Alumni Newsletter Fall 2026
Graduate School News
Photo: Provided
Finding the Right Fit: Alum Shares Wisdom from Career Journey
During the Summer Success Symposium alumni keynote session, Jason Marvin, Ph.D. ’22, spoke about his journey from earning his doctorate in biomedical engineering with the goal of becoming a professor to instead becoming director of partnerships and external relations at the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering.
Read more about the alumni keynote.
More Graduate School News
- Graduate Students Demystify Research
- Two Doctoral Students Selected as FFAR Fellows
- Doctoral Grad Wins Ivy+ Three Minute Thesis Competition
- Doctoral Students Engage in Advocacy
Graduate Student Impact
Photo: Provided
The Secret Lives of City Insects: Bringing Urban Ecology to the Community
In manicured city parks and scrubby parking lot borders, insects reveal their secrets to doctoral student Sylvana Ross and a team of Cincinnati youths. This summer, she and her partners studied city-dwelling insects, amassing data that can inform decisions that support healthy green spaces and help connect young people to the nature outside their front doors.
Read more about Ross and her work.
More Graduate Student Impact
- Rubber Tree Agroforestry Supports Birds, Biodiversity in the Colombian Amazon
- Charlie Tebbutt, natural resources and the environment doctoral candidate
- This Simple, Low-cost Activity Reduces Depression in Young Adults
- Christopher Davis, psychological sciences and human development doctoral candidate
- Smart Drones, Safe Skies: Student’s System Tests, Coordinates Drone Fleets
- Mehrnaz Sabet, information science doctoral student
- Ph.D. Student Finds New Flower in Finger Lakes Forests
- Justin Scholten ’22, plant biology doctoral student
Cornell and Ithaca News
Photo: Sreang Hok/Cornell University
History of the Chimes Rings Out in Expanded McGraw Tower Museum
The history of the iconic Cornell Chimes—captured in photos, sheet music, and artifacts—will once again be on display in a newly expanded and renovated museum in McGraw Tower. Located on the sixth floor, the exhibits are just a few levels below the playing stand where student chimesmasters perform their daily concerts.
Read more about the McGraw Tower museum.
More Cornell and Ithaca News
- Harlem’s Patsy’s Pizzeria Comes to Ithaca
- Campaign Closes with Record Support for Students and Research
- Cornell, City of Ithaca Seek ‘Unified Vision’ for Parks
- Long-Awaited Atabey Eatery Opens for Business
Big Red Experiences
The ‘161 Things Every Cornellian Should Do’—Updated for 2026!
To celebrate Cornell University’s 161st anniversary year, Cornellians revisited the iconic list of Big Red Experiences—a list of activities conceived of by its predecessor, Cornell Alumni Magazine, in 1995. While a few of these items may be more tailored to undergrads, the majority of the list can be completed by the broader Cornell community. How many of these did you do as a student?
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: Provided
Sociologist Who Studies Climate Change Wins MacArthur Fellowship
When the MacArthur Foundation scheduled a call with sociologist Holly Jean Buck, Ph.D. ’17, she assumed that the nonprofit wanted her thoughts on where it should direct funding for research on mitigating climate change—one of her areas of expertise.
More Alumni in the News
Cornell Startup Seeks to Redefine Ag, Industrial Testing
Cornell Chronicle, 10/22/26
Alum: Terry Bates, M.S. ’19, Ph.D. ’23
Dyed Wool a Sustainable Water Purification Alternative
Cornell Chronicle, 9/9/26
Alumni: Larissa Shepherd, M.S. ’13, Ph.D. ’17; Kyuin Park, M.S. ’23, Ph.D. ’26; and Hansadi Jayamaha, Ph.D. ’26
Alum’s Company Creates Tech for Pain-free Tattoos
Cornell Chronicle, 8/13/26
Alum: Ferdinand Kohle, Ph.D. ’18
Meet the Alums Using Robots and AI to Improve Crop Health
Cornellians, 8/12/26
Alumni: Jonathan Moon ’21, M.S. ’24, and Ertai Liu, Ph.D. ’24
Deep Connections Drive Psychedelic Research
Cornell Chronicle, 7/23/26
Alum: Alex Kwan, Ph.D. ’09
Weak AI Regulation may Backfire, Making Products Less Safe
Cornell Chronicle, 7/20/26
Alum: Benjamin Laufer, Ph.D. ’26
How a Cornell Startup Scaled to $1.3 Billion in Battery Tech
Cornell Chronicle, 7/13/26
Alumni: Siyu Huang, Ph.D. ’12, MBA ’14; Alex Yu, Ph.D. ’24; and Dong Ren, Ph.D. ’18
On Womanhood, Humanity, and Chance: “Lucky To Have You” Launched at Buffalo Street Books
Ithaca.com, 7/1/26
Alum: Sarah Jefferis, M.F.A. ’99
Digital Research Repository arXiv to Start New Chapter as Nonprofit
Cornell Chronicle, 6/29/26
Alum: Paul Ginsparg, Ph.D. ’81
Historian Curates the Cosmos—Both Fact and (Science) Fiction
Cornellians, 6/11/26
Alum: Margaret Weitekamp, Ph.D. ’01
Jessica McArt Named Dean of College of Veterinary Medicine
Cornell Chronicle, 6/2/26
Alum: Jessica McArt, DVM ’07, Ph.D. ’13
Grad Notes
Photo: Jason Koski/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.