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In our department we value science and education grounded in the natural history of organisms, and strive to understand the patterns and processes that structure communities and ecosystems, and drive evolutionary change over all geographical and time scales. As new methods provide insight into ecological and evolutionary mechanism and function, we seek to refine fundamental concepts, integrate findings into novel theory, and address environmental challenges. As a department we are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and belonging - values that underlie all we do.
Cornell’s Experimental Ponds Facility is a research and teaching resource operated by our department. For over 50 years, a broad range of field and experimental projects have utilized the Ponds facility. Past and ongoing studies provide valuable insights and solutions into a variety of topics including: conservation of migratory birds; and a broadened understanding of nutrient and chemical pathways in aquatic environments. Research teams from EEB's Holgerson and Vitousek Labs are currently using the Ponds facility for their research programs.
Researchers including Christine Goodale of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences developed a satellite-based method to track European spongy moth defoliation and improve forest pest management. The study also found warm, dry summers may help predict larger moth outbreaks the following year.
The group of 50 scholars will talk about how to build an undergraduate educational experience that crosses both disciplinary boundaries and institutional lines.
A study from Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences finds that dead bacteria can shape infection outcomes via immune responses. Researchers Alex Vladimirsky and Stephen Ellner developed a mathematical model showing how microbial corpses sequester antimicrobial peptides.
Cornell researchers have developed an online module, running just over an hour in length, that can be offered as a way to instill concepts of critical thinking early in a student’s academic journey.
The 12 early-career scholars will pursue research in the sciences, social sciences and humanities.