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SM-6 missile strain raises strategic risks in wider conflict

Iran’s retaliation to the intensifying war may be swift, but the longer-term risks lie in how prolonged fighting could strain U.S. defenses and tempt rivals like China.

‘Little reason to expect any meaningful check’ on president despite some vocal opposition to strikes on Iran

Presidents typically seek approval from Congress for prolonged military actions as an opportunity to convince the American public and cultivate buy-in from members, says professor David Bateman, but this administration couldn’t care less.

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.
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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.

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.

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.

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.

Psychology expert on losing a gold medal

Bronze medalists often appear happier than their competitors who win silver, says Cornell psychology researcher Thomas Gilovich.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Launching Jan. 27 with three episodes, “Research Matters” spotlights Cornell scholars whose research directly engages with real-world challenges, from climate change and public safety to mental health.

Novel way to detect signals from stellar and exoplanetary systems unveiled

Thanks to this innovation, scientists have discovered new radio bursts originating from dwarf stars and possibly from exoplanets.

Garifuna Collective featured on Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Rooted in the Afro-AmerIndian heritage of communities along the Caribbean coasts of Belize, Guatemala and Honduras, Garifuna music blends West African rhythms, indigenous Carib influences and the Arawak language.

Threats to Fed independence already taking an economic toll

While market movements have been modest so far, they signal declining trust in the ability or willingness of future FOMC members to achieve the Fed's inflation objectives, says Cornell economist Ryan Chahrour.

AI chip exports bill an “attempt to reclaim congressional agency”

Prof. Sarah Kreps comments on proposed legislation giving Congress power over artificial intelligence chip exports.

Your January 2026 reads

This month’s featured titles include poetry, an anthropologist’s memoir, and a chronicle of the Nazi’s massive looting of European artworks.

Artist team Mendi + Keith Obadike named USA Fellows

The Obadikes have exhibited and performed their interdisciplinary work at The New Museum, The Studio Museum in Harlem, The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art, and The Museum of Modern Art.��Their projects include four books, two albums, and a series of large-scale public sound artworks.

Tensions with China give Japanese PM an opening for snap elections

Prof. Kristin Roebuck comments on the plans of Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to dissolve parliament next week and call a snap election.

Trade expert discusses misconceptions about trade Jan. 29

Scott Lincicome will talk about imports, tariffs and globalization during his talk, “What You Think You Know About Trade is Probably Wrong."

Europe has little leverage to push back if Trump moves to take Greenland

A Cornell historian and military expert doubts a NATO military response to the US annexation of Greenland would not happen, Despite tough talk from European leaders.

In 2025, Cornell produced cutting-edge AI research, inaugurated a president and advanced agriculture and sustainability. The university’s faculty, staff, students and alumni made the world a better place, welcomed back two Nobel laureate alumni and conducted research that matters.

TikTok user long-term experience will ‘depend’ on regulators in new framework

Tiktok has signed a deal to spin off its U.S. business, but it remains unclear how effectively the new framework will address the initial national security threat concerns, says government professor Sarah Kreps.

From better sleep to stronger communities: The benefits of gratitude

Gratitude not only makes you feel good, but it helps you live up to your best self and be a better member of society, psychology professor Thomas Gilovich has found.

Your December 2025 reads

This month’s featured titles include fiction from A&S alum Thomas Pynchon ’59, an award-winning poetry collection and a study of a small town.

Domestic politics driving Thailand-Cambodia border tensions says Cornell Southeast Asia expert

Thailand and Cambodia have long had fraught relations, professor Tom Pepinsky says after Thailand’s military launched air strikes along the Thailand-Cambodia border.

Chile latest test case in South America’s far right shift

“Chile's vibrant democracy faces a new challenge in a highly polarized second-round presidential election" Dec. 14, says Ken Roberts, professor of government.

Is Silicon Valley driving Trump’s policy on Honduras?

Trump’s interest in Honduras is more about U.S. business interests, than democracy, says professor Raymond Craib, a historian of modern Latin America.

Your November 2025 reads

This month’s titles featured in Cornellians include poetry, a famed restaurateur’s memoir, and a chronicle of the 1929 stock market crash

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Jacqueline Allen ’23

"I got a taste of what neuroscience research is really like."

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Nicole Hao ’24, MEng ’25

“Nexus, to me, was also a professional development experience."

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Ricco Venterea ’24

"Nexus Scholars was the first time where the only thing I had to worry about was research."

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Nnenna Ochuru ’25

"I want to further study the politicalization of education."

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Rachel Craig ’24

"I had the opportunity to present what was exciting to me, and what I learned.”

Student spotlight: Raul Armenta

Raul Armenta, a doctoral student in sociology from Los Angeles, studies the intersection of education and the criminal legal system under the guidance of Bryan Sykes.

U.S.-Russia peace plan should be ‘non-starter’ for Ukraine

The leaked peace initiative, which would allegedly require Kyiv to surrender territory and significantly reduce the size of its army and some types of weaponry, is largely an attempt to put pressure on Zelensky, says David Silbey.

Whose God goes on the classroom wall? Cornell expert on religious freedom

Coordinated efforts across Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas requiring public schools to display the Ten Commandments "test whether American public schools belong equally to all families—or whether some families' faith gets privileged by law while others' gets diminished by the state.”

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Neel Mehta '23

"The skills that you pick up in the lab are always going to stay with you."

Relationship between China and Japan ‘on a knife’s edge,’ says Cornell expert

Japan’s refusal to retract remarks about military intervention if China moved to seize Taiwan has left relations between the two countries the worst they've been in a decade, says Allen Carlson, associate professor of government.

The David M. Einhorn Center for Community Engagement has released a new video series highlighting a decade of progress and impact in community-engaged learning across the university.

Vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant featured on Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Salvant, a 2020 MacArthur Fellow and three-time Grammy Award winner, is an artist celebrated for bringing historical depth, dramatic flair, and exceptional musical insight to jazz standards and original works.

‘National hero’ honor for Suharto speaks to enduring authoritarian influence in Indonesia

President Prabowo’s decision to confer the title underscores how Suharto’s legacy continues to shape Indonesian politics today, says a Cornell government professor who studies political and economic systems in Southeast Asia.

Building university cultures of open inquiry: Nov. 18 talk

John Tomasi, the inaugural president of Heterodox Academy, will speak on “The University at a Crossroads – and How We Can Build Cultures of Open Inquiry” as part of a series of events organized by the Provost’s Committee on the Future of the American University.

Commemorating composer, pianist, pedagogue Louise Farrenc Nov. 14-15

The two-day event features performances of Farrenc’s chamber music on historical instruments, a reimagining of the salon culture in collaboration with the Johnson Museum of Art, and scholarly presentations.

Is Mamdani’s win indicative of a new wave in national politics? Not likely says Cornell expert

New York City is too unique for Mamdani's victory to mean much for national politics, says professor of government Richard Bensel.

What this year’s off-cycle elections mean for the national mood

If Trump allies exceed expectations during Nov. 4 elections, despite his disapproval ratings, it will be a sign that Republicans can still benefit from Democrats’ continued unpopularity.

Plan to conduct nuclear tests comes with enormous risks, says Cornell expert

Where and how the tests will happen are important questions, says military historian David Silbey, as last confirmed nuclear test by the United States was in 1992.

Cornell has won three of 15 major grants from the Bezos Earth Fund, awarded to leverage artificial intelligence in the fight against climate change and environmental challenges.

SNAP benefit lapse: U.S. ‘officially losing’ war on poverty

The loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits November 1 if the government shutdown holds benefits will have profound repercussions for democracy, says government scholar Jamila Michener.

Your October 2025 reads

This month’s featured titles include short stories, a fantasy book for tweens, and a scholarly look at Carmen adaptations –��all by Arts & �鶹��Ƶ alumni and faculty.

Election of Japan’s first female PM isn’t a win for women, says Cornell historian

Sanae Takaichi’s election may seem surprising in a country that ranked lowest among OECD nations in women’s political representation as recently as 2023, but it is not a victory for gender equality, says professor Kristin Roebuck.

Student spotlight: Aleesha George

Aleesha George, a doctoral candidate in chemistry and chemical biology, studies the optical and electronic properties of organic and hybrid materials under the guidance of Andrew Musser at Cornell.

Alum and former Law School dean named president of Georgetown

An A&S College Scholar who clerked for the U.S. Supreme Court, Eduardo Peñalver ’94 currently leads Seattle University.

U.S. returning to ‘familiar pattern’ of interventionism in Latin America

Trump's move to cut aid to Columbia and enact tariffs is the latest in a string of escalating tensions between the U.S. and countries in Latin America, says Cornell government professor Ken Roberts.

Gaza ceasefire shouldn’t be considered a “peace deal”

Uriel Abulof, a visiting professor in Cornell University’s government department, calls it “a survival pact for leaders who thrive on conflict and enmity."

Hot-mic moment with President window into ‘transactional foreign policy’

Trump has turned U.S. foreign policy into a tool for petty corruption and insider deal-making instead of supporting U.S. national interests, says a Cornell government faculty member.

African Union must condemn Madagascar coup, says Cornell expert

Olúfémi Táíwò,��professor of Africana studies at Cornell University, said the move is another coup d’etat that Madagascar, and the African continent, does not need.

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra to perform with violinist James Ehnes Oct. 26

… Morse Coors Concert Series (DMCCS) production of the 2025-26 season. … Morse Coors Concert Series (DMCCS) production of the 2025-26 season. The event will be held on Sunday, October 26 at 4 … At home in New York and in the many concert halls it visits in the U.S. and beyond, Orpheus begins their next …

Gold surge does not pose a threat to the US dollar

“It would be virtually impossible for Gold to take on the multifaceted role of the USD in international trade and finance."

Gaza ceasefire is a resounding policy victory for Trump

… The president's leadership was a key factor in getting the deal done, says professor emeritus Barry Strauss. … University, says Trump's leadership was a key factor in getting the deal done. Strauss says:��"The deeper lessons of … First for Trump means that as much as possible, the US gets its allies to do the heavy lifting. That was/is the …

Wang was honored for “original and innovative work on insect flight that provided fundamental insights into unsteady aerodynamics, flight efficiency, flight stability, and neural control, and for opening new dimensions of research in biological fluid dynamics.”

‘The Keyboards Strike Back’: concert sequel set for Oct. 9

Cornell faculty and graduate students unleash a genre-bending program across seventeen keyboard instruments, from the delicate whisper of the clavichord to the analog punch of the Roland Juno-60.

Moldovans showed “clarity about what is at stake” in pro-EU party vote

The Moldovan people still have a very clear memory of what life was like as a Soviet republic, says professor Cristina Florea after the pro-EU party decisively won a parliamentary election there.

Alum spotlight: Ibrahim Gemeah, Ph.D. ’23

Ibrahim Gemeah, Ph.D. ’23, is an alumnus of the Near Eastern studies doctoral program with a focus on the history of the modern Middle East. He is now an assistant professor of modern Middle East and North African history in the department of Middle Eastern languages and cultures at Indiana University.

Your September 2025 reads

This month’s featured titles include the latest by a National Book Award winner and a classical history of Jewish resistance to Rome.

Satire under siege: Cornell humor expert on ‘Kimmel’ comeback

“Political leaders – of all stripes – hate two things: unfettered speech and being mocked. With Jimmy Kimmel, the administration got a chance to squelch both."

#RaptureTok and the history of end-times beliefs: Cornell religion expert

Apocalyptic predictions are "far from new, but social media has whipped up a frenzy," says Cornell religion expert Kim Haines-Eitzen.

Brooks and A&S partner on new option for public policy major

Students in the major will be admitted into the �鶹��Ƶ & �鶹��Ƶ and take courses in both Brooks and A&S.

Music Oct. 2-5: Homecoming concerts and historical keyboards

Cornell orchestras, vocal ensembles and the Center for Historical Keyboards plan performances.

‘Defending Haudenosaunee Sovereignty’ exhibit opens Sept. 24

The outdoor exhibit celebrates the centenary of Deskaheh Levi General’s 1923 intervention on behalf of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy at the League of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

Inaugural “Freedom Party” in downtown Ithaca centers on community connection

A Sept. 27 event taking inspiration from the foundations of the Harlem Renaissance will highlight collaboration, resource sharing and storytelling.

Einaudi welcomes SWANA Program

The Einaudi Center welcomes the Southwest Asia and North Africa Program and four new program directors this fall.

Cornell's 2025–26 Fulbrighters, including several A&S alumni and students, will conduct research, study and teach English in Canada, France, Honduras, India, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Norway and Taiwan. Most will be on site by October.

Nepal expert comments on violent protests in Nepal

Kathryn March, professor emerita of anthropology, comments on the violent protests in Nepal.

On 10th anniversary, LIGO verifies Hawking’s theorem

The LIGO-VIRGO-KAGRA team has announced a black hole merger similar to its first detection; a decade’s worth of technological advances allow unprecedented tests of General Relativity to be performed.

Cornell expert: Indonesia’s Prabowo ignoring ‘needs of the people’ in cabinet shake-up

Professor Tom Pepinsky comments on the news that Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has reshuffled his cabinet, removing top economic and security officials.

DOD rebrand ‘risks being performative’ without subsequent structural changes

��“The proposal to rename the Department of Defense back to the Department of War carries symbolic weight but raises questions about substance," says Sarah Kreps, government scholar and former active-duty officer in the U.S. Air Force.

Macron to blame for instability in French government, says Cornell scholar

The writing was on the wall for the no confidence vote says international populism expert Mabel Berezin.

Le Vent du Nord plays Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series Sept. 20��

A leading force in Quebec’s progressive francophone folk movement, Le Vent du Nord will perform in the first Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series (DMCCS) on Sept. 20 at 7:30 p.m. in Bailey Hall.

China’s parade signals power shift, cold war parallels, says Cornell expert

The massive display of new military power by the Chinese this week served several purposes, says military historian David Silbey.

New Faculty: Alexei A. Aravin

Alexei A. Aravin, Molecular Biology and Genetics

New Faculty: María Angélica Bravo Núñez

María Angélica Bravo Núñez, Molecular Biology and Genetics

New Faculty: James Byrne

James Byrne, Literatures in English

New Faculty: Shami Chatterjee

Shami Chatterjee, Astronomy

New Faculty: Sulagna Dasgupta

Sulagna Dasgupta, Economics

New Faculty: Jacob Dorn

Jacob Dorn, Economics

New Faculty: Patricia Ekpo

Patricia Ekpo, History of Art and Visual Studies

New Faculty: Pavel Galashin

Pavel Galashin, Mathematics

New Faculty: Manuel Olmedo Gobante

Manuel Olmedo Gobante, Romance Studies

New Faculty: Laura Tain Gutierrez

Laura Tain Gutierrez, Romance Studies

New Faculty: Jonathan “Jon" Kephart

Jonathan “Jon" Kephart, Chemistry and Chemical Biology

New Faculty: Marissa Lavagnino

… of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2022-2025 Academic background: Ph.D., Chemistry, Princeton …

New Faculty: Thomas "Tal" A. Lewis

Thomas (Tal) A. Lewis, Religious Studies and German Studies.

New Faculty: Fangfang Li

Fangfang Li, Asian Studies

New Faculty: Jordan Miller

Jordan Miller, Near Eastern Studies

New Faculty: Annie Ornelles

Annie Ornelles, Romance Studies

New Faculty: Sandeep Parmar

Sandeep Parmar, Literatures in English