'I trust my ability to sit with ambiguity'
Emmy Kanarowski is majoring in science and technology studies and information science.
Through its teaching as well as its research, the department is playing a notable role in building the emerging discipline of Science & Technology Studies (STS). Founded in 1991, the department has an internationally-known Ph.D. Program devoted to training students to conduct advanced research. It also has two undergraduate majors, Biology & Society and Science & Technology Studies.
Academic Destinations
Featured Courses for Summer Session:
STS 1101: Science, Technology and Politics
Instructor: Dr. Ellen Abrams
Online Learning: June 22 - July 10, 2026
3 credits
Click here for more information
STS 1105: Climate (you can) Change
Instructor: Dr. Jennifer Lieberman
Online Learning: June 22 - July 10, 2026
Click here for more information
S&TS News
5.5M ground nesting bees make home in Ithaca cemetery
Research by Steve Hoge '24, an alumnus of Cornell's College of Arts and Sciences, reveals that a cemetery in Ithaca, New York is home to one of the largest and oldest recorded aggregations of ground nesting bees in the world with an estimated 5.5 million individual bees. The published April 13 in the journal Apidologie.
Your April 2026 reads
In its April 2026 round-up of new books, the Cornellians website features titles by College of Arts and Sciences alumni, including a mystery novel, a book for kids about loss and a peek into the hidden lives of lab animals.
Earth Day talk to inaugurate Trevor Pinch Memorial Lecture series
An Earth Day lecture featuring sociologist Steven Yearley on climate policy will launch the Trevor Pinch Memorial Lecture Series on April 22. Hosted by Cornell University’s College of Arts & Sciences, the talk will examine carbon sinks and climate politics..
2029 reaccreditation process begins with self-study
The first phase of Cornell University’s upcoming reaccreditation process with Middle States Commission on Higher Education is underway, with the naming of a steering committee that includes several College of Arts and Sciences faculty members and an invitation to the community to provide input.
Student Spotlight: Elexis Trinity Williams
Cornell University doctoral candidate Elexis Trinity Williams studies scuba diving’s impact on ocean knowledge and human futures. Backed by a Zhu Family Graduate Fellowship, their interdisciplinary dissertation in science and technology studies examines marine science and governance.
Ask an Ambassador: Finding my community at Cornell
A Cornell University student reflects on finding community and belonging across campus networks, including the College of Arts & Sciences. The personal column highlights how overlapping student organizations, friendships, and shared experiences make a large university feel connected and welcoming.
Undergraduate Program
The Department of Science & Technology Studies at Cornell University is concerned with understanding the larger social, ethical, historical, and political dimensions of science and technology.
The Department offers two undergraduate majors: the Biology & Society Major and the Science & Technology Studies Major. The Department also offers a Minor in Science & Technology Studies appropriate for students in the natural or social sciences, engineering, or the humanities who are interested in the social dimensions of science & technology.
Graduate Program
The Graduate Field of Science & Technology Studies (S&TS) at Cornell University is devoted to training students to conduct advanced research in one of the most exciting of contemporary academic disciplines. S&TS research treats science and technology as historical and cultural productions. Research in this field therefore requires the ability to uncover how scientific knowledge, authority, and expertise operate in different social contexts, and to understand their changing historical meanings.
Click here to learn more about the S&TS Ph.D. program.