$25 million CU-Saudi link will boost nanoscale research
A new partnership between Cornell and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in Saudi Arabia promises to strengthen Cornell's research efforts in energy and sustainability. (April 30, 2008)

New hope to aid antibiotics comes with era of 'anti-infectives'
As antibiotics lose effectiveness against drug-resistant bacteria, researchers hope virulence factors could provide new targets for combating infectious disease. (April 30, 2008)

Antioxidants may aid in Alzheimer's treatment, research shows
Curbing harmful processes in the brain's vasculature set off by the enzyme NADPH oxidase may reverse some of the cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease, Weill Cornell researchers found. (April 30, 2008)

Helping people with autism recognize faces could be in the eyes
In an ongoing study, Nim Tottenham, assistant professor of psychology in psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College, is examining how normal and autistic brains behave when viewing faces. (April 30, 2008)

Postdoc Research Day slated for May 8
Postdoctoral researchers from Cornell in Ithaca and Weill Cornell Medical College will come together in Ithaca May 8. More than 50 speakers and poster sessions will highlight a broad array of research. (April 30, 2008)

40 years of gay student activism is focus of new exhibition
'Queer Cornell: LGBT student activism, 1968-2008' is a new Olin Library exhibition documenting some of the actions taken by Cornell's early lesbian and gay activists. It is on view through Reunion Weekend. (April 30, 2008)

Art professor Norman D. Daly dies at age 96
Daly taught painting and drawing in the Department of Art at Cornell for 57 years (1943-1999), 24 of them as an emeritus professor. (April 30, 2008)

To learn computer science, first-year students program robots
An innovative course at Cornell makes beginning computer programming more exciting by letting students program robots. (April 28, 2008)

Manhattan extension training is a walk in the park
Cornell University Cooperative Extension-New York City has partnered with the Central Park Conservancy and NYC Parks Department to train staff and volunteers on the basics of horticulture and urban ecology. (April 28, 2008)

'Barack Obama and the Politics of Racism' to be discussed May 5
The talk, by Ronald Walters, author and expert on African-American leadership and politics, is free and open to the public. (April 28, 2008)

French revolutionary terror an exaggeration, say Lafayette experts
The French public was led to believe that heads rolled willy-nilly and that blood ran in the streets of Paris in 1793-94, when, in fact, that wasn't quite the case. (April 28, 2008)

New emergency sirens to be tested April 30
Cornell will conduct a full-scale test of its new emergency siren/public address system on Wednesday, April 30, at 11:05 a.m. (April 25, 2008)

Perkins Prize goes to Black Students United
Black Students United received the award for its sponsorship of 'Questions Out of a Hat,' an event that brought members from nine student organizations together to discuss diversity. (April 25, 2008)

John Foote '74 writes history of the Cornell Big Red bear
Once upon a time, the Cornell bear was a live cub who lived on East Hill. In his new book, alumnus John Foote chronicles the history of Touchdown the bear. (April 25, 2008)

Francis Fukuyama urges change in U.S. foreign policy
The next U.S. administration must work with weak Middle Eastern states and focus on Asia, especially China, asserts foreign policy expert Francis Fukuyama '74. (April 25, 2008)

Expert offers scant good news on failed and failing states
On the 28th anniversary of Robert Mugabe's rise to power in Zimbabwe, Robert Rotberg, president of the World Peace Foundation, conceded that he once was enamored with the Zimbabwean despot. (April 25, 2008)

Laws don't protect human rights, says Amnesty International head
When British and American forces invaded Iraq in 2003, they were unprepared for their obligations to keep local residents safe, said Director of Amnesty International for Asia Saman Zia-Zarifi '90, J.D. '93. (April 24, 2008)

Former engineering students help local food bank streamline
Three former operations research and information engineering master's students used advanced route optimization software to help a local meals-on-wheels program improve its efficiency. (April 24, 2008)

ILR School's Ron Ehrenberg to receive honorary doctorate
Cornell ILR Professor Ronald G. Ehrenberg will receive an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from the State University of New York's Binghamton University in May. (April 24, 2008)

'What Do You Do With a B.A. In English?' Write, teach and more
Faculty members gave undergraduates some concrete advice on the many practical uses for an English degree at a recent panel discussion organized by the student-run English Club. (April 24, 2008)

First nanoscale image of soil reveals an 'incredible' variety
By zooming in on soil at a scale of 50 nanometers, Cornell researchers find an incredible variety of known compounds, rich with patterns. (April 24, 2008)

India's economic engine needs an upgrade
The Indian economy has been growing at a breakneck pace, but the country is in need of financial reforms to make that growth sustainable and inclusive, says Cornell Professor Eswar Prasad. (April 24, 2008)

CU Hospital for Animals offers discounts for campus community
The Cornell University Hospital for Animals offers faculty, staff and students a 10 percent discount on routine wellness visits, emergency care and some specialty services. (April 24, 2008)

Cornell hosts joint symposium on accelerator science
Persis Drell, director of the Stanford Linear Accelerator and former professor of physics at Cornell, spoke to physicists and physics teachers on the state of national funding for the physical sciences. (April 23, 2008)

Stephen Paletta '87 wins 'Oprah's Big Give'
Paletta, a graduate of the College of Engineering, was named the 'Biggest Giver' on the reality television show after beating out nine other contestants. (April 23, 2008)

Chu calls for international cooperation to fight climate change
Steven Chu, who received the 1997 Nobel Prize for 'development of methods to cool and trap atoms with laser light,' delivered the 2008 Hans A. Bethe lecture at Cornell April 16. (April 23, 2008)

Engineering alumni give out awards at banquet
Cornell Minesweeper was one of several award recipients at the March 28 banquet, which honored both students and faculty in the College of Engineering. (April 23, 2008)

Cornell now offers pet insurance
In response to requests from the Cornell community, the university has just begun offering pet insurance to staff and faculty through Marsh@Work Solutions. (April 23, 2008)

'Planet doctor' warns that climate change will wipe out species
Eminent conservation biologist Thomas Lovejoy warns of dire consequences from global warming, April 18, at the Museum of the Earth. (April 22, 2008)

Smart buoys warn ships of endangered whales
Endangered North Atlantic right whales are safer along Massachusetts Bay's busy shipping lanes this spring, thanks to a new system of buoys that recognize whales' distinctive calls. (April 22, 2008)

Cornell University Press publishes art book of manuscript pages
A lavishly illustrated new book from Cornell University Press makes medieval manuscripts accessible to students and general readers. (April 22, 2008)

Roger Ellis '73 volunteers in Russia for Farmer-to-Farmer
The Cornell alumnus last traveled to Russia to volunteer on dairy farms through Farmer-to-Farmer, a USAID program. (April 22, 2008)

What horses can tell us now about the coming human flu pandemic
A Cornell expert believes that the next influenza pandemic is a lot more likely to be an H7 serotype rather than an H5, which has been circulating in the human population for almost 10 years. (April 22, 2008)

Skorton stresses humility and humanitarianism in 'Last Lecture'
Cornell President David Skorton's hypothetical 'Last Lecture,' April 17, emphasized humility, service and scientific skepticism. (April 22, 2008)

Andy Goldsworthy's final lecture as A.D. White Professor-at-Large
Artist Andy Goldsworthy, known for using natural materials to create striking images and unusual structures, spent his finals days as a professor-at-large creating an original piece of art for Cornell. (April 22, 2008)

Goldsworthy builds cairn in Cornell's Sapsucker Woods
Internationally acclaimed environmental artist Andy Goldsworthy has a new work tucked away in a quiet corner of Cornell's Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary -- a stone cairn standing sentinel beside a trail. (April 22, 2008)

Manhattan seventh-graders converge on Space Sciences
Seventh graders from a Manhattan school visited the astronomy department for two days of all things astronomy. (April 22, 2008)

Duke University Press joins Cornell Library in 'Project Euclid'
Cornell Library has partnered with Duke University Press to expand the services of Project Euclid, an online information community for independent publishers of mathematics and statistics journals. (April 21, 2008)

Drew Filus '95 writes and directs movie on dysfunctional family
Drew Filus '95 has a new DVD out titled 'Raw Footage,' a dramatic comedy that he wrote and directed about the complexities of love and family. (April 21, 2008)

Wirth calls for major changes in global politics
To combat global climate change, we need to change the rules underlying global politics and economics, said Timothy Wirth, president of the U.N. Foundation and Better World Fund, April 17. (April 21, 2008)

ILR School's Union Days draws hundreds of participants
The theme of this year's event was 'Worker Power and the '08 Election: Is Change for Real?' and despite the absence of a keynote speaker due to an emergency, events were well attended. (April 21, 2008)

Cornell MFA poets, alumni read at Poetry Month event
Three Cornell graduate student writers and a Weill Cornell M.D. read their original verse as part of the sixth annual Poem in Your Pocket Day, April 17 in New York City's Bryant Park. (April 18, 2008)

Taniguchi gives keynote address at Law School's WTO meeting
The WTO needs to revamp the way it resolves its disagreements, says Yasuhei Taniguchi, a 1964 Cornell Law graduate, in a speech at the Berger/Cornell International Law Journal symposium. (April 18, 2008)

Walter T. Federer, father of statistics department, dies at 92
Cornell Professor Emeritus of Biological Statistics and Computational Biology Walter T. Federer, who is credited with founding Cornell's original statistics department, died April 14. He was 92. (April 18, 2008)

Five receive Provost's Awards for Distinguished Scholarship
The $30,000 awards recognize outstanding tenured faculty early in their careers for distinguished research and scholarly achievements, combined with their continuing commitment to Cornell. (April 17, 2008)

Boyce Thompson researchers help rescue a Costa Rican rain forest
Researchers from the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Sciences at Cornell are doing what many thought was impossible: reviving a rain forest that was demolished 50 years ago. (April 17, 2008)

Skorton stresses CU communicators' role in Cornell's image
President Skorton attributes increase in student applications not only to faculty, teaching excellence and research, but also to student word-of-mouth and the work of Cornell's communications staff. (April 17, 2008)

Cornell mourns Board of Trustees Chairman Emeritus Stephen H. Weiss
Stephen H. Weiss '57, a presidential councilor and a board-elected member of the Cornell Board of Trustees for 24 years, including eight as chair, died on Wednesday, April 16, at age 72. (April 17, 2008)

Partnership agreement brings $2.3 million to Arecibo Observatory
Puerto Rican Governor Anibal S. Acevedo Vila and Arecibo Observatory officials signed an agreement to expand outreach and education to schoolchildren through the Angel Ramos Visitor Center. (April 16, 2008)

Rebillard, Smith are Mellon New Directions fellows
Professor of classics and history Eric Rebillard and Anna Marie Smith, professor of government, have received fellowships for 2008-09 to support extradisciplinary training for their research projects. (April 16, 2008)

Cornell researcher finds fossilized shell-breaking crab
Cornell paleontologist Greg Dietl's chance discovery of a 69 million-year-old crab fossil shows that shell-breaking crabs lived 20 million years earlier than scientists thought. (April 16, 2008)

General Anthony Zinni discusses the future of global politics
The next president of the United States needs to truly understand and engage the 'new world order,' says Retired General Anthony Zinni. (April 16, 2008)

CNN contributor Roland Martin to speak on race and ethics
Journalist and author Roland S. Martin will deliver a commentary on race, politics, and ethics in public life in his talk, 'It's Time For Us to Rebuild,' April 20 at 4 p.m. in Sage Chapel. (April 16, 2008)

Chinese economist Shi Zhengfu to give Clarke Lecture April 24
Economist Shi Zhengfu will address how recent market and political reforms are deeply linked in his talk, sponsored by the Clarke Program in East Asian Law and Culture. (April 16, 2008)

Cornell students win prizes for book collections
Cornell University Library announced the winners of its 6th annual Book Collection Contest April 14. (April 16, 2008)

How to gauge your life insurance needs
The special open enrollment period for long-term care and life insurance ends May 2. Paul Bursic, director of Benefit Services, provides a framework for estimating the amount of life insurance you should have. (April 16, 2008)

New local business network focuses on disabilities
Business representatives from all over central New York as well as staff from Cornell and the Tompkins County Chamber of Commerce met April 2 to inaugurate the Business Leadership Network of CNY. (April 16, 2008)

Mike Huckabee speaks at Cornell on religion and politics
The former presidential candidate talked about the role of faith in his politics during his visit to Cornell April 15. (April 16, 2008)

CU creates country's first veterinary clinical fellows program
The College of Veterinary Medicine's new two-year Clinical Fellows Program is the first in the country to address a growing shortage of academic veterinarians who conduct research on animal diseases. (April 15, 2008)

Itai Cohen uses physics to study cartilage strain
Assistant professor of physics Itai Cohen studies soft condensed matter, an example of which is human cartilage. One of his goals is to better understand the physics of how cartilage moves. (April 15, 2008)

Scrimple.com wins 'Big Idea' business competition
Matt Ackerson '09 won $2,500 as the winner of Entrepreneurship@Cornell's 'The Big Idea' contest for his Web site that offers college students downloadable coupons for discounts at local businesses. (April 15, 2008)

Sherman Cochran wins Levenson prize for China book
Sherman Cochran, a Cornell professor of Chinese history, has been awarded the annual Joseph Levenson Prize in Chinese Studies for his 2006 book 'Chinese Medicine Men.' (April 15, 2008)

Powwow gives Cornellians a glimpse of Native American culture
American Indians from communities in upstate New York, including the Oneida and Onondaga Nations, came to campus for Cornell's Ninth Annual Powwow and Smokedance, Saturday, April 12. (April 15, 2008)

A taste of Thailand comes to Willard Straight Hall
The Cornell Thai Association celebrated the Thai new year by showing off Thai culture to the Cornell community at Thai Fest in Willard Straight Hall on April 12. (April 15, 2008)

Cornell benefactor John Butler Babcock '48 dies at age 85
John Butler Babcock, a Cornell 'foremost benefactor,' was active in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell Plantations and the Johnson Museum. (April 15, 2008)

Milstein champions entrepreneurial thinking in keynote address
There are always ways to improve a situation and do things better than they've been done before, said Howard Milstein '73, the 2008 Entrepreneur of the Year, at the Entrepreneurship@Cornell Celebration. (April 14, 2008)

Postdoc Research Day, May 8, to showcase Cornell research
More than 50 speakers and poster sessions will highlight the broad array of research taking place across Cornell's campuses, and judges are still needed to assess the presentations throughout the day. (April 14, 2008)

Association should ban scholars from doing secret research
Retired anthropology professor Terence Turner discusses how the American Anthropological Association may allow its members to conduct secret research for corporations, the military or the government. (April 14, 2008)

CIT will charge students for wireless off-campus traffic
Beginning June 1, CIT will begin tracking student network usage by NetID instead of by IP address so that Wi-Fi usage is included. (April 14, 2008)

Bear Access will no longer do it for you
Bear Access is moving with the times. It will no longer install software for you but is still the link to Cornell-tested and supported network applications. (April 14, 2008)

Sustainability workshop with Tsinghua University is April 29-30
A group of delegates from Tsinghua University will travel to Ithaca to attend the workshop, titled 'Sustainable Development: Water Resources, Energy and the Environment.' (April 11, 2008)

Low-income households use the Internet more
There is a 'digital divide,' but a study shows that low-income households spend more time online than others, using it for e-mail, researching purchases, finding health information and reading news. (April 11, 2008)

'America's Best Colleges?' According to whom?
U.S. News takes into account endowment per student and alumni donations, among other factors. Are variables like these representative of the experiences that we have while we're on East Hill? (April 11, 2008)

'Guess who's coming to dinner? My professor!'
Faculty-student relationships are at the heart of the West Campus House System, where residents frequently interact with house fellows, and Far Above ... The Campaign for Cornell makes it possible. (April 11, 2008)

Call for Slope Day 2008 volunteers
Volunteers for Slope Day, May 2, are needed to help make the last day of classes safe, relaxing and enjoyable for everyone. (April 11, 2008)

Biography of CU's Bob Lorenzen is presented to Cornell Library
Margaret Brownell Lorenzen presented two copies of 'A Life to Remember: The Life of Robert Theodore Lorenzen,' a biography she wrote about her husband, a Cornell professor emeritus. (April 11, 2008)

Questions and answers about long-term care
As announced in last week's paper, a special open enrollment period for long-term care and life insurance and for a new pet insurance program will be held April 21-May 2. (April 11, 2008)

Five undergrads earn prestigious Udall and Goldwater scholarships
Juniors Jessie Comba, Katherine McEachern and Ryan Walter have won 2007-09 Morris K. Udall Scholarship. Sophomore Parbir Grewal and junior Anna Owczarczyk have received Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships. (April 10, 2008)

Institute for the Social Sciences to focus on persistent poverty
'Persistent Poverty and Upward Mobility' will look at comparative research on why some people remain poor for long periods of time while others manage to escape poverty. (April 10, 2008)

Tale of exoneration emphasizes need for death penalty law reform
Kirk Noble Bloodsworth sported a blue silk necktie with a DNA model during two talks at Cornell Law School, April 1. The tie is far more than window dressing: It symbolizes the key to his freedom. (April 10, 2008)

Ted Lowi honored with prestigious Madison award
Ted Lowi will receive the American Political Science Association's 2008 James Madison Award, which recognizes a career of scholarly excellence. It is one of the highest accolades of the profession. (April 10, 2008)

Online videos for pet owners and veterinarians viewed globally
The Partners in Animal Health Web site offers free, state-of-the-art videos with 3-D animations on such topics as basic pet care, diabetes management and cancer in pets. (April 10, 2008)

Former bird lab artist-in-residence pens climate book for kids
Lynne Cherry has published 'How We Know What We Know About Our Changing Climate: Scientists and Kids Explore Global Warming,' which was influenced by her stay at Cornell. (April 10, 2008)

Barbara Viniar to leave Cornell for Chesapeake College
Viniar has served as executive director of Cornell/State University of New York Institute for Community College Development since July 2003. (April 10, 2008)

Entrepreneurship@Cornell swag bag
The 300 people attending Entrepreneurship@Cornell's Celebration banquet dinner April 10 will receive a gift bag stuffed with about 30 sample products from companies connected with Cornell. (April 10, 2008)

Hotel Ezra Cornell focuses on the business side of hospitality
'Showcasing Hospitality Education Through Student Leadership' was the mission of the 83rd student-run Hotel Ezra Cornell conference, held April 3-6. (April 9, 2008)

Tests of emergency alert systems set for April 16, 23 and 30
Cornell will conduct tests of its emergency notification system April 16, 23 and 30. Cornell's four newly installed emergency alert sirens will undergo a full-scale test April 30 at 12:15 p.m. (April 9, 2008)

Junot Diaz, MFA '95, wins Pulitzer Prize for fiction
'The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,' the unconventional debut novel by Junot Diaz, MFA '95, has won the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for fiction. (April 9, 2008)

Huckabee to discuss religion and politics April 15 at Cornell
Mike Huckabee, former dark horse Republican presidential nominee, will speak about the role of religion in politics at Cornell on April 15. (April 9, 2008)

Bethe lecturer Steven Chu has good and bad news about energy
The conservation and renewable energy technologies we have now will probably not be enough, but hopeful new technologies, such as converting biomass into fuel are under study, Chu says. (April 9, 2008)

Discovery could lead to attack on mosquito-borne disease
Cornell researchers have identified a mating mechanism that possibly could be adapted to prevent female mosquitoes from spreading the viruses that cause dengue fever. (April 9, 2008)

Cornell studies using vitamin D as cancer prevention
Researchers in Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine are collaborating with the Roswell Park Cancer Institute to study vitamin D's role in preventing cancer in several animal models. (April 9, 2008)

Cornell can do well by doing good, tech transfer leader says
Alan Paau, vice provost for technology transfer, says Cornell's technology transfer strategy is but about building the local economy and getting the results of research out into the world. (April 9, 2008)

Glee Club and Chorus recall tour of China
The Cornell Glee Club and Chorus have returned from a two-week concert tour and cultural exchange in the People's Republic of China that saw them perform in Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong. (April 9, 2008)

April 12 symposium honors Nobelist Robert Richardson
A symposium honoring Cornell's Robert Richardson will bring speakers from university, industry and government research programs to campus to discuss low-temperature physics and the role of scientific research. (April 8, 2008)

Caffeine prevents MS-like disease in mice
High quantities of caffeine may do more than just keep people awake. The stimulant may one day offer researchers a way to prevent multiple sclerosis. (April 8, 2008)

Cornell announces plans for an on-campus teaching winery
At the April 2 'Cornell Celebrates New York Wines' gala in New York City, Susan Henry, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, announced plans for a teaching winery at the Cornell Orchards. (April 8, 2008)

School of Criticism and Theory will convene for 12th year at CU
Topics to be discussed at the School of Criticism and Theory, June 15 to July 24, will range from torture, disbelief, espionage, sovereignty and responsibility to modern jazz, experimental art, the lyric and bilingualism. (April 8, 2008)

Kristof warns of 'genocide fatigue' in urging action in Darfur
Speaking April 5, New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof urged audience members to pressure China to use its influence in Sudan to end the genocide and to pressure the U.S. government to act more proactively. (April 8, 2008)

Cornell's self-coached skating team takes fifth at nationals
Despite no coach and few resources, the Cornell Figure Skating Team took fifth place out of 10 teams competing at the U.S. Figure Skating National Intercollegiate Championships in Ann Arbor, Mich., April 5-6. (April 8, 2008)

Vet College's Paul Maza receives teaching excellence award
Paul Maza, a lecturer in anatomy at Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, received the 2008 Teaching Excellence Award in Basic Science by the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. (April 8, 2008)

Microsoft Office will be available free to all faculty and staff
Cornell departments will no longer need to purchase Microsoft Office or its upgrades. The university has enrolled in the Microsoft Campus Agreement Program, which will make the software available to all faculty and staff. (April 8, 2008)

America's 'Hottest Ivy' attracts record number of applicants
Cornell has received an all-time high of 33,011 applications for freshman admission, the Office of Admissions and Enrollment announced last week. (April 7, 2008)

U.S. News and World Report ranks CU engineering No. 9
Cornell's College of Engineering has the ninth-best graduate program in the country, up one spot from year-earlier rankings, according to U.S. News and World Report. (April 7, 2008)

Feline Follies charity cat show draws kids, cats, adults
Chauncey, my ex-stray tabby cat, accompanied me to Feline Follies 2008, an annual charity cat show hosted by Cornell's Feline Club. (April 7, 2008)

Jerry Stiller brings down the house
Cornell Hillel brought comic actor Jerry Stiller to campus April 2 to take a 90-minute, laugh-filled trip down showbiz memory lane. (April 7, 2008)

Young professionals work with NYC extension to become leaders
Cornell Cooperative Extension-New York City has just 'graduated' its inaugural class of young professionals in a new program, Strength Through Diversity -- Young Professionals Leadership Program. (April 7, 2008)

'Gold rush' of food stores in India has led to many failures
Domestic companies scrambling to carpet the country with modern grocery stores before foreign retailers can get a foothold don't have the food-retailing skills, says Cornell food marketing expert. (April 7, 2008)

Cornell marketing experts help develop India's food industry
Two Cornell food marketing experts helped Indian marketing experts boost their country's fledgling food industry by offering a five-day executive development program in India. (April 7, 2008)

American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault visits Cornell
In an interview with USA Today reporter David Lieberman on campus April 3, American Express CEO Kenneth Chenault shared thoughts on success, leadership and business strategies. (April 4, 2008)

Professor emeritus Leonard Dworsky dies at 93
Longtime civil and environmental engineering faculty member Leonard B. Dworsky died March 28 after a short illness. He was 93 years old. (April 4, 2008)

Cornell robot sets a record for distance walking
A Cornell robot that emulates some aspects of human walking has set an unofficial world record by walking nonstop a little over 9 kilometers, or 5.6 miles. (April 4, 2008)

Weill Cornell issues statement on cancer research
Weill Cornell Medical College has refuted an article in The New York Times alleging that two researchers did not fully disclose that their research on CT screening for the early detection of lung cancer was partially funded by a tobacco company. (April 4, 2008)

Symposium to address failed states and lessons from Darfur
Cornell's Institute for African Development will host a two-day symposium, 'Failed and Failing States in Africa: Lessons From Darfur and Beyond,' April 18-19, in the ILR Conference Center. (April 4, 2008)

Sometimes it's '300 degrees of separation'
A study of Internet chain letters shows that such messages do not fan out widely, reaching many people in a short time, but instead travel in long straight lines, with the last recipient several hundred steps away from the originator. (April 4, 2008)

Team heads to Doha to develop a new student ambassador program
Over spring break, three Cornell students and Dean of Students Kent Hubbell visited Qatar to see how undergraduates in Ithaca can collaborate with their premedical counterparts in Doha as part of the Ithaca-Qatar Ambassadors. (April 4, 2008)

New open enrollment period and pet insurance announced
Within the next week, all staff and faculty who are eligible for Cornell benefits will receive a booklet at their home address announcing a special benefits open enrollment period for long-term care insurance and life insurance. (April 4, 2008)

Library staff treated to a monthlong wellness series
Chair yoga, mindfulness and computer ergonomics were big hits in a special series organized by Cornell University Library for employees. (April 4, 2008)

So much to do with so little time: What's a person to do?
Jim Sheridan, senior trainer for Cornell's Organizational Development Services, offered a two-hour workshop on time management, March 11, in Olin Library. (April 4, 2008)

Stephanie Specchio is Vet College's new communications director
Stephanie Specchio has been named the new communications director of Cornell's College of Veterinary Medicine, effective April 14. (April 4, 2008)

Cornell humor magazine celebrates 30 years of laughs
Cornell Lunatic founder Joey Green '80 returned to campus April 1 to mark the humor magazine's 30th anniversary and to launch the book he edited, 'Lunacy: The Best of the Cornell Lunatic.' (April 3, 2008)

Gannett offers free syphilis testing in response to rise in cases
Nine people in Tompkins County have been diagnosed with syphilis in the past year, compared with a typical rate of one case a year. Gannett is offering free testing in an effort to prevent further transmission. (April 3, 2008)

Undergrad entrepreneurs ready their pitches for Big Idea finals
Ten undergraduates are vying for prize money in the second Big Idea Competition for their creative business ideas. Watch their pitches and help determine the winners April 11, 4-5:30 p.m., in 196 Beck Center, Statler Hall. (April 3, 2008)

Business incubator opens for entrepreneurial undergraduates
The Student Agencies eLab will help Cornell undergraduates develop business ideas into action with access to a network of successful alumni mentors and investors and a suite of professional services. (April 3, 2008)

Engineering school uses entrepreneurial approach
Sixteen student project teams in the College of Engineering hone their entrepreneurial skills by building vehicles and other projects to enter national competitions. (April 3, 2008)

Cornell Police is beefing up public-safety patrols
Cornell Police will be stepping up its collaboration with local law enforcement organizations to heighten the visibility of public-safety patrols around the Cornell campus for the rest of the spring semester. (April 3, 2008)

Three researchers earn Hartwell awards for work to help children
Three Cornell researchers will receive Hartwell awards for their cutting-edge research to benefit children: Charles Glatt and Anjali Rajadhyaksha of Weill Cornell Medical College and John March in Ithaca. (April 3, 2008)

Emergency preparedness public forum is April 9
A meeting and forum on campus emergency preparedness and strategies, hosted by the Campus-Community Coalition, will be held Wednesday, April 9, 6:30-8 p.m. at the Africana Studies and Research Center, 310 Triphammer Road. (April 3, 2008)

CU's student-built satellite system is a finalist set for launch
Cornell's CUSat -- a satellite system designed to separate in orbit to photograph each other -- is one of the three finalists for a June launch from the SpaceX launch complex. (April 2, 2008)

Skorton expresses support for Asian, Asian-American cultural center
A cultural center on the Cornell campus that serves the Asian and Asian-American community is one step closer to reality after President David Skorton gave his support during a March 31 forum. (April 2, 2008)

New university librarian takes on many challenges
Anne Kenney's challenges include filling a number of senior library management positions, raising $40 million, investing in collections, expanding digital services and more. (April 2, 2008)

Cornell robot falls, fails to break a record, but students learn
An attempt to set an unofficial world record for how far a robot could walk failed the night of March 30, but the team keeps trying. (April 2, 2008)

Ethnic co-existence in Kenya is critical for harmony, says panel
Panelists discuss Kenya's tribal warfare, politics and elections in a forum in conjunction with Heal Kenya, a campaign at Cornell to raise money to help Kenyans displaced by ethnic violence. (April 2, 2008)

Big Red Relief sponsors panel and concert for Iraq refugees
Cornell's Big Red Relief will host a panel discussion of experts about Iraqi refugees on April 8 and a benefit concert April 11 in Bailey Hall to aid those refugees. (April 2, 2008)

Feline Follies, April 5, to feature contests, health talks
Feline Follies, a charity cat show event, will include contests, activities and adoptions as well as lectures on cat health and behavior in the atrium of the Veterinary Education Center. (April 2, 2008)

Suber brings 'Spoglia' dance show home to New Orleans
New Orleans native Byron Suber, a senior lecturer in dance at Cornell, brought his 'Spoglia' dance production to his hometown March 21 for an outdoor performance. (April 2, 2008)

Gates Foundation awards $26.8M to CU to fight deadly wheat plague
Cornell has been awarded a $26.8 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to launch the Durable Rust Resistance in Wheat project, a broad-based global partnership to combat stem rust, a deadly wheat disease that poses a serious threat to global food security. (April 2, 2008)

Wheat stem rust threatens consumers on a global scale
After decades of relative quiet, black stem rust fungus has emerged again in a virulent new form for which 90 percent of the world's wheat varieties have no resistance. (April 2, 2008)

Poet Maya Angelou to deliver 2008 Convocation address
Renowned author, poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou will deliver the 2008 Cornell Convocation address to graduating seniors Saturday, May 24, at noon in Schoellkopf Stadium. (April 1, 2008)

Farred recounts a lifelong obsession with Liverpool football
Cornell faculty member Grant Farred related his lifelong love for the Liverpool Football Club and read from his recent memoir 'Long Distance Love' at the Cornell Store March 28. (April 1, 2008)

Engineering alumni conference focuses on sustainability
Solving the world's energy problems isn't just about research into new technologies, and neither is Cornell research on sustainability, a group of experts told Cornell engineering alumni. (April 1, 2008)

Three ECE professors receive DARPA young faculty awards
Lenses and prisms for electron waves, combined mechanical and optical oscillators and terahertz frequency generators are 'high-risk' projects at Cornell receiving DARPA Young Faculty Awards. (April 1, 2008)

Nanotechnology and commercialization conference is April 10
The Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility will host a workshop and networking reception to highlight success stories from nanotechnology ventures and small-business grants. (April 1, 2008)

Cornell Vet College hosts open house April 12
The College of Veterinary Medicine's 42nd annual open house will highlight such activities as milking a cow, watching students ultrasound dogs' hearts and education and career sessions. (April 1, 2008)

Bird watchers help the Great Backyard Bird Count set new records
More checklists submitted and more species identified than ever before made this year's Great Backyard Bird Count a banner year. (April 1, 2008)

Obama's speech called 'unprecedented, risky, daring' by panelists
A panel of five Cornell professors and administrators talked on the topic 'American's Original Sin: Obama, Race, Religion and Politics' before several hundred people in Sage Chapel on March 27. (April 1, 2008)

Members of Hillel and Black Students United break bread together
On March 30, Jewish and African-American students ate dinner together and talked about religion and culture at Ithaca's St. James AME Zion Church as part of the 'Breaking Bread' diversity series. (April 1, 2008)

Students pull an all-nighter to raise money for cancer research
Many of the nearly 3,000 participants in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at Cornell, March 29, were up until 6 a.m. in Barton Hall to fight cancer -- and have a little fun. (April 1, 2008)