Using Technology for Social Good: Alumnus Featured at Pathways to Success Symposium

“How do you manage to be an ethical social impact company and do it at a scale that pleases people who invest in you and even pleases yourself?” asked Kaiton Williams, Ph.D. ’17 to an audience of graduate students and postdocs during his opening plenary session at the Feb. 26 Pathways to Success Symposium.

The Pathways to Success Symposium, hosted by the Graduate School, brings graduate students and postdocs together for a full day of workshops focusing on professional and career development. The Winter 2019 Symposium focused on “Building Your Skills: The Entrepreneurial Mindset”.

Read the full P2S Symposium story

How Mindfulness Can Help Ph.D. Students Deal with Mental Health Challenges

Karen Barry knew that mental health was a problem for Ph.D. students at her institution. In her role as graduate research coordinator at the University of Tasmania in Hobart, Australia, she had spoken with many students over the years who had confided in her, sharing personal stories about their struggles with stress, depression, and anxiety. But for Barry-who is also a senior lecturer in plant biology-the problem came into full focus a few years ago when a student who was a leader of the graduate student body visited her office feeling stressed and overwhelmed. “Everyone else is coming to me and telling me they’re stressed,” the Ph.D. student-a scientist-told Barry. “What can I do to help the students around me?”

Read the full Science story

Cornell Let’s Meditate is designed to support mindfulness!

Let’s Meditate is a free, guided, mindfulness meditation series sponsored by Cornell Health in collaboration with numerous campus partners. Meditation sessions are held daily Monday-Friday at various campus locations throughout the fall and spring semesters.

• Everyone is welcome! Let’s Meditate is open to all members of the Cornell community, including students, faculty, and staff of all ages, genders, sizes, shapes, and abilities.
• Come as you are (but we suggest dressing comfortably).
• Participation is FREE. You are welcome to come to as many sessions as you wish. 

What to expect: During each half-hour Let’s Meditate session, a trained facilitator will lead participants through meditation exercises designed to focus on the breath and quiet the mind. Participants typically sit quietly with their eyes closed throughout the session. See the Spring 2019 Schedule.

For more information, please visit the Cornell Health Website.

U.S. Legislative Advocacy Opportunity

Legislation to Provide Pathways to Citizenship Reintroduced

Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) reintroduced the DREAM Acton March 27. The DREAM Act would provide a pathway to citizenship for undocumented students who came to the U.S. as minors with their parents. Similar legislation was introduced last week in the House.

Additionally, a group of Senators led by Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)  introduced the Safe Environment from Countries Under Repression and in Emergency (SECURE) Act to create a pathway to citizenship for individuals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 

Interested graduate/professional students can find Senate email addresses at the U.S. Senate contact information webpage.

Student Spotlight: Tinyi Chu

Tinyi Chu is a doctoral student in computational biology from Hong Kong. After studying at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, he chose to pursue a Ph.D. at Cornell in part due to the interdisciplinary approach to graduate study and collaborative environment.

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.