World Health Organization

World Health Organization Partners With Cornell to Create Public Health Policy

By |

The World Health Organization has designated Cornell University’s division of nutritional sciences a collaborating center — the organization will partner with the University on the creation and implementation of the public health policy, the University announced last week. Cornell will be one of over 700 WHO collaborating centers in over eighty countries working on areas such as nursing, occupational health, nutrition and health technologies, according to the WHO website. This four-year long partnership will further Cornell’s involvement with the WHO, going beyond the current collaboration, which includes the “Summer Institute for Systematic Reviews in Nutrition for Global Policy Making” — a two-week training program for policy makers that was launched in 2014. “The WHO Center will provide opportunities for Cornell faculty and their students to be more directly involved in assisting the World Health Organizations meet the needs of the member states of the United Nations who seek policy guidance based on rigorous scientific research and evidence evaluation,” said Patrick Stover, director and professor of nutritional sciences. Stover indicated that the University’s role in the partnership will center around addressing issues of global public health.

johnson school

Dyson Atrium in Sage Hall Gets Makeover

By |

The Dyson Atrium in Sage Hall — the home of the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management — received a makeover during winter break with the addition of new furniture, an updated sound system and the installment of more electric outlets. Last semester, a small group of faculty, staff and students with architecture and interior design backgrounds worked together to create a space that would accommodate the events and students using the atrium, according to Amanda Sloane Shaw, associate dean for student services of the Johnson School. “The Johnson program prides itself on being a really close-knit collaborative community.” —Amanda Sloane Shaw
Renovation plans began last semester when the committee made design decisions to enhance the events that would take place in the atrium, according to Teodoro Guzman grad, chair of the student council facilities. “We have high tables around the perimeter for informational conversations, tables of various sizes to accommodate diverse group types, soft seating areas for more relaxed conversations and bigger desks with power outlets for more extended work sessions,” Guzman said. In addition, Guzman said state of the art LED lighting and new recycling bins, as part of a new waste management campaign, were installed.

startup

Cornell Robotics Startup Revolutionizes Hospitality

By |

Maidbot, an Ithaca-based startup run by a Cornell student that combines hospitality and robotics, has gained attention in several competitions around the country, most recently competing against 14 other college startups in the RECESS Pitch Competition earlier this month. “With this new automated system we were really excited to revolutionize and transform the hospitality industry.” —Micah Green ’18
Additionally, Maidbot was announced as one of 8 finalists in the Student Startup Madness competition — a collegiate startup tournament at SXSW — earlier this month. Maidbot will now have the opportunity to pitch to investors in Austin, Texas, in March. Inspired by the television show The Jetsons, Maidbot is a robot created to assist hotel room attendants with housekeeping tasks. Micah Green ’18, the founder of the company, had previously worked as a room attendant at a hotel.