Look, up in the sky! It's two alums inspecting buildings and bridges!
Evan Kopelson ’94, an alum of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences and Kent Diebolt ’82 are the co-founders of Vertical Access. The company inspects iconic structures using rope-access techniques.
Ancient texts offer timely lessons on speaking freely
A new book by classicist Michael Fontaine, Cornell College of Arts and Sciences, connects ancient debates on free speech to modern concerns about misinformation, dissent and open inquiry. His new translations of Plato and Lucien examine expression, tolerance and disagreement.
How to speak freely examined in eCornell event Oct. 6
Cornell President Michael I. Kotlikoff and classics professor Mike Fontaine will discuss free speech and leadership Oct. 6 at Cornell University. The eCornell Keynote opens the Program on Freedom and Free Societies series.
Military historian Barry Strauss receives U.S. Naval War College Hattendorf Prize
Barry Strauss, College of Arts & Sciences professor emeritus at Cornell University, received the 2026 Hattendorf Prize from the U.S. Naval War College for lifetime achievements in military history research and writing. The biennial award was presented Sept. 9, and Strauss delivered a lecture on sea power’s modern lessons from ancient Greece and Rome.
Trump's triumphal arch revives a symbol of empire rule, says Cornell expert
A classics professor in Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences says Trump’s planned triumphal arch revives imperial symbolism tied to military conquest and centralized power. The scholar argues the monument contrasts with American founders’ preference for republican ideals over Roman emperor imagery.
Einhorn Center launches new staff fellowship program and welcomes largest cohort of new engaged fellows
Cornell College of Arts and Sciences scholars are among the 42 faculty members and staff from 19 Cornell schools, colleges and units named Engaged Fellows for 2026-2027, the largest cohort since the program’s launch in 2013.
Cat Lambert Awarded Fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study
Cat Lambert, the Joyce A. Yelencsics Rosevear ’65 and Frederick M. Rosevear ’64 Assistant Professor of Classics, was awarded a fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) in the School of Historical Studies for the spring semester of the 2026-27 academic year.
Classics professor plays guide to ancient Pompeii’s daily life on TV series
In the three-part docudrama POMPEII: OUT OF TIME, Cornell archaeologist Caitie Barrett helps actor Tom Hiddleston uncover some of the secrets of the daily lives of people who were living in Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 C.E.
Faculty excellence in teaching and advising honored with 2026 awards
Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences honors the winners of its 2026 teaching and advising awards. Faculty members Nicole Giannella, Karola Mészáros and Landon Schnabel stand out this year, earning major awards for excellence; many instructors and teaching assistants received recognition, as well.
Former UK prime minister delves into an ancestor's Big Red history
Former United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave a lecture at Cornell on April 27, 2026. Before delivering his remarks, he visited Uris and Kroch libraries to view materials about Elias Avery Lowe 1902: his great-grandfather and one of the most notable classics graduates from Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences.
How do you spell a National Bee legend? J-A-C-Q-U-E-S B-A-I-L-L-Y!
Jacques Bailly, Ph.D. ’97, a doctoral alumni of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, is the longtime head pronouncer for the iconic Scripps National Spelling Bee. He won the competition in 1980 at age 14 and began working as a pronouncer in 2003.
Remembering Annetta Alexandridis
As a colleague of Annetta's, I celebrate her life as an articulate and respected scholar, dedicated educator, warm and insightful colleague, and fellow Sardian. I will always remember the wonderful Firing the Canon exhibition of Cornell's casts in the old Chilled Water Plant, the germ of which involved some speculative drawing by my landscape architecture…
Humanities scholars tackle research across disciplines
Seniors in the Humanities Scholars Program (HSP) in the College of Arts & Sciences at Cornell University will showcase their research at an all-day conference May 1 at the A.D. White House. Their work spans across humanities fields and also highlights intersections with science, technology, business, law and other disciplines.
Classical art historian Annetta Alexandridis dies at 58
Annetta Alexandridis, classical archaeologist and art historian in Cornell’s College of Arts and Sciences, died April 13. Known for her hands-on approach, she was associate director of the Harvard-Cornell Exploration of Ancient Sardis, Türkiye and co-curated the Cornell Plaster Cast Collection.
Elemental Readings III: The Matter of Earth
Join the Department of Performing and Media Arts and the Department of Classics for Elemental Readings III: The Matter of Earth, a symposium spanning four days and various locations from Thursday, April 23 through Saturday, April 25, and on Friday, May 1. A performance of BIOphelia will take place on Thursday, April 23, from 3:00…
Admitted Class of 2030 seeks real-world impact
Cornell admits the Class of 2030 emphasizing real-world impact, enrolling 5,776 students from 102 countries. At Cornell University, the diverse cohort reflects the land-grant mission and applied learning goals across multiple colleges.
Making an impression: A new approach to classical concepts of the image
For the ancient Greeks, an image could be understood as a seal pressed on a material to leave a mark, as opposed to an inferior imitation (mimēsis), scholar Verity Platt argues in a new book.
Back to in-person work? Classics professor offers tips on office humor
In early February, classics professor Mike Fontaine tapped the expertise he gleaned from writing How to Tell a Joke to address a very modern phenomenon: the current push by many companies for a return to the office.
‘Households in Context’ wins Wiseman Book Award
Based on a 2018 conference co-organized by Caitie Barrett, professor of classics, and Jennifer Carrington, Ph.D. ’19, the book focuses on houses and households during a period when Egypt was ruled by Greeks and then by Romans.
Ancient dirty dishes reveal decades of questionable findings
An interdisciplinary team of researchers determined that organic residues of plant oils are poorly preserved in calcareous soils from the Mediterranean, leading decades of archaeologists to likely misidentify olive oil in ceramic artifacts.
The long, deep dig: Collaboration excavates the ancient city of Sardis
A collaboration between Cornell and Harvard has continuously excavated the ancient city.
Public speeches challenged assumptions in ancient Greece
In a new paper, Klarman Postdoctoral Fellow Davide Napoli argues that public speeches in ancient Greece aimed not to express personal views, but to undermine entrenched ideas and challenge common-sense conclusions.