It's great to greet all of you from the Cornell Silicon Valley (CSV) website. In the short time that my wife, Robin Davisson (professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine and in the Weill Medical College) and I have been in Ithaca, we've come to appreciate the vital connection between faculty and students on Cornell's campuses and Cornell alumni around the world. Those connections are especially dynamic in the Bay Area, where the Cornell Silicon Valley Program fosters collaborations among Cornellians that transcend geographical distances and disciplinary boundaries.

The reciprocal exchange of knowledge and know-how among faculty, staff, students, and alumni in Silicon Valley stimulates business formation, invigorates research, and provides a real-world dimension to the education that Cornell students receive. CSV Director Shannon Murray '94 coordinates up to 40 events in the Bay Area each year for alumni who work in technology and associated fields. CSV events are informative, and they provide a network of faculty and business contacts for budding entrepreneurs. Last year's events included an open house at Microsoft, a lecture on the world's oil reserves, and an examination of wine marketing. This year at CSV events you can meet alumni working at Adobe; hear about some of the cultural and ethical challenges of working in developing countries; get an insider's assessment of the keys to entrepreneurial success; understand why everyone needs to learn how to sell; and get an up-close look at the life sciences industry.

Chen Jian , the Michael J. Zak Professor of History for U.S.-China Relations and a 2005 Emmy Award winner for outstanding achievement in news and documentary research, will speak about Cornell's revolutionary new China and Asia-Pacific Studies (CAPS) program during CSV's annual entrepreneurship event on February 11, 2007.

I'll be in the Bay Area in March 2007 for the 8th Annual Cornell Silicon Valley Presidential Event. Joining me will be prominent alumni and Cornell faculty. I'm told that this event always brings together a remarkable group of Cornellians from Northern California, and I hope that you'll be among them. I look forward to meeting you and to having a lively exchange of ideas.

Best regards,

David J. Skorton
Cornell University President
Fall 2006