Einaudi seed grants finding fertile soil
Faculty from six colleges across Cornell tackle issues ranging from the health of endangered wild dogs to the spread of misinformation through social media.
/news/einaudi-seed-grants-finding-fertile-soil
$2.5M in A&S New Frontier Grants supports bold projects
A&S faculty members will delve into questions ranging from quantum computing to foreign policy development and from heritage forensics to effects of climate change.
/news/25m-new-frontier-grants-supports-bold-projects
Nexus Scholars Program expands research opportunities to 101 students
This summer, 101 students in the College of Arts and Sciences will take part in groundbreaking research on campus with 61 faculty as part of the Nexus Scholars Program.
/news/nexus-scholars-program-expands-research-opportunities-101-students
'Don't be afraid to radically change direction'
Charlee Mandy is an archaeology and classics major.
/news/dont-be-afraid-radically-change-direction
The Students of Wonder and Wakefulness
Four Cornell students (Evan Allen, Olivia Graves, Rodrigo Guzman Serrano, Hannah Master) have been deeply involved in the organization of the Johnson Museum’s current exhibit, Wonder and Wakefulness: The Nature of Pliny the Elder.
/news/students-wonder-and-wakefulness
Museum exhibit illuminates Pliny’s study of art, nature
Open now through June 11, “Wonder and Wakefulness: The Nature of Pliny the Elder” marks the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the celebrated Roman author, natural philosopher and statesman.
/news/museum-exhibit-illuminates-plinys-study-art-nature
Ten Inducted into Bouchet Graduate Honor Society
The Bouchet Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
/news/ten-inducted-bouchet-graduate-honor-society
Classicist: ‘Modern’ view of religion dates to 303 AD
Klarman Fellow Toni Alimi identifies three features of so-called modern religious views in “Divine Institutes” by the 4th century scholar Lactantius.
/news/classicist-modern-view-religion-dates-303-ad
Cornell admits ‘extraordinary’ Class of 2027
“True to Cornell’s founding vision, these extraordinary students will bring a diverse range of ideas and experiences to enrich campus life together.”
/news/cornell-admits-extraordinary-class-2027
Radar, AI identify Alaska Native Spanish flu victims burial site
The finding helps clarify the historical record for the Indigenous communities devastated by the 1918-19 pandemic.
/news/radar-ai-identify-alaska-native-spanish-flu-victims-burial-site
‘Destroy the Copy’: Essay collection rethinks the history of plaster casts
The destruction of replicated European sculpture collections can tell us as much as their creation.
/news/destroy-copy-essay-collection-rethinks-history-plaster-casts
Juniors selected for Caplan travel fellowships
Kim Montpelier ‘24, Austin Manning ‘24 and Shanzai Ikhlas ‘24 won fellowships through the classics department.
/news/juniors-selected-caplan-travel-fellowships
Rare drought coincided with Hittite Empire collapse
An interdisciplinary collaboration used tree ring and isotope records to pinpoint a likely culprit: three straight years of severe drought in an already dry period.
/news/rare-drought-coincided-hittite-empire-collapse
The unexpected importance of the sea sponge in classical history
In the Society for the Humanities Invitational Lecture Feb. 15, art historian Verity Platt will present her research on the humble sea sponge.
/news/unexpected-importance-sea-sponge-classical-history
Humanities Impact Grant supports virtual modeling of Roman house and garden at Pompeii
The Society for the Humanities has recently awarded Caitlín Barrett a Humanities Impact Grant to support the 3D and virtual modeling of the Casa della Regina Carolina Project at Pompeii.
A&S Klarman Fellows program renewed and expanded
Thanks to additional significant support from Seth Klarman ’79 and Beth Schultz Klarman, the Klarman Postdoctoral Fellowship program has been expanded to support 10 fellows per cohort.
/news/klarman-fellows-program-renewed-and-expanded
Wondering what to read in 2023? A&S faculty offer ideas
A&S faculty offer book and poetry recommendations for the new year.
/news/wondering-what-read-2023-faculty-offer-ideas
Expanding the boundaries of classics abroad: Ruth Portes’ journey to Georgia
Ruth Portes, a fourth-year archaeology PhD student, has recently returned from two months of field work in Georgia (August 1- October 3)
/news/expanding-boundaries-classics-abroad-ruth-portes-journey-georgia
What I found in the earth
Classics student Charlee Mandy '23 writes about the Marzuolo Archaeological Project. Originally published in the Cornell Daily Sun, August 29, 2022.
/news/what-i-found-earth
Noted archaeologist to speak on new discoveries in Israel in Cornell lecture
Israeli archaeologist Mordechai Aviam and his colleagues made headlines by finding possible evidence, near the Sea of Galilee, of the house of St. Peter.
/news/noted-archaeologist-speak-new-discoveries-israel-cornell-lecture
Weiss teaching award honors eight exceptional faculty
Four A&S faculty members have been honored for their excellence in undergraduate teaching and mentoring.
/news/weiss-teaching-award-honors-eight-exceptional-faculty
Apply for the 2023 Harry Caplan travel fellowship
Are you a current junior interested in getting funding to travel to Europe or the Near East to study Greek, Roman, and/or Jewish cultures? Apply for the 2023 Harry Caplan Travel Fellowship! Applications due November 1.
/news/apply-2023-harry-caplan-travel-fellowship
Spring 2023 featured courses
Discover some of the exciting courses the Department of Classics is offering next semester.
/news/spring-2023-featured-courses
Active Learning Initiative, at 10, elevates teaching and belonging
The initiative has supported classes in the humanities, the social and natural sciences, mathematics, information science and engineering.
/news/active-learning-initiative-10-elevates-teaching-and-belonging
Statistical analysis aims to solve Greek volcano mystery
Sturt Manning has zeroed in on a much narrower range of dates, approximately 1609–1560 BCE, for the eruption on Santorini, a pivotal event in the prehistory of the region.
/news/statistical-analysis-aims-solve-greek-volcano-mystery
Archaeological conference expands discussion beyond colonial roots
'We saw this conference as a way to expand the conversation beyond Cornell.'
/news/archaeological-conference-expands-discussion-beyond-colonial-roots
Lectures to unearth stories ‘that don’t get told’ in classical scholarship
Oxford scholar Constanze Güthenke will bring to light untold stories of classical scholarship during the 2022 Townsend Lectures Sept. 7, 9, and 12.
/news/lectures-unearth-stories-dont-get-told-classical-scholarship
The Great Separation: Why American Politics Is Coming Apart at the Seams
Megan McArdle, opinion columnist for the Washington Post, will discuss increasingly divided American life and politics in a Sept. 14 lecture.
/news/great-separation-why-american-politics-coming-apart-seams
A&S opens application portal for Klarman postdoc fellowships
Klarman Fellows pursue research in any discipline in the College, including natural sciences, social sciences, humanities and the creative arts as well as cross-disciplinary fields. The application deadline is October 14.
/news/opens-application-portal-klarman-postdoc-fellowships
Academic boot camp boosts veterans’ higher ed mission
Professors in physics and classics contributed to the Warrior-Scholar Project (WSP) hosted at Cornell for military veterans July 23 to Aug. 6.
/news/academic-boot-camp-boosts-veterans-higher-ed-mission
Ice Age human footprints discovered in Utah desert
Altogether 88 footprints were documented, including both adults and children, offering insight into family life in the time of the Pleistocene.
/news/ice-age-human-footprints-discovered-utah-desert
NATO decision on Finland, Sweden strong on paper, future unclear
With NATO formally inviting Finland and Sweden to join its alliance after Turkey dropped its objections, classics and history professor Barry Strauss comments that history is full of alliances that amounted to little.
/news/nato-decision-finland-sweden-strong-paper-future-unclear
Klarman Fellow traces ideas of slavery from ancient Rome to upstate NY
Toni Alimi’s book project, “Slaves of God,” delves deep into the Augustine cannon, explaining the philosopher’s reasons for justifying slavery.
/news/klarman-fellow-traces-ideas-slavery-ancient-rome-upstate-ny
Tear down academic silos: Take an ‘undisciplinary’ approach
A new Cornell study suggests that solving societal problems such as climate change could require dismantling rigid academic boundaries, so that researchers from varying disciplines could work together collaboratively.
/news/tear-down-academic-silos-take-undisciplinary-approach
Latin and Greek Mottos for Cornell’s Earth Source Heat project
Cornell’s Earth Source Heat borehole project already had a fitting English motto: “Onward and Downward.” Now, the project has Latin and Greek mottos courtesy of Prof. Daniel Gallagher: Energeia Geothermica: Perge deorsum!
/news/latin-and-greek-mottos-cornells-earth-source-heat-project
Fall 2022 Highlighted Courses
Classes of interest for first-year students.
/news/fall-2022-highlighted-courses
Contemporary and ancient art exhibit enlivens Ithaca Mall
The “Sculpture Shoppe” exhibition displays selections from Cornell’s plaster cast collection of Greco-Roman sculptures alongside – and sometimes within – contemporary artists’ responses to cast culture and classical art.
/news/contemporary-and-ancient-art-exhibit-enlivens-ithaca-mall
Stephen Sansom concludes his time at Cornell with “MUSE-AK” performance
Stephen Sansom, a Postdoctoral Associate in Classics, took the stage with his bandmates on May 5 for “MUSE–AK: a Mall Performance of Ancient Greek Song.” This wonderful contribution to the Sculpture Shoppe exhibition made a fitting conclusion for Stephen's time at Cornell. He will begin his new position as an Assistant Professor of Classics at Florida State University this upcoming fall.
/news/stephen-sansom-concludes-his-time-cornell-muse-ak-performance
Arts and Sciences faculty honored for teaching, advising excellence
"These faculty members and graduate teaching assistants have made tremendous contributions for the benefit of our students, guiding their educational paths and molding their experiences."
/news/arts-and-sciences-faculty-honored-teaching-advising-excellence
'I had to complete my junior year in China because of the pandemic'
Jingkai Liu is a Classics and Government major.
/news/i-had-complete-my-junior-year-china-because-pandemic
Sculpture Shoppe launches with ancient Greek song performance
The Sculpture Shoppe, located in a former retail space in Ithaca Mall, will be open through the month of May.
/news/sculpture-shoppe-launches-ancient-greek-song-performance
'I learned to open my work up to public criticism'
Catalina Peñéñory is a classics and Italian major.
/news/i-learned-open-my-work-public-criticism
The long history of disinformation during war
While we might crave information, we are right to be suspicious of the sources that provide it, Barry Strauss, professor of history and classics, writes in Washington Post commentary.
/news/long-history-disinformation-during-war
Russia and Ukraine peace talks likely have nothing to do with ‘peace’
As peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine appear to be proceeding in fits and starts, Barry Strauss, writes that history shows that such talks are a way station to the real arena: the battlefield.
/news/russia-and-ukraine-peace-talks-likely-have-nothing-do-peace
Graduate student Mary Danisi reports from the Valley of the Muses
During the 2021-2022 academic school year, I have been incredibly fortunate to have participated in the Regular Program at the American School of Classical Studies at Athens.
/news/graduate-student-mary-danisi-reports-valley-muses
Secret History: Rediscovering Cornell’s Plaster Cast Collection
In the 1980s, Cornell University students ate lunch under the watchful eyes of several ancient Greek and Roman sculptures — the north wing portion of Cornell’s Plaster Cast Collection displayed in the Temple of Zeus Café inside Goldwin Smith Hall. Yet while alumni may remember the casts, few know about their history, their fate, or their future.
/news/secret-history-rediscovering-cornells-plaster-cast-collection
Cornell Students Reflect on Living and Learning in Rome
Two Cornell Classics majors, Charlee Mandy and Lal Kosematoglu, share their experiences studying abroad in Rome this spring with the Centro Study Abroad program.
/news/cornell-students-reflect-living-and-learning-rome
Cornell Classics Welcomes New Faculty Member Cat Lambert
Cornell Classics is excited to welcome its newest faculty member, Cat Lambert. Cat will join the Classics department as a post-doctoral fellow for the 2022-2023 academic year, and then as an assistant professor.
/news/cornell-classics-welcomes-new-faculty-member-cat-lambert
Active Learning Initiative awards 5 new grants
The Active Learning Initiative has announced its Phase IV grants. The winning proposals, from Classics, Government, History, the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering, included collaborations that extend across Cornell.
/news/active-learning-initiative-awards-5-new-grants
More than $12M donated to support students in 24 hours
On Cornell’s eighth Giving Day, held March 16, 15,905 alumni, students, faculty, staff, parents and friends from more than 80 countries made gifts totaling a record-breaking $12,268,629.
/news/more-12m-donated-support-students-24-hours