Faculty apprise alumni on solving global challenges

Six Cornell professors - each with distinctive areas of study - provided 10-minute presentations on the university's comprehensive, international impact at "Talks in 10: Engagement, Sustainability and Global Cornell" at Bailey Hall on Oct. 17, for the combined Trustee-Council Annual Meeting and Homecoming weekend. Host Barry Hartstein '73, vice chair of the Cornell University Council, explained that Cornell is devoted to scholarship, teaching and research, but the university is "applying that research to help people in the real world," he said. As professors work with students to provide solutions to problems, Hartstein continued, the future students "will become problem-solvers in this new, challenging global environment we're dealing with." For the public engagement part of the program, Steve Strogatz, the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics, explained that writing his New York Times online column in 2010 was "one of the most exhilarating experiences" of his career, as the bright Times readers told the professor about their aha moments learning about math through his column. Juan Hinestroza, associate professor of fiber science, captivates the public in a fashionable way by "making cotton do things," he said. Hinestroza explained how his research seeks to understand phenomena at the nanoscale level, relevant to fibers, polymer science and wearable technology. He discussed how electronic devices, like cell phones , could be charged using clothing, and he discussed how his students pair with senior citizens from the Ithaca area to find unique solutions to problems faced by aging diabetic and arthritic adults.