A student reads a newspaper in a campus library.
February 2008
Friday, February 29
Election 2008: Sen. Barack Obama's policy of hope
Ithaca Journal - Feb. 29, 2008
Anthropology faculty member Hiro Miyazaki authors an op-ed piece about the theme of hope that runs throughout presidential candidate Barack Obama's campaign.
Spiders and bats and hogs, oh my
The State (S.C.) - Feb. 29, 2008
Martjan Lammertink, visiting scholar at the Lab of Ornithology, is quoted in a look at the Old-Growth Bottomland Forest Research and Education Center at Congaree National Park in South Carolina.
US: Effort aiming to spread the word about state potatoes
FreshPlaza (Netherlands) - Feb. 29, 2008
John Mishanec of the Integrated Pest Management Program is quoted in an article about an outreach program he conducted intended to teach farmers and chefs the importance of knowing about New York state potato production.
Thursday, February 28
An Upside for the Middle Class
Washington Post - Feb. 28, 2008
Economics Professor Robert Frank is quoted in a look at the mixed signals in indicators about the economy and the middle class.
$50 Million Gift for NY Hospital
CNNMoney - Feb. 28, 2008
Sanford I. Weill, chairman of Weill Medical College's Board of Overseers, is quoted in an article about the gift of $50 million by Board of Overseers member Ronald O. Perelman to fund heart care and reproductive medicine research at the college and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
3 finalists named for Chesapeake College presidency
Wilmington News Journal - Feb. 27, 2008
Barbara Viniar, executive director of the Institute for Community College Development, is named as one of three finalists for the presidency of Chesapeake College.
Alzheimer's risk assessed via gene test
MSNBC - Feb. 24, 2008
Weill Medical College faculty member Dr. Norman Relkin has been named to a medical advisory panel assembled by the company Smart Genetics, which has developed a new test to determine the risk of developing late-onset Alzheimer's disease.
Wednesday, February 27
In This Market, Selling a Home Takes Savvy
Wall Street Journal - Feb. 27, 2008
Marketing faculty member Manoj Thomas is quoted in an article about optimum pricing when selling a home.
Bedford geek is a beaut
Bedford Minuteman - Feb. 27, 2008
Article profiles Computer Science grad student James Babcock, a contestant on the upcoming season of "Beauty and the Geek." Babcock will be one of the geeks.
Study: Dust increasing over western U.S.
WebIndia123.com (India) - Feb. 26, 2008
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences faculty member Natalie Mahowald is a coauthor of a study that describes how the atmosphere of the western U.S. became dustier in the past two centuries because of human activity.
Rattlesnakes and Their Relations
ABC News - Feb. 26, 2008
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology faculty member Kelly Zamudio is quoted in a look at the effects of bites from venomous animals.
Insurance Fears Lead Many to Shun DNA Tests
New York Times - Feb. 24, 2008
Weill Medical College faculty member Linda Vahdat is quoted in a story on patients' anxiety over getting insurance coverage for medical conditions connected to genetic predisposition.
Tuesday, February 26
Midnight Meals
New York Times - Feb. 26, 2008
Weill Medical College faculty member Dr. Louis J. Aronne answers a reader's question about whether or not late night eating leads to weight gain.
Lessons in development
Financial Times (United Kingdom) - Feb. 25, 2008
Mark Milstein, director of the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise, and Johnson School alumna Melissa McEwen are quoted in a look at business schools that offer coursework in "base of the pyramid" business strategy, which is based on the theory that companies can help eradicate poverty by providing goods and services for the 4 billion people who live on less than $2 a day.
Chronicle Tech Forum: Campus Rights vs. Copyrights
Chronicle of Higher Education - Feb. 25, 2008
Tracy Mitrano, director of Information Technology Policy, is quoted in an article about a panel discussion about the digital piracy of music and videos by college students.
Great because he was good?
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 24, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "President Lincoln: The Duty of a Statesman," by William Lee Miller.
Monday, February 25
Corn can't save us: Debunking the biofuel myth
Kennebec Journal (Maine) - Feb. 25, 2008
David Pimentel, professor emeritus of ecology and evolutionary biology, "debunks" the idea that corn and similar biofuels are a solution to our need for oil in this opinion piece.
Bat die-off in Northeast baffles scientists
San Francisco Chronicle - Feb. 24, 2008
Beth Buckles, assistant professor of biomedical sciences, comments on the ailment that has been killing bats in New York and Vermont.
Administration increases penalties for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants
Dallas Morning News - Feb. 22, 2008
Stephen Yale-Loehr, adjunct law professor, comments on the possible implications of the recently increased fines for hiring illegal workers.
Friday, February 22
Staten Island Prepares Tuscan Vineyard
New York Times - Feb. 22, 2008
Viticulture experts from Cornell were consulted by the creators of the Staten Island Botanical Garden to help them select the best blend of grapes to grow in their efforts to produce a wine native to the island.
New Electron Microscope Identifies Individual Color-coded Atoms
Science Daily - Feb. 22, 2008
Engineering faculty members David Muller and John Silcox are co-principal investigators on a project involving a new type of scanning transmission electron microscope, and are quoted in a report on discoveries they are making with the device.
How to Solve Toddler Tantrums: Think Like a Neanderthal
Live Science - Feb. 22, 2008
Anthropology Professor Meredith F. Small writes an essay that takes an emotions-validating approach to dealing with a 2-year-old child's temper tantrums.
A new school of thought on academic journals
Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) - Feb. 22, 2008
Cornell University's arXiv.org website is mentioned in an article about the Open Access movement, where more and more scholarly journals are being made freely available online.
An obituary for modernism
Jerusalem Post (Israel) - Feb. 21, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "Modernism: The Lure of Heresy: From Baudelaire to Beckett and Beyond" by Peter Gay.
Thursday, February 21
DNA Findings Reveal Genetic History of Humans
U.S. News and World Report - Feb. 21, 2008
Biological Statistics and Computational Biology faculty member Carlos Bustamante is an author of one of two studies of DNA information in the Feb. 21 issue of Nature that help reconstruct the genetic history of humans and he is quoted in a report on their findings.
Wealth Gap Growing Bigger Among American Colleges
New York Times - Feb. 20, 2008
Cornell University is mentioned in an article about fundraising in higher education.
Top University Fundraisers for 2007
Fox News - Feb. 20, 2008
Cornell University is ranked 6th in a listing of the nation's top 10 fundraising universities for the year 2007.
Lies on online dating profiles
WABC-TV - Feb. 20, 2008
This clip from a WABC News story on deceit in online dating features Communications Professor Jeff Hancock, and is currently playing on video screens in the back of New York City taxi cabs as part of their Taxi-TV service. (Hancock was the most recent guest speaker for the "Inside Cornell" media luncheon series that took place in New York City, Feb 12.)
Campus Sexperts
Newsweek - Feb. 20, 2008
Hotel Administration senior Jenna Bromberg is quoted in an article about sexual-themed publications at colleges and universities.
Wednesday, February 20
Requiem for the Religious Right (and a Primer for Progressives)
New York Observer - Feb. 20, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "Souled Out: Reclaiming Faith and Politics After the Religious Religious Right" by E.J. Dionne Jr.
Say 'Cheese!' And Now Say 'Airbrush!'
Newsweek - Feb. 20, 2008
Human Development Professor Emeritus Joan Jacobs Brumberg is quoted in a story on the advantages and disadvantages of photography studios' ability and offer to digitally retouch portraits of children.
Hitchcock Vision Comes To Roost
Hartford Courant - Feb. 20, 2008
Natural Resources faculty member Kevin McGowan is quoted in an article about a wintertime crow roost in Hartford, Connecticut.
Midlife Suicide Rises, Puzzling Researchers
New York Times - Feb. 19, 2008
Weill Medical College Professor Andrew C. Leon is quoted in an examination of the increasing rates of suicide among middle-aged Americans.
Buyers pay more for precisely priced homes
Toronto Star (Canada) - Feb. 19, 2008
Marketing faculty member Manoj Thomas is quoted in an article about a Cornell study that found that people will pay more for a house if its listing price does not end in a number of zeros and instead uses precise numbers, as the former is associated with a higher, rounded up price.
Tuesday, February 19
Online Dating: Liars with Their Pants on Fire
NPR - The Bryant Park Project - Feb. 19, 2008
Communications faculty member Jeff Hancock talks about his research into the telltale signs of online deception.
Have You Ever Been in Psychotherapy, Doctor?
New York Times - Feb. 19, 2008
Weill Medical College Professor Richard Friedman authors an article debating the advantages and disadvantages of a psychotherapist having been through psychotherapy.
A Modern Conundrum: When Work's Invisible, So Are Its Satisfactions
Wall Street Journal - Feb. 19, 2008
Economics Professor Robert Frank is quoted in an essay that points out the problematic nature of job satisfaction in the information age, where people often don't see the fruits of their labor.
Follow the water
Astronomy Magazine - Feb. 18, 2008
Astronomy Professor Steve Squyres, principal investigator for the Mars rovers' science payload, is quoted on the rovers' examinations of evidence for water on the Red Planet.
Campuses Face New Reality of Safety Situation
NPR - Weekend Edition Sunday - Feb. 17, 2008
In a report on the response by colleges and universities to tragedies, such as those at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech, Cornell is praised for having one of the best practices for spotting and responding to student mental health problems.
Monday, February 18
Ray Wu, 79; developed rice strains with potential to increase world supply
Los Angeles Times - Feb. 18, 2008
Plant Breeding and Genetics Professor Susan McCouch is quoted in an obituary for Molecular Biology and Genetics Professor Raymond Wu, who died Feb.10.
Students Fight Back Against Gossip Site
Brisbane Times (Australia) - Feb. 18, 2008
In a story originally appearing in the New York Times, Student Assembly president C.J. Slicklen is quoted about the controversial gossip web site JuicyCampus.com.
48 Hours on the Big Red Bus
New York Times - Feb. 18, 2008
Men's Basketball Head Coach Steve Donahue is quoted in a look at Cornell's team, currently undefeated in Ivy League play and poised to win the automatic NCAA tournament bid.
Wisconsin primary might test Clinton's union support
The Journal News - Feb. 18, 2008
ILR faculty member Jefferson Cowie is quoted in an article about labor union support for Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama and the effect it will have on the upcoming Wisconsin primary.
New bulbs reduce lighting costs
Press-Republican - Feb. 17, 2008
Amy Ivy, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County, authors a column on the benefits of using compact fluorescent light bulbs.
Friday, February 15
Rare Triple Asteroid Found Orbiting Near Earth
Fox News - Feb. 15, 2008
Arecibo Observatory Astronomer Michael C. Nolan is quoted in an article about the discovery by scientists at the observatory of 2001 SN263, the first triple asteroid system to pass relatively close to the Earth.
Trouble Ahead?
Syracuse Post-Standard - Feb. 15, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler is co-author of an op-ed piece about the possibility of a brokered Democratic National Convention this summer if neither Hillary Clinton nor Barack Obama get a majority of delegates.
A Rite of Science Puts On a Public Face
Chronicle of Higher Education - Feb. 15, 2008
Bruce V. Lewenstein, professor of science communication, is quoted in a report on the 160th meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, this year in Boston.
Why are thousands of bats dying in New York?
MSNBC - Feb. 14, 2008
Veterinary Medicine faculty member Beth Buckles is quoted in a report on the mysterious mass die-offs of hibernating bats in New York and Vermont.
Top Scientists Want Research Free From Politics
Inter Press Service (South Africa) - Feb. 14, 2008
Physics Professor Emeritus Kurt Gottfried is quoted in an article about the call by leading scientists for the next president of the U.S. to not censor, suppress and falsify important environmental and health research for political reasons.
Lies on online dating profiles
WABC-TV - Feb. 14, 2008
Communication faculty member Jeff Hancock is quoted in a report on lies told in online dating. (Hancock was the most recent guest speaker for the "Inside Cornell" media luncheon series that took place in New York City, Feb 12.)
Thursday, February 14
Keep Love Alive
Washington Post - Feb. 14, 2008
Horticulture Professor William Miller is quoted in a story that offers tips for giving flowers this Valentine's Day.
Obituaries in the News - Ray Wu
New York Times - Feb. 14, 2008
Obituary for Molecular Biology and Genetics Professor Ray Wu, widely recognized as one of the fathers of genetic engineering, who developed a higher-yielding variety of rice that resists insects and drought and the first method for sequencing DNA and some of the fundamental tools for DNA cloning. He died on Feb. 10 at the age of 79.
Why Some Single Women Choose to Freeze Their Eggs
Wall Street Journal - Feb. 14, 2008
Weill Medical College faculty member Glenn Schattman is quoted in an article about the medical procedure of women having their eggs extracted surgically, frozen, and stored for future vitro fertilization.
Drug-Coated Balloons Keep Leg Arteries Open: Study
U.S. News & World Report - Feb. 13, 2008
Weill Medical College faculty member Dr. Issam Moussa is quoted in an article about the development of a treatment for blocked leg arteries that involves drug-coated balloons.
Wednesday, February 13
GM asks workers to take buyout
Buffalo News - Feb. 13, 2008
ILR faculty member Arthur Wheaton comments on the two-tier wage system in an article about GM's buyout offer to workers at their engine plant in Tonawanda.
Romney's Religious Dilemma
Chronicle of Higher Education - Feb. 13, 2008
History Professor R. Laurence Moore is quoted in a column about the role of a candidate's religion in an election campaign.
Sagan supporters push for postage stamp honoring famed astronomer
Albany Times-Union - Feb. 12, 2008
Supporters of the late Astronomy Professor Carl Sagan plan to petition officials of the US Postal Service honor him with a commemorative stamp.
Johnson School Earns Prestigious Grant to Study U.S. Military's Work With Entrepreneurs in Conflict Zones
Investor's Business Daily - Feb. 12, 2008
Johnson School faculty member Mark Milstein heads a study that will look at the impact of the U.S. military's economic development efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas devastated by war.
Colleges emphasize green technology to attract students
Syracuse Post-Standard - Feb. 8, 2008
Sustainability coordinator Dean Koyanagi is quoted in a look at the increasing demand for green or environmentally sensitive practices at college campuses, and the article prominently features West Campus's Alice H. Cook House.
Tuesday, February 13
Can a Drug That Helps Hearts Be Harmful to the Brain?
Wall Street Journal - Feb. 12, 2008
Weill Medical College Dean Antonio Gotto and Professor Orli Etingin are quoted in an article about the harmful effects of such cholesterol-lowering drugs as Lipitor.
Bringing Nutrition Home
Washington Post - Feb. 12, 2008
Brian Wansink, director of the Cornell Food and Brand Lab, is profiled in an article that centers around his new role as head of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.
A little respect for custodians
Chronicle of Higher Education - Feb. 11, 2008
Article details the origin of the annual Bartels Award for Custodial Service Excellence, which came about after student Katie Bartels relayed to her father, alumnus and Cornell University Council member Phil Bartels, praise for custodian Craig Beaver for his having brought cookies to seniors that were studying for exams.
Bookseller Amazon Building on Review Function
NPR - Morning Edition - Feb. 11, 2008
Sociology Professor Trevor Pinch is interviewed in a story on the role played by customer reviews of books on the website Amazon.com. The full report can be listened to here.
In Oil-Rich Mideast, Shades of the Ivy League
New York Times - Feb. 11, 2008
Dr. Daniel Alonso, dean of the Qatar campus of Weill Medical College, is quoted in a report on overseas branches of U.S. universities in the Middle East.
What Gives Us Fingertip Dexterity?
Innovations Report (Germany) - Feb. 11, 2008
Mathematics postdoctoral associate Madhusudhan Venkadesan has co-authored a study on the neuro-motor-mechanical process involved in the manual dexterity of fingers.
Conservatives to Support McCain
NewsMax Online - Feb. 8, 2008
Hotel Administration junior Rachel Quigley is quoted in an article about Republican presidential candidate John McCain's outreach efforts to conservatives in light of the departure of candidate Mitt Romney from the race for the party's nomination.
Monday, February 11
Universities Rush to Set Up Outposts Abroad
New York Times - Feb. 10, 2008
President David Skorton is quoted in a look at the international presence of U.S. colleges and universities, such as the Weill Cornell Medical College campus in Qatar.
When Self-Interest Isn't Everything
New York Times - Feb. 10, 2008
Economics Professor Robert Frank discusses the problematic nature of self-interest models of economics.
'So much misery, so little room'
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 10, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "The Slave Ship: A Human History," by Marcus Rediker.
The madness of history
Ottawa Citizen (Canada) - Feb. 9, 2008
The work of Human Development Professor Emeritus Joan Jacobs Brumberg on the history of anorexia nervosa is cited in an article on psychiatric disorders throughout history.
Analysis: Acupuncture may help conception
CNN - Feb. 8, 2008
Dr. Zev Rosenwaks director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility at Weill Cornell, is quoted in a report about research that suggests that acupuncture can aid in conception.
Friday, February 8
Failure In Need of A Theory
Washington Post - Feb. 8, 2008
Economics Professor Robert H. Frank's work in expanding the understanding of relative competition is featured.
Daily Dose: Buying lots of food? So what?
Topeka Capital-Journal (Kan.) - Feb. 8, 2008
Professor Brian Wansink, director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell, discusses the possible reasoning behind some people's tendency to stockpile food.
Acupuncture May Aid In Vitro Fertilization
Forbes.com - Feb. 7, 2008
Dr. Owen K. Davis, associate director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine and Infertility at Weill Cornell, comments on a study linking acupuncture to increased chances becoming pregnant via in vitro fertilization.
Is Chocolate Bad for Your Skin?
Newsweek - Feb. 7, 2008
Dr. Neil Sadick, clinical professor of dermatology at Weill Cornell, comments on the possible link between refined foods and acne.
Pet therapy improving quality of life
Valley Breeze (R.I.) - Feb. 7, 2008
Dr. Anthony Martinez, assistant professor of public health at Weill Cornell, comments on the benefits of animal therapy and his hopes that it will become more mainstream.
The Smartest Cities In America
Forbes.com - Feb. 7, 2008
Ithaca is listed as a top contender for one of the smartest cities in America due to the strong undergraduate population created by Cornell and Ithaca College.
Thursday, February 7
Degrees of Wealth and Generosity
Inside Higher Ed - Feb. 7, 2008
An article on the relationship between endowment spending rates and financial aid policies at colleges and universities discusses Cornell's recently announced financial aid initiative and its implications.
Happy Lunar New Year Food, family and fun mark annual celebration of abundance and renewal
Syracuse Post-Standard - Feb. 7, 2008
Robin McNeil, director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Asian Studies, is quoted in an article about ways to celebrate the Lunar New Year.
Fasting can have health benefits
Bergen County (N.J.) Record - Feb. 7, 2008
Nutritional Science Professor David Levitsky is quoted in an article about the benefits of fasting.
Why Negative Campaigns Sometimes Win
ABC News - Feb. 6, 2008
A study co-authored by psychology faculty member Michael Spivey (on perceived truthfulness of answers to questions) is cited in an article about the effectiveness of negative political campaigns.
Wednesday, February 6
But Who Will Bail Out Wobbly Second Life Loans?
Wall Street Journal - Feb. 6, 2008
In a letter to the editor, Accounting Professor Robert Bloomfield comments on an article about the virtual reality world of Second Life.
Bionic lens spies virtual world
ABC Science Online (Australia) - Feb. 6, 2008
George Malliaras, director of the Cornell NanoScale Facility, is quoted in an article about the development of a flexible contact lens with an imprinted electronic circuit and lights, which can superimpose computerized images on top of the wearer's natural view.
A Place With Some History
New York Times - Feb. 5, 2008
Hotel Administration faculty member Bill Carroll is quoted in a story on the advantages for business travellers of choosing to stay in restored historic hotels.
Reckless reckoning
Jerusalem Post (Israel) - Feb. 4, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "Day of Reckoning: How Hubris, Ideology, and Greed Are Tearing America Apart" by Pat Buchanan.
Tuesday, February 4
Bird's Eye View
New York Times - Feb. 5, 2008
Miyoko Chu, director of communications for the Lab of Ornithology, answers a reader's question about why birds often perch on power lines (and why they don't get electrocuted).
UAW tries to improve image with leaders, public
Detroit News - Feb. 5, 2008
ILR Dean Harry Katz comments on efforts made by the United Auto Workers union to improve its image with members of Congress and the public.
State's farm rolls drop again
Schenectady Daily Gazette - Feb. 5, 2008
Linda McCandless, director of communications in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, is quoted in a look at the declining number of farms in New York state.
No evidence sludge is safe
Belleville Intelligencer - Feb. 5, 2008
Ellen Z. Harrison, director of the Cornell Waste Management Institute, is quoted in a letter to the editor that addresses an earlier editorial about the spreading of sewage sludge on farmland in Prince Edward County.
Back to Basics, Unions Go Door-To-Door
Forbes Magazine - Feb. 4, 2008
ILR Director of Labor Education Research Kate Bronfenbrenner is quoted in an examination of recruitment strategies by labor unions.
Monday, February 4
Hampi cries for conservation
Business Standard (India) - Feb. 4, 2008
City and Regional Planning Professor Michael Tomlan is quoted in an article about the calls for better infrastructure at the Group of Monuments at Hampi, a UNESCO Heritage Site in India.
The economics of everything
Baltimore Sun - Feb. 3, 2008
American Studies Professor Glenn Altschuler reviews the book "The Logic of Life: The Rational Economics of an Irrational World" by Tim Harford.
NFL using clean energy to offset Super Bowl's impact
USA Today - Feb. 3, 2008
Natural Resources faculty member Mark Bain is quoted in a story on efforts the National Football League is taking to offset the carbon footprint left by the Super Bowl.
US professor runs for Czech president
Newsweek - Feb. 2, 2008
ILR alumnus and former faculty member Jan Svejnar is a candidate for the presidency of the Czech Republic.
On Long Island, it's the year without snow
Newsday - Feb. 2, 2008
Earth and Atmospheric Sciences faculty member Mark Wysocki is quoted in an article about this winter's weather in New York state.
Friday, February 1
Cornell reducing need-based loans to provide more grant aid
Albany Times-Union - Feb. 1, 2008
President David Skorton and Provost Carolyn "Biddy" Martin are quoted in an article about Cornell's new financial aid initiative, which will make it possible for students from families with incomes under $75,000 to graduate debt free.
F.D.A. Finds Increase in Suicide Symptoms for Patients Using Seizure Medications
New York Times - Feb. 1, 2008
Weill Medical College Professor Dr. Cynthia Harden is quoted in an article about how such epilepsy, bipolar illness, and mood problem medications as Depakote, Lamictal, Topamax, Keppra, Lyrica, and Neurontin have been found to double the risks of suicidal thoughts and behavior.
A fruit a day may keep Alzheimer's away
Checkbiotech (Switzerland) - Jan. 31, 2008
Food Science Professor Chang Y. Lee is a co-author of a new study on apples, bananas, and oranges that demonstrates how the fruits may protect against Alzheimer's Disease.
Super Bowl ads linked to stock performance in study by University at Buffalo and Cornell researchers
Buffalo News - Jan. 31, 2008
Finance faculty member Charles Chang is a co-author of a study which describes the boost in the value of shares of stock in companies that advertise during the Super Bowl telecast.
Ivy Leaguers make their presence felt on Giants' roster
USA Today - Jan. 29, 2008
Hotel Administration alum and New York Giants guard Kevin Boothe is quoted in an article about Ivy League veterans playing in this weekend's Super Bowl.