Alumni and Friends,

From computer animation to electronic music to human-computer interaction, the blending of information science with humanistic and artistic sensibilities provides new dimensions to human experience. Building on its tradition of interdisciplinary collaboration, Cornell is leading the way in bringing these fields together, with surprising results. I invite you to learn more about some of our potent new interdisciplinary collaborations and their implications for the way we live at "CSV8: Creating Digital Culture: Where the Information Sciences Meet the Liberal Arts." The event will be held from 2:00–8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 22, 2007 at the Palace Hotel in San Francisco.

During the course of the afternoon and evening, we’ll be getting a behind-the scenes look at the making of a Pixar movie from Rob Cook MAR ’82, who is vice president for advanced technology at Pixar. We’ll also hear from Carl Bass ’78, CEO of Autodesk, the software company whose products have enabled others to do remarkably creative things in fields as different as manufacturing, media and entertainment and building design.

We’ll also be hearing from three Cornell faculty members whose expertise spans music, communication and science and technology studies, but who all utilize or evaluate digital technology as part of their research. Robert Constable, dean of our Faculty of Computing and Information Science, will moderate the forum, and also provide some insight into why Cornell’s unusual universitywide organization for computing and information science is such a powerful approach. And as Cornell’s new president, attending my first Cornell Silicon Valley Presidential Event, I’ll be adding some insights of my own and learning along with you.

I look forward to meeting you on March 22 at the Palace Hotel.

David J. Skorton
President, Cornell University