Faculty build network of community-engaged teachers, scholars

From teaching food science at the Ithaca Farmers Market to researching how youth feel about their race and ethnicity, this year’s Engaged Faculty Fellows are demonstrating the range of work that’s possible through community-engaged learning and research. The 2021-22 cohorts include 15 faculty from eight Cornell schools and colleges.

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Upstate residents skittish on building utility-scale solar

As New York prepares for a carbon-free energy future, public support for utility-scale solar farms is much lower than support for smaller solar projects, says new Cornell research.

Bacteria biochemistry controlled with insoluble material

A Cornell study shows that certain materials can change the biochemical behavior of surface microbes living on them, and is the first to show an insoluble material exerting control over biochemical behaviors of bacteria.

Cornell scientists coolly recall fiery volcano visit

Far above the isle of La Palma in Spain’s Canary Islands, two Cornell scientists closely examined the airborne effects of the erupting Cumbre Vieja volcano.

Faster checkouts could reduce virus spread at stores

Researchers set out to model the probability of how often pairs of shoppers might overlap in a store – an approach that could be used to predict the transmission of COVID-19, and guide strategies to reduce its spread.

Heart monitor, ‘tinder for musicians’ win Big Ideas Competition

Four teams of undergraduate students were named winners of the Big Ideas Competition at Cornell, with ideas that help musicians connect, detect heart problems, train unemployed young adults and help with pollution issues in developing countries.

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Collaboration gets quantum view of superconductor junction

Researchers grew a thin film of one of the oldest known superconductors on top of a semiconductor, and for the first time measured the electronic properties of the junction between the two materials, paving the way for hybrid superconductor-semiconductor quantum devices.

‘Ezra’s Bridge’ to increase minority students in chemical, materials sciences

The Ezra’s Bridge program aims to address challenges faced by populations underrepresented in chemical and materials sciences by providing students with a full-tuition scholarship, research opportunities and mentoring.

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X-ray technique offers new view inside active batteries

A new X-ray technique developed at Cornell offers an unprecedented look at the elaborate inner workings of batteries while they are in use – a breakthrough that is already yielding important findings for the development of next-generation energy storage.