In a world of fast fashion and blink-and-miss-it trends, textile waste is growing exponentially—to the detriment of the environment and our ability to live within it. Researchers at Cornell University, including Juan Hinestroza, the Rebecca Q. Morgan ’60 Professor of Fiber Science & Apparel Design at the College of Human Ecology, are working to prevent clothes from reaching landfills by upcycling polyester for new products.

Hinestroza explores the problem and this innovative solution with host Nicholas Phillips in this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell.

Tune in for insights on:

• Environmental impacts of textile waste
• Microfiber pollution
• Fast fashion’s global effect
• Process and growth of polyester production
• Disposal and recycling challenges
• Consumer awareness among younger generations
• Corporate and customer responsibility
• Greenwashing and sustainability claims
• Sustainable fabrics
• Polyester upcycling

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Learn about fashion trends, forecasting, product development, production planning, distribution and more in the Fashion Design Management certificate program from eCornell.

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Black actors, writers and directors have made profound contributions to television and film, entertaining and educating audiences through powerful stories and performances that reflect the human experience.

In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast, brought to you by eCornell, Samantha Sheppard, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Performing and Media Arts in Cornell’s College of Arts & Sciences, explores the rich history and future of Black artists in cinema with host Nicholas Phillips.

Tune in to learn:

• What films sparked the rise of Black actors
• How the depiction of Black life in film has changed throughout the years
• What impact Black writers and directors have had on film and television
• How minority actors are being cast now as compared to a century ago
• The future of diversity and inclusion in cinema

Did you enjoy this episode? Watch the full Keynote and explore more than 250 eCornell certificate programs that can advance your skills for the next scene of your career, including Brand Storytelling, Content Writing and Strategic Storytelling.

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As the world of wine continues to expand, consumers can now experience flavors from a variety of international locales, including those from more traditional producers in France to newer winemakers in China. Cheryl Stanley, global wine expert and senior lecturer in the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, explores the differences in appellations, designations and geographical indications with host Chris Wofford in this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell.

Join the pair for a tasting of wines from the German Mosel region and the American viticultural area plus a discussion of:

• Designations of place and new regional wine laws
• Classifications in France, Italy, Germany, Chile, Argentina, China and the United States
• The Vouvray white wine scandal of 2014
• Base levels of ripeness
• Ranges in cost by geographical origin
• Producer, alcohol by volume and vintage on wine labels

Wines in this episode:

• South American Cabernet Sauvignon — single-vineyard Concha y Toro Casillero del Diablo, D.O.
• Sonoma County or Napa Valley AVA (American viticultural area) — single vineyard, ideally
• Riesling Gutswein vs. Riesling Erste Lage/Grosse Lage/Grosse Gewächs — these wines would be from a VDP producer as their classification is already established

Learn more in Cheryl Stanley’s eCornell certificate programs:

• Wines of Germany and Austria
• Wines of the World
• Wines of Spain and Portugal
• Wines of the Southern Hemisphere
• Wines of Italy
• Wines of France
• Wines of California, the Pacific Northwest, and New York

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Flexible work options might be here to stay. Nick Fabrizio, distinguished senior lecturer at the Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy, explains why in this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell, hosted by Chris Wofford.

Tune in for insights on:

• Remote employee engagement
• Difficulties to advance as a remote employee
• The advantages of hybrid work
• Strategies for employee retention
• Remote leadership
• Stresses of online workplace communication
• Accomplishment tracking and self-promotion
• Impacts on diversity, equity and inclusion
• Value equations for in-office time

Learn more in remote leadership, hybrid work strategy, and human resources online certificate programs from eCornell.

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In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell, Erin Sember-Chase, diversity, equity and inclusion learning consultant in Cornell’s Department of Inclusion and Belonging, and Allison Weiner Heinemann, senior lecturer and director of writing at the Cornell ILR School, discuss disabilities and ableism with host Chris Wofford.

Listen for insights on:

• Visible and non-visible disabilities
• Differences in the experience of various disabilities
• Person-first vs. identity-first language for disabilities
• Ableism as a system of marginalization and oppression
• The medical lens on disability and the root of ableism
• Mass media’s effect on the social perception of disabilities
• Ableism in the workplace, the ADA, and reasonable accommodations
• The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on people with disabilities at work
• Reframing success and productivity to address ableism

Learn to creative a more inclusive workplace and society in online courses and certificate programs from eCornell:

• Workplace Disability Inclusion
• Adopting Inclusive Hiring Practices
• Equal Employment Opportunity and Employee Treatment Issues
• Autism at Work

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Most greenhouse gas emissions in the United States are generated during the process of burning fossil fuels for heat, electricity and transportation. As concerns about the resulting negative health effects and rapid global warming grow, legislators nationwide are developing plans to change course on energy production.

In this episode, hear from Robert Howarth, David R. Atkinson Professor of Ecology and Environmental Biology at the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, on tactics for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the ambitious goals of New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act.

Listen for insights on:

• Beneficial electricity
• Ground source and air source heat pumps
• Toxic air pollutants from gas stoves
• Health costs of fossil fuels
• Cap-and-invest programs

Learn more in environmental courses and certificate programs from eCornell, including:

• Climate Change Leadership
• Sustainable Business
• Corporate Sustainability
• Sustainable Preservation

Did you enjoy this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell? Watch the full Keynote.

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As the executive director for the Center for Regional Economic Advancement at Cornell (CREA) and a visiting lecturer at the Cornell Johnson Graduate School of Management, Tom Schryver helps entrepreneurs launch and scale new ventures—by starting with a solid idea.

In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast from eCornell, Schryver and host Chris Wofford discuss the components of good product concepts and more.

Tune in to learn how to:

• Align with a five-point rubric for a good business idea
• Start with a solution or start with a problem
• Take an experimentalist approach
• Test assumptions about product ideas
• Create a business thesis and elevator pitch
• Validate ideas and use the Business Model Canvas
• Understand a minimum viable product
• Find an entrepreneurial community
• Time outreach to investors
• Handle setbacks

Learn more about building successful ventures in eCornell’s business and finance certificate programs, including Startup Funding and Finance and Business Management in STEM from Tom Schryver.

CREA is a division of Research & Innovation at Cornell.

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The only constant is change. But how do you manage it as a corporate leader—with millions of dollars on the line? In this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast, brought to you by eCornell, Dan Van Tran, chief technology officer at Collectors, shares proven strategies for guiding a business through transformation with Keith Cowing, visiting lecturer at Cornell Tech and executive coach to startup CEO's and product leaders.

Tune in and learn how to:

• Scale people, processes, and tools in times of transformation
• Shift the employee’s mentality about success and greater results
• Assess an employee’s appetite for change
• Develop a strong but empathetic leadership style and find the middle ground
• Tackle risk and incident management
• Understand AI for exploration, experimentation, and acceleration
• Foster decision alignment throughout an organization
• Lead by listening and thinking about others first
• Embrace vulnerability, humility, and mentorship—for yourself and others

Join Keith and Dan in New York City for Cornell’s Product and Tech Leadership Program in September 2024! Learn more on the eCornell website.

Find more tools for effective management and innovation in Leadership and Technology certificates from eCornell.

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Our society often equates worth with size, especially for women. According to Kate Manne, associate professor in the Sage School of Philosophy at the Cornell College of Arts & Sciences, fatphobia is a function of misogyny, and the repercussions across all areas of life—from education to healthcare—are numerous and dangerous. Manne joins Amanda Recupero, guest host for Cornell Keynotes, to examine the complex cultural dimensions of fatphobia.

In this episode of the podcast, brought to you by eCornell, Manne discusses topics from her latest book Unshrinking: How to Face Fatphobia, including:

• The intersection of misogyny and fatphobia
• Patriarchal norms and expectations
• Private preferences versus public presentation of preferences
• The importance of language in unifying experiences of prejudice
• Fat activism and reclaiming the term “fatness”
• Fatphobia’s effect on equitable access for medical care
• The medical industrial complex, disease mongering, and condition branding
• Genetics, body size, and the effects of diets on metabolism and body weight
• Wegovy and Ozempic
• Disordered eating and weight loss

Register to hear more from Kate Manne in our upcoming full-length Keynote “Fatphobia: Our Bodies Are Not the Problem” on Jan. 10.

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 In his book Talent Disruption, Alexander Mirza, founder and CEO of Mogul Hotels, identifies the root causes of the hospitality labor shortage and AI-driven solutions for the issue. Mirza joins Cornell Nolan School Professor David Sherwyn to explore the possibilities in this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast.

Tune in to learn about the next frontier of hospitality, including:

• HR as a driver of business for hotels
• Hotel industry structures and causes of talent disruption
• Opportunities for employee ownership in the hotel industry
• Data analytics to create a meritocracy and faster career growth tracks
• Network and competitor referrals
• AI to reduce headcount and administrative burden
• Tech-driven personalization and curation for guests
• AI’s potential effects on available hospitality work for immigrants
• Talent attraction and human capital solutions

Learn more in eCornell certificate programs:

• HR in Hospitality
• Hospitality Labor and Employment Law
• AI Strategy
• Marketing AI

Did you enjoy this episode of the Cornell Keynotes podcast? Watch the full Keynote.

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