Research

Driving solutions for a changing planet

We bring together faculty, students and partners from across Cornell and beyond to address interconnected environmental and societal challenges. Whether restoring or protecting diverse ecosystems, improving food systems or navigating climate-related displacement, our work is grounded in scientific rigor and designed for real-world impact.

Faculty lead interdisciplinary projects that connect natural and social sciences, working with Indigenous communities, policymakers, NGOs and industry to create solutions. Our centers and programs – from the Cornell Biological Field Station to the Polson Institute for Global Development – advance knowledge and practice across ecosystems and societies.

Global Development

Complex problems require complex solutions

Our experts collaborate across disciplines to ensure that holistic approaches address deep-rooted social inequalities that affect every aspect of the human and natural worlds.

Explore our research in global development

Natural Resources and the Environment

Cutting across traditional academic boundaries to deliver life-changing results

With more than 100 separate studies underway, the research of our faculty and staff contributes to understanding the dynamics of social-ecological systems with respect to natural resources management, biodiversity conservation and human well-being in the face of invasive species, climate change and other perturbations.

Discover our research in natural resources and the environment

Fragments and sheets of ice breaking apart on Oneida Lake — Oneida Lake ice break up at the Cornell Biological Field Station in Bridgeport, NY. Photo credit: Lars Rudstam

Institutes

Catalyzing academic collaborations, new research initiatives and educational opportunities in global development.

Researcher interviews two people in India

A decade of transforming food systems for the future.