College of Human Ecology at Cornell

05/29/2026

05/29/2026

One last round of applause for the Cornell Human Ecology Class of 2026!👏🎓

From crossing the stage and celebrating with family and friends to tossing caps into the air and reflecting on how far they've come, commencement weekend was filled with moments we'll never forget.

Thank you for the curiosity, compassion, creativity and determination you've brought to Cornell Human Ecology. You've challenged convention, built community and worked to improve lives in ways big and small.

As you begin your next chapter, know that you'll always be part of the Human Ecology family! ❤️

Photo Credit: Galib Braschler/Marisa LaFalce

05/28/2026

A new 4-H Sustainable Fashion Club is stitching together creativity, confidence and community!

Led by Samantha Alberts, M.A. ’24, Ph.D. candidate in Cornell Human Centered Design, the club introduced Tompkins County youth to sewing, natural dyes and sustainable fashion practices, while helping them think critically about the impact of the clothing industry and their role within it.

From flower-pounded fabrics and naturally dyed garments to a collaborative purse inspired by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, students explored how fashion can become a tool for expression, empowerment and change.

“There was a lot of creativity in this club. It was fun,” said club member Wilhelmina Howard. “I really liked working with natural dyes.”

Drawing from her research on the historical strengths of 4-H clothing clubs, Alberts is now developing a sustainable fashion curriculum for grades 6–12 designed for today’s generation.

“My goal is to revitalize the club to support today's challenges within the fashion industry,” she said. “As adolescents begin working and spending money, how do they become more conscious and informed consumers?”

The project reflects Cornell Human Ecology’s commitment to community-engaged research that translates ideas into action: empowering youth with the tools and skills to help shape a more sustainable future.

Learn more about how these young creators are redefining fashion: https://human.cornell.edu/news-profiles/4-h-sustainability-club-empowers-youth-and-advances-research

Photo Credit: Marisa LaFalce

05/27/2026

Congratulations to Cornell Human Ecology students Maya Abrol ’26 and Olivia Kornstein ’26 on being named 2026 Merrill Presidential Scholars: a recognition honoring graduating seniors for their academic excellence, leadership and potential to make a meaningful impact in the world.

The Merrill Scholars program also celebrates the mentors who help shape students’ journeys. Maya, a fashion design management major, honored faculty member Catherine Blumenkamp and her high school teacher Beka Johnson of Parish Episcopal School in Dallas, Texas. Olivia, a human biology, health and society major, honored by faculty mentor Saurabh Mehta.

At Human Ecology, both students have pursued hands-on, interdisciplinary work that reflects the college’s commitment to improving lives through research, design and public engagement.

As a student research assistant in the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection, Maya helped catalog military artifacts featured in Fit for Duty: Form and Function in Military Dress, an exhibition exploring how uniforms shape ideas of identity, function and design across history.

Olivia’s work in the Cornell Joan Klein Jacobs Center for Precision Nutrition and Health has focused on public health and nutrition research, including presentations on diet therapy for the management of obesity in children and adolescents through the Lindower-Wolitzer DNS Experiential Learning Symposium.

We’re proud to celebrate Maya and Olivia, along with the teachers and mentors who helped inspire their journeys!

Photo Credit: Ben Badua/Provided

05/24/2026

Proud families. Caps flying through the air. Big hugs. A walk across the stage years in the making. ❤️🎓

This morning at our college ceremony, we celebrated the Cornell Human Ecology Class of 2026: a group of trailblazers, changemakers and compassionate leaders ready to improve lives in every corner of the world.

As each graduate crossed the stage, it was a moment to reflect on the journey that brought them here: the challenges overcome, the friendships built, the late nights the breakthroughs and the people who supported them along the way.

Congratulations, Class of 2026! Your Human Ecology journey is only the beginning, and we can’t wait to see where you go next!

Photo Credit: Galib Braschler

05/24/2026

Meet Daniel Zhang ’26, this year’s Cornell Human Ecology senior commencement speaker! 🎓

A nutritional sciences major from upstate New York, Daniel has spent the past four years diving into everything from breast cancer research in the Simmons Lab to mentoring students and helping shape student life across the college.

He’s served as a TA for seven classes, supported undergraduate researchers through the Cornell Undergraduate Research Board and helped lead Human Ecology Ambassadors as chairperson: all while balancing research, leadership and life as a student at Cornell.

“What initially drew me to Human Ecology was its focus on the human experience rather than isolated scientific study,” Daniel said.

Tomorrow, he’ll take the stage to celebrate the Class of 2026 and reflect on the growth, connection and community that shaped his Cornell experience! ❤️

Photo Credit: Galib Braschler/Provided

05/23/2026

Congrats to the Cornell Human Ecology Class of 2026 🎓✨

We’re so proud of you and can’t wait to see where you go next, what you create and all the trails you blaze along the way ❤️

05/23/2026

Celebrating the Division of Nutritional Sciences Class of 2026 🎓❤️

Today’s ceremony honored an incredible group of undergraduate and graduate students whose dedication, curiosity, and passion for nutrition and health have brought them to this milestone.

From seniors crossing the stage to master’s and doctoral students being hooded, the celebration reflected years of hard work, perseverance, and achievement.

Congratulations to the future researchers, clinicians, dietitians, educators, and leaders who will continue advancing the field of nutritional sciences and improving the health of communities everywhere!

Photo Credit: Galib Braschler

05/22/2026

Congratulations to MJ Eum ’26, this year’s recipient of the Outstanding Senior Award from the Human Ecology Alumni Association (HEAA)! 🎉🎓

The award recognizes one graduating senior for outstanding student leadership, extraordinary service to the college and demonstrated potential as an alumni leader, and MJ embodies those values in every sense.

A human biology, health and society major, MJ has spent her time at Cornell building connections, expanding access and serving communities both on and off campus. As president of Cornell University Diversity Admissions Ambassadors, she helped revitalize the organization and expand its outreach to nearly 75 underrepresented high schools, helping students navigate the college admissions process and see themselves at Cornell.

Across the college, MJ has led with empathy, purpose and action. She served for three years as Career Development Co-Chair for the Human Ecology Association for Students and Community, moderating the Annual Alumni-Student Forum and helping students connect with alumni mentors across industries and experiences.

Her impact also spans research and public service. Through the Nutrition Liberation, Food Sovereignty, and Justice Lab and Aging Dissemination Lab led by associate professor Angela Odoms-Young, MJ explored issues ranging from food insecurity and nutrition justice to aging and environmental activism. Off campus, she serves her community as an active firefighter and EMT.

Whether mentoring students, conducting community-engaged research, performing with her band Safe in Sound or supporting medically complex individuals through nutrition outreach initiatives, MJ reflects Cornell Human Ecology’s mission to improve lives through science and purpose.

After graduation, MJ will spend a gap year gaining clinical and research experience at Stanford University School of Medicine before pursuing medical school.

Congratulations, MJ! ❤️

Photo Credit: Margaret Tsai/Galib Braschler/Provided

05/22/2026

Congratulations to our four faculty members in the Division of Nutritional Sciences who have been named 2026 Excellence in Nutrition Fellows by the American Society for Nutrition!

This distinction recognizes active leaders who have made exceptional and sustained contributions to nutrition research and its translation, honoring individuals whose work continues to shape the future of nutrition science, policy, education and public health.

We’re proud to celebrate:
- Laura Bellows, whose research focuses on early childhood nutrition, physical activity and community-based interventions designed to improve health outcomes for children and families, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

- Martha Field, whose work explores how folate and vitamin B12 metabolism influence mitochondrial function, aging and chronic disease risk.

- John Hoddinott, whose internationally recognized research examines poverty, hunger, food security and nutrition policy in developing countries, with fieldwork spanning Africa, Asia and Latin America.

- Julia Finkelstein, an epidemiologist and global health researcher whose work advances maternal and child nutrition through clinical trials, population health research and precision nutrition initiatives around the world.

Together, their work reflects the breadth and interdisciplinary impact of nutrition science at Cornell Human Ecology: from molecular mechanisms and precision nutrition to global health, community interventions and food policy.

The faculty members will be formally recognized at NUTRITION 2026 this July in National Harbor, Maryland.

Please join us in congratulating Laura, Martha, John and Julia on this well-deserved recognition!