Stories
Solar Solutions: Bio-Inspired Approach Creates Bespoke Photovoltaics
HelioSkin, an interdisciplinary project led by Design Tech chair Jenny Sabin, College of Arts and Sciences faculty Itai Cohen, and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences faculty Adrienne Roeder, combines computational design, digital fabrication, and 3D-printing to create customized filters and photovoltaic panel assemblies.
Trailblazing Architect Kimberly Dowdell (B.Arch. '06) Aims to Inspire Others
Kimberly Dowdell (B.Arch. '06), Director of Strategic Relationships and Principal at the global architectural firm HOK and a leading voice on the importance of diverse perspectives in her field, shares her story with Cornellians.
Reimagining Urban Research as Participation and Collaboration
In High Stakes, High Hopes, CRP Chair Sophie Oldfield chronicles a long-term partnership with residents of Valhalla Park that dynamically linked the university and the community to reframe research addressing core neighborhood challenges.
The Soil Factory Receives Warhol Foundation Grant
A local, community-run space for exploring art, science, and ecology, the dynamic organization was selected for new multi-year funding at a "transformative moment." The proposal was crafted collaboratively by AAP art faculty, CALS faculty and a post-doc associate, and Ithaca-area community members.
Art Faculty Jen de los Reyes and Oscar Rene Cornejo Awarded 2025 Creative Capital Project Grant
The unrestricted funding will support their work LAND, a site of education, research, cultivation, care, and conservation.
An Open Invitation: AAP's Spring 2025 Semester Highlights
With the start of a new semester comes a fresh opportunity to engage with AAP colleagues and guests, explore concepts on campus and in the field, and find inspiration in the work and ideas on display at every turn.
Reimagining Informal Housing in Mathare, Kenya
Negotiating the challenges of safe, reliable, and affordable housing, Cornell AAP architecture and planning students collaborated with Slum Dwellers International and local residents to explore alternative housing design and construction strategies for Mathare, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya.
Architect Jenny Sabin: Nature is an Incredible Teacher | Louisiana Channel
In this short documentary, Professor of Architecture and Design Tech Chair Jenny Sabin explores the boundaries and interconnectedness of her field, embracing nature as an influence and collaborator.
A Q&A with Design Tech Department Chair Jenny Sabin
Design Tech Chair Jenny Sabin shares how the department blends design and emerging tech, preparing students to tackle challenges like sustainability and space exploration through robotics, AI, and more.
Not for the Faint of Heart: Vishaan Chakrabarti on Urbanity, Social Uplift, and the Power of Design
Chakrabarti joined Cornell AAP this semester as the Thomas J. Baird Visiting Critic to share his vast knowledge and practical experience improving cities and communities with NYC-based Advanced Urban Design students.
Found in Translation: (Re)Connecting with Roman Archaeological Sites in the Heart of the City
After winning an international design competition, Architecture Visiting Critics Francesco Isidori and Maria Claudia Clemente brought that brief to their Cornell in Rome architectural design studio this semester, offering their students the opportunity to engage with major Roman sites both ancient and contemporary.
Exhibit Highlights Art/Tech Intersections in Student Work
Six AAP students won prizes at the inaugural Art+Tech exhibit hosted by Cornell's Milstein Program in Technology & Humanity: Thomas Knoepffler, Cheng Peng, Sissy Tian (all M.S. DT '26), Kanika Bhagat (B.Arch. '26), Willem Schreiber (B.F.A. '25), and Hendrik Stoops Lugo (B.F.A. '27).
Cornell Opens Doors to the World: First-gen Artist David Legrand (B.F.A. '23)
AAP Art alumnus David Legrand (B.F.A. '23) shares his story about his home in Haiti, discovering and passionately pursuing art, and coming to Cornell to push his critical thinking and develop his creative practice.
Micromachines Autonomously Coordinate Using Electronic Pulses
Itai Cohen, Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences and Design Tech faculty, along with Alyssa Apsel and other Cornell researchers, has demonstrated the first synchronization in microscopic machines with CMOS oscillators.
Historic Marker Celebrates Pearl S. Buck's Stop in Ithaca
City and Regional Planning Professor Thomas J. Campanella spearheaded the initiative to recognize Buck's first Ithaca home (1924–25) on Forest Home Drive. The new marker was unveiled during an on-site ceremony on Sunday, December 8, the Cornell Chronicle reports.
AAP Architecture Faculty's Obelisk, Pyramidion, Towers at The Met
The installation designed by Architecture faculty Jennifer Newsom and Tom Carruthers is one of nearly 200 artworks featured in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Flight into Egypt: Black Artists and Ancient Egypt, 1876-Now exhibition, open through Feb. 17.
Employee Excellence Awards Honor Nearly 250 Employees
Interim Director of Undergraduate Admissions Meghan Reiser was awarded the Mission-Possible Award at this year's Employee Excellence Awards ceremony for supporting the university's core mission to learning, discovery, and engagement.
Capturing the Missing Pieces: Connection and Understanding Through Research
With research interests crossing international development and planning, capital-labor relations, and South-South migration, CRP Assistant Professor Ding Fei brings to light the on-the-ground experiences and challenges faced by those working outside the spotlight of media headlines.
Smallest Walking Robot Makes Microscale Measurements
Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences and Design Tech faculty Itai Cohen is among the Cornell researchers who have created what may be the world's smallest walking robot.
Pantry Collaboration Expands Mission to Fight Food Insecurity
Architecture Lecturer Hanna Tulis is part of a multidisciplinary Cornell team supporting Enfield Food Distribution to create a resource hub to meet growing community needs.
