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2020 Year in Review
Join us to help catalyze
a bold, new world.
If 2020 taught us anything, it’s that
the stakes have never been higher
for our planet. Across the globe,
more people are losing their homes
to unpredictable weather, climate
disasters—and now—to a deadly
pandemic likely linked to humans’ From the director
destruction of natural habitats. In the ten years since David ’60 renewed urgency on the
Every future human endeavor and Patricia Atkinson endowed future. We are seeding
the Cornell Atkinson Center for high-risk collaborative
rests on sustainability. For the last research, training
Sustainability, the past year stands
decade, Cornell Atkinson has built out as a reminder of the urgency to sustainability scholars,
understand and address the world’s hatching insights and
vital cross-disciplinary research
sustainability challenges. We have interactions through working
connections: bringing the best witnessed the consequences groups, and catalyzing
minds together to solve humanity’s of increasing pressures on our these efforts to translate
planet and its people due to rapidly knowledge to impact
biggest shared challenges. But accelerating climate change, Photo: Sheryl Sinkow
through collaborations with
research alone is insufficient population growth, shrinking corporations, foundations,
biodiversity, and widening economic and government partners, and NGOs.
to change opinions, practices, social inequalities. I am energized by our growing community of
products, and policies. Because of our long-term success, I remain faculty, students, staff, alumni, and partners.
optimistic that large-scale solutions can In the face of tremendous uncertainty and
leverage Cornell University’s broad and deep upheaval, their work and our efforts to support
expertise in key areas of research, including them continue to advance our mission to
climate, energy, food, and health. Which is to change public opinions, products, practices,
say, the work of Cornell Atkinson has never and public policies necessary to solve the
been more critical. I am proud to share the 2020 world’s foremost sustainability problems.
Year-in-Review with an emphasis on Cornell This is world-changing and soul-fulfilling work
Atkinson’s distinctive approach to incentivizing that reflects who we are at Cornell University
novel, cross-college collaborations. and helps us realize who we can be. Together,
Cornell Atkinson is celebrating its we’re building a resilient tomorrow.
accomplishments while focusing with Sincerely,
Powerful Transition to Boost Microbes for More
Regenerative Sustainable
Partnerships Agriculture Rare-Earth Mining
Cornell Atkinson connects corporations, policymakers, A 2019 AVF project,
Regenerative agriculture systems that minimize soil
foundations, and NGOs to interdisciplinary research disturbance, maximize crop diversity, maintain root led by Buz Barstow “The AVF award was so
projects that drive creative solutions, new ideas, and structure, and integrate livestock have been shown to (CALS), explored important. It allowed
big impact. reduce sediment and nutrient runoff from farms. But using microbes to us to apply a new
adoption has been hindered by actual and perceived mine rare-earth approach to genetics,
costs and risks. The Great Lakes Protection Fund has with the outcome
Innovations to Increase awarded Cornell Atkinson $1.2 million to develop innovative
minerals and lower
the carbon footprint of separating and
Food Security transition loan products that provide a safe, attractive
option for farmers wanting to embrace regenerative
of smart energy extracting rare
earth metals.”
systems. In 2020,
agriculture.
Innovations a U.S. Department -Buz Barstow, Principal
in agri-food of Energy agency Investigator, (CALS)
systems “There’s no silver bullet The Cornell team, led by Alan
awarded a $1 million
have brought in food innovation. Martinez (Cornell Atkinson)
and Fellow John Tobin-de la
grant to Barstow and
dramatic During the Green fellow researchers Mingming Wu (CALS), Esteban
advances in Revolution, breeders Puente (Dyson), will tap into the
expertise of Cornell Atkinson’s Gazel and Megan Holycross (College of Engineering)
human well- improved seeds, but
being. Yet conservation finance working to genetically program microbes to mine the minerals
scaling those advances used in consumer electronics and in advancing
these gains group as well as well as faculty
are becoming
involved improving and student researchers from renewable energy.
unsustainable roads and offering across the university. They
due to mas- services to educate will engage a broader set of
sive, adverse spillover effects on climate, farmers on using seeds
natural environment, public health and properly. These many
stakeholders and behavioral
change experts as they aim Affordable Digital
nutrition, and social justice. To map the way
forward, Cornell Atkinson and the journal
pieces were essential,
complementary
to co-create and test a range
of investment strategies
Infrastructure
Nature Sustainability convened a global elements.” that support regenerative Many rural areas lack adequate cellular service
panel of more than 20 experts in business, and wireless telecommunication infrastructure.
-Chris Barrett, lead author agriculture starting with farmers
economics, ethics, and plant and energy In 2018, Max Zhang (ENG) and his team received
(Dyson) in the Lake Ontario watershed
science. The year-long effort, led by Chris AVF funding to test an affordable, public “Internet
in New York State.
Barrett (Cornell Dyson School of Applied
of Things” (IoT) in Tompkins County, NY to bridge
Economics and Management), produced
a report, outlining recommendations for making the digital divide between
future food systems healthy, equitable, resilient, and rural and urban areas.
sustainable. A key component? Combining social and IoT infrastructure refers
technological innovations for a better local fit and
higher likelihood of adoption.
Bright Minds, to digital connections
between everyday things,
Bold Timelines like home thermostats
controlled by smartphones
via wireless internet.
Soil Health Calculator Since initiated in 2018, the Academic Venture Fund
(AVF) has supported 135 projects, with more than 280 In 2020, the research team received a $1.5 million grant
Supports Climate- Cornell researchers from every college and school on from the National Science Foundation to help design
Smart Farming campus. The AVF supports novel, risky, and innovative
projects that go on to attract external funding. The
the nation’s first statewide public IoT infrastructure.
The project team—co-led by Lee Humphreys (CALS) and
In June 2020, Cornell Atkinson’s strategic partnerships projects below are poised to contribute to large-scale Steve Wicker (ENG), and including David Shmoys (ENG),
team hit a key milestone with partner Walmart: Fellows sustainability solutions. Rick Geddes (College of Human Ecology), and David Kay
Peter Woodbury, Dominic Woolf , and Christina Tonitto (CALS)—will work with Cornell Cooperative Extension
(College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) delivered their specialists to collaborate with community partners
online Fertilizer and Soil Tool for estimating greenhouse
gas emissions (FAST-GHG). In the fall, Walmart adopted
Tracking the Impact of across New York.
FAST-GHG for its Project Gigaton, an initiative that aims to Toxic Algal Blooms
remove one billion metric tons (a gigaton) of greenhouse
gases from its global supply chain by 2030. The tool allows
In 2019, Kathryn Fiorella (College Veterinary Medicine),
Chris Barrett (Dyson), and Peter McIntyre (CALS)
Cornell’s Earth Source
U.S. producers of corn, soybean, and wheat to calculate
their avoided GHG emissions associated with cover crops, received an AVF award to examine the health dangers Heat Transformation
reduced tillage, and nitrogen fertilizer. and socioeconomic challenges created by toxic algal
blooms. In 2020, the National Science Foundation In 2015, Cornell
Cornell Atkinson’s strategic partnerships team coordinat- awarded the research team a five-year, $1.5 million Atkinson began
ed and funded the project, while Cornell faculty worked grant to continue the study. supporting Fellow Jeff
alongside scientists
Tester’s research to
from the Environ-
“Looking beyond this determine whether
mental Defense
partnership, other Earth Source
Fund and The Na-
organizations could build ture Conservancy
Heat (ESH) was a
on this process for more to create and refine sustainable way to heat Cornell’s Ithaca and NY
agricultural products in the tool. campuses, and meet the university’s goal of carbon
different parts of neutrality by 2035. Thanks to funding from three AVF
the world.” awards, this project progressed through several
-Peter Woodbury, (CALS)
phases and has engaged engineers, social scientists,
and experts from across Cornell. Training the Next Generation
In 2020, these efforts took a leap forward when
Cornell secured a nearly $7.2 million grant from a U.S. of Sustainability Scholars
Department of Energy agency to fund exploratory
research—in the form of a two-mile-deep borehole—to Cornell Atkinson is training the next generation of sustainability
help verify the feasibility of the novel ESH system, which scholars, preparing Cornell students and postdoctoral associates to
will bring the heat of the earth to the Cornell campus. become pioneers in solving our planet’s sustainability challenges.
Flexible Funding, Cornell Atkinson –
Environmental Defense “It was motivating to see
the passion the people at
Real-World Fund Internship provides
ten undergraduate and
the Environmental Defense
Fund share. I grew so much
graduate students in such a rich and accepting
Impact with real-world experience environment.”
in sustainability - Rashika Mittal,
Cornell Atkinson’s Rapid Response Fund (RRF) supports 2020 Sustainability Intern
urgent sustainability initiatives and Cornell’s collaborative
research community.
COVID-19 Rapid Photo: Rashika Mittal
Response Fund Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship supports four
outstanding scholars working across the globe
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Cornell Atkinson
offered flexible targeted funding to support Cornell
faculty to conduct surveys, design tools and products,
and gather data quickly during the evolving global crisis.
“The Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral Fellowship in Sustainability
The special call for proposals was issued in collaboration facilitates interdisciplinary connections with Cornell faculty and
with Cornell’s Master of Public Health Program, the partnerships with local NGOs. These cross-cutting collaborations
Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs, and are essential to the conceptual and practical work of sustainability.”
Cornell Research Service’s SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 Rapid
- Jesse Rodenbiker, 2020 Postdoctoral Fellow
Response Research initiative.
Thanks to these
COVID-19 RRF awards,
Cornell faculty, post- Photo: Jesse Rodenbiker
doctoral researchers,
and students from 11
colleges are working
on COVID-related
research projects. The
Center awarded 30 RRF
Cornell Atkinson
grants in 2020. Many organized Cornell’s
have already gathered first-ever Sustainability
insights and designed Hackathon
applications to inform new research approaches, such
as mitigating the proliferation of misinformation on
The hackathon virtually
social media and using real-time, high-resolution data
hosted 84 students from 12
to measure the economic and environmental impact of
universities around the world
the pandemic.
in October. Student-led teams
worked together to devise
solutions for market-ready,
Endowed position from Cornell energy-smart systems.
Students gained mentoring
alumnus secures continuous support from industry experts,
thought leadership who empowered participants
tto create real-world solutions
We are grateful to David Drinkwater ‘94, who
has made a generous gift to endow a Faculty
culty ffor sustainably producing, storing, and distributing energy. A team of
Director position at Cornell Atkinson Center,
nter, Cornell students took home the Grand Prize for their project focused
to be known as the David Drinkwater on optimizing electric vehicle charging behavior.
Faculty Director. Daryl Nydam, professorr Programs like the Sustainability Hackathon provide Cornell students
in Population Medicine and Diagnostic with learning opportunities for impactful careers in sustainability.
w
Sciences in the College of Veterinary
Medicine, currently holds the position.
Finances
For fiscal year 2020 (FY20), ending June 30, 2020,
Cornell Atkinson expenses totaled $6.4 million,
including $3.7 million to support sustainability research
and programs across campus. FY20 revenues totaled
$7.8 million, with endowment income (52 percent) and
program-specific current use gifts (35 percent) as the
main sources of revenue.
We appreciate funding from generous individual donors
to support our: working groups ($1.5 million), EDF Vital Connections
partner programs ($475,000), TNC partner programs
($350,000), and Cornell Atkinson Postdoctoral
Fellowship program ($365,000). We also appreciate
receiving annual financial support from Cornell college At Cornell Atkinson, we forge new and unexpected connections to ensure
deans and the Office of the Provost . that people and the planet not only survive, but thrive. With Cornell
Overall, Cornell Atkinson’s FY20 revenue was seven University’s deep and broad knowledge base as our foundation, we
percent above budget. These financial results place us
in a strong position to advance the goals of our 2018- bring together experts, inventors, practitioners, business leaders, and
2023 strategic plan. philanthropists to deliver large-scale, long-term sustainability solutions.
2% Global urbanization presents one of our greatest future challenges. By 2050, an estimated 70 percent
of the world’s population will live in cities, relying on essential resources provided by those living in
4% rural areas. To be resilient, cities must reduce resource consumption and utilize policies, practices,
7% and products that allow rural communities to reap equitable benefits.
Inspired by the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainability Goals and a holistic perspective, Cornell
Revenue Atkinson is focused on research to develop resilience and equity in four key areas connecting the
7 Million
$7.8 52% lives of rural and urban dwellers.
35%
Building Resilient Rural-Urban Systems
Cornell Atkinson Research Priorities 2018-2023
Endowment Income Other Current Use Gifts
Program-specifc Gifts Grants & Other
Cornell Support Increasing Reducing Accelerating Advancing
Food Security Climate Risks Energy Transitions One Health
Improving the systems Innovating technology, Connecting research Incorporating our
.05% of agriculture, financial instruments, with for-profit corp- understanding of the
EQUITY: aquaculture, and wild and policy to reduce orations, non-profit inextricable depen- BUILT
3% Social stability is food harvest to meet the greenhouse gas organizations, and dence of human health ENVIRONMENT:
8% essential for nutritional needs of all concentrations and government to enhance and happiness on the The man-made
sustainability those living today while adapt infrastructure, the generation, health of nature into structures, features,
practices and enhancing the quality agriculture, and health distribution, and the development of and facilities in which
policies to of life of those producing systems to equitably storage of clean energy agriculture and people live and work
take root. the food—and the land, protect human health, for heating and infrastructure systems. are affected by and
16% Expenses aquatic biodiversity, and safety, and prosperity cooling, electricity, affect the four areas.
$6.4 Million 57%
ecosystems on which from the impact of and transportation.
they depend. increasingly catastrophic
droughts, floods,
16% storms, and wildfires.
Research & Programs Communications
Administration Development
Program Support Strategic Faculty Hiring
216 Rice Hall facebook.com/atkinsoncenter
Cornell University @AtkinsonCenter
Ithaca, NY 14853 instagram.com/atkinsoncenter
P: 607.255.4222
E: info@cornell.edu
atkinson.cornell.edu
PHOTOS: All stock or provided, except where noted
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