Prolific author John Updike, twice honored with the Pulitzer Prize, will read from his works Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 8 p.m. in the Statler Auditorium of Statler Hall on the Cornell University campus. In addition, Updike will lead a colloquium titled "The Craft of Fiction: a Conversation with John Updike" Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. in Barnes Hall Auditorium. Both the reading and the colloquium are free and open to the public. Born in Shillington, Pa., in 1932, Updike is a 1954 graduate of Harvard University and the author of more than 50 books that span many literary genres. But he is perhaps best known as a novelist. Updike's first novel, PoorhouseFair, was published in 1959, and his most recent, Seek My Face, in 2002. High points in his novel-writing career include the quartet of Rabbit novels, Rabbit Run (1961), Rabbit Redux (1971), Rabbit is Rich (1981, Pulitzer Prize) and Rabbit at Rest (1990, a second Pulitzer); and the trilogy of Bech books: Bech, A Book (1970), Bech is Back (1982) and Bech at Bay (1998). In addition, Updike has written collections of short stories, poetry, art and literary criticism, memoirs and a play. (November 12, 2003)
Community organizations the Life Writing Project and Veterans Sanctuary have joined the Center for Transformative Action as project partners. (July 15, 2010)
Cornell's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences has received $7.5 million from the National Science Foundation for the continuing support of the Jicamarca Radio Observatory near Lima, Peru. (March 1, 2010)
A decade after its creation, the Department of Biomedical Engineering has received a $50 million gift that will expand and elevate it as the Nancy E. and Peter C. Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering.
Weill Hall, the new state-of-the-art life sciences building, was officially dedicated Oct. 16 as its primary donors, Sanford and Joan Weill, unlocked a DNA-shaped gate.
Cornell will honor 35 secondary school teachers, some from as far away as Poland, Singapore and China, May 20. The teachers will be brought to campus and recognized for their inspirational teaching with a $4,000 scholarship in their names for future Cornell students from their schools or regions.