Alumni Newsletter Fall 2025
Meet the Dean
Dear Graduate School Alumni,
I’m honored to introduce myself as the new dean of the Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell. Since arriving on campus this summer, I’ve been inspired by the depth of scholarship, the vibrancy of our graduate community, and the enduring impact of Cornell alumni around the world.
Before joining Cornell, I served as dean of the Graduate School at Brown University, where I focused on fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing inclusive excellence. My academic background is in religious studies and German intellectual traditions, and I continue to teach and write in these areas as a professor in the College of Arts & Sciences.
I am committed to strengthening the graduate experience at Cornell by advancing rigorous research, supporting the whole student, enhancing professional development, and expanding access for students from all backgrounds. I believe that graduate education is not only about advancing knowledge—it’s about cultivating leaders, thinkers, and changemakers who shape our world.
As alumni, you are vital to this mission. Your achievements reflect the power of a Cornell graduate education, and your engagement helps us build a stronger, more connected community. I look forward to learning from you, celebrating your successes, and working together to support the next generation of scholars.
Warm regards,
Thomas A. Lewis
Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate Education
Professor of Religious Studies and German Studies
Read Meet the Dean: Nine Questions for Dean Lewis
Graduate School News
Photo: Provided
“A Lasting Difference”: Donor’s Fund Enables Travel, Inspires Collaboration
Graduate research can take a person far—in miles traveled and in life. Andrew Kligerman, Ph.D. ’77, learned this firsthand while studying at Cornell and is now paying it forward to help current graduate students expand their horizons through the Andrew Kligerman Fund.
Read more about the Andrew Kligerman Fund.
More Graduate School News
- Erika Tatiana Camacho, Ph.D. ’09: Embrace Your Identity for Success in Grad School and Beyond
- Two Doctoral Students Awarded DOE Fellowships
- Philosophy Ph.D. Candidate Wins Newcombe Fellowship
- Wayne Scales, Ph.D. ’88: Finding Success as Faculty
Research with Impact
Photo: Provided
Students’ Color-changing Tomato Reaches National Contest Finals
An invention developed by two Cornell doctoral students, Jacob Belding and Ava Forystek, that turns engineered tomato plants a vivid red when soil nitrogen levels are low has been named a finalist in the national Collegiate Inventors Competition.
Read more about the RedAlert Living Sensors.
More Research with Impact
- Ph.D. Student’s Nonprofit Seeks to Protect Amazonian Biodiversity and Culture
- Ethan Duvall, ecology and evolutionary biology doctoral candidate
- AI Tool Helps Students Build Confidence Speaking Foreign Languages
- Jadon Geathers, information science doctoral student
- New Perovskite Design Sets Solar Cells on Path to Stability
- Shripathi Ramakrishnan, chemical engineering doctoral candidate
Alumni Spotlights
- Ibrahim Gemeah, Ph.D. ’23 (Near Eastern studies)
- Jen Grauer, Ph.D. ’24 (natural resources and the environment)
- Heather Kim, Ph.D. ’24 (design and environmental analysis)
- Leah Shenandoah, Ph.D. ’23 (fiber science and apparel design)
Cornell and Ithaca News
Photo: Provided
Thomas A. Lewis Named Graduate School Dean, Vice Provost
Thomas A. Lewis, former dean of Brown University’s Graduate School, has been named the next dean of Cornell’s Graduate School and vice provost for graduate education, Provost Kavita Bala announced June 3.
Read more about Dean Lewis.
More Cornell and Ithaca News
- Crowning Glory: McGraw Tower’s Renovations are Complete
- New Era, New Olin: Library Unveils Sweeping Interior Renovations
- Collegetown 101: How Ezra’s University Shaped a Neighborhood
Mentorship Opportunity
Interested in Connecting with Graduate Students Through Mentorship and Career Conversation?
This February, the Graduate School will host a week of events to help graduate students and postdocs prepare for their career journeys with confidence and balance. We invite Cornell alumni to get involved by sharing their experience through brief mentorship opportunities – résumé reviews, career chats, or industry insights.
Interested? Complete a short form to tell us how you’d like to participate.
Quizzes and Puzzles
Photo: Allison Usavage
Free Cornell-themed Quizzes and Puzzles
Test your knowledge of Big Red-bred fruit with an apple-themed crossword puzzle, identify the locations of 16 of Willard Straight Hall’s architectural details, figure out which classic chimes song you are, or brush up on your Cornell trivia with quizzes, puzzles, and trivia from Cornellians!
Explore the quizzes and puzzles.
Planned Giving
By including the Cornell University Graduate School as a beneficiary of your planned gifts, you can ensure that your legacy will help prepare future generations of leaders. Our team of experts can work with you and your advisors to make sure your personal planning and charitable giving objectives are met in a way that is fulfilling and maximizes the benefits of available tax incentives. Contact the Office of Trusts, Estates, and Gift Planning (gift_planning@cornell.edu) to get more information about the options.
Alumni in the News
Photo: Ryan Young/Cornell University
Nobel Laureate Shares Research Exploring the Origins of Life
Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak, Ph.D. ’77, shared decades of research into one of biology’s most puzzling mysteries – the origin of life – to a crowded room Oct. 9 during the 2025 Ef Racker Lecture.
Read more about Szostak’s lecture.
More Alumni in the News
Bulawayo Wins 25th Anniversary Best of Caine Prize
Cornell Chronicle, 10/16/25
Alum: NoViolet Bulawayo, M.F.A. ’10
Cornell Composer’s Work Featured in Upcoming Dallas Morse Coors Concert Series Event
A&S Communications, 10/16/25
Alum: Zachary Wadsworth, D.M.A. ‘12
Alum’s India-Based Clothing Brand Sells Eco-Friendly Apparel
Cornellians, 10/2/25
Alum: Aishwarya Lahariya, M.S. ‘19
Moral Appeals Trump Hate in Tamping Down Online Vitriol
Cornell Chronicle, 9/15/25
Alumni: Pengfei Zhao, M.S. ’23, Ph.D. ’25; Natalie Bazarova, M.S. ’05, Ph.D. ’09; and Ji Yong Cho, M.S. ’21, Ph.D. ‘25
Censorship from the Other Side of the Aisle: New Book Considers Publishing Trends
A&S Communications, 8/12/25
Alum: Adam Szetela, Ph.D. ‘25
Alum’s Book Celebrates the Bounty of the Ithaca Region
Cornellians, 8/8/25
Alum: Laura Winter Falk ’87, Ph.D. ‘97
American Chemical Society Honors Shaoyi Jiang with Journal Issue
Cornell Chronicle, 7/29/25
Alum: Shaoyi Jiang, Ph.D. ‘92
Carrying the Torch Forward: Ye Family Creates New Award Recognizing Graduate Teaching Excellence
Cornell Chronicle, 7/14/25
Alumni: Mao Ye, Ph.D. ’11, and Xi Yang, Ph.D. ‘10
Kanvas Biosciences Harnesses the Power of the Microbiome
Cornell Chronicle, 6/3/25
Alum: Hao Shi, Ph.D. ‘20
Grad Notes
Photo: Lindsay France/Cornell University
Cornellians Would Love to Hear From You!
Grad Notes are your opportunity to connect with your fellow alums and share news. Submit a news form or email cornellians@cornell.edu.