US communities are getting older – and more livable

Communities tracked by AARP's Livability Index made progress becoming more age friendly, but housing affordability and health care access remain challenges.

How ‘free money’ helped low-income workers stay employed

A small, unexpected tax benefit helped low-income Canadians continue working, contrary to what classic economic theory would predict.

From greener AI to richer 3D worlds: 23 papers debuted at NeurIPS conference

Contributions unveiled tools for analyzing environmental and health interventions, matching images to architectural plans, and generating realistic 3D scenes with unprecedented efficiency.

Around Cornell

Cornell’s Employee Excellence Awards go global

More than 75 employees were honored in this year’s ceremony, representing Cornell’s Ithaca campus as well as Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar. 

Donica Thomas Varner to step down as general counsel

Vice President and General Counsel Donica Thomas Varner has announced plans to step down from her position effective Feb. 6, 2026. The university will conduct a national search for her replacement.

Jeanne Mueller, creator of social work program, dies at 100

Jeanne Mueller, a professor emerita in the College of Human Ecology (CHE) who advised the U.S. and foreign governments on social services, died Nov. 2 in Rochester, New York. She was 100.

Meinig Fieldhouse built to protect iconic red-tailed hawks

The crew building the fieldhouse embraced the hawks as part of daily life, even sporting stickers of Big Red on their hard hats and creating and filling a makeshift birdbath to keep them cool.

‘Good vibes’: Campus spaces support flourishing religious communities

As students express their interest in religion, faith-based organizations and the campus itself are evolving to meet their needs, including the addition of a Hindu temple in Anabel Taylor Hall.

Cornell Navy ROTC midshipman earns top honor

Kylie Williamson ’26 has been named Navy/Marines Student of the Year by Navy Federal Credit Union, a top honor in the Reserve Officers Training Corps system. Williamson is the first Cornell student to win the award.