Pinyuen Chen

�ʰ��Ǵڱ�����ǰ��� 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 Syracuse 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 Syracuse University 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 Syracuse and around the world. He is a senior member of the����and affiliated with the�� at Syracuse University, 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.

From Page to Screen

Both comic books and movies have been around for well over a century. The first adaptation of a comic to a live action film was in 1939, featuring the well-known superhero, Captain Marvel. Two fty faculty members have teamed up with Jared Case, curator of film exhibitions at the in Rochester, New York, for a nine-film series to explore the varied ways filmmakers have taken source material from comic books and brought it to the screen.

, professor and department chair of the department of English, and , professor in communication and rhetorical studies from the College of Visual and Performing Arts, have collaborated with Case in . The series will run from June through August at the Dryden Theatre in Rochester and spotlight films from the past 45 years.

In addition to the Marvel and DC Universes, popular in the past 15 years, the series will look at additional film adaptations from the last 45 years, including “Rocketboy” (1991), “Road to Perdition” (2002) and “Scott Pilgrim vs The World” (2010). The series will examine the diverse methods filmmakers have used to adapt comic book stories to big screen, focusing on the themes and visual expressions—both essential elements of comic books.

Admission is $9 for George Eastman Museum members, $12 for nonmembers, $5 for students with ID and $5 for 17 and under. See the full schedule and buy tickets at the .

In Context: Hudson River School and Indigenous Art

, associate professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies, curated an exhibition at the in Catskill, New York. “Native Prospects: Indigeneity and Landscape” explores the relationship between Indigenous perspectives on land and the American landscape paintings of Thomas Cole.

The exhibition contrasts Indigenous perspectives on their homelands and environment with Thomas Cole’s American landscape paintings, which are based on European traditions. Cole is celebrated as the founder of the 19th-century American art movement known as the Hudson River School of landscape painting.

It also features contemporary art by such Indigenous artists as Teresa Baker (Mandan/Hidatsa), Brandon Lazore (Onondaga, Snipe Clan), Truman T. Lowe (Ho-Chunk), Alan Michelson (Mohawk, Six Nations of the Grand River), and Kay WalkingStick (Cherokee). The exhibition is accompanied by a collection of original essays by Manning and many other Indigenous scholars.

An expert on American Indian history and museum studies, Stevensis Karoniaktatsie (Akwesasne Mohawk). He directs at Syracuse University. The exhibition runs from May 4 to Oct. 27 and then will be featured at the in Old Lyme, Connecticut, where it will be on display until early February of 2025, followed by the in Rockland, Maine, until July.

To learn more, between Stevens and the chief curator and director of curatorial affairs, art and fellowship at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site. Read in the online publication, Hyperallergic, sharing contemporary perspectives on art, culture and more.

As a leading funder of humanities programs, including several recent grants to faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, the NEH plays a pivotal role in bolstering the work of humanities scholars, educators and students. Through grants to cultural institutions, scholars and educational initiatives, NEH promotes research, preserves cultural heritage and fosters lifelong learning.

NEH Makes an Inaugural Visit to CNY Humanities Corridor

Claudia Kinkela, senior program officer in the division of research for the NEH, discussed the NEH grant evaluation process during her presentation at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center.

The arrival of , senior program officer in the division of research for the NEH, marked a milestone for humanities scholars across Central New York. Sponsored by the , the March 1 event at the Sheraton Syracuse University Hotel and Conference Center saw 137 registrants, demonstrating a need and eagerness to hear Kinkela’s insight and guidance on crafting competitive applications for agency funding. Her presentation provided attendees with invaluable knowledge about the NEH evaluation process.

, associate provost for strategic initiatives, gave welcome remarks and noted the significance of the event, stating, “This was such an important opportunity for all in the humanities and beyond. We will continue to elevate the importance of the work being done across our corridor community.”

As part of the visit, Kinkela engaged in one-on-one afternoon consultations for individuals with existing projects under development.

“Having the opportunity to engage with Claudia Kinkela one-on-one was incredibly valuable,” says , associate professor of English. “Her personalized feedback has not only helped me refine our NEH proposal but also provided me with a deeper understanding of the overall landscape of public funding for the humanities.”

Hailing from 22 regional institutions, the gathering included registrants not only from institutions of higher education, but also representatives from local nonprofit organizations including the , the and . All 11 corridor institutions were in attendance, signaling a unified interest and commitment to advancing the humanities together. Academic institutions within the corridor include Syracuse University, Cornell University, the University of Rochester, Colgate University, Hamilton College, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Skidmore College, St. Lawrence University, Union College, Le Moyne College, and the Rochester Institute of Technology. The provided additional support for the event.

Instrumental in securing this important senior NEH officer site visit was , associate director for research development in the humanities at Syracuse University. Together with her corridor colleagues, including Aimee Germain, program manager for the CNY Humanities Corridor and Vivian May, professor and director of the Syracuse University Humanities Center, Workman led the development of the event’s robust programming and brought the event to fruition.

The at Syracuse University has long partnered with the to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamental workings of the universe. In 2015, the Syracuse University Gravitational Wave Group played a leading role in a discovery that confirmed Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity, with the first detection of gravitational waves. Since then, physicists from the have continued to advance this body of knowledge.

Collin Capano

Among these physicists, Professor has been awarded a from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) for two of his projects which began in January of 2024 and are scheduled to be completed by fall of 2026. Capano is also the director of the , which is the University’s central information hub for using open-source software (code that anyone can inspect, modify and enhance).

Einstein’s prediction posited that gravitational waves emitted by black holes would have specific frequencies, akin to a chorus with people singing at various pitches. Capano’s first project, “Development of Efficient Black Hole Spectroscopy,” aims to explore Einstein’s theory by testing it in extreme conditions near black holes. Using data from the LIGO detector, researchers will examine whether these waves match Einstein’s predictions or reveal unexpected patterns, potentially uncovering new insights into physics.

The second project, “A Desktop Cluster for Detecting Compact Binary Mergers,” involves creating a network of computers to accelerate the search for gravitational waves in data produced in LIGO data. This innovation could significantly speed up the process and reduce costs, enabling more universities and colleges, particularly those with fewer resources, to participate in gravitational wave astronomy. Grant money from this award will be used to fund the construction, software development and testing of a cluster of processors.

The project also supports students, offering them opportunities to gain valuable data science skills, which are in high demand nationwide. Overall, this project not only pushes the boundaries of scientific knowledge but also promotes accessibility and diversity in STEM research.

Krushil Watene, Peter Kraus Associate Professor in Philosophy, University of Auckland, New Zealand

This spring, the welcomes a visit by renowned Māori scholar, moral and political philosopher, Krushil Watene. She is a member of the Māori tribal communities of Ngāti Manu, Te Hikutu, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and the Pacific Island of Tonga (Hunga, Vava’u). Watene is the Peter Kraus Associate Professor of Philosophy, and associate professor, faculty of arts, at the University of Auckland/Waipapa Taumata Rau, Aotearoa New Zealand. She will be in residence on campus as the .

The center provides major support for a faculty member to organize the Watson Professorship. This year, two College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) faculty members are partnering to host Professor Watene, each bringing distinct expertise and leadership capabilities: Professor , associate professor of philosophy, and , assistant professor of Native American and Indigenous studies and environmental justice.

Watene’s scholarship draws on Indigenous philosophies to address climate change. For example, she suggests that people can transform how they think about the environment by looking through the lens of “kaitiakitanga,” the Māori concept of stewardship of the sky, sea and land. This mindset, rooted in a deep connection to history, ancestors and the environment, offers valuable wisdom for informing policy and law and helping cultivate a healthier, more reciprocal relationship between humans and the environment.

, the title of Watene’s residency, will address fundamental questions in ethics, politics and Indigenous philosophy. In particular, Watene will explore various philosophical traditions, emphasizing the essential contribution of local communities to achieve global change. Watene’s areas of expertise include mainstream theories of well-being, development and justice, intergenerational justice and Māori philosophy.

“We are honored to welcome Krushil Watene as the Watson Professor this spring,” says , director of the Humanities Center and professor of women’s and gender studies, both in the College of Arts and Sciences. “At a time when we are confronting environmental crises on multiple fronts, we need solutions to climate change that draw from diverse knowledges and experiences, and that foreground the humanities’ important role in our collective future. Watene brings a depth of expertise grounded in Māori philosophy and in her own community engagement and climate justice work in Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Professors Erlenbusch-Anderson and Huambachano collaborated to host Watene for the Watson Professorship because of her important contributions to contemporary Western philosophy and scholarship on intergenerational justice. They agree that her body of work provides crucial guidance in finding solutions to environmental degradation and climate change by robustly embracing Indigenous philosophies that consider obligations to future generations, as well as ancestors.

“Professor Watene’s work exemplifies the social and political urgency of philosophy and shows how transformative philosophy can be when it is grounded in a commitment to justice, connected to local Indigenous communities and in dialogue with other disciplines,” says Erlenbusch-Anderson. “Her work provides a striking contribution to contemporary philosophy by foregrounding Indigenous values as an innovative way to ensure a sustainable future.”

“From a local to a global scale, Professor Watene’s research highlights the valuable role that Indigenous epistemologies, ontologies and ethics play in improving planetary health,” says Huambachano. “Her work urges humanity to listen to and learn from Indigenous philosophies about our responsibilities to build resilient communities in which both human and non-human entities, like rivers, forests and the Earth itself, can thrive in unison, paving the way for present and future generations to live in flourishing communities.”

Watene will headline six public scholarly events. These will draw on her research on Indigenous conceptions of well-being and sustainable development, including insights from Māori tribal communities and how these are influencing policy and law.

Her two-week residency includes the following opportunities to engage:

Wednesday, March 20, 4-5:30 p.m.

Watene discusses how Indigenous philosophies are inherently good for equitable social, economic, environmental and cultural development. Also, she shares insights on sustainable development, achievable through the proven methods of Māori communities.

Thursday, March 21, 4-5:30 p.m.

Faculty working in the fields of Native American and Indigenous Studies and Philosophy join Watene to discuss reconciliation, transitional and Indigenous justice.

Friday, March 22, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (Space is limited, registration required.)

A three-part interdisciplinary graduate student workshop on reclaiming Indigenous philosophy, including the Māori philosophy of kaitiakitanga (stewardship), and how these philosophies are transforming policy and law. Interested students should follow the link for all details and requirements.

Public lecture: Monday, March 25, noon-1:30 p.m.

Watene highlights key Māori concepts for intergenerational justice, showcasing how Indigenous philosophies foster relationships, regeneration and innovation. She suggests that applying these perspectives to policy-making can empower communities and cultivate lasting collective responsibility for climate justice.

Public dialogue: Friday, March 29, 3-4:30p.m.

Kyle Whyte from the University of Michigan and Syracuse University’s Mariaelena Huambachano will join Watene to discuss the impact of Indigenous philosophies, leadership and diplomacy on global justice and policy development. They draw from Whyte’s experience with the White House Office of Domestic Climate Policy, Watene’s service on the UN Human Development Reports and International Science Council’s Committee, and Huambachano’s work with the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and the UN High-Level Panel Experts on Food Security and Nutrition.

A closing reception will be held on Friday, March 29 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at Hendricks Chapel.

All events are free and open to the public. Read all the details about these events, including date, time and location on the .

About the Watson Professorship

The Jeannette K. Watson Distinguished Visiting Professorship in the Humanities is a distinguished lectureship founded by the Watson family with the aim of fostering on-campus residencies for distinguished scholars, writers, and artists in the humanities. Individuals who have previously held this professorship include Noam Chomsky, Angela Davis and Toni Morrison.

Those appointed as Watson Professors actively participate in the University community through various means, such as delivering public lectures, conducting mini-seminars, engaging in readings or performances, and more. Their residency extends over a significant duration within a semester, or they may opt for a series of brief visits throughout the academic year. Starting this year, the Watson Professorship will be awarded biennially to maximize its funding and potential for collaboration. The center’s next call for Watson Professor proposals will be in fall 2024 for a spring 2026 mini-residency.

Additional Syracuse University departments and centers that are supporting this year’s Watson Professors residency with Watene include anthropology, the Engaged Humanities Network, Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’ food studies, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ geography and the environment, Hendricks Chapel, the Native American and Indigenous Studies program, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, philosophy, religion and sociology.

The lineup features lectures, art exhibitions and conversations that invite us as a community to immerse in art, narrative and architecture to raise our awareness about the environmental impacts of chemicals, mass extinction and colonialism. The events invite us to deepen a sense of ecological care, unpack environmental ethics and explore reproductive justice issues in a post-Roe world.

Contemplating Syracuse Symposium’s earlier this year, , director of the Humanities Center and of the Central New York Humanities Corridor, noted that the annual series is core to the center’s mission to advance humanities research, showcase the humanities as a public good and enhance our sense of shared community by bringing people together to confront some of the most pressing issues of our time.

“Connecting humanistic inquiry and expertise with broad questions of social justice and public welfare is fundamental to the Syracuse University Humanities Center’s mission,” observes May. “This spring, Landscapes explores complex global and local issues tied to our natural and built environments, but also our cultural and political landscapes. Whether through art, by learning from ancient trees, or by listening to reproductive justice advocates and health care workers on the ground, Landscapes examines the complex interplay of politics, histories and memories in shaping the diverse environments around us.”

Spring Symposium Events

The 2024 Spring Symposium kicks off on Feb. 13 with . Landscape architect Julie Bargmann (FASLA) will discuss imaginative strategies in architecture and design that reveal rather than conceal the chemical aspects and physical legacy of the built environment and post-industrial sites.

On Feb. 22, a lecture, , by philosopher Timothy Morton from Rice University will explore how art provides a model for ecological ethics in a time of mass extinction. A gallery reception for the Syracuse University Art Museum’s spring exhibition, “Assembly,” will follow.

Historian and author Jared Farmer from University of Pennsylvania will give a talk on March 4, , to discuss how ancient trees, regarded as cultural and religious symbols, are under threat due to climate change.

On March 7, Environmental Storytelling CNY welcomes Susanna Sayler and Edward Morris, both of Syracuse University, for a conversation, . They will discuss how art in the “Assembly” exhibition at the Syracuse University Art Museum deepens ecological understanding of the places we share.

, on March 26, will feature a series of multi-disciplinary panels over the course of the afternoon focused on navigating the post-Roe landscape, followed by a closing reception. Speakers include SeQuoia Kemp (Syracuse doula and birth-worker), Lori Brown (School of Architecture), Shoshanna Ehrlich (UMass Boston), Kimala Price (San Diego State) and Melissa Shube (Planned Parenthood Federation of America).

On April 4, artist Sophia Chai will talk about her current exhibition at Light Work, “,” featuring a collection of photographs centered on the Korean alphabet and ideas of language, optics and photography. A reception will follow.

Anna Arabindon Kesson from Princeton will lead a discussion on April 11 titled , exploring the representation of plantations in 19th-century British colonial art and how contemporary artists work with these histories to reimagine forms of care for each other and the environment.

Read more about the , including all event details, times and locations.

Mariaelena Huambachano is an assistant professor of environmental humanities and Native American and Indigenous studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Photos courtesy of www.mariaelena-huambachano.com

Mariaelena Huambachano is an Indigenous scholar, native to Peru, with Quechua ancestry, who also lived for many years in��, the Indigenous name for New Zealand. There she completed her undergraduate and graduate studies and formed long-lasting relationships with Māori, the Indigenous people of New Zealand. She joined Syracuse in 2021 as an assistant professor to help build the (CGIC). Courses taught by Huambachano include food fights and treaty rights, Indigenous food cosmologies and reclaiming Indigenous intellectual sovereignty. She is a faculty affiliate across several programs and departments in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) and Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs including the , the , and the .

Food is often seen as a basic human right, but millions do not have food security because of factors like poverty, lack of access to affordable and nutritious food, inadequate social safety nets and environmental challenges. This is worse for vulnerable and marginalized people, like many Indigenous communities around the world. Huambachano is serving on her second United Nations (UN) ��providing evidence-based recommendations to policymakers. She calls this her “labor of love.”

The HLPE is the science-policy interface of the UN’s Committee on World Food Security (CFS). This group of experts develops a comprehensive report on how food system inequalities contribute to food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition. It also provides the CFS with recommendations on how to address these inequalities because, the report notes, these disparities diminish the quality of life and productivity, perpetuate poverty and hinder economic growth for the affected communities.

Huambachano engages in hands-on research through community-based projects in many regions.

We spoke with Huambachano to discuss her teaching and scholarship at A&S as well as her work for the UN.

, dean’s professor of the humanities and professor in the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies, is the latest recipient of the 2023 Ede Mentoring Award from the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric & Composition (CFSHRC). The biennial award recognizes impactful mentorship of students, campus leadership, professionals and others.

Gwendolyn D. Pough

A scholar of Black feminist theory, African American rhetoric, women’s studies, and hip-hop culture­, Pough has a Ph.D. in English from Miami University.

In her 2004 book “Check it While I Wreck It: Black Womanhood, Hip Hop Culture, and the Public Sphere,” Pough examines how Black women use the counter-public sphere of hip-hop to claim a voice for themselves and to influence how black women are represented in both the male-dominated space of hip-hop culture and the larger United States society. She has been recognized for her outstanding teaching skills and creating an engaging learning environment that fosters critical thinking skills.

CFSHRC is a diverse organization dedicated to advancing feminist research and pedagogy through collaboration. Their mission is to educate, mentor, and promote scholarship. The award announcement states, “Many talk about her presence, her generosity, her intellect, and her mentorship in terms that are reserved for someone who has been among the most impactful people in their lives. … the committee was impressed by the holistically strong nomination filled with letters from a diverse and equally impressive collective of mentees. “

A Syracuse faculty member since 2004, Pough previously served as both the director of graduate studies for the Composition and Cultural Rhetoric Doctoral program and the William P. Tolley Distinguished Professor in the Humanities where she helped to shape conversations about pedagogical practices in the classroom with an emphasis on diversity, inclusion, social justice and activism. Pough is the current president-elect of the Rhetoric Society of America and the first Black woman to lead the organization.

Pough has also served as assistant chair, associate chair and chair of the Conference on College Composition and Communication; chair of the Third Wave Feminisms Group of the National Women’s Studies Association; and as an elected official to executive boards for both the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric & Composition and the Association of Rhetoric and Writing Studies. At Syracuse, Pough was chair of the Department of Women’s and Gender Studies from July 2011 to June 2014, and again from January 2018 to June 2021.

Alison Patteson (photo by Marilyn Hesler)

, assistant professor of physics in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been recognized by the American Physical Society (APS) with a national prize. Patteson received the 2024 , which recognizes outstanding achievement by a woman physicist in the early years of her career.

Patteson is a member of the�� and leads an institute focus group for mechanics of development and disease. Her research group studies biophysics and soft matter—specifically, how cells navigate and respond to the mechanical nature of their physical environment. She and her team are currently investigating how the structural protein vimentin affects cell migration and are also exploring the physical factors that control the growth of biofilms, which are slimy clusters of microorganisms including bacteria and fungi that can adhere to wet surfaces.

Learn more about����to find new solutions to challenges like SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19.

“Ali Patteson is an outstanding researcher, educator and service member in the Syracuse Physics Department,” says , professor and chair of physics. “Not only is her research excellent, but she is also a valuable collaborator within the department and Syracuse University community. And, she is a wonderful mentor and departmental contributor. She is truly a model of the teacher-scholar model we hope to all embody in Syracuse physics.”

APS President Robert Rosner cites Patteson’s important research contributions in characterizing the physics of living systems, including demonstrating how mechanics influences the collective behavior of bacteria and how intermediate filaments in a cell’s cytoskeleton impact its mechanics, migration and signaling. “This APS honor embodies a distinguished recognition within the academic community and necessitates adherence to the highest standards of professional conduct and integrity,” says Rosner of the award, named for the 1963 winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics, Maria Goeppert Mayer.

A Year of Achievements

Patteson has garnered several additional grant awards in 2023 recognizing her research. There were two in February including a��2023 Cottrell Scholar award, an honor that ranks her among the country’s best faculty researchers and teachers from the fields of astronomy, chemistry and physics. Currently, only two other New York state universities have more Cottrell-awarded faculty: Columbia and Cornell. Also, Patteson was awarded an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship, honoring U.S. and Canadian researchers who exemplify the next generation of research leadership.

“I’m deeply honored and grateful to receive the Maria Goeppert Mayer Award, which would not have been possible without the support of my students and Syracuse community,” says Patteson.

About the Award

The award is presented to a woman, no later than seven years after she received a Ph.D., each year to recognize scientific achievements that demonstrate her potential as an outstanding physicist. It comes with a monetary prize of $5,000 and travel support to give three lectures in her field of physics and at the meeting of the APS to receive the award. The presentations are attended by students and can have a meaningful impact on their academic and professional trajectory. Patteson will travel to Minneapolis in March 2024 to accept the award and give a presentation.

Originally from Germany (now an area in Poland), born in 1906,����was a physicist and mathematician who proposed the nuclear shell model of the atomic nucleus which explained “why certain numbers of nucleons in the nucleus of an atom cause an atom to be extremely stable.” She was a trailblazer, both in her field and for women in science, as one of only four women to win a Nobel Prize in physics.

Patteson joins , associate professor of physics and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Physics, who��received this award in 2018, for her research into soft, living matter. Manning and Patteson are the only two Syracuse faculty to receive the annual award since it began in 1986.

Irving Gonzalez (left) and Matthew Wheeler discuss strategies for academic and career advancement via Zoom.

Can you recall a person who provided encouragement or advice at a pivotal time in your life, perhaps in college? The A&S | Maxwell Office of Academic and Career Advising has built a thriving program that pairs curious undergraduate students looking to network with dedicated alumni mentors who have walked in their shoes.

Milestone Achievement

It began in April of 2020 and despite the irony of launching during the height of the pandemic shutdown, the program, meant to bring students and alumni together, has proven to be a resounding success. Managed by Matthew Wheeler, associate director for alumni relations in the Office of Undergraduate Academic and Career Advising, the program has recently reached a significant milestone of 1,000 meetings between students and alumni mentors.

Win-Win Proposition

Students are encouraged to network with alumni, but they often lack the experience, guidance and mechanism to do so. Fortunately, Syracuse’s alumni community is renowned for going above and beyond to support students—but how do they cross paths with students? Enter The Alumni Connection Program—a mentorship program that demystifies the intimidating transition for students and sparks alumni engagement.

For students, it’s a golden opportunity to glean real-world insights from accomplished graduates. Simultaneously, alumni mentors find great satisfaction from giving back to their alma mater, actively shaping the next generation of professionals and providing invaluable guidance for success at the University, in their respective industries and in life.

Students can be any year and any major in A&S or Maxwell. Even those who are undecided or unsure what career path they are aiming for are welcome. In fact, many have found that a conversation with an alum either helped them solidify their career interests or made them more comfortable during a transition time that can feel stressful:

“Since I met with my alumni match, my view of my career/life path has changed. I am more comfortable not knowing 100% what I want to do. My alumni match shared how he dabbled in many different subject areas before finding the path that led to his current job. I have many different interests, so this experience has helped me to find new confidence in where I am on my academic path.” –��Student feedback

What’s Required?

To begin, Wheeler asks that both parties approach the experience professionally and commit to a single, one-hour conversation, virtual, by phone or in person. After that, each case is different. Students have the opportunity and control to develop the relationship if they choose. They also can go back to the program list and seek out new alumni matches.

Wheeler emphasizes that students come “prepared, curious and grateful”, which is his prescribed recipe for a successful mentorship conversation. “We started this program to give students easy access to alumni working in careers that interest them and it’s been well received on both sides,” says Wheeler. “However, when students embrace the ‘prepared, curious and grateful’ approach, they are much more likely to feel confident and have a successful conversation with their match. It’s a good practice that isn’t exactly taught in most classes and the approach will benefit them in the future.” Wheeler also encourages students to watch a TED Talk called “.”

How it Works for Alumni

After completing a simple online registration form, alumni are added to the list for students to choose from based on their interests. Wheeler facilitates the meeting once a when a student expresses interest. Alumni are asked to listen to their student and provide constructive feedback, reminding them that each student is different.

“One student and I have connected all year and I’m looking forward to assisting her in her senior year. We worked on her LinkedIn, resume and networking in the human resources field. I am proud as an SU alum to have participated in this program and will continue to do so!”��– Alumni feedback

Alumni, join now!��.

How it Works for Students

In an online registration, students choose from a list of alumni who have registered for the program and rank them based on interest. Names of people or organizations are not shared at this point, but rather, informative descriptions like, “A 2017 writing and rhetoric alumna working as a copywriter in Studio City, California,” or “A 1993 international relations alumna working as a foreign service officer for a federal department in D.C.” Next, Wheeler explains in a training video what to expect and how to maximize the experience. Understanding that this may be the first time students have “networked,” he provides direct advice on how to interact in a professional manner—including good questions to bring to the conversation, preparing an elevator pitch and expressing gratitude. Wheeler then facilitates the introduction.

“Having an example for the initial reach out email to the alum was helpful because I was so nervous to mess up or say something wrong or unprofessional!” – Student feedback

Students, find your alumni match!��.

This year Wheeler says they are looking to expand the program’s reach and engage more students, specifically first-year and first-generation students, as well as adding alumni mentors working in more industries. With the positive feedback from student mentees, some faculty are getting involved by encouraging their classes to try the program or even requiring it.

Alumni volunteers, hailing from diverse backgrounds and professions, have eagerly stepped forward to mentor. “The alumni have been extremely generous with their time and knowledge and many also support us with alumni panels��and employment opportunities,” says Wheeler.��Though not guaranteed, the connection may even lead to the discovery of exceptional talent with potential recruitment opportunities.

“Enrique was very personable and enthusiastic about discussing transitioning from Econ to working in Finance in NYC. He exemplifies the liberal arts model with a background in Econ and performing arts, which will make him an excellent communicator going forward. Asked great questions and had a wonderful conversation. Thank you for connecting us and happy to help him through his journey transitioning to the working world.” – Alumni feedback

Connections Matter More Than Ever

With 1,000 meetings and counting, the Alumni Connections Program is demonstrating the power a single meeting can have for young people contemplating careers. It’s a true win-win. Students can tap into the rich reservoir of alumni experience—and those alumni reignite their A&S pride and a sense of Orange purpose by sharing their wisdom on how to excel at the University, navigate an entry into their industry and thrive along the way.

Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) continues to be at the forefront of astrophysics research with the opening of the�� (CGWAA). The center will create a hub for students and faculty to participate in gravitational-wave astronomy, including the design of , the next-generation observatory. The CGWAA will develop new technologies in quantum optics and precision measurement to build new detectors, advance knowledge of the universe through linking gravitational wave and electromagnetic observations and educate the next generation of scientists who will use gravitational-wave observations to explore supernovae, neutron stars and black holes.

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“I am thrilled that we are launching the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics,” says A&S Dean Behzad Mortazavi. “A&S is already a part of history with the role our researchers played in the breakthrough discovery of gravitational waves in 2015, garnering worldwide acclaim. Now as we establish the Center, Syracuse researchers will continue working with partners around the globe to expand the collective knowledge of the nature of matter and the origins of our Universe.”

Stefan Ballmer, an expert in the design and construction of gravitational-wave observatories, will serve as the inaugural director of the center. Ballmer and Duncan Brown, vice president for research at Syracuse University, were an integral part of the team that made the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015.

“Syracuse has been at the forefront of gravitational-wave astronomy since the beginning of the field,” says Brown. “Syracuse had the first LIGO [Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory] research group in the U.S. outside the LIGO Laboratory. Peter Saulson, Pomerantz Professor of Physics Emeritus, started the experimental group and made foundational contributions to the design and construction of LIGO. Peter served for four years as the spokesperson at of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and he recruited both Stefan and me to Syracuse. Under Peter’s leadership, our students were part of the team during the first discoveries and Syracuse continues to advance the field.”

There are three new A&S faculty hires joining Ballmer and Brown, making the CGWAA one of the largest groups in experimental gravitational-wave physics in the United States: Georgia Mansell, assistant professor and an expert in quantum optics, Craig Cahillane, assistant professor and expert in high-power lasers, and Alexander Nitz G’15, associate professor and expert in using gravitational waves to understand their astrophysical sources. Eric Coughlin, an assistant professor who joined A&S in 2021, brings expertise in the way that sources of gravitational waves can also generate light observable with ground and space telescopes. Also joining the Center is Steve Penn, associate professor of physics at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, an expert on the optical coatings needed for future observatories. And finally, with the search for suitable sites for the next-generation observatory Cosmic Explorer becoming a priority, two faculty members of the Syracuse University Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences have also joined the Center: Joshua Russell, assistant professor of seismology, and Christopher Scholz, professor of paleolimnology and rift basin evolution.

Read More on National Science Foundation Grants Funding Researchers’ Work With Cosmic Explorer.

Syracuse University has a long history in physics with a direct lineage to Albert Einstein himself, going back to when it became a research university after World War II. Several star physicists were hired, including Peter Bergmann, who had worked with Einstein as a research assistant on both the unified field theory and relativity prior to A&S as a professor. Syracuse was one of the first universities in the country to study the general theory of relativity and try to reconcile it with quantum theory. Bergmann’s student, Joshua Goldberg G’50, ’52 Ph.D., who taught at Syracuse for over 50 years, became an expert on Einstein’s theory and helped bring some of the world’s greatest physicists to the University, including Sir Roger Penrose, winner of the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physics. He was also instrumental in starting the first serious experimental efforts to directly observe gravitational waves.

When the experimental efforts became concrete with the National Science Foundation’s LIGO project, Syracuse was the first university outside the LIGO laboratory to invest in the field, and hired Saulson, Martin A. Pomerantz ’37 Professor of Physics. Before moving to Syracuse University Saulson had been part of the LIGO team at MIT, and was the first person to realize that binary neutron stars could become LIGO’s standard sources. He went on to hire Brown and Ballmer, setting the seeds for today’s center.

“With the breakthrough discoveries of Advanced LIGO our field has transitioned from a cutting-edge fundamental physics experiment to an observation phase,” says Stefan Ballmer. “Today, Advanced LIGO observes gravitational waves from a black hole merger about every third day. But as exciting as this is, it pales in comparison to what the next-generation detectors of Cosmic Explorer promise: new observations every few minutes, with a reach to the earliest stages of the universe. Cosmic Explorer will be able to observe black holes merging in the most distant galaxies that even the James Webb Telescope can barely reveal as a red smudge. Gravitational-wave observations have truly become the new frontier in astrophysics.”

Heading up the CGWAA as the first director, Ballmer has been at Syracuse since 2010. Leading up to his contributions to LIGO’s Nobel Prize-winning work, he received an NSF CAREER Award in 2013 to support detector technology in the era of gravitational wave astrophysics. He was named a  (APS) in 2021 for his critical role in the design and commissioning of the Advanced LIGO detectors and the scientific interpretation of their observations, leadership in the development of third-generation gravitational-wave detectors and mentoring of the next generation of gravitational-wave experimenters. A native of Switzerland, Ballmer has held a visiting associate professor position at the University of Tokyo; a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan; and a Robert A. Millikan Fellowship at Caltech. He earned a Ph.D. from MIT.

“Syracuse physics has gravity in our blood. The essential, but theoretical, contributions from Bergmann and Goldberg were actualized with the first gravitational waves detections, and we have moved from a theory on the chalkboard to an actualized experimental phenomenon,” says Jennifer Ross, professor and chair of the physics department. “With the creation of the Center and the group’s recent funding to design the Cosmic Explorer detector, Syracuse Physics will continue with its tradition of high impacts that will explore the inner workings of the cosmos.”

The center will open on Friday, Oct. 13, with a slate of programming from 1-4:30 p.m., in the Heroy Auditorium and in room 202 of the Physics Building. The event, open to the public, will include a scientific program, the center launch and a reception. ��and distinguished speakers will join from Princeton University, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT):

“Open Questions on the Dynamics of Black Holes”
, Professor of Physics, Princeton University

“All That Glitters Is Gold: Gravitational Waves, Light, and the Origin of the Heavy Elements”
, Professor of Astronomy, Harvard University

“Keynote address – Gravitational Waves: A New Window into the Universe”
, Dean of the School of Science, MIT, and Professor of Physics.

For all of the information about the opening of CGWAA, including time and location, visit the .

Mary Schmidt Campbell

The Wali Lecture is an annual event where the sciences and humanities converge, fostering dialogue and new perspectives on current topics for all who attend. The on Thursday, Oct. 5, will honor the life, work and legacies of Professor Emeritus Kameshwar C. Wali and his wife Kashi. The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Watson Theater, featuring distinguished alumna Mary Schmidt Campbell G’73, G’87, H’21 as speaker.

Schmidt Campbell’s lecture, “,” considers the expectations, assumptions and practices that she and her husband, George Campbell G’77, encountered at Syracuse University influencing their academic success.

“The Kashi and Kameshwar C. Wali Lecture in the Sciences and Humanities is a unique and truly interdisciplinary event that represents the spirit of the teacher-scholar model we seek to embody in the Syracuse University physics department,” says Jennifer Ross, professor and chair of the Department of Physics. “We are excited to welcome Dr. Mary Schmidt Campbell and highly anticipate her talk, which will be especially informative given recent changes in the higher education landscape.”

Mary Schmidt Campbell was the tenth president of Spelman College from 2015 to 2022. She received a B.A. in English literature from Swarthmore College and earned a master’s in art history, as well as a Ph.D. in humanities from Syracuse University. She was also a curator at the Everson Museum of Art in Syracuse and an art editor at the Syracuse New Times. She holds numerous honorary degrees, including one from her alma mater, Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. Schmidt Campbell is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and was elected to the Unity Technologies Board in September 2020. She served as a member of the Alfred P. Sloan Board from 2008-2020, and she currently sits on the boards of the J. Paul Getty Trust, the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, as well as on the advisory boards of the Bonner Foundation and the Association of Governing Boards of Universities and Colleges.

Notably, Schmidt Campbell is an expert on Afro-American artist Romare Bearden, known for his large-scale public murals depicting the black experience in America. In the 1970s Bearden mentored her as she entered the art world at the Studio Museum in Harlem, which during her time there she nurtured from a struggling organization into one of the nation’s premier black fine arts museums. She went on to write about him in both her doctoral dissertation at Syracuse University, and a book, “” (Oxford University Press, 2018).

Vivian May, director of the Syracuse University Humanities Center, explained how Schmidt Campbell’s scholarship on Bearden is one of the many accomplishments that influenced the selection of her as speaker. “Through her multifaceted contributions, as a renowned scholar of Romare Bearden, as a visionary leader in higher education, and as a tireless advocate for the arts and humanities as core to any pursuit of justice and equity, she has transformed a range of educational, cultural, and institutional landscapes to be more inclusive and equitable for all,” says May. “We are so delighted to partner with physics and the Wali family to welcome Mary Schmidt Campbell back to campus. Her participation directly supports the Humanities Center’s mission to advance humanities research, showcase the humanities as a public good and enhance scholarly community by bringing people together to confront some of the most pressing issues of our time.”

Schmidt Campbell is a contributor to several publications, including Artistic Citizenship: Artistry, Social Responsibility, and Ethical Praxis; “New York Reimagined: Artists, Art Organizations, and the Rebirth of a City” (Oxford University Press, 2016); and many others.

Kameshwar C. Wali was the Steele Professor of Physics Emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). He was internationally recognized as a theorist for his research on the symmetry properties of fundamental particles and their interactions and as an author. One of his books, “Cremona Violins: A Physicist’s Quest for the Secrets of Stradivari“(World Scientific, 2010) examined the world’s most valued violins through the lens of physics to discover how and why they produce their treasured sound—an example of his work at the nexus of the sciences and humanities.

Wali became a Syracuse faculty member in 1969. He had previously held positions at Harvard and Northwestern, 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. He is a fellow of the American Physical Society, whose India Chapter named him Scientist of the Year in 2022, along with receiving Syracuse’s Chancellor’s Citation for exceptional academic achievement. He was one of the founding members of the .

The Wali Lecture was established by his daughters, Alaka, Achala and Monona, to commemorate his vision and leadership and as an expression of admiration and gratitude for their parents’ dedication and contributions to the University and the greater community. The lecture began in 2008 and has been held annually, except in 2020.

This lecture is produced by the in partnership with the . Generous support is provided by the Wali Endowment Fund, with additional support from the Office of Academic Affairs; Office of Diversity and Inclusion; the College of Arts and Sciences | the Maxwell School, including the departments of African American studies, art and music histories, English and history; Syracuse University Art Museum and Syracuse University Libraries.

To honor the late professor, donations can be made to the Wali Endowment Fund at Syracuse University through an or mailed to the Office of Advancement and External Affairs, 640 Skytop Road, 2nd Floor, Syracuse, New York 13244.

Even if you haven’t participated in Syracuse Symposium offerings yet, the intriguing and provocative annual themes still may have caught your eye. Topics like Justice (2007-08), Identity (2011-12), Repair (2022-23) and this year’s Landscapes, offer a kaleidoscopic platform for timely and urgent discussions held in a variety of immersive formats. Returning for its 20th anniversary season, , a public event series organized by the (SUHC) in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), is composed of performances, exhibitions, films, lectures, workshops and readings.

This series is core to the center’s mission to advance humanities research, showcase the humanities as a public good, and enhance the scholarly community by bringing people together to confront some of the most pressing issues of our time.

“The humanities provide important conduits for imagining a more just world and addressing inequity,” says Humanities Center Director . “Shared experiences in film, music, fiction, philosophical pursuits, or the visual arts, for example, can immerse us in new perspectives and open up space to engage in critical, even difficult dialogues.”

To commemorate the milestone, we sat down with May to reflect on the symposium’s origin, evolution and future.

What is the significance of Syracuse Symposium within the context of the Humanities Center’s mission?

Vivian May (VM): The series, which pre-dates the center’s founding in 2008, originated as a significant collaboration between A&S and the Chancellor’s Office to bring the University community together to examine the world of ideas via keynote speakers and diverse events proposed by teams of faculty. Nearly all Syracuse University schools and colleges have partnered with us over the years. Maintaining that Universitywide lens, and strengthening longstanding alliances, the series continues to break down institutional silos to engage our wider community. Syracuse Symposium plays a role in fostering inclusive, engaged intellectual spaces for diverse publics.

Originally, Symposium was contained to one semester but has grown into a series of events held throughout the year. Can you share why you and your team expanded the format and how it has changed the outcome of the event?

Vivian May

VM: In many ways, we expanded out of necessity. Interest in collaborating with the center has grown, so widening the season’s timeframe allows us to support more partners. Shifting to an annual lineup has also allowed for pivotal collaborations in spring tied to Black History Month and Women’s History Month. We are always fine-tuning our offerings to meet the needs of our scholarly community. This format enables us to engage across the academic year for a range of curricular tie-ins and community engagement.

The themes change each year and shape the narratives and conversations of the event series. What factors and considerations guide the annual theme selection?

VM: We’re grateful to have a humanities-passionate composed of faculty and academic staff from across campus. We solicit concepts from the board, which are then evaluated and voted on, up to two years in advance. We aim for concepts with multi-faceted, relatable connotations across disciplines and for diverse publics. A strong theme tends to have nuanced valences, and by this, I mean room to riff on possible interpretations. To flesh out its full potential, it should be broad enough for different genres, disciplines and audiences. For instance, most Symposium themes evoke both positive and negative aspects—including recent themes such as Silence, Futures and Repair. The ambiguity leaves room for interpretations through many lenses.

How have 20 years of symposium enhanced the Syracuse experience for students and faculty?

VM: Through symposium, faculty and students have access to intimate, curated opportunities to engage with renowned authors, musicians and filmmakers, to dive into a hands-on workshop or immersive experience. They can connect across disciplines to take up the big questions of our day. There have also been symposium themes woven into courses and first-year experiences. For A&S faculty, one of the center’s annual faculty fellowships ties into the annual theme, helping to support cutting-edge research in different areas each year.

Also, student work is frequently showcased. For example, this fall one of the films to be screened at the (SUHRFF), Fracture, on Sept. 23, is by a doctoral student in literacy education, Evan Starling-Davis. Sometimes graduate students partner with faculty to propose and host symposium events—this year, activities on Oct. 14 and Nov. 15 are being organized by the Turning the Lens Collective, which has student, faculty, staff and community members in the mix.

Syracuse Symposium is known for its public engagement. Can you elaborate on how the series bridges the gap between the University and the community, making humanities topics accessible and compelling for a non-academic audience?

VM: We are proud to support a range of thought-provoking programming that’s free and open to all—students, staff, faculty, and community members. One of our longest-standing partners, SUHRFF, taking place from Sept. 21 to 23 this year, offers a clear, visible example of broad community engagement. Where else can colleagues, friends, family and neighbors gather, at no cost, to see a weekend’s worth of acclaimed films, and oftentimes chat directly with the filmmakers afterward?

The Engaged Humanities Network’s Environmental Storytelling Series, in spring 2024, is another example of strong public-facing offerings. In partnership with SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the series has an inclusive, multi-generational approach to addressing the climate crisis.

Looking ahead to the next 20 years, how do you envision further evolution of the series?

VM: Syracuse Symposium will, I think, have a certain constancy—the humanities shall always lie at the heart of the series and evolving research will shape new questions, genres, formats and solutions to help address the key questions and problems of the day.

Importantly, symposium’s kaleidoscopic lens—from theme generation to lineup—means it is a collective vision and shared endeavor. It will continue to pivot, take up new technologies, and unpack hidden narratives or silenced histories. No matter how our knowledge landscape changes, however, I do believe that keeping an eye on how to pursue a more just world, together, will always be core to what Syracuse Symposium is about.

This year’s theme, Landscapes holds significance on multiple levels—personal, societal and environmental. What will the lineup delve into and, for someone who’s never attended, tell us something that will entice them to check it out.

VM: In addition to the many examples cited above, this year’s Symposium partners explore everything from the Constitution, immigration, border politics, environmental justice and reproductive rights. One of the first events, on September 14, showcases the . His work has revived traditional Haudenosaunee pit firing, hand-built coiling and slab construction, via an exhibition at the . Another on Oct.r 4 brings together educators and STEM scholars who use to highlight minoritized youth as knowers. We are also excited to be partnering with YMCA Arts to host poet and essayist Camille Dungy on Nov. 16 and 17, author of “Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden.” I encourage everyone in the greater Syracuse community, the University and beyond, to check out the and connect!

Maggie Sardino ’23

Recent graduate Maggie Sardino ’23 authored an article,��, featured recently in��, an online initiative of the National Humanities Alliance (NHA) Foundation highlighting higher ed-based humanities projects. She graduated in May 2023 with two bachelor’s degrees: one in writing and rhetoric from the College of Arts and Sciences, and a second in citizenship and civic engagement from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

The article shares the impacts of her experience as a student research assistant with the����(EHN), founded and directed by��, associate professor of writing and rhetoric and Dean’s Professor of Community Engagement in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). An initiative for publicly engaged research, teaching and creative work, EHN supports and connects teams of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff working on community-based arts, humanities and STEM projects with historically marginalized communities in Syracuse and Central New York.

In her article, Sardino describes what engagement in community-based humanities can look like. To tell the story of residents living in Syracuse’s public housing, she shared some lessons learned through the process of writing and directing��. The documentary used local storytelling to present the history of Syracuse’s 15th ward, a neighborhood that was razed in the 1930’s to make room for new public housing, Pioneer Homes, originally intended for white families. By the 60’s the area was a thriving community with Black and Jewish families and businesses that was largely demolished for the construction of I-81, a highway cutting through downtown Syracuse. The documentary exposes current resident frustrations about the proposal to redevelop the area again. Sardino used the process of making the documentary to engage the community directly through panel discussions, gaining coverage by local news outlets. The project provided a voice to under-represented individuals in the renewal process. This led to increased accountability and input on the redevelopment project from a wider range of stakeholders.

Sardino was recently named a 2023 recipient of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship. Funded by the British government beginning in 1953, the Marshall Scholarship finances outstanding American students to study in the United Kingdom. Sardino is Syracuse University’s fifth Marshall Scholar. With this scholarship, she will pursue a master’s degree in digital humanities at King’s College London, followed by a master’s degree in applied anthropology and community arts at Goldsmiths, University of London.

In addition to her work with EHN, Sardino, raised in Syracuse, is both the Coronat and Remembrance Scholar, was named a����Research Assistant in 2020 and studied in Victoria, British Colombia as a����Intern in 2022. She is also a member of the��.

While at Syracuse University, Sardino maximized the opportunities these awards and scholarships presented to further her research, scholarship and civic engagement. In her article, she describes how her student experiences solidified her commitment to pursuing community-based storytelling as a career path. In particular, she cites how the collaborative relationships with EHN faculty, students, staff and community partners helped her realize the power of public humanities to expand important cultural discussions to effect change.

Current domain: thecollege.syr.edu

New domain: artsandsciences.syracuse.edu

Why the change? This change to a more intuitive name is in line with the University’s effort to provide a better online user experience throughout its digital ecosystem. With their multiple audiences, university websites are known for their complexity. A more logical naming system helps users see the relationship between organizational units and their webpages. This approach will also allow A&S to effectively manage content and adapt to future needs within the digital landscape.

The big picture This new naming system will likely go unnoticed to most users as they navigate through the A&S website. All University domains will eventually be transitioned in a similar way. Standardizing URLs is an important element in creating a consistent experience across the University’s teaching and learning, community engagement, research and administrative functions. On the technical side, this consistent naming approach gives a site more “credibility” with search engines like Google, and thus helps people get more useful search results.

Will this affect my department in A&S? The URL change will likely be seamless and should not affect any website content or functionality. All old links will be automatically redirected to the new domain. All current addresses, links and bookmarks will still work as they have been for the time being.

Be aware: Certain pre-existing “redirects” will eventually sunset in July 2026. This includes “vanity” URLs (e.g., english.syr.edu) and redirects (e.g., old faculty profile redirects) put in place when the new A&S website launched in 2019.

To prepare for these old redirects sunsetting, departments should start changing their links incrementally, such as in print materials, email signatures, course materials, etc., before July 2026. Should you have any questions, please submit a request to the .

Audie Klotz, A&S | Maxwell professor of political science.

, professor of�� in the College of Arts and Sciences (A&S) | Maxwell School, is the 2023 recipient of the . A&S Interim Dean Lois Agnew will formally confer the prize on her at the Graduate School doctoral hooding ceremony.

The prize is awarded to a faculty member who exemplifies the qualities of William Wasserstrom, a noted professor of English at Syracuse, who died in 1985.

“Audie exemplifies Professor Wasserstrom’s legacy in scholarship, research and teaching excellence. Her extraordinary commitment to and mentorship of graduate students certainly deserves to be recognized,” Agnew says.

Klotz is an internationally recognized authority that has actively advanced scholarship within the international relations community. A Syracuse University faculty member since 2003, her work spans theories of international relations, global governance and migration, global governance and transnational activism. She specializes in the Southern African region and, more broadly, the former British Empire.

She has authored five books and has contributed to another fifteen. Her writing is frequently assigned in top-ranking graduate seminars. Her first book,��Norms in International Relations: The Struggle against Apartheid��(Cornell University Press, 1995), helped define the constructivist social theory in international relations.

Klotz’s research, teaching, and mentoring have earned her multiple awards, including a Syracuse University Excellence in Graduate Education Faculty Recognition Award in 2008; the Tickner Award for innovative scholarship and exceptional mentoring, International Studies Association, 2014; a Distinguished Scholar Award, International Studies Association, Ethnicity, Nationality and Migration in 2018; and the Distinguished Scholar Award from the International Organization Section of the International Studies Association (ISA) in 2020.

In addition to her innovative scholarship, Klotz has served as a primary advisor for fourteen doctoral students and contributed to many dissertation committees. Her advisees include a high proportion of women and students of color. She also founded and chaired the Society for Women in International Political Economy.

One innovation pioneered by Klotz was a Ph.D. reading group that uses the forum to workshop students’ writing and research, as noted in the nomination letter from professor and chair of the Department of Political Science Shana Kushner Gadarian. “This workshop model has been adopted by other faculty, including myself, because of the multiple benefits it brings to attendees as well as the faculty mentor.”

Nomination letters from colleagues, students and teaching assistants cite Klotz as a rigorous and encouraging mentor.

Political science associate professor Lamis Abdelaaty says, “She is a conscientious and reflective teacher. She has an uncanny ability to ‘cut the chaff’ and drill down to the central insights that students can organize their thoughts around.”

Farrah Brown, political science Ph.D. candidate and graduate teaching assistant who has been mentored by Klotz for six years says, “The rigor and care with which she approaches questions of pedagogy was evident in the collaborative approach that she took to supporting teaching assistants. I have no doubt that I am a better teacher for having had the opportunity to work alongside Professor Klotz as a teaching assistant.”

Lindsay Burt, now a visiting assistant professor at Muhlenberg College, reflects, “Audie’s dynamic personality, command of the material and steady hand, gently pushing us past our self-consciousness and intellectual boundaries, reminded me why I chose this path at a time when I was thirsty for a reminder. I quickly learned that Audie’s commitment to her student’s progress and well-being is absolute.”

The BAC will be focusing on assessing and improving the energy efficiency and indoor environmental quality of non-industrial buildings (e.g., residential, commercial and schools), complementing Syracuse University’s , funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s and led by MAE assistant teaching professor Jackie Anderson.��

Prior to joining the University, Shapiro founded in 1989, a successful full-service consulting engineering firm in Ithaca, NY, specializing in sustainability, energy efficiency, engineering design, research and consulting. The firm has grown to over 30 staff with satellite offices in five other U.S. cities. The name of the company is an acronym, consistent with its mission, “Technology As If The Earth Mattered.” Shapiro will continue to sit on the board of directors for the company. Taitem has been an active SyracuseCoE Industry Partner for many years, with Shapiro collaborating on many sponsored research and demonstration projects.

Before founding Taitem Engineering, Shapiro was an employee of Carrier Corporation in Syracuse where he designed heat pumps and air conditioning equipment. His work has generated nine patents, including the most recent in 2008, for an innovative desiccant cooling system.

Shapiro was honored as Green Building Advocate of the Year in 2016 at the New York State Green Building Conference at SUNY ESF for his work promoting the need to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on humans and the natural environment.

“We are thrilled to have Ian Shapiro join our team,” says Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang, SyracuseCoE Executive Director. “With his extensive expertise in sustainable building practices and engineering, coupled with his influential contributions as an author and inventor, Ian is well-positioned to make a significant impact on Syracuse University students, faculty, SyracuseCoE partner companies and our community. We are excited to see the innovative projects and research that will emerge under his leadership and are confident that he will bring positive changes not only to SyracuseCoE but also to the larger community.”

“And I am equally thrilled by this opportunity,” says Shapiro. “To join SyracuseCoE’s nationally-recognized work, to teach at Syracuse University, to return to Syracuse after 30 years, are all things I could not have imagined. I hope I can contribute in a helpful way to SyracuseCoE’s work, to bring in ideas from the design and consulting world, and to channel SU’s findings back into the world. I’m also so excited to teach and interact with students. I always find that I learn so much from students!”

With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Shapiro has led several applied energy conservation research projects and worked on design and energy projects in New York and nearby states. He has led the development of several software applications that are used in the areas of HVAC, energy and indoor air quality fields, including TREAT (Targeted Residential Energy Analysis Tools), which was awarded the 2005 National R&D 100 Award. Shapiro has developed and delivered workshops to owners, developers, designers and contractors in the area of energy and HVAC to advance sustainability efforts in the industry. With his deep expertise in engineering and green building, he has presented at many Syracuse University and SyracuseCoE forums, symposiums and events.

He has co-authored the textbook Green Building Illustrated, 2nd Edition (Wiley, 2020) and the professional reference book Energy Audits and Improvements for Commercial Buildings (Wiley, 2016). Green Building Illustrated is a graphical and methodical presentation of the theory, practices and complexities of sustainable design, illustrated by Francis D.K. Ching. It has been translated into several languages, including Chinese, Spanish, Korean and Portuguese. Shapiro is also the co-author of the Ithaca Energy Code Supplement, one of the most advanced energy codes in the nation. Shapiro helped to develop New York State’s Integrated Physical Needs Assessment, which is required for all affordable multifamily projects undergoing rehabilitation, as well as other state and local technical policy requirements. He has been a visiting lecturer at Cornell University, Tompkins Cortland Community College, and Syracuse University.��

Shapiro holds an undergraduate degree from McGill University, and an M.S. from Columbia University, both in mechanical engineering. Shapiro is a licensed engineer in the states of New York, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.

There’s a new publicly accessible website from American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), , that informs educators and practitioners like designers and energy modelers how people all over the world use buildings.

SyracuseCoE Associate Director and Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Professor Bing Dong and several students have compiled research from 15 countries on how building occupants behave – more specifically, how they interact with building systems like windows, doors, light switches, thermostats and fans.

World map showing contributors to ASHRAE’s global occupant behavior database.

Why this matters: Even with good intentions to get outside more, we actually spend most of our lives indoors. As a result, the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning used in commercial buildings accounts for nearly 10% of global electric energy use. This will increase as the world electrifies to shift away from fossil-fuels.

The race is on to innovate for efficiency. Intelligent building technologies and retrofits are part of the solution. Occupant behavior is a crucial, but often overlooked component. Both buildings and people need to get smarter about energy use.

Industry organizations are steering best practices to reduce carbon footprint, but is it enough? The and have developed standards and guidelines to support sustainably upgrading building design and construction practices. Out of these efforts, processes like LEED Certification have been launched to promote energy-efficient buildings. However, these are mostly in developed countries. And, a recent study showed that LEED-certified buildings perform with only about 10% less energy.

Zoom In: There are many factors that influence energy consumption, including architectural design, engineering technologies, cultural background, occupant behavior and social equity. On closer inspection, researchers found there was not a performance gap, but an information gap. The building systems were not underperforming, but a lack of understanding about human-building interactions led to suboptimal operations and limited the development, testing and deploying new energy-efficient building technologies. More occupant behavior information is needed.

Why Create a Database?: Human behavior is complicated. In addition to privacy considerations and technology issues, there is the complex nature of how humans use buildings. Over 500 papers have been published but it is hard to find actionable conclusions for making buildings more efficient with so many variables.

Researchers need to undertake a bigger and more comprehensive effort to understand the nuances of how people behave in various building types, climates and nations. To influence energy-efficient building design and operation, performance monitoring, benchmarking, information visualization, better controls, fault detection and diagnostics are needed.

Zoom Out: The ASHRAE Global Occupant Behavior Database was built with inputs from 51 contributors, in 15 countries, from 39 institutions. Users can obtain information about different behavior types, cities, countries and building types from 10 different climate zones.

This comprehensive collection of building information from all over the world will inform building designers, energy modelers and consultants to accurately simulate building energy use and forecast building energy consumption.

The database was funded by ASHRAE (1883-RP), as part of the International Energy Agency’s Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme (IEA EBC), , with additional supports from Building Technologies Office of the United States Department of Energy, U.S. National Science Foundation (Award No. 1949372). The effort leveraged ASHRAE’s global society of 51,000+ members who advance research, write standards and publish continuing education for practitioners.

What’s Next: Occupant behavior testing continues around the world and in Syracuse. Professor Dong and Syracuse University student researchers are using the and other occupied spaces in the SyracuseCoE HQ building to conduct additional testing that will contribute to the growing pool of occupant behavior knowledge.

The database has been promoted to practitioners in the international community through presentations at industry conferences. Hopes are that the database will stimulate new ways of thinking and expand through contributions from global users, and additional funding will enable training and creating occupant behavior machine learning models. Ultimately, the information will inform ASHRAE standards and guidelines for buildings and contribute to energy efficient buildings by understanding how people interact with them.

Read more about .

The ASHRAE Global Occupant Behavior Database was developed by Wei Mu, and (Syracuse University, project lead), (LBNL), (Technical University of Denmark), (University of Georgia) and (Texas A&M University) as part of the research grant URP-1883.

SyracuseCoE is seeking applications for its 2023 Faculty Fellows program. Proposals are invited from faculty researchers for innovative research and development efforts in SyracuseCoE’s focus areas:

• Healthy and efficient buildings
• Clean energy
• Resilient, low carbon communities

Funding amounts of up to $15,000 per award is available for projects without industry collaboration. Up to $25,000 per award is available for projects that engage a New York state company seeking technology, intellectual property or technoeconomic expertise. SyracuseCoE intends to make multiple awards.

Award funds may be used to support the project many ways, including:

• Research, development and demonstration expenses
• Market or policy analysis
• Project supplies
• Use of labs and equipment
• Student employment
• SyracuseCoE events that further research and collaboration
• Travel for scholarly purposes or SyracuseCoE business

The purpose of the program is to catalyze new, externally sponsored research at Syracuse University and its partner organizations, ultimately contributing to economic and workforce development for New York state businesses. Beginning in 2015, the program has supported 59 researchers with 87 awards with approximately $923,500 in project funding.

To be eligible to apply, faculty members must hold full-time appointments at a SyracuseCoE academic partner institution: Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, and SUNY Oswego. Tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty are eligible.

Proposals are especially encouraged that emphasize use-inspired research that have the potential to lead to new and useful methods and procedures, software and hardware platforms and licensable patents. Cross-campus teams from multiple departments, colleges and institutions that engage multiple faculty members are also welcomed.

The deadline for applications is April 21. For detailed information about this request for proposals and how to submit an application, visit the webpage.

The program is funded by ).

Led by Syracuse University, SyracuseCoE is one of�� that brings industry partners together with researchers and students who are creating new tech products and businesses.

The winning projects are:

• , of Potsdam, was awarded $10,000 to develop a new blade and hub design for its��3.5 kW wind turbine. The innovation offers improved power production, increased part reliability, reduced cost and higher safety margins
• , of New York City, received $9,988 to deploy a pilot of its Q Sense thermal-LiDAR sensor and software platform. It generates thermal digital twin layouts of buildings to gauge reductions in energy consumption and improve occupant comfort.
• , of New York City, was awarded $10,000 to advance development of HydroBox. The product is key to the Hydronic Shell deep energy retrofit system that, when integrated into a façade, allows for complete conditioning of a dwelling unit from the exterior wall.
• , of Dundee, received $10,000 to optimize the system design parameters of its patented uvcPhyzx device, which integrates with controlled environment agricultural (CEA) HVAC systems.

“SyracuseCoE’s Innovation Fund Awards continue to serve as an effective way to help companies achieve commercialization of their technologies,” says Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang, SyracuseCoE executive director. “These awards strengthen both the company and Central New York’s position as a leader in technology innovations that address energy and environmental challenges.”

SyracuseCoE has supported 60 Innovation Fund projects��with awards totaling over $635,000 to date.

To compete for the awards, companies that��are members of the could submit proposals to help commercialize projects within SyracuseCoE’s core focus areas: indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy and water resources.��The awards are funded by member companies of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program.

Judges included Michael Birnkrant��of , Brian Carter; SyracuseCoE; Jeffrey Fuchsberg, ; Jamie Newtown, ; Nathan Prior, ; Marcus Webb, and Mike Wetzel,��.

Student teams in the EnergyTech Up competition will have the opportunity to compete for a total of $370,000 in cash prizes as they present their plans to a panel of industry judges.

The Syracuse Center of Excellence (CoE) is once again hosting the DOE’s��EnergyTech UP’s innovative prize, which asks student teams to identify an energy technology, assess its market potential and then develop a strategy for commercialization.

Student teams will have the opportunity to compete for a total of $370,000 in cash prizes as they present their plans to a panel of industry judges.

Syracuse CoE was selected as one of 15 EnergyTech UP Regional Convening Partners, as part of a collaboration with NYSERDA and CenterState CEO’s Clean Tech Center. Syracuse is hosting the Regional Explore Event, where students have an opportunity to build their leadership and entrepreneurial skills while providing exposure to all of the innovative energy technologies waiting to be commercialized.

Any interested students or faculty are encouraged to start following�� to stay current on submission deadlines and requirements, prize rules and more. Prize administrators are holding an informational webinar to share details about the $370,000 available to students, inspire ideas around energy technologies, and answer questions from potential participants. , which takes place at 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 26.

For this round, SyracuseCoE partner companies were invited to submit proposals in SyracuseCoE’s focus areas of indoor environmental quality and building energy efficiency, clean and renewable energy, and water resources.

Projects that include research engagements with faculty and students, support for product development and testing, market analyses and proposal match requirements were encouraged. Awards for this program are funded by member companies of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program with the purpose of helping companies advance product development and technological innovation.

The 2022 winning projects are the following:

• Power Converter Development for Off-Grid Renewables, Mission Drives: This project will help develop next generation electronics for off-grid solar, wind and storage applications with a longer-term path of revolutionizing power conversion technology generically. This program will complete a preliminary design of a new off-grid system configuration that is more flexible and lower cost.
• HABAlert: AI-Powered Real-Time Harmful Algal Bloom Monitoring, BloomOptix & Ramboll: HABAlert is a mobile, cost-effective handheld harmful algal bloom (HAB) monitoring system that can detect and quantify the presence of HAB-causing cyanobacteria in 10 minutes or less. Using artificial intelligence and a cellphone-based miniature microscope, HABAlert can provide users with cyanobacterial ID and counts in near-real-time, replacing traditional methods, which require multi-day processing times.
• MAKO Smart EV Charging Station, M3 Innovation, based at SyracuseCoE, is developing a smart EV charging station and gateway that integrates seamlessly into their Sports Lighting Platform and eliminates the barriers of cost and added infrastructure to install conventional charging stations.

“The Innovation Fund awards are intended to help companies bridge the gap to commercialization of new products, as well as to provide thoughtful, constructive feedback from a panel of reviewers with expertise in the application of new technology in the marketplace,” says Eric Schiff, SyracuseCoE executive director. “The projects highlight Central New York’s expertise in environmental and energy systems, as well as area companies’ enthusiasm for innovation and commercialization of new technologies.”

With these awards, SyracuseCoE has supported more than 49 clean energy commercialization projects by 30 companies throughout New York State, totaling over $525,000. Participating companies have reported more than 176 jobs created and over $3,000,000 in additional funding leveraged from the Innovation Fund projects.

Eligibility for Innovation Fund awards is extended to all current members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program. Proposals may include collaborations with non-Partner Program firms and academic partners; however, proposals must be submitted and led by members of the Partner Program.

Learn more about the Partner Program or contact Tammy Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu.

The “Smart i-Floor” proposal, submitted by a student team from University of Connecticut, was selected as the EnergyTech UP Regional Winner for the New York/tri-state area. The team was awarded $2,500 for their plan for durable integrated tiles that sense information and harvest energy from each footstep. The winning team will move on to compete in the next phase of the competition, the Refine Phase, held as part of Carnegie Mellon University’s Energy Week in mid-March, where they’ll refine their market analysis and business opportunity.

Additionally, two student teams were selected as Technology Bonus Prize semi-finalists:

• Fossil Energy and Carbon Management: Pantheon, A Carbon-Negative Cement Replacement, Binghamton University State University of New York
• Solar: Tri-Sol: A 3-in-1 Solar Skylight System, University of New Haven

Technology Bonus Prize semi-finalists from all 11 regional Explore events will compete for $2,000 prizes in each of the six categories; winners will be invited to compete in the Refine and Pitch Phases alongside the regional winners.

“Competitions like DOE’s EnergyTech UP give students a valuable opportunity to envision and communicate the transformation of a technical energy innovation into a successful business,” says SyracuseCoE Executive Director Eric A. Schiff. “SyracuseCoE was pleased to host the event.”

Judges for the New York/tri-state regional competition included Jackie Amable, managing director of Nextcorps’ Venture for ClimateTech; Andrew Graceffa, principal of the Energy and Sustainability division of SOCOTEC USA; and Jamie Newtown, head of digitalization and innovation at Ramboll Americas. Two teams from Syracuse University competed in the competition against teams from Columbia, University of Connecticut, Cornell, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rutgers, SUNY Binghamton and SUNY Buffalo. Over 80 people attended the virtual event. For more information about the competition, including other regional events, visit the .

Please note, this image pre-dates the COVID-19 pandemic.

Companies at all partner levels—Industry, Affiliate and Start-Up—are invited to apply. Projects must��address a challenge within SyracuseCoE’s��, which include indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy, and water resources. Projects that include research engagements with faculty and students, support for product development and testing, market analyses and proposal match requirement are encouraged.

Previous companies that received Innovation Fund awards include:

Visit the�� page to see how other partners have used these funds.

Applications, due by Thursday, Feb. 17, at 5 p.m. ET, will be invited to give a proposal pitch, via Zoom, with a panel of judges. Visit the SyracuseCoE ��to learn more, or, if interested in joining the Partner Program, contact Tamara Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu.

The Syracuse Center of Excellence (CoE) was selected as one of 15 EnergyTech UP Regional Convening Partners, as part of a collaboration with NYSERDA and CenterState CEO’s Clean Tech Center. Students can team up and take part in a competition to win more than $250,000 in prize money for successfully identifying an energy technology, assessing its market potential and proposing a strategy for commercialization.

Syracuse Center of Excellence

Interested in competing?

• possible technology opportunities on the Lab Partnering Service, read more about prizes and the official rules.
• a team and/or submit an idea by Jan. 31.
• Participate in the virtual regional Explore Event, hosted by NYSERDA, SyracuseCoE and the CleanTech Center, from 3 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 18 to qualify for the national competition. More information will be announced.

During the first phase of EnergyTech UP, students explore business and energy technology opportunities and present their findings at the regional Explore Event. Once the regional event wraps up,�� judges will identify which team will advance to the national competition in March.

In addition to winning cash prizes, students competing in EnergyTech UP will:

• Receive tailored mentorship and Energy I-Corp materials.
• Develop business plans specifically for the energy industry.
• Work directly with the U.S. Department of Energy and national laboratories.
• Network with industry professionals at Carnegie Mellon University’s Energy Week.

Up to $15,000 per award is available for projects without industry collaboration. Up to $25,000 per award is available for projects that engage a New York state company seeking technology, intellectual property or technoeconomic expertise. SyracuseCoE intends to make multiple awards under the announcement. Awards will total approximately $100,000 in this round. Funding is expected to be available starting in February 2022.��

Proposals should address how the use of the Faculty Fellow seed funding could lead to a significant “next step” in research and technology development, strengthen New York industry engagement and help establish��SyracuseCoE��and its Partner institutions as thought leaders in the targeted area.��

The 2022 Faculty Fellows Program is open to faculty members who hold full-time appointments at SyracuseCoE Academic Partner institutions: Syracuse University, SUNY ESF or SUNY Oswego. Tenured, tenure-track and non-tenure-track faculty are eligible. SyracuseCoE welcomes proposals that engage multiple faculty members, including cross-campus teams from multiple departments, colleges and/or institutions. Teams are encouraged, but not required, to include non-university participants. However, funds may be disbursed only to academic institutions.����

The deadline for proposals is 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 14, 2022. Read the full announcement and how to submit your proposal on the .��

As the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated anew, indoor spaces are crucial to the health, comfort and productivity of occupants. At the same time, building operations are responsible for nearly half of the energy used in the U.S. The DOE’s Building Technology Office envisions that a clean-energy future requires innovations for “grid-interactive buildings” (GEBs) that integrate energy generation or storage capabilities and management systems that interact with the regional electrical grid.

Participating companies will receive assistance to develop and commercialize energy hardware innovations for buildings, including heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, building envelope systems, building-integrated energy generation and harvesting technologies, and building-integrated battery and thermal energy storage systems. Beyond the innovation cluster, the goals of the project are to promote equity and public health in this sector and further the nation’s transition to net-zero carbon emissions.

“This award gives us the opportunity to strengthen and grow the regional cluster of businesses that are developing building technology innovations and products,” says Eric Schiff, interim executive director of SyracuseCoE. “This project supports SyracuseCoE’s mission to catalyze these innovations in New York state.”

The project will sponsor a series of events and resources for networking, technical, marketing and equity issues, as well as provide access to funding opportunities and national lab resources. Startup companies can join the which offers a suite of services with additional financial support from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). All companies can propose collaborative projects involving intellectual property, prototypes and proof-of-concept for their potential products for buildings.

“The ‘smart’ and high-performance building technologies regional innovation cluster is critical to Central New York’s economy. We are excited to partner with the SyracuseCoE on this project as it will leverage and build on that existing regional expertise, and strengthen strategies to improve public health, particularly in disadvantaged communities,” says Rob Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “Ensuring that we can help companies and innovators advance these systems to drive more equitable health outcomes is central to our vision of creating a place where business thrives and all people prosper.”

Kickoff Event
A kickoff webinar will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 19, at 4 p.m. The event will give a brief introduction to the program, including the opportunities available for Central New York companies. Event panelists will discuss the needs and opportunities for energy hardware innovations for “smart buildings,” including products that promote equity and health in addition to grid interactivity and energy efficiency. Monica Neukomm, technology manager for grid-interactive efficient buildings, with the , will join the panel. The event will also be joined by Eric Schiff, Ed Bogucz, Bing Dong and Bess Krietemeyer from Syracuse University, and Sarah Hood and Juhanna Rogers from CenterState CEO, and Joseph Borowiec from NYSERDA. For more information about the program, contact Tammy Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu. Interested participants can ��for the kickoff webinar event.

About SyracuseCoE
Led by Syracuse University, SyracuseCoE is part of Central New York’s innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem. The center is a hub for innovative research and product development to improve indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency in buildings, clean and renewable energy and water resources. One of , SyracuseCoE strategically brings industry partners together with researchers and students in a thriving culture of collaboration and innovation, ultimately creating new businesses and jobs, strengthening regional and state economies.

About CenterState CEO
is an independent and forward thinking economic development strategist, business leadership organization and chamber of commerce; dedicated to the success of its members and the prosperity of the region. We serve as an advocate and resource for smart business, catalyze and facilitate regional growth, and promote community prosperity through results-driven partnerships, planning and problem-solving.

Launched in 2014 with an initial focus on supporting scalable solutions to reduce the energy impact of commercial buildings, IN² has since expanded its focus to advance technologies that address the sustainable production of agriculture and housing affordability. IN² supports clean energy startups and agriculture companies by providing funding for projects of up to $250,000, including technical assistance that leverages the capabilities, facilities, equipment and deep expertise that exists at NREL, as well as at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center (Danforth Center).

“Relationships with DOE national labs are critical to growing the clean-tech innovation cluster in New York state,” says SyracuseCoE director Eric Schiff. “We are thrilled to become an IN² Channel Partner. In addition to providing much-needed support for project funding, startups that are invited to join an IN² cohort are paired with experts from NREL or the Danforth Center who can help them address critical milestones on their paths to commercialization.”

SyracuseCoE is one of only two New York state-based clean tech partners to join the nationwide network of Channel Partners, which includes more than 60 colleges and universities, business incubators and accelerators, and their affiliated clean technology programs. To date, 56 portfolio companies have each received up to $250,000 in technical and project assistance from the program. For every IN² program dollar awarded, on average, IN² companies raise more than $95 dollars in external follow-on funding. IN² portfolio companies have gone on to raise $1.1 billion from external follow-on funding, creating 774 jobs.

An invitation-only program, IN² relies on Channel Partners like SyracuseCoE to refer promising companies to the program for consideration in a competitive application and down-selection process prior to being invited to join the next cohort. Cohort 10, a Cleantech Demonstration Cohort, will be launched within the next few months. For more information about IN² ��and the application process, please contact Tammy Rosanio at SyracuseCoE.

The winning projects are:

• Acumen Detection Inc., to provide an rt-PCR machine, positive controls and other reagents, and advice, guidance and support to SyracuseCoE researchers developing a test for COVID-19 in room air. This will allow schools, offices and other gathering places to detect if someone with COVID-19 has entered the space. is a startup partner, co-located at the SyracuseCoE research facility, that is transforming the way dairy producers across the globe monitor the environment and health of their herds by providing pathogen detection at the point of need–on the farm. Acumen Detection joined the SyracuseCoE Partner Program in 2019 soon after its spin-off from SRC Inc.
• Air Innovations Inc., is enhancing their HEPAirX ventilating air purifier and HVAC unit to reduce disease transmission with negative pressure settings and UV-C light. After conducting the redesign, marketing materials will be created to address the needs of the dental market. is an affiliate partner that designs, tests and manufactures environmental control systems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), custom HVAC projects and unique environments. They specialize in achieving consistent results in temperature control (low temperature and precision temp control), humidity control (desiccant to near saturation) and air filtration (HEPA to molecular).
• Elizion Tech will develop medical grade, bio-based thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs) for the manufacture of sustainable, biodegradableand recyclable filtration materials. Several sources will be assessed for their feasibility of processing into a source component for subsequent manufacturing of the antipathogenic filtration technology. Such materials can be useful in the production of personal protective equipment (PPE). Elizion Tech, based in Ontario, Canada, is developing an antipathogenic nanocoating, PPE, air filtration systems, high-contact surfaces and other applications.
• M3 Innovation, LLC, co-located at the SyracuseCoE research facility, is developing a revolutionary platform for sports venues that will both provide efficient high quality lighting and also use ultraviolet lighting to sterilize the facilities from bacteria and viruses (specifically COVID-19). M3 Innovation is a startup partner comprised of founders and former engineers from Ephesus Lighting Inc., focused on developing lighting technology for the LED sports lighting market.

“There is an established history of innovative research and commercialization in environmental and energy systems in the Central New York region,” says Eric Schiff, interim executive director of SyracuseCoE. “Many SyracuseCoE partner companies, like Ephesus Lighting, Air Innovations, NuClimate, SparkCharge and others, have used their Innovation Fund awards on their path to successful commercialization. We hope this award will give companies the potential to play a critical role in helping communities reopen and function safely as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence for Environmental and Energy Systems. Awards are chosen by a panel of members of the SyracuseCoE Industry Partners Council, select SyracuseCoE staff and collaborators. Eligibility for funding is open to all current members of the . Innovation Fund proposals must be submitted and led by Partner Program members, but may include collaborations with academic partners or with firms outside of the Partner Program. With the second round of the 2020 Innovation Fund awards distributed, SyracuseCoE has helped finance more than 49 projects by 30 companies, totaling over $527,000.

The COVID-19 public health emergency has had an unprecedented impact on our nation’s economic health and well-being. Companies throughout New York State are contributing to solutions addressing these challenges, from developing new applications for existing products to complete transformation of manufacturing operations to produce items most needed by frontline workers. To support these efforts, proposals are restricted for this round to innovations that specifically target the COVID-19 public health crisis and are consonant with the center’s focal areas: indoor environmental quality, renewable energy and energy efficiency, and water resources.

Applications of up to $10,000 are invited from current and new 2020-21 firms. Companies at all partner levels—industry, affiliate and start-up—are invited to apply. Projects must address a COVID-19 challenge with SyracuseCoE’s core focus areas of indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy and water resources. We welcome research engagements with faculty and students, support for product development and testing, market analysis, proposal match requirement, and more.

is an agtech, Start-Up member of the Partner Program who has already put a SyracuseCoE Innovation Fund award to work addressing the pandemic. Acumen, a recipient of a 2020 round 1 award, has been commercializing its innovative technology for detecting the pathogens causing disease in dairy cows. “The Innovation Fund award we received earlier this year gave us an important opportunity to respond to the need for diagnostic testing reagents,” says CEO of Acumen Detection Chuck Stormon. “We are adapting our testing technology and helping to find critical solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Acumen is developing a fast, point-of-use test that would dramatically assist efforts to mitigate the virus as we return to work and school. The company will manufacture and distribute test kits, once FDA Emergency Use Authorization is received. In addition, SyracuseCoE is working closely with the company’s CEO to help identify potential collaborators that can help expedite their path to market on this critical effort.

“The Central New York region has remarkable record of research, innovation, and commercialization in environmental and energy systems,” says Eric Schiff, interim executive director of SyracuseCoE.�� “The Innovation Fund awards have been used by many SyracuseCoE Partner companies to help further the commercialization of new products and services. Winning an award gives companies the potential to play a critical role in helping communities reopen and function safely as we continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Applications, due by Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 at 5 p.m. ET, will be invited to give a brief pitch, via Zoom, with a panel of reviewers in early October 2020.

Visit the SyracuseCoE to learn more, or, if interested in joining the Partner Program, contact Tamara Rosanio at tlrosani@syr.edu.

is a Startup Partner operating out of the SyracuseCoE headquarters building that is transforming the way dairy producers across the globe monitor the health of their herds by providing pathogen detection at the point of need–on the farm. Acumen Detection joined the SyracuseCoE Partner Program in 2019, soon after its spin-off from SRC Inc.

Acumen Detection’s 2020 Innovation Fund Project: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Acumen has applied its work to address the critical need for diagnostic reagents. Identifying asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus from droplets that settle on surfaces has the potential to significantly improve indoor air quality and public health. Acumen seeks to develop a four-hour, point-of use test that would dramatically assist efforts to mitigate the virus. The grant will help Acumen manufacture and distribute test kits once U.S. Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization is received.

(NGBC) is a SyracuseCoE Affiliate Partner and longtime collaborator. NGBC designs, teaches and builds in Nature’s Image, making use of their deep experience in the design sciences of biomimicry, resilience science and theory, and building science.

Northeast Green Building Consulting’s 2020 Innovation Fund Project: This project synthesizes innovative research in resilience science, healthy buildings and passive strategies into a Resilience Audit and Standard‚ the “Assessment for Developing Adaptation, Persistence and Transformability for Buildings” (ADAPT for Buildings). The goal is to provide the design, development, engineering and construction industries, and building owners with a state-of-the-art framework and tool containing quantifiable, verifiable metrics to use to analyze the performance of healthy and resilient buildings. Ultimately, the ADAPT for Buildings tool will take form as a virtual, interactive app and workbook for multi-industry use.

“The Innovation Fund Awards are a great example of how members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program can use their membership resources to take advantage of meaningful opportunities and overcome potential barriers to commercialization,” says SyracuseCoE interim executive director Eric Schiff. “The awards, based on technical merit and sound principles, have tremendous potential to strengthen each company through the success of their projects.”

After an initial review by SyracuseCoE staff, selected applicants were invited to participate in a digital proposal pitch to a panel of judges, including members of the SyracuseCoE Industry Partners Council, collaborators and others. Eligibility for awards is extended to all current members of the . Proposals may include collaborations with non-Partner Program firms and academic partners; however, proposals must be submitted and led by members of the Partner Program. Since 2014, more than $487,000 in project funding has been awarded under this program to support 45 projects conducted by 28 companies.

A call for proposals for the second round of the 2020 will be announced in the fall.

The supports seed projects that strengthen faculty scholarship in clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality and water resources. The program brings together a diverse community of faculty members from many disciplines. Researchers from four schools and colleges at Syracuse University, two at SUNY-ESF, one from SUNY Oswego and one from SUNY Upstate received awards.

The goal of faculty fellows program is to bolster collaboration and discovery, strengthening Syracuse University’s growing research portfolio. The program is critical to SyracuseCoE’s core mission to create innovations in environmental and energy technologies. In addition, projects are encouraged to strategically target research topics that contribute to economic development of local and New York state businesses.

“We are extremely proud of the momentum that the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program has had in the past four years, growing to nearly 60 researchers,” says Laura J. Steinberg, SyracuseCoE interim executive director. “These awards can lead to a significant next step for faculty by fostering further exploration, allowing them to publish new findings or even by helping them to win additional funding.”

The projects, principal investigators (listed first) and their collaborators are:

A High-throughput Analytical Workflow for Identification and Quantification of Cyanobacterial Toxins in Environmental Water Samples

• Teng Zeng, Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

A New Approach to Evaluate Energy Savings, Thermal Comfort and IAQ from Occupant-Centric Building Controls��

• Bing Dong, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Meng Kong, Research Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Steven VonDeak, Co-founder and Chief of Staff, Density Inc.
• Jianshun Zhang, Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Development of Improved Poplar Lines for Biofuel Production

• Heather Coleman, Associate Professor, Biology and Biotechnology, College of Arts and Sciences

Establishment of Initial Exploratory Research for the Mycelium Research Group��

• Daekwon Park, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture
• Jeongmin Ahn, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Zhao Qin, Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science
• Nina Sharifi, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture

Measuring the Vertical Profile of Air Pollution and Noise Near Interstate-81

• Jamie Mirowsky, Assistant Professor, Chemistry, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• Judy Crawford, Visiting Researcher, SUNY Upstate Medical University
• John Hassett, Professor, Chemistry, SUNY-ESF
• Meng Kong, Research Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Net Zero Retrofit Campus Housing Pilot Project

• Nina Sharifi, Assistant Professor, School of Architecture
• Bing Dong, Associate Professor, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Production and Evaluation of Activated Biochar from Shrub Willow for Water & Wastewater Treatment Applications

• Nosa Egiebor, Professor, Environmental Resources Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry
• Tao Wendong, Associate Professor, Environmental Resources Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry

Synthesis of Silicon, Tin and Phosphorus Nanoparticles as Anode Materials for High-Performance Sodium Ion Battery for Grid Scale Energy Storage

• Mohammad Islam, Associate Professor, Physics, SUNY Oswego

Projects were selected based on responses to a request for proposals issued by SyracuseCoE earlier this year. Each faculty member who is involved in a project is appointed as a SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow for a three-year term. Eight new faculty members have been appointed. The program has supported nearly 60 researchers to date.

SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, which is led by Syracuse University in collaboration with SUNY-ESF, SUNY Oswego, CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity and dozens of industry partners. To learn more visit the .

The goal of the Faculty Fellows program is to promote new research that will lead to future opportunities, including funding from federal agencies or commercial sources. The program began in 2015 and has supported 49 researchers and approximately $684,000 in project funding. Successful applicants are appointed to a three-year term as a SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow and have opportunities to engage with cross-disciplinary faculty or industry members.

��SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows collaborate to develop an urban building energy model. Pictured: Bess Krietemeyer, assistant professor in the School of Architecture; Jason Dedrick, professor in the School of Information Studies (iSchool); and Tarek Rahka, former professor in the School of Architecture.

The Faculty Fellows Program is open to full-time faculty members at SyracuseCoE’s current academic partner institutions: Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) and SUNY Oswego. Projects with single faculty applicants may request up to $10,000 and projects that engage multiple faculty up to $20,000. All proposals must address how the funding will lead to a significant “next step” in their research and lead to or leverage follow-on funding opportunities. Research projects that strategically target cross-disciplinary collaboration, student engagement or economic development are encouraged.

SyracuseCoE is a designated New York State Center of Excellence and a unit of Syracuse University’s Office of Research. Awards under the Faculty Fellows program are made possible by funding from Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).

Visit the for more information and to apply.

The theme of the conference is “Healthy, Intelligent, and Resilient Buildings and Urban Environments.” The conference program includes six keynote presentations, more than 250 podium and poster presentations, workshops, networking and more.

The conference takes place every three years as part of the official international conference series of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). The IBPC2018 is the first time the conference is being held in the United States; previously, the conference was held in Eindhoven, The Netherlands (2000); Leuven, Belgium (2003); Montreal, Canada (2006); Istanbul, Turkey (2009); Kyoto, Japan (2012); and Torino, Italy (2015).

Syracuse was selected as the host city for the IBPC2018 based on Syracuse University’s exceptional research and teaching strengths in multiple areas, including energy and environmental systems, healthy and equitable communities, and innovation and entrepreneurship. The conference is jointly organized by the (SyracuseCoE), (ECS) and the .

“IBPC2018 will be the first time this international conference is being held in the United States. It provides an opportunity for more North American delegates to participate in this important international event” says IBPC2018 Chairman , professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in ECS. “Syracuse University is honored to lead the program committee as the first American host for this transformative event in building physics. A multi-disciplinary team of 15 faculty members from four Syracuse University colleges and schools serve on the Technical Program Committee to lead the organization of the various topic areas ranging from nano-scale materials to building and city-scale energy and environmental systems. ”

“Syracuse is the ideal location for IBPC’s inaugural U.S. location because Central New York’s
industry cluster in environmental and energy systems has become an international leader with research strengths in high-performance building systems,” says Edward Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE. “SyracuseCoE looks forward to welcoming colleagues from around the world who will share the latest advances in research and innovations for healthy and resilient buildings and urban environments.”

“Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science is home to international leaders in research, development and demonstration of technologies that contribute to healthy, intelligent and resilient buildings,” says ECS Dean Teresa A. Dahlberg. “IBPC2018 will bring together outstanding and accomplished thought leaders in indoor environmental quality and high-performance buildings, providing promising opportunities for future collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

“Architecture is a practice in transition, and Syracuse Architecture is evolving with it.,” says Michael Speaks, dean of Syracuse Architecture. “IBPC2018 will address crucial issues in architectural practice. Our new faculty have a strong focus on the research and design of high performance buildings, and there is tremendous opportunity for impactful international collaborations at this event.”

The conference runs from Sunday, Sept. 23, through Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown (formerly the Hotel Syracuse). It covers a wide range of research topics cutting across multiple scales of built environmental systems ranging from nano-material applications to microenvironments around occupants, to rooms and whole buildings, and neighborhood and urban scales.

The goal of the conference is to advance the collective understanding of the nature and behavior of the cyber-physical systems in these different scales, how they interact, and what can be done to optimize their design and operation for healthy, intelligent and resilient buildings and urban environments.

IBPC2018 session topics include:

• Building Materials, Assemblies, And Enclosure Systems
• Interactions Between Buildings and the Urban Environment
• Intelligent Monitoring and Management Systems
• Human Factors: Occupant Perception, Behavior, and Impact on Building Performance
• Indoor Environmental Quality (Air, Thermal, Daylighting, Artificial Lighting, Acoustical,
Visual)
• Environmental Control Equipment and Systems
• Modeling, Simulation and Design Processes
• Innovative Energy and Power Generation and Management
• Policy and Economics
• Mission Critical Environmental Systems

More information on the conference, including an overview program, is available at .

About SyracuseCoE
SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems.
Led by Syracuse University, SyracuseCoE engages faculty, students and collaborators to
catalyze innovations that improve energy efficiency, environmental quality and resilience in
healthy buildings and cleaner, greener communities. Visit for more
information.

About Syracuse University

Syracuse University is a private, international research university with distinctive academics, diversely unique offerings and an undeniable spirit. Located in the geographic heart of New York State, with a global footprint, and nearly 150 years of history, Syracuse University offers a quintessential college experience. The scope of Syracuse University is a testament to its strengths: a pioneering history dating back to 1870; a choice of more than 200 majors and 100 minors offered through 13 schools and colleges; nearly 15,000 undergraduates and 5,000 graduate students; more than a quarter of a million alumni in 160 countries; and a student population from all 50 U.S. states and 123 countries. For more information, please visit��.

One of the current Faculty Fellow teams working on the project “Community Energy Dashboard: A Tool for a Community Energy Approach”: SU School of Architecture assistant professors Bess Krietemeyer and Tarek Rakha along with Jason Dedrick, professor in SU’s School of Information Studies.

The Faculty Fellows Program is open to faculty members who hold full-time appointments at SyracuseCoE Academic Partner institutions: Syracuse University, SUNY Upstate Medical University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF). All proposals must address how the use of the Faculty Fellow seed funding will lead to a significant “next step” in the research, lead to or leverage follow-on funding opportunities, and contribute to establishing SyracuseCoE and its Partner institutions as thought leaders in the targeted area. In addition, projects are encouraged to strategically target research topics that hold promise for contributing to economic development of local entities and New York state businesses.

SyracuseCoE has released a Request for Proposals and intends to award up to $75,000 in this round. Proposals for seed projects that engage multiple faculty members may request up to $20,000. Seed projects involving a single faculty member are eligible to receive up to $10,000. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2018.

The 2018-19 round of projects in the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program were in October 2017. Eight research and innovation projects led by faculty members from Syracuse University, SUNY-ESF, and SUNY Upstate Medical University were competitively selected to receive awards totaling $112,750, engaging a total of 17 faculty members.

SyracuseCoE is a unit of Syracuse University’s Office of Research. Awards under the Faculty Fellows Program are made possible by funding to support SyracuseCoE activities awarded by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR).

About SyracuseCoE

SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence for Environmental and Energy Systems. Led by Syracuse University, SyracuseCoE��engages faculty, students and collaborators to catalyze innovations that improve energy efficiency, environmental quality and resilience in healthy buildings and cleaner, greener communities. Visit for more information.

“The SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program bolsters discovery and innovation, strengthening Syracuse University’s growing research portfolio,” says John Liu, vice president for research at Syracuse University. “These awards provide early-stage funding to support both individual faculty research and collaborative, cross-disciplinary projects that leverage our strengths in multiple fields.”

Projects were selected based on responses to a request for proposals issued by SyracuseCoE earlier this year. SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, which is led by Syracuse University in collaboration with SUNY ESF, SUNY UMU, SUNY Oswego, CenterState Corp. for Economic Opportunity and dozens of industry partners.

Each faculty member who is involved in a project is appointed as a SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow for a three-year term. Eleven faculty members are newly appointed, increasing to 38 the number of current SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows.

“We are thrilled that the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows program has attracted a diverse community of faculty members from seven schools and colleges at Syracuse University, SUNY ESF and SUNY UMU,” says Edward Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the at Syracuse University. “We look forward to supporting the success of the new round of faculty fellow projects, which are targeted to create innovations in environmental and energy systems.”

The projects, principal investigators (listed first), and their collaborators are:

Atmospheric Deposition and Trace Gas Exchange, and the Function of a Green Roof on the Syracuse Urban Landscape
Charles T. Driscoll, University Professor of Environmental Systems and Distinguished Professor, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University

Freshwater Harmful Algal Blooms: An Overlooked Source of Carcinogenic Disinfection Byproducts
Teng Zeng, assistant professor, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University

Evaluating the Ability of Land to Replicate Indian Point’s Electricity Supply Profile
Tristan Brown, assistant professor, forest and natural resource management, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
Marie-Odile Fortier, assistant professor, forest and natural resource management, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
Mike Kelleher, senior research associate, forest and natural resource management, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
Robert Malmsheimer, professor, forest and natural resource management, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
Tim Volk, senior research associate, forest and natural resource management, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry
Enabling Advanced Compression Ignition Engines through Modeling of Biodiesel-Gasoline Combustion Chemistry
Ben Akih-Kumgeh, assistant professor, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University
Theodore S. Dibble, professor and associate chair of chemistry, SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry

Impact Of Relative Humidity On Human Performance In Cold Climate Office Buildings—A Pilot Study
Usha Satish, professor, psychaitry and behavioral science, UMU
Suresh Santanam, associate professor, director of industrial assessment��center, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University

Community Energy Dashboard: A Tool for a Community Energy Approach
Bess Krietemeyer, assistant professor, School of Architecture, Syracuse University
Tarek Rakha, assistant professor, School of Architecture, Syracuse University
Jason Dedrick, professor, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University

Development of Novel Quartz Crystal Microbalance Sensors for Environmental Signature Detection
James T. Spencer, Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor, College of Arts and Sciences, Syracuse University
Fred Schlereth, associate research professor, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University

Towards an All Solid-State Calcium Ion Battery
Ian Hosein, assistant professor, College of Engineering & Computer Science, Syracuse University

More information on these projects may be found on SyracuseCoE’s web site.

The projects were made possible by funding to support SyracuseCoE activities awarded by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). The next request for proposals for the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program is planned for in spring 2018 for projects beginning in summer 2018.

Keynote speakers for this year’s Symposium are:

• Brewster McCracken, president and CEO of Pecan Street Institute, who will present “Bring on the data: How you can use data to solve cities’ greatest resource and environmental challenges
• John Fernandez, professor and director of the building technology program and the urban metabolism group at MIT, who will present “The future of cities and the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative”; and
• Jeff Peterson, senior advisor for entrepreneurship at the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, who will present “Clean energy innovation and research partnerships for a sustainable future.”

“SyracuseCoE is proud to offer our 17^th annual��symposium, featuring work being done by our faculty fellows, their students and collaborators from around the country,”” says Edward Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the at Syracuse University. “We look forward to attracting a diverse community of students, faculty members and practitioners to attend, and to fostering ‘intellectual collisions’ that lead to new collaborations.”

SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows developed the programs for nine separate symposium sessions, which are organized in three parallel tracks: Water in Urban Environments, Energy Resources and Design in Urban Environments. Individual sessions include:

• “Climate change and urban systems,” chaired by Charles Driscoll, University Professor of Environmental Systems Engineering, Syracuse University;
• “Urban water and infrastructure,” chaired by Christa Kelleher, assistant professor of earth sciences and civil and environmental engineering, Syracuse University;
• “Hydrologic behavior in urban environments,” chaired by Laura Lautz, Jessie Page Heroy Professor and chair, Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse University;
• “Improving combustion engines through reliable ignition prediction and control,” chaired by Ben Akih-Kumgeh, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Syracuse University;
• “Advanced energy conversion and storage technologies,” chaired by Jeongmin Ahn, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, Syracuse University;
• “Biorefineries, biofuels and bioproducts,” chaired by Biljana Bujanovic, associate professor of paper and bioprocess engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry;
• “Designed material systems,” chaired by Daekwon Park, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University.
• “Big data, urban energy modeling and visualization for community engagement” (two sessions), chaired by Bess Krietemeyer, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University, and Tarek Rakha, assistant professor of architecture, Syracuse University.

Further details regarding the presentations in each session and registration are available on the Symposium website at http://syracusecoe.syr.edu/2017-syracusecoe-symposium/.

The FAST: Syracuse research and technology forum and exhibition on Thursday, June 22, will share the results of a year-long research study on sustainable transportation alternatives for Central New York. (Photo by Derek Shin)

The public is invited to a presentation of a “Feasibility Assessment of Sustainable Transportation (FAST): Syracuse,” a recent study on sustainable transportation alternatives for Central New York. The findings of FAST: Syracuse will be shared in a research��and technology forum and public exhibition at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, June 22, at the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), with a reception to follow.

To register for the event, go .

FAST: Syracuse explored the potential of sustainable transportation alternatives to reduce greenhouse gases and improve the vitality of Syracuse and Central New York. The yearlong study identified multiple opportunities to promote adoption of multi-modal, sustainable transportation alternatives in the City of Syracuse. The study evaluated the feasibility of developing, implementing, growing and promoting three urban mobility systems:

• Human-Powered Mobility through enhancing walkability and bikeability in strategically targeted areas
• Sharing Economy in the form of sharing of bikes and electric vehicles
• Public Transportation through better integration with existing regional services

The study, which was funded in part by the��New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA) and the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of students, faculty, staff members and professionals, including individuals from the�� and , SyracuseCoE, Barton & Loguidice, Clean Communities of Central NY, Downtown Committee of Syracuse and Hitachi Consulting. Project advisors included Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), CENTRO, Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board, and the City of Syracuse.

A brief overview of the results and recommendations will be presented by Tarek Rakha, assistant professor in the School of Architecture, who led the team that performed the study. The presentation will be followed by a reception and exhibition of the findings, offering public engagement for feedback and assimilation of commentary in the final report.

The 7^th International Building Physics Conference has released a , inviting papers to be presented at IBPC2018, which will be held in September 2018 in Syracuse. The online abstract submission center will be open��until��Oct. 1.

IBPC2018 is the 7^th triennial conference of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). IABP conferences provide a forum for scientists, researchers and practitioners from all over the world to disseminate technical information, new ideas and the latest developments and discuss future directions in the fields of building physics.

Building on successes of previous IABP conferences—held in Eindhoven, The Netherlands; Leuven, Belgium; Montreal, Canada; Istanbul, Turkey; Kyoto, Japan; and��Torino, Italy, the theme of IBPC2018 is “Healthy, Intelligent, and Resilient Buildings and Urban Environments.” It will provide a forum for scientific, technological and design exchanges through multiple platforms: 1) presentations of original research and development work and findings, 2) demonstrations and exhibitions of innovative green building technologies, and 3) forum discussions of future challenges and opportunities.

IBPC2018 will cover a wide range of topics cutting across multiple scales of the built environmental systems ranging from nano-material applications, to micro-environments around occupants, to rooms and whole buildings, and to neighborhood and urban scales. The goal of the conference is to advance the collective understanding of the nature and behavior of the cyber-physical systems in these different scales, how they interact, and what can be done to optimize their design and operation for healthy, intelligent and resilient buildings and urban environments. Conference topic areas include:

IBPC 2018 is jointly organized by the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the School of Architecture. The conference will be held at the historic Marriott Syracuse Downtown on Sept. 23-26, 2018.

Syracuse Center of Excellence

The theme of IBPC2018 is “Healthy, Intelligent and Resilient Buildings and Urban Environments.” It will provide a forum for scientific, technological and design exchanges through multiple platforms:

• presentations of��original��research and development work and findings
• demonstrations and exhibitions of��innovative green building technologies
• discussions of��future��challenges and opportunities

The IBPC attracts researchers, practitioners, architects and engineers, as well as faculty and students involved in building physics, who share the latest research results with the broader buildings community. The conference takes place every three years as part of the official international conference series of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). The 7^th IBPC builds on the success of the previous six conferences held at cities around the world, including Eindhoven, The Netherlands (2000); Leuven, Belgium (2003); Montreal, Canada (2006); Istanbul, Turkey (2009);��; and��.

“IBCP2018 will be the first time this international conference is being held in the United States. It provides an opportunity for more North American delegates to participate in this important international event” says Jensen Zhang, chairman of IBC2018 and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “Syracuse University is honored to lead the program committee as the first American host for this transformative event in building physics. A multidisciplinary team of faculty members from Syracuse University serves on the technical program committee to lead the organization of the various topic areas, ranging from nano-scale materials to building and city-scale energy and environmental systems. ”

“Syracuse is the ideal location for IBPC’s inaugural U.S. visit because Central New York’s industry cluster in environmental and energy systems has become an international leader with research strengths in high-performance building systems,” says Ed Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE. “SyracuseCoE looks forward to welcoming colleagues from around the world who will share the latest advances in research and innovations for healthy and resilient buildings and urban environments.”

“Syracuse University’s College of Engineering��and Computer Science is home to��international��leaders in research, development and demonstration of technologies that contribute to healthy, intelligent and resilient buildings,” says Teresa A. Dalberg, dean of the college. “IBPC2018 will bring together outstanding and accomplished thought leaders in��indoor environmental quality and high-performance buildings, providing promising opportunities for future collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship.”

“Architecture is a practice in transition, and Syracuse Architecture is evolving with it.” says Michael Speaks, dean of Syracuse Architecture. “IBPC2018 will address crucial issues in architectural practice. Our new faculty have a strong focus on the research and design of high-performance buildings, and there is tremendous opportunity for impactful international collaborations at this event.”

The conference, to be held Sept. 23-28, 2018, at the Marriott Syracuse Downtown (formerly the Hotel Syracuse), will cover a wide range of research topics cutting across multiple scales of built environmental systems ranging from nano-material applications, to microenvironments around occupants, to rooms and whole buildings, and neighborhood and urban scales. The goal of the conference is to advance the collective understanding of the nature and behavior of the cyberphysical systems in these different scales, how they interact and what can be done to optimize their design and operation for healthy, intelligent and resilient buildings and urban environments.

IBPC2018 session topics include:

• Building Materials, Assemblies, And Enclosure Systems
• Green Buildings, Green Roofs and the Urban Environment
• Intelligent Monitoring and Management Systems
• Human Factors: Occupant Perception, Behavior and Impact on Building Performance
• Indoor Environmental Quality (Air, Thermal, Daylighting, Artificial Lighting, Acoustical, Visual)
• Environmental Control Equipment and Systems
• Modeling, Simulation and Design Processes
• Innovative Energy and Power Generation and Management
• Policy and Economics
• Mission Critical Environmental Systems

More information on the conference, including an overview of the program and specific subject examples for each session topic, is available at . Sponsorship opportunities for the conference are available, and inquiries may be directed to tlrosani@syr.edu.

Presenters include Joe Casper, founder and chief technology officer of Ephesus Lighting; Yan-Yeung Luk, associate professor in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Syracuse University graduate student Joshua Aviv, founder and CEO, SparkCharge.

The forum is free, open to the public and will be held in room 203 at SyracuseCoE from 3:30-5 p.m. More information about the event, including how to register, can be found on the .

The awards expand the Faculty Fellows Program that SyracuseCoE launched in the 2015-2016 academic year. Each faculty member who is involved in a project will be appointed as a SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellow for a three-year term, joining the ranks of 22 SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows who were appointed last year.

Projects were selected based on proposals received through a request for proposals issued by SyracuseCoE earlier this year. SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems, which is led by Syracuse University in collaboration with SUNY ESF, SUNY Upstate Medical University, CenterState Corp. for Economic Opportunity and dozens of partner firms.

“These new projects will engage faculty members and students to address strategically targeted questions that align with SyracuseCoE’s mission to catalyze research that accelerates innovations in environmental and energy systems,“ says SyracuseCoE Executive Director Ed Bogucz, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the . “We look forward to growing this program and the support it provides to the researchers throughout the region.”

“In addition to supporting individual faculty research,” notes Sherburne Abbott, vice president for Sustainability Initiatives and University Professor at Syracuse University, “the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program fosters a broad culture of innovation and collaboration in support of the University’s research excellence initiatives.”

The projects, principal investigators and their collaborators are:

VIS-SIM: A Framework for Designing Neighborhood Energy Efficiency through Data Visualization and Calibrated Urban Building Energy Simulation
Elizabeth Krietemeyer, assistant professor,
Tarek Rakha, assistant professor, School of Architecture
Jason Dedrick, professor,

Thermo-Mechanical Fuel Reforming for Fuel Cell Energy Systems
Benjamin Akih-Kumgeh, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering & Computer Science
Jeongmin Ahn, associate professor, mechanical and aerospace engineering, College of Engineering & Computer Science

Air Pollutants and their Effects on the Syracuse Urban Landscape
Charles T. Driscoll, University Professor of Environmental Systems, College of Engineering & Computer Science

Temporal Changes in Methane Concentrations in Domestic Groundwater Wells in the Marcellus Shale Region
Laura Lautz, associate professor of Earth sciences,
Gregory Hoke, assistant professor of Earth sciences, College of Arts and Sciences
Zunli Lu, assistant professor of Earth sciences, College of Arts and Sciences

Water Resources Quality in the Urban Heat Island: Exploring Longitudinal Patterns of Stream Temperature via UAV
Christa Kelleher, assistant professor of Earth sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, & assistant professor of civil engineering, College of Engineering & Computer Science

Valorization of Biorefinery Lignin
Biljana Bujanovic, associate professor of paper and bioprocess engineering, SUNY ESF
Arthur J. Stipanovic, professor of chemistry, SUNY ESF

More information on each project can be found on SyracuseCoE’s .

The awards were made possible by funding to support SyracuseCoE actitivites awarded by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). The next request for proposals for the SyracuseCoE Faculty Fellows Program is planned for in April 2017 for projects beginning in July 2017.

Front row, from left, (student winners, holding certificates): Meng Kong, Ryan Milcarek, Matt Rushby, Leah Harnish, Sebastien Simonnet, Christine Robillard, Shannon Garvin, Kristina Gutchess, Bryan Morris, Olivia Chen, Joshua Saxton. Back row (SyracuseCoE staff and judges): Chetna Chianese, Vince Bongio, Joe Borowiec, Aimee Clinkkhammer, Bob DelZoppo, Ed Bogucz, Pete King, Hugh Henderson

SyracuseCoE has announced the winners of its annual competition for presentations of student research and innovation projects. Thirty-three students from four academic institutions presented posters in the competition, which was held in conjunction with SyracuseCoE’s 16^th annual Symposium. Projects addressed topics including:

• advanced building technologies;
• clean and renewable energy;
• design resilience;
• healthy buildings;
• indoor environmental quality;
• recycling strategies;
• sustainable urban design; and
• water resource management.

Students from Syracuse University, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF), Clarkson University and Rochester Institute of Technology presented posters. Students’ presentations were evaluated on the information presented about their projects, the layout and design of their posters, and their knowledge and ability to answer questions from the judges. Judges met with each student for 5-10 minutes to discuss their projects.

“The students did outstanding jobs addressing complex and important topics related to environmental and energy systems,” says Edward Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the . “We applaud their accomplishments and look forward to supporting their success in the future.”

Posters were judged in three categories: undergraduate, master’s and Ph.D. Winners were:

Undergraduate winners:

1^st Place: Bryan Morris, mechanical engineering major, Syracuse University, “Design and Testing of a Micro Scroll Compressor”; Faculty advisor: H. Ezzat Khalifa.

2^nd Place: Olivia Chen, chemical engineering major, Syracuse University, “UV Method for Total Mercury Analysis”; Faculty advisor: Charles Driscoll.

3^rd Place: Joshua Saxton, civil engineering major, Syracuse University, “Design and calibration of a rainfall simulator for plot scale experiments”; Faculty advisor: Cliff Davidson

Master’s winners:

1^st Place: Matthew Rushby, M.S. mechanical and aerospace engineering major, Syracuse University, “Exploring the Performance of Dual-Phase Oxygen Transport Membranes for Carbon Capture Purposes”; Faculty advisor: Jeongmin Ahn.

2^nd Place: Leah Harnish, M.S. environmental studies major, SUNY ESF, “Comparing Water Source Knowledge in Cities that exceed the Lead Action Level”; Faculty advisor: Sharon Moran.

3^rd Place: Sebastien Simonnet and Christine Robillard, master of architecture I majors, “Light Breeze”; Faculty advisors: David Shanks and Bess Krietemeyer.

Ph.D. winners:

1^st place: Meng Kong, mechanical and aerospace Engineering Ph.D. candidate, Syracuse University, “Modeling and Experimental Study of Using Micro-environment Control for Thermal Comfort”; Faculty advisors: Jianshun Zhang, Thong Dang and H. Ezzat Khalifa

2^nd Place Ryan Milcarek, mechanical and aerospace Engineering Ph.D. candidate, “Flame-Assisted Fuel Cells for Combined Heat and Power and Jet Engine Applications”; Faculty advisor: Jeongmin Ahn

3^rd Place: Kristina Gutchess and Shannon Garvin, Earth sciences students, Syracuse University, “Increased salinity in central New York headwater catchments associated with long-term road salt application”; Faculty advisors: Laura Lautz, Zunli Lu, and Li Jin (SUNY-Cortland).

Poster judges included Yahya Al Rayyes, HealthWay Home Products; Vincent Bongio, SBB Inc.; Joseph Borowiec, NYSERDA; Aimee Clinckhammer, NYS DEC; Robert DelZoppo, SRC Inc.; Hugh Henderson, CDH Energy; Peter King, King + King Architects; and Lawrence Wetzel, Air Innovations.

Abstracts of all student posters presented at the 2016 SyracuseCoE Symposium are available at

SyracuseCoE, New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems at Syracuse University, presents the 16th annual Symposium on Transforming Design and Energy for a Sustainable and Resilient Future. It will be held on Sept. 21 and 22 at the Crowne Plaza at 701 E. Genesee St. and at SyracuseCoE Headquarters, 727 E. Washington St., in Syracuse.

The one-and-a-half day SyracuseCoE Symposium brings together experts on high-performance buildings, the electrical system and smart grids, and opportunities for future innovations impacting the built environment. This year will feature several keynote speakers, and more than 40 speakers in sessions that address topics in design, energy and futures. The event also includes a poster session and competition featuring students from throughout the region, a dynamic networking reception and a sneak preview of new SyracuseCoE Laboratories.

Keynote speakers include:

Michelle Addington, Hines Professor of Sustainable Architectural Design at Yale University, will present “Technological Pasts and Futures.”

Jennifer Gerbi, program director, ARPA-E, will present “ARPA-E: Saving Energy Outside the Box.”

Gurdip Singh, associate dean for research, College of Engineering and Computer Science, Syracuse University, will present “Perspectives on Smart and Connected Communities and Cyber-Physical Systems.”

Skylar Tibbits, director of the Self-Assembly Lab, MIT, will present “Self-Assembly & Programmable Materials.”

Fei Wang, assistant professor at the School of Architecture, Syracuse University, will present “Design Energy Futures.”

“The SyracuseCoE Symposium offers our stakeholders in academia, industry and government an opportunity to come together with others in the community to share cutting-edge research and develop new collaborations to address key challenges and opportunities for clean energy innovations for a vibrant future.” says Ed Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE.

“Attendees will take away knowledge about the latest research in sustainable and resilient built environments that range from nano-scale to city-scale.” says Symposium Committee Chair Tarek Rakha from Syracuse University’s School of Architecture. “Topics will address integration of design with energy for a sustainable future within the confines of new market conditions.”

Program Schedule:
Review the Symposium Program Schedule .

Registration:
Registration is required and seating is limited. Please visit the SyracuseCoE for more information and to register.

Call for Posters:
SyracuseCoE invites abstracts for poster presentation related to the Symposium theme from SyracuseCoE Industry and University Partners, as well as undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students. Cash prizes will be awarded to students. For more information, go to .

The 13th International Forum and Workshop on Combined Heat, Air, Moisture and Pollutant Simulations (CHAMPS) included presentations by the international visitors and Syracuse University faculty and students. Visitors were also able participate in the Second Expert Meeting of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Annex 68 Project Indoor Air Quality Design and Control in Low Energy Residential Buildings.

The importance of engineering high-performance buildings has become increasingly significant for improving human health and performance and reducing energy consumption. In industrialized countries, about 40 percent of energy consumption is associated with operation of buildings, including heating, cooling and lighting. In addition, natural resources and energy are increasingly scarce as a result of industrialization, and human health and productivity are increasingly compromised due to levels of pollution. To create a sustainable future, innovations are needed to create advanced building systems that reduce energy use and improve environmental quality for the betterment of human health.

“The forum and the expert meeting engage global leaders in research of the indoor environment,” says Jianshun Zhang, conference chair and professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the . “We are very glad to welcome participants from China, Denmark, Germany, Japan, France, the United States and other countries to Syracuse to focus on major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings.”

“Syracuse is very well known in the international community of indoor air quality and sustainable building technology experts as a hub of research expertise and innovation,” says Ed Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director and associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. “We’re thrilled to host our colleagues from around the world, and we look forward to leveraging the intellectual collisions that will result.”

The focus of CHAMPS 2016��was on major challenges facing the combined heat, air, moisture and pollutant simulations for the design and operation of sustainable buildings, highlighting the most recent progress and identifying opportunities for further collaboration in CHAMPS research, development and applications. Topics included whole building environmental quality, the effects of climate change on indoor environmental quality and of different climates on building performance, and the application of CHAMPS for building systems design.

Participants in the IEA Annex 68 Expert Meeting��also shared progress made to date on the project, and discussed the plan for the next steps. There were also general sessions and separate working group sessions for all subtasks, including pollutant loads in residential buildings, modeling, strategies for design and control of buildings and field measurements and case studies. More information about the Annex 68 project can be found in .

Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul cuts the ribbon during ceremonies held at the Center of Excellence Building.

New York State Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul visited the headquarters of the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) on Wednesday, Aug. 24, to celebrate the opening of new labs that will fuel research, teaching and industry collaboration by students and faculty members from Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). Hochul was joined by Syracuse University Vice Chancellor Mike Haynie, SUNY ESF President Quentin Wheeler, Centerstate Corporation for Economic Opportunity President and CEO Rob Simpson and SyracuseCoE Executive Director Ed Bogucz in offering remarks and cutting the ribbon.

The new labs are designed to support research, teaching and industry collaboration on combustion technology, energy conversion, flow visualization, energy-efficient building systems and biofuels production. They will be used by by students and faculty from Syracuse University, SUNY ESF and corporate partners of SyracuseCoE. Initial research and development projects that are already underway are funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

Industries associated with environmental and energy systems are critical to New York State’s economy and research universities are drivers of New York’s economic success. Central New York benefits from these facilities by strategically enabling Syracuse University and SUNY ESF to recruit bright new faculty members and prepare students for jobs at companies in Central New York and around the world.

The new labs were constructed as a component of an $8.7 million investment in new facilities at SyracuseCoE that was catalyzed by a $3 million award from New York State that was made through the process of annual awards focused on priorities developed by Regional Economic Development Councils. The balance of funding for the project came from private and federal sources.

The SyracuseCOE’s 15th Annual Symposium will focus on “Clean Energy Frontiers: From Lab to Market.”

The symposium technical program will open on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the��Crowne Plaza Hotel with an 8:30 a.m. breakfast and moving on to a full day of keynote speakers—including New York State Energy Research and Development Agency’s Janet Joseph and U.S. Department of Energy’s��Chioke Harris—and��technical sessions,��together with networking opportunities and posters.

“This year the SyracuseCoE Symposium features the strengths of faculty and students from across Syracuse University and SUNY-College of Environmental Science and Forestry for groundbreaking research, development and collaborations in clean energy innovations,” says Edward A. Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE. “We celebrate the strength of this community to address key challenges and opportunities for clean energy innovations for a vibrant future.”

Multi-disciplinary sessions will feature:

• combustion Technologies
• furnaces and fuel cells
• SUNY ESF biofuels pilot plant
• distributed environmental controls
• energy-efficient approach to improving indoor air quality
• energy efficiency innovations in data centers
• adding microgrids to public urban infrastructure
• sustainable urban mobility
• integrating distributed renewables into the grid

On Monday evening, Nov. 9, a reception and student poster competition will be held at the SyracuseCoE headquarters building, 727 E. Washington St., Syracuse. Winners of the poster competition��will be announced during the reception, with cash prizes awarded.

Program Schedule

Review the symposium program schedule .

Registration

Registration is required, and seating is limited, so early registration is recommended. Register .

Representatives from Nanjing and Syracuse University signed the agreement during a ceremony held at the Center of Excellence.

“This is a very important time for collaboration between the U.S. and China on research and practice in climate change,” said Sherburne Abbott, vice president for sustainability initiatives at Syracuse University. “Our two countries are responsible for 43 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions, and our leadership will be essential in organizing a new framework for reducing these emissions. We hope to bring together the faculty and students from our great universities to build on the relationship between clean energy, climate change and a sustainable future.”

The agreement to establish the new center was signed by officials from the two universities at an event held at the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE). The ceremony began with Jensen Zhang, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering and director of Syracuse University’s Building Energy and Environmental Systems Laboratory, welcoming the guests to Syracuse University. Representing Syracuse University and signing the document were Elizabeth D. Liddy, interim vice chancellor and provost; Michael A. Speaks, dean of the School of Architecture; and Edward Bogucz, executive director of SyracuseCoE. NJU was represented by Yi Pan, vice president for research, and Wowo Ding, dean of the School of Architecture and Urban Planning.

“Some of the most vanguard work in the world in the area of Green Buildings is being conducted in China,” said Speaks. “We are excited to join their efforts in this partnership.”

The mission of the center is to advance interdisciplinary research and education through international collaboration and achieve broader impact of the two universities in the field of sustainability related to energy, environment and health in buildings and urban communities. It will be accomplished through specific objectives, including collaborative research projects, educational programs, joint outreach programs between academics and international industrial partners, and multidisciplinary faculty and student exchange. The partnership has already involved faculty and students from three different Syracuse University colleges and schools, including Architecture, Engineering and Computer Science and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, through interdisciplinary coursework, lectures and extension programs.

“We look forward to supporting this new center, and we should let the world know that Nanjing University’s office will be here on the second floor in the SyracuseCoE headquarters. To our new partners from Nanjing, I say ‘Welcome home,’ we look forward to working with you,” said Bogucz.

Both universities are internationally known for their contributions to the field of sustainability. The newly established center demonstrates their strong commitment to facilitate world-class international academic collaborations by working together to develop innovative new solutions for global challenges.