Notables

Ulrich Neisser, professor of psychology, delivered the commencement address and received an honorary degree at the New School for Social Research in May 19 ceremonies in New York City's Riverside Church. Neisser was cited at the school's 62nd commencement for pioneering research that has "increased understanding of human cognition and helped to create the field of cognitive psychology." In conferring the honorary doctor of humane letters degree, New School President Jonathan F. Fanton said of Neisser: "You are a true rebel but always with a cause. You challenged the field to abandon the paradigms and theories of behaviorism and explore the complex mental activity lying below the surface of behavior."

Denise J. Clark, associate director of Sponsored Programs, will co-chair a national conference on electronic research administration sponsored by the National Council of University Research Administrators. The conference, titled "ERA III: The Dream Is Becoming a Reality," will be held Aug. 6-8 in Atlanta and is expected to draw at least 500 people from university research offices, the federal government and the software industry. Clark and co-chair Pamela Webb of the University of California, Santa Barbara, designed the entire program of the conference, which includes educational sessions and discussions about the use of computer technology and the World Wide Web in administering research projects and finding and applying for funding. "This will be the third conference," Clark said. "The first was to identify what could be done, the second was talking about it, and this one will show some successful examples of how it can be done." Among the examples, she said, will be presentations by Cornellians Joanne DeStefano, associate university controller; Jeffrey Silber, Theory Center director of administration; Marjorie Hodges, policy adviser to Cornell Information Technologies; and Tammy Custer, reports control officer in Sponsored Programs.

Thomas D. Fox, professor of genetics and development, has been elected as a fellow in the American Academy of Microbiology. The organization represents all of microbiology, including basic and applied research, teaching, public health, industry and government service. Fellows are elected for demonstrated scientific excellence, originality, leadership, high ethical standards and scholarly and creative achievement.