Addressing global wildlife conservation challenges has been central to the Cornell Wildlife Health Center since its establishment in 2020. With a recent funding by philanthropist K. Lisa Yang, the health center’s efforts are set to “greatly advance its mission.”

A $35 million gift will endow and name it the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health at the Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to address key challenges at the intersection of wildlife health, domestic animal health, human health and livelihoods, and the environment that supports all life on Earth.

“Supporting and endowing the Center for Wildlife Health helps send a message that wildlife and human life, conserving our natural environment, and abiding by more mindful economic practices are critical if we are to leave a viable planet for our children,” says Yang, who is also a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees and a lifetime member of the Cornell University Council.

“This investment in wildlife health and conservation will pay dividends that will compound over time, building the awareness and expertise that are critical for our shared future on this planet,” says Cornell University president, Martha E. Pollack.

The center, led by Steven Osofsky, DVM, the Jay Hyman Professor of Wildlife Health and Health Policy (CVM), aims to unify applied researchers, practitioners, and others from across the university who are involved in wildlife health and conservation. The center includes more than 25 wildlife health professionals from a wide range of disciplines, with an emphasis on impact and fostering wider partnerships in the U.S. and around the world.

“Our fundamental goal is to help humanity make more holistic, better-informed decisions, in terms of land- and ocean-use planning, public health policy and environmental conservation,” Osofsky says. “We will utilize the opportunities this incredible gift provides to work on tilting the scales back toward the type of environmental stewardship we ourselves need to survive as a species.”

Further, the funding will support faculty, staff and students in several ways, including through the new Cornell K. Lisa Yang Wildlife Health Fellows Program, which will create 14 new opportunities for veterinarians, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students. It will also create a Catalyzing Conservation Fund, an internal grants program that will provide seed money for critical wildlife health programs led by CVM faculty and staff.

Additionally, the gift will provide five years of core support to the recently launched Cornell Wildlife Health Center Student Support Fund, which allows veterinary students with wildlife health interests to participate in off-campus experiences and on-campus research.

For more information, click here.

Addressing global wildlife conservation challenges has been central to the Cornell Wildlife Health Center since its establishment in 2020. With a recent funding by philanthropist K. Lisa Yang, the health center’s efforts are set to “greatly advance its mission.”

A $35 million gift will endow and name it the Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Wildlife Health at the Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine to address key challenges at the intersection of wildlife health, domestic animal health, human health and livelihoods, and the environment that supports all life on Earth.

“Supporting and endowing the Center for Wildlife Health helps send a message that wildlife and human life, conserving our natural environment, and abiding by more mindful economic practices are critical if we are to leave a viable planet for our children,” says Yang, who is also a member of the Cornell Board of Trustees and a lifetime member of the Cornell University Council.

“This investment in wildlife health and conservation will pay dividends that will compound over time, building the awareness and expertise that are critical for our shared future on this planet,” says Cornell University president, Martha E. Pollack.

The center, led by Steven Osofsky, DVM, the Jay Hyman Professor of Wildlife Health and Health Policy (CVM), aims to unify applied researchers, practitioners, and others from across the university who are involved in wildlife health and conservation. The center includes more than 25 wildlife health professionals from a wide range of disciplines, with an emphasis on impact and fostering wider partnerships in the U.S. and around the world.

“Our fundamental goal is to help humanity make more holistic, better-informed decisions, in terms of land- and ocean-use planning, public health policy and environmental conservation,” Osofsky says. “We will utilize the opportunities this incredible gift provides to work on tilting the scales back toward the type of environmental stewardship we ourselves need to survive as a species.”

Further, the funding will support faculty, staff and students in several ways, including through the new Cornell K. Lisa Yang Wildlife Health Fellows Program, which will create 14 new opportunities for veterinarians, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students. It will also create a Catalyzing Conservation Fund, an internal grants program that will provide seed money for critical wildlife health programs led by CVM faculty and staff.

Additionally, the gift will provide five years of core support to the recently launched Cornell Wildlife Health Center Student Support Fund, which allows veterinary students with wildlife health interests to participate in off-campus experiences and on-campus research.

For more information, click here.