Dear Bowers CIS community,

As we approach the halfway point of the semester, there is warmer weather and sunshine ahead, and some exciting news and events at Bowers CIS to share.

I want to offer a A Big Red welcome to our newest Bowers CIS majors. The college recently celebrated 445 newly affiliated students at the New Majors Welcome. Each semester, the event brings together undergraduates, faculty, and staff for a night of community and connection. You can view photos from this event in the highlights below. 

Mark your calendars for the second installment of the Bowers CIS Distinguished Speaker Series. As part of the university’s Freedom of Expression theme year, our series aims to foster important discussions surrounding the role and impact of tech on free speech. Join us on March 13 as Jeff Kosseff, associate professor of cybersecurity law at the United States Naval Academy, leads a discussion on free speech and misinformation. Copies of Kosseff’s latest book, Liar In A Crowded Theater: Freedom of speech in a world of misinformation, will be free for attendees; first come, first served. 

Best of luck as you complete your prelims. Remember to prioritize your health and reach out to faculty, staff, and peers for support when you need it.

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Blockchains kill in Cornell Tech professor’s thriller novel

A confluence of events, combined with a healthy obsession for details and a love of writing, gave computer scientist Ari Juels just what he needed to produce his second fiction thriller.

A night of celebrating and inspiring black excellence

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion collaborated with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the Cornell Black Graduate Professional Student Association (BGPSA) to host A Night of Illumination and Celebration of Black Excellence.

Cornell’s Inclusive Excellence Podcast talks with Carl Cornell, assistant director of undergraduate advising 

In this new episode, Cornell discusses his background and how it has empowered him to ignite change across the university.

Bunea to co-organize international workshop on statistics, AI

Florentina Bunea, professor of statistics and data science, has been awarded a grant from the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach (MFO) to co-organize the institute’s week-long international meeting, Statistics and Learning Theory in the Era of Artificial Intelligence, in June.