Areas of Research

Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Science

Cornell has a long and distinguished history in the fields of biogeochemistry and ecosystem science.

Biology Education Research

Cornell is a leader in the emerging field of Discipline-Based Education Research that explores teaching and learning from the perspective of a particular discipline, such as biology.

Community Ecology and Population Biology

Community ecology and population biology are particular areas of strength, covering the nature of species interactions, the composition of species assemblages over space and time, evolutionary ecology (including trait-mediated interactions), and population dynamics.

Evolutionary Patterns and Processes

Research in our department spans the micro- to macroevolution continuum and includes the evolution of genes and genomes; the developmental basis of evolutionary change; the interplay between ecology, behavior and evolution; and the origin, maintenance, and classification of diversity.

Intimate Organismal Interactions and Chemical Ecology

The study of mediated chemically organismal interactions has a long and successful history at Cornell. There is also a strength of research in disease ecology and developing expertise in microbiomes.

Organismal Biology

Organismal biology, the study of structure, function, ecology and evolution at the level of the organism, provides a rich arena for investigation on its own, but also plays a central role in answering conceptual questions about both ecology and evolution

Sustainability, Environment and Conservation

Learn about some specific projects relevant to real-world problems