Radical Collaboration

Cornell faculty are reaching across disciplines to tackle society’s most complex challenges and to make breakthrough discoveries. These radical collaborations—collisions of thoughts and perspectives from vastly different fields—lead to unexpected and unconventional solutions and deepen our thinking.


Growth across fields: Scientific collaboration tackles farming challenges

A new study, published in Global Change Biology, presents five case studies that demonstrate how deep collaboration can transform crop monitoring, fertilizer use and water management to tackle the most significant challenges facing farming: water status, fertilizer systems and phosphorus recovery.

Around Cornell

Students pitch innovative startups in San Francisco

Teams from eLab, the Runway Startup Postdocs Program and BioVenture eLab pitched their business ideas at the annual Cornell Silicon Valley: Student Startup Showcase at San Francisco’s Autodesk Gallery on March 27.  

Around Cornell

Knight Institute creates ‘culture of writing’ on campus

The Institute oversees the Cornell Writing Centers, Graduate Writing Service, writing workshops, the first-year writing (FWS) seminars and other writing resources across campus.

Around Cornell

Electrons travel one of two routes in nano-biohybrid systems

Researchers have identified exactly what happens when a microbe receives an electron from a quantum dot: The charge can either follow a direct pathway or be transferred indirectly via the microbe’s shuttle molecules.

AI system can analyze serial medical images

A new AI-based system for analyzing images taken over time can accurately detect changes and predict outcomes, which may be useful across a wide range of medical and scientific applications.

Solar solutions: Bio-inspired approach creates bespoke photovoltaics

An interdisciplinary team of Cornell researchers is developing HelioSkin, an aesthetically appealing solar-collection fabric that is inspired by the biological mechanisms that enable plants to bend toward the sun.

Solar solutions: ‘Crazy’ perovskite offers sustainable alternative to silicon

Over the last decade, perovskite photovoltaics have emerged as the most exciting alternative to silicon, with Cornell researchers studying how the material can be grown to be more durable for optimal performance, and be recycled. 

Spent brewers’ grain could be big business as chicken feed

The grain could provide a more affordable alternative for the poultry industry, where about three-quarters of costs are tied up in feed. 

How to craft effective policy messages to advance equity

Expansion of the Child Tax Credit gives researchers a unique example of a universally praised social good that disproportionately benefited some populations.