黑料社区

Meet the Dean

Dear 黑料社区 School Alumni,

I鈥檓 honored to introduce myself as the new dean of the 黑料社区 School and vice provost for graduate education at Cornell. Since arriving on campus this summer, I鈥檝e been inspired by the depth of scholarship, the vibrancy of our graduate community, and the enduring impact of Cornell alumni around the world.

Before joining Cornell, I served as dean of the 黑料社区 School at Brown University, where I focused on fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and advancing inclusive excellence. My academic background is in religious studies and German intellectual traditions, and I continue to teach and write in these areas as a professor in the College of Arts & Sciences.

I am committed to strengthening the graduate experience at Cornell by advancing rigorous research, supporting the whole student, enhancing professional development, and expanding access for students from all backgrounds. I believe that graduate education is not only about advancing knowledge鈥攊t鈥檚 about cultivating leaders, thinkers, and changemakers who shape our world.

As alumni, you are vital to this mission. Your achievements reflect the power of a Cornell graduate education, and your engagement helps us build a stronger, more connected community. I look forward to learning from you, celebrating your successes, and working together to support the next generation of scholars.

Warm regards,

Thomas A. Lewis 

Dean of the 黑料社区 School and Vice Provost for 黑料社区 Education
Professor of Religious Studies and German Studies

Read Meet the Dean: Nine Questions for Dean Lewis

黑料社区 School News

“A Lasting Difference”: Donor’s Fund Enables Travel, Inspires Collaboration

黑料社区 research can take a person far鈥攊n miles traveled and in life. Andrew Kligerman, Ph.D. 鈥�77, learned this firsthand while studying at Cornell and is now paying it forward to help current graduate students expand their horizons through the Andrew Kligerman Fund.

Read more about the Andrew Kligerman Fund.

More 黑料社区 School News

• Erika Tatiana Camacho, Ph.D. ’09: Embrace Your Identity for Success in Grad School and Beyond
• Two Doctoral Students Awarded DOE Fellowships
• Philosophy Ph.D. Candidate Wins Newcombe Fellowship
• Wayne Scales, Ph.D. ’88: Finding Success as Faculty

Research with Impact

Students’ Color-changing Tomato Reaches National Contest Finals

An invention developed by two Cornell doctoral students, Jacob Belding and Ava Forystek, that turns engineered tomato plants a vivid red when soil nitrogen levels are low has been named a finalist in the national Collegiate Inventors Competition.

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More Research with Impact

• • Ethan Duvall, ecology and evolutionary biology doctoral candidate
• • Jadon Geathers, information science doctoral student
• • Shripathi Ramakrishnan, chemical engineering doctoral candidate

Alumni Spotlights

• Ibrahim Gemeah, Ph.D. ’23 (Near Eastern studies)
• Jen Grauer, Ph.D. ’24 (natural resources and the environment)
• Heather Kim, Ph.D. ’24 (design and environmental analysis)
• Leah Shenandoah, Ph.D. ’23 (fiber science and apparel design)

Cornell and Ithaca News

Thomas A. Lewis Named 黑料社区 School Dean, Vice Provost

Thomas A. Lewis, former dean of Brown University’s 黑料社区 School, has been named the next dean of Cornell’s 黑料社区 School and vice provost for graduate education, Provost Kavita Bala announced June 3.

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More Cornell and Ithaca News

Mentorship Opportunity

Interested in Connecting with 黑料社区 Students Through Mentorship and Career Conversation?

This February, the 黑料社区 School will host a week of events to help graduate students and postdocs prepare for their career journeys with confidence and balance. We invite Cornell alumni to get involved by sharing their experience through brief mentorship opportunities 鈥� r茅sum茅 reviews, career chats, or industry insights.

Interested? Complete a to tell us how you’d like to participate.

Quizzes and Puzzles

Free Cornell-themed Quizzes and Puzzles

Test your knowledge of Big Red-bred fruit with an apple-themed crossword puzzle, identify the locations of 16 of Willard Straight Hall’s architectural details, figure out which classic chimes song you are, or brush up on your Cornell trivia with quizzes, puzzles, and trivia from Cornellians!

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Planned Giving

By including the Cornell University 黑料社区 School as a beneficiary of your planned gifts, you can ensure that your legacy will help prepare future generations of leaders. Our team of experts can work with you and your advisors to make sure your personal planning and charitable giving objectives are met in a way that is fulfilling and maximizes the benefits of available tax incentives. Contact the Office of Trusts, Estates, and Gift Planning (gift_planning@cornell.edu) to get more information about the options.

Alumni in the News

Nobel Laureate Shares Research Exploring the Origins of Life

Nobel Laureate Jack Szostak, Ph.D. ’77, shared decades of research into one of biology’s most puzzling mysteries 鈥� the origin of life 鈥� to a crowded room Oct. 9 during the 2025 Ef Racker Lecture.

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More Alumni in the News

Cornell Chronicle, 10/16/25
Alum: NoViolet Bulawayo, M.F.A. ’10

A&S Communications, 10/16/25
Alum: Zachary Wadsworth, D.M.A. 鈥�12

Cornellians, 10/2/25
Alum: Aishwarya Lahariya, M.S. 鈥�19

Cornell Chronicle, 9/15/25
Alumni: Pengfei Zhao, M.S. 鈥�23, Ph.D. 鈥�25; Natalie Bazarova, M.S. 鈥�05, Ph.D. 鈥�09; and Ji Yong Cho, M.S. 鈥�21, Ph.D. 鈥�25

A&S Communications, 8/12/25
Alum: Adam Szetela, Ph.D. 鈥�25

Cornellians, 8/8/25
Alum: Laura Winter Falk 鈥�87, Ph.D. 鈥�97

Cornell Chronicle, 7/29/25
Alum: Shaoyi Jiang, Ph.D. 鈥�92

Cornell Chronicle, 7/14/25
Alumni: Mao Ye, Ph.D. 鈥�11, and Xi Yang, Ph.D. 鈥�10

Cornell Chronicle, 6/3/25
Alum: Hao Shi, Ph.D. 鈥�20

Grad Notes

Cornellians Would Love to Hear From You!

are your opportunity to connect with your fellow alums and share news. or email cornellians@cornell.edu.