Garden paradise

Felix Loh, M.S. ’00, will describe the creation and unique features of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore in a free public talk, “Genesis of Gardens by the Bay, A Garden City Story,” Jan. 21 at 4:30 p.m. at Cornell Botanic Gardens’ Brian C. Nevin Welcome Center.

A botanic garden and cultural attraction covering 250 acres, Gardens by the Bay comprises three distinct spaces: Bay South Garden, Bay East Garden and Bay Central Garden. The Flower Dome in Bay South Garden is the world’s largest glass greenhouse, containing plants and flowers from five continents. The site is also known for its “supertrees,” vertical gardens 25 to 50 meters in height.

Loh, the CEO of Gardens by the Bay, will discuss the attraction’s impact on tourism in Singapore and its role as a center for horticultural collections and education. A reception will follow the talk.

The event is sponsored by the Horticulture Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science and Cornell Botanic Gardens.

Cinema reopens

Cornell Cinema begins its spring season Jan. 22, with the 2019 science-fiction film “Ad Astra,” starring Tommy Lee Jones and Brad Pitt as father and son. The film screens Jan. 22 at 6:45 p.m. and Jan. 25 at 9:15 p.m. in Willard Straight Theatre.

Also showing: “Mon Oncle,” Jacques Tati’s Academy Award-winning 1958 satire of modern conveniences and consumer society, Jan. 23 at 6:45 p.m.; and “The Lighthouse” (2019), a gothic thriller with Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, Jan. 23 and 25.

On Jan. 24, two more features from 2019 – Jon Favreau’s live-action remake of “The Lion King” at 7 p.m., and “Hustlers” with Jennifer Lopez at 9:30 p.m. – are free for Cornell students with ID. The one-time screenings are co-sponsored by the Welcome Weekend Committee.

All-Access Passes can be purchased in advance at CornellCinemaTickets.com or at the box office (single tickets also available) before shows. See a trailer here for upcoming films and special events.

Staff Forum

The Division of Human Resources will host a Staff Forum, Jan. 24 from noon to 1 p.m. in G10 Biotechnology.

Open to all Cornell employees, the event will highlight new opportunities and tools for career development, upcoming projects and programs in the works for staff, and a Q&A with staff leadership. The forum will be livestreamed.

Employees interested in attending are asked to RSVP.

Employee celebration

Jan. 17 is the last day for advance ticket sales for the 2020 Winter Employee Celebration, Saturday, Jan. 25.

The daylong celebration for Cornell staff, faculty, retirees and their families includes Big Red athletic events, a community dinner from 2-4 p.m. in the Ramin Room of Bartels Hall, and other activities. The dinner menu features chicken parmesan and pasta with grilled vegetables, with vegan and gluten-free options available.

Athletics events include the women’s and men’s indoor track teams hosting the daylong Upstate Challenge; women’s and men’s swimming and basketball; tennis; and wrestling. Tickets for wrestling vs. Harvard are limited.

Advance tickets for the Employee Celebration are $5 per person, available online; at the Athletic Ticketing Office in Bartels Hall (open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) or by calling 607-255-4247. To volunteer for the event, contact empcelebration@cornell.edu for details.

Eight-legged love

Enter the fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) world of arachnids in “Arachnophilia: A Passion for Spiders,” on display through Jan. 31 in Mann Library’s second-floor gallery, open to the public during library hours.

Credit: Provided

The exhibit was created in collaboration with behavioral ecologist Linda Rayor, senior lecturer and senior research associate in the Department of Entomology. It showcases spiders’ amazing abilities, diverse social and predatory behaviors, potential usefulness to human medicine and agriculture, and important role in the health of global ecosystems.

The exhibit was made possible with the support of the Bondareff Family Fund for Mann Library.