Cornell's voice is being heard worldwide a bit louder than before thanks to the efforts of 20 faculty members recruited last fall as Public Voices Fellows. Since Cornell assembled the group in November, fellows have placed op-ed articles in newspapers and online publications and offered their expertise in radio and television interviews, on topics including the dangers of parents opting their children out of vaccinations, how prejudice and inequality drive young men to become terrorists, and why America is failing in mathematics education.
Their work also is increasing the diversity of major public opinion forums. The Public Voices program is a spinoff of the national Op-Ed Project, which has enlisted universities, think tanks, foundations, nonprofits, corporations and community organizations to recruit women and members of underrepresented minorities and provide them with resources to present their ideas in national media.
Support for the Public Voices Fellowship program comes from the Office of the Provost and the President's Council of Cornell Women.