Structures of Life Advanced Buildings Foster Research, Collaboration and Discovery
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CORNELL’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE WINTER 2009 STRUCTURES OF LIFE ADVANCED BUILDINGS FOSTER RESEARCH, COLLABORATION AND DISCOVERY 3 - RESPONDING TO ECONOMIC CrISIS 18 - SCHWARTZ CENTER'S 20TH 26 - REMEMBERING NED HARKNESS FROM THE PUBLISHER Although this is the second issue of Ezra, Cornell’s quarterly magazine, it is the first full-size issue, with 32 pages, four more than our fall inaugural issue. We are debuting several new standing features: In addition to our cover story package, you will find two new sections, Arts & Humanities and Research Spotlight, which will appear in each future issue. An update on Ezra’s fall issue cover story, which took an in-depth look at Cornell’s new financial aid initiative: As our story on Page 3 details, that package has now been enhanced even further. Increasing our investment in need-based student financial aid is especially important in today’s economic climate, but it is even more crucial for us to make Cornell affordable for as many students as possible. This issue’s cover story is about an investment of a different kind: the newly opened Weill Hall, a complex research facility that brings life scientists together from across campus and uses proximity, collaboration and lots of open space to position Cornell at the forefront of life sciences research. Facilities like Weill Hall are important not just because they encourage cutting-edge science, but also because they help attract promising young scientists and researchers – as well as giving established scientists room to grow. The stories that appear in Ezra come from quite a few of Cornell’s talented writers. In particular, I want to thank our student writers, such as Jennifer Wholey ’10, whose talents are indispensible to the success of this fledgling publication. Thomas W. Bruce Vice President, University Communications EZRA Contributors: Daniel Aloi, Jennifer All photography by Cornell University ON THE COVER: Photo illustration by Cornell’s quarterly magazine Campbell, Lauren Gold, Jeremy Hartigan, Photography unless otherwise indicated. Robert Barker and Matthew Fondeur/ Vol. I, Issue 2 Bryce T. Hoffman, George Lowery, Krishna Cornell University is an equal opportunity, University Photography Winter 2009 Ramanujan, Bill Steele, Diane Wallace, affirmative action educator and employer. Publisher: Thomas W. Bruce Jennifer Wholey ’10 For subscription information, e-mail http://ezramagazine.cornell.edu Managing Editor: Joe Wilensky Designer: Lorraine Heasley <[email protected]> Senior Editors: David Brand, Susan S. Lang Circulation Manager: Paulette Chrzaszcz 12/08 50M CP 090119 Contributing Editor: Bryce T. Hoffman Produced by the Cornell Chronicle and the Copy Editors: Susan Baldwin, Karen Walters Office of Publications and Marketing CORNELL’S QUARTERLY MAGAZINE CONTENTS 2 UPDATES University responds to current financial situation, another boost for financial aid, Kent Fuchs named provost, Frank H.T. Rhodes on KAUST board. 4 COVER STORY 16 ‘Intellectual crucible’ open for business BY KRISHNA RAMANUJAN Weill Hall opened officially in October, a modern, collaborative facility well positioned to be at the center of an era of research breakthroughs. 6 Campus-to-campus collaboration is essential BY LAUREN GOLD 8 Leading donors made building a reality 18 BY BRYCE T. HOFFMAN 10 New incubator will bring technology to life BY JENNIFER CAMPBEll 12 VIEWPOINT It began as an ‘intellectual exercise’ BY RICK CERIONE 14 CENTERSPREAD Lifting the lid on Weill Hall 26 IllUSTRATION BY JIM HOUGHTON 20 RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT 16 Architect Richard Meier on how his designs bring Cell phone games and modeling sustainability people together StORIES BY BRYCE T. HOFFMAN AND BIll StEELE BY DANIEL AlOI 22 ARTS AND HUMANITIES 17 Building receives LEED gold award ‘Power of the page’ 18 CAMPUS LIFE BY DANIEL AlOI The Schwartz Center turns 20 23 OUTREACH BY DANIEL AlOI Vet students cross the globe BY JENNIFER WHOLEy ’10 24 WORTH SUPPORTING Gifts support recruitment and opportunity 26 BIG RED ATHLETICS Teaching life lessons to hundreds of Cornellians BY JEREMY HARTIGAN 28 CAMPAIGN UPDATE Cornell's students: A safe, smart investment 29 END NOTE 20 Architects’ design team: eight years of listening and learning BY RENNY LOGAN UPDATES Engineering Dean Kent Fuchs named CU’s 15th provost W. Kent Fuchs, the Joseph Silbert of the faculty and students in Cornell history – before accepting Dean of Engineering at Cornell since those departments, to encourage the chancellorship of the University 2002, will be the university’s next departments and schools to develop of Wisconsin-Madison in May. provost. Fuchs (pronounced “Fox”) plans – explicit aspirations – and David Harris, who had been serving will assume the officeJ an. 1, 2009. make sure that the provost’s office is as interim provost, will resume his President David Skorton made the supporting them,” he said. deputy provost position Jan. 1. announcement in his State of the While the new provost’s long-term “I am delighted that Kent Fuchs has University address at the annual focus will include leading efforts to accepted the challenge of being meeting of the Cornell Board of implement Cornell’s strategic plan, Cornell’s next provost,” Skorton Trustees and Cornell University among the issues that will take his said. “He is a strong and respected Council in October. “Kent brings to immediate attention will be careful administrator who has led the this post great knowledge of Cornell, understanding and management of Engineering College with foresight, strong leadership abilities and a the budget in the midst of economic vitality and innovation – attributes he clear vision of the future,” he said. uncertainty. In this, he said, it is will bring to his new appointment. I Fuchs said that among his top important to include Weill Cornell look forward to benefiting from his priorities will be to bolster individual W. Kent Fuchs Medical College and the rest of leadership and insight as Cornell’s academic departments and to Cornell’s New York City campus academic enterprise moves into an encourage optimism across said Fuchs. “The department and in leading and planning on budget even brighter future.” issues as one institution. campus. school are the academic home for Christopher K. Ober, Cornell's “I will have a slightly different focus faculty and students, and it’s where As Cornell’s 15th provost, Fuchs will Francis Bard Professor of Materials than we’ve had as an institution teaching occurs and scholarship succeed Carolyn “Biddy” Martin, Science and Engineering, will begin explicitly in the past 10 years,” is conducted. My personal goal who held the position for eight years serving as interim dean of the is to understand the aspirations – the longest term for any provost in College of Engineering on Jan. 1. Rhodes to serve on board of new Saudi university that will introduce new ideas into kingdom King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), funded with a $10 billion endowment from the king, is slated to open in September 2009 as nation’s first independent, PROVIDED international graduate-level Cornell President Emeritus research university. Frank H.T. Rhodes Cornell President Emeritus Frank would advance the interests of the could become world-class in sci- pus that will function as its own city. H.T. Rhodes has been named to the people of Saudi Arabia in the era ence and engineering,” Rhodes said. Some 20,000 workers are building board of trustees of King Abdullah when petroleum is no longer the Serving on the 20-member board the campus, which is located on the University of Science and Technol- dominant basis of the economy,” with Rhodes are Mary Robinson, Red Sea north of Jeddah in a former ogy (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia. Set Rhodes said. King Abdullah bin the former president of Ireland; Elias fishing village called Thuwal. to open in September 2009 with up Abdul Aziz Al Saud, who also serves Zerhouni, director of the National In- KAUST has formed research ar- to 350 international and Saudi stu- as prime minister, has been the royal stitutes of Health; Rolf-Dieter Heuer, rangements with universities and dents, KAUST will train a cohort of head of the kingdom since 2005. incoming director general of CERN; corporations around the world, graduate students, all on full scholar- Rhodes consulted the constitutions Shirley Tilghman, president of Princ- including Cornell, which has a $25 ships. It will be co-educational and of many universities, and produced a eton University; Jie Zhang, president million partnership. Other projects have women on its faculty, which will document that introduced such new of Shanghai Jiao Tong University; under way: General Electric work- be guaranteed academic freedom. ideas into Saudi higher education as and Cornell trustee Lubna Suliman ing on wind and solar power; IBM Instruction will be in English. co-education and women faculty; Olayan. “It’s an impressive interna- building a massive supercomputer; Rhodes’ involvement with KAUST an independent, self-electing board tional spread,” said Rhodes, who led Monsanto developing salt-resistant began a couple of years ago when of trustees; strong guarantees of Cornell from 1977 to 1995. crops; and Woods Hole Oceano- he was asked to write a charter and academic freedom; and endowment The king has provided the university graphic Institution helping to pre- bylaws for the new university. income free of the influence or con- with a $10 billion endowment – serve the coral reef offshore of the “King Abdullah – who is financ- trol of government ministries. among the largest for any university KAUST campus. ing this and whose name it bears “King Abdullah has a very elevated (about double Cornell’s endowment) — George Lowery – wanted to build a university that vision for a great university that – and separate funds to build a cam- 2 EZRA Winter 2009 Cornell confronts economy’s impact with hiring pause, construction delays President David Skorton issued a efficiencies throughoutC ornell.