Catherine M. Oertel, a doctoral candidate in chemistry and chemical biology at Cornell University, has been named a new Discovery Corps postdoctoral fellow by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study corrosion in Baroque-era pipe organs and to develop lesson plans about the physics, chemistry and materials science of musical sound for middle and high school students. Oertel is one of the first six fellows in the new Discovery Corps, an NSF pilot program that is exploring innovative ways for scientists to combine their research expertise with service to society. (July 19, 2004)
The second annual "Cornell on the Commons" community event is scheduled for Saturday, Aug 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. on the downtown Ithaca Commons. Cornell on the Commons, which also is a featured part of the university's Welcome Weekend at the beginning of the fall semester, has the dual purpose of familiarizing Cornell students with downtown Ithaca, while also showcasing many of the Cornell programs and services open to the Ithaca community. (July 19, 2004)
Cornell alumnus Steven B. Belkin, chairman and founder of Trans National Group, will be honored on campus, Oct. 14-15, as Cornell Entrepreneur of the Year 2004.
Despite the efforts of food retailers and food-processing plant managers to maintain a clean, safe environment, strains of the deadly pathogen Listeria monocytogenes can persist for up to a year or longer, according to Cornell food scientists.
Without enough estrogen-like hormone in their systems, female plainfin midshipman fish turn a deaf ear to the alluring love songs of the males. And, according to Cornell biologists, a similar steroid-sensitive response could underlie changes in the hearing sensitivity of humans.
PASADENA, Calif. -- Since the beginning of January the Cornell University team running the panoramic cameras, or Pancams, on the two Mars rovers, Spirit and Opportunity, has been largely functioning out of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena. That's where instructions are uplinked, or sent, to the two roving vehicles. But as the mission ages -- in April NASA extended its life until at least mid-September -- demand is growing for space at JPL for other missions, such as Deep Impact and the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. (Both missions also have Cornell involvement; the first studies the interior of a comet, the second will get even higher-resolution orbital data on Mars.) In addition, the Mars science team members need to get back to their universities. (July 14, 2004)
Don't categorically reject hormone replacement therapy (HRT) just yet: When women begin HRT before age 60, their risk of death is 39 percent less than women not on hormones, according to a new survey. The findings are based on a Cornell University-Stanford University meta-analysis (a study of other previously published studies), which pooled the results of 30 clinical trials of HRT with almost 27,000 women. (July 13, 2004)
The Cornell Public Service Center has announced the selection of the two fellows for the fourth annual Cornell Civic Leaders Fellowship Program, Gary Ferguson and George Ferrari.
Cornell University scientists are launching a full-scale study on the influence of climate on mosquito populations that transmit diseases such as West Nile virus (WNV) to humans. Funded by a $495,000 Global Programs grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the three-year project is a collaborative effort involving medical entomologists, climatologists, social scientists and risk analysts, as well as local and state health department officials. "We propose to develop a system for predicting and monitoring risk of mosquito vectors, West Nile virus transmission and human health risk that will be readily usable by public health professionals for decision-making," says Laura Harrington, Cornell assistant professor of entomology and the project's principal investigator. "This system will provide a mechanism for early warning of West Nile virus risk and serve as a model for other existing and future vector-borne disease risks for which vectors are already present in the United States. These risks include Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis and Ross River viruses." (July 12, 2004)
Researchers at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Report Findings of Phase I Clinical Trial of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment for Advanced Prostate Cancer.