SoECS Dean Anid Promotes STEM

Aug 01, 2014

"The message is this: This is what you can accomplish. You can do it. It doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl. Science and engineering are gender-neutral," says NYIT Dean of the School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D. in a Long Island Business News article about encouraging younger students -- especially girls -- to pursue STEM careers.

NYIT's undergraduate female enrollment in engineering and computer sciences increased by 50% between fall 2010 and fall 2013, whle graduate female enrollment more than doubled.

"It's very important that younger students in high school and middle school identify with STEM careers," says Anid.

 

Enrollment VP Ron Maggiore on Keeping SATs in the Admissions Mix

Aug 01, 2014

"I have been in higher education for 30 years, and the conversation about SATs is at least that old," says NYIT Vice President for Enrollment Ronald Maggiore in a Long Island Business News article about test-optional admissions (subscription required).

Maggiore believes SAT scores should be among the mix of requirements in the college admissions process.

"The more information you have about students, the better decision you can make," he says.

NYIT requires varying SAT scores, depending on the field of study.

"Our admission criteria is established so that the student has a reasonable chance of success in a particular program," says Maggiore.

 

President Guiliano on Going Global

Aug 01, 2014

"The world has changed tremendously in education and otherwise," NYIT President Edward Guiliano, Ph.D., says in a Long Island Business News article about global education (subscription required). "Business, research, environmental issues -- they all have become global. Cultural fluency will be required to solve problems in the coming years, and our goal is to graduate global citizens."

The courses and curricula at NYIT campuses in Abu Dhabia, Nanjing, and Vancouver are the same as what is offered at NYIT's New York campuses.

"We assess students the same way, and our faculty can teach in multiple locations," Guiliano said.

Guiliano also discussed the growth of NYIT's dual-degree programs and global network.

"We have students on our New York campuses from about 100 countries," he said. "Having a global network of alumni, students, and faculty is an important part of being a global university."

 

Oren Shtayermman on Suicidal Thoughts and Autism

Jul 31, 2014

"As they become adolescents, they become more and more ostracized from their peer groups," says School of Health Professions Associate Professor Oren Shtayermann, Ph.D., in a Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative article, referring to autistic teenagers' risk of suicide. "They become more and more isolated from society."

The article, "Suicidal Thoughts Alarmingly Common in People with Autism," explores recent studies that concluded that adolescents and adults with autism, including those with Asperger syndrome, often feel suicidal, although it may be difficult for caregivers to recognize.

The SFARI article mentions Shtayermann's 2007 study in Issues in Comprehensive Pediatric Nursing. The study showed that five of ten adolescents with Asperger syndrome answered questions about suicidal thoughts that resulted in scores indicating they had a high risk for suicide.

Adolescents with autism have difficult experiences with the social and emotional turmoil common in the teenage years, he says in the SFARI article. 

 

SoECS Dean Anid's Work Celebrated in Online Feature

Jul 30, 2014

"Science and engineering don't have a gender, yet women are underrepresented in many STEM programs and professional fields," says NYIT School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Dean Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., in "Celebrating Women in Higher Education" on Gradschools.com. "I am committed to helping change this."

Anid was among several "inspirational females" profiled in an article designed to highlight their achievements in helping other women achieve professional success and leadership positions in the academic world.

"NYIT works tirelessly to provide high-quality education and experiential learning opportunities for our undergraduate and graduate engineering students, but also extends that to help instill a passion for STEM among K-12 students, especially girls and young women," Anid says. "I am invested in helping them experience the thrill of discovery through science, and in changing the face of engineering from nerdy to cool and fun."

NYIT Assistant Professor Ziqian "Cecilia" Dong noted that women need role models to "serve as examples of what they can do for this world," and she praised Anid's efforts to expose young girls to STEM fields.

 

Amy Bravo Talks Summer Jobs, Internships, and Volunteering

Jul 23, 2014

"Volunteering for nonprofits is a great way to build a variety of skill sets that can help you figure out what you love to do," says Assistant Dean of Career Services Amy Bravo  in a CardHub article on using summer breaks to maximize future career prospects. (Click on Amy's photo to see a Q&A.)

"At New York Institute of Technology, we have found volunteer positions for architects, engineers, graphic designers, and health students, all using the knowledge and skills they've developed in the classroom," says Bravo. "The opportunities are endless and the experience looks great on your resume."

Bravo says students should not consider any type of job as "menial labor." Rather, "Work is a great teacher," says Bravo. "You learn how to manage your time, how to persuade others, how to speak to and work collaboratively with others, and how to be responsible and reliable. Work can build character and credibility."

 

Haar on Antioxidants in Newsday

Jul 11, 2014

"This is an interesting paper, but I still think it's a good idea to base your diet on a variety of fruits and vegetables," Director of the Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Mindy Haar, Ph.D., tells Newsday (subscription required) in an interview about a new study on antioxidants and cancer.

Haar, a nutritionist, says dark, leafy greens and whole foods are are among the best sources for antioxidants.

"Foods contatin a variety of phytonutrients," which are known to prevent many health disorders, she says. Dietary supplements do not have the same properties, adds Haar, and she does not promote them.

Haar made her comments in response to a new study that found that dietary supplements with antioxidants have not reduced the incidence of cancer.

 

SoA&D Associate Dean Frank Mruk on Brazilian Design Icons

Jul 06, 2014

School of Architecture and Design Associate Dean Frank Mruk spoke extensively to CCTV America in a broadcast news segment about Brazil's leading designers, Oscar Niemeyer and Jorge Zalszupin. 

A NYC gallery recently featured furniture designed by both men.  Mruk says Niemeyer and Zalszupin rejected rigid architectural notions, and their ideas were compatible and complementary..

 

Of Apps and Teens: Richard Simpson in the NY Daily News

Jun 24, 2014

“It’s always easier to get students interested in something real,” NYIT Professor and School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Associate Dean Richard Simpson, Ph.D., tells the Daily News, referring to a story about an app his students built that will warn young people about the dangers of drugs.

The NYIT students are building the app in partnership with a new Harlem nonprofit, SAFE in Harlem. Young people who use the app can calculate their life expectancy based on drug usage. Simpson is overseeing the project.

 

Anid Comments: N.Y. Regulators to Grade Financial Firms on Cyber Readiness

May 07, 2014

"It's going to come at a cost to the banks, but you have to weigh the risk versus the cost," states Nada Marie Anid, Ph.D., dean of NYIT’s School of Engineering and Computing Sciences, in an article in American Banker about New York regulators’ plans to conduct cybersecurity assessments of financial institutions to ensure that they are appropriately protecting sensitive customer data. The move, in response to the growing risk of cyberattacks facing the state's banks, also extends to state-chartered banks, credit unions, and foreign banks whose U.S. headquarters are in New York.

In the article “N.Y. Regulators Plan Heightened Scrutiny of Banks' Cyber Readiness,” Anid adds, "We must admit that the risk is very large and cybertheft is a reality." As such, she continues, "Banks will need more robust software to secure their assets. Cybersecurity will rise to top of the board agendas. That will create business for cybersecurity companies, and banks will hire more staff that specialize in cyberattacks and cyber procedures."