Students Present Research Around the World

Each year, the Graduate School awards hundreds of thousands of dollars to help support graduate students as they travel to conferences and present their research. According to Associate Dean for Administration Jason Kahabka, this is part of a Graduate School initiative to support students’ holistic development.

“We offer child care grants, professional development opportunities, and research travel grants, and so Conference Travel Grants are part of a larger suite of support structures to really help the whole student,” he said.

Attending a professional conference benefits students, not only by providing opportunities to present their research, but also by providing an opportunity to network with peers and colleagues and learn about the discipline’s culture.

Read the Conference Travel Grant story

First in Family: Finding Success as a First-Generation Student

When Armando Olivera ’72 arrived at Cornell in 1968, he brought with him a solid public education, his family’s fervent support—and little idea what to expect. While his Cuban refugee parents worked hard and struggled financially to pave the way for his success, the high school graduates had no firsthand knowledge of college to share with him. “The environment at Cornell was unlike anything that I had ever experienced before and created some real challenges,” he said.

Olivera drew on guidance from his professors and dean to navigate his path to a degree in electrical engineering. He went on to a long, successful career that includes acquiring an MBA from the University of Miami and retiring as president and chief executive officer of Florida Power and Light after 40 years with the company. “As trite as it may sound, I have been able to live the American dream in no small part because of my having gone to Cornell,” he said.

Read the Cornell Engineering story

Student Spotlight: Candice Limper

Candice Limper is a doctoral student in biomedical and biological sciences from Ridgecrest, California. After earning her undergraduate degree at California State University, Chico, she chose to pursue further study at Cornell with a concentration on immunology and infectious disease.

Read the full student spotlight

Interested in what other graduate students are doing both on and off campus?

Check out our student spotlights, Q&As with current students about their research, hobbies, and experiences at Cornell.

Kudos!

Members of Cornell Graduate Community Successful in United Way Apple Bake-Off

At the Nov. 9 Apple Bake-Off, first prize in the Judge’s Pick category went to Assistant Professor Jillian Goldfarb (biological and environmental engineering) and doctoral student Zoe Pollard (biological and environmental engineering) for their entry, La Pomme Patisserie. In the People’s Choice category, Graduate Field Coordinator Joanna Alario (communication) won first place for her Apple Pie Sourdough. In both divisions, doctoral student Zoe Dubrow (plant pathology and plant microbe-biology) was runner up with her Trio of Truffles.

All proceeds from the Apple Bake-Off supported the United Way of Tompkins County. Read more about the Bake-Off in the Chronicle.