The world is complex and intertwined, and bringing global challenges into focus takes more than one lens.
That’s why we focus on three overlapping spheres of inquiry.
We work relentlessly to understand the systems that drive the human and natural worlds. We do this to promote the well-being of communities and to ensure access to sustainable food, energy and environmental resources.
Because no single discipline is able to address the complex problems facing our communities, CALS researchers collaborate across disciplines.
By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS is able to address the challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation and around the world.
Undergraduate research
Discovering new genes
Cameron Xu ’26 is using biometry and statistics to help Cornell CALS animal science professor Vimal Selvaraj identify new genes. Together, they’re investigating how steroid hormones regulate the body’s processes, uncovering new knowledge that could advance cancer research and solve other human health challenges.
Undergraduate opportunities
Opportunities include Andrew W. Mellon Student Research Grants, Arthur Boller Research Fund, Kieckhefer Adirondack Fellowships and Grant Proposal Application Instructions
Faculty research support
Did you know?
Explore some of the discoveries that have changed lives and industries.
Disease-resistant papaya
In the 1990s, he developed the first-ever transgenic, disease-resistant papaya that effectively saved Hawaii’s $11 million papaya industry.
Five-kingdom scheme
He proposed the five-kingdom scheme of classification for organisms in 1969, adding three kingdoms – Monera (bacteria), Protista and fungi – to the previous two – animals and plants.
Nine plant patents
She holds nine U.S. plant patents: four sweet cherries, one tart cherry and four apple varieties, including SnapDragon™ and RubyFrost.™
First molecular maps
He developed the first molecular maps of both rice and tomatoes.
Red wine benefits
He was first to discover that resveratrol in red wine is beneficial for human heart health.
World’s first “gene gun”
They developed the world’s first “gene gun,” a prototype of which is found in the National Museum of American History.
Latest news, discoveries and breakthroughs
Explore the work we’re doing today and discover how it’s reshaping tomorrow.
News
New research confirms glyphosate-resistant waterhemp for the first time in New York state, with significant consequences for soybean growers, many of whom use the herbicide as their primary method of weed control.
News
With high-speed cameras, researchers measured the physical forces involved in a handclap, with potential applications in bioacoustics and identification, whereby a handclap could be used to identify someone.
News
A new study using the largest network of microphones to track birds in the United States is providing crucial insights for managing and restoring fire-prone forests across California’s Sierra Nevada region.
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