Cornell is a privately endowed research university and a partner of the State University of New York. As the federal land-grant institution in New York State, they have a responsibility—unique within the Ivy League—to make contributions in all fields of knowledge in a manner that prioritizes public engagement to help improve the quality of life in the state, the nation and the world. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is based at the university and is dedicated to advancing the understanding and protection of the natural world through research, education and citizen science focused on birds.