Cornell Keynotes

AI is transforming industries worldwide, with banking at the forefront of this revolution. The fintech sector offers unprecedented opportunities to modernize financial services and make them more accessible to everyone. Join us for an insightful discussion with two industry leaders: Lutz Finger from Cornell University and Colin Walsh, Founder and Board Director of Varo Bank — the first fintech com...

Cornell Keynotes brings together Keith Cowing, executive coach and lecturer in Cornell’s MBA program, and Dan Van Tran, CTO of Collectors Holdings, to consider questions with huge consequences: What is AI doing to teams, talent, and labor? How can you leverage AI today to improve your product, your company, yourself, and your team? What happens if you don’t and your competitors do? In a fast-movin...

Unlock the transformative potential of emotional intelligence (EI) and its role in shaping personal and professional success. How does developing EI help us build stronger relationships, improve decision making, and become more effective leaders in today’s interconnected world? Join Nicola Fabrizio from Cornell’s Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy as he explores the five fundamental components...

As the Trump administration rewrites U.S. trade policy and 2025 European Union rules banning goods made with forced labor go into effect, many questions about trade’s global impact have arisen. Some of what we buy worldwide is produced by an estimated 28 workers in forced-labor situations. New government leaders in Washington and Brussels will influence how forced labor is uncovered as well as how...

The European Commission launched its AI Continent Action Plan, signaling a commitment to a more proactive role in the global AI ecosystem. Join Cornell’s Lutz Finger and Lucilla Sioli, Director of the European Commission’s AI Office, as they explore the EU’s bold and optimistic vision of becoming the “AI Continent.” From cutting-edge AI factories and gigafactories to trusted data spaces and talent...

Join Devon Proudfoot from Cornell’s ILR School as we discuss her groundbreaking research on this "diversity heuristic" — a lay belief that demographic diversity enhances creativity — and its profound implications for organizations, team dynamics, and the evaluation of creative work. Drawing on findings from studies involving over 5,500 participants, the discussion will cover key insights, includin...

The success of high-performing teams hinges on trust and transparency, yet many organizations struggle to foster open, honest communication. How can teams overcome these barriers and create a culture where the truth thrives? Join Robert Newman, Senior Lecturer and Executive Director of the Master in Engineering Management Program, as he explores actionable strategies for integrating truth telling...

eCornell has joined forces with our longstanding enterprise partners at AT&T to explore together what truly drives team performance.  We’re joined by AT&T’s Katie Keser, Assistant Vice President, Technology, with Unified Front Door who, among other things, will bring insights on leadership and emotional intelligence from her perspective at AT&T.  And on the Cornell side, we’ve got Professor of Man...

The Loire Valley's signature grapes define its wines: melon de Bourgogne (famous for Muscadet), Chenin Blanc (starring in Vouvray), Sauvignon Blanc (the magic in Sancerre), and Cabernet Franc (notable in Chinon). These varieties thrive in the region's diverse terroir of limestone, schist, and flinty clay soils — there’s so much to explore! This Keynote will guide you in new directions in your own...

While we have access to countless communication tools and AI technologies, the core elements of powerful communication in today's digital age remain unchanged: authentic connection, emotional intelligence and understanding your audience. Maria Wolfe, a senior lecturer in the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, shares the foundational skills needed to command attention and inspire action....

Organizations are now leveraging advanced analytical platforms to not only drive real-time talent management but also help guide leadership decisions that drive business success. Merck’s Beth Perrone, SVP of Talent, and Jeremy Shapiro, AVP of Workforce Analytics, join Lisa Csencsits from Cornell’s ILR School to discuss practical applications of cutting-edge analytical tools that are reshaping tale...

Lutz Finger , a visiting senior lecturer at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business, and former U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra explore AI’s transformative potential, the competitive landscape and policy imperatives for maintaining U.S. leadership. The two address ways to balance opportunity with risk across three key lenses—citizens, enterprises and government—and discuss how AI is...

This informative session will examine the space industry, highlighting key trends, emerging technologies and opportunities within the sector. Experts from the New York Consortium for Space Technology (NYCST), a groundbreaking center funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and led by Cornell University, will discuss the latest developments in space technology and share how you can get involved wit...

We rarely want to spend time and mental energy revisiting the past — particularly if it involves reflecting on uncomfortable missteps. We often want to move quickly, telling ourselves that speed equals efficiency. True efficiency, however, sometimes requires slowing down, being mindful and especially looking back at the decisions we’ve made that didn’t go as we’d hoped. Join Cheryl Einhorn , an ad...

Our words, actions and even our presence can profoundly affect other people, but we often misread the situation or underestimate ourselves. Emotions and cognitive biases often get in the way. Through extensive behavioral research and workplace study, Vanessa Bohns — the Cornell ILR School’s Braunstein Family Professor and chair of the organizational behavior department — has developed strategies f...

Cornell University research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy has identified approaches to designing employer career webpages that can significantly heighten the likelihood of a company’s success in attracting job seekers with disabilities and encouraging them to apply for open positions. Susanne Bruyère , a professor of Disability Studies and acade...

The trend of converting office buildings into hotels has become more popular as companies ditch their office spaces in favor of remote work. Places like New York City, Washington D.C. and Calgary are even offering incentive programs to draw more interest. A perfect example is the former headquarters of the New York Daily News in Manhattan’s Financial District; in the U.S.’s largest conversion, it...

The majority of jobs today are filled by hiring internal candidates in a process that is faster than an external search and enables individuals with institutional knowledge to impact an organization more quickly in new roles. In this Cornell Keynotes podcast episode, JR Keller, assistant professor at the Cornell ILR School, and Angela Cheng-Cimini ’92, chief human resources officer for Harvard Bus...

The performance of a company is linked to the quality of its employees. However, a faulty interview process can unbalance the equation for success in frequently undetected ways. In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell , JR Keller, associate professor of human resource studies at the Cornell ILR School, joins host Chris Wofford to explore five ways to create a better experienc...

Open communication, clear expectations and constructive feedback are essential components of effective leadership. Through comparisons of management and parenting, Andrew Quagliata, senior lecturer of management communication at the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, outlines strategies for stronger communication in any setting during this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast, hosted...

Having general counsel is a relatively new phenomenon in institutions of higher learning. The pressures of regulation, litigation and legislation have given rise to a new era, and institutions must know how to respond. Lou Guard , an adjunct professor at Cornell Law School, discusses the tools university attorneys need to navigate the higher ed space. Join Lou Guard, general counsel at Hobart and...

Family estrangement can significantly impact the functioning and success of a family business. Estranged family members may withdraw their support or refuse to collaborate, which can hinder business operations and growth. Moreover, the emotional toll of estrangement can affect decision making and day-to-day interactions, creating a tense and unproductive work environment. Join Daniel Van Der Vliet...

For many employees, the promotion from individual contributor to their first managerial role is the most important promotion of their lives. What does it take to set yourself up for and successfully make this transition? Join Cornell lecturer and technical entrepreneur Dirk Swart for a brisk conversation on how to elevate your managerial and business acumen to guide yourself toward a lucrative and...

Many people disagree on solutions for the challenges in the U.S. immigration system. While each branch of government continues to arrive at an impasse, employers face labor shortages. The demographics of an aging population and declining birth rates are indisputable. More people worldwide are fleeing societal collapses, climate change and persecution. And over 10 million people lack legal immigrat...

Corporate policies serve as a tangible manifestation of a business's core values and ethical standards, and these policies can help to cultivate a cohesive organizational culture that aligns with those values and standards. For instance, transparent communication policies can build trust within the workforce, encouraging open dialogue and collaborative problem solving. Company policies related to...