Hyperbolic planes make for beautiful hats…

  …..scarves…..

  ….or um, shoulder thingies…

 Yet, what professor Daina Taimina showed us through such seemingly innocent figures was actually a philosophical revolution.

Euclid’s laws of geometry – for centuries taken as absolute truths — claim that if you draw a straight line crossing another straight line diagonally, it will necessarily also cross any parallel lines. Indeed, how could it be otherwise?

Until we drew such lines on crocheted hyperbolic planes ourselves, none of us could really imagine how it could be otherwise. But then, there it was: the refutation of Euclidian truth, the tangible experience of hyperbolic space… 

Ian displays expert bartending skills during the cocktail hour

An attractive table: Kate, Liz, Desiree, Shubham, Hu, and I pose for the camera at dinner.

Lawrence, Harriet, Stephanie, John, Breanna, and Catherine smile over an impeccable dessert

The formal dinner turned out to be successful, low-key affair that brought a tasteful end to the semester. We greatly appreciate all of our guests who were able to attend and make fall 2009 at CBTA memorable.

The Telluride Open House

Tuesday, September 15
5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

and

Saturday, September 19
2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

217 West Avenue and Campus Road,
the orange house across the Willard Straight parking lot (see map)

Telluride House is a diverse self-governing community of undergrad and grad students that offers full room and board scholarships to all of its residents, in order to foster an atmosphere of intellectual engagement, self-government, and community living.

We have a number of activities planned, including tours, informal conversations with faculty guests, and live music. Refershments and snacks will be served.

For questions and more information, e-mail outreach@telluridehouse.org.

Stacy C.

But no, really, orientation does feel kind of like that sometimes. It’s absolutely bewildering and I’m trying to figure out if college is really that different or if it’s just another level–much like the switch into high school.

The above has most likely spoken for itself, but my name is Sarah, and I’m a freshman in the House this year. Meredith recommended posting an introduction and a few random things to give an idea of what House life is actually like… which would be cool because I’ve heard some very strange things from the few people who know what the House is.  I mean… if you want the three pillars we live by, you can check the “About” button above. If you have more in-depth questions (i.e “why?”)… I’m not sure I can answer those very well. We’re striving to become better citizens. Like most people, I think we harbor a vision of being leaders in our various fields someday.

So as I come to understand what it means to be a part of this community… I’ll try and get it across to all of you, okay? It’s all a learning process.

We have a love-hate relationship with spiders in this house so I figure this would be appropriate.

Proofs just got back of our house photo… a lot of people have left. I miss them already. It’s been a great year. It’s not over yet for me; one paper to go.

In the spirit of the house, a (circumstantial) amendment has been brought to the Austro-Hungarian rules. As you know, we play pool by house rules (see TARPool, Section 3.2). The Luxembourg Amendment, introduced by Florian B. as an experiment in the short pool meeting held two weeks ago, was BIRT-ed and voted last night. It is a generous concession made to the white ball. All players shall sign the house rules and no player shall be denied the right to invoke the Luxembourg Amendment (see Section 3.5).

(Seal and Signature) Elton   

with Professors Davydd Greenwood (Anthropology) and Pamela Tolbert (Industrial and Labor Relations)

What are the consequences of the neoliberal shift in university organization and governance? What does it mean for students to consider themselves consumers of education, for researchers to be sub-contractors in delivering knowledge to the private and public sectors, and for universities to increasingly fund their activities by selling knowledge and obtaining patents? What other models exist for universities? How can these organizations be held accountable to serving the public good without restraining the quality and freedom of academic research?

Join us for a lively discussion in the intimate space of the Telluride House living room! This panel is the third of four events in our spring event series; check out all four Telluride House spring events. And for directions, click here.

Davydd J. Greenwood is the Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute for European Studies at Cornell University where he has served as a faculty member since 1970. His work centers on action research, political economy, ethnic conflict, community and regional development, the Spanish Basque Country, Spain’s La Mancha region, and the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. He is at work, with his long-time co-author Morten Levin, on a book on the reinvention of the public research university through Action Research.

Pamela Tolbert is Professor and chair of the Department of Organizational Behavior. She is broadly interested in processes of organizational change, the role of organizations in social stratification, and the impact of occupations on organizational structures. Her current research includes studies of the use of tenure systems by higher education organizations, the effects of organizational and occupational demography on career patterns, and the effects of earnings differences within dual-career couples on spousal relationships.

Wednesday, April 15, 7-8:30 pm: Power Relations and the Unintended Health Consequences of Colonial Legacies (A Telluride House Faculty Panel)

With Professors Alaka Basu (Development Sociology), Johanna Crane (Science & Technology Studies), and TJ Hinrichs (History)

This interdisciplinary discussion will approach the question of health and colonialism from several perspectives, and we hope to create an environment welcoming to audience perspectives and participation. Our panel guests are Professor Basu, who will discuss the impact of colonialism on women’s health, birthing practices, and the self-perceptions of the colonized; Professor Crane, who will discuss colonial legacies in AIDS treatment
science; and Professor Hinrichs, who studies 10th-13th century state health policies in southern China, and who will facilitate our discussion. We invite you to bring your own thoughts and questions as well!

Thursday, April 16, 5-6 pm: Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn, and Ravel (A Telluride House Concert)

With Guan Chang-xin (Piano), John Haines-Eitzen (Cello), and Joseph Lin (Violin)

Pianist Guan Chang-xin, a faculty member at the China Conservatory of Music in Beijing and an artist in residence at Cornell, will perform works for solo piano by Handel, Mendelssohn, and Wang Jian-zhong. Mr. Guan will be joined by Cornell faculty members Joseph Lin and John Haines-Eitzen for Ravel’s Trio for Piano, Violin, and Cello.

Thursday, April 23, 7-8:30 pm: Neoliberalism and the University (A Telluride House Faculty Panel)

With Professors Davydd Greenwood (Anthropology) and Pamela Tolbert (Industrial and Labor Relations)

What are the consequences of the neoliberal shift in university organization and governance? What does it mean for students to consider themselves consumers of education, for researchers to be sub-contractors in delivering knowledge to the private and public sectors, and for universities to increasingly fund their activities by selling knowledge and obtaining patents? What other models exist for universities? How can these organizations be held accountable to serving the public good without restraining the quality and freedom of academic research?

Davydd J. Greenwood is the Goldwin Smith Professor of Anthropology and Director of the Institute for European Studies at Cornell University where he has served as a faculty member since 1970. His work centers on action research, political economy, ethnic conflict, community and regional development, the Spanish Basque Country, Spain’s La Mancha region, and the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York. He is at work, with his long-time co-author Morten Levin, on a book on the reinvention of the public research university through Action Research.

Pamela  Tolbert is Professor and chair of the Department of Organizational Behavior. She is broadly interested in processes of organizational change, the role of organizations in social stratification, and the impact of occupations on organizational structures.  Her current research includes studies of the use of tenure systems by higher education organizations, the effects of organizational and occupational demography on career patterns, and the effects of earnings differences within dual-career couples on spousal relationships.

Saturday, May 2, 5-6 pm: Bach, Barker, Vaughan Williams, and Weir (A Telluride House Concert)

With Joseph Lin (Violin), Judith Kellock (Soprano), and John Rowehl (Piano)

Cornell Music Department members Judith Kellock, Joseph Lin, and John Rowehl perform songs by Samuel Barber and Ralph Vaughan-Williams, unaccompanied violin music by J. S. Bach, and Judith Weir’s King Harald’s Saga, a 10-minute opera in 3 acts, for solo soprano playing 8 roles (and a regiment of the Norwegian army).