Spotlight

What is Spotlight?

Spotlight is cornell.edu's showcase of people, projects, places, and traditions that give Cornell its unique place among American research universities in the Ivy League -- a list that has continued to grow since 1865 when Cornell University was founded.

Spotlight Submissions

Spotlight represents the voice of Cornell students, alumni, faculty, staff, and friends of the University, and you are encouraged to submit your ideas for new content. Include the URL of the Cornell-related feature, and a brief description. Any person may submit.

Marks of Distinction

Don't miss Cornell University's historical "firsts" and current achievements.

Recent Spotlights

tickets to the 1940 game vs. Dartmouth Relive the infamous 1940 'fifth down' game vs. Dartmouth, when Cornell traded the title for integrity
section of a kinematic model KMODDL, Cornell's digital library of kinematic models, helps teach the geometry of pure motion
rendering of Milstein Hall interior Open, flexible Koolhaas design for Paul Milstein Hall will inspire innovation
Weill Hall Fulfilling the promise of life sciences: Bright, open and built green, Weill Hall is on the cutting edge
Cornell researcher with kids CU social scientists break down barriers to answer the world's toughest questions
Wall Street sign How do we save Wall Street and Main Street? Cornell's Robert Hockett has a plan
overpopulated city The Institute for the Social Sciences helps scholars tackle global issues together
cornellboration logo Connect, share, collaborate: Cornellboration is a social network for science-minded Cornellians
'life on the hill' sticker on a brick wall Read along as our student bloggers share the story of their lives on the hill
hand holding a skull bone CU alum David Campbell '77 teaches evolution to kids raised on intelligent design
brain scan Even so-called "mild" head injuries can be anything but, says Cornell neurosurgeon Jam Ghajar
CUAUV's Triton goes for a test run in the water Cornell student engineers make a splash in international competition with their vehicle "Triton"
man eating a burger and chips Want to save the economy? Go on a diet. More veggies, fewer calories cuts energy use, says David Pimentel
keel-billed toucan In a Guatemalan rainforest, Lab of Ornithology biologist Greg Budney hears the call of the wild
Abe Lincoln New Cornell students share a summer read: 'Lincoln at Gettysburg' by Garry Wills
cash and credit card Cornell's Robert Frank tells NPR why we spend more with credit than with cash
A new synthesis guides platinum nanoparticles to form ordered materials with 1020-nm-sized pores Metals with nano-sized pores may have a future in fuel cells thanks to team led by Ulrich Wiesner
student typing on a laptop New initiative encourages faculty to teach research methods 'beyond Google'
farmer holds rice plant Cornell's Norman Uphoff is leading a food revolution that starts with rice
close-up of a basketball NBA players make winning coaches, say researchers at Cornell's ILR School
airmail envelope with colorful stamps Like a postcard, only better. CU students blog from Berlin, Buenos Aires, Budapest and Jerusalem.
students prepare in the kitchen Hotelies roll out the red carpet for industry experts at Hotel Ezra Cornell
Cornell student bloggers Life on the Hill: Spring break adventures, tasty group projects and... oh yeah, studying
plants under blue light Boyce Thompson Institute: Plant research with real benefits for people
Cornell Athletics logo Big Red men and women cap off their Ivy championship seasons with NCAA bids
Sam Bacharach, Cornell's McKelvey-Grant Professor of Labor Management ILR Oral History Project documents struggle against alcoholism in the workplace
view through columns on a sunny day in Doha The latest from Quad Blogger in Doha: Eastern cultures, Western expectations
close-up of a cow See how Agriculture and Life Sciences research and outreach impacts New York State
Graeme Bailey in class CornellCast in the classroom: Watch Graeme Bailey's CS 211 class
portrait of Sarah E. Thomas Early black women at Cornell: Part and apart, 1890s-1930s
Marquise McGraw Research in progress: Bats, birds, dragonflies and other curiosities
Marquise McGraw Marquise McGraw believes education is the key to erasing poverty
Susan Murphy Susan Murphy: West Campus is transforming the residential experience
Susan McCouch examines a plant Cornell's Susan McCouch enlists students in the quest to alleviate malnutrition
CU 100+ MPG: Striving to win the Automotive X-Prize with a new breed of automobile
Think Shakespeare is vanishing? He's alive and well at Cornell
Rebuilding the 9th Ward: Portraits and interviews of Hurricane Katrina survivors
photo of screens in video art exhibit Stop. Look. Listen. Inside an exhibition of video art at the Johnson Museum
girl looks at exhibits in the insect zoo Roach races, cricket cookies and a handful of maggots: Insectapalooza!
drop of blue liquid on cloth Show us what you're made of: Cutting-edge Materials Science research at Cornell
gloved hands transplant a bunch of purple flowers Cornell students go 'Into the Streets' for a day of community service in Ithaca
Alaskan muskoxen The Macaulay Library's 'Big Year': Rare sound and video recordings from distant lands
Robert Frank Close-up on Robert Frank: Keypads and wedding gowns—it's all economics
Ithaca girl shows off one of her creations 4-H sewing program developed by Denise Green '07 fosters creativity, independent thinking
aerial view of the NYS Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva Accomplishments with impact since 1882: NYS Ag Experiment Station turns 125
close-up of a horsefly Don't bug out! CU's Rayor and Losey explain the value of insects on CBS Sunday Morning