Graduate School

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-07-22 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Online
Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series featuring Cornell alumni who hold doctoral degrees and have built dynamic careers beyond academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from Susan Korbel, Ph.D. (Owner, Core Research Inc.) and Michael Vernick, Ph.D. (Customer Solutions Architect, Vonage), two seasoned professionals whose paths span social science research, strategic consulting, product development, and tech innovation.
With decades of experience across sectors, Susan and Michael will reflect on how their graduate training shaped their work, how they’ve navigated career shifts, and what they’ve learned along the way.
What to expect:

Informal, real talk—no slides, just stories
Candid insights from two Ph.D.-trained professionals
Q&A and advice for students exploring diverse pathways

Whether you’re actively exploring careers beyond academia or simply curious about what’s possible, this session offers a unique opportunity to hear from those who’ve charted new paths—with all the complexity, creativity, and learning that comes with it.
Register to attend.

Since receiving her Ph.D. in Public Administration from University of Michigan and her bachelor’s from Cornell, Dr. Korbel has been conducting market research and consulting with hundreds of public and private organizations. After many years working in broadcast and public media, Susan Korbel founded Core Research in 1989 when she had her first child. Core Research conducts consumer, voter, and business-to-business research. Dr. Korbel has been behind the scenes helping some of the premiere South Texas businesses and charitable organizations chart successful courses with strategic and tactical planning.

Michael Vernick is a seasoned product strategist, inventor, and solutions architect with over 30 years of experience spanning startups, enterprise tech, and research labs. He specializes in building scalable systems for real-time communication, live video, and streaming technologies, and currently works as a Customer Solutions Architect at Vonage. Michael earned his doctorate in Computer Science from Stony Brook and his bachelor’s and M.Eng. from Cornell and holds 9 U.S. patents.

Weekly Trivia
2025-07-22 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-07-29 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-08-05 18:30 - 20:30, 2025-08-12 18:30 - 20:30 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Trivia is back for the summer starting June 10th! Summer trivia will be weekly on Tuesdays starting at 6:30 PM at the Big Red Barn. Come with a team or show up on your own and see Jacob to be matched with an existing team. All are welcome!

Primer Series: Navigating Key Graduate Milestones and Academic Expectations
2025-07-23 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, July 23, 10 – 11 a.m. – Register
Learn about key milestones associated with being a Cornell graduate student before you are expected to reach them. This session will share important information about academic milestones and provide strategies to help you successfully meet them. In addition to a short presentation, participants will have opportunities to break into smaller groups to reflect on and brainstorm how to apply the guidance in their fields of study.
Presenter: Josephine Martell, associate dean for academics

Weekly Karaoke
2025-07-23 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-07-30 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-08-06 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-08-13 17:30 - 19:30 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
A brand new BRB program is launching: weekly Wednesday Karaoke! Grab some friends, bust out your favorite playlist, and come ready to sing some songs! To enter the queue, all songs must be non-explicit and submitted to the Google form provided at the event.

Primer Series: Navigating Cross-cultural Classroom Dynamics
2025-07-24 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
Thursday, July 24, 10 – 11 a.m. – Register
As a teaching assistant, you will encounter a Cornell community with great cultural, linguistic, and geographic diversity. Join this online workshop to examine the relationship between cultures and educational systems, as well as discuss how this relates to teaching at Cornell. Additionally, you’ll have the opportunity to meet other new students from a variety of backgrounds.
Presenters: Jody Gabler, instructor, Center for Teaching Innovation, and Alice Wu, instructor, International Teaching Assistant Program

Approaches to Designing Your Academic Job Talk
2025-07-24 12:00 - 13:15 | Zoom
Start planning what types of job talks to be ready for after the written application material and Zoom/preliminary interview stage. These might include chalk talks, one hour research seminars with an emphasis on future plans, or other formats such as a disciplinary research presentation that also speaks to your teaching, mentoring, and/or advising philosophy.
Presenters: Colleen McLinn, Associate Dean for Professional Development, Cornell Graduate School; and Christine Holmes, Director of Postdoctoral Studies
Register to attend.
Co-sponsored by the Graduate School Office of Career and Professional Development and the Office of Postdoctoral Studies as part of the Academic Job Search Series.

August Book Club
2025-07-24 17:30 - 19:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Our fourth and final book for the BRB Summer Book Club is “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” by Anne Lamott. In this book, Lamott discusses the different stages of and emotions that come with writing and publication. As we all are pursuing higher education degrees, this book can help us take a step back and look at our writing from a meta perspective. We are looking forward to an exciting discussion and we’ll be giving away a free physical copy of the book as well! Register and receive your free PDF.

Weekly Salsa
2025-07-24 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-07-31 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-08-07 17:30 - 19:30, 2025-08-14 17:30 - 19:30 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
You are invited to join our vibrant Latino dance community! Learn new salsa footwork and combinations in line and circle format. All levels welcome! No partner necessary. Photos and videos may be taken for promotional materials, if you would like to opt out please speak to our organizations leadership during lessons!

Primer Series: Getting the Mentoring You Need and Want
2025-07-25 10:00 - 2025-07-27 12:00 | Zoom
Friday, July 25, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Register
Join us to reflect on your mentoring experiences and needs and discuss strategies to establish a network of mentors across multiple areas in which you need support. We’ll explore ways to co-construct and manage mentor-mentee mutual expectations using tools from the FAIM (Faculty Advancing Inclusive Mentoring) Resource Center to guide your self-assessment and priority setting and help you plan how to productively communicate and reach out to current and potential faculty advisors.
Presenters: Colleen McLinn, associate dean for professional development, and Sara Xayarath Hernández, associate dean for inclusion and student and faculty engagement

T.G.I.F.
2025-07-25 16:30 - 19:00, 2025-08-01 16:30 - 19:00, 2025-08-08 16:30 - 19:00, 2025-08-15 16:30 - 19:00 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Our weekly Tell Grads Its Friday will continue over the summer at our typical time. T.G.I.F. is catered to the graduate and professional student body. These students can bring guests, up to one per person. The age requirement for Cornell Affiliated non graduate students is 23 years or older.

Primer Series: Money Matters: Budgeting and Saving
2025-07-30 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, July 30, 2 – 3 p.m. – Register
Whenever you make a big transition (and coming to Cornell for graduate school counts!), you learn quickly that money matters. We’d like you to join us for this introductory session about finances and budgeting basics. The goal is for students to leave with concepts and a structure for planning their income/expenses for the upcoming year. When you register, we will ask what specific topics you would like addressed, allowing presenters to craft a program to meet your expectations.
Presenters: Jorge Cuevas, Alternatives Federal Credit Union

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-07-30 16:30 - 17:30 | Online
Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series featuring Cornell alumni who hold doctoral degrees and have built dynamic careers beyond academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from Yingyu Liu, Ph.D. (Scientific Editor, Cell Press) and Wing (Yingyi) Zhong, Ph.D. (Clinical Dietitian, Mass General Hospital), two Ph.D.-trained professionals who have translated their academic training into impactful careers in science publishing and clinical nutrition.
They’ll reflect on how they navigated their transitions, applied their research skills in new contexts, and built meaningful work at the intersection of science, communication, and patient care.
What to expect:

Candid, informal conversation—no slides, just real stories
Insight into non-academic career paths in STEM and health
Q&A and reflections on navigating career transitions as international students

Whether you’re actively exploring careers beyond academia or simply curious about what’s possible, this session offers a unique opportunity to hear from those who’ve charted new paths—with all the complexity, creativity, and learning that comes with it.
Register to attend.

As a clinical pediatric dietitian at Mass General Hospital, Wing (Yingyi) Zhong specializes in medical nutrition therapy for children with epilepsy, with a focus on the ketogenic diet and the low glycemic index treatment (LGIT). She works closely with patients, families, and multidisciplinary teams to provide compassionate, evidence-based care that supports seizure management and overall well-being. Wing earned her Ph.D. in Nutrition Sciences from Cornell in 2022.

Yingyu Liu joined Cell Press in 2021, now working as an editor for the journal Cell Host & Microbe and supporting researchers across various journals. She received her doctoral degree from Cornell University in 2020, studying the relationship between plants and pathogens. Yingyu is passionate about scientific communication, collaborative problem-solving, and supporting diverse voices in STEM.

Primer Series: Right From the Start: Valuing Your Time
2025-07-31 10:00 - 11:00 | Zoom
Thursday, July 31, 10 – 11 a.m. – Register
While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing your time, it is a skill that can be learned! In this session, we will review commonly used time management techniques, discuss how to make strategic decisions that support the whole you, and discuss how to maintain relationships when setting professional boundaries. In addition, participants will share what time management techniques they have found work best for them.
Presenter: Janna Lamey, associate dean for graduate student life

Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, The Messy, and The Pivot
2025-08-05 16:30 - 17:30 | Online
Curious about how a social science Ph.D. can open doors to meaningful careers beyond the tenure track? Join us for Ph.D. Career Stories: The Good, the Messy, and the Pivot—a virtual conversation series spotlighting Cornell alumni who have translated their doctoral training into impactful roles inside and outside academia.
In this session, you’ll hear from three professionals working across urban policy, service design, AI ethics, visual anthropology, and community-based research. Whether they’re leading research at nonprofits, producing documentary films, teaching at universities, or advising on emerging technologies, each guest brings a unique perspective on building a career that blends human-centered values with impact-driven work.
What to expect:

Honest, informal conversation—no slides or scripts
Balancing university teaching with consulting or freelance work
Practical insight into navigating uncertainty, finding direction, and translating academic training into impact

If you’re actively exploring life beyond the academy or curious about hybrid paths that combine teaching, research, and creative work, this event will offer clarity, connection, and inspiration.
Register to attend.

Sena Aydin Bergfalk, Ph.D. is a cultural anthropologist who works at the intersection of design research, strategy, and facilitation. She shapes service design projects across B2B and B2C ecosystems using a critical ethnographic lens to uncover assumptions and design services that connect business goals with human experiences. Sena earned a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Cornell in 2023 and is currently the Lead Service Designer at Sngular.

Marisa Turesky, Ph.D is a community-based researcher and educator focused on equity in urban policy. She is Director of Research at Mockingbird Analytics, a Visiting Professor at UC Berkeley, and serves on the Board of Drag Performers United. Her work integrates trauma-informed and participatory action research to explore how identity shapes access to space and services. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban Planning & Development from the University of Southern California and a M.R.P. from Cornell University.

Mariangela Mihai, Ph.D. is a political and visual anthropologist whose work bridges generative AI, collaborative documentary, and social justice. She is an Assistant Professor at Western Washington University, a Red Teamer on Meta’s Generative AI Trust Team, and co-founder of the Ethnocine Film Collective, where she produces feminist films and impact campaigns. Her research and teaching focus on refugee rights, queer activism, Indigenous resistance, and ethical media practices across global contexts.

Primer Series: Identifying Resources to Succeed as a Teaching Assistant at Cornell
2025-08-06 09:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
Wednesday, August 6, 9 – 10 a.m. – Register
Will you have teaching responsibilities this fall? Are you thinking about a faculty career track and want to develop your skills as an instructor? If your answer is “yes,” or you just want to find out more about teaching, join us to explore the many resources that are available to you at Cornell. At this session we will discuss the various teaching roles graduate students experience and identify areas you could develop to ensure a successful teaching experience.

Presenters: Colleen McLinn, associate dean for professional development, and Derina Samuel, associate director, graduate student development, Center for Teaching Innovation

Primer Series: Enhancing Language Skills for Graduate Success
2025-08-07 09:00 - 10:00 | Zoom
Thursday, August 7, 9 – 10 a.m. – Register
Do you use English as an additional language? Are you concerned about potential challenges related to speaking, listening, reading, and writing during your graduate program? Join the directors of the English Language Support Office and International Teaching Assistant Program to learn about approaches for navigating graduate school in English. You will leave this session with strategies you can start using right away to enhance your language learning and resources you can use as soon as you arrive at Cornell.
Presenters: Derina Samuel, associate director, graduate student development, Center for Teaching Innovation, and Michelle Crow, senior lecturer and director, English Language Support Office

Primer Series: Exploring Career Options in and Outside Academia
2025-08-11 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom
Monday, August 11, 2 – 3 p.m. – Register
You might be thinking it is too early to think about the end as you are starting, but in this session you will learn how important it can be to keep your options open and how you can take advantage of your time at Cornell to gain experiences that help you rule in or rule out different career sectors based on what you value and in what environments you thrive. You will leave with three things you can do that don’t take long at all that will increase your agency.
Presenters: Susi Varvayanis, executive director, Careers Beyond Academia, and Christine Holmes, director, postdoctoral studies

Grad Tours: Big Red Barn (Graduate Student Center)
2025-08-18 11:00 - 12:30 | Big Red Barn, 135 Presidents Way, Ithaca, NY, 14853, United States
Are you a first-year graduate student? Are you serving as a peer mentor this semester? Do you simply want to know more about the BRB? We welcome all your new program peers and the entire graduate and professional student body to our first orientation week event: a tour of the Big Red Barn! Our barn coordinator will provide a presentation, answer questions, and give out some goodies from our little slice of central campus. We hope to see you all there!
