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.


For a student with diabetes, research is power

When Kaavian Shariati ’20 learned he had Type 1 diabetes shortly before arriving at Cornell, he was shocked not only by his new responsibilities – monitoring his insulin levels day and night – but by the state of diabetes research.

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Digital ‘virus’ helps researchers map potential spread

A team including a Cornell researcher has developed a digital “virus” that could piggyback on contact-tracing apps and spread from smartphone to smartphone in real time, helping policymakers predict COVID-19 spread.

Atkinson COVID-19 grants could inform policy decisions

Cornell Atkinson has announced its first two Rapid Response Fund grants aimed at helping find solutions to issues created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Website charts COVID-19 spread across NY state

A website developed by a Cornell team offers insight into the rate of coronavirus infections across New York state.

Mass-produced microscopic sensors see the light

Cornell researchers created low-cost, mass-produced nanoscale sensors that harness light for power and communication.

Launch of Wildlife Health Center moves science into action

The Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine announces the establishment of the Cornell Wildlife Heath Center, which aims to catalyze multidisciplinary collaboration to address global wildlife health challenges.

Model simulator helps researchers map complex physics phenomena

A Cornell-led collaboration has created a model simulator from overlapping ultrathin monolayers and have used it to map a longstanding conundrum in physics.

Minorities have broader view of environmental issues

Minorities and lower-income people are more likely than high-income people and whites to consider human factors such as racism and poverty to be environmental issues, a study co-led by Cornell researchers found.

Radical Collaboration sees new hires, custom approaches

More than three years into the provost’s Radical Collaboration initiative, about 15 faculty members have been hired across fields and colleges, partnerships continue to spark research and bold approaches, and the strategic task forces feeding the program are crafting their own approaches to the effort.