As our college takes aim at some of the most complex of society’s problems, it is striking how many of our most successful efforts include cross-college partnerships beyond the walls of Martha Van Rensselaer Hall. In particular, our partnership with Weill Cornell Medical College has grown from shared resources and insights into critical collaborations that now represent leadership in several fields of study.

The faculty research featured within this issue of Human Ecology demonstrates the tremendous impact that can result from the blend of Human Ecology’s social science research expertise with the clinical research environment offered by Weill. These shared efforts are driving the development of biomaterials for human body repair, public health education efforts to address obesity in New York City neighborhoods, and an innovative nutrition program to improve maternal and child health at Cornell’s GHESKIO clinic in Haiti.

As a teacher and researcher, watching these groundbreaking discoveries unfold is very exciting. I hope as you read this issue that you’ll share my excitement for these findings, which hold great promise for improving the human condition.

-Alan D. Mathios, Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Dean