Nizich Shares Insight on AI and Robotics

Aug 01, 2023

"By incorporating robotic solutions with AI, or more specifically machine learning algorithms, we enable them to learn as they perform repetitive actions and to make decisions about their next process autonomously and in real-time," says Michael Nizich, Ph.D., ETIC director and adjunct associate professor of computer science, in a Lifewire.com  article about how AI is making robots smarter and enabling them to make decisions.   

Nizich noted that advances in AI, like object recognition and natural language processing (NLP), enable robots to quickly identify objects and their relevance to their assigned tasks. NLP advancements empower robots to have better-spoken interactions with their human counterparts. "The true acceptance of robots by humans will rely on true two-way communication between humans and their robotic assistants, which may be the only way that trust will ever be established in the systems by humans," he added. 

The story was also published by MSN.com and Yahoo.com. 

 

Media Highlight Rajnarayanan's COVID-19 Tracking Contributions

Jul 28, 2023

News outlets, including Fortune and Becker’s Hospital Review, featured insight from Raj Rajnarayanan, Ph.D., assistant dean of research and associate professor at NYITCOM-Arkansas. Rajnarayanan, who manages a COVID-19 sequencing dashboard, tells Fortune that while new XBB.1.5 COVID-19 boosters are expected this fall, the variant is “on its way out.” Becker's Hospital Review cites his dashboard in an article suggesting that another variant, EG.5, is on the rise.

 

Local Outlets Publicize Students’ Academic Achievements

Jul 26, 2023

Local media, including TAPintoChatham, Northeast Times, and HamletHub, highlighted students named to the Presidential Honor List for the spring 2023 semester; Morris County Focus, The Monmouth Journal, and others recognized students who were named to the Dean’s Honor List.

 

Jarkon Featured in News12 Mental Health Segment

Jul 24, 2023

Psychiatrist Liat Jarkon, D.O., director of the Center for Behavioral Health, appeared in a News12 beWell segment recognizing National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The discussion centered on raising awareness for the challenges that affect the mental health of racial and ethnic minority groups, including barriers to treatment, historical trauma, and cultural mental health stigmas. 

 

Haar Shares Insight for HuffPost Article on Supplement Risks

Jul 19, 2023

Mindy Haar, Ph.D., RDN, clinical associate professor and department chair of interdisciplinary health sciences, is quoted in a HuffPost article about supplement interactions and risks. The article discusses how certain lifestyle habits, medications, foods, and drinks can have a negative impact on vitamin intake, with Haar explaining common misconceptions about supplement safety. 

“Many consumers are under the impression that any dietary supplement available over the counter is always safe but that is not necessarily the case. While substances considered drugs undergo a battery of testing before being released to the public, substances in the category of ‘dietary supplements’ are actually innocent until proven guilty. They may be offered for sale until there are substantial reports that they are dangerous,” Haar said.

For this reason, she said, it’s important for consumers to speak with their doctor before taking a new supplement, especially if they are taking a prescription medication that might have a negative interaction with certain supplements.

 

Newsday Highlights New York Tech Appointments

Jul 17, 2023

Newsday featured two members of the New York Tech community in its People on the Move column. The coverage highlights the election of alumna Debra Vogel to the Board of Trustees, as well as the news that NYITCOM's Martin Gerdes, Ph.D., has been named university professor.

Earlier this month, Newsday reported that two additional alumni, John R. Keville and Thomas J. Van Laan, were elected to the Board of Trustees at New York Tech.    

 

InnovateLI Publishes Balentine Op-ed

Jul 12, 2023

As seen in an InnovateLI op-ed, Provost and Executive Vice President Jerry Balentine, D.O., implores Congress to quickly reinstate the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) lapsed radio spectrum authority, which expired in March 2023. Balentine notes that, since then, no new spectrum has been allocated, hurting wireless connectivity across the country, including those who rely on telemedicine services for their healthcare.

“It is vital that Congress acts now to reauthorize the FCC’s ability to distribute new spectrum and provide a spectrum pipeline for future technological advances. The progress of telehealth and closing the digital divide within the healthcare sector both depend on it,” Balentine writes.

 

Latest Tenure Appointments in Inside Higher Ed

Jul 05, 2023

Inside Higher Ed reports that several New York Tech faculty members were recognized for their outstanding teaching, scholarship, service, and commitment to the university through tenure. The appointments, which are effective September 1, 2023, include faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing Sciences, School of Health Professions, and School of Management.

 

Raj Interviewed for Cultural Relativism Story

Jul 01, 2023

Clinical psychologist Anu Raj, Psy.D., is quoted prominently in a Verywell Mind article about cultural relativism and mental health treatment. As noted in the article, cultural relativism suggests that ethics, morals, values, norms, beliefs, and behaviors must be understood within the context of the culture from which they arise, and, because all cultures have their own beliefs, there is no universal standard to judge those cultural norms. The article was also picked up by several other sites, including Yahoo Life.

“When mental health professionals account for the differences in values, and attitudes towards and of marginalized people (including communities of color and LGBTQ+ communities), providers develop respect for individual patients. Consequently, patients are less likely to be misdiagnosed and more likely to continue treatment,” explains Raj, who also notes that an individual’s perception of mental health, including stigma, is often influenced by their cultural identity and social values.

 

Stout Discusses VR in Medical Education, Research

Jun 30, 2023

Randy Stout, Ph.D., associate professor at NYITCOM and director of the Center for Biomedical Innovation, was interviewed by several outlets regarding the ways that emerging technologies, like virtual reality (VR), can help to educate future physicians and advance medical research. In speaking to MedicalTechnologySchools.com, he shares that he and his colleagues have used VR to help medical students better understand various topics, including kidney anatomy and neuroanatomy. During a separate interview with the research-focused podcast Autm on the Air, Stout discusses how augmented reality (AR) and VR have helped to shape understanding of neurological disorders, among other topics.