News

People on a stage, dancing dramatically in yellow and orange costumes — Sari Makki Photo Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana

Music

Flamenco artists featured on Concert Series April 11

3/31/2026 A&S Communications

The Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series at Cornell University closes its 2025-26 season with renowned company Flamenco Vivo Carlota Santana at Bailey Hall during a performance on April 11 at 7:30 p.m. The event features QUINTO ELEMENTO (Fifth Element), a new work by dancer/choreographer Patricia Guerrero, featuring an original live score by Francis Gómez.

Person wearing large headphones, speaking into a microphone — Provided Maya K'iche' broadcaster Beatriz Guarchaj Guarchaj

Klarman Fellows

Panel explores Indigenous voices in Abiayala/Latin America

3/30/2026 A&S Communications

Cornell University will host “Indigenous Voices in Abiayala/Latin America,” on April 9 at 4:45 p.m., exploring Indigenous media self-representation in Latin America – known as Abiayala in the Guna language. Held in the in the A.D. White House and organized by Polly Lauer, a Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow in Romance studies in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, the panel will feature scholars discussing Mapuche and Maya K’ishe’ cultural production, Indigenous languages and broadcasters’ fight to sustain native-language media such as Guatemala’s oldest Maya radio station.

Physics

Nobel Laureate in physics to speak at Cornell April 8

3/27/2026 A&S Communications

Nobel Laureate physicist John M. Martinis will headline a quantum mechanics lecture April 8 at Cornell University. The talk launches the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board’s Frontiers of Discovery Lecture Series.

Government

‘Naked power grab’: The politics behind attacking mail-in voting

3/26/2026 A&S Communications

Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting, even after using it himself, highlight intensifying partisan conflicts over voter access. Cornell University professor David Bateman says the effort signals a Republican push to restrict Democratic-leaning voters.

Columns and arches form the walls, with a red carpet leading up to the alter in this image of the interior of the cathedral — Christine Matthews, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Interior of Canterbury Cathedral, Canterbury

Sociology

Historic and swift: Mullally’s rise to Archbishop of Canterbury

3/24/2026 A&S Communications

Sarah Mullally’s historic installation as the first woman Archbishop of Canterbury highlights rapid institutional change within Anglicanism. Cornell University sociologist Landon Schnabel emphasizes how incremental reforms built support for her swift rise.

Aeriel view of a building complex; the center structure is pentagonal — Touch Of Light/Creative Commons license 4.0 The Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense

Government

Anthropic v. Pentagon early test of much larger challenge

3/24/2026 A&S Communications

Anthropic challenges Pentagon designation as supply chain risk, sparking broader AI governance debate. Sarah Kreps of Cornell University highlights how the dispute exposes uncertainties in government–AI partnerships and future national security collaborations.

Two ships on blue water — Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Michael H. Lehman/U.S. Navy photo The guided-missile destroyer USS Lassen (DDG 82) escorts the merchant vessel Tomahawk through the Strait of Hormuz.

History

Escalation playbook: Why limited strikes rarely stay limited

3/20/2026 A&S Communications

With the the Pentagon seeking $200 billion for the escalating Iran conflict, David Silbey, historian in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, sees a typical escalatory pattern. He analyzes Strait of Hormuz closures, risks, and deployment options shaping U.S. defense policy.

Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) transits the Strait of Hormuz, — Lance Cpl. Brendan Mullin/U.S. Marine Corps photo Amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) with embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) transit the Strait of Hormuz in 2021

Government

U.S.-China rift widens as Beijing rejects role in Hormuz crisis

3/18/2026 A&S Communications

The U.S.-China rift is widening as Beijing rejects Trump’s requests to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Cornell University expert Allen Carlson, professor of government in the College of Arts and Sciences, says China sees the crisis as U.S.-made and has little reason to help.

Astronomy

Cornell exoplanet expert discusses where we should look for life

3/17/2026 A&S Communications

As the film "Project Hail Mary" hits theaters, Cornell College of Arts and Sciences astrophysicist Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan Institute, explains how real exoplanet research, habitable zones, and nearby star systems inform the film’s search for extraterrestrial life.

Person reading a book while sitting on a large rock outdoors — Cornell University file photo

Alumni

Your March 2026 reads

3/13/2026 Cornellians

This month’s featured titles by A&S alumni and faculty include an evolutionary look at dating, a Christian work on inner peace and a queer love story.

City street with people on a walkway and bright signs in Chinese lettering — Margo Evardson/ Unsplash on a Shanghai street

International politics

Ethnic unity law contradicts China’s constitution, puts premium on assimilation

3/10/2026 A&S Communications

“The law is consistent with a dramatic recent policy shift, to suppress the ethnic diversity formally recognized since 1949," says one Cornell expert. "The next step may be the formal abolishment of ‘ethnic minorities.’"

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Renowned pianist Sir Stephen Hough plays Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

3/10/2026 A&S Communications

In the concert, Hough will play an imaginative program that includes works by Schubert, Brahms, Schoenberg, Beethoven and a suite from "Mary Poppins."

Person holding a microphone near a large screen projecting a slide about "Joint disease across the species" — Simon Wheeler for Cornell University Sydney Womack presents her winning Three Minute Thesis during the 2025 3MT competition.

Graduate student research

Nine students advance to 2026 3MT finals

3/10/2026 Cornell University Graduate School

Neti Bhatt, physics is one of nine Cornell research degree students who will advance to the final round of the 2026 Three Minute Thesis competition (3MT).

Sunset with a pump mining crude oil — Zbynek Burival/Unsplash

International politics

Cornell expert warns of strategic backfire, as oil shock looms

3/9/2026 A&S Communications

“In economic terms, this is already the largest oil supply shock ever," says historian Nicholas Mulder.

U.S. marines and sailors loading into an aircraft — Joel Rivera-Camacho/Unsplash U.S. marines and sailors

Religion

End-times rhetoric in US military ‘didn’t infiltrate, was invited in’

3/5/2026 A&S Communications

Use of Christian apocalyptic language by commanders reflects a climate shaped from the top down, says one Cornell expert. Another adds: the belief that Christians should actively bring about the end times rests on a misreading of the Book of Revelation.

History

Student spotlight: Amorette Lyngwa

3/4/2026 Cornell University Graduate School

Amorette Lyngwa, a doctoral student in history with a focus on modern South Asia from Shillong, India, studies the urban and social history of Shillong through a community-focused perspective.

Missile heading up into the sky — Photo by Maciej Ruminkiewicz on Unsplash

History

SM-6 missile strain raises strategic risks in wider conflict

3/3/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Government

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

3/2/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Government

Anthropic v. Pentagon reveals enduring rift between tech, national security

2/26/2026 A&S Communications

“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.

Person smiling next to a sculpture of a person sitting — Cornell University file photo Mike Fontaine

Classics

Back to in-person work? Classics professor offers tips on office humor

2/25/2026 Cornellians

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.

A crowd gathered, holding blue and yellow flags; hands in the foreground hold a sign that says "Ukraine Resist" — alisdare1/licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 A pro-Ukraine protest in London's Trafalgar Square

History

Little changing as Ukraine-Russia war drags toward Fifth year

2/24/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Person sitting in a deep windowsill, reading a book — Cornell University file photo

Alumni

Your February 2026 reads

2/20/2026 Cornellians

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.”

Chemistry and Chemical Biology

Student spotlight: Bayu Ahmad

2/20/2026 Cornell University Graduate School

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.

Theater seats and a curtain in the distance — Paolo Chiabrando/Unsplash

Literatures in English

2024-25 Nathan Award for Dramatic Criticism winners announced

2/19/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Molecular biology and genetics

Computational biologist receives NIH NDRI Pilot Award

2/17/2026 A&S Communications

Ayshwarya Subramanian researches diabetic kidney disease, the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, affecting 30% to 50% of people with diabetes.

Three people holding up medals they've just won — Tim Hipps/U.S. Army IMCOM Public Affairs, Creative Commons license 2.0 Paul Chelimo, USA (left) and Mo Farah, Great Britain, medalists in the men's 5,000 meter run, Rio Olympic Games

Olympic Games

Psychology expert on losing a gold medal

2/12/2026 A&S Communications

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

High rise apartment building fronting a city street with a trolley — Joel Fulgencio/Unsplash North Point, Hong Kong

International studies

China’s pushback on UK shows pivoting from Washington isn’t so easy

2/11/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Pianist, composer Tigran Hamasyan plays Dallas Morse Concert Series

2/9/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Africana studies

Nigeria's Tinubu 'should be commended' for accepting US counterterrorism assistance, says Cornell expert

2/5/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Performing and Media Arts

Bad Bunny breaks through: Cornell expert on the Grammys

2/2/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Two people conversing at a black round table, talking into microphones — Garth Avery/Cornell University Jessica Salerno, left, associate professor in the College of Human Ecology and Cornell Law School, speaks with Cornell Chronicle writer Laura Reiley for the “Research Matters” podcast.

Psychology

Research Matters’ video podcast debuts, translating ideas into impact

1/30/2026 Cornell Chronicle

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.

A red star and an earth-like planet with purple lines between them (illustration) — Danielle Futselaar/Artsource.nl Artistic illustration of the magnetic interaction between a red dwarf star such as GJ 687, and its exoplanet.

Astronomy research

Novel way to detect signals from stellar and exoplanetary systems unveiled

1/27/2026 A&S Communications

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

Several people standing around and sitting on porch steps in the shade, playing drums, guitars and maracas — Provided Garifuna Collective

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Garifuna Collective featured on Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

1/26/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Circle on textured paper that says 'Federal Reserve'; an extreme close up of a one-dollar bill, US — Joshua Hoehne/Unsplash

Economics

Threats to Fed independence already taking an economic toll

1/22/2026 A&S Communications

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.

The U.S. Capital. — Photo by Quick PS on Unsplash U.S. Capitol

Artificial Intelligence

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

1/21/2026 A&S Communications

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

person reading on a bench in a large, sunny, modern room — Cornell University file photo

Alumni authors

Your January 2026 reads

1/20/2026 Cornellians

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

Anson Teague Wigner/Provided Mendi and Keith Obadike

Performing and Media Arts

Artist team Mendi + Keith Obadike named USA Fellows

1/15/2026 A&S Communications

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.

Sanae Takaichi in dark suit jacket sits at a table with microphones between two men, and more men sitting in the room behind her — Japan's Cabinet Public Affairs Office, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi holds a meeting of the Population Strategy Headquarters

History

Tensions with China give Japanese PM an opening for snap elections

1/14/2026 A&S Communications

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

Provided Scott Lincicome

Freedom and Free Societies

Trade expert discusses misconceptions about trade Jan. 29

1/12/2026 A&S Communications

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

Hill with dozens of colorful houses on it, backed by a bleak landscape with snow — Annie Spratt/Unsplash Ittoqqortoormiit, Greenland

International politics

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

1/7/2026 A&S Communications

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.

a piece of fabric with a design on it — Ryan Young/Cornell University HelioSkin is a lightweight, stretchable architectural fabric that is aesthetically attractive and can wrap around complex shapes.

Cornell University

2025 Year in Review

12/19/2025 Cornell Chronicle

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.

Hand holding a smart phone showing the TikTok icon — Solen Feyissa/Unsplash

Government

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

12/19/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Many people working together to package food — Joel Muniz/Unsplash Gratitude helps you live up to your best self and be a better member of society.

Psychology

From better sleep to stronger communities: The benefits of gratitude

12/15/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Two people sitting at a table, reading in a room full of books on shelves; the books are reflected on the surface of the table, creating a sense of immersion — Ryan Young/Cornell University

Alumni authors

Your December 2025 reads

12/12/2025 Cornellians

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.

ancient stone temple surrounded by trees, under a bright blue sky — SAM sokkolinmony/Unsplash Main gate of Presh Khan Kampong svay Temple in Cambodia's Presh Vihea Province, on the border with Thailand

Government

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

12/8/2025 A&S Communications

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

looking down on a large city set among mountains — Juan Pablo Ahumada/Unsplash Santiago, Chile

Government

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

12/4/2025 A&S Communications

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

A city seen from a high vantage point, through a foreground of trees — Edgard Josue/Unsplash Tegucigalpa, Honduras

History

Is Silicon Valley driving Trump’s policy on Honduras?

12/2/2025 A&S Communications

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

People sitting on benches, reading with a lake and forest vista in front of them — Simon Wheeler for Cornell University

Alumni authors

Your November 2025 reads

11/25/2025 Cornellians

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

Nexus Scholars

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Jacqueline Allen ’23

11/21/2025 A&S Communications

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

Nexus Scholars

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

11/21/2025 A&S Communications

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

Nexus Scholars

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Ricco Venterea ’24

11/21/2025 A&S Communications

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

Nexus Scholars

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Nnenna Ochuru ’25

11/21/2025 A&S Communications

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

Nexus Scholars

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Rachel Craig ’24

11/21/2025 A&S Communications

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

Graduate student research

Student spotlight: Raul Armenta

11/20/2025 Cornell University Graduate School

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.

Several soldiers cluster near a tank; a blue and yellow Ukraine flag flies nearby — Ministry of Defense of Ukraine/Creative Commons license 2.0 Anti-terrorist operation in eastern Ukraine

International politics

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

11/20/2025 A&S Communications

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.

A classroom empty of students; the chairs are on desks — Sigmund/Unsplash

Sociology

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

11/20/2025 A&S Communications

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 Scholars

Nexus Scholar alumni profile: Neel Mehta '23

11/19/2025 A&S Communications

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

Flags of east Asia on poles near a body of water. Blue sky behind them — FutureAtlas.com/Creative Commons license 2.0 Flags of east Asia

International politics

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

11/18/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Two people sit at a table loaded with equipment, assembling a robot — Paul Treadwell/Cornell University Surabhi Bacchav '27 (l) and Thomas Jacobsen, University of Idaho, set up a up an AgXRP robot in summer 2025.

Engaged learning

Cornell showcases a decade of impact through new community-engaged learning video series

11/18/2025 Cornell Chronicle

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.

Person in a red dress, singing into a microphone — Nada Žgank Cécile McLorin Salvant at the 2025 Ljubljana Jazz Festival

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

Vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant featured on Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

11/14/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Black and white photo from 1970 of two dignitaries in an outdoor event — Eric Koch/Anefo, Creative Commons license 3.0 President Suharto of Indonesia arrives in the Netherlands for a state visit with Queen Juliana

Government

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

11/11/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Future of the American University

Building university cultures of open inquiry: Nov. 18 talk

11/7/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Event poster in bright purple, pink and orange hues: Louise Farrence at 150 — Provided

Music

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

11/6/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Sky scrapers rise from New York City in an aeriel shot — Triston Dunn/Unsplash New York City

Government

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

11/5/2025 A&S Communications

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

Hand holding a small American flag, a mail-in ballot — Janine Robinson/Unsplash

Politics

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

11/3/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Chain link fence with yellow warning signs: CAUTION, UNDERGROUND RADIOACTIVE MATERIAL AREA — Dan Meyers/Unsplash Fence with warning signs, rural Idaho

International politics

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

10/31/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Hand holding a glass sphere up toward the sky so it reflects trees and clouds, making the ball look like a tiny planet Earth — Margot RICHARD/Unsplash

Molecular biology and genetics

Faculty win Bezos grants to use AI for environmental challenges

10/31/2025 A&S Communications

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.

two brown paper bags full of groceries — Maria Lin Kim/Unsplash

Government

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

10/29/2025 A&S Communications

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.

People reading on benches that overlook a grand view of a lake and autumnal trees — Simon Wheeler for Cornell University Reading on Libe Slope

Alumni

Your October 2025 reads

10/23/2025 Cornellians

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

Cabinet Public Relations Office, Cabinet Secretariat/Creative Commons license 4.0 Sanae Takaichi, 2025

History

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

10/22/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Graduate student research

Student spotlight: Aleesha George

10/20/2025 Cornell University Graduate School

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.

Three people sitting in arm chairs during an on-stage event — Jason Koski/Cornell University At a 2018 panel discussion, “Celebrating 150 Years of Ezra Cornell’s Promise.”

Alumni

Alum and former Law School dean named president of Georgetown

10/20/2025 Cornellians

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

small boat traveling over open water — Jorge Salvador/Unsplash A small boat off the coast of Venezuela

Government

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

10/20/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Government

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

10/15/2025 A&S Communications

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

Microphone up close — Kane Reinholdtsen/Unsplash

International politics

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

10/14/2025 A&S Communications

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.

City under a sky with clouds — Brent Ninaber/Unsplash Antananarivo, Madagascar

International politics

African Union must condemn Madagascar coup, says Cornell expert

10/14/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Music

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

10/13/2025 A&S Communications

Orpheus Chamber Orchestra with violin soloist James Ehnes will perform a program entitled “Postcards from Paris” in the next Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series (DMCCS) production of the 2025-26 season.

Economics

Gold surge does not pose a threat to the US dollar

10/9/2025 A&S Communications

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

mosque spire rises in fog over a war-damaged street — Tomer Texler/Unsplash

History

Gaza ceasefire is a resounding policy victory for Trump

10/9/2025 A&S Communications

The president's leadership was a key factor in getting the deal done, says professor emeritus Barry Strauss.

Jane Wang's face, with short dark hair and a smile.

Physics

Wang receives 2025 Stanley Corrsin Award from American Physical Society

9/30/2025 Cornell Engineering Magazine

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.”

A stage bathed in green light: several people play on keyboard instruments, including standing sythesizers, pianos, and an organ — Simon Wheeler for Cornell University Keyboard Energies concert, spring 2025

Music

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

9/29/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Blue sky, stone spire with a cross on top, people holding red, yellow and blue flags — Sasha Pleshco/ Unsplash Chișinău, Moldova

History

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

9/29/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Alumni

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

9/26/2025 Cornell University Graduate School

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.

Autumn orange tree with a person lying under it, reading — Lindsay France/Cornell University

Alumni authors

Your September 2025 reads

9/26/2025 Cornellians

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

Two people sit at a desk on the set of a late night TV chat show — Pete Souza/White House Jimmy Kimmel Live! video taping in 2015

Philosophy

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

9/25/2025 A&S Communications

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

Sun beams shoot through heavy clouds over a bay — Adrian Diaz-Sieckel/ Unsplash

Religion

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

9/25/2025 A&S Communications

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

Public policy

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

9/25/2025 A&S Communications

Students in the major will be admitted into the College of Arts & Sciences and take courses in both Brooks and A&S.

Members of an orchestra playing on a stage — Casey Martin Cornell Symphony Orchestra

Live performance

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

9/22/2025 A&S Communications

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

Stylized image featuring a photograph of a person wearing a beaded sash and a headpiece made of leaves — Provided Deskaheh

History of Art and Visual Studies

‘Defending Haudenosaunee Sovereignty’ exhibit opens Sept. 24

9/18/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures

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

9/16/2025 A&S Communications

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

Colored rugs make a collage under a blue sky — Provided

International studies

Einaudi welcomes SWANA Program

9/16/2025 Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies

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

Grassy hill with a road leading up it: Scene from Taiwan — Sam Chang/Unsplash A road in Taiwan

Alumni

18 Cornellians receive Fulbright awards

9/15/2025 Cornell Chronicle

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.

People standing in front of a big brick building with three levels of pagoda-style roofs — binaya_photography on Unsplash Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur, Nepal

Anthropology

Nepal expert comments on violent protests in Nepal

9/10/2025 A&S Communications

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

A field of stars surrounding one circular and one oblong area of extreme blackness surrounded by a halo of light — SXS Lensing/Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Collaboration. A visualization from a computer simulation of two black holes similar to those of GW250124.

Physics

On 10th anniversary, LIGO verifies Hawking’s theorem

9/10/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Flag with broad red stripe on top and broad white tripe on bottom on flagpole against a blue sky. — Photo by Mufid Majnun on Unsplash Flag of Indonesia

Government

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

9/9/2025 A&S Communications

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

Seen from the air: Pentagon-shaped building — Touch Of Light/CC BY-SA 4.0 The Pentagon, the Headquarters of the US Department of Defense

Government

DOD rebrand ‘risks being performative’ without subsequent structural changes

9/8/2025 A&S Communications

“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.

Sociology

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

9/8/2025 A&S Communications

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

Five musicians hold folk instruments in a publicity portrait — Annie Diotte/Provided Le Vent du Nord

Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series

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

9/5/2025 A&S Communications

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.

Six people in suits walk abreast up a red carpet, conversing — President of Russia//Creative Commons license 4.0 General Secretary Xi Jinping of the Chinese Communist Party and world leaders attending the 2025 China Victory Day Parade in Beijing.

History

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

9/5/2025 A&S Communications

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

2025 New Faculty

New Faculty: Alexei A. Aravin

9/3/2025 A&S Communications

Alexei A. Aravin, Molecular Biology and Genetics