar, an award given by the Faith and Politics Institute.
CAU Summer Courses: From wine pairings to town-gown history
Registration is now open for the two sessions of weeklong offerings, with the option to stay in a newly renovated Balch Hall
11 new researchers become Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellows
Cornell researchers interested in diverse topics ranging from peptide engineering and cellular metabolites to quantum physics and sustainable computing are among the newest cohort selected by the Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellows program.
CTI’s ‘Art of the Lab’ faculty panel to highlight creative approaches to instruction
CTI’s “The Art of Teaching” series returns Feb. 11 with “The Art of the Lab.” Faculty panelists will share creative instructional approaches for designing student-centered laboratory experiences.
Nigeria's Tinubu 'should be commended' for accepting US counterterrorism assistance, says Cornell expert
Olúfémi Táíwò, professor of Africana studies, shares insight into Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu's deployment of an army battalion to central Kwara state after suspected jihadist fighters killed at least 170 people on Tuesday night, hours after the United States said it had a small number of troops in the country.
Three Distinguished Visiting Journalists head to campus
New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, New York Times White House correspondent Zolan Kanno-Youngs and ProPublica investigative reporter Keri Blakinger ’14 will visit Cornell this spring.
Film about Afghan girls’ robotics club, panel set for Feb. 11
Cornell Cinema will present a screening of the documentary “Rule Breakers,” chronicling the founding of Afghanistan’s first all-girls robotics team, followed by a panel discussion and Q&A.
Three Cornellians named Schwarzman Scholars for study in China
A Cornell student and two alumni have been named Schwarzman Scholars for the 2026-27 academic year and will spend it in a master’s program in global affairs at Beijing’s Tsinghua University.
Four women’s hockey alumnae to play at Winter Olympics
Players familiar to Cornell women’s hockey fans will take the ice when the puck drops at the 2026 Winter Olympics this week in Milan, Italy.
Composer Michael Abels, famous for work on Jordan Peele films, to visit March 6-7
Events include film screenings, panel discussions and a concert by the Barbara & Richard T. Silver Wind Symphony.
Four on faculty to receive DOE early-career grants
Four Cornell faculty members are among 99 researchers across the U.S. who have been awarded grants by the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Office of Science Early Career Research Program.
Art offers access to true self
Psychology researcher Jordan Wylie and colleagues found that artistic excellence, rather than moral excellence, offers greater access to one’s true self.
College of Arts and Sciences announces 2026 Klarman Fellows
The 12 early-career scholars will pursue research in the sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Bad Bunny breaks through: Cornell expert on the Grammys
The first artist to win Album of the Year with a Spanish‑language album, Bad Bunny reflects the mainstreaming of Spanish language music and artistry, says professor Karen Jaime.
Weiss and Provost awards honor outstanding faculty
Four faculty from A&S have been awarded Cornell’s highest honors for graduate and undergraduate teaching.