Tune in to National Georgraphic.com to see Charles Liu, PhD on Star Talk TV with Neil deGrasse Tyson, William Shatner, and Chuck Nice. Dr. Liu is the Director of the Macaulay and Verrazano School programs.
View the episode on the National Geographic Web site.
Saada Amadu visiting Château de Chambord in France.
As a sustainable environmental continues to be a global concern for many, one College of Staten Island (CSI) graduate is taking action.
Saada Amadu ’16 has received a full scholarship to attend graduate school at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary to study Environmental Sciences and Policy.
“I hope to work at the intersection of environmental science and policy because I believe for us to be able to find methods to sustain ourselves without endangering the environment and livelihood and well-being of future generations to come, international policy must find a way to bridge the gap with the scientific community,” said Amadu, who was an International Studies major with minors in Geography and French.
The Port Richmond High School graduate credits much of her motivation and inspiration for graduate studies to her experiences with research, under the advisement of Associate Professor Roshen Hendrickson, and study abroad opportunities at CSI.
“Saada is a very bright and ambitious woman who has gained access to stimulating opportunities, such as study abroad and graduate school in Europe, through sheer hard work. She has been a great pleasure to work with because she’s intellectually curious and motivated to contribute to her global community,” commented Professor Hendrickson.
Saada Amadu visiting temples in Hong Kong.
For her honors thesis, Amadu wrote about, “policies that led to Senegal importing over 70% of its food and also organizations and individuals working to revive the sector. The interesting part of the research was discovering that structural adjustment programs imposed by the IMF and World Bank were part of the reason for the decline in the Senegal agricultural sector.”
Currently crafting her Master’s thesis, Amadu is studying “the nexus of food, energy, and water security issues. The need for new energy sources and climate change have led some countries to seek alternative sources of energy through biofuels, which are basically energy derived from biomass. First generation biofuels can be derived from crops such as soy or corn while second generation biofuels are derived from by-products such as wood or crops such as jatropha [a flowering plant]. My research is focusing on the fact that biofuels affect both energy and water security of certain communities, in particular rural Ghanaian communities.”
For a truly rich college experience, Amadu strongly urges college students to take advantage of study abroad opportunities as well as the financial support available for those courses.
“Programs can be expensive but with the help of scholarships and grants, the costs might not be too much. I went on two semester-long programs and was still able to graduate in three and a half years. The Center for International Service is particularly helpful when it comes to applying for programs and scholarships,” said Amadu, who traveled to Paris, France in Spring 2015 and Hong Kong in Spring 2016.
The 21-year-old native of Tamale, Ghana was also the recipient of the Gilman Scholarship, Benjamin Franklin Travel Grant, CUNY SIROCS, and CSI Study Abroad Scholarship.
“Saada is an outstanding, dedicated student with a plan to utilize sustainability initiatives to make a difference for underserved communities around the world,” praised Michele Callahan, Fellowship & Scholarship Advisor.
To succeed in college, Amadu urges students to, “Take advantage of opportunities if and when you are presented with them. Also, try to have a faculty mentor because they can be of help when you least expect.”
Joseph Gyasi mentoring children in the Broadway Housing Communities program.
The prestigious Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship is a highly selective, competitive award, in which only 15 students from 12 New York City colleges are selected each year.
Yet, being a recipient of this impressive scholarship has in no way changed Joseph Gyasi’s ‘18 humble pursuits.
The College of Staten Island (CSI) Pre-Med Biology major tirelessly volunteers at the Emergency Department of the Montefiore Medical Center as well as the New York City Department of Homeless Services in their annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE).
“You never realize how blessed you are to have a home until the winter hits. Homeless people tend to marginalized in our communities and I believe as a society we are obliged to support each other. It’s always a blessing to know that through our efforts, people are able to receive the help they deserve… Volunteering in the Emergency Room, you get to see life-and-death cases and this pushes you to have a different perspective on life. So much so that you are inspired to take life more seriously and encourage others to live healthy,” Gyasi said.
While in his home country, the Ghana native also headed a team of 30 students traveling to five villages and small towns in the Ashanti region of Ghana to educate locals about various laws regarding tenure systems and the need to register land. Back in the U.S., he interned at Broadway Housing Communities, a non profit organization that offers affordable housing to formerly homeless people.
“It was exciting to interact with the locals to find out about the various problems facing their communities and then present their plights to the Members of Parliament for their constituencies,” commented Gyasi, who is spending the winter break at the University of Michigan Health System co-authoring an article with John Greden, PhD, on the state of affairs of personalized precise treatments for mental health disorders.
(From left to right): Dr. Valadakis, Joseph Gyasi, and Michele Callahan at the Watson Fellowship reception.
Also minoring in Psychology, Gyasi is a member of the Pre-Med Club, the African Club, and the CSI Emerging Leaders Program, and he is a CSI Student Mentor. Under the Watson Fellowship, he will take advantage of the three-year program that provides funded summer internships and other academic and co-curricular opportunities.
Gyasi is grateful to Michele Callahan, CSI Fellowship & Scholarship Advisor, who “coached me for the Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship and helped put me on track to starting my career in Health even as an undergraduate student.”
Gyasi attended high school at the Presbyterian Boys’ Senior High School in Accra, Ghana, and then began college in Ghana for a year before immigrating to the United States in 2014 and transferring to CSI that fall.
“CSI became my second home, rather quickly. I entered a diverse student body who were nothing like I had ever experienced. My friends became family and my professors were leaders I aspired to be like. In no time, I knew I had made the right decision by transferring to CSI,” Gyasi remembers.
Gyasi extended his gratitude to Professor of English Kalliope Valadakis, PhD, who he said was “the first teacher to ever motivate me to reach my highest potential. She helped me become a writer and pushed me out of my comfort zone to be a better person for both my community and my school.”
Gyasi plans to pursue a dual MD/MPH degree specializing in Psychiatry for Medicine and Health Management and Policy for Public Health, and eventually hopes to establish a medical hospital in Ghana that would provide quality healthcare that is affordable and accessible to all Ghanaians and West Africans broadly.
Working hard from the very beginning of college is, according to Gyasi, the key to student success.
“Students should understand the college journey begins truly from their freshman years and they should take those years very seriously as they can make or break one’s whole academic career. Also, CSI has many opportunities to offer and students should tap into those resources,” he noted.
The City University of New York Athletic Conference has named College of Staten Island women’s swimmer Naomi Gaggi as the CUNYAC/Hospital for Special Surgery Scholar-Athlete of the Month for December 2016. The senior from Brooklyn, NY has earned a 3.9 GPA as a Psychology major with a concentration in Neuroscience and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The Dolphins’ distance swimmer earned 10 first place finishes and a total of 24 podium finishes in the month of December alone. Gaggi is the team’s second leading point getter with 188 total points through December’s action. In addition, Gaggi is three-time CUNYAC All-Star and 2017 will look like more of the same for the senior, “this will be my first year to medal individually (at the CUNYAC Championships) and I’m excited. Our team put in a lot of hard work, the boys should be favored and our girls team will look to give everyone a run for their money.”
The team captain began swimming competitively in fourth grade and has only improved since then. Gaggi competes for the Dolphins in the 200, 500 and sometimes 1,000 freestyle, as well as on the freestyle and medley relay teams. Distance wasn’t always her forte however, “The first time I swam the 500, it kind of came as a surprise, I was not a distance swimmer, but I did well and it showed all my hard work payed off in practice.” The St. Joseph Hill alumni said the transition to the storied CSI swim program was not the easiest, “I’m a much stronger swimmer now than when I first came to CSI. I didn’t come from a specialized club team like others, so there was a pretty tough transition to college swimming.”
Leaving New York City was never a thought when Gaggi was choosing a college for herself. “I knew I wanted to stay local in the city, CSI had a great research database and access to so many different research institutions in New York City that focus on autism research.” The senior has made the most of her four years at the College of Staten Island, while being a part of two research teams on campus, Gaggi also has conducted research at the Yale University School of Medicine and Mount Sinai with nationally renowned doctors and researchers. Due to her outstanding efforts in the research field, Gaggi was recognized nationally as a 2016 honorable mention for the Barry Goldwater Scholarship. The Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation was established by Congress in 1986 to serve as a living memorial to honor the lifetime work of Senator Barry Goldwater. “I want to focus on neuroscience and autism spectrum disorder because there is so much known about the basic mechanisms of the brain and so little known about the social aspect of neuroscience. Autism spectrum disorder, on the other hand, is understood on the social level, but little is known about the mechanisms of the brain. I see this as a challenge that I want to further explore through neuroimaging while I obtain my PhD,” states Gaggi.
“I wouldn’t say that being a student-athlete has struggles, it’s just obviously very time-consuming. I think the time-consuming nature helps people learn to prioritize things and manage their time better. It’s certainly pushed me to be a better student.” Like many other scholar-athletes, Gaggi turns the demands of being a full time student-athlete into positives, “swimming twice a day and going to the gym as well, it takes a lot of time, it’s not only helped me make friends but the mindset of being an athlete also helps me be determined and to persevere in the classroom.”
CSI swimming head coach Michael Ackalitis had plenty of praise for his senior captain, “Naomi is a top candidate to be the CSI Valedictorian at this year’s Commencement. She is an exceptional researcher and an outstanding athlete and how she has been able to do both is amazing. She has been a very special piece to the women’s program over the last four years. Her leadership has set the tone for what being a Dolphin is all about. She is a Macaulay Honors Student who is majoring in Neuroscience and boast a 3.89 GPA, she has been the leader for the women’s team earning the highest GPA on campus the last two seasons. Her leadership translates to the pool where she continues to work hard and has won several gold medals at CUNY’s as part of winning relays and also four school records. Naomi has been a major key to keeping the women’s team going in a positive direction,” stated Ackalitis.
“I’ve become a lot more cultured through my tenure at CSI, I volunteered in Sri Lanka with children who have autism spectrum disorder, and I studied abroad in Denmark as well,” says Gaggi. Looking towards the future, Gaggi has been applying to graduate schools to pursue a doctorate in neuroscience and one day hopes to become a full-time researcher and professor in the field. “Swimming and life have taught me one thing, when it’s freezing cold and you don’t want to jump into that pool at 6 AM, you just have to take that initial leap, and that’s the same thing you do if you want to achieve your goals,” said Gaggi.
When asked what it meant to Naomi to be named December’s Scholar Athlete of the Month she had this to say, “it is a really great honor to be recognized with, I really want people to see how great being a student athlete is, it not only helps me in swimming, but it’s given me so many valuable lessons about life and how to be great academically.”
Students participating in the CHW Training Program.
Community Health Worker (CHW) training, the first product of the partnership between Staten Island Performing Provider System (SIPPS) and the College of Staten Island (CSI), officially commenced on October 24. The training equips existing healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills required to transition into Community Health Worker roles while they earn CHW certification and three college credits from the City University of New York (CUNY).
“The Office of Continuing Studies at CSI offers many training programs that enable adults to enter and advance in the workforce, especially in the healthcare industry. However, this program is something unprecedented at the College and perhaps throughout the City, and SIPPS has been instrumental in making that possible,” states Chris Cruz Cullari, Executive Director of the College’s Office of Continuing Studies.
The CHW role is growing as a result of the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) Program, a mechanism of New York State to reform Medicaid. Under DSRIP, New York State will fundamentally restructure the healthcare delivery system by reinvesting in the Medicaid program, with the primary goal of reducing avoidable hospital use by 25% over five years.
CHWs will work directly with Medicaid recipients who may have difficulty accessing healthcare providers, systems, or medicine due to cultural, language, and/or socioeconomic barriers. CHWs extend the reach of providers into underserved communities, reducing health disparities, enhancing communication, and improving health outcomes and overall quality measures. Working in conjunction with healthcare providers, human services, and the communities they support, CHWs bridge gaps in patient care. This coordinated care model ultimately addresses patients’ medical and social needs in a more holistic and meaningful way.
SIPPS, like other PPS entities throughout the State of New York, is implementing DSRIP into the Staten Island healthcare community and SIPPS Senior Director of Human Resources and Workforce Development William Myhre is ensuring that Staten Island healthcare professionals receive the training and preparation needed to support DRSIP.
“There is more to DSRIP than just reducing avoidable hospital use. DSRIP will provide the funding to offer critical training to healthcare professionals on Staten Island, which will ultimately elevate the quality of healthcare on Staten Island. It seemed intrinsic to develop a partnership with CSI to make this happen,” Myhre said.
CHW training is just one example that demonstrates SIPPS’s commitment to the Staten Island healthcare workforce, but for the 11 healthcare incumbents who began training in October, the opportunity is an immeasurable one.
“This amazing opportunity will help me gain new skills in order to help others reach their health goals. Career-wise, I will be able to move forward in my organization. It will help me connect to other people of different backgrounds in my community and help me adapt in different situations,” states Cintia Cruz, Medical Assistant at Richmond University Medical Center.
SIPPS has gone beyond coordinating the training; in fact, it is funding more than 75% of the tuition for students to attend training as well, and in cases like Justine Jackson’s, SIPPS is funding 100% of her tuition. When Jackson learned that she wasn’t eligible for any additional tuition benefits through her union or employer, SIPPS stepped in.
“I was ready to withdraw from the program. As a new CHW at Richmond University Medical Center, I knew that I, and ultimately my patients, would benefit from my training, but there wasn’t any way that I could afford to pay the tuition on my own,” stated Jackson. “I am so thankful for SIPPS and specifically for Bill Myhre for making this happen for me.”
Designed for the adult working student, the program boasts an exceptionally small class size and a combination of faculty who possess both academic and industry expertise.
“This program was designed very intentionally,” continues Cruz Cullari. “Adult students have a wealth of knowledge to share with their classmates based on their work and life experiences and we knew it was critical to take that into account when designing this training. Every activity has been designed to promote student sharing, to actively engage students in the learning process and to practice the skills they will need for job success.”
The cohort of 11 will initially attend CHW technical training two evenings per week with Deeana Dobrer, Project Coordinator for SI CARES at Coordinated Behavioral Care, and CSI English Department faculty member Sara Paul. As students receive technical CHW training, they also enhance their literacy skills, which are critical for the CHW role. “As Literacy Instructor, my goal is two-fold,” stated Paul. “I want our students to possess the literacy skills needed to excel in the CHW role. This includes writing comprehensive case notes, easily interpreting complex reading material, communicating effectively with patients and other healthcare professionals, and presenting well in the community. I also want to prepare them to excel in in the college portion of the program.”
In February 2017, CHW students will transition into Anthropology 100 while they continue to receive CHW technical instruction. The pairing of the courses was deliberate. Anthropology, which studies the various aspects of humans within past and present societies, will expose students to the history and theories that drive the work they do as CHWs. The class will be open only to CHW program participants and the cohort’s Literacy Instructor will attend these classes with students to help them with the reading and writing assignments they will receive as well as to make connections between the theory they learn in the course to the application in CHW training.
Attending classes two evenings per week over six-months is an immense commitment for a working adult, but students are up for the challenge.
“I recognize that you have to invest time to reap the reward. In this case, my biggest reward will be my ability to help my clients and I know that this program will prepare me for it,” states CHASI employee Donna Graziano. Other students have multiple goals, like Maribel Espinosa. “This opportunity is perfect for me. Not only am I gaining skills that I need to perform in my case manager role at Project Hospitality, but I am also gaining credits toward my degree.” Espinosa is currently a pursuing a dual Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and Business Management. Like all CUNY students attaining bachelor’s degrees, she must take Anthropology 100.
Community Health Worker training will run until May 2017, but it isn’t the only training that will be implemented to support DSRIP. Myhre noted that, “I was thoroughly excited to launch Community Health Worker training, but DSRIP is a fast-paced initiative that will require more than just CHW training. I’ve already begun working on my next collaboration with the College to offer learning and development opportunities coming in 2017 to our many other healthcare professionals.”
The First Annual CSI Performance Competition will take place on February 4.
In an effort to recognize the fine work being done by all string teachers in the Staten Island area, the College of Staten Island (CSI) Music Program of the Department of Performing and Creative Arts (PCA) is holding its first annual competition for young performers on orchestral strings and guitar.
Adding to the excitement of this musical celebration is the attendance of Staten Island Philharmonic Conductor Maestro Alejandro Guzman, who will serve as one of the judges of the competition, alongside Prof. Edward Brown and Dr. Dan Auerbach, competition coordinator, both from the Music Program at CSI.
The event, The College of Staten Island Performance Competition for Strings, is designed for solo performances and will be offered as a comprehensive event for all string instruments in two categories: middle school students (6th-8th grades) and high school students (9th – 12th grades) attending a Staten Island school.
There will be cash prizes for first-, second-, and third-place winners in each division (middle and high school). Honorable mentions will be made at the judges’ discretion, and first-place winners in both categories will be considered for a guest soloist spot in the CSI Orchestra’s 2017-2018 concerts.
Participants will have their photos appear in the Staten Island Advance, and parents and students will learn about the College throughout the competition day, scheduled for Feb. 4, 2017 in the Center for the Arts Recital Hall. For complete information and the brochure, please visit the PCA Web site. This will be an all-day event when students will view the campus, eat on site, and hear the winners’ recital at the end of the day.
The competition is sponsored by Dean Nan Sussman and the CSI administration, the Music Program of the Performing & Creative Arts Department, Valpak of Staten Island/Greater Brooklyn, and Strings & Other Things.
It has been announced that The College of Staten Island (CSI) is a Top 10 Military Friendly Gold Award Recipient for 2017. The designation comes from Victory Media, the leader in successfully connecting the military and civilian worlds, and publisher of G.I. Jobs®, STEM Jobs and Military Spouse.
“I am honored that the College of Staten Island has been awarded the Gold Award, an elite Military Friendly designation for 2017. CSI continues to pursue innovative and collaborative ways to ensure that the veterans in our community have access to the best possible resources and services,” commented William J. Fritz, Ph.D., President of the College of Staten Island.
The mission of CSI’s Veterans Support Services is to facilitate a smooth transition from military life to the college experience by providing veteran students with centralized “vet-friendly” services and a strong support system. Veterans Support Services collaborates with veteran organizations within the community in order to identify additional resources and foster a sense of community between CSI student veterans and the veteran population on Staten Island. This relationship ensures that Veterans Support Services stays current on all new legislation and initiatives that will affect our student veteran population.
“The College of Staten Island is dedicated to helping our student veterans have a stress-free transition into the world of academia; from admissions to graduation, we will guide our veterans through every step of their journey. We are proud to serve our nation’s heroes and their families,” said Laura Scazzafavo, Director of Veterans Support Services, who is also a United States Navy combat veteran.
The College of Staten Island (CSI) has ranked 16th out of more than 900 colleges nationally in CollegeNET’s annual Social Mobility Index (SMI).
This is the second consecutive year that CSI has placed in the top 20 colleges.
The index was created by CollegeNET, a company that provides Web-based services to some 1,300 higher education and nonprofit institutions around the world. For the past three years, CollegeNET has been ranking four-year higher education institutions throughout the U.S. according to how effectively they enroll students with low-income backgrounds and graduate them into promising careers.
According to CollegeNET, a high SMI rankings means that “a college is contributing in a responsible want to solving the dangerous problem of economic immobility in our country.”
The CollegeNET ranking adds to the impressive list of honors that CSI has received.
CSI recently received the following accolades:
#11 “Top Collegiate Vocational & Trade Education Programs in New York” (Community for Accredited Online Schools)
#27 “Top Salaries for Graduates” (U.S. Department of Education)
#4 “Most Affordable Four-Year Online Colleges in New York” (Online Colleges.com)
#18 “Best-Bang-for-Buck College in the Northeast” (Washington Monthly)
Designated “Top Military Friendly School” (G.I. Jobs Magazine)
View the entire list of CSI’s recognitions.
Debra Santulli-Barone receiving relaxation therapy with Dr. Charley Ferrer (top right).
In 2014, Debra Santulli-Barone ’06 was diagnosed with breast cancer. The brave woman did not see her diagnosis as a deterrent, however, and she quickly joined forces with another patient, not to complain, but to entertain!
While attending the Staten Island University Hospital (SIUH) Northwell breast cancer support group, Santulli-Barone met Dr. Charley Ferrer, another individual with breast cancer, who also shared her dream of creating cable television shows on the subject of cancer.
“We became friends quickly since she and I had some things in common. Charley had a dream of doing CTV shows on cancer. The funny thing is I thought of that in 2014, but didn’t have the energy to do it alone. Soon, we were planning a show,” recalls Santulli-Barone.
The Community Television (CTV) Cancer Tamer talk show debuted in June 2016. With Dr. Ferrer as executive director and producer, and Santulli-Barone as segment producer of ”Did You Know…,” an informative portion of the Cancer Tamer talk show featuring relevant professionals and roundtable discussions.
The show airs every Thursday at 9:00pm on Channel 34 (CTV), as well as in Manhattan on channels 34 and 54 on Tuesdays at 10:30am, and is set to air in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens. The team is also planning a comedy fundraiser at Gotham Comedy Club slated for June 28, 2017.
“Who knew that a few courses at CSI years ago on film and video, would lead me to this?” exclaimed Santulli-Barone, a Huguenot resident, who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree, majoring in Corporate Communications and minoring in Journalism and Business. She is also a member of the Eta Lambda Chapter of Phi Beta Delta (Society for International scholars) at CSI.
Created by Dr. Ferrer, Cancer Tamer is a not-for-profit organization providing education and inspiration to people diagnosed with breast cancer and other cancers. They provide such things as lymphedema pillows to help reduce pain after surgery and body love workshops to help women reclaim their sense of self.
Debra Santulli-Barone
“Dr. Charley Ferrer reached out to the community and obtained free shampoos for women who recently had surgery and since they cannot lift their arms to wash their own hair, free oil changes for Cancer Tamer members, free memberships to Thrive online grocery stores, and much more,” notes Santulli-Barone.
In 2015, Santulli-Barone was diagnosed with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia and has recently started the remission process.
“It was totally a shock, but I am here to celebrate that I have been breast cancer free for two years. Due to my illnesses, I do a lot of research, read books, and educate cancer survivors and people that have not been diagnosed. There are things we should all know but didn’t until cancer knocked on my door—things our doctors didn’t tell us either. Advocating for myself has helped me and saved my life,” said Santulli-Barone, who also delivers public service announcements with Dr. Ferrer on CSI’s WSIA radio station (88.9 FM).
“I would love to have others at our College, as well as alumni, know that we are out there trying to help others—mainly, to just relate our stories and what we learned, what we should have known, and what you can do on your own to live a healthier life,” urged Santulli-Barone, adding that things like stress and poor diet can have a huge effect on one’s health.
“There is so much more we want to share with our community and want to continue sharing to create awareness and more positive support networks,” noted Santulli-Barone, who has two sons, Stefan and Jordan, founders of the record label, “Red Planet Records LLC.” She also is co-founder with her son Stefan, of his anti-bully support group, “Play It Forward NY.”
She also founded and coordinates the Holiday Hospitality Dining Registry, a program through the Center for Global Engagement. Santulli-Barone helps to sign up international students for Thanksgiving dinners she or other faculty members host in their homes.
For more information about Santulli-Barone and Dr. Ferrer’s work, and to view past shows and find ticket information for the comedy show and future events, visit the Cancer Tamer Website.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW – The College of Staten Island men’s swimming and diving team led the CUNYAC Championship from wire-to-wire but ultimately won by the slimmest of margins, taking a 2.5 point win at the end of it all to win their fourth-straight CUNYAC Championship earlier this afternoon at Lehman College. The Dolphins won four of the six races that were held on the final day of competition, adding a silver and a bronze medal as well. For his effort, Timothy Sweeney was named the Most Valuable Performer at the meet, un unprecedented fourth-straight for the CSI senior.
The Dolphins had the meet in hand in time for the final race of the event, but hung on to ultimately win the event with 597.5 points, just better than 595 scored by Baruch College. Lehman College took the bronze with 367.5 points while Brooklyn followed with 259 and York with 23.
The Dolphins entered the final day with a comfortable 45 point lead, but knew their top-heavy squad would be challenged by the depth of Baruch, and that’s exactly how the final day would follow through. To start it all off, Derek Villa scored the first of four first-place finishes for the Dolphins, coming in at 17:45.65, almost two minutes faster than the field in the 1,650-yard Freestyle. Pete Carle and Santonio Shand added valuable points in the event as well. Baruch, however, would counter with a win in the 200-yard Backstroke, despite the Dolphins winning bronze with a time of 2:12.25.
CSI kept the lead padded in the next event, the 100-yard Freestyle. There, Nicholas Defonte won the meet, coming from behind to score a 50.26 second finish, less than a tenth of a second faster than Lehman’s Chris Fischer. Mike Munoz also finished fifth in the event, jumping up spots from the original heat sheet seedings. The Dolphins would feel even better about their chances after Jonathan Gorinshteyn raced in at 2:17.23 in the 200-yard Breaststroke, scoring gold. Brandon Lei and Roberto Hidalgo scored a fourth and fifth place finish to add valuable points as well.
That put the Dolphins firmly ahead, and the door was subsequently closed by Timothy Sweeney in the 200-yard Butterfly. Already the CUNYAC record holder, Sweeney flew through a run of 1:51.93, beating his previous record by almost two full seconds. Christopher Sorenson, also placed fifth in the event.
The Dolphins could not be caught from there, as they held a 34.5 point lead going into the final 400-yard Freestyle Relay. The Dolphins’ team of Defonte, Gorinshteyn, Villa, and Sweeney would actually win the event, but a subsequent disqualification for entering the water early struck out the Dolphins’ placing in the event, and Baruch bumped into the top spot and gained 32 points to make the final score very close. Despite being an exhibition team in the event, the CSI team of Mike Munoz, Brandon Lei, Pinto, and Omar Zaky collected a silver medal in the same event.
Upon conclusion of the meet, Sweeney was named the Most Valuable Performer for the fourth-consecutive year. The margin was the lowest in CUNYAC history and the win by the Dolphins was their 9th overall in program history.
The postseason will continue for CSI. Fresh off of their CUNYAC title, the Dolphins will compete in the Metropolitan Swimming and Diving Championships in two weekends at Rutgers University.
Brian Raleigh "crowd surfing" at Webster Hall
It has been well established among researchers that music can have a relaxing effect on people. Perhaps, no one knows that better than College of Staten Island (CSI) student Brian Raleigh ’18. The Verrazano School student has been a musician since age five, and now, as a successful college student in a popular band, Raleigh finds that his calm demeanor is his key to stress-less success.
“I feel like many college students get into the ‘end of the world’ mentality a lot of the time and it only makes them more stressed, which is not the goal of college. College is supposed to be a place that is challenging. However, the challenge does not lie with the actual work professors give. It lies with one’s response to it,” declares Raleigh, a Business Management major, minoring in Music.
While playing keyboard in his band, Wayward Strangers, at such popular venues as The Bitter End and Webster Hall, Raleigh still manages to work as a peer coach in the Office of Academic Support at CSI and at his family-owned shop, Eggers Ice Cream Parlor, while maintaining a 3.5 GPA.
Being a part of the CSI community is important to Raleigh, and he urges all CSI students to “make CSI your own! Don’t be afraid to stay on campus and make friends. CSI is a great school for the price we pay, and one should feel proud to go here. Get involved and enjoy college!”
The 20-year-old Petrides High School graduate is also a member of the CSI Music Club. His goal is to pursue music professionally, be it with his own band or as an associate in the industry, possibly opening a record label or talent management firm.
Raleigh working at Egger's Ice Cream Parlor.
“I would like to shape this next generation of music as well as give back to a community that has given people behind them the chance to listen to amazing music,” Raleigh commented.
“The band is my passion but so is music in general. I think anyone’s dream career would be to travel the world with some of their best friends and make music. I think that with Wayward Strangers it’s a real possibility,” said Raleigh, a West Brighton resident.
The student credits Charles Liu, PhD, Director of the Macaulay and Verrazano School programs, because he, “really got me to think about life and the reality of the world outside of college. He is very inspiring and is always filled with surprises.”
Dr. Liu, also an astrophysics professor at the College, says Raleigh inspires him right back. “Brian was a pleasure to have in my class – what an engaged, active learner he is! He’s great to have around outside of class too – as a student, a musician, and much more. He is a highly valued and greatly appreciated member of the Verrazano Community.”
The model student advises his fellow peers to keep up with their priorities and not to let too much responsibility weigh them down.
Raleigh insists, “Do not get caught up in the amount of work you have. Always do your work but always realize that every situation, good or bad, is temporary. Thus when life and school are good, push harder because at some point that good situation will start to change, so be prepared. On the other hand, I find myself buried in work all the time, but whether its school or work, when things get hard, I accept the challenge. I will get through it, good or bad, pass or fail, the stress will end.”
STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE — While most college kids spend winter break binging the latest Netflix series, six students from the College of Staten Island gave up their vacation to fly across the globe and volunteer in Costa Rica.
Pablo Llerena, Dea Aga, Blerim Cukovic, Xena Flowers, Shiqirije Salaj and Jorge Villatoro partnered with the volunteer organization UBelong to help with reconstruction projects in Pitahaya, Cartago, Costa Rica.
“Realistically, I know there’s not much impact I can make in Costa Rica,” said Cukovic, a 21-year-old psychology major with a pre-med concentration. “I’m only a pair of helping hands, but that’s enough for this experience to mean a lot to me.”
From Jan. 6 to Jan. 30, the CSI group reconstructed the Hogar de baik Costa Rica (Home of the Children Baik in Costa Rica) orphanage.
Although the group originally signed up for manual labor — they also cared for the children of the orphanage, ranging in age from toddlers to 7 years old.
Cukovic said leaving the kids was tough — but the lessons learned from them will stay with him forever.
“The way they persevere through life is so inspiring,” the Grasmere resident said. “It’s like they were teaching me more than I was teaching them.”
LIVING LA PURA VIDA
The students stayed with a host family in the developing country. They walked through the towns, worked full-time, seven-hour shifts during the week at the orphanage and “lived life as Costa Ricans” throughout their stay.
The three-week trip marked the first time anyone in the group had been to Costa Rica. They say the experience opened their eyes to the world and humbled them on a personal level.
“It made me realize that we are very lucky to live in New York where we have access to anything that money can buy,” said Dea Aga, 23-year-old biology major from Grasmere. “The main lesson I learned from this trip was to be more humble and take advantage of all the opportunities that come my way.”
Their trip was not free of complication: On their first night, the town where the students lived experienced a black out. Shortly after, ongoing pipe construction left Costa Ricans with no water for a day.
SOUL SEARCHING IN A NEW COUNTRY
Sure, the idea of “giving back” via helping a community in need warms their hearts, but the group went to Costa Rica in hopes of doing some personal soul searching as well.
“This has always been a bucket list thing for me, to take time and help people who need it,” said Brooklynite Jorge Villatoro, a 23-year-old political science major. “I wanted to start the new year with a new perspective.”
Cukovic said it was simply an opportunity to turn “free time into useful time.”
This article by Victoria Priola was first published February 8, 2017 on www.silive.com. It is reprinted here with permission.
Dr. Knikou in her lab.
Adding to the College of Staten Island’s (CSI) long list of impressive faculty grants, it has been announced that Maria Knikou, PhD, was awarded a $1 million grant for her research in spinal cord injuries. Her project is funded by the New York State Department of Health, Spinal Cord Injury Research Board, under the Project to Accelerate Research Translation (PART) award. Dr. Knikou’s goals are to develop effective rehabilitation strategies for people with spinal cord injuries based on scientific evidence.
“I am extremely thrilled and feeling amazing about this outcome,” said Dr. Knikou, Professor of Human Neurophysiology at CSI and The Graduate Center of The City University of New York. Dr. Knikou currently has 11 completed grants, as well as two active and two pending.
Dr. Knikou mentors high school, undergraduate, and graduate students, as well as postdoctoral research fellows and junior faculty. Further, she serves on several editorial boards and has published her research work in high-ranking peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Dr. Knikou conducting research.
In Dr. Knikou’s latest research project, non-invasive stimulation of the spine and brain will be delivered at rest and during assisted stepping with the aim to improve the walking ability of persons with spinal cord injuries. Twelve individuals without spinal cord injuries will also participate to establish a control group. The trials are considered novel, as this is the first time that these two types of stimulations have been paired and will be delivered during assisted stepping. The hypothesis is, in short, that when the stimulation of these two areas is paired, the connections between the brain and the spinal cord will be strengthened. Participants will attend 15 sessions over the course of 15 days and reorganization of brain and spinal cord will be assessed via non-invasive methods.
Grant monies will be used for research staff and assistants, supplies and equipment, stipends for participants, and other project necessities. Dr. Knikou is submitting further grants to map the outcomes of non-invasive transspinal stimulation in arm and leg function of people with tetraplegia or paraplegia.
Drs. Vaishampayan and Feuer in the Engineering Science Lab.
Animator Hayao Miyazaki once said, “…Engineers turn dreams into reality.”
The College of Staten Island (CSI) is proud to be a part of that reality by introducing a Master of Engineering in Electrical Engineering (MEEE) Program at the College. The Program is currently accepting applicants for its debut in Fall 2017. CSI joins only one other City University of New York (CUNY) school, City College of New York (CCNY), which offers the degree.
“This Program will provide a foundation across all areas of electrical engineering,” noted Program Director Mark D. Feuer, PhD, who co-wrote the MEEE Program proposal with Vinay Vaishampayan, PhD. “But we also want it to broaden existing CUNY offerings, so we included lab courses and curriculum supporting data infrastructure and analysis.”
The 30-credit program has two optional specializations: Photonic Systems and Networks or Information Processing and Transmission.
“We chose these two specializations to complement what is already available at CCNY and also to contribute to our data-driven economy,” said Dr. Feuer, who is also the Preceptor for Photonic Systems and Networks. “Our graduates are working in industries where the end product is not necessarily electrical engineering.”
“The traditional view of electrical engineering is that it is only about electrical machines and electric power. While those traditional applications are extremely important, a lesser-known side of electrical engineers is that they work with computers and algorithms and that many of the techniques that are popular in machine learning and `big-data’ analytics, have been known and used in the electrical engineering sub-field of signal processing for years,” added Dr. Vaishampayan, who is Preceptor for Information Processing and Transmission. “A rigorous training in electrical engineering is extremely relevant and valuable for work in data analytics, and graduates from the MEEE Program can work in a range of data-driven fields, including finance and advertising.”
The MEEE Program at CSI is currently accepting applications.
Feuer and Vaishampayan both previously worked at AT&T and taught at Columbia University. They began at CSI in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
“The industry experience informs us on what’s valuable outside. Hopefully, this Program will capture the best of both worlds: the academic side and the industry side,” said Dr. Vaishampayan.
Inspired by preliminary work by Syed Rizvi, PhD; Neophytos (Neo) Antoniades, PhD; and Alfred Levine, PhD, the official proposal was vetted by CSI faculty, reviewed by CUNY and external experts, and finally approved by the New York State Education Department.
“This was an amazingly smooth process, and we received tremendous support from President [William J.] Fritz and Provost [Gary] Reichard. They really helped to put a lot of energy into this,” noted Dr. Vaishampayan.
The MEEE can be a terminal degree, and also prepares students for the PhD in Electrical Engineering at CCNY. The Program will be accessible to full- and part-time students.
“The MEEE will offer tremendous opportunities for employment to our students in many high-tech industry sectors in the metro region as well as nationwide, and is a great supplement to our high-caliber, ABET-accredited undergraduate Engineering programs at the Department,” commented Dr. Antoniades, PhD, noting that there are currently about 600 students enrolled in programs at the Department of Engineering Science and Physics.
Dr. Feuer is confident that CSI students will be up for the challenges of the new graduate degree.
“Our Engineering students at CSI are committed, and we work them very hard. They have to master the mathematics and the technology, and they really throw themselves into the subject,” said Dr. Feuer, adding that the Engineering students are “truly ambitious” in their pursuit of hands-on, practical work after graduating.
To apply to the MEEE Program, visit the CSI Graduate Admissions Web site or contact Sasha Spence at sasha.spence@csi.cuny.edu.
Hakima Bahri will conduct research at CSI in summer 2017.
This summer, Hakima Bahri, PhD, will take leave from her research post at L’Ecole Nationale d’Agriculture de Meknès in Morocco to conduct her research at the College of Staten Island (CSI). A well-respected professor and researcher in the field of botany and a recipient of the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship, Dr. Bahri will spend summer 2017 working with Abdeslem El Idrissi, PhD, in his laboratory.
Dr. El Idrissi, Professor of Biology at CSI, met Bahri in Morocco while traveling with his students in the LSAMP/ CSTEP-Morocco summer research initiative.
“Clearly this project is going to add value to both research efforts here at CSI in my lab and will also provide more international visibility for the College. This will strengthen future collaboration with research institutes in Morocco and also add interest to this research program,” noted Dr. El Idrissi.
CSI students visiting L’Ecole Nationale d'Agriculture de Meknès in Morocco.
Dr. Bahri’s objectives are to “conduct a thorough chemical profiling of the two selected species using adapted extraction methods and advanced analytical techniques… perform bioassays to test for the effect of the extracted phyto-chemicals on some of the health ailments… [and] develop a linkage with the laboratory of Neurobiology of the CSI of The City University of New York to build institutional collaboration…,” according to her Fulbright application.
“I am glad that this effort has come to fruition. I thank Khatmeh Osseiran-Hanna, the CSI Foundation, Dr. Claude Brathwaite and Vivian Incera for their continuous support,” commented Dr. El Idrissi.
The LSAMP/ CSTEP-Morocco summer research initiative has been running for three years and allows ten CSI students to conduct ethnobotany and biomedical research in Morocco for eight weeks in the summer.
“I am very pleased with the international links Dr. El Idrissi’s group has developed and the opportunities these collaborations bring for CSI students. We are honored to host Fulbright scholar Dr. Hakima Bahri in our college,” noted Dean of Science and Technology Vivian Incera, Ph.D.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – The College of Staten Island women’s basketball team got up early, then weathered a frantic Brooklyn College surge to secure a 53-42 win over the top seeds at the Nat Holman Gymnasium in New York. It was the Dolphins’ first CUNYAC Championship since 2005 and their seventh overall. The 22-6 Dolphins will now await word on an NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament berth, announced on Monday.
Both teams struggled to find the bottom of the net in the opening stanza of tonight’s game. Angelique Price, however, did not have trouble finding the net as she shot 50% from the floor and paced all scorers with eight points through 10 minutes of play. The nationally ranked defense of the Dolphins showed up in the first quarter and forced seven turnovers with three of them resulting in steals. The Dolphins were able to use their fast paced offense to weather the Bulldogs and the tired legs led to sloppy play by Brooklyn. BC starting point guard Karen Mak found herself in foul trouble early and had to sit out for a majority of the first half, tempering the Bulldogs attack.
Staten Island had a repeat of the first half in the second half, scoring 13 points while the Bulldogs managed to only tally eight to start things off. Price, who was hot in the first half, cooled off in the second half but when she cooled off Samantha Flecker found her groove. Flecker was shut out in the first quarter but poured in eight in the second on the back of a pair of three-point baskets. Throughout the first half the game would be tied three times and have the lead switched a total of three times. The Dolphins led in second chance points despite losing the battle on the boards, 26-23.
Staten Island was able to hit their deep shots on a neutral court with relative ease whereas the Bulldogs struggled and went 0-4 from the line. Over the last three games, all of which were playoff games, the Dolphins held opponents to an average of 21 points at the half. Tonight was no different as they held the top-seeded Bulldogs to 18 at the half. Aiding in the solid defensive stand was Rosa Perone, who was able to keep Olivia Colbert and Maya Agee-Thomas in check while staying out of foul trouble. While the Dolphins were having success from behind the arc, they had their issues from the charity stripe as they went 0-4 from the line. The Dolphins were really able to jump out to their lead after Victoria Crea and Flecker sunk three’s to cushion their lead.
The Dolphins came out of the locker room after the half and picked up right where they left off in the first half. CUNYAC Player of the Year Christina Pasaturo drained a three to extend the Dolphins’ lead to 11 which caused Brooklyn to call a quick timeout to try and regroup and slow down the surging Dolphins. The Bulldogs were able to get Mak back on the court but the Dolphins had full momentum of the game and were really settling into the flow of Championship game. After coming out of timeout called by Brooklyn, Crea was able to slice through the lane and dish a pass out to Flecker who sank a corner three to give the Dolphins their largest lead of the night.
Down 41-23 the Bulldogs would catch fire and go on a 7-0 run to shrink the deficit to 11 with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter. With under 10 seconds remaining on the shot clock, Price would attempt a three-point shot only to get fouled and sent to the line. The scoring drought of the Dolphins would continue as Price would miss all three to make the Dolphins 0-for-7 from the line. Things began to unravel for the Dolphins as the third quarter started to come to a close as that 7-0 run from earlier extended to a 9-0 run. Perone picked up her fourth foul with two minutes remaining in the third quarter which sent her to the bench and send the Bulldogs to the line. Luckily for the Dolphins the Bulldogs couldn’t find success from the line. The final five minutes of the quarter the Dolphins went scoreless but were able to keep the Bulldogs at bay and maintain a 41-32 lead heading into the final quarter of play.
With the momentum on their side the Bulldogs chunked away at the Dolphins lead. Brooklyn was able to come all the way from down 18 to down just four points with 6:38 remaining. The Dolphins were stuck on an iceberg as they were scoreless for 9 minutes before Pasaturo was able to break their drought with a tough layup. With that basket, Pasaturo broke the single season scoring record (608) that was held by Courtney Aimetti in 2000-01. Up just four with 5:34 remaining, Crea found herself wide open from behind the arc and converted it to add to the Dolphins lead and put them up seven.
At 4:42 the Dolphins lost their big defender Perone when she was called for a fouled, knocking her out of the game. Jacquelyn Cali, who was also in foul trouble, subbed in for Perone. Both teams would go scoreless for a four minute stretch as both teams struggled to convert any of their shots. The Dolphins, holding the lead, with just over a minute remaining decided to use up all 30 seconds wisely before taking their shot. That was a tactic that would work nicely for the Dolphins as they Bulldogs were forced to foul and send the Dolphins to the line. After missing all of their free throws for 90% of the game, the Dolphins finally found their rhythm and finished with seven made free throws on the night.
After the Dolphins converted their free throws the Bulldogs came storming down the court and chucked up three’s only to have the rebounds fall into the Dolphins’ hands where they were able to hold the ball until the clock hit zero.
The win is the Dolphins’ first CUNYAC title since 2005 in a bout that saw the Dolphins and Bulldogs square off for the first time in the championship game. Christina Pasaturo (16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists) was named CUNYAC Finals MVP while Angelique Price (14 points, 9 rebounds)was named to the CUNYAC All-Tournament Team. Samantha Flecker (11 points, 11 rebounds) collected another double-double in the win. Victoria Crea was an essential part to the Dolphins and collected 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists.
The Dolphins will now await until Monday to see who they will face in the NCAA Division III Regional Round.
POSTGAME INTERVIEWS – The College of Staten Island men’s basketball team completed their perfect run through CUNYAC competition with a come-from-behind CUNYAC Final Championship, defeating City College of New York by a 77-66 count at CCNY’s Nat Holman Gymnasium in New York. For the Dolphins it was their 14th CUNYAC title and their first since the 2012-13 season, and insured the 21-6 Dolphins a berth into the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament beginning next week.
The 11-point win certainly didn’t come easy, as the Dolphins found themselves down by a sizable chunk of the first half, ultimately trailing by w basket at the break. Before that the lead changed hands six times through the opening six minutes. A lay-up by Robbie Dionosio gave CCNY a modest 7-4 edge, but later, a lay-up by Kevon Murphy and a three by CSI’s Robert Rossiter gave CSI back the lead, 13-9. Consecutive three’s by Mark Richards and David Solano scored CCNY the lead again.
Khaleeq Baum added another inside power drive to give CSI a 19-18 lead with inside of 10 to play in the first half, but the Dolphins then hit a major bump in the road, turning the ball over an unprecedented six straight times over the next four minutes, and the Beavers used it to motor off a 10-0 run, giving them a 28-19 lead, prompting a CSI timeout. The Dolphins responded well from there, going on a 12-3 tear to force a 31-31 tie. Robert Rossiter added four points in the run and Edin Bracic connected on a pair before CCNY hit on free-throws by Mark Richards to end the first half, 35-33, in the Beavers‘ favor.
Much like the first stanza, the second followed a familiar script, as the teams traded shots and strong defensive play, flip-flopping the lead five times in the first seven minutes. Then CCNY had its cold turn from the floor, going 0-9 from the floor with two turnovers in a seven minute stretch, and the Dolphins took full advantage. Two Frank Schettino free-throws gave CSI a 46-44 lead, and then Murphy added three-straight lay-ups to balloon the lead. After another Beavers miss, Bracic canned a three, getting CSI up 55-44.
CCNY tried to paw into the lead, but the inside game proved too much as Baum then stepped in offensively, scoring three straight buckets of his own to expand CSI’s lead to a comfy 14-points with 7:13 left.
CSI would take another 14 point lead with 4:03 to go on a Schettino three, and from there, CCNY never got to within 9. CSI scored their last field goal with 1:34 left, going ahead by 12 before ultimately winning by the 77-66 count.
Baum led all scorers with 21 points and 11 rebounds and took the Tournament Most Valuable Player honor. Murphy added 20 points and 9 rebounds while Schettino added 11 points and six assists. Khalil Hamer and Mark Richards both topped CCNY with 16 points, with Richards besting the team with 9 rebounds.
For CSI the CUNYAC title was their 14th overall and the sixth for Head Coach Tony Petosa. It marked the third time the Dolphins finished a CUNYAC season undefeated during the regular season en route to a postseason championship (2012, 1989). It also marked the first time since 1983 that both CSI basketball teams took home CUNYAC Championships in the same year.
The Dolphins will now await the NCAA Selection Show webcast on Monday that will outline the tournament and who the Dolphins will play in the opening round of competition. More information will be released when the information becomes available.
Diamond Mitchell is 24 years old, out of school, and out of work – criteria that render the young mother of two eligible for a CSI Restorative Educational Access and Development for Youth (READY) workforce development scholarship. Funded by the Staten Island Foundation and the Petrie Foundation, CSI READY provides workforce development opportunities for young people ages 18 to 24 who are out of school and not employed.
CSI recently awarded Mitchell a full scholarship for the Medical Assistant Program, as reported by Monica Morales on Channel 11 News at 5 (WPIX TV).
“Through this transformative program, generously funded by the Petrie Foundation and the Staten Island Foundation, Diamond will participate in coursework, career readiness training, and an internship. She will receive robust student support, including help with finding a job in her new field once she completes the program,” commented Christopher Cruz Cullari, Executive Director, Continuing Studies and Workforce Development.
Mitchell and her two children are currently living at Good Counsel Homes (GHC), a supportive residential care and community-based service organization for homeless, expectant, and new mothers.
“The College of Staten Island is consistently ranked in the top 20 colleges nationally for empowering students to reach new levels of academic and socioeconomic success. We are proud to support Diamond in her quest to overcome her past and create a new future in service to our community by studying at the College of Staten Island, and thank Good Counsel for sharing a vision that embraces academic success and career empowerment for new and expectant mothers,” said Ken Bach, Director of Communications at CSI.
Warmly greeting and congratulating Mitchell on the scholarship award, Vice President for Economic Development, Continuing Studies, and Government Relations Ken Iwama recalled the triumphs of CSI’s 2016 Valedictorian RinZhi Go Larocque, who began in the CUNY Language Immersion Program (CLIP).
Growing up in foster care, Mitchell eventually stayed with family in Alabama and then New York. After illness and homelessness on the streets of New York with one child and pregnant with her second child, Mitchell finally found shelter with Good Counsel Homes, where she lives with her two children and takes parenting classes.
People 18 to 24 years old, out of school, and unemployed, may be eligible for the CSI READY workforce development scholarship, funded by the Staten Island Foundation and the Petrie Foundation. Call 718.982.2182 or visit the Continuing Studies Web site and apply.
Sarang Gopalakrishnan has received a CAREER Grant.
Sarang Gopalakrishnan, PhD, has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant. Dr. Gopalakrishnan is a newly hired tenure track Physics faculty member within the Department of Engineering Science and Physics.
“I am very happy with the news of Dr. Gopalakrishnan’s CAREER grant award. Dr. Gopalakrishnan was recently hired to strengthen the Physics program in our division, and he is already making us all feel proud of that decision. Dr. Gopalakrishnan’s research interests are related to the overlapping of condensed matter, quantum computing, and statistical mechanics, so he works in fundamental, as well as applied problems. I am sure that this grant will create terrific research opportunities for the students,” commented Vivian Incera, PhD, professor of Physics and Dean of Science and Technology.
Dr. Gopalakrishnan’s project focuses on “the behavior of large physical systems [which are] irreversible. For instance, it is common for water to leak out of a pipe but not for the leaked water to spontaneously go back in the pipe. This irreversibility is manifested by the fact that over time systems tend to ‘forget’ their initial conditions: a spread-out puddle of water on the floor contains no obvious information about where the water came from. This apparent forgetting is at odds with the strictly information-preserving, reversible laws of quantum mechanics… This project explores the approach to equilibrium as an emergent phenomenon, and seeks to elucidate the nature of this phenomenon by exploring systems, related to glasses, in which it happens in ‘slow motion,’ i.e., systems that equilibrate extremely slowly and in well-separated stages… The proposal also has a substantial educational and outreach component, involving efforts to introduce undergraduates, high-school students, and the broader public to the surprising emergent phenomena in everyday life, such as the growth of icicles and the patterns of light on swimming-pool floors.”
Neo Antoniades, PhD, chair of the Department of Engineering Science, commended the new faculty members’ efforts. “Young faculty like Sarang with their impressive energy and research focus are currently leading our Engineering, Earth/Environmental and Physics/Astrophysics programs forward towards state-of-the-art levels,” Dr. Antoniades said.
Shantel Rowe '17 has been playing the guitar since age 15.
“Writing is an extension of oneself. When I write, I can show the parts of my soul, and heart that aren’t visible to the naked eye. Writing allows one to bring another layer of themselves into the world, and it can be a truly beautiful process.”
These are the illuminating and introspective words from College of Staten Island (CSI) English major Shantel Rowe ‘17. The Verrazano School student has written for The Banner and the Verrazano Voyager as well as for her own music blog, “Call It What It Is.” Also a performing artist, Rowe has played the guitar since she was 15.
With a wide range of influences including Amy Winehouse, Rupi Kaur, and Sylvia Plath, Rowe also attributes her passion for the pen to her mother. “I had always enjoyed writing, as my mother is a writer herself; however, I began taking it more seriously once I entered high school. I was challenged to write poetry, journalism, and creatively—and writing every day essentially helped me connect more with the craft,” commented Rowe, who carries a 3.9 GPA, with a concentration in Writing and a minor in Journalism and American Studies.
Some of her favorite pieces for The Banner include her commentary on Rihanna’s Anti album titled “Rihanna Takes on New Tone with Confidence” and also “Nina Brings the Drama Onscreen and Off,” an article about the controversy surrounding the Nina Simone film, Nina, which largely spoke to colorism in Hollywood.
Rowe is an English major and Verrazano School student.
Balancing life as a busy artist and devoted student, the recipient of a CSI Foundation Scholarship has also worked closely with Ava Chin, PhD, researching Chinese immigration into America. “We primarily focused on Dr. Chin’s family’s immigration, predominantly in New York City in the 18 and 19 hundreds; however, our research also speaks to Chinese immigration as a whole. I feel as if this work deepened my knowledge of immigration but more importantly of New York geography and how history plays its role in that. Of course, we know about certain neighborhoods living in New York; however to truly understand the history and dynamics behind Chinatown is something that is truly culturally enriching. To walk along Mott Street or Bayard and look at buildings that aren’t just structures, but artifacts/stories, is truly fascinating,” noted the 21-year-old Grasmere resident and Brooklyn native.
Dr. Chin was equally pleased to work with the student. “Shantel is a rare combination of old-soul maturity mixed with quirky brilliance. She has a keen and intuitive writing voice, a sharp eye for detail, and a great sense of musical styles—it’s been a pleasure to watch her grow from being a talented freshman to an outstanding senior. I could not be more proud of her,” Dr. Chin commented.
The graduate of the College of Staten Island High School for International Studies says she is “humbled” by her experiences at CSI and by professors who “have assisted with both my academic and personal growth.”
“Once you enter college, you learn more than you ever could anticipate, not just academically, but socially, culturally. As an individual, I’ve significantly grown because of my experience here; I’ve experienced so many opportunities where I stepped outside of my comfort zone in the classroom and around campus, and because of that, I feel as if I’ve been very humbled,” said Rowe, who plans to pursue a doctorate and become a music journalist and college professor.
Charles Liu, PhD, Director of MHC and the Verrazano School, praised that, “In this increasingly media-blanketed world, we are fortunate to have Shantel and her brilliant, thoughtful voice to help us make sense of what we see and hear. It’s great to have Shantel as a member of the Verrazano School and the larger CSI community.”
Rowe’s advice to her peers involves both mental and physical commitment in order to achieve success. “Mentally, you have to focus on your goals and set forth the steps to achieve them. This means networking, going the extra mile, and staying organized. Physically, these steps can be made by remaining an active voice and participant on campus,” she said.
