College of Arts and Sciences — ��ϲ��

Cultivating Community Through Augmentative Communication

Dan Bernardi — Thu, 21 Nov 2024 16:57:57 +0000

Bradford Smith (left) working with Danielle Lanphere (right) during a conversation club meeting at the Gebbie Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic. He and other individuals who use Alternative Augmentative Communication to help express themselves gather weekly to build community and expand their communication abilities.

Verbal communication is one of the most common and fundamental forms of interaction for humans. Whether it’s conversing with colleagues at work, or chatting with family members around the dinner table, on average, a person speaks around 16,000 words a day. While exchanging thoughts through language is innate to most, for those with speech disorders, the process becomes significantly more challenging.

Clinicians in the College of Arts and Sciences’ offer personal, individualized service and support to adults, children and families in need of diagnosis and treatment for a wide variety of speech-language and hearing difficulties. Among the populations they work with are clients who use Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) to help express themselves.

“(AAC) can be used temporarily or long-term to help people with speech and language disorders who are unable to communicate in a more typical way such as talking,” says , assistant teaching professor in the (CSD).

What is Alternative Augmentative Communication?

AAC is available in various forms, ranging from no-tech or low-tech options like pointing to pictures or letters on an alphabet board to spell out words or messages, to high-tech solutions like applications on dedicated speech-generating devices like tablets. Advanced speech-generating devices enable individuals to communicate by choosing vocabulary icons or typing messages, which the device then vocalizes.

At the Gebbie Clinic, faculty like Hammerle and CSD graduate students lead a weekly conversation club for adults who use AAC so they can practice conversational skills and expand their communication abilities.

“At each meeting, members share stories, thoughts and plans while participating in engaging and fun activities,” says Hammerle. “This allows them to grow the complexity of their language, increase efficiency with AAC use, and develop a sense of community and support through interaction with other individuals utilizing AAC.”

Michael Theobald (right) uses a Smartbox Gridpad speech-generating device to communicate with others at a conversation club meeting.

Practical Experience

Meetings revolve around a specific theme, and participants take part in various related activities, including games, trivia and guided discussions. Some recent group exercises have included filling out a March Madness bracket, participating in ��ϲ�� history trivia and planning a cross-country road trip.

Each session is planned and facilitated by graduate students, with oversight from Hammerle and other faculty. Through this experience, students acquire transferable skills that will benefit their careers as speech-language pathologists after graduation. They learn how to:

Use different types of high-tech alternative augmentative communication devices;
Assist group members with programming and troubleshooting; and
Operate various software used by each participant.

Alongside these practical skills, students also build relational competencies through their interactions with group members, allowing them to see AAC users as individuals rather than just focusing on their devices.

“By spending a semester in the group, they form great relationships with the AAC users that can help inform their empathy and clinical care in the field,” says Hammerle.

Spreading AAC Awareness

To help educate the public about Alternative Augmentative Communication, several organizations came together in 2007 to designate October as AAC Awareness Month. It marks a time to celebrate individuals who utilize AAC for communication and create supportive communities for AAC users. Each October, members of the conversation club create outreach initiatives to express their unique perspectives, and this year they produced a news article. According to Hammerle, the goal was to help make the public aware of what AAC is, provide tips for communicating with AAC users and express what AAC means to them.

Below are excerpts from the team’s news article, lightly edited for length and clarity:

The Significance of AAC Awareness Month

This month encourages advocacy, education and understanding, helping to raise awareness about the diverse methods of communication available. By promoting AAC, we aim to empower users, foster connections and enhance inclusivity, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to express themselves and be heard.

By raising awareness, we can break down barriers and misconceptions surrounding communication challenges, empowering individuals to express themselves fully. AAC awareness encourages empathy, patience and support from friends, family and the community, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for those who rely on these tools. As we advocate for AAC, we promote not only the right to communicate but also the celebration of diverse perspectives, reminding us that every individual’s voice matters.

The Advantages of AAC for its Users

Mike, an AAC user who comes to the Gebbie Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic for conversation club, says that AAC serves as a vital means of communication for him, as it helps him “get the thoughts out of [his] head. I don’t want them going into the ether.”

Shannon, another member of the conversation club, says that while some people may use AAC occasionally, for others, “it’s a lifeline to the rest of the world so we aren’t so encapsulated in our own heads with our own thoughts.”

Tips for Effective Communication with AAC Users

Brad, a member of the conversation club, says that AAC is “unpredictable technology. They want to work when they want to work.” Shannon added, “just because I use this to speak doesn’t mean I don’t understand what you say and do.” Brad says that AAC is akin to learning a foreign language, and often, the user may be the only person in their family fluent in this form of communication, highlighting the need for patience and empathy from those around them.

The group notes, “We want people communicating with AAC users to know that the process can be time-consuming.” Mike says, “Just give [us] time to speak. It may take a while, but [we] may have something important to say.”

The group notes that everyone deserves to have the time they need to express themselves fully, so patience is key. Rushing the conversation can lead to missed opportunities for deeper understanding, so allowing for that extra time can make all the difference in fostering genuine communication.

If you use AAC and would like to find out more about the conversation club or learn about the clinic’s other services, visit the website or contact them at gebbie@syr.edu.

What Does Seventh-Generation Thinking Mean?

Renée K. Gadoua — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 18:23:30 +0000

When Haudenosaunee gather for a meal or event, they begin with the Thanksgiving Address. “Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue,” opens this statement of values, translated from the Mohawk version to English. “We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things.”

“The Thanksgiving Address is a valuable act of remembering, and it is meant to have the opposite effect than taking something for granted,” says��, associate professor and director of the��(CGIC) at the College of Arts and Sciences.

“Creation Story,” a mural by Brandon Lazore at 113 Euclid, a gathering space for Native students and home to the Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice (CGIC).

“It’s meant to slow time down and produce mindfulness and keep attention on key values,” he continues. “What does it really mean to pause and give thanks to all of the things that make our lives so much better?”

The answers not only broaden students’ cultural literacy, but may help create a more just world as it faces existential questions amid the climate crisis and rampant inequality.

“We want to support those Indigenous societies that are trying to maintain their traditional values, much of which we now call sustainable practices,” says Stevens, a citizen of the Akwesasne Mohawk Nation. (The Haudenosaunee include the Mohawk Nation as well as the Oneida, Cayuga, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora nations.)

The center was created as part of a three-year, $1.5 million Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant to strengthen Indigenous studies at ��ϲ��.

“We want to make these concepts more understandable to a larger public and show there are intellectual and ethical resources that Indigenous communities offer by reaching back to our values,” Stevens says.

Professor Scott Manning Stevens, director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies program and the Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice.

The center draws broadly from the rich culture of the Haudenosaunee, on whose ancestral land the University is located. Meanwhile, a diverse faculty that includes��, citizen of the Onondaga Nation;��, who is of Cherokee descent;��, Quechua, Peru;��, Suquamish descent;��, citizen of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Nation; and guest speakers share perspectives from a variety of Indigenous communities.

Contributions from diverse Indigenous experts help students get firsthand descriptions of Native communities and their challenges. And the approach reinforces that not all Indigenous people are the same. “There are key concepts across cultures, but obviously there are different techniques among different people,” Stevens says. “We should be aware that one size does not fit all.”

A New Perspective for Students

The center aims to introduce students to a new way of thinking about broad issues like interconnectedness, equity, responsibility and respect. It then challenges students to apply broad Indigenous concepts to concrete practices, such as those related to climate change, land stewardship and sovereignty.

Ethical Land Use

Take ethical land use, for example. “Ask permission before taking. Abide by the answer. Never take the first. Never take the last. Take only what you need,” Robin Kimmerer wrote in her bestselling book “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants.” Kimmerer, an enrolled member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, is a SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry professor of biology with an appointment at the center.

“That sounds easy enough, but of course that is not the premise of capitalism, which is to take as much as you can and sell it back at a profit,” Stevens says, pointing to practices like fracking and extracting minerals that strip the land. Those actions, he said, typically enrich some people at the cost of irreparably damaging the land and displacing local communities.

“It is Western capitalist practices that got us in the situation we are in today and Indigenous values that could save us,” Stevens said. “We’re not saying we all should be living with so much less, but that there are different ways we can get what we need.”

One example is farming practices. Most Indigenous farmers practice intercropping—growing several species of plants together, rather than harvesting just one crop in a field. It’s not just that corn, beans and squash—the Haudenosaunee and Cherokee Three Sisters—taste delicious together, but they’re grown in a circle rather than a line because that’s how they grow best.

“Through long observation of nature and the way things work best over millennia, they recognized which plants are symbiotic with each other,” Stevens explains. “We now know the science that beans structurally pull nitrates out of the air and corn wants a nitro-rich environment and beans are bringing the nutrients. The beans grow up and do not hurt the stalks. The squash is ground cover and provides moisture and protects it from insects.”

Food Sovereignty

Professor Mariaelena Huambachano

The center co-sponsored a conference on food sovereignty in 2023. Stevens explains the concept: “If political sovereignty is the recognized right to govern oneself, and linguistic sovereignty is the right to speak your own language, food sovereignty is the right to eat the foods your ancestors did. … We don’t eat the same way as our ancestors because often we can’t.”

Huambachano, an Indigenous scholar, lived for many years in Aotearoa, the Indigenous name for New Zealand, and teaches courses including Food Fights and Treaty Rights, Indigenous Food Cosmologies and Reclaiming Indigenous Intellectual Sovereignty. Her new book, “Recovering Our Ancestral Foodways: Indigenous Traditions as a Recipe for Living Well,” was just released this past August by the University of California Press.

Food sovereignty “is more than meeting caloric needs,” Huambachano says. It encompasses a community’s autonomy and right to control its food systems, and includes spiritual nourishment, cultural history and long-term health, she says.

“Unfortunately,” she says, “environmental degradation, the loss of rights to ancestral fishing areas and hunting grounds, and the impacts of climate change and industrial food systems have eroded food sovereignty for many Indigenous communities. They can no longer grow and enjoy our ancestors’ gifts—food—and instead consume processed foods, with harmful effects on their health and well-being.”

Rematriation

Many traditional women’s roles and authority in Indigenous cultures “were eroded with the patriarchy that came with Christianity,” Stevens says. “Rematriation’s goal is to identify and reclaim that identity. It recognizes that our community is made up of all people and all people have something to give.”

In 2023, Huambachano organized “Rematriating Well-Being: Indigenous Foodways, Sovereignty and Sowing Seeds of Hope for Tomorrow,” a symposium that brought together Māori, Quechua and Onondaga women leading the Indigenous food sovereignty movement.

Today, the center is collaborating with the Haudenosaunee women-led organization Rematriation to present the symposium Feb. 28-March 2, 2025. Rematriation’s founder, Michelle Schenandoah G’19, is a traditional member of the Wolf Clan of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and a College of Law adjunct professor affiliated with CGIC. Through film production, digital content creation and community engagement, Rematriation focuses on uplifting Indigenous women’s voices and reclaiming their place in the world.

The spring symposium’s theme also parallels CGIC’s mission: to share principles of Haudenosaunee and Indigenous matrilineal knowledge to address critical global challenges. “We acknowledge this moment in our world and the necessity to share what we know about the important role of women to return balance in our connection to Mother Earth and for everyone’s survival,” Schenandoah says.

For the Seventh Generation

The center’s focus is timely and relevant as we face the existential threats of climate change, Stevens says. The Western view, rooted in the Old Testament, favors “dominion” over the land (Genesis 1:26-28). The Indigenous view generally sees nature and the land as things to live well with, as the Thanksgiving Address reminds us.

“Our relationship to land has much more to do with responsibility than rights. It’s not my right to tear it up because I own it, or I own it so I’m going to frack it. There’s something about the Western tradition that is very short-sighted: We’re going to move forward and create progress and if it creates problems, we can fix it with progress.”

The Haudenosaunee concept of the Seventh Generation (considering the welfare of seven generations into the future before taking any action) “makes us be responsible,” Stevens says. “Should we allow this dam or road to be put in our territory? We have to get together to think: How will this affect the Seventh Generation? It’s an act of imagination, not research. There is no data. It looks good right now to have that road. If you are in the Seventh Generation, what do you think about our decision?”

He does not expect the center itself to solve the big, ethical questions around land use, technology and environmental degradation. Nor does he want students to see Western and Indigenous practices as binary perspectives completely at odds with each other.

“I see the passion of our students for a better world,” he says. “I want to make sure part of their University experience makes this perspective appealing and knowable and recognize there’s another way to do business. It can make the business better.”

Biology Ph.D. Student Awarded Two Prestigious National Scholarships to Study Fungi’s Role in Forest Health

Dan Bernardi — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 14:44:59 +0000

Eva Legge, a first-year Ph.D. student majoring in biology in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), is one of two researchers nationally to be named a Mollie Beattie Visiting Scholar by the��(SAF). The award honors Beattie, who was the first woman to head the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and its aim is to foster diversity in the natural resource professions.

Eva Legge has been named a Mollie Beattie Visiting Scholar by the Society of American Foresters and was also awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. (Photo courtesy of Eva Legge)

Legge will receive a $10,000 scholarship to pursue her research on the role mycorrhizae play in boosting forest resilience. Mycorrhizae are fungi that grow on the roots of trees and plants and provide mutual benefits. As a Mollie Beattie Visiting Scholar, she will gain valuable professional development and networking opportunities. In addition to connecting with SAF members across the country, she can also submit her research to an SAF journal and collaborate with staff and partners at the SAF headquarters in Washington, D.C.

This latest award comes on the heels of Legge winning a��from the National Science Foundation over the summer. Like the Mollie Beattie award, the NSF fellowship includes a stipend and access to professional development opportunities. According to the NSF program, its mission is to “help ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.”

Legge is part of A&S biology professor��Mycorrhizal Ecology Lab and SUNY ESF Professor��Applied Forest and Fire Ecology Lab. As a member of these teams, she studies how climate-adaptive forest management, such as timber harvest, assisted tree migration and prescribed fire, affects the symbiotic relationship between fungi and forests. Their goal is to devise strategies to safeguard these crucial yet delicate symbioses, ultimately aiding in the development of effective forest management practices.

“Climate change will likely add to the many stressors facing eastern U.S. forests. However, the positive benefits of fungal partnerships with tree roots can, in certain contexts, increase a forest’s stress tolerance,” Legge said in an��.

With this funding, she will continue her research exploring the connection between forest management, mycorrhizal symbioses and seedling success. She hopes to improve management practices and maximize the advantages mycorrhizae offer to “future-adapted” seedlings, thereby enhancing the resilience of America’s forests.

Eva Legge (second from left) and her team have been conducting their latest field research in Huntington Forest, located in the Adirondacks. (Photo courtesy of Eva Legge)

“Eva is an exceptionally driven graduate student motivated by addressing critical knowledge gaps in forest ecosystem resilience to global change,” says Fernandez. “Her research focuses on the crucial role of belowground dynamics in forest resilience, bridging fundamental ecological research with applied forest management. Her multidisciplinary approach promises to advance both basic scientific understanding and sustainable land management practices in a changing world. I am thrilled to see her outstanding work recognized with these prestigious awards.”

Learn more about the��Ի��.

LaunchPad Announces Orange Central Student Showcase Winners

Cristina Hatem — Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:41:45 +0000

��ϲ�� Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad (LaunchPad) hosted its 2024 Student Showcase as part of Orange Central Alumni Weekend Nov. 1 in Bird Library. Alumni were invited to award “‘Cuse Cash” to student founders showcasing their products, with top winners receiving prizes. In total, $3,500 in prizes were awarded.

First place ($1,500) was awarded to Celes Buffard ’27 (School of Information Studies), founder of Return 2 Reality, an entertainment company focusing on a podcast for entrepreneurs around navigating and getting past the hurdles and challenges throughout the entrepreneurial journey.
Second place ($1,000) was awarded to Olutosin (Tosin) Alabi G’25 (Whitman School of Management), founder of Diabetech, a med-tech venture for a diabetic foot ulcer wearable.
Two third-place prizes ($500 each) were awarded to Alie Savane ’25 (College of Arts and Sciences), founder of Bete Kola, a health and wellness venture focusing on kola nut food and beverage products; and Mian Hamid ’26 (School of Information Studies), founder of Chai YEAH, a beverage venture offering authentic Indian chai tea to the U.S. market.

��ϲ�� to Reshape the Future of Its Human Dynamics Programs, Reposition Them to Create Academic Synergies and Drive Excellence

News Staff — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 21:16:37 +0000

Following four months of deliberate assessment and cross disciplinary collaboration by members of the Human Dynamics Task Force, ��ϲ�� today announced a go-forward plan to reshape the future of its human dynamics programs and reposition them for short- and long-term success. The plan includes the consolidation of two departments and relocation of all human dynamics programs from the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics to other schools and colleges with stronger academic synergies.

“From the beginning of this process, my priority has been developing and implementing a plan that repositions and strengthens the human dynamics academic programs, research and communitywide impact,” says Lois Agnew, interim vice chancellor, provost and chief academic officer. “This repositioning elevates our human dynamics programs, fosters stronger collaborations across colleges, advances faculty scholarship and better serves our students and the communities we serve.”

In June, task force members began assessing the current state of the human dynamics disciplines, both on campus and at peer institutions, aggregating feedback from key stakeholders and compiling recommendations for how these programs can be positioned for success and growth in the future. As part of the go-forward plan:

Marriage and family therapy will merge with human development and family science and become one department within the College of Arts and Sciences.
Public health will join the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.
Social work will be housed in the School of Education.

These changes, informed in large part by task force recommendations, are designed to enhance the academic and community impact of these programs, grow enrollment, drive research excellence and strengthen the University’s long-standing commitment to preparing professionals to thrive in human, health and social services. They will go into effect July 1, 2025.

“I am grateful to the members of the task force for their thorough, thoughtful and strategic recommendations. I also extend my appreciation to the many students, faculty and staff who provided feedback along the way—through surveys, engagement sessions and other opportunities for submitting input. Their participation in this process and candid feedback were invaluable,” says Provost Agnew.

Today’s news follows an April announcement that the Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics will become the Falk College of Sport, the first standalone college on an R1 campus that specifically focuses on sport through a holistic academic lens. As part of the Falk transformation, the University convened the Human Dynamics Task Force, co-chaired by Rachel Razza, associate dean for human dynamics, and Peter Vanable, associate provost and dean of the Graduate School. The task force, which consisted of human dynamics faculty representatives elected from each department, staff and community partners, delivered a final report to the provost last month.

“This work required a commitment to collaboration, a willingness to engage in challenging but necessary dialogue and a shared focus on the immediate and long-term future of the human dynamics academic disciplines,” says Vanable. “Associate Dean Razza and I are grateful to our fellow task force members for their time, dedication and outstanding work. We also appreciate the provost’s commitment to upholding the spirit of our recommendations and look forward to seeing these programs thrive in the future.”

Razza says, “��ϲ�� has long been a leader in interdisciplinary education. The task force agreed that taking a reimagined approach to the human dynamics programs furthers our mission to provide students with a robust, future-focused education that emphasizes both theory and practice. I believe all members of the human dynamics community—students, faculty, staff and Central New York partners—benefit from this important realignment.”

Students currently enrolled in these programs will transition to their new schools and colleges effective July 1, 2025. Students enrolling in these programs in fall 2025 will matriculate into the school or college housing their academic program.

Participants Sought for Speech Therapy Study

News Staff — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 14:49:35 +0000

The Speech Production Laboratory in the College of Arts and Sciences is seeking research volunteers for a speech therapy study about treatment schedules for children ages 9-17 who have difficulty with the “R” or “S” sounds.

What is involved?

Completing online surveys or a phone interview to screen eligibility
A speech pathology assessment to fully determine study eligibility (~90 minutes)
A session to assess the participant’s response to teaching strategies (~50 minutes)
Sixteen (16) free 60-minute sessions using a treatment called speech motor chaining. Sessions will be delivered by a qualified speech-language pathologist. Eligible participants will be randomly assigned to complete either two visits per week for eight weeks, or one week of intensive treatment and the remaining sessions within the next three weeks
Completing additional surveys and progress monitoring recordings
Total duration of the study is about 11 weeks

Who can take part?

Children ages 9-17 who have difficulty pronouncing the “R” or “S” sound (or both) relative to peers who speak the child’s same dialect of American English
Speak English as their first language
Have normal hearing
No oral or facial structural issues, voice disorders, brain injury or developmental disorders

Where will the study take place?

Participants can be seen at ��ϲ�� or in their homes if they live within 20 miles of one of our research speech-language pathologists. We have multiple speech-language pathologists throughout New York state.

Cost

There is no cost to families. Families will be compensated for their participation with an Amazon, Target or Walmart gift card (up to $105) if all visits are fully completed.

Contact

For more information, or if you are interested in the study:

Email: SpeechProductionLab@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.1351
Web: https://speechproductionlab.syr.edu/

Veterans Day Spotlight: Student Veterans at ��ϲ��

Charlie Poag — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 20:01:54 +0000

Every day might be Veterans Day at ��ϲ��, but on the official holiday, the (OVMA) is highlighting a group of student veterans who are critical to the growing community of military-connected students on campus.

The Executive Board for ��ϲ��’s Student Veterans of America are all military veterans, and they’re all full-time students at the University. In addition to their academic responsibilities, many also hold jobs, have families and take on additional responsibilities on and off campus. It is because of their desire to be of service to something bigger than themselves that fuels the time and effort they give back to the campus community.

Get to know these impactful��student veterans.

Leonel “Leo” Aviles ’26 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
School of Information Studies

Leonel “Leo” Aviles

Leo, as he is affectionately known among friends and the military-connected community, is president of the Student Veterans Organization (SVO) at ��ϲ��. Originally from Florida, Aviles found ��ϲ�� through the Warrior-Scholar Project and credits the University’s admissions staff, along with OVMA’s staff with why he ultimately decided to enroll at ��ϲ��.

“The staff at this university has open arms for veterans out there wanting to pursue higher education. The amount of people wanting to help veterans with school is incredible,” says Aviles. “I would highly encourage any military-connected student to reach out to the SVO to find out more about what opportunities are available on and off campus.”

Derick Ramos G’26 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
College of Arts and Sciences

Derick Ramos

Ramos served as a tank crewman in the Marines for four years and is currently the SVO’s vice president. A graduate student, Ramos is pursuing a Ph.D. in physics. One of the biggest reasons why Ramos chose ��ϲ�� was because of the competitive academic programs available, particularly for doctoral studies.

“When transitioning from the service we may believe that we are behind in some instances compared to other students attending college after high school,” says Ramos, “Keep your head down and work hard, your dreams and goals will come true. Always remember the words of Winnie the Pooh, ‘You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.’”

Jurgen Baeza ’26 – U.S. Navy Veteran
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Jurgen Baeza

Baeza discovered ��ϲ�� while still in high school in San Diego, California. His journey to Central New York required a brief stint in the U.S. Navy, serving as an aviation structural mechanic specializing in the F/A-18 Super Hornet’s safety equipment.

With an interest in computers starting at an early age, Baeza began teaching himself to code and is pursuing that interest as a computer science major. While trying to adapt to life as a non-traditional college student, Baeza came in contact with other student veterans on campus and quickly got involved with the SVO.

“As I started going to more events and talking to more of the student veterans, I would talk to them about our similar life experiences and I was able to relate to them a lot easier than those students who are a lot younger than me,” Baeza says.

Savion Pollard ’26 – U.S. Navy Veteran
College of Engineering and Computer Science

Savion Pollard

Pollard served in the Navy for eight years working on board nuclear submarines as a nuclear electronics technician. His time at ��ϲ�� has been marked by significant accomplishments, including being the first local hire for Micron and being an honored guest of U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer during the 2023 State of the Union Address��from President Joseph R. Biden L’68.

“I chose to come to ��ϲ�� because it brought me closer to family, and because of its proclamation as the ‘Best Place for Vets,’” says Pollard, who is currently studying electrical engineering with a minor in computer science. “I’ve grown to love the campus community, the ��ϲ�� city community and the deep connection between the two.”

Pollard has been a member of the SVO’s executive board for a few years and says his biggest advice for new military-connected students is to “buy into the campus culture and to try new things along the way. All of my greatest achievements as a student have been due to being involved and making myself uncomfortable,” Pollard says.

Tojyea “TJ” Matally ’27 – U.S. Marine Corps Veteran
College of Visual and Performing Arts

Tojyea “TJ” Matally

Matally is a sophomore pursuing a degree in communications design, and he served as a combat photographer in the Marine Corps until 2023, when he opted to pursue higher education and found ��ϲ�� because of its reputation for providing educational opportunities for veterans and military families.

“I chose to attend ��ϲ�� because I had heard it was an ideal place for veterans to assimilate into higher education; plus, I wanted to remain in the New York area after being stationed on Long Island for five years,” Matally says.

His advice to other student veterans is to “be honest with your limitations and strengths, and enjoy your new transition. It’s a privilege to pause and invest in yourself for four or more years. Be grateful and lean on your community to support you throughout the journey,” Matally says.

To learn more about the military-connected students at ��ϲ�� and the programs and services available for student veterans, please visit the .

Katarina Sako ’24 Works to Help Older Adults Age Well

Kelly Homan Rodoski — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:37:12 +0000

Growing up in Buffalo, New York, Katarina Sako ’24 was very close to her grandparents.

“Spending time with my grandparents was really an important part of my childhood, and it helped me develop a lot of compassion and respect for older adults in our community,” Sako says.

Katarina Sako ’24 speaks with a participant in the recent Age Well Days event (Photo by Charles Wainwright)

Sako’s interactions with her grandparents, including more recently as part of her family’s role in caregiving, planted the seed for her interest in her work assisting older adults through the creation of community programming.

Sako is an volunteer through . As a community organizer, Sako works to improve how older adults get connected to services that can help them thrive.

“I’m able to look at systemic issues in our society and how that impacts older adults and their health,” says Sako, who is also working to strengthen and expand a coalition of aging services organizations. “Because you can’t really address one facet without addressing the model.”

As an undergraduate student, Sako was initially interested in researching memory from a psychology perspective. She joined a lab at SUNY Upstate Medical University, and through that work, Sako decided to focus on neurodegeneration and dementia from a biology perspective.

“When you’re talking about dementia, which is my hope to study as a geriatrician, it’s not just focused on the biology—you can’t just address things from a biological perspective,” she says. “You really need to look at the entire person.”

The skills utilized in her current role took shape during her time on campus, where she majored in biology and neuroscience and minored in Spanish in the .

Katarina Sako demonstrates an apple crisp recipe during a recent Age Well Day event in ��ϲ��

Sako volunteered as a telehealth consultant over the summer with InterFaith Works. She created a pilot program to help older adults gain the skills needed to navigate telehealth appointments, which gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“There are a lot of benefits offered by telehealth, such as not going in person to your doctor’s appointment, which can be especially helpful if you have mobility issues,” says Sako. “However, technology issues can be really challenging for many older adults.”

The AmeriCorps VISTA program is focused on reducing poverty in the community. Sako’s skills and experience made her the perfect fit for the community organizer role.

Lori Klivak, senior director for the Center for Healthy Aging at InterFaith Works, was Sako’s supervisor in her telehealth consultant role and later introduced Sako to the community organizer opportunity, where Klivak��continues to be Sako’s supervisor.

One of InterFaith Works’ initiatives is the Greater ��ϲ�� Aging Services Coalition, which started in 2020 to unite aging services organizations under one umbrella.

One of the ways Sako reaches out and makes connections is through Age Well Days, an event that brings community services together for older adults. During the most recent event, held on Sept. 24 at Park Central Presbyterian Church in downtown ��ϲ��, attendees were served a healthy lunch (including a salad made by Sako). They heard presentations from community organizations on health, digital literacy, voting and food assistance, while Sako demonstrated how to make a healthy (and tasty) apple crisp. Attendees took home fresh produce.

“These are opportunities for lower-income older adults in the community to receive important services. The goal is to have people actively enroll in things,” says Sako. “For example, if you need food assistance or you are experiencing food insecurity, let’s enroll you in SNAP. We want to ease this enrollment process because as much as we have these resources available, the number of older adults who are actually enrolled in these programs is low.”

A timeline of Age Well Day events is still being determined, but Sako plans to hold the events at three different locations throughout the community. The Sept. 24 event focused on eating well, and funding was provided by the ��ϲ�� Onondaga Food Systems Alliance.

Sako believes the project has a lot of longevity. “You could compare it to a resource fair, but it’s really meant to be a more intimate setting where we’re connecting with the participants who are there,” she says. “It’s affirming the dignity of all races, all religions and recognizing the diversity that is ��ϲ�� and Onondaga County.”

“My hope is that in forming these connections, we’re able to build long-term partnerships for the Greater ��ϲ�� Aging Services Coalition,” Sako says. “Our goal is promoting aging well in the community and reiterating that ageism doesn’t have a place here.”

Klivak says that Sako’s work is helping to fill a critical gap between services and knowledge. “We have programs, we have support, we have things in place in our community that can help older adults who age better,” she says. “But there’s a gap between what people understand or know about what we have and actually providing those services. And we don’t have all the services in all the right places.”

“Our goal is to improve the way that we, as service providers and program providers get information out, connect with communities and build relationships with communities so that they feel comfortable coming to us,” Klivak says.

It’s also raising awareness about what older people need that goes beyond the conventional wisdom that may focus on food or heat assistance or health care. There are other needs, such as AIDS and HIV prevention, digital literacy and voting issues that are not at the forefront of people’s minds.

“You may think of food or help with heat, but you’re not thinking about how it may not be easy for them to get on a computer or a smartphone and access these resources,” Klivak says. “We tend to think about aging through the lens of death, disease and decline, but that’s not the full story.”

Older adults are the number one voting bloc, the number one volunteering demographic and 42% of the local tax base, Klivak says. “These are people who are helping raise their grandchildren, helping their neighbors and who want to communicate with friends who have moved, all sorts of things,” she says. “And we want them to thrive.”

Klivak says as more outreach and connections are made, everyone is learning how to move the conversation forward and change the narrative to be more age-positive and age-friendly.

Klivak says that Sako has been a good fit for her role. “She is pretty fearless,” she says. “She jumps right in, asks really good questions and then just gets to work.”

Her title, community organizer, illustrates her mission to build relationships. “This is about making change, and change happens when people trust you,” Klivak says. “Her primary role is to be out and about in the community, meeting people, learning what’s going on, getting people interested in what we’re doing. And she has taken that seriously.”

Ultimately, Sako believes that, through her work, she is honoring her grandparents. “I think my grandparents could also benefit from Age Well days, definitely,” Sako says. “I think that they’re happy that I’m trying to make a difference.”

Lender Center Hosts LA Conversation on Racial Equity in the Entertainment Industry

Diane Stirling — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:29:37 +0000

Five ��ϲ�� alumni—all prominent entertainment industry professionals—participated in a panel discussion last week regarding racial wealth disparities in American society and the inequities they have witnessed and experienced in that industry.

The event, “Lender Conversation in Los Angeles: Seeking Racial Equity in the Entertainment Industry,” was hosted by the and was held at the NeueHouse Hollywood. It was attended by about 100 Southern California-area alumni, entertainment industry leaders and other invited guests.

Moderating the panel was journalist and TV host ’99, an alumna of the (VPA) and its Communication and Rhetorical Studies program. Nottingham has worked as a reporter covering national and international breaking news, entertainment and politics. She was joined by four alumni panelists:

’88, president of domestic marketing at Universal Pictures and previous president of domestic theatrical marketing for Sony Pictures Entertainment. Caines is an alumnus of the Newhouse School of Public Communications and an instructor in the school’s Newhouse LA program
’85, an Emmy-nominated writer for film and television and a VPA alumnus
’07, an actress, writer and producer who graduated from VPA. She is known for her recent comedic role on the hit NBC sitcom “A.P. Bio”
’20, an associate attorney in the entertainment transactions group at Mitchell Silberberg & Krupp, LLP. She earned her undergraduate degree from VPA’s Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries.

, Lender Center director, says the conversation “provided valuable insights into how racial inequity continues to exist within the entertainment industry, as well as offering promising paths towards reducing these barriers. We hope to use what we’ve learned here to help craft new paths towards closing the racial wealth gap in other industries.”

The Los Angeles event was the fourth in a series of conversations hosted by the Lender Center to bring experts and thought leaders together to improve understanding of and present ideas to help mitigate the racial wealth gap’s community impacts. Those events and other research initiatives are made possible by a $2.7 million grant from MetLife Foundation. The funding has also supported three research symposia, three postdoctoral scholars and 15 faculty grants for research on the topic.

“Lender Center’s work with support from MetLife Foundation generated important new thought leadership, boosted awareness of racial wealth equity issues and created valuable new partnerships with key institutions and organizations,” says Phillips. “We have discovered many new possibilities for addressing how the wealth gap affects communities, and those ideas have provided worthwhile new understandings.”

These photos show highlights of the event.

Lender Center for Social Justice Director Kendall Phillips, far left, who is also a professor in the Communication and Rhetorical Studies program at VPA, introduces the conversation panelists, all entertainment industry executives and alumni of the University. From left are Danielle Nottingham ’99, Lyric Lewis ’97, Rob Edwards ’85, Bryse Thornwell ’20 and Dwight Caines ’88.

The event drew 100 guests, including numerous alumni and entertainment-�� industry guests. Panelist Dwight Caines ’88, at left, speaks with David Oh G ’00, ’07, now an associate professor of communications at the Newhouse School of Public Communications; and Joan Adler, G’76, assistant vice president of regional programs at the University’s Los Angeles center.

Jason Poles ’99, the University’s director of advancement for the Southwest region, speaks with fellow alumnus and basketball team player Antonio “Scoop” Jardine G’12.

Tari Wariebi ’10, enjoys a reception conversation. The alumnus graduated with dual majors in communication and rhetorical studies from the College of Visual and Performing Arts and writing and rhetoric in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The panel provided opportunities for attendees to hear directly from entertainment leaders about their experiences with the racial wealth gap in that industry. Rob Edwards ’85, left, an Emmy-nominated writer and an adjunct instructor for the Newhouse School of Public Communications, spoke with this guest.

Jason Poles, ’99, left, the University’s advancement director for the Southwest region, chats with alumni attendees Christina Ledo ’11, center, an international relations major at the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs; and Tiffany Bender-Abdallah ’11, a communication and rhetorical studies major in the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

The Los Angeles event brought together faculty, staff, entertainment industry panelists and alumni. Kendall Phillips, Lender Center director, at left, and David Oh G’00, ’07, second from left, an associate professor for the Newhouse School of Public Communications, met with Anna Proulx, Visual and Performing Arts program director for the ��ϲ�� Los Angeles semester program, and right, Allison Gold ’15, a College of Visual and Performing Arts graduate.

Tyler Gentry ’25, a ��ϲ�� student in the ��Bandier Program for Recording and Entertainment Industries, spoke during the question segment of the evening’s event. Seated behind him is Tiffany Bender-Abdallah ’11.

Posing for a finale photo on the stage as the event concluded are, from left, Leonard Garner Jr., Kendall Phillips, panel moderator Danielle Nottingham and panel members Lyric Lewis, Rob Edwards, Bryse Thornwell and Dwight Caines.

Diving Into an Immersive Experience With Gravitational Waves

Dan Bernardi — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:01:30 +0000

Science festivals offer a platform for researchers to demystify complex scientific phenomena and help the public better understand the relevance and importance of their work. By making science accessible to broader audiences, it can also inspire future scientists to pursue careers in STEM.

��ϲ�� postdoctoral researcher Graeme Eddolls (left) and his collaborator Andrew Spencer (right) presenting their research on gravitational waves during the Orkney International Science Festival.

Graeme Eddolls, a postdoctoral researcher in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) who works with the (CGWAA), recently attended the in Scotland. The festival regularly draws prominent scientists, historians and experts who share their research with the public in approachable ways. Notably, when it was founded in 1991, it was the world’s second ever science festival, following the renowned Edinburgh Science Festival, which was established in 1989. Eddolls and his collaborators, Andrew Spencer, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, and Leon Trimble, an audiovisual artist and honorary research associate at the University of Birmingham, presented their “Swimming with Gravitational Waves” project, which includes creative and interactive experiences that connect water, sound and gravitational waves. During the week, they also showcased their “Music of Deep Time” project and hosted booths at an Orkney Festival family event as well as a workshop at Kirkwall Grammar School.

About the Project

Leon Trimble performing at the Swimming with Gravitational Waves event.

To a general audience, the concept of gravitational waves may seem complex and challenging to understand. However, as Eddolls explains, gravitational waves follow similar physics principles as those we observe in everyday phenomena like light, water and sound waves.

Gravitational waves are produced in the aftermath of some of the most energetic processes in the universe, like when black holes or neutron stars collide. These events produce ‘ripples’ in spacetime, a concept which was first predicted by Albert Einstein in his general theory of relativity. By the time these signals reach Earth, they are extremely faint. To detect them, researchers measure laser interference using detectors known as laser interferometers.

When a gravitational wave passes through a detector, it alters the distance that laser light travels along the detector’s two arms, changing their interference pattern. This technology, used by some of the most advanced detectors like the (LIGO) in the U.S., helped scientists make the first direct observation of gravitational waves in 2015, a monumental discovery made by an international team of physicists, including several researchers from ��ϲ��.

Eddolls points out that a fascinating aspect of gravitational waves is that their vibration frequencies fall within the range of human hearing.

The team brought their rubber spacetime demonstrator to the cliffs of Orkney to capture a scenic photo during the festival.

“While we can’t directly hear gravitational waves with our ears, we can take the signal from our detectors and turn it into sound,” he says. “You can actually to the converted signal of the first ever gravitational wave detection.”

Participants enter a swimming pool, where they can hear sound waves through speakers positioned above and below the water. This setup creates a unique auditory experience, mimicking how gravitational waves are produced everywhere in the universe. Furthermore, by swimming in the pool, participants can experience water waves through sight which gives the audience a good physical intuition of what waves are, how waves move and how waves interfere when they pass through each other.

A Scotland-��ϲ�� Connection

Presenting at the prestigious Orkney International Science Festival was a homecoming for Eddolls, who is a native of Scotland. Before coming to ��ϲ�� in January, he was a postdoc at the University of Glasgow. He also received a bachelor’s degree in physics (2014) and a Ph.D. in experimental gravitational wave astrophysics (2022) from there as well.

“It was particularly meaningful for me to be able to return home and give something back in sharing the exciting, cutting-edge research that I get to conduct here at ��ϲ��,” says Eddolls. “Not only does humanizing scientists help better shape the public’s perception of science, but it allows people to see themselves as potential future members of the scientific community, which I hope encourages people of all backgrounds to consider a career in STEM.”

At ��ϲ��, Eddolls is currently working on Advanced LIGO, an upgraded version of the initial LIGO detector that made the 2015 gravitational wave discovery. Eddolls and other members of CGWAA are designing hardware aimed at minimizing sources of noise in Advanced LIGO’s detectors, helping to optimize sensitivity. He is also working on a non-gravitational wave project centered around nuclear fusion, where he and other ��ϲ�� physicists are working on controlling and generating very powerful lasers and applying this to nuclear fusion to help provide a step-change towards the goal of achieving sustained nuclear fusion, potentially supplying the world with limitless energy.

Veterans Day Guest Speaker Theresa Cross ’99 Reflects on Joining the Orange Family

Charlie Poag — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 17:01:37 +0000

On Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11, the nation will pause to acknowledge and honor those who have served with the uniformed military services in defense of the United States of America. From coast-to-coast, the country’s veterans will take part in public celebrations, cookouts, ceremonies and parades; though some may seem significantly smaller than those in years past.

U.S. Army Lt. Col. (Ret.) Theresa Cross ’99

Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Theresa Cross ’99, who graduated from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences with a bachelor’s degree in international relations, will be the guest speaker at the University’s official observance of Veterans Day this year. Cross says that to her, Veterans Day is as “American as apple pie.”

One thing that makes it personally important for her to observe the day is the low percentage of citizens who do choose to serve, “The total number of people who have served in military service to our nation is around 6%. To me, that’s a very small amount of people, and I think it’s a small amount to pay for the many sacrifices that those people have made for our country,” Cross says.

Cross came to ��ϲ�� in 1997 on the U.S. Army’s Green to Gold program, meaning she already had military service prior to coming to campus in pursuit of becoming a commissioned officer. Having obtained the rank of staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, Cross had considerable experience under her belt, including several deployments and having just come off a peacekeeping tour in Bosnia.

“At the time I was married, I had two children, and I had done my time in the Army. I knew I needed help with the kids to go to school full time, and ��ϲ�� was a family school,” says Cross.

Theresa Cross ’99, center, with her family

When Cross calls ��ϲ�� a “family school,” she means the school runs through her family’s veins through multiple generations of ��ϲ�� alumni, including most recently her own daughter, who graduated from the College of Visual and Performing Arts and the School of Education in 2014.

Cross grew up in ��ϲ��; her mother graduated from the university in 1974, her brother in 1985 and sister in 1994. Cross knew her Orange family was ready to step in and support her in her academic goals. To this day, she’s grateful for that support and the experiences that it allowed her to have during her studies.

Cross went on to be an intelligence officer and a strategist officer; the latter meaning she helped translate national priorities into military strategies and plans as well as developed solutions for complex problems, encompassing a total of 28 years of service. One of the greatest lessons she carried with her back into military service after graduation was learning just how different things would be as an officer compared to her years of experience as an enlisted soldier.

Theresa Cross, second from left, with her Veteran sorority sisters at a Veterans Day event in Florida in 2023.

“I had just come off a tour after being a staff sergeant for two years and deploying with the 18^th Airborne Corps to Bosnia, so to make that move into the officer corps–it was different,” Cross recalls. While non-commissioned officers are the experienced enlisted troops who take on a mid-level management and leadership role, commissioned officers (NCOs) are generally the primary decision makers in a unit and responsible overall for the success of that unit’s mission.

“The ROTC program helped me make that transition a lot better. We had other NCOs on campus that worked with us through the program, and I think it was just one of the best preparations for my time as an officer; learning those things that I, as an enlisted person, didn’t know about,” says Cross.

The University’s celebration of Veterans Day will begin early in the morning on Nov. 11 this year. At 6:30 a.m., the Office of Veteran and Military Affairs (OVMA) will host the annual Veterans Day 5K Fun Run and Walk. Those interested in participating should and plan on arriving a little early to meet fellow runners and warm up for the run.

Afterwards, the doors to the K.G. Tan Auditorium at the National Veterans Resource Center will open for the 2024 Veterans Day Celebration which will start at 11 a.m. Those wishing to attend are encouraged to by the close of business on Friday, Nov. 1.

Lender Center Student Fellows Named, Will Work on Public Health Research Project

Diane Stirling — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:07:01 +0000

Five students will soon begin a two-year research project examining the potential social justice and public health impacts of living in neighborhoods that have experienced the historical discriminatory practice of redlining. That is a practice where, for decades, financial institutions designated certain neighborhoods—primarily Black ones—as poor credit risks, making it difficult for residents there to own homes or improve their properties.

The students, recently named 2024-26 Lender Center for Social Justice student fellows, will work with Miriam Mutambudzi, assistant professor of public health in the , who is .

They are:

Tomiwa (“Tommy”) DaSilva ’26, dual major in public health in the Falk College��Ի� policy studies and citizenship and civic engagement in the
Adara (“Darla”) Hobbs ’22 G ‘26, a graduate student in Pan African studies in the (A&S)
Jamea Johnson ’25, a psychology major in A&S
Sabrina Lussier ’26, a triple major in geography, citizenship and civic engagement, and environmental sustainability and policy in the Maxwell School
Shreya Potluri ’27, an architecture major in the

DaSilva, from Newark, Delaware, is interested in promoting health equity through health promotion policies and community-based practices. On campus, he has been involved in the Student Association of Public Health Education and Connect 315. In the community, DaSilva has interned with the YWCA of ��ϲ�� and Onondaga County, ACR Health and the City of ��ϲ�� Department of Neighborhood and Business Development.

Hobbs, of ��ϲ��, earned a bachelor’s degree in��communication and rhetorical studies from the . She has worked for more than a decade with the ��ϲ�� City School District as a teaching assistant, art teacher and as a diversity, equity and belonging building lead.��Hobbs is currently researching the historical and contemporary impacts of redlining on ��ϲ��’s Black and Latino communities.

Her project, “The Past, Present and Future: An Overview of Redlining in the City of ��ϲ��,” examines the legacy of residential redlining and resident displacement from the 15th Ward and the ongoing I-81 viaduct project. She also contributed to the development of themes and aesthetic elements for the Barner-McDuffie house, the University’s first Black student center.

Johnson, from Grand Prairie, Texas, has extensive experience in public service, entrepreneurship and community engagement. She is a Congressional intern for New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, working on legislative research, policy development and constituent service. She’s also founder and chief executive officer of Black Girls Garden, an organization that teaches young Black girls and women in low-income living situations to grow their own food to combat food insecurity and poor nutrition.

She took first place in the 2023 Blackstone LaunchPad Small Business Pitch Contest for that startup and also received the 2023 Black Honor Society’s Community Service Leadership Award. On campus, she is Residence Hall Association president and a member of the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble.

Lussier, from the Washington, D.C., area, is an honors student and Maxwell Leadership Scholar. She is a STOP Bias peer educator, a resident advisor for the MORE in Leadership Living Learning Community and has spent the past year working for the ��ϲ�� Neighborhood and Business Development Office.

Her research and academic interests focus on how urban planning intersects with community engagement, social justice and sustainability. Her citizenship capstone and honors thesis looks at the effect of freeway demolition on marginalized communities, focusing on ��ϲ��’s East Adams neighborhood near I-81 in the historic 15th ward.

Potluri, of Frisco, Texas, is interested in research pertaining to social justice, urban planning and housing. She has researched student learning environments, minority students’ experiences and accessibility to community spaces and facilities in the ��ϲ�� community, along with how architecture is connected to social justice.

Potluri says she wants to determine how architecture can be used to provide people with opportunities and the agency to combat the consequences of redlining.

Miriam Mutambudzi

Mutambudzi’s project examines how Black adults who reside in what have been historically redlined neighborhoods can experience a disadvantaged occupational life course and subsequent health consequences. She says that while redlining began in the 1930s, it has resulted in decades of urban decay and poverty for those neighborhoods that has left a legacy of social and economic disadvantage that continues today.

In addition to Mutambudzi’s role as an assistant professor of public health, she is also a faculty affiliate of the , and at the Maxwell School.

Future Therapeutic Strategies May Depend on Creative Scientific Approaches Today

News Staff — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 15:16:25 +0000

Before any scientific question can be answered, it must be dreamed up. What happens to cause a healthy cell or tissue to change, for instance, isn’t fully understood. While much is known about chemical exposures that can lead to genetic mutation, damaged DNA, inflammation and even cancer, what has rarely been asked is how physical stressors in the environment can cause a cell or tissue to respond and adapt. It’s a piece of the puzzle upon which future medical breakthroughs might depend.

Homeostasis refers to a state of equilibrium; at the cellular and tissue level, any changes in environment will spur a response that balances or accommodates it. “Mostly people think of chemical changes, exposure to drugs, for instance,” says Schwarz, principal investigator on the project. “Here we ask, what if you squeeze a cell—or a group of cells or tissue—mechanically? Can it still carry out its functions? Maybe not. Maybe it needs to adapt.”

��Ի� , both professors in the ��Ի� members of the��, have been awarded a four-year National Science Foundation grant from Physics of Living Systems, for a project titled “.”

From left, Alison Patteson and Jennifer Schwarz

As co-principal investigator Patteson notes, describing the idea this way is a new use of scientific language. “As physicists, we are proposing this idea that there is a mechanical version of homeostasis,” she says. “We have proposed a framework for that.”

Drawing upon previous collaborations that have examined specific scales (such as chromatin molecules, individual cell motion, and collective cell migration through collagen networks), the investigators will work to build a multiscale model to capture how chromatin remodels from physical stressors at the cell- and tissue-level. They will conduct experiments involving mechanical compression, and working with the��, observe detailed microscopic images of the cells in action.

3D reconstruction of a collection of cells, called a cell spheroid, with individual nuclei in yellow. This is an example of a detailed microscopic image used to study cell motility. (Photo credit: Minh Thanh of the Patteson Lab and Blatt BioImaging Center)

Understanding these mechanisms may have broad implications in health research, shedding light on the causes of and therapeutic treatments for inflammation and potentially, cancer.

“We know that most cancerous tissues get stiffer,” says Patteson. “That’s how you identify it. There’s clearly a change in mechanics associated with the development of the disease.”

But much remains to be discovered about the interactions and processes at different scales. “We’re not at therapeutic levels yet,” says Schwarz.

The professors note that creativity is essential to this stage of research—in imagining what might be possible and what new questions to ask, and in pushing the boundaries of existing scientific language. To that end, they have incorporated broader outreach between the physics and creative writing departments in their project.

In a collaboration with creative writing professors��Ի��, along with M.F.A. candidate��, students from both departments will cross over and embed in their respective classes. “[They’ll see] how a piece of poetry is creative, for example. Then, how a certain experiment is creative,” says Schwarz. “We want to get physicists thinking like creative writers, and vice versa.”

The colleagues like to think that students and their work will benefit from the exercise, not only in expanding their ideas of what is possible but also in taking a more thoughtful approach to the language they use. Instead of talking about hierarchy of scales,” says Patteson, “maybe we should be talking about coupled things, or partnerships.” A simple shift in perspective, after all, can sometimes put things in a whole new light.

Story by Laura Wallis

University Celebrates First-Generation Week Nov. 4-8

Cristina Hatem — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 13:30:25 +0000

National First-Generation College Celebration Week is Nov. 4-8, and provides an opportunity to celebrate first-generation students whose parents have not attended a higher education institution. Around 20% of ��ϲ�� students identify as first-generation. The campus community is invited to participate in several events throughout the week, including:

All week:

Sign your graduating class’s first-generation banner at the Intercultural Collective in the Schine Student Center. The banner will be displayed during graduation season. Participants can also get free first-generation stickers.
A poster display, “Exploring the First-Generation ��ϲ�� Experience,” featuring campus community members, will be on exhibit on the first floor of Bird Library. Learn about the history of the first-generation identity in higher education, the diverse definitions of “first-generation” and inspiring profiles of current first-generation campus members. A library research guide will offer a wide array of books and resources by and for first-generation individuals, covering themes such as cultural education, memoirs, celebrations and wellness.

Monday, Nov. 4

- A workshop on “Crafting Your Pitch” will be offered by Career Services and the Kessler Scholars Program from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Room 104 of the Tolley Humanities Building. The workshop is tailored to the needs of first-generation students, with a special emphasis on undergraduate students. Participants will discover, practice and leave with branding and elevator pitch techniques to support their career journeys.
- “,” will be held from 4-6 p.m. in the Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, 114 Bird Library. A diverse panel of faculty, staff, students and alumni will share their unique experiences, challenges and advice in navigating college and the professional environments. The discussion and Q&A session will include how to gather support and resources,

Tuesday, Nov. 5

The Center for Learning and Student Success (CLASS), located on the lower level of Bird Library, will hold an open house from 3:30-5:30 p.m. for first-generation students to explore the variety of individual and group academic support services available.

Wednesday, Nov. 6

Affinity and networking pop-up space for first-generation students, faculty and staff will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Intercultural Collective office in the Schine Student Center. Meet fellow first-generation peers, share your experiences, sign your class banner and enjoy some light refreshments while building a supportive community.
“Thriving as a First-Generation Professional: Navigating the Workforce with Confidence,” a trauma-informed workshop designed to empower first-generation college students as they prepare to enter the professional workforce, will be held from 1:30-3 p.m. in 103 Huntington Hall. Participants will explore practical strategies for overcoming challenges unique to first-generation professionals, such as navigating workplace dynamics, developing self-advocacy and managing financial independence.

A on “Building Your Professional Network” will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. Learn how to unlock life-changing conversations, mentorships, internships and jobs. Connect with members of the vast Orange community. Open to all undergraduate students, regardless of school/college affiliation.

Thursday, Nov. 7

An open house will be held in 208 Bowne Hall from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. for participants to learn about research, fellowship and other resources and opportunities available for first-generation students with the Center for Fellowship and Scholarship Advising (CFSA), ��ϲ�� Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) and the Lender Center for Social Justice.

Friday, Nov. 8

A First-Generation Resource Fair will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Jacquet Commons in Huntington Hall. The fair will feature information from�� SOURCE, ��ϲ�� Abroad, Blackstone Launchpad, the McNair Scholars Program, the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation and more.
A First-Generation Celebration featuring “Living Between Two Worlds” with Tianna Faye Soto will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the��Jacquet Commons in Huntington Hall. Soto will focus on empowering first-generation students to explore their identities, celebrate intersectionality and highlight the unique strength each person holds.

The National First-Generation College Celebration is celebrated annually on Nov. 8 to mark the anniversary of the signing of the Higher Education Act of 1965. The act provides equal opportunity for those from low-income and minority backgrounds. The legislation created grants and loan programs, invested in higher education institutions and started the Federal TRIO Programs (TRIO) to facilitate the academic success of first-generation college students.

First-Generation College Celebration Week events are made possible by the collaboration and generous contributions of multiple individuals, offices and units on campus that believe in elevating and celebrating our first-generation community of students, faculty and staff.

New Student Programs maintains the for those who self-identify as first-generation college students. The list serves a visual representation of faculty and staff dedication to helping current first-generation college students build their personal success networks and their eagerness to help grow a campus of support. Students are encouraged to connect with faculty and staff members who can share their personal journeys, insight and support throughout this unique student experience.

Research Distinction Awards Presented at BioInspired Symposium

Diane Stirling — Thu, 31 Oct 2024 12:50:23 +0000

The ’s third annual was held Oct. 24-25, bringing together undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty from ��ϲ��, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, along with other regional research and industry partners.

Doctoral student Cijun Zhang explains his research to BioInspired Symposium attendees. Zhang studies in the Xiaoran Hu functional organic materials lab.

The event featured poster presentations by 79 undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral scholars. Several researchers presented “lightning talks” on topics such as how and how the human body reacts; fabricating and creating and new technologies to address��problems from clean energy to robotics to medicine. Guest speakers from several universities made special presentations. Awards were presented to recognize researchers in multiple ways.

Three recipients were chosen in the Best Overall Poster category:

’25, a dual mathematics and physics major in the (A&S), for “.” (Principal investigators are , physics professor, and Antun Skanata, research assistant professor of physics.)
, a doctoral student in physics in A&S, for “.” (Principal investigator is , William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Physics.)
, an M.D./Ph.D. student in cell and developmental biology at SUNY Upstate Medical University, for “.” (Principal investigator is , associate research professor of biology.)

Two presenters were recognized as Stevenson Biomaterials Poster Award winners:

, a biomedical and chemical engineering doctoral student in the (ECS), for her work on “.” (Principal investigator is , associate professor of .)
G’21, a mechanical and aerospace engineering doctoral student in ECS, for “.” (Principal investigator is , associate professor of .)

Two researchers received awards recognizing Best Lightning Talks:

, a doctoral student in chemistry in A&S, whose topic was “.” Her work involves testing to find an improved diagnostic biomarker��for prostate and other cancers. (Principal investigator is , professor and director of biochemistry.)
, a doctoral student in biomedical and chemical engineering in ECS, for her research on bone tissue, described in “.”(Principal investigator is , professor of biomedical and chemical engineering.)

A project by , “,” was recognized as having the best commercialization potential. Can is a biomedical and chemical engineering doctoral student in ECS. (Principal investigator is Mary Beth Monroe.)

Receiving honors for her “social impact” initiative was , G ‘22, an assistant teaching professor in the , for her work, “ The project explored an interdisciplinary collaboration between the University’s Departments of Chemistry and Architecture that aimed to foster societal impact through sustainable innovation in architectural materials.��(Her collaborator was , associate professor of chemistry in A&S.)

Winston Oluwole Soboyejo, SUNY Polytechnic Institute President, asks Alexia Chatzitheodorou, a graduate research assistant, about her work on “Shape Morphing of Twisted Nematic Elastomer Shells.” Soboyejo was one of several university representatives to speak at the symposium.

Winner of the People’s Choice Award was , a biomedical and chemical engineering doctoral student in ECS. His project, “”

His research examines how hemostatic materials with antibacterial and antibiofilm properties can reduce infection rates and enhance the healing of traumatic wounds. (Principal investigator is Mary Beth Monroe.)

Best Publication Awards went to:

G’22, a graduate of the applied data science program who is now a doctoral student in bioengineering and biomedical engineering in ECS. He is exploring the use of hiPSC-CMs to study and understand cardiomyocyte biology through biology with artificial intelligence. His paper, “,” published in Cell Reports Methods in June, presented new methods for investigating the physiological functioning of cardiac organoids using machine learning algorithms.

, a doctoral student in bioengineering at ECS, studies wound healing and tissue regeneration. His paper, “,” was published in the journal ACS Applied Biomaterials in February.
, a doctoral student in bioengineering at ECS, received an honorable mention. His paper, “” was published in the journal ACS Biomaterials Science and Engineering in June.

NSF Grant in Biology Aims to Boost STEM Student Retention Through Hands-On Research

Dan Bernardi — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 20:40:56 +0000

As technology advances, companies face a growing need to hire graduates skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, finding the ideal candidate can be difficult at times due to a limited pool of applicants. Part of the reason for this is that 1 in 3 students who originally declare as a STEM major change their field of study before they graduate, according to research from the .

Professors (from left) Abrar Aljiboury, Heather Coleman and Carlos A. Castañeda have been awarded an NSF grant to welcome undergraduate students from around the country to ��ϲ�� to conduct research over the summer. (Photo by Elise Krespan)

One way to keep STEM students engaged in their major is through hands-on research, where they can apply their theoretical knowledge to address real-world challenges. In 1987, the National Science Foundation launched the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program to help attract and retain STEM students by funding experiential learning opportunities during the summer.

Three biology faculty members in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) have been awarded that department’s first three-year , “.” , associate professor of biology, serves as the grant’s principal investigator (PI), with , associate professor of biology and chemistry, and , biology professor of practice, collaborating as co-PIs. The award will fund 10 undergraduate students per year (30 in total) from other institutions to conduct summer research at ��ϲ�� in biology and biology-affiliated labs alongside faculty.

While this is the first REU site grant in biology at ��ϲ��, faculty from the department have collaborated on similar programs through the site in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the site in A&S. Other active REU site grants at the University include the and the programs.

According to Coleman, a primary objective of the team’s project is to promote diversity within the STEM field and offer meaningful hands-on research experiences to students who may not have access to such opportunities at their home universities. They will focus on recruiting domestic students from minority-serving institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions and community colleges.

“Students who participate in research are more likely to see themselves as scientists and remain in STEM,” says Coleman. “Through this 10-week summer program, students from diverse backgrounds will have the opportunity to conduct research, join a cohort of summer undergraduate researchers across the university, participate in professional development and present their research.”

Beginning in 2025, REU students will conduct 10 weeks of summer research with one of 14 biology and physics faculty mentors. Research will focus on using microscopy to understand form and function across biological scales. This entails developing insight into the relationship between the shape, size and structure of an organism and exploring how these characteristics enable functions that support the organism’s survival.

“Each student’s project will incorporate microscopy into innovative biological research,” says Coleman. “All REU participants will gain exposure to microscopy methods, including fluorescence and super-resolution, using state-of-the-art instrumentation to address questions that cross multiple scales of biological research.”

The team notes that this REU will take advantage of the University’s strengths in microscopy, and the core facilities and resources, including the (directed by biology professor and managed by co-PI Aljiboury) and the BioInspired Institute’s (directed by Eric Finkelstein, Ph.D.).

Potential student projects include investigating molecular and cellular mechanisms underpinning neurodevelopment; identifying the connections between form, function and environment in animals that interface with and attach to surfaces; examining mechanisms driving plant responses to climate change; elucidating mechanisms of protein quality control to understand the assembly and disassembly of biomolecular condensates; and understanding how cells self-organize and develop.

The will host its first cohort of undergraduates in the summer of 2025. The program will begin accepting applications in November 2024 through the .

Alexander Maloney Named Inaugural Walters Endowed Professor for Quantum Science

Wendy S. Loughlin — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:41:58 +0000

, an international leader in quantum information science, joins the (A&S) this fall as the inaugural Kathy and Stan Walters Endowed Professor of Quantum Science.

Maloney, a researcher who investigates fundamental questions in theoretical physics and quantum information theory, comes to ��ϲ�� from in Montreal.

Alexander Maloney

“I am delighted by the opportunity to work with the outstanding students and faculty at ��ϲ�� to help push the forefront of research in quantum science,” Maloney says.

The Walters Endowed Professorship was established by a $2.5 million gift from ��ϲ�� Board of Trustees Chair Emeritus Kathy Walters ’73 and her husband, Stan ’72. Their gift was made as part of the , which supports the recruitment and retention of high-caliber faculty.

“The commitment of the Walters family has allowed us to recruit a world-class leader for ��ϲ��’s quantum science program,” says , vice president for research. “Professor Maloney will bring together outstanding faculty from the and the and provide new opportunities for our students to engage in cutting-edge research.”

Maloney’s research focuses on connections between quantum information theory, field theory, statistical mechanics and quantum gravity.

“Over the last century, advances in our understanding of the quantum world have underlain some of the most important scientific and technical advances that have changed both our society and our understanding of the universe,” Maloney says. “This includes deep questions ranging from elementary particle physics and black holes to materials science and engineering. Many of the most exciting current directions lie at the intersection of quantum science and information theory, where a new field of science is being created that may have profound implications, both for our understanding of fundamental physics and for the construction of quantum computers and precision devices.”

A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi notes that health care is another area of promise in quantum information science. “For example, we can imagine the potential for much earlier detection of diseases like cancer through quantum sensing, and the creation of highly personalized, more effective treatments for those diseases based on analysis of massive amounts of DNA data,” he says. “With Professor Maloney bringing his internationally recognized expertise to join the other top researchers in A&S physics, we are excited to be on the leading edge of this frontier.”

Maloney’s previous positions include James McGill Professor of Physics and Sir William Macdonald Chair in Physics at McGill University, where he was honored with the John David Jackson Award for excellence in teaching. He was a member of the in Princeton, New Jersey, and a research associate at the . He was selected as a Simons Fellow in Theoretical Physics in 2013. He earned a Ph.D. in physics from Harvard University and an M.Sc. in mathematics and B.Sc. in physics from Stanford University.

At ��ϲ��, Maloney will work with four new researchers—now being recruited by the University with support from and —who will grow teaching and research in quantum science, providing opportunities for students to advance understanding of nature and design the next generation of quantum technologies.

Tool to Enhance the Taste and Texture of Sourdough

Dan Bernardi — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 20:33:57 +0000

A team of ��ϲ�� researchers have published a study exploring how genomic diversity of acetic acid bacteria can alter properties of sourdough. Pictured are sourdough starters grown up from experimental communities (from the left: control [no microbes added], yeast only, yeast plus lactic acid bacteria, yeast plus lactic acid bacteria plus acetic acid bacteria).

When millions of people��went into lockdown��during the��pandemic, they went in search of new at-home hobbies to help cure their boredom. Among them was making sourdough bread. In addition to being sustainable for its use of natural ingredients and traditional methods which date back thousands of years to ancient Egypt, it also is valued for its nutritional benefits. For example, studies have shown that sourdough contains more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants compared to many other types of bread. For people with mild sensitivities to gluten, sourdough bread can be easier to digest since much of the gluten is broken down during the fermentation process. What’s more, many lactic acid bacteria species, which are foundational to sourdough, are considered probiotics, associated with improved gastrointestinal health.

A Flavor Profile Years in the Making

The process of making sourdough bread begins with a sourdough starter. These starters are created when microbes–communities of bacteria and yeast–stabilize in a flour and water mixture. Known as a microbiome, this community of wild yeast and bacteria is what makes sourdough bread rise and contributes to its taste and texture. Sourdough notably differs from most bread because it relies on this starter of wild microbes to help it rise instead of baker’s yeast packets.

Many sourdough starters are preserved over generations, with some samples dating back thousands of years. To maintain a sourdough starter, you extract a sample from a previous dough and mix it into new flour and water. With enough transfers of the sourdough starter, the microbial community will be composed of the yeast, lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and acetic acid bacteria (AAB) that are best adapted to the sourdough environment. What makes different sourdough starters unique are the varying strains of yeast and bacteria that produce the distinctive sour flavor.

Testing Genetic Diversity

Advances in sequencing technology have enabled researchers to rapidly profile microbial communities, such as the sourdough microbiome. In the College of Arts and Sciences, members of biology professor��lab have been studying acetic acid bacteria to determine how genetic diversity of AAB impacts sourdough communities.

Professor Angela Oliverio (left), Nimshika Senewiratne (middle), a Ph.D. candidate in Oliverio’s lab, and Beryl Rappaport (right), a Ph.D. student in Oliverio’s lab, co-authored a study which characterized acetic acid bacteria (AAB) from 500 sourdough starters to better understand how genetic diversity of AAB influences characteristics of sourdough.

While previous research has focused more on lactic acid bacteria and yeast, the ecology, genomic diversity and functional contributions of AAB in sourdough remain largely unknown. Beryl Rappaport, a Ph.D. student in Oliverio’s group, recently led a paper published in , a journal of the American Society for Microbiology, where she and other sourdough scientists, including Oliverio, Nimshika Senewiratne from the Oliverio lab, SU biology professor��, and professor Ben Wolfe from Tufts University, sequenced 29 AAB genomes from a collection of over 500 sourdough starters and constructed synthetic starter communities in the lab to define the ways in which AAB shape emergent properties of sourdough. The team’s work was supported by a��awarded to Oliverio earlier this year.

“While not as common in sourdough as lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria are better known for their dominant roles in other fermented foods like vinegar and kombucha,” says Rappaport. “For this study, we were interested in following up on previous findings which stated that when present in sourdough, AAB seems to have a strong impact on key properties including scent profile and metabolite production, which shape overall flavor formation.”

Plates testing for presence or absence of microbes grown in synthetic sourdough communities.

To assess the consequences of AAB on the emergent function of sourdough starter microbiomes, their team tested 10 strains of AAB, some distantly related and some very closely related. They set up manipulative experiments with these 10 strains, adding each one to a community of yeast and LAB. They kept a separate community of just yeast and LAB to serve as the control.

“Since we can manipulate what microbes and what concentrations of microbes go into these synthetic sourdough communities, we could see the direct effects of adding each strain of AAB to sourdough,” says Rappaport. “As we expected, every strain of AAB lowered the pH of the synthetic sourdough (associated with increasing sourness) since they release acetic acid and other acids as byproducts of their metabolic processes. Unexpectedly, however, AAB that were more closely related did not release more similar compounds. In fact, there was high variation in metabolites, many related to flavor formation, even between strains of the same species.”

According to Rappaport, strain diversity is often overlooked in microbial communities, in part because it is difficult to identify and manipulate levels of diversity due to the vastness of microorganisms within a given community. The human gut biome alone can have roughly 100 trillion bacteria living in it! By zooming into the diversity among closer relatives in the lab, researchers can start to understand key interactions in microbiomes.

To read the full story, .

Can Folic Acid Supplementation During Pregnancy Help Prevent Autism and Schizophrenia?

Dan Bernardi — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 14:00:44 +0000

The neocortex, or “thinking brain,” accounts for over 75% of the brain’s total volume and plays a critical role in humans’ decision-making, processing of sensory information, and formation and retrieval of memories. Uniquely human traits such as advanced social behavior and creativity are made possible thanks to the neocortex.

When development in this area of the brain is disrupted, it can result in neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disability and schizophrenia. Researchers have not yet identified the precise causes of this atypical development, but they suspect it likely involves a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including maternal nutrition and exposures during pregnancy.

Jessica MacDonald

, associate professor of biology in the , has received a two-year grant from the to investigate the effects of maternal folic acid supplementation on neocortex development. According to MacDonald, this study was motivated by past findings indicating that folic acid supplementation during the first trimester can significantly reduce the risk of neural tube closure defects, such as spina bifida, in children. When the neural tube of the fetus does not close correctly, it can lead to improper development of the brain.

“In countries where cereals and grains have been routinely fortified by folic acid, the incidence rate of neural tube closure defects has dropped 30% overall,” says MacDonald. “Whether folic acid supplementation prevents a neural tube closure defect likely depends on the cause of the disruption in the first place and whether it is due to a specific genetic mutation.”

In previous studies, researchers tested mice with certain genetic mutations that developed neural tube defects. Mice with a genetic mutation in an epigenetic regulator called Cited2 showed a decrease in the incidence rate of neural tube closure defects from around 80% to around 10% when exposed to higher maternal folic acid during gestation.

MacDonald’s team will now explore whether maternal folic acid can also rescue disrupted neocortical development in mice as it does for the neural tube closure defect.

“Our preliminary data are very promising that this will occur,” says MacDonald. “There are a growing number of studies indicating that maternal folic acid supplementation at later stages of pregnancy can also reduce the incidence of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders in children, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Other studies have shown that too much folic acid, on the other hand, can be detrimental. Again, this likely depends on the genetics of the individual.”

MacDonald will work closely with both graduate and undergraduate students in her lab as they seek new insights into how maternal folic acid supplementation alters neocortical development and how it could tip the balance between typical and atypical neurodevelopment. This project will be spearheaded in the lab by graduate student Sara Brigida.

University and Community Partners Help WCNY Form New Spanish-Language Radio Station

Diane Stirling — Wed, 16 Oct 2024 13:46:40 +0000

An important resource never before available to the greater Central New York and Mohawk Valley region—a Spanish-language radio station—has come to fruition through an initiative shaped by PBS affiliate WCNY and a number of community members, including several faculty and staff at ��ϲ��.

The new station, “,” is “a thrilling and significant breakthrough” for the growing Spanish-speaking community in the area, says , executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community and director of the University’s . “The station is poised to become a vital resource, reflecting the vibrant mix of Hispanic and Latino cultures and effectively engaging these populations like no other local or regional medium does.”

Paniagua and many others at the University were integral to the development of the station. She first got involved in the summer of 2023 when WCNY CEO and President approached her wondering if a Spanish-language radio station was available in the area. When he discovered there wasn’t one, Gelman asked Paniagua to help him assess the community’s interest in filling that void.

Gelman formed a community task force, which he co-chaired with Paniagua and WCNY-FM Station Manager . Over many months, more than two dozen task force members planned the station’s structure, helped developed funding, sought collaborators and generated programming ideas.

Teresita Paniagua, left, the University’s executive director of cultural engagement for the Hispanic community, speaks to students at an event celebrating Hispanic culture. Paniagua was instrumental in spurring community interest in and involvement to help bring about WCNY’s Spanish-language radio station.

Several University faculty members and instructors from the College of Arts and Sciences, including , associate teaching professor of Spanish and Portuguese and Spanish language coordinator, and , Spanish instructor, participated in the task force efforts.

Also involved in other ways were , Spanish department professor and chair; , Spanish professor; , assistant teaching professor of film in the College of Visual and Performing Arts; , development director for ��ϲ�� Stage; , professor of Spanish at Onondaga Community College; Josefa Álvarez Valadés, ��Spanish professor at LeMoyne College; and , a Newhouse School of Public Communications alumnus and former radio/TV producer who is an associate professor of communications at SUNY Oswego.

As part of the task force’s fact-finding, Paniagua enlisted Whitman School of Management students Nicolas Cela Marxuach ’25, Zachary Levine ’25 and Jonah Griffin ’24 to develop and distribute a community interest survey, which the students circulated to several hundred local residents at community events. She says 98% of respondents supported the idea. The survey also provided insights into audience demographics and programming ideas—including sports, community news, talk shows, music and faith-based content.

There are upwards of 1,000 Spanish-speaking radio stations in the U.S. but Pulso Central is the first of its kind in Central New York. The region is home to some 18,000 Spanish-speaking households, with Spanish-speaking people making up about 10.5% of the area’s population and comprising a segment of the community that has grown 30% over the past decade, according to research done by WCNY.

A Learning Resource

Pulso Central also provides a unique learning opportunity and “an extraordinary new pedagogical tool for experiential education” for the University’s students, says Ticio Quesada.

M. Emma Ticio Quesada, center, a professor in ��ϲ��’s Spanish department, uses WCNY’s radio station studio as an experiential learning space and resource for her courses.

Five students from her immersive course, Community Outreach: Language in Action, are interning at the station. The students, Lailah Ali-Valentine, Adam Baltaxe, Kimberlyn Lopez Herrera, Nicolas Bernardino Greiner-Guzman and Jade Aulestia recently created their first podcast.

Ticio Quesada says she also expects students in SPA 300: Our Community Voices, an course, to benefit from the same kind of internship opportunity. The course connects native and non-native Spanish speakers, inspires them to contribute to the local community, and promotes inclusion and social justice.

Partnering Results

Miranda Traudt, the University’s assistant provost for arts and community programming, says the task force is a good example of the positive outcomes that can result when members of the University and local communities work together to achieve specific goals. “This project continues La Casita’s meaningful engagement with Hispanic communities in Central New York and helps fulfill its mission through work in the arts, media, cultural heritage preservation and research adding to the high quality of life,” she says.

Several dozen community members helped WCNY form and air the area’s first Spanish-language radio station. They included, from left, Mitch Gelman, WCNY president and CEO; M. Emma Ticio Quesada, ��ϲ�� professor of Spanish; Stephanie Gonzalez Rawlings, content producer; and DJ Lorenz (Renzo Quesada), music host. (Photo by Eric Hayden, WCNY)

Game Changer

Paniagua believes the station “can be a game changer,” not only in providing news and information about and for the Latina/Hispanic community but also by “helping to change long-established stereotypes and present a whole new world of possibilities for the people of this community,” she says. “There are many wonderful stories about people who have established their lives in this community and I hope Pulso Central can be a showcase for those stories.”

Launch Event Oct. 24

An official launch event, “,” will be held Thursday, Oct. 24, at WCNY studios and La Casita.

“WCNY is thrilled to help launch Pulso Central,” Gelman says. “Our goal is to provide a platform that will come alive with music and talk that engages listeners and fosters community connection.”

The station reaches listeners in 19 counties. Pulso Central airs on WCNY 91.3 HD-2 in ��ϲ��, WUNY 89.5 HD-2 in Utica and WJNY 90.9 HD-2 in Watertown. It is accessible online at and streaming on the Pulso Central app.

Secrets Behind Our Universe’s Existence Revealed

Dan Bernardi — Mon, 14 Oct 2024 18:23:37 +0000

Graduate students from the Experimental Neutrino Physics group with ��ϲ��-area high school students who took part in the ��ϲ�� Physics Emerging Research Technologies Summer High School Internship Program in summer 2024.

It takes sophisticated technology to study the behavior of invisible particles like neutrinos and cosmic rays, which pass through our bodies every second before zooming back off into the universe without us even knowing. While they might be tiny, these particles have massive importance, as understanding their interactions could help scientists determine why our universe exists and why all of the “stuff” in the universe, including stars, planets and people, are made out of matter and not antimatter. Faculty and students in the ��group in ��ϲ��’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) are part of an international effort to explore the secrets of neutrinos.

So, what’s the buzz about neutrinos? Neutrinos and other invisible particles such as cosmic rays are produced by some of the most extreme events in the cosmos, like the Big Bang nearly 14 billion years ago or when massive stars end their life cycles in a blaze of glory known as supernovae explosions. Neutrinos come in three flavors (electron, muon and tau) and have some mysterious characteristics, such as puzzlingly low masses and the ability to oscillate, or change from one type of neutrino to another. Scientists use cutting-edge particle detectors to study the information embedded in neutrinos and make definitive determinations of neutrino properties.

Physics Professors ��Ի��are working with undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers on everything from detector construction to operation and analysis, both at ��ϲ�� and at larger detection sites like��. Fermilab is one of the few places on Earth where a focused beam of neutrinos can be created and aimed at a detector.

Through Fermilab’s��(DUNE), particle detectors are being constructed one mile underground in a former gold mine in South Dakota right in the path of a neutrino beam originating from Fermilab in Illinois. Once operational, DUNE scientists will be able to study a phenomenon called “neutrino oscillation,” which looks at how the three different flavors of neutrinos that make up the Standard Model (electron, muon and tau) change between types as they travel. These insights could reveal why the universe is dominated by matter and whether a fourth type of neutrino (sterile neutrino) exists, which would go beyond the Standard Model, indicating that there is more to the universe’s fundamental particle makeup than we currently understand.

Prototype Paves the Way

Physics graduate student Tom Murphy (right, in orange hard hat) working on a DUNE prototype. (Photo by Dan Svoboda)

DUNE, currently under construction, will be the most comprehensive neutrino experiment in the world. But before it comes online, scientists have been testing prototype equipment and components in preparation for the final detector installation. Members of ��ϲ��’s Experimental Neutrino Physics group have been part of the��, which recorded its first��. While the final version of the DUNE near detector will feature 35 liquid argon modules, the prototype has four modules arranged in a square and allows scientists to validate the design.

“Our group members who are resident at Fermilab, including postdoctoral researcher Luis Zazueta and graduate student Tom Murphy, have helped with final detector construction, installation and operations,” says Soderberg. “Zazueta was the inaugural “deputy run coordinator” for the 2×2 effort, which is a leadership role important to the operation of the detector. We are anticipating more involvement in the full-size DUNE detector that the 2×2 is a prototype for.”

Exploring the Cosmos on Campus

Physics Ph.D. student Sierra Thomas is another one of the A&S scientists who has been involved in the DUNE collaboration. She is currently setting up the equipment to make observations of cosmic events at ��ϲ�� using the new prototype “pixel” Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber detector. Located on the third floor of the physics building, this hi-tech device allows researchers to make observations about the universe from the comforts of campus. What’s more, the experiments conducted with this equipment are contributing to the enhancement of larger detectors at Fermilab.

Watch the video below for Sierra’s take on the detector.

A Search for Oscillation

In addition to the DUNE project, Fermilab also hosts the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program, which is a chain of three particle detectors—ICARUS, MicroBooNE and the Short-Baseline Near Detector (SBND). SBND is the near detector for the Short Baseline Neutrino Program and the newest of the three. ICARUS, which started collecting data in 2021, is the far detector. SBND will measure the neutrinos as they were produced in the Fermilab beam and ICARUS will measure the neutrinos after they’ve potentially oscillated. The neutrino interactions collected from these detectors play a critical role in performing searches for neutrino oscillations, which could provide proof of the elusive fourth kind of neutrino.

The Short-Baseline Near Detector and ICARUS are the near and far detectors, respectively, in the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program. (Photo courtesy of Fermilab)

Rohan Rajagopalan standing in the SBND building near the detector.

SBND, the final element that completed Fermilab’s Short-Baseline Neutrino Program, recently reached a key milestone as scientists identified the detector’s��earlier this year. Members of ��ϲ��’s Experimental Neutrino Physics group played integral roles in��constructing and commissioning the detector, whose planning, prototyping and construction took nearly a decade. Current group members Amy Filkins, a postdoctoral researcher, and Rohan Rajagopalan, a graduate student, are currently based at Fermilab and working on SBND, having made major contributions to SBND’s first operations.

Amy Filkins (in yellow hard hat) working on the Short-Baseline Near Detector’s data acquisition rack.

The collaboration will continue operating the detector and analyzing the many millions of neutrino interactions collected for the next several years.

“I’m proud of the work that our team has been undertaking,” says Whittington. “I find the process of building, understanding and operating these experiments very engaging, and I’m excited to see them come to fruition over the next few years.”

Students interested in hands-on, international research and exploring the secrets of neutrinos can learn more by visiting the��group website.

Grammy-Winning Singer Dua Lipa’s Book Club Spotlights Professor George Saunders

Dan Bernardi — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 18:49:31 +0000

Pop star Dua Lipa (right) holding a copy of George Saunders’ book, “Lincoln in the Bardo.” The book is her October book of the month for her 87.5 million followers on Instagram.

Bestselling author and professor of English G’88 has received numerous accolades in his literary career. His book, “Lincoln in the Bardo,” won the 2017 Man Booker Prize; his most recent work, “Liberation Day,” was chosen as one of President Barack Obama’s favorite books of 2022; and earlier this year, three of his books were included in The New York Times list of .

Now, Saunders’ work is reaching an even broader audience as his “Lincoln in the Bardo” takes center stage as Grammy-winning superstar Dua Lipa’s October book club pick.

Lipa’s monthly book club is part of her global platform, , which provides fans with a curation of lists, stories, perspectives and conversations with the world’s most compelling voices. Club members are invited to read a different book each month and engage with content centered around the author, including discussion guides, author Q&As and further reading lists. She amplifies that content to her millions of social media followers around the world.

“Lincoln in the Bardo” was Saunders’ first novel and debuted at number one on The New York Times Bestseller List. The book is Saunders’ conception of a visit by President Abraham Lincoln to the cemetery where his deceased 11-year-old son, Willie, is buried. The experimental novel explores Abraham Lincoln’s grief for the loss of his son alongside a cast of narrating ghosts who are in the “bardo” — a limbo state between death and the afterlife.

The global acclaim for “Lincoln in the Bardo” demonstrates the profound impact that creative writing can have in uncovering fresh insights on history, while also nurturing readers’ emotional and intellectual growth.

When asked why she loved the book, Dua Lipa said in an article on , “There is no one writing today who can match George Saunders for compassion and empathy. The very last page still replays in my mind. The voices of these spirits — the wretched and the brave, and the dead boy Willie Lincoln —will stay with me forever.”

Throughout October, the Service95 Book Club will offer exclusive insights, interviews and articles from Lipa and Saunders.

Service95 content includes:

‘Reflect the People Who Visit’: Arts Education Alumna Helps Make the MOST More Inclusive

News Staff — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 20:52:37 +0000

Since 2008, the Upstate Medical University Life Sciences exhibition at ��ϲ��’s Museum of Science and Technology (MOST) has fascinated millions of visitors. With giant reproductions of human body parts, it allows mini pathologists to explore internal anatomy and organs common to all humans.

The MOST’s giant ear exhibition is visited by the author’s daughter, DuRi Kang, in August 2024.

But its depiction of one organ—the skin—was not as encompassing as it could be.

Now, the has received a much-needed inclusive makeover, thanks to a professor, ., who also is a dual professor in the and an associated professor in the , and his former student, Karyn Meyer-Berthel G’21.

Preserving art

For close to 30 years, Meyer-Berthel has worked as a professional artist, becoming known for her ability to combine paint colors into perfect matches to any skin tone.

This skill came over time, she says. Her start was painting theater sets.

For theater, she painted backdrops and scenery, primarily for opera and musicals. “Musical theater was my favorite to paint because it was usually really dramatic and full of character,” Meyer-Berthel says, who had to stop after an injury. “That kind of work is heavy labor—you’re carrying five-gallon buckets of paint; you’re standing on your feet all day. I loved it, but having that injury, I had to give it up. So that led to a world of figuring out all these different jobs in the arts.”

A slew of roles followed, including working for three different art material manufacturers, as well as a year as a Mellon intern, where she assisted in the conservation department at the National Gallery of Art.

“The work I did there was on painting conservation and understanding what materials last a really long time,” Meyer-Berthel explains. She learned not only how to preserve art for future generations but also how museums can protect pieces from the public, learning which materials work best to seal historic treasures, especially from the oils on little fingers that crave to touch them.

According to her former arts education teacher, this notable professional background combined with her art materials expertise made her a perfect fit to help complete a needed update to the MOST’s human body exhibition.

Rolling—who has taught arts education at ��ϲ�� since 2007 and serves as interim chair of the Department of African American Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences—also runs JHRolling Arts, Education, Leadership Strategies, a DEI consultant entity. In his role as consultant, he was tapped to help the MOST make improvements to its exhibitions, with an eye toward equity and inclusion.

Creative placemaking

MOST staff identified models in the Upstate Medical University Life Sciences exhibition as a key area where improvements in representation could be made.

“Our main objective with this project was to better fulfill our core values by making sure that the models and images in our exhibitions reflect the people who visit them,” says Emily Stewart, Ph.D., senior director of education and curation. “Our community is dynamic and diverse, and our exhibitions should be too.”

This led the MOST to Rolling because his consultancy utilizes the concept of “,” a way of transforming a lived environment so it is accessible, inviting, and representative of the community. “That life sciences exhibition was over 10 years old, and it’s striking that there were no persons of color represented,” Rolling says. “Out of all those body parts—none.”

Karyn Meyer-Berthel G’21 helped transform the MOST body exhibition to make it more inclusive.

The Upstate exhibition explores the science of human anatomy with larger-than-life body parts, including a heart visitors can walk through, a brain that lights up and a giant ear, nose, lips and more.

Rolling immediately thought of his former student, connecting the MOST to Meyer-Berthel, due to her materials and preservation skill, unique background and understanding of inclusivity, .

Perfect balance

Meyer-Berthel and staff settled on the MOST’s giant ear display to receive the upgrade. “Different ethnicities have different shape ears, certainly, but this anatomy is a little more streamlined across the globe, so an adjustment with paint can change the representation,” she says. “The ear was the clearest choice, because changing the shape of something might actually mean completely rebuilding the object, and that part wasn’t quite in my wheelhouse.”

But the skill Meyer-Berthel does excel at is combining colors to match skin tone. “No matter the ethnicity, every skin tone includes blue, red and yellow,” she explains. “You can often tell by looking at a person’s wrist what their undertones are … Finding the perfect blend and balance is the joy.”

Because 28% of ��ϲ��’s population is African American, the MOST wanted to change the ear to a brown skin tone, but the answer wasn’t as simple as mixing up a batch of paint and applying it.

Other factors Meyer-Berthel had to consider were the museum’s lighting and how this would impact the hue, and how well the paint would hold up to being touched. “The beauty of this exhibition is being able to touch it,” she says, noting that the paint needed to adhere to the material already coating the ear, the composition of which she and the MOST did not know.

After testing samples under the museum’s warm lighting, Meyer-Berthel first cleaned the existing model, using a micro sanding product to help her paint layer adhere. She chose acrylic paints, because she finds these to be the most versatile, and utilized Golden Artist Colors, a New Berlin, New York-based manufacturer of professional artist paints best known for its acrylics, where she also worked as a commercial applications specialist for three years.

“While house paint is wonderful for painting a house, it’s not going to be good for a museum because it has too many fillers in it, like chalk,” Meyer-Berthel explains. “For a museum model, a piece that needs to be so brilliantly colored, you don’t want much in it besides pigment and resin.”

Lastly, Meyer-Berthel coated the paint with a sealant because of how much the ear is touched, protecting it from absorbing oils and dirt from hands.

“We are so thrilled with the work she has done,” says Stewart. “Her thoughtful consideration and expertise helped us to identify the right paint colors, finishes and techniques to give our older anatomical model a new life.”

Story by Ashley Kang ’04, G’11

50 Years of Advancing Language Proficiency for a Multilingual World

Diana Napolitano — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:50:48 +0000

In 1974, students wearing mood rings and flared pants strode across campus, toting paperback copies of “Jaws” or “Carrie” while making plans to see “The Great Gatsby” or “The Godfather Part II” at the local movie theater (where tickets cost less than $2).

They were also witnesses to major political events, such as President Richard Nixon stepping down after the Watergate scandal and President Gerald Ford taking office (and being memorably lampooned the next year on new television program “Saturday Night Live”). At ��ϲ��, a less known yet still consequential development occurred.

That year, the department that became��was born.

On July 1, five College of Arts and Sciences departments came together to become “one new department under the chairmanship of Louis W. Roberts,” according to a press release from the time. The Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures unified the former individual departments of classics, German, linguistics, Romance languages and Slavic languages and literatures to create, as then-Dean Kenneth Goodrich noted, “a needed synthesis of the traditional and the progressive in the field of foreign language and literature education.”

Excerpt from the 1974 news release creating LLL’s forerunner (Photo courtesy of the Special Collections Research Center)

The department’s name was changed under Dean Robert Jensen to “Languages, Literatures and Linguistics” in 1995 to recognize the breadth of world languages and cultures being taught and the strength of the linguistics program.

As part of celebrating its 50 years as a multilingual, multicultural department, the Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics (LLL) is hosting a film series this semester, including a discussion evening on Oct. 30. “Film is a critical medium through which students can develop cultural and linguistic competencies,” says , professor of Spanish and LLL chair.

The films span genres, cultures and times, reflecting the department’s commitment to global perspectives and the exploration of language through art.

The film series includes the following screenings:

October

“” (Italy, 1994)—Oct. 9, 5:30 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (France, 2023)—Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (France, 2011)—Oct. 17, 7 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (Lebanon, 2018)—Oct. 18, 2 p.m., 341 Eggers
“” (Italy, 1975)—Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (France, 2012)—Oct. 24, 7 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (Taiwan, 2010)—Oct. 28, 7 p.m., 113 Eggers
—Oct. 30, 5:30-10 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium:
- “There’s Still Tomorrow” (Italy, 2023)
- “Perfect Days” (Germany, Japan, 2023)

November

“” (Germany, 2012)—Nov. 4, 6:45 p.m., Kittridge Auditorium
“” (Italy, 2023)—Nov. 14, 6:30 p.m., Kittredge Auditorium
“” (Soviet Union, Japan, 1977)—Nov. 21, 11 a.m., 107 Huntington Hall
“Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission” (Korea, 2019)—TBD

For more information about the film series, contact��Gail Bulman.

Other events celebrating LLL’s 50th anniversary in 2024 included the annual Wor(l)ds of Love Valentine’s Day poetry festival in February, Women across the World events in March, theater and musical performances, an LLL majors and minors’ celebration and the department’s annual Culture(s) on the Quad in April.

Spring 2025 event dates will be announced at a later time.

Funding Research That Improves Health and Shortens ‘Bench to Bedside’ Time

Eileen Korey — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 19:29:24 +0000

Doctoral students in clinical psychology��Alexa Deyo ’21 and Alison Vrabec G’23 spent their summer testing a theory that a certain kind of therapeutic technique called motivational interviewing could improve sleep and overall health among adolescents. According to the , sleep problems can impact how people learn, think and get along with others. “If teens are sleeping better, their mental health is improved; they are more emotionally regulated and less impulsive,” says��, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology, who is supervising the clinical research.

Kathy Walters

Their research is exactly the kind of promising work that philanthropic alumni��Kathy Walters��’73, H’23 and her husband, Stan ’72, had in mind when they set up the Walters Endowed Fund for Science Research in 2016. According to Kathy Walters, they were hoping to create new opportunities for research that would benefit humanity—and they left the door open for the dean and faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) to define what those benefits might be.

“Researchers tend to see things that those of us not immersed in science would never see,” says Walters, a ��ϲ�� Trustee. “I’m not a big believer in telling capable people what they should be researching.” In fact, the funding is to be used to support a vast array of academic inquiry, including “undergraduate, graduate or faculty-led research in the sciences, including departments of biology, chemistry, communication sciences and disorders, Earth science, mathematics, psychology and physics.”

The funding is awarded at the discretion of the A&S dean and associate dean for research to recognize outstanding research faculty. “Research funding is critical to supporting our academic mission,” says A&S Dean��Behzad Mortazavi. “With Kathy and Stan’s gift, we can invest in more of our stellar faculty and students, so they can contribute their enormous expertise to solving challenges in the areas of the environment and climate, health and wellness, social justice and human thriving.”

Favour Chukwudumebi Ononiwu

Since the fund was established, it has supported research by graduate students in physics, chemistry, biology and psychology. “Thanks to the Walters, I was able to spend the summer of 2023 in the lab full-time,” says Favour Chukwudumebi Ononiwu, who is pursuing a Ph.D. in cell biology and is dedicated to figuring out the cellular behavior that governs early development of human tissue. “This particular tissue helps the body organize itself. Understanding how that happens is key to understanding developmental defects.”

“Bench to bedside research” like this takes years of toil at the “bench” in the lab to reach the “bedside” where people can benefit. Ononiwu says the funding from the Walters allowed her to spend a lot more time at that bench, reduce some of the costs associated with conducting the research, and speed up the process of discovery. “It was also empowering to be in a space where I didn’t have to worry about my finances and could come into the lab and focus on the experiment. It also helped get my research to the point where I could apply for more grants and fellowships to accelerate the research.”

Ononiwu, who hopes to pursue a job in a biotechnology, pharmaceutical or biomedical company, says the Walters funding was a “catalyst for my development as a researcher and a professional.”

Kidwell says her graduate students are deepening their own clinical training through the funded research and positioning themselves to be more competitive for National Institutes of Health grants.

“Oftentimes, teaching assistantships take precedence over research assistantships because of financial need,” says Deyo, a first-year doctoral student in clinical psychology.

Professor Katie Kidwell (second from left) with members of the Child Health Lab, including graduate students (from left) Toni Hamilton, Alison Vrabec, Lyric Tully, Alexa Deyo and Megan Milligan.

The doctoral students were able to accelerate the launch of their study this past summer, recruit a significant number of teens aged 13 to 17 as study subjects, expose them to the intervention called motivational interviewing and measure the impact on their sleep using a smart watch-type of device called an actigraph.

The intent of their research, of course, is to help teens and college students problem-solve and deal with stressors that impact their well-being. The research aligns with Kathy Walters’ sensitivity to the impact of stress on health. “The world is moving at such a rapid pace that it’s difficult for people to prioritize and focus amidst the change and anxiety,” says Walters. “Helping faculty and students make the most of opportunities to improve health and humanity remains our priority.”

“We are so grateful to Kathy and Stan for their generosity and vision in establishing this fund,” says John Quigley, A&S assistant dean for advancement. “We hope others who are similarly passionate about academic and research excellence at the University will follow suit. An endowment of $100,000 or more provides the kind of annual supplemental support needed by our talented faculty to accelerate the impact of their teaching and research.”

Walters says it’s important to provide gifts that are not too restricted. “Students are developing the critical thinking skills required to pursue knowledge that answers the big questions facing our world. By supporting research, we are helping them find the answers.”

Urban Video Project Presents ‘This Side of Salina’

News Staff — Mon, 07 Oct 2024 14:08:06 +0000

Light Work’s Urban Video Project (UVP) is pleased to present the exhibition of “This Side of Salina” by
filmmaker Lynne Sachs, exploring reproductive justice from Oct. 12 to Dec. 21 at UVP’s architectural projection venue on the Everson Museum facade in downtown ��ϲ��.

In conjunction with the exhibition, Sachs will be joined by members of the feminist filmmaking
group The Abortion Clinic Film Collective and local reproductive justice advocates for
“Communities of Care: Documenting Reproductive Justice in a Post-Roe Country,” a film
screening and panel talk at Light Work (316 Waverly Ave., on the SU campus) on Thursday,
Oct. 17 at 5:30 p.m.

About “This Side of Salina”

Four Black women from ��ϲ��, New York, reflect on sexuality, youthful regret, emotional vulnerability, raising a daughter and working in reproductive health services. In a series of their own choreographed vignettes, each woman thoughtfully engages with the neighborhoods she’s known all of her life. Two performers flip through classic 1960s titles by Black authors in a bookstore. Others sit in a hat store finding time to pour into each other, as mentors and confidantes. These are businesses that are owned by local Black women, and they know it. In Brady Market, a community grocery, they playfully shop and chat with ease and confidence. They dance to their own rhythms in the outdoor plaza of the Everson Museum of Art. Together they look down at the city from its highest point and ponder how to battle the inequities of the place that they call home.

Sachs is an American experimental filmmaker and poet based in Brooklyn, New York.
Working from a feminist perspective, she has created cinematic works that defy genre through
the use of hybrid forms, incorporating elements of documentary, performance and collage into
self-reflexive explorations of broader historical experience. Her films have screened at the
Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, Wexner Center for the Arts, and festivals such as New
York Film Festival, Oberhausen Int’l Short Film Festival, Punto de Vista, Sundance, Viennale
and Doclisboa. Retrospectives of her work have been presented at Museum of the Moving
Image, Sheffield Doc/Fest, Cork Film Festival, Havana Film Festival, among others. In 2021,
both Edison Film Festival and Prismatic Ground Film Festival at the Maysles Documentary
Center gave her awards for her lifetime achievements in the experimental and documentary
fields. In 2014, she received a Guggenheim Fellowship in the Creative Arts. In 2019, Tender
Buttons Press published her first book of poetry, “Year by Year Poems.”

Related Programming

All programs are free and open to the public.

“Living to Tell: Using Filmmaking as a Tool for Reproductive Justice”
Wednesday, Oct. 16 at 5:30 p.m.
Salt City Market Community Room, 484 S. Salina St.
484 S. Salina St.
Free,

“Communities of Care: Documenting Reproductive Justice in a Post-Roe Country”
Thursday, Oct. 17,�� 5:30 p.m.
Light Work, Watson Theater, 316 Waverly Ave.

Communities of Care is sponsored by the ��ϲ�� Humanities Center as part of
��ϲ�� Symposium 2024-25: Community and by the Lender Center for Social Justice.
at ��ϲ��. This program is also partnered with the Department of Women’s and
Gender Studies and the CODE^SHIFT lab in the Newhouse School, both at ��ϲ��
University.

Living to Tell is co-presented with Engaged Humanities Network, an engaged scholarship
initiative of ��ϲ��.

Orange Fan Honors Father With $2M Gift to Fuel Competitive Excellence

Eileen Korey — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 20:18:22 +0000

The dining hall in the One Team Olympic Sports Center will be named for avid Orange sports fan Edward C. Magee Sr. ’33, G’36, thanks to a $2 million pledge from his son. When Edward “Ed” C. Magee ’70, G’72 was contemplating ways to honor his father, he thought about their shared passion for their alma mater.

Edward C. Magee Sr.

“My dad was serious about work, community, country and ��ϲ�� athletics,” says Magee. The senior Magee died in 1989 at the age of 78. In recognition of his son’s gift to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and the Athletics Opportunity Fund, the dining hall will be commonly referred to as Magee One Team Dining.

“My father was a low-key guy, but I know he would have wanted to help student-athletes and the athletics program in meaningful ways,” says Magee. Both father and son shared an appreciation for the power of sports to enhance the visibility and reputation of the entire University. “He turned me into an avid ��ϲ�� sports fan at a young age,” says Magee. “We had football season tickets forever!”

When his father became too ill with congestive heart failure to attend games, he would watch from his recliner chair at home. “This was before the internet, and he would create his own score sheets,” says Magee. On the day he died, Magee Sr. was watching the ��ϲ�� basketball team play Missouri. “Five to ten minutes into the game, he took his last breath. My brother Tom, who graduated from ��ϲ�� College of Law in 1973, still has that score sheet.” Now, Magee Sr.’s dedication to the Orange is memorialized in a place that honors the dedication of more than 600 student-athletes across 20 sports.

“Since we launched a dedicated campaign in 2021 to raise $150 million to enhance the student-athlete experience, we’ve been amazed and gratified by the support of donors like Ed,” says John Wildhack, director of athletics. “They truly appreciate the value of student-athlete focused facilities and services in attracting the most talented student-athletes and staff and ensuring competitive excellence in the athletics program.”

Edward “Ed” C. Magee

The athletics fundraising goal is part of the $1.5 billion for ��ϲ��. “Philanthropy has always been critical to creating an environment where all our students can thrive, in the classroom and beyond, and in their chosen careers,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “I am grateful to Ed for recognizing that his gift can elevate the entire student experience, along with the reputation of the entire University.”

Magee graduated from the in 1970 with a bachelor of science in aerospace engineering, and earned an MBA in management data systems from the in 1972. He says he wasn’t a great athlete or an outstanding student, but he learned from his father and mother, a teacher, the value of hard work and dedication to family, community and country. He signed up for Air Force ROTC while in college, earning a scholarship that “would help out my parents.”

His father, Magee Sr., graduated from the in 1933 and completed a law degree in 1936. He joined the U.S. Army, served with the 84th Infantry Division in the South Pacific and Asiatic theaters, and trained soldiers for combat. He was a reservist for 20 years and retired as a major. He was equally devoted in his professional life, spending 40 years at the Utica Mutual Insurance Company.

Similarly, his son Ed was loyal in service to both country and a corporation that gave him the means to build wealth that could be used in service of others. Magee served four years at Eglin Air Force Base as an officer in the Air Defense Command and, as an air force captain, he designed real-time software to drive the world’s first phased-array Space Track Radar. Following the Air Force, he devoted himself to PepsiCo, first developing information systems and ultimately rising to the level of Pepsi-Cola International chief information officer. He retired at the young age of 48 and has spent his time since consulting and investing in promising ventures, giving back to community through various charities, and supporting his beloved alma mater.

Rendering of dining hall at the One Team Olympic Sports Center

In 2018, Magee established the Edward C. Magee Endowed Scholarship to provide financial assistance to undergraduate students in the and “help students who need a helping hand.” Believing students and student-athletes across all disciplines and sports can contribute to a thriving university and a culture of competitive excellence, Magee targeted his latest gift for the benefit of student athletes who will “fuel their bodies” at Magee One Team Dining.

About ��ϲ��

��ϲ�� is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we’re a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what’s possible.

About Forever Orange: The Campaign for ��ϲ��

Orange isn’t just our color. It’s our promise to leave the world better than we found it. Forever Orange: The Campaign for ��ϲ�� is poised to do just that. Fueled by more than 150 years of fearless firsts, together we can enhance academic excellence, transform the student experience and expand unique opportunities for learning and growth. Forever Orange endeavors to raise $1.5 billion in philanthropic support, inspire 125,000 individual donors to participate in the campaign, and actively engage one in five alumni in the life of the University. Now is the time to show the world what Orange can do. Visit��to learn more.

What’s Driving the Rise in ADHD Diagnosis Among Children and Adults?

Dan Bernardi — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 15:32:21 +0000

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder in children, and the numbers are only expected to rise. The CDC reported that in 2022, over 7 million (11.4%) U.S. children aged 3–17 years were diagnosed with ADHD, an increase of 1 million compared to 2016. The elevated numbers aren’t limited to children. According to a��in the Journal of Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy, 8.7 million adults in the U.S. have ADHD.

Kevin Antshel

ADHD is a chronic condition characterized by difficulty focusing, restlessness and impulsive behavior. If untreated, ADHD can have severe negative consequences on physical and mental health throughout a person’s life, including low self-esteem, chronic stress, fatigue and higher risk of substance abuse. That’s why diagnosis during childhood and early intervention are crucial for helping children reach their potential and avoid the potential life-long challenges associated with the disorder. To educate the public with reliable information, reduce stigma and highlight the importance of ADHD diagnosis and treatment, several advocacy groups joined forces to designate October as ADHD Awareness Month.

The College of Arts and Sciences sat down with��, professor of psychology and principal investigator for ��ϲ��’s��, to discuss the rise in ADHD diagnosis among children and adults, the signs to look out for, and the importance of treatment.

Did the pandemic play a role in the sharp rise in ADHD diagnosis in children from 2016 to 2022, or are other factors at play?

The pandemic played a role. Increased mental health concerns (especially stress, anxiety and depression) were reported by youth, parents and teachers. These mental health concerns led to more diagnostic evaluations which, in turn, led to increased ADHD diagnoses. (Without an evaluation, there is no diagnosis.) In addition, the pandemic was associated with remote learning, frequently observed by parents. Since 2020, our own clinic has seen an increase in evaluation requests by parents who cite their observations of their child during remote learning as the precipitating factor. Thus, in my opinion, the pandemic played a role in the increased ADHD diagnoses.

At the same time, it is not only the pandemic which likely explains the increase in ADHD diagnoses in 2022. Other factors, including better awareness and recognition of ADHD, especially in girls, likely are a contributor to the increased ADHD diagnoses.

What are some of the commons signs that a child might have ADHD?

The core symptoms of ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. Most children demonstrate some of these symptoms occasionally. However, children with ADHD display these symptoms often and across multiple settings (e.g., home, school, sports practice, etc.). In addition, for a child to meet criteria for ADHD, these core symptoms of ADHD must negatively impact the child’s functioning. Thus, a child’s functioning, not simply their symptoms, should be the primary variable driving any evaluation considerations.

Why is it important to diagnose and treat ADHD in children?

In children, untreated moderate to severe ADHD is associated with academic, social and emotional difficulties that can interfere with development. Mild ADHD, on the other hand, does not necessarily need to be treated. Instead, a cautious, wait-and-see approach that includes environmental adjustments (e.g., more structure, adjusting instruction to meet their learning style) and other supports that we know are good for children in general (e.g., physical activity, adequate sleep, reduction in screen time, etc.) is often recommended.

Has ADHD diagnosis in adults followed a similar trend?

The prevalence of ADHD in adults is also increasing. This is due to several factors including the pandemic impacts (like children, many adults are diagnosed when they seek evaluations for stress, anxiety and depression concerns), increased awareness and recognition of ADHD extending into adulthood, later diagnoses of ADHD in women (who generally are less hyperactive) as well as the increasing pace of modern life which is frequently replete with distractions.

For adults who have never been diagnosed with ADHD, what are some signs and symptoms that might indicate they should consider being evaluated?

I recommend that functioning, not symptoms, drive any evaluation considerations. In other words, if an adult is restless and has difficulty following through, yet is functioning well, I do not see a need for any evaluation. However, if these symptoms are interfering with their perceived functioning (and/or others around them have indicated as such), then an evaluation might be worthwhile to consider.

Will ADHD diagnosis rates continue to climb in our country?

I believe that ADHD diagnosis rates will continue to increase in the United States. Increased awareness (driven in part by social media), better societal acceptance of neurodiversity and lower resulting ADHD stigma, as well as the fast pace of 21st century life might all contribute to this increase. I also worry that this increased identification will amplify some of the existing inequities that we have currently in ADHD diagnosis (lower rates in historically marginalized populations).

Should people be concerned about the rise in diagnoses (could societal factors cause this?), or is the increase a positive sign because it means more people are receiving the treatment they need?

I think there are reasons to be both optimistic and concerned about the increases in ADHD diagnoses. On the optimistic side, this rise might signal better ADHD awareness and access to ADHD services. The rise may also mean that there is reduced stigma towards ADHD as a mental health condition. Conversely, the increase in ADHD diagnoses might also communicate overdiagnosis due to medicalization of everyday symptoms is occurring – who has not experienced moments of distractibility and a consequent loss of productivity? In addition, the increase in ADHD diagnoses might also mean that the increasing pace of modern life is establishing unrealistic attentional expectations, for which larger and larger segments of our society are unable to attain.

Students Engage in Summer Research and Study Experiences

Kelly Homan Rodoski — Mon, 30 Sep 2024 21:20:38 +0000

This past summer, several students engaged in prestigious research and study experiences in the United States and Canada. The students applied for these highly competitive experiences through the University’s (CFSA).

Below, five students share their experiences; what they did and what they learned.

Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship

Five ��ϲ�� students were selected as Fulbright Canada-Mitacs Globalink Research Internship recipients this year. They were Sofia DaCruz ’25, a women’s and gender studies and citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and the College of Arts and Sciences; (McGill University); Abi Greenfield ’25, a history and political philosophy major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and College of Arts and Sciences (University of Victoria); Chloe Britton Naime ’25, a mechanical engineering and neuroscience major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (University of British Columbia); Kerrin O’Grady ’25, a biomedical engineering and neuroscience major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (University of Victoria); and Kanya Shah ’25, an aerospace engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (University of Quebec at Chicoutimi).

Abi Greenfield

Greenfield worked with Penny Bryden, professor of history at the University of Victoria. Greenfield was first research assistant on Bryden’s Canadian constitutional culture project; she created a dataset of political cartoons about the Canadian Constitution from five periods in Canadian history.

Abi Greenfield

She mined the databases of past editions of four major Canadian newspapers and developed a dataset of approximately 500 cartoons. “I then analyzed the cartoons from the 1980-82 period to understand what major themes appeared in relation to the Constitution reform debates during this period and what these themes and metaphors demonstrated about public thought around these topics,” Greenfield says. She produced a report for Bryden analyzing four major themes she identified, along with any regional or temporal variations. Greenfield’s research will form part of a forthcoming collaborative article on editorial cartoons and Canadian constitutional culture.

Greenfield says this work strengthened her skills in research design, dataset creation and analysis, and analysis of images as historical documents, as well as deepened her knowledge of Canadian political and legal history.

“This experience has been invaluable in informing the topic and goals of my undergraduate thesis for the Honors program and the Distinction program in History, as well as how I have gone about designing my project,” Greenfield says. “The chance to connect with established scholars in my field helped me to understand the breadth of research areas available to me and led me to change my thesis topic from what I had originally planned.��My improved knowledge of Canadian legal history will also help inform my work as a research assistant on the Global Free Speech Repository Project in the Campbell Institute in the Maxwell School, where I work with Canadian free expression decisions, among others.”

After graduation, Greenfield hopes to return to the University of Victoria to pursue a master’s degree in history under Bryden’s direction.

Kanya Shah

Kanya Shah

Shah interned at the University of Quebec at Chicoutimi (UQAC)’s Anti-Icing Materials Laboratory (LIMA-AMIL), where she worked on the “Evaluating Passive Protection Systems for Solar Panels Against Snow and Ice Accumulations” project. Under the supervision of Research Professor Derek Harvey and with LIMA-AMIL faculty support, she conducted extensive literature review to aid the team in designing a test bench to evaluate the effectiveness of superhydrophobic and icephobic coatings against snow and ice accretion on a solar panel placed in a cold climate chamber.

The freezing rain and snowstorm tests performed honed her laboratory techniques for testing and developing coating application methods to address snow and ice adhesion on solar panels in cold climates.

“This program provided invaluable international research exposure, solidifying my commitment to advancing sustainable solutions in mechanical and aerospace engineering,” Shah says. “As I look ahead, I’m excited to pursue this passion further, either through a master’s program or an industry-related career.”

Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI)

Corinne Motl ’25, a physics major in the College of Arts and Sciences, engaged in an internship at Argonne National Laboratory this summer through a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship (SULI) awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Corrine Motl

Quantum networks are of significant interest within the commercial and scientific communities as they hold potential for complete information security, as well as connecting dispersed quantum technologies. Quantum memories are a key part of realizing these networks.

Motl worked on simulations to test parameters when designing a nanophotonic cavity to optimize the quality factor of the cavity. “What this means on a larger scale is that we aim to develop quantum memories that are able to get an input, preserve that single then reemit it. This is a critical part in creating technologies such as quantum repeater,” she says.

“This research involved my simulation work, as well as creating a data analysis software for X-ray detraction (XRD) data. I also worked on creating optical set up as well as alignment and matinee of a separate optical set up,” she says.

Motl says her work at Argonne gave her new skills and helped her develop her problem-solving abilities. “The more problems you solve the better you get at solving new ones. I learned to try to find the simplest solution,” she says.

Motl is currently helping to organize a branch of the 2025 conference, which will be held at ��ϲ�� in January.

Public Policy and International Affairs Junior Summer Institute (PPIA)

Four students were selected as PPIA JSI Fellows this year. They were Linda Baguma ’25, an international relations and political science major in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences (Carnegie Mellon); Victoria Knight ’25, a policy studies and economics major (pre-law track) in the Maxwell School (UC-Berkeley); Caroline Ridge ’25 a political science and policy studies major in the Maxwell School (Carnegie Mellon) and Evelina Torres ’25, a political science and citizenship and civic engagement major in the Maxwell School (Carnegie Mellon).

Linda Baguma

As part of her PPIA experience, Baguma completed rigorous coursework on quantitative methods, economic analysis and policy research, all aimed at addressing real-world public policy challenges. The program also emphasized diversity in public service and leadership development.

Linda Baguma

Baguma worked on a project analyzing the impact of social policies on low-income communities, using data to evaluate the effectiveness of various poverty reduction programs. “This experience directly complements my studies at ��ϲ��, especially my concentration in international security and diplomacy within the international relations major,” she says. “I plan to apply the quantitative analysis skills I gained to my coursework, particularly in areas related to policy design and evaluation, and to further explore how international policies impact African development, which is my regional focus.”

She says her experience was made even more meaningful by the opportunity to move beyond the classroom and apply what she learned to real-world challenges. Baguma contributed to an additional project focused on abandoned mine lands (AMLs) in the Pittsburgh area. “Our goal was to analyze the impact of AMLs on surrounding communities, using a variety of data sources to uncover the relationships and effects these sites have on public health, environmental justice and economic outcomes. I even learned how to run regressions to better understand the correlations between AMLs and the well-being of nearby communities,” she says.

Baguma says the PPIA experience gave her a broader understanding of public service. “I’m eager to incorporate this perspective into my academic and professional trajectory, and I look forward to continuing this work as I prepare for a career in public policy, particularly in U.S.-Africa relations,” she says.

Victoria Knight

The UC-Berkeley PPIA program offered a law track that gave Knight valuable insights into succeeding at top law schools. She took four courses: Law and Public Policy, Economics for Public Policy, Policy Analysis and Quantitative Methods for Public Policy.

Victoria Knight

Beyond the classroom, the program provided numerous opportunities to connect with notable alumni and guest speakers, including Dean David Wilson, Robert Reich (former U.S. secretary of labor) and Janet Napolitano (former secretary of Homeland Security and president of the University of California).

“These experiences not only prepared me for law school and a master’s in public policy, but also for my final year at ��ϲ��. I’m working on my honors thesis, which examines the economic impact of varying abortion laws. The skills I gained through PPIA are invaluable in helping me write a more substantial thesis and better analyze questions at the intersection of law, policy and economics.”

At ��ϲ��, Knight serves as a task force coordinator for the Skills Win! Coaching Program in the ��ϲ�� City School District, teaching students critical skills like budgeting, typing and public speaking. “Thanks to PPIA, I now have the skills to understand better the impact of New York State education laws, enabling me to analyze the data we collect and recommend meaningful program improvements.”

“The PPIA experience was incredibly eye-opening and rewarding. I’m grateful for the connections I made with the guest speakers and other participants and for everything I learned during the program,” Knight says. “I highly encourage anyone who gets the chance to apply—it was easily one of the most memorable and impactful parts of my college experience.”

Professor Eunjung Kim Awarded National Humanities Center Fellowship

Martin Walls — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 14:13:20 +0000

, associate professor of cultural foundations of education in the School of Education and of women’s and gender studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded a 2024-25 National Humanities Center (NHC) Fellowship.

During this prestigious fellowship, Kim will work on her new book “Dignity Archives: Accompanying the Dead and Posthumous Care.”

Eunjun Kim

Kim is among 31 fellows from 492 applicants. In addition to working on her research project, she will have the opportunity to share ideas in seminars, lectures and conferences at the HNC, headquartered at Research Triangle Park in North Carolina.

Kim’s book project asks what kind of political work the dying and the dead are doing and what kind of connections and disconnections are happening around them.

“The collection of cases includes disabled people who were killed in an institution in Japan; factory workers who became disabled and terminally ill from toxic exposure; and people who died from neglect in an AIDS care facility in South Korea,” explains Kim. “By exploring the ways in which mourning and the demand for justice are intertwined in cultural and political discourses, my book aims to encourage others to rethink the primacy of autonomy, ability and health in the understanding of dignity.”

“The National Humanities Center is the world’s only independent institute dedicated exclusively to advanced study in all areas of the humanities,” says , professor and associate dean for research in the School of Education. “NHC is a highly prestigious fellowship and former fellows have gone on win a number of distinguished awards, including the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize.”

Additionally, SOE is represented at NHC by , professor of disability studies and a NHC Resident Fellow, who is researching for , “Fermenting Stories: Exploring Ancestry, Embodiment and Place.”

The NHC is the world’s only independent institute dedicated exclusively to advanced study in all areas of the humanities. Through its fellowships, the center promotes understanding of the humanities and advocates for their foundational role in a democratic society.

A&S Names Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

Daeya Malboeuf — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 18:45:47 +0000

Karen Doherty

, professor of (CSD) in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), has been named A&S’ associate dean for faculty affairs. In this cabinet-level role, Doherty will work closely with department chairs and academic units to develop strategic faculty hiring and retention plans; assist in onboarding new faculty; develop support networks for faculty; and liaise with the Office of Faculty Affairs. She will also support the efforts of the senior associate dean, other members of the cabinet and faculty in the areas of promotion and tenure; managing regular review and leave processes; and assessing college governance and policy documentation, committees, and processes, including serving as a representative of the college at a variety of meetings of councils and committees across campus.

A&S Dean  says that Doherty is the right person for this role. In addition to her being a faculty member at ��ϲ�� for almost 30 years, she has served as the department chair of CSD and been a successful scholar and teacher, having received external funding for her research and the University’s Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award.

“I’m so pleased to welcome Professor Doherty to this new role at A&S,” says Mortazavi. “In addition to her experience with faculty mentoring and support as a department chair, she has also served on the College Promotion and Tenure Committee—experience that will serve us well as we seek to help our faculty develop their strengths in research and teaching to meet the demands of the academy in the 21st century.”

“I am honored to join Dean Mortazavi’s cabinet and work with the outstanding faculty in the college to promote academic excellence, all of whom play a vital role in the mission of ��ϲ��,” says Doherty. “I look forward to collaborating with the A&S department chairs and all faculty to foster a supportive environment where everyone can succeed as a scholar and teacher.”

While carrying out the duties of this part-time cabinet position, Doherty will continue to conduct research and teach courses for the communication sciences and disorders department.

Doherty joined the CSD department in 1996. She has taught courses on hearing aids, hearing science and clinical audiology, and has been an integral member of the neuroscience program and Aging Studies Institute. The focus of Doherty’s research is twofold: studying the effects of age-related hearing loss on people’s ability to communicate and developing methods to improve older adults’ use of hearing aids. Doherty’s research has been funded by NIH/NIA, NIH/NIDCD, National Organization for Hearing Research and multiple foundations.

She was the chair of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders from 2014 to 2021, president of the Academy of Rehabilitative Audiology in 2021 and currently is a fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. In May 2024, Doherty was named the University of Connecticut’s Department of Speech Language and Hearing Science’s Distinguished Alumnus.

Doherty holds a Ph.D. in audiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, M.A. in audiology from the University of Connecticut and B.S. in communicative disorders from the University of Rhode Island.

Her four-year appointment as associate dean began September 1, 2024.

The Building Blocks of Future Smart Materials

News Staff — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 13:04:27 +0000

How do cells take the shape they do and perform their functions? The enzymes and molecules that make them up are not themselves living—and yet they are able to adapt to their environment and circumstances, come together and interact, and ultimately, create life. How exactly all of that happens involves some very big questions, the answers to which will be crucial in paving the way for new biotechnologies and other advancements.

The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, a private, nonprofit grantmaking organization, started its to begin to answer some of them. The program’s stated goal is “To sharpen our scientific understanding of the physical principles and mechanisms that distinguish living systems from inanimate matter, and to explore the conditions under which physical principles and mechanisms guide the complexification of matter towards life.”

To that end, the program awarded (left) and (right), professors in the in the and members of the BioInspired Institute, a three-year grant to explore what they’ve described as a fundamental unanswered question about the functionality of cells and the energy and entropy landscape of cell interiors.

Jennifer Ross (left) and Jennifer Schwarz, professors in the Department of Physics, received a three-year grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation’s Matter to Life program.

“There is a lack of quantitative understanding of the principles governing the non-equilibrium control knobs inside the cell,” Ross and Schwarz explained in their proposal. “Without this knowledge, we will never understand how cells work, or how we can replicate them in synthetic materials systems.”

They’ve chosen to focus their work on one very particular aspect of the biology of cells, the concentrations of protein molecules within them known as protein condensates, and specifically their liquid-liquid phase separation, which they describe as the “killer app” for the sculpting of energy and entropy in the cell.

“Liquid-liquid phase separation is when two liquids separate, like oil and water,” Ross says. “The proteins separate out [into droplets] and make what we think of as membrane-less organelles. We’re interested in how both energy-using systems and entropy-controlling systems can help to shape those organelles.”

They’re hoping to gain an understanding of how cells self-organize without a “manager”—in this case, a membrane to act as a physical containment system—as well as how they react and adapt to their environment.

“This droplet formation is so sensitive to temperature and its surroundings,” says Schwarz. “The cell knows, ‘A ha!’ The temperature is increasing, so the environment is slightly different. So…I’m going to adapt.”

Ross is serving as principal investigator, and with graduate student assistance, will be performing reconstitution experiments to explore these processes, while co-principal investigator Schwarz and her team will be delving into the theoretical side of the science using predictive simulations. The three-year grant will also fund a paid undergraduate and two local high school students through summer programs.

The hope is that a better understanding of cell behavior at this level could ultimately lead to breakthroughs in the development of smart synthetic materials. “Imagine a road-paving material that could identify when a pothole develops and heal itself,” Ross says.

It’s just one example of countless possibilities for learning from biological systems.

Story by Laura Wallis

Big Data Holds Key to Understanding Human Behavior

News Staff — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:43:17 +0000

Researchers increasingly analyze gigantic volumes of digital information to understand how and why individuals and groups of people conduct their lives the way they do, both during ordinary days and under extreme stress such as disease outbreaks or social unrest. A program at the National Science Foundation (NSF) develops and employs methods that could help unearth fundamental principles of human behavior. Now one of ��ϲ��’s own is providing critical guidance for this federally supported research.

Psychology Professor Amy Criss will serve a year-long appointment as a program director for the NSF’s Human Networks and Data Science Program.

, professor of psychology, recently began a year-long appointment to the NSF as a program director for the (HNDS). She will oversee the merit review process for $8 million in annual federal funding and help to guide the direction of basic research in the social, behavioral and economic sciences across the United States and partner nations.

“The NSF funds research on big theoretical questions, thinking about what’s next for the future of science,” Criss says.

The goal of HNDS is to help future investigators identify human phenomena that have been previously hidden from view, using new hardware, software and investigative approaches to analyze “big data” or vast volumes of digital information from the internet and other resources.

There are two types of HNDS projects. HNDS-I research proposals seek to develop and improve scientific infrastructure and other tools for future big-data studies.

“These proposals aim to maximize all the data available for a research question,” says Criss. “The researcher community may need new hardware, new software or new ways of approaching large, dynamic, complex datasets. These proposals develop and improve supporting data networks and infrastructure that researchers can use in the future to understand human behavior. These innovations could allow scientists to ask questions they could not have asked because they didn’t have the tools to address them.”

HNDS-R proposals are the second type. They aim to answer important theoretical questions with large or highly complex datasets, diverse scales of measurement across time and space and multi-scale, multi-level network data and techniques of network analysis. These projects would make innovative use of NSF-supported data networks, databases, centers and other forms of scientific infrastructure.

“Researchers on these projects seek to understand data that are highly dynamic in time or reflect interconnected systems,” Criss says.

Both types of basic research support conditions for future scientists to generate novel ideas about people and their societies.

According to Criss, the goal is to understand different types of human behavior. “We look under the hood to learn how a person or groups of people operate,” she says. “With that understanding, we could develop better tools to solve practical problems.”

This story was written by John H. Tibbets

Antisemitism Expert Appointed New Backer Professor of Jewish Studies

Caroline K. Reff — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:33:40 +0000

Britt Tevis

To help scholars delve deeper into a greater understanding of antisemitism, from its history to its implications for the U.S. today, the (A&S) and announced the appointment of as an assistant professor in the in the Maxwell School and as the Phyllis Backer Professor of Jewish Studies in the in A&S. The Backer professorship was established in A&S in 2020 through a $1.5 million gift from the Phyllis Backer Foundation, which supports education and medical research organizations with an emphasis on Jewish-related causes.

Bringing vast knowledge as a modern Jewish historian with a focus on American Jewish history and antisemitism in the U.S.,��Tevis has had various academic appointments in her career, most recently as the Rene Plessner Postdoctoral Fellow in Antisemitism and Holocaust Studies at the Institute for Israel and Jewish Studies at Columbia University. She has a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in history from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a law degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Law, as well as a bachelor’s degree in Jewish studies and political science from the University of Florida.

“Our program is absolutely delighted to have Dr. Tevis’s appointment as the Backer Chair of Jewish Studies,” says , who served as director of the Jewish studies program when she was hired. “She brings invaluable expertise in the history of law and civil rights as reflected in the American Jewish experience, and she will contribute new and rich dimensions to the program.”

Tevis is eager to introduce modern Jewish history to students through coursework that will include such topics as the history of antisemitism in the U.S., Jews and American popular culture, Jews’ efforts to secure legal rights, the challenges of integrating into non-Jewish citizenries, changes to religious practices and traditions, and the array of Jewish American culture.

According to Tevis, studying American Jewish history and antisemitism as part of larger U.S. history sheds light on critical aspects, as the gap between the American ideal of equality, per the Declaration of Independence, and the country’s persistent denial of political and civil rights for certain segments of the population remain a fundamental tension in U.S. history. The interaction between degrees of discrimination and prosperity continues to describe the American Jewish experience from when Jews first arrived in North America in the 17th century through the present.

“Many people struggle to define the boundaries of antisemitism,” Tevis says. “Like most topics, understanding antisemitism requires studying the past so as to be able to understand its origin, particular characteristics and varied dimensions.”

Tevis intends to add to the intellectual vibrancy of the history department and the Jewish studies program through her teaching, research and publications. She is awaiting her forthcoming anthology, “Sanctioned Bigotry: A Documented History of Antisemitism in the United States,” in 2025. And, she is currently completing a book about Jewish emancipation lawyers who worked to secure rights for American Jews in areas like immigration, labor and civil rights but were overlooked by historians who painted them as political radicals. Tevis also has a long list of research interests examining Jews and U.S. law as she begins this next chapter of her career.

“To my mind it is impossible to overstate the importance of historical knowledge. History teaches us why our world functions as it does, illuminating how people made given choices and shaped later developments,” she says. “I am overjoyed to join the incredible faculty here as the Backer Professor of Jewish Studies and embrace the opportunity to uncover underdeveloped and undertheorized dimensions of American Jewish history.”

Shaping Perspectives, Influencing Passions: Students Share the Importance of Celebrating Latine Heritage Month

John Boccacino — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:06:42 +0000

Students (from left) Janese Fayson ’26, Astrid Melendez ’25 and Adalys Sanchez ’26 share what their Latine heritage means to them, how they’ve discovered a cultural home on campus and why they wanted to get involved in planning Latine Heritage Month celebrations on campus.

What does it mean to be a descendant of Latine/x/o/a and Hispanic heritage and trace your cultural roots to one of the more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Central America, South America or the Caribbean?

It’s impossible to come up with a singular defining trait, characteristic or value that represents Latine culture, but beginning this week and running through Oct. 26, the University community is coming together to learn more about the rich cultural history of various identities within the Latine community during Latine Heritage Month (LHM).

Three current students—Astrid Melendez ’25, Adalys Sanchez ’26 and Janese Fayson ’26—share what their Latine heritage means to them, how they’ve discovered a cultural home on campus and why they wanted to get involved in planning LHM celebrations.

The theme of this year’s celebration is “Fronteras Sin Limites: Embracing our Borderless Cultures,” exploring the experiences of Latine communities who live along and across borders, both physical and cultural, and highlighting the resilience and adaptability of the Latine community who navigate multiple identities and spaces.

Learn the stories of how these three student leaders celebrate their cultures, then check out the complete schedule of��.

Astrid Melendez ’25

Academic major: Information management and technology ()

What is your cultural heritage? “My entire family is from Lima, Peru.”

Astrid Melendez

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life?��“It plays a very important role. Growing up in Germany and moving to the United States when I was in elementary school, I knew that my cultural background made me different. My parents left Peru when they were in their 30s, and growing up, my parents were still learning English. Spanish was my first language and no matter where I lived, our Peruvian culture was always prevalent in my day-to-day life. Especially when it came to language, food and our customs. When I am at ��ϲ��, I like to cook Peruvian meals and treats like Lomo Saltado and Alfajores. Back home, my family and I often go to Peruvian cultural events and restaurants.”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “Joining SALSA [the South American and Latine Student Association] is the place I have been able to find a cultural home at ��ϲ��. Before SALSA, I had never met any other Peruvian my age that wasn’t related to me. It made me happy to not only get to meet other Peruvian college students, but also other students with South American heritage. SALSA and its members have turned into a family for me here.”

How has SALSA helped? “SALSA’s mission is to have a student organization focused on South American culture and we thrive creating events while educating and building a community for students belonging to or interested in South American cultures. I’m currently president, and this club is special and exciting! I’ve learned more about other South American countries and cultures and it’s been amazing working with the proud and passionate executive board members.”

Adalys Sanchez ’26

Academic major: Earth science with a minor in women and gender studies ()

What is your cultural heritage? “I am a first-generation college student who was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and I also have family roots in the Dominican Republic.”

Adalys Sanchez

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life?��“My Puerto Rican heritage shapes my perspective on resilience and community, influencing my drive to succeed as a first-generation student. It deeply influences my passion for environmental justice, as I’ve witnessed firsthand the effects of environmental inequality on marginalized communities. Part of why I wish to study environmental law is because I want to go back home and create sustainable policies that allow everyone to live in a safe and clean environment. My heritage is also important because it means that if I succeed in my career goals, I will be bringing a new and diverse perspective to the legal field.

“Whenever I’m home, I try to visit the different parts of the island to learn about our rich history. I also participate in local festivals such as Fiestas Patronales, where the streets come alive with music, dancing and traditional foods. And during the holidays, our culture really comes alive. At Nochebuena (Christmas Eve), we gather for large feasts of traditional food, including some of my favorite food like arroz con gandules (rice with peas), lechon (pork) and coquito (a coconut-flavored drink similar to eggnog). We also tell stories and do parrandas (similar to caroling).”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “Through the student organizations I belong to, like the Puerto Rican Student Association, which allows me to connect with other people who celebrate Puerto Rican culture, discussing current events on the island and getting to organize events where we participate in our traditions. It really makes me feel like I have a little piece of home here with me at ��ϲ��. I’m also a member of the Raíces Dance Troupe since I’ve always loved dancing and I can enjoy my culture through music and movement.”

Why did you want to get involved in organizing the LHM celebrations? “Latinx culture is deeply rooted in community, joy and resilience, which are often expressed through vibrant celebrations, music and gatherings. My main role was organizing the (Oct. 10), where students can have fun roller-skating while enjoying one of the most prominent music genres in current Latinx culture. I want everyone, especially first-year students, to embrace their roots and do so in ways that educate the community while having fun and empowering ourselves. I want to show how important claiming your heritage can be to finding your place on campus and in society.”

Janese Fayson ’26

Academic majors: Marketing and finance ()

What is your cultural heritage? “I am a first-generation college student from Miami, Florida. I am Black and Puerto Rican.”

Janese Fayson

What role does your cultural heritage play in your life?��“My heritage influences so many things, from my style to my way of expressing myself, it is so inherently engrained in me. Good music, great food and amazing company is my go-to way to celebrate. I love my heritage.”

How have you found a cultural home on campus? “I belong to so many different organizations [including the Caribbean Student Association, the Black Student Union, Student Living and Student Association], not only because I enjoy being involved, but because I love being able to meet new people, some of whom share similar identities with me, and others who do not. I feel so immersed in culture when I am with them.”

How has the Caribbean Student Association helped? “I joined my freshmen year at the Welcome Fête and have been involved ever since, now holding the title of president. Our mission is to uplift, inspire and bring Caribbean people and the ��ϲ�� community together. It has helped me find some of my favorite people and I learn something from them every day, whether about their culture, heritage or as individuals. Being president of such a vast organization is so fulling for so many different reasons and I have learned more about myself through it all.”

Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Marks 25 Years, Welcomes New Faculty Co-Directors

Diane Stirling — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 18:55:18 +0000

Professors Shikha Nangia and Marina Artuso have been named faculty co-directors of . Founded on campus 25 years ago, the program supports women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Shikha Nangia

is professor and interim chair of biomedical and chemical engineering in the (ECS). is a distinguished professor of physics in the (A&S). They succeed outgoing co-directors and .

Nangia joined the University in 2012 as a tenure-track professor. Her work involves the creation of computational models to examine the body’s blood-brain barrier at the molecular level. Those findings help develop drugs that can penetrate the barrier to advance medicinal treatments for neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

Marina Artuso

Artuso is an experimental physicist who works in experimental particle physics. Her research focuses on interesting properties of beauty and charm quarks and on the novel instrumentation needed to study their decay properties. She came to the University as a research assistant professor of physics in 1993, was appointed a professor of physics in 2005 and recently was named a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

WiSE faculty co-directors serve as advocates, engaging with university leadership, the campus community and external audiences. They also develop strategic vision for the organization, offer budget input, and actively participate in programming. WiSE was created by and is led by faculty. Its goals are to increase the representation and retention of women faculty members in STEM fields, to highlight women scholars and to develop advising and mentoring programs.

WiSE serves members across 18 departments in six colleges and schools: A&S, ECS, , , and the .��It presents social, academic and professional development programming for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty in tenure, tenure-track and non-tenure-track positions.

One of the programs WiSE hosts is the career-focused Future Professionals Program (top).

Faculty present workshops, act as mentors, offer portfolio reviews and serve in many capacities to support learning and teaching, says WiSE director Sharon Alestalo.

“Their active involvement helps direct how we can support faculty success. We do that through programming for them and by providing activities and events that support the students and scholars they work with,” Alestalo says.

WiSE also supports the recruitment of women faculty in STEM. When the program was founded, there were 18 women faculty members teaching in 10 A&S and ECS departments. Today, there are 174 tenure, tenure-track and non-tenure women faculty members working in 18 areas, Alestalo says. STEM women faculty in WiSE have also attracted more than $104 million in research funding during the last five years, she says.

WiSE also supports programming for Women of Color in STEM.

The organization is open to all. Undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and faculty women and their allies of any gender, race, ability and identity who work, study or are interested in the STEM fields are welcome.

4 Selected as 2024 Rostker Dissertation Fund Fellows

Charlie Poag — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 14:01:41 +0000

Getting the necessary funding to conduct quality research is among the myriad of challenges when working towards a doctoral degree. ��ϲ�� students engaged in research to support the military-connected community have found that challenge eased by the generosity of Bernard Rostker G’66, G’70, and Louise Rostker G’68 through the Forever Orange Campaign.

Managed by the D’Aniello Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF), the Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund recently provided more than $40,000 to four students who are at varying stages of their dissertation pursuits. The Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund operates annually for a span of five years. This marks the second cycle of funding dedicated to supporting Ph.D. candidates conducting dissertation research on topics related to and in support of veterans and military families.

The Rostkers have spent years of dedicated effort supporting military families. Bernard himself is a U.S. Army veteran, and Louise has a devoted history of supporting education for military children and expanding employment opportunities for military spouses. The pair met while pursuing their own advanced degrees at ��ϲ��, and make the funding available to support those students who may face insurmountable barriers in their pursuit to obtain higher education just as they did in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

“We both are so pleased with the program ��ϲ�� has established in our name,” says Bernard Rostker. “We know how demanding individual research can be, and we hoped that the support we could provide at a critical moment would have a positive impact. We look forward to the continued success of the program and the students it has helped.”

The four 2024 recipients are:

Mariah Brennan – Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs

Mariah Brennan

Brennan is a Ph.D. candidate in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a research associate with the IVMF. Her dissertation, “Post-9/11 Veterans: Gender Differences in Health, Stressors and Social Support During Reintegration,” examines health outcomes, reintegration stressors and social capital among veterans who recently separated from the military. Her work with the IVMF explores social determinants of health for veterans and veteran transition experiences. Prior to working at the IVMF, Brennan worked at the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion and Population Health as a Lerner Fellow.

With support from the Rostker award, Brennan successfully defended her dissertation proposal this semester. “Being a Rostker Fellow has given me the opportunity to focus on my research in ways that would not be possible without this funding,” she says. “This fellowship has provided me with extra support and resources that have allowed me to participate in advanced methodological courses necessary for my research. This is a fantastic opportunity for any student who wants to do military or veteran research. I am incredibly grateful for the Rostkers’ support of my research on women veteran health after transitioning out of service.”

Rachel Linsner—David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics

Rachel Linsner

Linsner G’15, G’24 received her Ph.D. from the Department of Human Development and Family Science in Falk College. Linsner is a research associate at the IVMF, where she supports research on military families, military spouse employment, veteran transition and family policy. This semester, Linsner successfully defended her dissertation, “Maternal Employment Fit for Military Spouses: Implications for Attitudes Toward the Military, Individual Well-Being and Family Functioning.” Through the support of the Rostker fund, Linsner was able to conduct secondary data analysis with a convenience sample of 495 female active-duty spouses with children. This study explored differences in individual, family and military related outcomes based on employment fit or the actual and desired employment status, and the correspondence between them.

Linsner’s results revealed that lack of employment fit conferred significant risk across various outcomes for military spouses. Military spouses lacking employment fit were more stressed and socially isolated, and scored lower on measures of well-being, sense of belonging to their local civilian community and economic security than respondents who had employment fit. “I am so thankful to the Rostkers. My progress in my dissertation and degree is a direct result of their generosity. This award has provided valuable support for me and my family,” says Linsner.

Paul Sagoe – College of Engineering and Computer Science

Paul Sagoe

Sagoe is a Ph.D. candidate in biomedical engineering. His research aims to develop a drug delivery system for treating post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) a painful joint condition common among veterans and military personnel.

Originally from Ghana, Sagoe came to ��ϲ�� after earning first class honors in biomedical engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. He also served as a clinical engineer at a teaching hospital in Ghana, an experience that invigorated his passion for medical science and informed his decision to pursue research studies in a field dedicated to impacting human health, improving patient’s well-being and alleviating pain. “As a Rostker Fellow, I am thrilled by the honor of being supported financially to pursue my research goals to the fullest capacity,” says Sagoe.

Sagoe’s dissertation, “Synovial Macrophage Targeting Immunomodulatory Therapies for Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis,” aims to design a disease-modifying intervention for PTOA by selectively targeting and eliminating inflammation-promoting synovial macrophages. The strategy aligns with mounting evidence highlighting the crucial involvement of synovial inflammation in PTOA progression, a problem that impacts more than 30 million Americans suffering from osteoarthritis following a joint injury.

Kyle White–College of Arts and Sciences

Kyle White

White, a graduate student in psychology, is a graduate research assistant at the ��ϲ�� Veterans Administration Medical Center, where he has become increasingly interested in military and veteran populations. His dissertation, “Pain Intensity and Alcohol Use Behavior Among Veterans with Chronic Pain: The Moderating Role of Chronic Pain Acceptance,” aims to examine chronic pain acceptance as a construct linking pain and alcohol use in veterans.

“This fellowship will be instrumental in advancing my research goal of identifying psychological mechanisms underlying pain and addiction among veterans,” says White, whose research builds off previous studies that found chronic pain acceptance to be negatively associated with opioid use severity. “A greater understanding of the interplay between chronic pain and hazardous alcohol use has the potential to inform the development of tailored treatments for the many veterans suffering from these conditions.”

Brennan, Linsner, Sagoe and White join a cohort of other Rostker Fellows, who, collectively, have received over $90,000 in funding to conduct military-connected research. Applications are currently open for the next round of funding from the Bernard D. and Louise C. Rostker IVMF Dissertation Research Fund and will close on Sept. 30, 2024. For those interested in pursuing dissertation research on military-connected topics at ��ϲ��, please visit the .

Those interested in supporting research on the military-connected community are encouraged to consider donating to the campaign.

Creating STEM Career Pathways for Local High Schoolers

Dan Bernardi — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 19:48:22 +0000

The 2024 cohort of ��ϲ��-area high school students who took part in the ��ϲ�� Physics Emerging Research Technologies Summer High School Internship Program.

Thanks to a new National Science Foundation grant, ��ϲ��’s physics department doubles the number of ��ϲ��-area high school participants in their paid summer internship program.

STEM jobs are quickly becoming the backbone of America. By 2031, STEM occupations are��, while non-STEM occupations will grow at about half that rate at 4.9%. Therefore, it’s essential for today’s students to gain a solid foundation in math, science and engineering subjects. ��ϲ�� is about to see its own boom in STEM jobs, as the arrival of the Micron chip manufacturing facility will include 9,000 high-paying positions at the Central New York campus.

Federal funding organizations like the National Science Foundation (NSF) have acknowledged this workforce shift and are seeding and supporting initiatives aimed at growing a diverse STEM workforce. Since 2022, the Department of Physics has hosted one such program, bringing in ��ϲ��-area high school students to participate in a paid research internship. In support of that program, the NSF recently pledged nearly $1 million to ��ϲ�� through their Experiential Learning for Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) campaign, which will fund the physics internship over three years.

Ruell Branch

Originally known as ��ϲ�� Research in Physics (SURPh) during its first two summers in 2022 and 2023, the program seeks to create STEM career pathways for historically excluded groups by involving them in authentic research experiences and providing mentoring and peer networks. SURPh was the brainchild of former physics student Ruell Branch ’24, who pitched the idea to his professors as a way to strengthen the University’s connection with the local community and inspire local students to pursue STEM.

“I wanted ��ϲ�� high school students who have interests in physics to see what it’s like to work as a paid scientist,” says Branch, who graduated from the ��ϲ�� City School District. “I think it’s extremely important for students to get experience conducting research in an actual science lab.”

Expanding the Program

With the help of physics professor��, Henninger High School science teacher Melanie Pelcher, and fellow ��ϲ�� alum and Henninger High School graduate Devon Lamanna ’23, G’24, SURPh was born. Now, thanks to the NSF funding awarded to Ross and fellow physics professor and department chair , the summer program will be funded through the summer of 2026.

“The new NSF support is a game-changer,” says Soderberg. “It signifies to the students who participate that not only those of us in the SU physics department and ��ϲ�� city schools, but also policymakers in the federal government, see value in helping them get excited about STEM disciplines and see the potential for them as future professionals who will someday help drive innovation and discovery.”

The three-year grant, totaling nearly $1 million, allowed the program to grow from 12 students in 2023 to 24 in 2024 and brought in additional faculty mentors. SURPh was made possible in past years thanks to funding from the John Ben Snow Foundation and internal support from the Engaged Humanities Network and the physics department.

“This program could not have achieved NSF funding without these other sources to prop us up,” says Ross.

Now called the ��ϲ�� Physics Emerging Research Technologies Summer High School Internship Program (SUPER-Tech SHIP), the program just wrapped its summer session with a closing ceremony and poster session.��Through SUPER-Tech SHIP, students were exposed to skills and concepts related to computational physics, biophysics and particle physics during the six-week program.

Read the full story on the��.

Bio Artist Eduardo Kac to Present Wali Lecture at BioInspired Institute Symposium Oct. 24

Diane Stirling — Wed, 11 Sep 2024 18:02:47 +0000

The creator of the term “bio art,” an expressive form that interprets scientific principles and concepts through artistic installations, exhibitions and performances, is the keynote speaker for the University’s annual in the Sciences and Humanities.

Eduardo Kac

, an internationally recognized contemporary artist and poet, will speak on��, at 4:30 p.m. in the Life Sciences Complex atrium. His talk, “Rockets for the Sake of Poetry,” will feature highlights of his 40-year artistic career, his development of bio art and insights about his space artworks. This year’s lecture is hosted by the and its research focus group.

‘Bio Art’ Developer

Kac uses biotechnology and genetics to create and explore scientific techniques. In the early 1980s he created digital, holographic and online works that anticipated today’s global culture of information that is constantly in flux. In 1997, he coined the term “bio art,” which launched a new art form.

“GFP Bunny,” a rabbit bred to glow a fluorescent color under special lights

Among his famous works are the transgenic rabbit , for which he used and a jellyfish protein to create a live rabbit that glows a fluorescent green color under blue light.��In “,” he combined his own��DNA with that of a petunia flower to form a new “plantimal.”

“Natural History of the Enigma,” transgenic flower with artist’s own DNA expressed in the red veins

His pieces have been shown around the world and, in one��instance, out of this world: his , “,” was . Kac’s “” was also realized in outer space with assistance from French astronaut Thomas Pesquet.

His career also spans poetry, performance, drawing, printmaking, photography, artist’s books, early digital and online works, holography, telepresence and space art. He is a professor of art and technology at the and a Ph.D. research fellow at the Centre for Advanced Inquiry in Interactive Arts at the University of Wales in Newport, Wales.

BioInspired Focus

As an institute for material and living systems, BioInspired hosts researchers who examine topics in complex biological systems and develop and design programmable smart materials to address global challenges in health, medicine and materials innovation. They include faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars from life sciences, engineering, physics and chemistry who work in three focus areas: �� Ի��

Last year, the institute added a fourth focus area, Posthumanities: Arts and Sciences, to push the boundaries of traditional scientific inquiry through activities and collaborations between the arts and humanities and the science-based disciplines.

The Posthumanities’ focus area coleaders, Boryana Rossa, of the College of Visual and Performing Arts, and G. Douglas Barrett, of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, spearheaded the proposal to invite Kac as the 2024 Wali Lecture keynote. They worked with BioInspired leaders Jay Henderson, institute director; Heidi Hehnly-Chang, associate director, and Jeremy Steinbacher, operations director.

The Wali Lecture represents a partnership of the Department of and the ��ϲ�� . It is part of the 2024-25 ��ϲ�� Symposium “.”

Kameshwar C. Wali

The lecture was established in 2008 by his daughters to commemorate Wali’s vision and leadership to recognize their parents’ dedication and contributions to the University and the greater community. Wali was the Steele Professor of Physics Emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences and internationally recognized as a theorist for research on the symmetry properties of fundamental particles and their interactions, as well as for his work as an author. He joined the University in 1969. He previously was at Harvard and Northwestern Universities, the University of Chicago, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel, Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques in France and the International Center for Theoretical Physics in Italy. As a fellow of the American Physical Society, whose India Chapter named him Scientist of the Year in 2022, he received ��ϲ��’s Chancellor’s Citation for exceptional academic achievement and was one of the founding members of the .

Expanding Opportunities for Psychology Undergraduates

Dan Bernardi — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 18:43:46 +0000

Photo of psychology Professor Emeritus Vernon Hall (standing, center) and his students. Danny Kaye (seated, second from right, holding sign) has established a scholarship in Hall’s honor which will support undergraduate psychology students. Also pictured, from left to right, are Scott Brown, Alan Kraut, Jane Steinberg, Marc Baron and George Rebok.

To maximize their college experience, it’s important for students to work hard, seize opportunities and engage with mentors who instill creativity and encourage them to pursue their interests. For more than 30 years, Vernon “Vern” Hall, professor emeritus of psychology, fostered meaningful research and learning opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students at ��ϲ��.

Among them was Danny Kaye M.A. ’76, Ph.D. ’77, who worked alongside Hall in the late 1970s. Now, Kaye is honoring Hall by establishing the . This fund will support undergraduates majoring in psychology in the through ��ϲ��’s Forever Orange campaign. Through this new scholarship, Kaye wants to pass along the spirit of Vernon Hall’s guidance and mentoring to today’s students to set them up for success in whatever field they pursue.

A Leader in Psychology

Vernon Hall

Before starting at ��ϲ��, Hall received a bachelor’s degree in history education at the University of Nebraska, served in the U.S. Navy and worked as a teacher at York High School in Nebraska. He then attended The Ohio State University, where he earned a master’s degree in counseling psychology and a Ph.D. in developmental and educational psychology. He worked as an assistant professor at the University of Nebraska and SUNY Buffalo before coming to ��ϲ��’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) in 1966, where he taught for over 30 years before retiring in 1999.

Hall says he was drawn to the job at ��ϲ�� because of the psychology department’s strong reputation and robust graduate program. He focused his research on cognitive and social development with an emphasis on the impact of environmental factors in schools. An author of nearly 50 scholarly publications, his work has appeared in leading journals including Contemporary Psychology, the Journal of Educational Psychology and Child Development. His accomplished record of teaching, departmental leadership and service to the University have made a lasting impact on the success of ��ϲ�� and the student experience.

Read the full story on the .

Taking the Stage for an Immersive Lesson in Shakespeare

Dan Bernardi — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 16:48:51 +0000

Sinead Feeney O’Connor performing in her class’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

When enrolling in an English class about Shakespeare, you might imagine that the course will involve reading, writing and discussing the famous playwright and his plays. In professor of English�� class, ENG 411: Doing Shakespeare, which was offered in Spring 2024, this was just the beginning. Shirilan wanted students to explore for themselves how theatrical practice and production generate different modes of inquiry than text study alone. By engaging in hands-on and active learning, the experience aimed to enhance students’ problem-solving abilities, boost their confidence and encourage their creativity—soft skills which are crucial for success after graduation.

“The idea of the course, simply, is that students learn Shakespeare by ‘doing Shakespeare,’” says Shirilan. “I issued an invitation to make of this course what they willed, and what they willed was a full production of a play chosen, as we strove to do with every decision, collectively.”

Learning by Doing

Shirilan’s inspiration for this course draws from the educational technique of “learning by doing,” a teaching methodology where students retain information through active learning and hands-on experience. In “Doing Shakespeare,” students were presented with a full range of options for the scale and scope of production to pursue.

“They chose to mount a full show, or aim towards it, understanding that we would be working collaboratively and distributing the labors across as many hands as were able and willing,” says Shirilan. “Everyone was involved in multiple areas of production. Everyone acted, most students took responsibility for a production element, including props, costume and sound design.”

Together the students conceived of, organized and performed a full theatrical production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” The crew, many of whom had little to no prior theater experience, included Tate Abrahmason, Maurissa DEmello, Sinead Feeney O’Connor, Anderson Fuentes, Valerie Goldstein, Eva Greene, Victoria Lafarge, Jenny Lee, Ailis McVearry, Blair Seaman, Alexandra Steward and Cricket Withall.

Before moving into production, students spent the first half of the semester largely devoted to text study, table work, vision work and research. During the second half of the semester, the team went into production mode, blocking, rehearsing and producing the play. The semester concluded with a full theatrical performance at ��ϲ�� Stage.

Professor Stephanie Shirilan reviewing the script during a rehearsal.

Wearing Many Hats

“Doing Shakespeare” offered students a unique opportunity to have a hand in every aspect of the performance, from design to direction.

Valerie Goldstein ’24, who majored in policy studies in the College of Arts and Sciences | Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and minored in applied data analytics in the School of Information Studies, went into the experience thinking it would mostly involve acting, but was delighted to discover the wide range of skills she would ultimately utilize.

“I played Bottom and Oberon and was an assistant director, producer, projections designer and did other odd jobs like creating the daily rehearsal schedule, carpool system and tech to-do lists,” says Goldstein. “There were so many lessons in problem-solving and actually following through and creating something that I never would have learned in a traditional classroom.”

After graduation, Goldstein accepted a position with��. As she embarks on a career in teaching and education policy, she says taking part in a course involving performance-based learning—where students apply their knowledge and skills to execute a task—will inform her own instructional techniques.

Valerie Goldstein (right) playing the role of Bottom during the class’s performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

“I think there are better ways to engage students than having them study something abstractly all the time,” says Goldstein. “This class gave me an opportunity to explore a new pedagogy that I may be able to implement in my own profession.”

Blair Seaman ’24, who majored in broadcast and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, was an assistant director and played Titania and Hippolyta in the production. Rounding out her time at ��ϲ�� with an acting role in a Shakespeare play marked a full circle moment for her as she had previously participated in a children’s Shakespeare troupe in her hometown.

“The theater had a huge impact on me deciding to come to ��ϲ�� to study journalism, as I wanted to fuse my love for storytelling with a passion for helping others,” says Seaman. “As much as I loved my degree, I had truly missed performing, and so, I eagerly jumped at the chance to take a class called ‘Doing Shakespeare.’”

She notes that the class was the perfect way to end her four years at ��ϲ��, and on a more personal level, provided an opportunity to memorialize her mother, who passed away when Seaman was a sophomore at ��ϲ��.

“[My mother] always sat front row in every production I had previously been a part of, and in a way, it felt like a gift to her to perform in one last show,” Seaman says. “As I said goodbye to my college experience, I was able to return to a passion of mine that was built up through her love.”

Honoring a Classmate

While the performance marked a time to celebrate the culmination of the team’s hard work, it also presented a moment to honor a classmate who gave so much to the production but was unable to participate in the finale due to health reasons. Ailis McVearry ’24 assumed various duties during the semester, from working as an assistant director to head of costuming to starring as Oberon and Theseus.

In support of their classmate, students collected contributions and donated proceeds from the final performance to defray transportation and other costs related to her care.

“Our final production honored her and the beautiful work she poured into this class both on and off the stage,” says Shirilan. “We hope that the money we raised can be used to provide comfort to her during this difficult time, assisting with medical bills and other essentials.”

A Performance for the Ages

According to Shirilan, the culminating performance marked a milestone for the English department and the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), as it was likely the first full theatrical performance put on by an A&S class at ��ϲ�� Stage. A testament to their hard work, shows were nearly sold out before opening night.

“The final performance was truly a triumph,” recalls Shirilan. “I was consistently amazed by the insights and discoveries made through this process, a success that reflects the astonishing commitment, capability and courage of this team.”

With the high level of interest shown by students for this class, Shirilan is exploring possibilities for expanding the course as a 6-credit offering to facilitate running it as another full production experience. She is scheduled to teach it in Spring 2025 as a 3-credit course, for which students will collectively decide the scope and scale of production.

Watch the class’s performance of “.”

��ϲ�� Symposium Focuses on Building a Stronger Community

Dan Bernardi — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 18:22:46 +0000

In today’s interconnected world, cultural competency, critical thinking and innovative problem solving are important proficiencies that are highly sought after by employers. The Institute for the Future predicts that 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 have not yet been invented, highlighting the need for adaptable graduates. The humanities play a vital role in cultivating skills such as agility, resilience and flexibility by broadening students’ worldviews and exposing them to diverse cultures, perspectives and experiences.

For the last 21 years, the ��ϲ�� Symposium has done just that through a public series of art exhibitions, lectures, film screenings, workshops and musical performances which encourage people to think critically about important questions and reflect on their values and beliefs.

“��ϲ�� Symposium’s free, inclusive programming is so important to creating a sense of purpose and contribution larger than our individual selves,” says , professor of women’s and gender studies in the College of Arts and Sciences and director of both the Humanities Center and Central New York Humanities Corridor. “Symposium’s diverse lineup of immersive experiences in the arts and humanities helps to humanize large-scale problems and to imagine how we can make a difference, together.”

Each year’s symposium programming centers around a theme, with this year’s being “community,” as chosen by the . May notes that the range of events will engage attendees in conversations about social justice and well-being, while also demonstrating how community is vital to achieving more just and equitable futures. For example, a lecture and workshop with prison studies scholar Brandon Erby will highlight how incarcerated individuals are developing communities to foster a sense of belonging and emotional support as they work to prepare for life after release. Another art exhibition and film screening will highlight how the women artists in the Mithila region of northeast India are using art to challenge longstanding gender-based violence and patriarchal structures to foster empowerment and social reform.

“This fall’s lineup invites us to immerse in a rich array of cultural forms to consider how community can be imagined and built but also undermined,” says May. “Our fall offerings underscore the humanities’ central role in how we craft identity and forge community, including in contexts of constraint; in how to confront myriad forms of violence rupturing our communities; and in how we imagine community differently and tap into its possibilities in more just ways.”

Fall Symposium Events at a Glance

Friday, Sept. 6

Gordon Parks

– During his career as a photojournalist from the 1940s to the 1970s, Gordon Parks illuminated issues of race relations, poverty, civil rights and urban life in America. An exhibition of his works, which he donated to Kansas State University, will be on display at the SU Art Museum’s Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries through Dec. 8. At the Sept. 6 event, , associate curator at Kansas State University’s Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art, will discuss the legendary photographer and his wide-ranging artistic ideas.

Wednesday, Sept. 11

– , professor at the University of California-Santa Barbara and prominent architect and architectural historian, will introduce participants to new methodologies in researching architectural and urban space through colonial and post-colonial lenses. The workshop will feature selected archival materials in the Special Collections Research Center and will also include a walking tour of the Erie Canal in downtown ��ϲ��.

Thursday, Sept. 12

Swati Chattopadhyay

– Chattopadhyay, whose research specializations include modern architecture and urbanism, and the cultural landscape of the British empire, will present a public lecture exploring how analyzing architecture, urban design and monuments can help people understand sovereignty and its relation to colonialism.

Friday, Sept. 20

– will commemorate Latine Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15) with the opening of its new exhibition, “Weird Barrio,” featuring the work of ��ϲ��-based Puerto Rican artist Manuel Matías. The installation will feature a collection of miniature three-dimensional dioramas that depict the Latino experience of ��ϲ�� and Central New York.

Friday, Oct. 18

– An art exhibition at the SU Art Museum and film screening of will emphasize how women in the Mithila region near the India-Nepali border are shifting gender and other social norms through storytelling and art. The film screening will include a question-and-answer session with producer Coralynn Davis.

Sunday, Oct. 20

– Composer Kurt Erickson and award-winning poet and veteran Brian Turner will discuss the creative process behind their collaborative works, which blend Erickson’s compositions with Turner’s poetry. As part of Remembrance Week, the artists’ talk follows a of “Each Moment Radiant,” which commemorates the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. The concert will also include a rendition of “Here Bullet,” featuring a poem by Turner reflecting on his experiences as an American soldier in Iraq, and chamber music of Johannes Brahms.

Alba

Thursday, Oct. 24

– This year’s Kashi and Kameshwar C. Wali Lecture in the Sciences and Humanities will feature “bio-artist” Eduardo Kac, who gained prominence at the beginning of the 21st century with his transgenic work GFP Bunny (pictured). Kac used molecular biology and a gene found in jellyfish to create Alba, a bunny which turned fluorescent green when exposed to blue light. Kac will revisit key highlights in his career, with emphasis on his current space artworks.

Brandon Erby

Thursday, Nov. 7
– , assistant professor of writing, rhetoric and digital studies at the University of Kentucky, will discuss how incarcerated individuals build communities inside jails and the vital role they play in their emotional well-being, rehabilitation and reintegration.

– Erby will host a workshop detailing how incarcerated individuals turn to podcasting to sharpen their storytelling skills and build community.

Learn more about this year’s .

5 Early-Career Faculty Win Prestigious Research Awards

Diane Stirling — Wed, 04 Sep 2024 17:33:45 +0000

Five early-career faculty members have earned national recognition and funding for their research. The awards are among the most sought-after recognitions that junior faculty members can receive in their fields.

The faculty are and of (ECS); and of the ��(A&S); and of the .

, vice president for research and Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics, says the awards demonstrate the exceptional promise of junior faculty in both research and education. “It is exciting to see such a diverse range of research projects recognized by the federal government and philanthropic foundations,” Brown says. “The awards provide funding that will help our researchers find ways to reduce inequality, develop new forms of energy, build better aircraft, secure computer systems and advance the frontiers of mathematics.”

Endadul Hoque, Yiming Zhao��

Hoque, assistant professor of electrical engineering and computer science in ECS, and Zhao, assistant professor of mathematics in A&S, both earned Awards—the NSF’s most competitive award for early-career faculty.

Endadul Hoque

Hoque will use the to enhance computer network security by developing an innovative technique known as “fuzzing.” Fuzzing injects invalid or unexpected inputs into a system to find security vulnerabilities in software, but current techniques have limitations. His work involves creating a language to encode complex structures of inputs that change depending on the context and creating techniques that can mutate inputs to systems without losing their context sensitivity. The research will create new methods to find loopholes in real-world security-critical systems. Hoque also plans to hold workshops for K-12 students to promote cybersecurity awareness and support students from historically marginalized communities to pursue careers in STEM.

Yiming Zhao

Zhao, a mathematician who specializes in convex geometry, geometric analysis and partial differential equations, will use the to explore new variations of two of geometry’s oldest problems: the isoperimetric problem and the Minkowski problem. These problems focus on recovering the shape of geometric figures from their geometric properties, such as their volume and surface area. Applications of the techniques developed can be used to create new solutions to science and engineering problems ranging from antenna reflector design to urban planning. He will host special educational sessions at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology for K-12 students to encourage them to think about math as discovery, not just as applying a set of formulas on an exam.

Yiyang Sun

Yiyang Sun��

Sun was presented with a from the , the basic research arm of the Air Force Research Laboratory. That program enhances career development for outstanding young researchers who advance the Air Force’s mission in science and engineering. Only 48 scientists and engineers received the award in 2024.

Sun’s grant of $446,360 is for her project, “Multi-Modal Interactions in Three-Dimensional Unsteady Flows.” Her research uses a cutting-edge technique to analyze multi-modal interactions in fluid flows to analyze and understand unsteady aerodynamic problems. The research outcomes could have a significant impact on advancing the designs of aircraft with improved aerodynamic performance for challenging operation conditions.

Craig Cahillane

Craig Cahillane��

Cahillane was awarded an��by the . He was one of only 23 researchers selected nationally in the first class of IGNIITE fellows and received the award at a The program supports early-career innovators who are working to convert disruptive and unconventional ideas into impactful new energy technologies.

The $500,000 award supports two years of work in fusion energy optimization on the project, “Ultra-High Power Photoneutralization Cavity for Neutral Beam Injection in Fusion Reactors.”��Cahillane is developing a prototype that has the potential to make fusion reactors nearly twice as efficient as they are with current technology. His lab will develop an ultra-high power laser cavity designed to help efficiently reheat and refuel a fusion reactor.

Ying Shi

Shi received $350,000 from the Scholars Program for her exploration of Asian American students’ exposure to victimization and hate crimes in school. That program supports early-career researchers who are working to reduce inequality in youth outcomes and improve research evidence in decisions that affect young people in the United States.

Only four to six scholars are selected for this award each year, and Shi is the first scholar��from ��ϲ�� to receive it. Shi’s project, “School Victimization and Hate Crime Exposure Among Asian Students: An Evidence Base to Reduce Well-Being Inequality,” is funded for five years. Shi plans to use administrative data from studies across multiple U.S. cities and states to collect information on the prevalence and consequences of exposure to school victimization and hate crimes for Asian students, as compared with their peers.

New Student Association Leaders Emphasize Importance of Collaboration

John Boccacino — Wed, 28 Aug 2024 19:19:26 +0000

New Student Association President German Nolivos ’26 (right) and Vice President Reed Granger ’26 strive to get as many student voices as possible involved in the decision-making process on campus.

Listen. Learn. Lead.

Those three simple verbs were repeatedly emphasized by German Nolivos ’26 and Reed Granger ’26 during the spring general elections.

German Nolivos

Hammering home an effective message to ��ϲ��’s student body was especially important since Nolivos and Granger were running unopposed. With no competition, the duo was essentially guaranteed to assume leadership roles as president and vice president. But they did not intend to simply coast to victory.

Rather, they worked tirelessly to convey the important role SA plays as a bridge that listens to student concerns and works with the administration to resolve them.

“We wanted the students to understand that we cannot effectively work without their input. We want to leave our mark on student government by focusing on these recognized student organizations and multicultural organizations that have been looking for help from the student body and the SA. We can strengthen the relationship between our students and student government,” says Nolivos, a Posse Leadership Scholar and first-generation college student studying political science in the and and public relations in the��.

“We needed to convince students to engage with the Student Association, and we campaigned on those values of listening, learning and leading. Our goal is to advocate for new policies that are effective in resolving the issues our students face, and to let the student body know how truly important our advocacy is,” adds Granger, who is studying photography in the Newhouse School and political science in the Maxwell School and College of Arts and Sciences.

Reed Granger

The message was well-received, as Nolivos and Granger were elected president and vice president, respectively, after garnering more than 90% of the votes. The SA is the official student governing and advocacy body for the nearly 16,000 ��ϲ�� and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry undergraduates.

Nolivos and Granger have held previous leadership roles on campus, and they are excited to hold these positions while striving to get as many student voices as possible involved in the decision-making process on campus.

The “listen, learn, lead” motto extends beyond a campaign slogan, influencing Nolivos and Granger’s main objectives as elected student leaders. For this upcoming academic year, their main goals include:

listening to the voices of traditionally underrepresented student populations;
learning from and engaging with the collective diversity on campus;
leading by continuing to foster an inclusive, accessible and welcoming campus for all;
improving campus safety, especially on South Campus;
enhancing the quality of the food in the dining halls and continuing to provide students access to food through complimentary grocery trolley runs;
helping the University reduce its carbon footprint while striving to achieve carbon neutrality by 2032; and
creating changes that will enhance the student experience for all.

Nolivos and Granger sat down with SU News to discuss their goals for the academic year, offer their advice to new students on campus and share how their time at ��ϲ�� has fueled their growth as student leaders.

What will make this a successful academic year?

German Nolivos: My goal is always to empower the students who work under me, to make sure the Student Association’s 100 members know that they’re appreciated, and that the work they’re doing has an impact on our campus. For this year to be successful, we want the campus community to know who we are and that the Student Association can be a valuable resource for our students.

Reed Granger: To spread the word of Student Association to more students than ever before and continuing the good relationship we have with our administration. Being able to improve on what previous student leaders have done while continuing to advocate for the student body.

What’s one thing you wish you knew before you started your ��ϲ�� journey?

Granger: Time management. I don’t know if there’s an overall secret to time management, but I wish that before my first day, somebody told me about how to manage my time. Given my areas of study and my involvement on campus, everything I do, every meeting I have goes through my Google Calendar, even homework assignments. And I encourage new students to make sure you have some free time.

Nolivos: In the first couple of weeks on campus, it’s important that you build up your support system. You’re going to have opportunities to meet people from all over the world. Make sure you really take the time to find the people that you want to be there with you for this journey. This is the opportunity to become the person that you want to become. It’s a new chapter in your life. Give this 100% of your attention. One thing that helped me my first year was extracurriculars. Discovering your community will help you feel more connected to campus.

German Nolivos ’26 (left) and Reed Granger ’26 conveyed the important role the Student Association plays as a bridge that listens to student concerns and works with the administration to resolve them.

Are there any common mistakes for first-year students to avoid?

Nolivos: Think about the classes you’re taking, especially your required classes, and figure out which classes you should take first to set you up for future success. And from a social perspective, make sure that you’re treating this as the first page of the rest of your life. Be transparent with yourself on this journey. Be an open book with everything. You’re going to find people from different paths of life and different experiences than you. Make sure you’re always respectful of other people’s opinions and experiences and learn from them.

Granger: Don’t join too many clubs or take too many classes, you’re just overwhelming yourself while you’re still trying to learn what it means to be an undergraduate at ��ϲ��. You can lose your sense of self while you’re trying to figure out who you are. Don’t put too much on your shoulders when you first get here.

How has ��ϲ�� helped you become the person you are today?

Granger: I’m a fully changed person since my first year. This campus has given me elements of friendship that I never experienced in high school as I figure out what I seek in friendships. Who do I want to spend time with? Why do I want to spend time with them? The true value of friendship and what it can do for your life is something that I truly have learned in the past two years here. Also the importance of making connections, whether with your classmates or your professors. So many of these connections are either involved in your career path or are going to be involved. Learn to maintain those connections. That’s one way the ��ϲ�� experience has changed me for the better.

Nolivos: I’m a political refugee. I arrived in this country six years ago. I always had trouble trusting myself and my abilities, and felt I was always going to be behind my peers. But ��ϲ�� made me realize how much power I have and how far I can push myself to become the person I want to become. ��ϲ�� has given me the tools to build that future for myself.

Remembering Arts and Sciences Emeritus Professor John Baldwin

News Staff — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 17:13:51 +0000

The College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) mourns the passing of John Baldwin, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of chemistry.

Remembered as a dynamic scholar of physical organic chemistry, Baldwin was a pioneer in utilizing density functional theory to gain insight into chemical bonding and reaction mechanisms. He published more than 150 articles over the course of his career, and continued to publish important works up until his retirement, including articles in the��, the��Ի� the .

A Promising Beginning

John Baldwin

Baldwin was born in 1937 in Berwyn, Pennsylvania, and grew up in Oak Park, Pennsylvania. According to his obituary, he was an exceedingly well-rounded student, excelling in many sports and becoming valedictorian of his high school class at Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1955. He continued both his studies and his athleticism at Dartmouth College, participating on the ski, lacrosse and track teams, and once again becoming valedictorian of his class in 1959. He earned his doctorate in physics and chemistry at the California Institute of Technology in 1963.

Baldwin began his career as an assistant professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he was recognized through an Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship, associate membership of the Center for Advanced Study at the University of Illinois and a John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship. He soon transitioned to the University of Oregon as a full professor, where he spent 16 years. Baldwin then joined ��ϲ��’s chemistry department as the William R. Kenan Jr. Endowed Professor of Science in 1984, where he was to spend the next 40, very productive years.

From the start of his career, Baldwin developed a reputation for excellence, as a scholar and researcher, but also interpersonally; he was a generous collaborator, teacher and mentor. Baldwin became known for successfully addressing highly challenging questions regarding organic reactions by applying rigorous methods with exacting measurements and careful analysis, and by combining the experimental work with molecular computations.

This work, as well as its history and development, was summarized by Baldwin himself in a seminal��Chemical Reviews (2003) article. A collaborator recently was quoted as saying, “When John’s illness prevented him from communicating his creative thoughts about reaction mechanisms and science more broadly, a large hole was created in the field of physical organic chemistry, a hole that no one has since been able to fill. He has been irreplaceable.” Another colleague says, “Having been impressed and amazed by John’s published work, I was excited to start my career in the same department. John was always a treasured colleague, both for his expertise and for his personal approach, always with caring, kindness and friendship.”

A Career of Accolades

Baldwin was instrumental in bringing the Life Sciences Complex project to fruition.

Baldwin’s service to the field and the University were extensive. He served on the President’s Science Advisory Committee; the Medicinal Chemistry Study Section of the National Institutes of Health; the National Science Foundation’s Chemistry Division Standing Review Panel; the executive committee of the American Chemical Society Division of Organic Chemistry; and the Advisory Board of the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society. He received the American Chemical Society’s James Flack Norris Award in 2010, as well as awards from the John Simon Guggenheim and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundations.

In addition to his teaching and research, he led ��ϲ��’s chemistry department as chair for many years and played a pivotal role in the lobbying for the Life Sciences Complex, which opened in 2008. Baldwin contributed to the facility’s ultimate design, resulting in all new teaching labs and research space for chemistry. He received the Chancellor’s Citation for Excellence, was awarded a Distinguished Professor title, and graduated more than 10 ��ϲ�� Ph.D. students from his lab before retiring and earning emeritus status in 2014. His graduate students remember him as a thoughtful listener and a mentor whose gentle and respectful manner fostered their development.

Baldwin’s interests were broad, including history, music, philosophy and foreign languages; he spoke Russian, Swedish and German. He was known for taking a genuine and deep interest in the vocations of his friends, regardless of industry. He served on the board of the Chamber Music Society and supported the Society for New Music in ��ϲ��; he and his wife, Anne, hosted concerts in their home. He relished any professional and personal opportunity to travel and held visiting professor appointments at Heidelberg, Munich and Hamburg, Germany; Krakow, Poland; Stockholm and Göteborg, Sweden; and at his alma mater, Cal Tech.

Baldwin is survived by his wife, as well as children Claire Miller Baldwin (husband Ferdinand von Muench), John Nordlander Baldwin (late wife Daphne Berdahl-Baldwin) and Wesley Hale Baldwin (wife Melisa Barrick Baldwin); his grandchildren, Carrie von Muench (husband Shankara Anand), Sophie von Muench, Audrey Berdahl-Baldwin, Eloise Berdahl-Baldwin, Jack Baldwin, Ella Baldwin, Poppy Baldwin and Maisie Baldwin; his sister, Martha Baldwin Swanson, and many nieces and nephews.

Story by Lesley Porcelli

Innovator From the Mathematics Department Receives the Abraham Wald Prize

Kerrie Marshall — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 16:52:55 +0000

Pinyuen Chen

Professor�� from the Department of Mathematics has received an award that honors the best publication each year from the Journal of Sequential Analysis. The Abraham Wald Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the field of sequential analysis, which is a technique in mathematical statistics that, unlike classical techniques, analyzes data in real-time, allowing researchers to make decisions on whether to stop or continue an experiment as new data comes in, often leading to faster and more efficient results. It was developed during World War II as a tool to improve industrial quality control for the war effort.

Chen’s paper “” was co-authored by Elena Buzaianu, who received a Ph.D. from ��ϲ�� in 2006, with Chen as her advisor, and Lifang Hsu, professor of mathematics at Le Moyne College. There is a connection from Chen to the namesake for the award, Abraham Wald. Wald, a mathematician who founded the field of sequential analysis, was the advisor for Milton Sobel, subsequently Chen’s advisor for his dissertation in 1982 at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Teaching at ��ϲ�� since 1982, he is both a serial collaborator and an innovator, “I thank the department and my colleagues for giving me the time to work on my favorite research in the last 42 years,” says Chen.

Elena Buzaianu accepted the prize on behalf of herself, Chen and Hsu at Utah Valley University.

Chen conducts interdisciplinary research with scholars from other disciplines at ��ϲ�� and around the world. He is a senior member of the��Ի� affiliated with the�� at ��ϲ��, both interdisciplinary programs within the College of Arts and Sciences that also include faculty from computer and information sciences, management, psychology and the social sciences. Chen has worked on military projects with electrical engineers at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, on data used for radar signal processing that may improve the detection and specific location and speed of a target.

“It’s always a thrill when our faculty are recognized for their outstanding scholarship,” says Graham Leuschke, professor and chair of mathematics. “The entire department is proud of Professor Chen’s accomplishment, and it’s especially sweet that our former Ph.D. student, Elena Buzaianu, was recognized as well.”

This is the 20th anniversary of the Abraham Wald Prize, established in 2004 and first awarded at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Minneapolis in August 2005. Elena Buzaianu accepted the award for Chen and the team in a special 2-hour ceremony at the 8th International Workshop in Sequential Methodologies, held at Utah Valley University.

BioInspired Wins NSF Grant to Develop Graduate Training Program in Emergent Intelligence

Wendy S. Loughlin — Mon, 26 Aug 2024 13:55:27 +0000

��ϲ��’s has been awarded a $3 million grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for the creation of an interdisciplinary training program for doctoral students in emergent intelligence.

The program, NRT-URoL: Emergent Intelligence Research for Graduate Excellence in Biological and Bio-Inspired Systems (EmIRGE-Bio), will support the integration of research and education on emergent intelligence in both biological and bio-inspired systems and allow doctoral students to work and experience team-building across disciplinary and departmental boundaries.

Lisa Manning speaks at a previous BioInspired Symposium. (Photo by Angela Ryan)

“Many of society’s most pressing challenges—including food security, sustainability and supporting aging populations—will require breakthroughs in biotechnology and bio-inspired science,” says , William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Physics in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), who is principal investigator (PI). “This program will train a new generation of scientists and engineers who can evaluate and harness complex systems, such as biological tissues or next-generation materials, to drive intelligent responses such as sensing, actuating and learning, leading to breakthrough technologies.”

Co-PIs are , associate professor of biology and chemistry in A&S; , associate director of BioInspired and Renée Crown Professor in the Sciences and Mathematics and associate professor of biology in A&S; , Samuel and Carol Nappi Research Scholar and associate professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science (ECS); and , associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in ECS.

BioInspired director , professor of biomedical and chemical engineering in ECS, says, “the Research Traineeship Program is currently one of—if not the most—competitive funding programs at the National Science Foundation. Receipt of the award speaks to the existing strength of graduate education in BioInspired fields at ��ϲ�� and to the exciting new opportunities and programming that Lisa and the team designed and proposed and now stand poised to deliver.”

The EmIRGE-Bio program will feature advanced core disciplinary courses in areas foundational to biotechnology and bio-inspired design; the development of two new courses utilizing team-based learning paradigms; and a longitudinal professional development program. It will also include a STEM entrepreneurship course offered by the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, an internship program and a co-curricular workshop series on project management and technology transfer.

Some 115 Ph.D. students from fields that span the life and physical sciences and engineering are expected to take part in the training, which the research team says will address a STEM workforce gap identified by local and national partners in industry and academe.

“Emergence in biology and bio-inspired design is one of the University’s signature areas of strength, and we have seen that borne out by the success of BioInspired since its founding in 2019,” says Interim Vice Chancellor, Provost and Chief Academic Officer . “This initiative draws on that strength and supports our long-term strategic goal to transform STEM at ��ϲ�� and enhance graduates’ potential for success in a swiftly evolving marketplace.”

Adds , vice president for research: “The NRT award will advance BioInspired in ways that are core to ��ϲ��’s identity: recruiting and retaining a diverse student population, advancing cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and education and providing our students with the entrepreneurial skills needed in the 21st century workforce.”

Orange Connections Run Deep in the Kehr/Hirsh Family Tree

John Boccacino — Fri, 23 Aug 2024 13:07:48 +0000

Members of the Kehr/Hirsh family (from left to right): Steven Hirsh, Samantha Hirsh, Michael Kehr, Alice Hirsh, Ryan Kehr, Jonathan Hirsh and Rebecca Hirsh.

On an overcast Mother’s Day in 2018, a photo was taken outside of the Hall of Languages depicting a proud ��ϲ�� graduate, Ryan Kehr ’18, surrounded by happy family members.

It’s the kind of photo that gets taken repeatedly during Commencement weekend. This particular photo tells the story of the Kehr/Hirsh family—a proud collection of alumni whose connections to ��ϲ�� date back to the fall of 1966. That’s when Alice (Musikar) Hirsh ’70 began her pursuit of a nursing degree from the College of Nursing.

Hirsh is the matriarch of an Orange legacy family that currently boasts seven alumni members:

Alice and her husband, Steven ’70 (philosophy, );
Alice’s children, Jonathan ’99 (marketing management, ) and Samantha Hirsh ’10 (inclusive elementary and special education, ); along with Jonathan’s wife, Rebecca (Rosenstein) Hirsh ’99 (child development in what is now the );
Hirsh’s nephew, Michael Kehr ’86 (political science, and the College of Arts and Sciences), and his son, Ryan (information management and technology, )

The family will add another branch to the tree when Julia Kehr ’26, Michael’s daughter, graduates in May of 2026 with dual degrees in international relations (Maxwell School) and information management and technology (iSchool).

Alice, Ryan and Julia sat down with SU News to discuss their love of the University, the Orange bonds that connect them and the impact ��ϲ�� has had on their lives.

Alice Hirsh ’70

Alice Hirsh

What drew you to ��ϲ��? “The College of Nursing had a stellar reputation. It was hard to get into, and it was exactly what I wanted academically. When it came to choosing ��ϲ��, I wanted a big school, one with great sports teams and Greek life. It was everything I wanted and more, and the College of Nursing really did a great job of teaching and preparing us.”

Involvement on campus: A member of the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority, Alice met her husband, Steven, during the fall semester of her sophomore year. They married a few months after graduation.

How strong is your affinity for ��ϲ��? “I had such a positive experience at ��ϲ��. It was an important part of my life. I’m still very close friends with a group of 15 women who graduated from the College of Nursing with me. We still communicate and we get together every couple of years for Orange gatherings that we plan ourselves. Now, seeing so many members of my family go on to study and earn degrees from ��ϲ�� really warms my heart. Everyone has had their own, great experiences. My family knows that everything I own is orange, and they know how important ��ϲ�� is to me.”

What makes ��ϲ�� special? “Each one of us found something different to focus our attention on. For me, it was Greek life. For Jonathan, he was passionate about . Samantha was on the . We each discovered our passions and interests because of our time on campus, and as a family we all believe ��ϲ�� is a great place.”

Ryan Kehr ’18

Ryan Kehr

What drew you to ��ϲ��? “It wasn’t instilled in me that I had to attend ��ϲ��, but ��ϲ�� was my number one choice. Plus, anyone I ever talked to about ��ϲ�� always mentioned how great their experiences were and how strong the alumni network was. I didn’t know what I wanted to study at first, so I applied to the iSchool and completely fell in love with the tight-knit community.”

Involvement on campus: An iSchool peer advisor, Ryan also worked for SIDEARM Sports, eventually running the student team of workers. “Working under SIDEARM Sports’ founder Jeff Rubin ’95, G’98 was invaluable. I owe so much of my career success to the lessons I learned from Jeff and from my classes. The first class I took from Jeff made me fall in love with technology as a career.”

Current job: Ryan is in his third year as a product manager for the NFL. He helps the league build up its electronic medical records platform for athletic trainers, team physicians and the players.

How did ��ϲ�� set you up for career success? “The iSchool gives students so many opportunities to learn, grow and pick their own career path. I learned how to be a good communicator, a good problem-solver and a good team player. Another key lesson I learned is to take advantage of every opportunity to meet with alumni. We did these iSchool road trips where we would go to Silicon Valley, New York City and Boston and meet with different companies that had ��ϲ�� alumni. We’d hear about their career journeys, and that helped me know what I wanted to do when I graduated. I’m thankful for all those opportunities; they shaped me into the person I am today.”

Julia Kehr ’26

Julia Kehr

What drew you to ��ϲ��? “When we were all on campus for Ryan’s graduation and I saw all of my family members together, that was really cool to see everyone who shared that Orange connection. I knew right then that I was meant to be at ��ϲ��. I applied early decision my senior year of high school and didn’t visit any other colleges.”

Involvement on campus: A member of the Delta Gamma sorority, Julia became involved with Slice Consulting, a student-run consulting firm that provides pro bono services to clients and nonprofits in ��ϲ��. She currently serves as a project manager.

Career ambitions: “I interned at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey this summer and really enjoyed that experience. That solidified my interest in working for a nonprofit, which Maxwell definitely instilled in me and has been enhanced through my work for Slice Consulting. I feel like working in the public sector consulting or working as a project manager for a nonprofit would be a great fit.”

What makes ��ϲ�� special? “I always saw how closely tied to ��ϲ�� my family was, but I never realized what that meant until I enrolled. The second I came back to campus from winter break my freshman year, I understood how special it was that we all shared the same values because we were all at the same place for college and learned such valuable life lessons.”

Utah’s New Law Banning Books Ignites Censorship Debate

Christopher Munoz — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 18:49:53 +0000

More than a dozen books are under a new state law. It’s the latest in what is a growing trend across the United States. , PEN America said that there were more than 4,000 instances of school book bans in the fall of 2023, more than twice the number from the previous spring.

Katherine Kidd

is an English Studies professor at ��ϲ�� who organizes a banned book read-out event each year. She took time to answer some questions about the new law and how this and other book bans can have far-reaching effects.

Q: Is there anything in particular about this latest banning effort that stands out to you?��

A: It’s hard not to think of it as part and parcel to the broader trend toward censorship and suppression of information, and the repression of marginalized identities, especially the aims of Project 2025, which seeks to create a conservative Christian social order by way of government restructuring.

The fact that almost all of Utah’s book bans this go-around are written by women and are about women’s experiences in the world, makes it pretty clear that there’s a correlation between the book bans and the ideology that drives Project 2025, as well as a correlation with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, etc. That it’s happening statewide in Utah is not entirely surprising, but I worry that Utah’s reputation with regard to its unique religious demographics can obscure the details of the actual law that passed and what it entails for the rest of the US.

The law passed there that has allowed for this banning is actually bananas. According to the law, a book can be banned if at least three of the state’s school boards determine the content is pornographic or otherwise offensive. That’s only 3 of over 40 statewide school districts in Utah. So, in Utah, if fewer than 10% of the districts deem a text inappropriate, the other 90%+ don’t have a choice in the matter. That kind of thing can happen anywhere, there are people actively working to make it happen everywhere, and those people have an agenda that goes well beyond books.

A silver lining is that for some authors and books, a banning or contestation can amplify the message. A book can become a best-seller and a cultural touchstone that people talk about for a long time because of a banning.

Katherine Kidd

Q: What kind of impact might it have on young readers and their teachers?��

A: As an English professor, book banning is a personal affront to the values that I hold dear. However, I teach young adults, so I have more freedom (as of now) to share texts that aren’t likely to be taught in elementary, middle, and high schools, regardless of whether there’s a ban.

I feel sad for the kids who won’t have access to certain books. It will be more difficult for some kids to find books in which they see themselves, or books that answer real and valid questions about life. Since even textbooks are susceptible to being deemed pornographic, I also worry that young people – especially young girls, gender nonconforming people, and racial and ethnic minorities – will be deprived of crucial lessons about themselves, the working and care of their bodies, and their histories. It is antithetical to education.

A silver lining is that for some authors and books, a banning or contestation can amplify the message. A book can become a best-seller and a cultural touchstone that people talk about for a long time because of a banning. I think Gender Queer��by Maia Kobabe is such a book. Without the backlash about one particular scene/set of panels, the book would be just one of many queer coming-of-age stories that came out that year. Now it’s everywhere, and loads of people have heard of it and read it. I teach it in one of my classes because of its cultural significance as well as its content. It is a success because it was deemed a problem. Still, that’s only the case with some books on some topics.

I read everything under the sun as a child and introduced myself to all sorts of texts that challenged my mind and offered alternative perspectives, and I wonder what my life and trajectory might have been if I had not had access to all those books.

P.S. Banning books by angel-person Judy Blume just makes you look like a cartoon villain.

Q: What can people do to push back on banning efforts that might be happening in their own community?

A: Keep yourself informed on local politics, especially those related to education. Read all the time and share what you’ve read with others. Support and use the public library. Hug a librarian (but ask permission first).

To request interviews or get more information:

Chris Munoz
Media Relations Specialist
Division of Communications
cjmunoz@syr.edu

Professor Receives NIH Grant to Study Biofeedback Technologies for Speech Therapy

News Staff — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 15:12:49 +0000

One of the most common speech errors in English is making a “w” sound instead of the “r” sound. Although most children grow out of these and other errors, 2%-to-5% exhibit residual speech sound disorder through adolescence.

A child using visual acoustic biofeedback software. (Photo by Jonathan Preston)

Research has shown that biofeedback technologies can help benefit children struggling with the “r” sound by making the sound visible. , a professor in the in the , is part of a team of scientists awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to explore the effectiveness of technologies that use visual targets to help people adjust their speech.

Biofeedback speech therapies use electronics to display a real-time representation of speech that the child ordinarily can’t perceive on their own. In this instance, the technologies allow the child to see what an “r” sound looks like on a screen. The child hears their “r” sound and views a visual display of their speech on the screen, along with a model representing the correct pronunciation of the sound. The model provides a visual target for the child to use to adjust their speech.

Preston and scientists at��New York University and Montclair State University will compare the effectiveness of these technologies for speech therapy under different conditions. The researchers will also evaluate AI-based tools that could guide home-based practice in tandem with human oversight.

Jonathan Preston

“If we want kids to improve quickly, we’d want them to practice at home,” Preston says. “But they don’t have a skilled speech pathologist available at home to help them practice.”

Many children also lack access to clinicians who use biofeedback methods.��AI could help change that.��Through the research team’s efforts, an AI-powered speech therapy algorithm was trained on the voices of over 400 children.

Then comes individualized practice. “At home, kids will talk into a microphone, and based on the algorithm, the child will receive feedback about whether they spoke the word clearly or not,” says Preston.

Learn more about the grant on the .

Story by John H. Tibbetts

Green Teaching Summit: A Humanities Approach to Climate Education

Dan Bernardi — Wed, 14 Aug 2024 22:36:30 +0000

Green Teaching Summit attendees gathered beside the lake at Minnowbrook Conference Center in the Adirondacks.

Can religion, philosophy, history, English and writing help tackle issues of climate change, environment and ecology? Absolutely, says , professor of English and outgoing William P. Tolley Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities. Through his Tolley professorship, a role designed to support enhancement of the pedagogical experience and to boost effectiveness in the classroom, he made it a goal to show how the humanities subjects are vital to helping society understand and respond to today’s complex ecological challenges. Here are just four of many ways humanists are engaged in research relating to climate:

A. More Than Just a Map: While maps depict selected data about a place, humanists play a key role in translating and communicating what maps say about power, representation and climate urgency—crucial insights for leaders making decisions about the allocation of resources and implementation of policies.

B. Losing Languages: Climate change doesn’t just affect the physical world. It affects human culture too. When climate change causes people to leave their homeland, they often also lose their language. Through the study of language endangerment, humanists examine the causes, processes and consequences of languages becoming extinct and work on ways to preserve them.

C. Religion and Ecology: Religion scholars might explore the environmental consequences of festivals and pilgrimages that draw millions of people to a concentrated area. Or, research on sacred texts can delve into how the texts shape environmental consciousness in different faith traditions, highlighting political issues and raising doctrinal concerns.

D. Human-Animal Entanglement: Bestiaries, or works about mythical animals, can spark discussions about human-animal entanglements in different countries and contexts.

A main component of Goode’s professorship was highlighting opportunities for faculty and staff across campus to share resources to help students respond to the implications of the climate crisis and to think ecologically.

Inspired in part by the success of a collaboration with the ��ϲ�� Art Museum where Goode teamed up with staff and students to explore the ways in which objects and artworks in the museum’s collection could be utilized as , he wanted to see how others at the University could forge partnerships to elevate their own research and teaching around ecology. In May, he convened a team of faculty from numerous humanities disciplines at the Green Teaching Summit at University’s Minnowbrook Conference Center in the Adirondacks. The three-day conference provided a space for scholars to discover shared interests and forge collaborations, set in a location that itself is ecologically vulnerable.

Arts and Sciences Communications (A&S) sat down with Goode to talk about his motivation for the summit and how the humanities play a crucial role in sparking ecological discussions.

Why is now such a critical time for humanists to focus on ecology and climate?

When doing my English Ph.D. in the early 1990s, I remember one of my professors, Homi Bhabha, declaring that whatever our training and expertise in the humanities, every humanities course would soon need to engage in some way with the histories of colonialism and empire. His comment encountered considerable audience skepticism at the time, but it turned out to be prophetically accurate. We’re facing a similar turning point in the humanities. Whatever our training or expertise, we are likely less than a decade removed from a time when every one of our courses will need to engage with ecology, climate and environmental justice in some way. As the Tolley Professor, I focused on trying to help the humanities at ��ϲ�� lean into this coming shift and to increase their visibility on campus for doing so.

In between presentation sessions, faculty mingled with one another to discuss collaborations on the shores of Blue Mountain Lake.

What was the inspiration for the Green Teaching Summit?

Since the Tolley professorship is charged with expanding and improving humanities teaching, I wanted the summit to be a humanities-focused event with faculty from various environmental disciplines. I wanted as many of the most recently hired tenure-track humanities faculty as possible to attend along with staff who could highlight ways to further leverage campus resources, so the next generation of humanities scholars are empowered with the critical perspectives necessary to help raise awareness, inspire action and help shape policies that are socially just and culturally sensitive.

What do you hope that faculty can take away from this experience?

I had three goals:

Have people on campus who already teach in these areas connect with one another, describe what they do in the classroom, learn more about how different subjects get taught from different disciplinary vantage points and plant the seeds for future initiatives and collaborations.
Highlight campus resources, centers and offices with which to collaborate on experiential learning, student success and professional development related to ecology, climate and environmental justice concerns.
Bridge generations, connecting the newest tenure-track hires in the humanities at ��ϲ�� to senior faculty on campus already teaching and researching in these areas, so we could mutually inspire, learn from and collaborate with each other moving forward.

What are the benefits of having a group of scholars (and administrators) come together at a summit like this? Do you think that the setting was/is particularly important?

One bit of feedback I have received repeatedly from attendees is that they did not realize just how many other people on campus were teaching in these areas and were thrilled to meet faculty with shared interests who they might not have met otherwise. The Adirondacks setting, however aesthetically pleasing, also probably contributed to a sense of urgency, since some of the weekend’s talks touched on the region’s ecological vulnerability and its connection to histories of environmental injustice through Native American displacement and dispossession.

Understanding that you are wrapping up the two-year Tolley professorship this summer, what do you hope the legacy or potential of the Green Teaching Summit will be at SU?

I’d love it if a dedicated environmental humanities chair could be created on campus to continue expanding and sustaining this kind of environmental humanities-focused programming, network-building and resource-sharing. We need people and resources to spearhead more humanities-centered working groups and to develop new campus collaborations related to ecology and climate. The Art, Ecology, and Climate Project (that I founded while Tolley Professor) is already being used in many different instructional contexts on campus, and I hope that it can eventually be grown to include holdings at repositories like SCRC and the Belfer Sound Archive. Unfortunately, climate change is the shared future of all of us, and every single faculty member needs to be positioned instructionally to grapple with it. I certainly hope that the newest humanities faculty on campus walked away from the summit energized to lean into that project more in their own teaching moving forward.

For more on the Green Teaching Summit, visit the .

Chemistry Professor Collaborates With Brookhaven National Laboratory

News Staff — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 15:54:48 +0000

With grant funding from the Department of Energy, Professor Mathew Maye and his collaborators will manufacture and test a new generation of Quantum dots.

Tiny but mighty semiconductors named Quantum dots (Qdots) could someday drive hyper-powerful computers.

Qdots are crystals squeezed in a space just a few nanometers in diameter. They are used today in products such as solar cells or LEDs and work by either absorbing or emitting light with high efficiency. The amount or color of the light is fine-tuned by Qdot dimension, chemical composition and crystal structure, which is designed by chemists in the lab or at the factory.

These applications rely on the excitation or relaxation of an electron in what is called “quantized” energy levels, but “the future of Qdots is not about bright colors or how much electricity they produce,” says��, professor and department chair of chemistry at ��ϲ��.

Instead, the future is about what happens to the electron’s spin while in those energy levels—measuring or manipulating it in new ways.

For example, each electron in an atom has one of two spin states, “up” or “down,” which describes its orbit. Spins can then be “paired,” a situation where a spin-up electron is combined with a spin-down one or un-paired when a single electron is left, which is either spin-up or down. The amount of un-paired electrons affects a material’s magnetic property. When a single electron is excited in a Qdot, it should maintain the same spin, but there may be ways to engineer or flip its spin in the future.

Such ability will provide new pathways in communications and information storage, leading to powerful quantum computers and important cryptographies that use spin states to store information instead of the “1” and “0” bits of traditional computers.

Images of Quantum dots – or “Qdots.” Cell “a” shows photographs of Qdots of different compositions emitting light at tailored energies (i.e., colors). Cells “b-e” show transmission electron microscopy images of three different Qdot morphologies.

To do this, Maye is partnering with Brookhaven National Laboratory and its Center for Functional Nanomaterials, on a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), to manufacture and test this new generation of Qdots.

“We proposed to design new alloy and magnetic Qdots whose composition or dimension allow the electron to be more easily measured or manipulated by external stimuli,” says Maye. “This requires thinking about how to induce polarization or which energy levels to add in order to trap, manipulate or transfer the electron during excitation.”

But synthesizing such Qdots is just one challenge because electron excitation and transfer is a very fast process—fractions of a fraction of a nanosecond, or, to put it precisely, on the order of pico- (10-12) to nano-seconds (10-9)—and spin is even harder to measure, requiring low temperatures, magnetic fields and higher precision instruments.

That is where scientists at Brookhaven have a very important role. They design, build and acquire such “ultrafast” instruments that allow researchers to measure these processes. “We will be collaborating closely with experts there,” says Maye.

This project will provide research opportunities for ��ϲ�� students in materials chemistry, lithography and quantum computing.

“I’m excited to train our undergraduate students and graduate trainees to not only use our chemistry to design and make these new Qdots, but also travel with them to Brookhaven to do their own state of the art measurements.” says Maye.

Story by John H. Tibbetts

Undergraduate Students Celebrate the Fruits of Their Summer Research

Kelly Homan Rodoski — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 14:29:41 +0000

This summer, undergraduates Xuezhu (Stephanie) Hua ’25, Kaniya Ross ’25 and Edward Lu ’26 have been deeply engaged in research.

Presenters and attendees at the 2023 SOURCE Symposium

Hua, a nutrition science major in the , has investigated the effects of fish oil on paternal obesity and its impact on offspring muscle function. Ross, a neuroscience and psychology major in the , has studied the impact of Cited2 excision and maternal folic acid supplementation among mice on neurodevelopment. And Lu, a music composition major in the (VPA), has worked with music ensembles and experienced the premieres of two of his original compositions.

They are among the more than 250 students who have actively participated in research this summer—both in-person and remotely—through initiatives of the ��ϲ�� Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE) and other programs, including the Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP); Chemistry, iSchool, and BioInspired Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs; the SUNY Upstate Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program; the McNair Scholars Program; the psychology SPARC and STAHR programs; Renée Crown University Honors Program; Women in Science and Engineering (WISE)-supported students and others.

As a culmination of their experiences, the —a poster session featuring more than 110 undergraduate research students, will be held Thursday, Aug. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Schine Student Center’s Panasci Lounge. A picnic will follow on the patio of Huntington Beard Crouse Hall. .

Some of the posters that will be presented include:

Mercury Release From Alaskan Permafrost
The Role of the Kit Tyrosine Pathway in Primordial Follicle Formation and Cyst Breakdown
The Effects of the Post-Mating Immune Response in Drosophila on Female Fecundity
��ϲ�� Policy Legacy Project
Testing the Hydropathy of Synthetic RNA
Polyurethane Foams for Hemorrhage Control
Supporting Healthcare Outcomes and Access for Refugees
Effects of I-81 Highway Construction on Freshwater Streams in the Valley Neighborhood of ��ϲ��
Role of Rab GTPase-Mediated Ciliary Cargo Transport in Cilia formation and Cellular Polarity
Validating Hydraulic Flood Control Risk Assessment Using High Resolution Satellite Imagery

“Summer research students make great strides in their research skill-building during these few short months; they explore fascinating topics, engage with existing work, try new methods and techniques and experience deep immersion and focus in their work,” says SOURCE Director Kate Hanson. “We are thrilled to learn about research at the Summer Symposium and grateful to the mentors that have supported them.”

Xuezhu (Stephanie) Hua ’25

Stephanie Hua

Hua’s research is inspired by the obesity epidemic. “Obesity is a growing concern, with two in five people in the U.S. affected. It not only diminishes quality of life but also has lasting effects on the health of future generations,” Hua says. “In our research explores the potential of fish oil supplementation in mitigating the detrimental, we focus on using fish oil as a dietary intervention for obese fathers.”

Hua and her colleagues have found that a father’s high-fat diet during the preconception period significantly impacts the muscle health of their offspring, potentially decreasing muscle function. Conversely, when the father follows a low-fat diet during the preconception period, the offspring’s muscle health is more influenced by their own diet. “Moving forward, I will employ an analysis of variance test to determine if fish oil supplementation can reverse the adverse effects of a father’s high-fat diet on offspring,” she says.

“I would like to express my gratitude to the SOURCE, Renée Crown University Honors Program and WiSE for sponsoring my research. This invaluable experience has allowed me to ask scientific questions, grapple with challenges and find solutions,” Hua says. “What drives me is the potential impact of my research on people’s lives. To me, research is about serving the community. This experience has been instrumental to me in preparing for my Ph.D. studies in obesity and metabolism.”

Hua’s faculty mentor is , assistant professor of nutrition and food studies in the Falk College.

Edward Lu ’26

Lu says his music composition research this summer has provided him with some of the most artistically fulfilling experiences in his career. He attended the Connecticut Summerfest and the Imani Winds Chamber Music Festival at the Juilliard School as a part of their Emerging Composers Program.

Edward Lu (photo by Isaac Schwalbe)

“Both of these festivals were incredible, and they each provided a diverse array of insights into the business of composition and chamber music,” Lu says.

He traveled to Connecticut in June for a week of lectures, presentations, rehearsals, concerts and recording sessions. “I was paired with ~Nois, a saxophone quartet based in Chicago, who were an absolute joy to work with,” Lu says. “They premiered my piece, ‘Leaf Litter,’ and we also shot a separate professional video/audio recording with the Kinsmen Sound Studio. I loved how much creative liberty I was given during this process, and how much they valued my artistic input. Additionally, I enjoyed getting to know the other ensembles-in-residence.”

In July, Lu spent 10 days in New York City, attending lectures and masterclasses with Imani Winds and the composer-in-residence, Jessica Meyer, as well as other visiting composition faculty. “I was paired with Nimbus Winds, a student wind quintet, and we spent the week rehearsing and workshopping my piece ‘Cloud Shapes,’ which was premiered at Juilliard’s Morse Recital Hall on Aug. 3.” He also had the opportunity to present “Leaf Litter” in a masterclass and share his work from Connecticut Summerfest, bringing his summer research full circle.

“At both festivals, I met a lot of amazing people and built lasting and meaningful relationships while learning important skills such as outreach and finding my musical voice and message,” Lu says. “Additionally, I now have two new pieces and recordings to add to my portfolio. Most importantly, I’ve made colleagues and friends in the field of chamber music that will last my entire lifetime. I’m eternally grateful to SOURCE for making these experiences possible for me.”

Lu’s faculty mentor is , associate professor and chair of music composition, theory and history in VPA’s Setnor School of Music.

Kaniya Ross ’25

Ross’s project is specifically investigating the impact of Cited2 excision and maternal folic acid

Kaniya Ross

supplementation among mice on neurodevelopment. Loss of Cited2 (knockout) has been known to cause disruptions in brain development such as neural tube defects, reduced cortical thickness that can lead to microcephaly, and heart and lung defects.

“Based on preliminary research, prepartum folic acid supplementation has been linked to a reduction in�� neural tube defects like exencephaly. It has also been linked to rescuing reductions in cortical thickness seen with Cited2 knockout,” says Ross. Her team uses immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis and cell counting to measure whether reduced cortical thickness is due to increased cell density or decreased cells overall following Cited2 knockout and maternal folic acid supplementation. As microcephaly is linked to learning and memory deficits, they also do novel object recognition testing to measure changes in both following maternal folic acid supplementation.

“This project is deeply connected with my future endeavors as a pediatric neurologist who will continue doing research on neurodevelopmental disorders as well as providing affordable care and treatments in my own private practice,” Ross says.

Ross has worked with faculty mentor , associate professor of biology in the College of Arts and Sciences, and graduate student Sara Brigida.

Additional events featuring undergraduate research include the 2024 McNair Summer Research Symposium, which will be held Aug. 9 from 10 a.m.to 3 p.m. in 331 Sims Hall. The Psychology SPARC-STAHR & iSchool REU Program Symposium was held on July 25.

Physics Professor Craig Cahillane Wins 2024 ARPA-E IGNIITE Award

Dan Bernardi — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 17:28:55 +0000

, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been named an (IGNIITE 2024) award recipient. As one of only 23 winners across the country, Cahillane receives $500,000 in funding to support his work with fusion energy optimization. In total, approximately $11.5 million was distributed to early-career scientists and engineers through the IGNIITE 2024 program.

IGNIITE is led by the U.S. Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), which promotes and funds research and development of advanced energy technologies to ensure that the U.S. maintains its technological leadership in those areas. The prize will support Cahillane’s project, “Ultra-High Power Photoneutralization Cavity for Neutral Beam Injection in Fusion Reactors,” which has the potential to make fusion reactors nearly twice as efficient as current technology.

Physics professor Craig Cahillane accepting his IGNIITE award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. (photo courtesy of Mitch Soderberg)

Perhaps the most common example of nuclear fusion happens on Earth’s Sun. The Sun generates its energy when its hydrogen atoms are heated so much that they speed up and collide violently. As a result, they fuse together to create helium atoms with the byproduct being the emission of massive amounts of energy. If scientists could develop a steady and reliable way to produce similar fusion power on Earth, it could present a commercially viable energy source.

Researchers are currently working to harness prolonged nuclear fusion in the lab. To do this, it is necessary to generate and sustain plasmas, which are produced when gases are heated such that their electrons become freed from their atomic nuclei. In this state, scientists can stimulate ions so they smash into one another, fuse and release energy. But because plasmas are so unstable, researchers must develop methods to contain them.

The Sun’s plasma is held together by gravity and pressure. On Earth, scientists use processes such as magnetic confinement to control and manipulate plasmas in the lab. Any fusion device must generate more heat than it loses to become self-sustaining. Energy is readily lost via plasma loss and X-rays expelled by the super-heated plasma. One popular way of reheating and refueling the reactor is photoneutralization.

With the IGNIITE grant, Cahillane and his team will be working to demonstrate how ultra-high power laser technology can enable a large-scale commercial fusion reactor. They will work to develop a photoneutralization cavity prototype that has the capacity to improve the efficiency of magnetic-confinement fusion reactors.

Craig Cahillane

“Neutralization is important for fusion reactors because you need to somehow reheat and refuel your reactor,” says Cahillane. “One popular method is neutral beam injection, which is useful because the neutral beam can be made of reactor fuel. This recombines with the fusion plasma inside the reactor, dumping a lot of energy into the reactor to keep the fusion plasma hot.”

This project could mark an important first as no one to their knowledge has pushed a small cavity to such extreme power levels before.

“The photoneutralization cavity, if successful, could replace gas-cell based neutralization, making the entire reactor much more efficient overall, eliminating a huge drain on the energetics of a commercial fusion reactor,” Cahillane says.

Learn more about the award and Cahillane’s research on the and discover more about��.

3 Faculty Members Awarded Fulbright U.S. Scholar Fellowships

Diane Stirling — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 18:07:45 +0000

Three ��ϲ�� faculty members have been awarded prestigious Fulbright U.S. Scholar fellowships to teach and conduct research abroad.

The awardees are:

, professor and director of the graduate program in magazine, news and digital journalism in the Newhouse School of Public Communications
, assistant teaching professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences
, assistant teaching professor of writing studies, rhetoric and composition in the College of Arts and Sciences

They are among 400 faculty and professionals awarded fellowships to work in more than 135 countries in the coming year.

Harriet Brown

Brown, who is also a longtime magazine writer and author of several nonfiction books, plans to travel��to Israel in the spring to continue her research and reporting about families whose children use medically prescribed cannabis to treat health issues such as seizures, cancer and autism spectrum disorder. She wants to learn more about the cutting-edge research taking place there and connect to the strong network of parents who advocate for medically prescribed cannabis to treat their children’s conditions. She will also teach a course on how to report and write accurately on scientific topics at the .

In addition to research contacts, Brown believes that it is important for Americans to maintain academic, citizen and government connections with Israel, given the call by some to sever all ties in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. She says that, as a Jewish academic on an American campus, she has been negatively affected by that perspective. “Change doesn’t come from simply shutting people down,” Brown says. “Part of the reason I want to do this is because I feel like maybe I can build some bridges and dispel some myths about life in Israel. I feel strongly that there is a need for those connections, especially for academic ones.”

Robin McCrary

McCrary will visit the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, in the spring to teach and conduct research about how public health humanities education can help close trust gaps between health care practitioners and marginalized patients and populations. He hopes interactions with faculty, students and health care professionals in a different country with a different health care system will enhance how he teaches health humanities to ��ϲ�� student who are preparing for careers in health care and medicine.

He will also teach Cross-Cultural Care Traditions, a course designed to improve two-way dialogue between patients and providers by exploring how different cultures understand and influence health care and illness, including differing attitudes toward medical treatment, varying perceptions on living and dying, Indigenous and non-Western forms of care and diverse spiritualities. He aims to help students better understand the disability, minority, non-Western, gender identity and sexual-orientation contexts patients bring to their health care provider interactions.

Volunteering with immigrant, newcomer and refugee populations in ��ϲ�� has helped McCrary formulate the course content, he says. “Given their different backgrounds, those groups have provided me with insight regarding the context of how they understand care traditions. For those entering the health professions, I believe it’s not just about what our students can learn but also how they bring themselves to the contexts of the care that they provide patients.”

Amy Murphy

Murphy will be in the Slovak Republic from September through January 2025 to research how the communist government’s suppression of literature during its 40-year rule impacted Slovak society and citizens.

Her research will include looking at the underground movement that helped Slovak people obtain literature and maintain high literacy levels during that time. She will work with faculty��at ��Ի� speak with students, faculty and families to understand how Slovak citizens maintained literacy and continued to access information at a time when it was dangerous to do so. “We��take for granted the educational freedoms we have here, but the people who were part of that movement could have gone to jail for helping others obtain information at that time,” Murphy says.��She will also teach a course for students who plan to become teachers of English or translators. The art writing course��has a broad cultural component, and she wants to see how students��interpret various aspects of American culture.

Murphy applied for the fellowship after learning that her great-grandfather, who came to the U.S. at age 15 to mine coal and silver in Colorado, was from Slovakia, and not Austria, as her family had always thought. “I wanted to understand his story, more about the people who stayed there and the whole underground literature movement. It is part of what has helped that country maintain a very high level of literacy,” she says.

Featured Media Coverage – July 2024

Daryl Lovell — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 14:50:29 +0000

��ϲ�� thought leaders, events and research news were showcased in the following news outlets this month:

Anthony D’Angelo (Newhouse):
Lindsey Darvin (Falk): I
Sylvia Sierra (VPA):
Farhana Sultana (Maxwell):
Charles Driscoll (Engineering and Computer Science):
Margaret Talev (Newhouse/Maxwell): () | (NPR) |
Kevin Antshel (Arts & Sciences):
Shubha Ghosh (Law):
Melinda Dermody (Libraries):
Dessa Bergen-Cico (Falk): ,
Margaret Thompson (Maxwell): | (Oakland, CA)
Mona Bhan, (Maxwell):
Roy Gutterman (Law/Newhouse):
Brian Taylor (Maxwell): I�� I
Lynne Vincent (Whitman):
Natalie Koch (Maxwell):
Eric Kingson (Falk):
Jennifer Stromer-Galley (iSchool): |
Grant Reeher (Maxwell): | | | again | (Spain) | ��
Natalie Koch (Maxwell): |
Joel Kaplan (Newhouse):
Rick Burton (Falk):
Gregory Germain (Law): | | | (UK) |
Jessica Garay (Falk):
Jacob Bendix (Maxwell):
Patrick Penfield (Whitman): I��
Jack Graves (Law):
Robert Thompson (Newhouse): | | | I I ��I I I
Jon Ryan (Information Technology Services):
Katherine Macfarlane (Law):
J. Christopher Hamilton (Newhouse): |
Matt Huber (Maxwell): I
Ken Marfilius (Falk): Podcast –
Keith Doss (Office of Veterans and Military Affairs):
Dwayne Murray (Office of Veterans and Military Affairs):
Tetiana Hranchak (Maxwell): |
Kivanc Avrenli (Whitman) :
Traci Geisler (Blackstone LaunchPad): ��
Bhavneet Walia (Falk):
Latha Ramalingam (Falk):
Gary Engelhardt (Maxwell):
Makana Chock (Newhouse):
William Banks (Law): (UK) | |
Bernard Appiah (Falk):
Milena Petrova (Whitman):
Kathleen Corrado (Arts & Sciences):

To get in touch and learn more about ��ϲ�� faculty members available for interviews, please contact��media@syr.edu.

Scientists Untangle Interactions Between Earth’s Early Life Forms, Environment Over 500M Years

News Staff — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 21:53:46 +0000

The atmosphere, the ocean and life on Earth interacted over the past 500-plus million years in ways that improved conditions for early organisms to thrive. Now, an interdisciplinary team of scientists has produced a perspective article of this co-evolutionary history published in multidisciplinary open-access journal (Oxford University Press, Impact Factor 20.7).

“One of our tasks was to summarize the most important discoveries about carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere and ocean over the past 500 million years,” says , Thonis Family Professor: Low-Temperature Geochemistry and Earth System Evolution in the College of Arts and Sciences and lead author on the paper. “We reviewed how those physical changes affected the evolution of life in the ocean. But it’s a two-way street. The evolution of life also impacted the chemical environment. It is not a trivial task to understand how to build a habitable Earth over long time scales”

AI-generated image of ancient phytoplankton in oxygen-rich seawater

The team from ��ϲ��, Oxford University and Stanford University explored the intricate feedbacks among ancient life forms, including plants and animals, and the chemical environment in the current Phanerozoic Eon, which began approximately 540 million years ago.

At the start of the Phanerozoic, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were high, and oxygen levels were low. Such a condition would be difficult for many modern organisms to thrive. But ocean algae changed that. They absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, locked it into organic matter and produced oxygen through photosynthesis.

The ability of animals to live in an ocean environment was affected by oxygen levels. Lu is studying where and when ocean oxygen levels may have risen or fallen during the Phanerozoic using geochemical proxies and model simulations. Co-author , professor of Earth and planetary sciences at Stanford University, compares an ancient animal’s estimated metabolic requirements to places where it survived or disappeared in the fossil record.

As photosynthetic algae removed atmospheric carbon into sedimentary rocks to lower carbon dioxide and raise oxygen levels, the algae’s enzymes became less efficient in fixing carbon. Therefore, algae had to figure out more complicated ways of doing photosynthesis at lower carbon dioxide and higher oxygen levels. It accomplished this by creating internal compartments for photosynthesis with control over the chemistry.

“For algae, it is changes in the environmental ratio of O2/CO2 that seems to be key to driving improved photosynthetic efficiency,” says co-author , professor of geology at Oxford. “What is really intriguing is that these improvements in photosynthetic efficiency may have expanded the chemical envelope of habitability for many forms of life.”

Ancient photosynthesizers had to adapt to changes in the physical environment that they themselves had created, notes Lu. “The first part of the history of the Phanerozoic is increasing habitability for life, and then the second part is adaptation.”

If scientists want to further understand this interplay between life and the physical environment, as well as the drivers and limits on habitability, the authors suggest that mapping out the spatial patterns of ocean oxygen, biomarkers for photosynthesis and metabolic tolerance of animals shown in fossil records will be a key future research direction.

Story by John H. Tibbetts

Rower Kamile Kralikaite ’24 Embracing ‘Dream Come True’ at Summer Olympics

John Boccacino — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 15:48:49 +0000

Rower Kamile Kralikaite, a 2024 All-American, three-time All-ACC First Team selection and two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree, will represent Lithuania in the upcoming Summer Olympics.

Being a skilled rower earned an athletic scholarship to ��ϲ��, where she helped the claim the first Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championship in school history.

Her proficiencies on the water also earned Kralikaite the opportunity of a lifetime representing Lithuania in the women’s pair competition at the upcoming Summer Olympics in Paris, France.

To qualify for the Olympics is a dream come true, especially being from such a small country. I still can’t believe I get to represent my country on this big stage. — Kamile Kralikaite ’24

But there was a time not that long ago, before Kralikaite came to the United States, when she wanted to abandon her rowing career. Recruited by a local coach when she was just 13 years old because she was tall and athletic, Kralikaite left her family and friends to begin a three-year training project focused on qualifying for the 2018 Youth Olympics.

While Kralikaite enjoyed the sport, her entire life revolved around rowing, and she experienced burnout from the arduous training sessions with no days off. Then came the decision that helped turn things around for Kralikaite: enrolling at ��ϲ�� as an international relations major in the and .

Once on campus, Kralikaite discovered that she was so much more than a talented rower. She formed tight friendships with her fellow student-athletes and coaches and rediscovered her love of rowing. Kralikaite credits her coach, , with helping her heal and find a healthy balance between rowing and her personal life.

“I will forever be happy and grateful for my experiences at ��ϲ��. I met so many cool people that supported me and helped me reach my goals,” says Kralikaite, a 2024 All-American, three-time All-ACC First Team selection and two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree. “It was incredible how much we were able to achieve. Winning the ACC championship for the first time in school history was amazing. Everyone was selfless and wanted the same goal and worked tirelessly to help our team achieve success. It was the best experience.”

Kamile Kralikaite (right) and her partner, Ieva Adomaviciute, will vie for a gold medal in Paris in the women’s pair competition.

Kamile Kralikaite

Kralikaite, who hails from the tiny central Lithuanian city of Kaisiadorys (population: 8,334) will vie for a gold medal in Paris after she and her partner, Ieva Adomaviciute, in Belgrade, Serbia, last September. The top 11 boats qualified for the Olympics.

The begins on July 28, with the semifinals on July 31 and the final on Aug. 2.

“Our goal is to qualify for the A final, which would be huge. Right now, we’re producing some good speed from our boat, and we feel good. You wish for the gold, but as long we give it our absolute best against the world’s best, I know we’ll do well,” says Kralikaite, who along with Orange teammate Martyna Kazlauskaite, won the 2023 U23 World Championship in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Before she takes center stage with the world’s best rowers, Kralikaite sat down with SU News to discuss how she’s preparing for the Olympics, the thrill she feels representing Lithuania and how her time on campus fueled her holistic development.

How have you been preparing for the Games?

Kamile Kralikaite (back) and her partner, Ieva Adomaviciute, preparing for the Olympics.

The last couple of weeks has been about mental preparation, because you can’t gain too much speed at this point. I’ve been going for runs, working on my breathing, doing exercises and training on the water. I train six to seven hours each day. My goal is to be as brave and confident as I can during my races.

My preparation started almost a year ago. I knew we’d be racing against women who had more experience than I did, so I started working on becoming as mentally strong as I could. I treated trainings as if we weren’t just going up against ACC or NCAA competition, but also the competition I’d see in the Summer Olympics. When it comes time to compete, I’ve put myself in that situation a million times before mentally, so I know to just give it my best effort.

How can you describe the thrill of qualifying for the Olympics and representing Lithuania?

To qualify is huge, a dream come true, especially being from such a small country. Our whole Olympic rowing team is very young. Seven of our eight athletes are going to their first Games. It’s such a cool feeling and I still can’t believe I get to represent my country on this big stage. Lithuanians have been so supportive to those of us who qualified, and it’s great to know all that hard work paid off.

What’s your pre-race routine?

I started listening to this intense techno music and I just started feeling very brave. I’d walk around feeling like a winner and acting like a winner. If you walk into the room when you’re about to warm up and you’re already scared and fearful, you’ve already lost. I also write down and say out loud to myself that I am enough, which sounds so simple, but it’s a very powerful message. Whether you’re lining up for a race at ��ϲ�� or in Paris for the Olympics, we’re all equal. Once the race starts, it’s about whoever wants it more and whoever was better prepared. Maybe some of my competitors have been in the sport longer, but I plan on giving my absolute best.

I also always wear my ��ϲ�� gear whenever I warmup. But in the Olympics, there’s rules that we have to wear the official uniform when we race, so I have to take off my ��ϲ�� gear. But I know I will have Orange Nation cheering me on!

How have you embraced the power of positive thinking?

I like visualizing success. It’s very powerful because you put yourself in a place where you see yourself achieving. Rowing is a sport where you line up and give it everything you’ve got for two kilometers. Your body is going to be in extreme pain for six to seven minutes. You have to be ready for it and not get scared when your competitors are around you, so visualization and practicing breathing exercises has helped me a lot.

How much did you grow during your time on campus?

Kamile Kralikaite (center) in action with her ��ϲ�� teammates.

I fully grew into the person I am today because of ��ϲ��. I started to love myself again, to love life and love people. I started to see how much better everything is when you work together versus when you’re trying to achieve everything by yourself. My coaches showed me how to be the best possible version of myself. I was surrounded by the best people and they made ��ϲ�� such a special place.

Collin Capano ’05, G’11 Breaking New Ground With Open Source Program Office and Astrophysics Research

Diane Stirling — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 15:02:09 +0000

Collin Capano ’05, G’11, director of the University’s new (OSPO), has been in the right place at the right time for breakthrough discoveries and innovative programming several times in his career.

His latest role is another opportunity to break new ground, and it’s also a homecoming for the double alumnus.

The OSPO is a multidisciplinary, cross-campus initiative intended to accelerate research and creative work by leveraging the use of open-source software code and adherence to open-source best practices. It is one of only about a dozen such offices operating at U.S. universities, so offers a chance to make high impact in that academic space and enhance the University’s research reputation through information and transparency, Capano says.

Capano earned bachelor’s and doctoral degrees in physics at ��ϲ��. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

Also a physics research associate professor in the , Capano will continue his research in gravitational-wave astronomy while he directs OSPO, he says.

After earning bachelor’s and doctoral physics degrees at ��ϲ��, he gained more than a decade of experience in open-source code development and extensive experience in multi-messenger data analysis, statistics and high-performance computing. He has worked as a member of the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) Scientific Collaboration as a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Maryland and as a high-performance computing facilitator and affiliate physics and math faculty member for the at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth.

Perhaps his most distinctive “right place/right time” opportunity came in 2015 at the in Hannover, Germany, the largest research institute in the world specializing in general relativity, where he did postdoctoral research. Serendipitously, he was among the first scientists to observe the first from a long-ago collision of black holes in space. It was a monumental discovery that confirmed part of developed 100 years prior.

Capano, who grew up in the Adirondack town of Corinth, recently discussed plans for OSPO, his current research and what that breakthrough gravitational wave detection moment was like.

What led you back to ��ϲ��?

I was invited to apply for the OSPO director position and it sounded very interesting. It also presented a great opportunity to be closer to family again and for my daughter to grow up near her grandparents. And the things going on in ��ϲ�� right now—Micron coming in and the Route 81 redevelopment—are exciting. The region is beginning a Renaissance, and the University is on an upswing too. ��I’m excited to be part of the changes and see how the investment and growth plays out. It seems like a once-in-a-century thing.

What has been accomplished at OSPO so far? What’s ahead?

Over the past year, I got the office up and running. Now, I’m promoting open-source culture across the University and encouraging faculty and researchers from all disciplines to make their source code and research data available beyond campus and to the public. That transparency helps instill confidence in their research results and can gain wider recognition for the work.

We’re now developing workshops for faculty, students and staff on coding processes and tools; campuswide seminars and speaker presentations; perhaps a student code hackathon. I’m also working to have open-source code development as part of the standard considered for faculty promotions.

How did you become interested in physics research? What drew you to astrophysics and gravitational wave research?

My dad, who had a master’s degree in physics and was an electronics engineer, used to tell me fascinating things about relativity and quantum mechanics, and that piqued my interest.

In my second year of graduate school, I needed to pick a research advisor. I was a teaching assistant for a course on electricity and magnetism, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. It was also ’s first semester as a professor here, and one night we sat together as we graded exams. Duncan [now a world-renowned gravitational wave expert, the University’s vice president of research and Charles Brightman Endowed Professor of Physics] asked if I’d like to do an independent study. I did, and I’ve stayed with it.

I already knew of the gravitational wave group and the idea of doing experimental gravity appealed to me. If it weren’t for the two of us grading exams that night, I might have gone an entirely different route. I’m very glad I didn’t; I have been part of some once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

What do your two National Science Foundation research projects examine?

My research focuses on testing basic principles of gravity and nuclear physics using gravitational waves.

explores Einstein’s theory of relativity by testing it in extreme conditions near black holes using data from the to see whether the waves match Einstein’s predictions or if they reveal unexpected patterns. involves creating a cluster of Apple computers to accelerate the search for gravitational waves using LIGO data. That can help make gravitational wave research less costly, allowing for more ambitious searches, and making it possible for more researchers to contribute to the field.

Capano says his father’s interesting stories about relativity and quantum mechanics helped develop his interest in the field of physics. (Photo by Jeremy Brinn)

What was it like at the front line of the first gravitational wave detection—one of the greatest physics discoveries of all time?

I was at , which was affiliated with LIGO and worked closely with the ��ϲ�� gravitational wave analysis group. On that day a couple of colleagues in the office next to mine got an automated alert about a detection of the in space. They excitedly banged on my wall; I came over and they showed me a plot of the data that showed the characteristic “chirp” signal.

We were some of the , and the moment was surreal. My first reaction, and that for many others, was that it was a mistake. The lab could simulate those signals and did so regularly to test the infrastructure. When the control room confirmed that they hadn’t done a test, that’s when the reality sank in. The whole thing was a whirlwind! As co-chair of the LIGO subgroup devoted to exactly that type of signal, I was later in charge of compiling the data analysis on the event.

[Capano was one of 1,000 LIGO-affiliated scientists whose contributions were recognized for detection of the waves, earning them the and the . In 2017, three LIGO scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for the discovery.]

What next for gravitational wave research?

It’s a very bright and exciting future. ��ϲ�� is a big part of it. We are laying the groundwork to build the next-generation detector, Cosmic Explorer, that will be able to detect every black hole merger occurring in the universe.

Pushing the frontiers of physics can lead to new, practical things in life—like how the discoveries surrounding magnetism and electricity affected the entire modern world. My hope is that future discoveries about gravitational waves will do the same and that over the next 20 years, we’ll uncover new fundamental findings about the universe.

Professor Michael Gill’s Fermentation Stories Project Gets a Taste of Zasar (Photo Story)

News Staff — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:20:01 +0000

Fermentation is something ��ϲ�� School of Education Professor Michael Gill thinks deeply about. The process is the subject of his latest research and has inspired a recent project to explore family and cultural connections to recipes handed down through the generations and across nations.

The project——kicked off in February 2024 thanks to an by the College of Arts and Sciences. The funding allowed to offer five workshops in partnership with the local to explore how various communities that call ��ϲ�� home use food fermentation as a culture-making practice.

Workshops have explored recipes from kimchi to yogurt and included accounts by each instructor on their family connection to the fermentation process.

For week four—offered on April 14—Valerie Khaloo led a group of eight participants through the steps of her grandmother’s , a popular Mauritian condiment of pickled vegetables eaten on the Indian Ocean island that her family hails from.

Khaloo says she had to test the recipe multiple times prior to leading the class because her grandmother never provided measurements for each ingredient. Crafting a recipe others could understand—one based on exactness and not her memory of how it should taste–helped her remember her grandmother, who recently passed away.

“Every time I make zasar, I see my grandmother doing it in front of me, and I feel closer to her,” says Kahloo. Her grandmother made huge batches of the dish, bringing the whole family together. Khaloo recalls fondly how her family would bond over zasar, extended family members arriving at her house with up to five empty jars to fill.

Gill says he became interested in fermentation at an early age by helping to brew beer with his father and older brother. Later, he tried—unsuccessfully, he says—to make sourdough bread and then vegan kimchi. Then, from the fall of 2018 to spring of 2019, he spent a year on research leave in South Korea, the land of all things fermented.

When Gill returned to ��ϲ��, he began to use the process as a metaphor for his graduate students. “We talked about the act of fermentation as a metaphor for how we think about research, as something we could slow down, or sort of let the magic or the microbes take over,” he explains, adding that he even assigned his students a fermentation project. “We want to create the right environment and make sure the bacteria is gone, that it has the right amount of salt—or whatever it might be—to allow the ferment to happen.”

Stories from each workshop held during winter/spring 2024 will be archived publicly on a website that is in development. Some accounts, explains Gill, might make their way into a book project that further explores how fermentation serves as a way to preserve one’s culture.

“Preserve” and “culture”—there’s that metaphor again!

How To Make Zasar: A Photo Essay and Recipe

Unpeeled carrots, chopped into very thin strips or sliced with a mandolin, are prepared to be added with the raw green beans, cabbage and onion. Zasar is one of the most popular condiments eaten on the island of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, just east of Madagascar. Mauritian food is a fusion of tastes from India to Africa.

Zasar is primarily a mix of green cabbage, carrots and green beans. Instructor Valerie Khaloo says back in Mauritius she would leave the chopped vegetables outside to dry before heating. “They’d sit in the sun for a day, but here…I don’t know if we even have seven hours of sunlight,” she says with a laugh. Instead, she advised participants to pat all the vegetables dry with a paper towel before warming.

Avalon Gupta VerWiebe G’22, a food studies graduate, roughly chops ginger. Both ginger and apples are the last two ingredients added to the warmed zasar mixture.

Spices for the zasar include brown mustard seeds and turmeric powder. The two are ground together using a mortar and pestle until the seeds are coarse. Then, white vinegar is gradually added until the consistency resembles a moist paste. The ideal consistency, Khaloo says, is like creamy peanut butter: “not in-the-fridge peanut butter.”

Khaloo tells participants the best oil to use is sunflower oil, “but the heatness is debatable” because when asked her mother’s advice, she was told to “make the burner warm but not enough to cook or so it gets hot.”

Once the oil warms, add the onions first and then the two cups of mixed vegetables with three smashed garlic cloves. You only want to warm the mixture and not cook, Khaloo believes, because if the mixture gets too hot, it can become bitter.

After warming the vegetables, add about two teaspoons of the spice mix and wait until the vegetables become fragrant. Add the white vinegar after all is warmed through.

Once warmed through, scoop into storage jars, but leave open for a bit to start the fermentation process.

The Zasar mix should be left open for a bit to kickstart the fermentation process. Once sealed, leave the jar at room temperature for one to two days and then refrigerate.

Instructor Valerie Khaloo helps ��ϲ�� resident West Brimmage make a batch of zasar. Professor Michael Gill can be seen in the background.

Brimmage measures salt to add to their warmed vegetables. Under-salting, explains Brady Farm Coordinator Jessi Lyons, will prevent fermentation.

Khaloo guides ��ϲ�� resident Kaija Dockter on what ingredients to warm first.

Zasar is typically eaten with curry, basmati rice, or lentils and other beans. Khaloo says it’s a versatile condiment and is great mixed with pasta, on salads or sandwiches, or just straight out of the jar. She also explains that zasar is good for digestive health, while the ayurveda sunflower oil is warming, and both the turmeric and mustard seeds are anti-inflammatory.

Story by Ashley Kang ’04, G’11 and photos by Angelina Grevi ’28.

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