Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research

Remembering Liese Bronfenbrenner — artist, activist, and devoted champion of the Ithaca community. She was 105.

Her fiber art reflected creativity and conviction, and decades of civic engagement showed a commitment to others.

bctr.cornell.edu/remembering-...

Why Confidence About Puberty Matters for Teens Teens who feel confident in managing the physical, emotional, and social changes that come with puberty report fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety.

New research on the Evidence-Based Living Blog on @psychologytoday.com shows teens who feel more confident about puberty report fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression. The study highlights how early, open conversations can help support teens’ mental health.
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evid...

Connect your research to real-world impact.
The Cornell Translational Research Summer Institute (CTRSI) is a two-day, in-person institute for grad students, postdocs, early-career researchers, and others exploring translational research.

📍 Cornell | June 29–30
🔗 bctr.cornell.edu/ctrsi

"Our People, Our Stories": Lessons on Chosen Family from LGBTQ+ Youth — PRYDE “Meeting and hearing directly from these LGBTQ+ youth made it clear to me that they are not simply research participants; they are artists, storytellers, collaborators, knowledge-holders, and resilien...

PRYDE Scholar Julian Iwasko ’26 reflects on helping create an exhibit about chosen family and LGBTQ+ youth, drawing from the stories told in the exhibit. A powerful reminder that translational research is built with communities.
🔗 pryde.bctr.cornell.edu/blog/2025/12...

These Moms Are Done Being ‘Doormats’ for Their Estranged Children Parents publicly blast their adult offspring for cutting them off, drawing tens of thousands of online followers.

Family estrangement affects millions, yet often remains hidden. A new @wsj.com article features the BCTR's Karl Pillemer whose research sheds light on parent child estrangement and paths forward. www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...

Say hello to our newest PSiX team member: Daniel Yonas!

Daniel is our newest postdoctoral researcher and comes to PSiX from Columbia University. We're excited to have him join the PSiX team. You can read more about his research here: psix.bctr.cornell.edu/blog/psix-we...

Welcome to PSiX, Daniel!

Six students, all named BCTR Scholars, pose for a photo.

Say hi to our 2026 BCTR Scholars. 👋 From left to right: Danielle Chen ‘29, Ava Betnar ‘29, Sumaswara Chinthalapati ’27, Fabiola Philibert ‘28, Enrico Hernandez ‘28, and Jinyu Xu ’28.

What will they do as BCTR Scholars? The answer is here: bctr.cornell.edu/2026-bctr-sc...

Opinion | Life Is Too Short to Fight With Your Family

It's the holidays but maybe you've distanced yourself from family members? Pehraps you are in a fight with some of your family. Maybe this season, be the better person and make amends...life is too short to fight with your family says Karl Pillemer and Mel Robbins.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/o...

What We Know About Residential Care for Vulnerable Youth Residential care facilities provide the structured, intensive care required for young people who have experienced trauma and cannot remain safely in a home environment.

For more than 50 years, the Residential Child Care Project has helped strengthen residential care for vulnerable youth. Its approach is used in 17 countries, improving safety and outcomes around the world; it was featured in a new piece from Psychology Today. www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evid...

New Evidence Links Pollution to Dementia Risk The question isn't just, Are you exercising and eating well? But also, what air are you breathing as you age?

The question isn't just, are you exercising and eating well? But also, what air are you breathing as you age? There is new evidence that links air pollution to dementia risk on our Evidence-Based Living blog on @psychologytoday.com.
www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evid...

We've been reflecting on our history - the people and programs making the BCTR into what it is today.

We're leveraging over 50 years of our past to shape our future, with an eye toward research that provides a positive impact for our communities.

CNN Newsroom - Kimberly Kopko Powered by SnapStream Cloud Sharing

Our managing director, Kim Kopko, touched on why The Contribution Project, led by @purposecommons.bsky.social resonates with youth on CNN.
-human element and sense of connections
-youth want to engage and contribute and do good in the world

See the conversation:
video.snapstream.net/Play/6iMi4Rp...

Finding happiness through purpose: Cornell study shows it’s not about the money | CNN Dr. Anthony Burrow, Associate Professor of Psychology at Cornell University, joins Smerconish to discuss new research on the link between purpose and happiness.

Our Anthony Burrow was on @cnn.com Saturday to talk about how purpose can be a catalyst for happiness. The Contribution Project is as an example of young people craving an opportunity to make a difference and how that benefits their mental health and well-being.
Watch: www.cnn.com/2025/10/25/h...

Column | A 6-year research project found a surprisingly simple route to happiness How can we stay happy in an age gone mad, when it feels as though all is unstable? A study out of Cornell suggests a practical way to keep ourselves on a meaningful path — a happiness hack for our cha...

Purpose as a path to happiness? Anthony Burrow told Dana Milbank from @washingtonpost.com that it can be. Of note, how The Contribution Project, launched at Cornell and now run by @purposecommons.bsky.social higlights positive effects contributors feel after making contributions. wapo.st/4nlKw7c

We were proud to hold a Head Start & Early Education Summit at @cornelltech.bsky.social on Sept. 6. It was an important conversation on early childhood education programs and a nod to the legacy of our center's namesake, Urie Bronfenbrenner, who was instrumental in creating the Head Start program.

Here is a fantastic opportunity for a postdoc!

We're so happy for Kim as she takes on this new role!

Grant will fund first-of-its-kind National Youth Purpose Survey | Cornell Chronicle The Purpose Science and Innovation Exchange, an initiative in the College of Human Ecology that launched in April to study the burgeoning field of purpose, has received a $3 million grant from the Joh...

Big news! @cornellpsix.bsky.social received a $3m grant from the John Templeton Foundation to futher research on purpose, including the first-of-its-kind National Youth Purpose Survey. It survey will measure how youth across the country think and feel about purpose.

news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...

A big thank you to Provost Kavita Bala and Cornell Human Ecology Dean Rachel Dunifon for coming to our retreat yesterday and speaking with those working in our various projects. We appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions, and we truly value the insight you shared with us!

4-H teens come to Cornell to explore potential career paths | Cornell Chronicle Cornell hosted more than 180 middle and high school students from across New York state for the annual 4-H Career Explorations Conference, held June 25-27.

Imagine having a program where you, as a teen, can explore possible career paths and experience what it's like to live on a college campus. New York State 4-H gives teens from across the state that opportunity every year!
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...

Leitão, Loeckenhoff receive BCTR fellowships - Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Two Human Ecology faculty members have recently been awarded fellowships from the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR). Corinna Loeckenhoff, the Janet and Gordon Lankton Professor o...

The newest BCTR fellows truly embody our mission and are embedded in translational research. Congratulations to Renata Leitão, our newest Evalyn Edwards Milman Fellow, and Corinna Loeckenhoff, our newest Rebecca Q. and James C. Morgan Engaged Faculty Fellow.
bctr.cornell.edu/leitao-loeck...

Jenny Weil Malatras ’02 returns to Cornell to lead NYC extension efforts - Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research Jenny Weil Malatras ’02 fondly remembers a pivotal moment during her time as a Cornell student. She was studying in the Botanic Gardens with a friend when the conversation shifted […]

Jenny Weil Malatras '02 returns home as the new director of Cornell University Cooperative Extension - New York City, leading our extension efforts in the city that center on nutrition, family and youth development, urban agriculture, and science/STEM education. bctr.cornell.edu/jenny-weil-m...

Snapshot shows Cornell’s impact on local economy | Cornell Chronicle Cornell drives economic growth in Ithaca and region via student and visitor spending, increased entrepreneurship, taxes and fees, and contributions to local municipalities and nonprofits.

Cornell drives local economic growth in Ithaca and New York!

$23.2M raised in 2024 by Rev Startup Incubator, Praxis Center and Center for Life Science Ventures & $23M in research funding invested in our community.

See how we're boosting economies in Ithaca, NY and Tompkins County 📈 bit.ly/4mzigP5

Should you ever cut ties with your parents? Estrangement between parents and their children is surprisingly common – this is what research says about making such a difficult decision.

While there is no data on whether family estrangements are becoming more common, the BCTR's Karl Pillemer tells the BBC he believes it is becoming more common, and that may not necessarily be a bad thing.
www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

What we're reading this week:
A study of 17K Canadian teens shows feeling richer or poorer than peers shapes how much meaning teens feel in life—esp. for girls + gender-diverse youth in unequal schools.
It's not about $ — it's about belonging.
🧠 Thoughts?
doi.org/10.1016/j.ss...
#YouthMentalHealth

What we’re reading this week at PSiX:

A recent study followed adults 50+ over 12 years and found that people who felt a strong sense of purpose tended to stay healthier over time.

📑 : doi.org/10.1177/0890...

❓ What gives you a sense of purpose these days—and how does it impact your well-being?

Students show off research projects during annual poster symposium - Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research A wide array of research projects was displayed at the annual Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR) Poster Symposium on May 1 in the Physical Sciences Building. This year, the […]

Thank you to the students who presented at our BCTR Poster Symposium on May 1. Students from across Cornell and other institutions are helping faculty with research that is making a difference, we're happy you took an opportunity to showcase your work.
bctr.cornell.edu/students-sho...

Four faculty receive 2025 Carpenter Advising Awards | Cornell Chronicle Nominations are solicited annually from all members of the academic community, the awards bestowed in recognition of the importance of undergraduate advising.

Congrats to Corinna Loeckenhoff on your 2025 Kendall S. Carpenter Memorial Advising Award! Loeckenhoff directs the gerontology minor in the BCTR, and is a co-investigator for the Translational Research Institute on Pain in Later Life.
news.cornell.edu/stories/2025...

Veteran 4-H leader Alexa Maille to guide NYS 4-H into the future - Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research After a national search, Alexa Maille ’04 was appointed director of the New York State 4-H Youth Development Program. Maille has held key leadership roles with NYS 4-H, serving as […]

Alexa Maille has deep roots in New York State 4-H and understands the needs of today's youth, so we're excited to have her as the next director of NYS 4-H!
bctr.cornell.edu/veteran-4-h-...

Prince Harry's estrangement isn't unique: Here's how to negotiate cutting family ties Harry's emotional admission of estrangement reveals the challenge of fixing a common family conflict.

More than 25% of Americans have cut ties with a family member according to a 2020 study by the BCTR's Karl Pillemer. Estrangement can happen in any family, even the publicized situation with the royal family. But how do you try to end the rift between family members?
www.salon.com/2025/05/10/p...