Our graduate community consists of committed and enthusiastic researchers who are expanding knowledge in genetics, genomics and development, and educating and mentoring others to become skilled in scientific inquiry. One way in which they do this is by participating in the GGD Graduate Student Association, which organizes both academic and social events.

After I graduated from Indiana University, I worked for a lab technician for two years. During that time I researched graduate schools extensively. Cornell’s GGD program fulfilled everything I was looking for in a graduate program. It has researchers from every discipline imaginable, amazing core facilities, and active graduate student life. I was particularly impressed by how invested faculty members were in their own and other GGD students. Cornell professors love to collaborate with each other, which turns out some amazing interdisciplinary work. Read more.

When I first arrived in Ithaca for my interview weekend, I was surprised by how welcoming, relaxed, and sincere the students and faculty were. I have been performing research since high school, so when it came time to choose a graduate program, I knew that I wanted an interdisciplinary environment where the science was cutting-edge. I also knew that I did not want a program that promoted any stressful competition between students, which can be seen sometimes in top-notch universities. Read more.

I was born and raised in the small city of Sault Ste. Marie in Northern Ontario, Canada. I completed my undergraduate degree in Biology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, where I also completed my Masters degree. What led me to apply to Cornell GGD was meeting a Cornell professor (now my PhD advisor) at a conference I went to the summer before applying for PhD programs. I was intrigued by his research and how highly he spoke about Cornell – and that stuck in my mind for months. After interviewing here I realized how amazing this institution is, and also how friendly and happy the students are. Read more.
Our nurturing environment combined with rigorous training and guidance prepares students for successful careers as independent research scientists.