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Discover CALS

See how our current work and research is bringing new thinking and new solutions to some of today's biggest challenges.

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About CALS

Cornell CALS is a premier institution of scientific learning, tackling the complex challenges of our time through purpose-driven science.

You want to change the world. So do we.

We are a community with a common goal: to leave the world better than we found it. Ambitious? Sure. But Cornell University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been changing the world for over a century and will continue to do so into the future.

Founded in agriculture and focused on life, we are pioneers who have shaped contemporary science and eagerly embraced international opportunity, while always serving the people in the state of New York.

Our purpose

This is the charge that motivates us: CALS tackles the challenges of our times through purpose-driven science that advances understanding and improves life.

CALS at a glance

14

Departments

8 departments shared with other Cornell colleges and schools

3

Schools

The Ashley School of Global Development & the Environment, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management and the School of Integrative Plant Science

$292M

Total research expenditures

FY 2024

4,020

Undergraduate students

942

Graduate students

350

Faculty

We seek answers in order to find the next questions.

Our mission

These are our objectives and how we accomplish them: As a premier institution of scientific learning, we connect the life, agricultural, environmental and social sciences to provide world-class education, spark unexpected discoveries and inspire pioneering solutions.

What we do

We are actively pursuing our mission to serve the public through our education, research and extension/outreach efforts. 

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Teaching passion-driven minds

Learn about a CALS education
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Purpose-driven science in action

Explore our research
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Sharing knowledge with the community

Learn about outreach and extension

Learn more about CALS

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Latest news, discoveries and breakthroughs

Explore the work we’re doing today and discover how it’s reshaping tomorrow.

Close up of wheat in a field

News

How much would you pay for this bread?

Growing climate-smart crops is half the battle. Consumers need to understand sustainability claims and, more importantly, be willing to pay a premium for them.

  • Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
  • Soil and Crop Sciences Section
experimental flasks of flocculent pellets

News

Fungi could transform leftovers into lifelines

Mycelium, the vegetative, root-like network of fungi, has the power to transform food waste into new, life-sustaining food.

  • Food Science
  • Agriculture
  • Climate Change
neurons

News

Online module helps students recognize, develop critical thinking

Cornell researchers have developed an online module, running just over an hour in length, that can be offered as a way to instill concepts of critical thinking early in a student’s academic journey.

  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Neurobiology and Behavior
  • School of Integrative Plant Science
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