Hadjiargyrou Letter to The Times: Research and the Tea Party

Sep 29, 2013

In "Research and the Tea Party," Michael Hadjiargyrou, Ph.D., chair of the life sciences department at the College of Arts and Sciences, argues that the Tea Party wing of the Republic Party is both "shortsighted and partisan" in its oppostiion to the nation's biomedical research.

In response to a column by Thomas L. Friedman, Hadjiargyrou, who also conducts research at Stony Brook University, writes, "As a biomedical scientist at an academic institution who relies heavily on money from the National Institutes of Health to conduct scientific research, I have witnessed the devastating results of this political extremism: laboratories closing, junior faculty members being fired for lack of research dollars, senior members of the faculty not being promoted, faculty members unable to follow through on their innovative research ideas, students not being trained, and so on."

 

Guiliano in Newsday: Federal Funding for New Center Will Create, Save Jobs

Sep 26, 2013

"The center will create jobs, save jobs, create human capital and invest in marketplace technologies and high-tech enterprises," says NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., in Newsday, commenting on the $1.2 million in federal support for NYIT's Entrepreneurship & Technology Innovation Center (ETIC) on its Old Westbury campus, which will work with companies and industry trade groups to prepare students for high-tech careers.

This federal funding for the ETIC, part of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, also was covered in Long Island Business News.

 

Blazey on Smoking Cessation in Medical Economics

Sep 25, 2013

College of Osteopathic Medicine Assistant Professor William Blazey, D.O., tells Medical Economics that he uses the "5 A's Intervention" to help his patients stop smoking. The 5 A's include sking patients about tobacco use, advising them about quitting, assessing their interest in quitting, assisting them with a specific plan, and arranging follow up visits.

"We found that by making templates [for the intervention] on our EHR system, we can do a brief, focused clinical intervention," says Blazey. He notes that the system also ensures that doctors will raise the question at each visit. "Hopefully sooner or later, [the patient] will see the light and when they do, they'll come to you."

 

Chute and Cooper Comment on the Affordable Care Act's Impact on Education

Sep 24, 2013

School of Health Professions Dean Patricia Chute, Ed.D., tells the Center for Digital Education that NYIT's simulation labs help students attain crucial experience in scenarios they'll encounter in hospitals and other clinical settings. In article about the Affordable Care Act's effect on educational institutions, Chute notes that standardized patients (actors) and high-tech mannequins provide excellent pre-training for students.

"We're teaching some very important aspects of medicine that help the student once they get into the actual clinical experience," she adds. Richard 'Buz' Cooper, director of NYIT's Center for the Future of the Healthcare Workforce, also notes in the article that the shortage of residency slots coupled with the growth of people who will have healthcare insurance under the Affordable Care Act means trouble for both patients and aspiring doctors. "It was utterly responsible," says Cooper, referring the ACA's exclusion of extra funding for new residency positions. "It's like planning a war and not training any soldiers."

 

NYIT Financial Aid Associate Dean Quoted as Expert in NerdScholar

Sep 03, 2013

"All college students should have a checking account and know how to balance a check book," says Rosemary Ferrucci, Associate Dean of Financial Aid, in NerdScholar's article "Top Financial Tips for College Freshman." Ferrucci adds that students should deposit any refunds provided from student loan money directly into their highest interest-earning account.

"Only withdraw as much as absolutely needed for educational expenses." She also advises students to shop for credit cards that come with some type of a reward: cash back, travel miles or a low interest rate. Keep your credit score strong, Ferrucci adds, by watching your debt-to-income ratio and by paying credit balances in full and on time.

 

Bernard Letter to The Times on Obama's College Plan

Aug 26, 2013

"As a teacher, I believe fervently that the benefits of an education go beyond that of job placement," writes College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Cathy Bernard in a response to news about President Barack Obama's plan to link federal aid to a ranking system and provide ratings related to college costs.

"But shamefully overpriced tuition costs and the precarious nature of the current job market force one to reconsider. With Mr. Obama's plan, students and parents would get a far more realistic sense of what might await them after four years of crippling expenses." 

 

Anid and Panero Detail New EcoPartnership on Sinovision Journal

Aug 26, 2013

NYIT and Peking University are leading a project that has been selected as one of six new U.S.-China EcoPartnerships intended to promote innovative models for collaboration between the two countries on clean water and environmental sustainability.

"The expectation is to introduce innovation in China," says School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Dean Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D. in a television interview with Sinovision Journal.   "We're working very closely with industrial partners who will demonstrate their new technologies in groundwater research in China." Adds Panero: "It's great to be working on the protection of water."

 

NYIT Faculty Members in Science: Leadership and Communication Key to Postdoc Advancement

Aug 22, 2013

Postdoctoral scholars should develop their leadership, management, and communications skills to help move into independent research and faculty positions, say Michael Hadjiargyrou, Ph.D., chair of life sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences, and Aydin Farajidivar, Ph.D., assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering in the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, in an article for Science Careers in the journal Science.

"Managing human capital is very difficult," says Farajidivar, who adds that his leadership of a team of student researchers helped him attain success in academia. Hadjiargyrou advises postdocs to volunteer to speak in departments other than their own and to find opportunities to address lay audiences. "It forces you to put together a presentation that's targed for a specific audience," he says. 

 

Ott in Newsday: College Transfer Student Population Growing and Has Specific Needs

Aug 18, 2013

The transfer student population is large and growing both nationally and on Long Island, says NYIT Associate Dean of Academic Support and Enrollment Services Alex Ott, Ph.D., in Newsday (subscription required). Ott, past president of the New York State Transfer and Articulation Association, says many colleges do not focus on special programs for entering transfer students who require different support and information than freshmen.

"The system in general was set up for freshmen," he says, "so the process hasn't caught up with reality."  Ott offers potential transfer students several areas to consider before enrolling at a new school: How much does really cost to attend the college you're considering? How many credits are you receiving and how do they count toward the degree you're pursuing? How long will it take to complete the degree you want to pursue?

 

Gasti in USA Today on University Cyber Attacks

Jul 31, 2013

School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Assistant Professor Paolo Gasti, Ph.D. tells USA Today that cyber attacks on computer systems of higher education institutions are likely to continue. "There are many parties with an interest," says Gasti, commenting on the attack at University of Delaware, "and as along as the data fulfills some of those interests you will always have someone who is willing to spend time and the resources to get that data."