SYSEN 5940
The Systems faculty and staff are looking forward to welcoming all of you to SYSEN 5940, Ithaca, and Cornell University Sunday, June 22, 2025 – Friday, June 27, 2025.
This webpage is designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the week-long session, confirmation you’ll be attending and answer any of your frequently asked questions.
Please check back for frequent updates!
Student FYIs
- A helpful website from Conference and Event Services.
- This year's module will be held in North Campus/Multipurpose Room in Toni Morrison Hall (18 Sisson Place, Ithaca, NY)
- If you're not that familiar with Cornell and the Ithaca area, this map may help you find your way around.
About Your Stay
The Systems Engineering Program will only pay for your accommodations, parking, meals, and ground transportation from check-in onSunday, June 22, to check-out on Friday, June 27, 2025.All Attendees staying early in the residence hall before 2:00 PM EST on Sunday, June 22, 2025, will personally reserve/pay for the additional night(s).
All attendees remaining in the residence hall past 10:00 AM EST on Friday, June 27, 2025, will personally reserve/pay for the additional night(s).
Please contact the Conference and Event Services to extend your stay in the residence halls: CESHelp@cornell.edu. If you are interested in staying off-campus before and or after the week, there are a multitude of local hotels and Airbnb options you can research.
Please contact the Conference and Event Services well in advance if you plan on extending your stay, as they will do their best to accommodate special requests, but it is not guaranteed.
Parking
Please use the following link if you require a parking pass for the SYSEN 5940 event: TBD
- Note: The program will cover all parking pass fees, but please use the link above to print out the parking pass for A Lot on Cornell Campus and place the printed parking pass on the front dash so it is fully displayed through the windshield of your vehicle.
Check-In Procedures
Where: Robert Purcell Community Center (107 Jessup Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850)
When: Sunday, June 22, 2025, after 2:00 PM – 11:00 PM EST
- No early arrivals are permitted without specific arrangements!
- Once you check-in, please be sure to grab the welcome bag materials at the front desk. This bag will contain your agenda for the week, a name tag, and additional information.
- If you arrive later than 11:00 PM EST, student staff will be on-call to help you check-in. Their contact number is posted at the building entrances of Robert Purcell Community Center.
Check-Out Procedures
Where: Robert Purcell Community Center (107 Jessup Rd, Ithaca, NY 14850)
When: Friday, June 27, 2025, by 10:00 AM EST
- Note: Please plan to leave no earlier than 1:00 PM EST when class ends. Personal Luggage can be stored in a separate room in Toni Morrison Multi-Purpose Room from 10:00–1:00 PM EST)
- No later check-outs unless otherwise arranged!
Housing will be in Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall (224 Cradit Farm Dr., Ithaca, NY 14850).
Please keep in mind that check-in and check-out will take place at Robert Purcell Community Center.
What is Included in Your Single-Room Dorm
- Freshly made bed
- Mattress pad
- Sheets
- Blanket/Bedspread
- Pillow/Pillowcase
- 3 towels/ 3 face cloths
- Soap
- Drinking cup
- Clothes hangers
- Linen exchange and trash removal (available Monday through Friday as needed)
- External common areas will be cleaned daily.
- External restrooms will be cleaned and restocked three times per week.
- Internal restrooms and common areas will be cleaned and restocked once a week (this includes your internal dorm restroom/common areas).
- Laundry services: Laundry machines are available in the dorm building, and are free to use during the summer months. Guests will be required to provide their own laundry detergent and download an app to operate the machines (details listed in each laundry room).
Items to Consider Bringing That Are Not Included in Your Dorm
We have chosen to house you in Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall, which was recently built in the Fall of 2022, thus making it one of the newest, modern dorms, and more comfortable for your visit. However, please keep in mind that you will be staying in a single-room dorm in suites with shared bathrooms. Below is a list of items you might consider bringing with you to make your stay more comfortable.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hall is not fully equipped with central air conditioning for individual dorm rooms during the summer months. With this in mind, if you are interested in renting a fan for your room, please contact Lewis Freedman from Campus Services at (607)539-6673 or via email at FridgeandFanRentals@gmail.com, or this Website.
- Slippers
- Sneakers (for walking around campus)
- Flip-flops or shower shoes (for dorm showers)
- Toiletries: toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, mouthwash, deodorant, extra soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc.
- Ear plugs (the dorms may be loud)
- Your own laptop, preferred stationery, and/or writing tools
- Anything you can think of that might make your stay more comfortable!
Details about the Cornell Fitness Center/ Recreation Services can be found on the website found here.
Agenda
Agenda: Word | PDF
Assignment Due by no later than TBD
Please locate assignment details on the SYSEN 5940 Canvas Site Accommodations/ Travel
Getting to Ithaca
- There are three surrounding airports to help plan your trip to Ithaca. Elmira and Syracuse are about an hour from Ithaca. You’ll need to get a cab, rental car or other form of transportation to Ithaca. Unfortunately, we’re not able to offer any reimbursement services to and from Ithaca.
- Ithaca Transportation Services: Ithaca offers taxi, Uber and Lyft services, making it easy to get to and from the Ithaca airport. Unfortunately, we can’t provide services to and from airports.
- A+ Taxi, LLC, 607-533-8294
- ASAP Cab Company, 607-272-7222
- Ithaca Dispatch, 607-588-8888
- Ground Transportation from Syracuse
- Big D's Limousine, 315-730-5931
- Lyft
- Uber
COVID-19 Related Information
For the latest on updates, please see Cornell's COVID-19 Response site.
Meet Our Faculty
Clifford Whitcomb
Professor of Practice
Dr. Clifford Whitcomb is a Professor of Practice in the Systems Engineering Program at Cornell University. He was previously a Distinguished Professor at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. Dr. Whitcomb was the Chairman of the Systems Engineering department and Director of Wayne E. Meyer Institute of Systems Engineering at the Naval Postgraduate School. Dr. Whitcomb has more than 35 years of experience in defense systems engineering and related fields with over 23 years of experience in academia. He has been a principal investigator for the U.S. Navy Office of Naval Research, Office of the Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of the Navy and the Veteran’s Health Administration.
Sirietta Simoncini
Lecturer
Sirietta Simoncini holds a Master of Architecture degree from the University Institute of Architecture of Venice (Italy) and worked for several years as the chief architect of a city in the north of Italy. She is the co-founder of InTAdesign, an architectural firm active in both Italy and the U.S., and in addition to practicing architecture, she has worked as an art and film curator for many cultural institutions.
Read Sirietta's full bio.
David R. Schneider
Professor of Practice
Director of M.Eng. Studies
David R. Schneider graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in chemical engineering in 1999, attended Columbia University Film M.F.A. Program in 2001, and earned his Master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell University in mechanical engineering with a concentration in controls & dynamics in 2007. David has taught at both Cornell and Columbia University. His most prominent research is his creation of the G*TA (G-Star-T-A) task allocation algorithm and his work as program manager of the Cornell RoboFlag program, with notable applications including AFRL UAV controls and NASA/NOAA unmanned boat designs. With a strong focus on education, David's endeavors have included the creation of the Cornell Cup: Innovative Embedded Design National Competition with co-founder Intel and now primary sponsor Arm; leading Cornell University Sustainable Design (CUSD); and the broader impacts video game creation for the NSF Expeditions in Computing Grant on Computational Sustainability.
Leslie Whitcomb, Ph.D. International Student Inclusion Specialist
Dr. Leslie Whitcomb is serving as the pilot International Student Inclusion Specialist for the Einaudi Center, Cornell University. She is working to support international students through the Office of the Vice Provost for International Affairs and the Office of Global Learning. Leslie assesses and responds to international student inclusion needs across disciplines and service networks. She works to strengthen student identification with Cornell communities of learning while respecting studentsʻ home culture values. Leslie holds a B.A. in Multicultural Counseling. She holds a Ph.D. in Human Development with research and practice in International Education and Global Professional Development. Prior to Cornell University, Dr. Whitcomb built inclusion focused, co-curricular learning programs for Indigenous, Asian, Latin X and Southeast Asian populations for schools such as the University of Massachusetts and Portland State University . Dr. Whitcomb facilitates co-curricular global workforce, soft skills learning in partnership with the Systems Engineering program at Cornell University. She consults internationally, facilitating professional skills development for initiatives across engineering disciplines and in Indigenous communities.
Leslie is proud to be a first generation college attending, low income, dual heritage professional. Her work has been dedicated to building community through the integration of home culture contexts in a broad spectrum of educational settings. Dr. Whitcombʻs research practice focuses on the impact of communication micro skills on studentsʻ path/goal success as members of a culturally competent global workforce. She is obtaining a second doctoral degree (December 2024) in international education and social equity policies in higher education at Niagara University.
